Chapter 111: You cant go anywhere – 5

“Father!!”

Kayla urgently sought her father, Jade Allen.

She threw the door open, breaking the serenity of her father, who lay on the bed.

Normally, she wouldn’t act this way, but now, she had no choice.

“…Cough, cough.”

Jade Alan responded not with words, but with a weak cough and faint gaze.

There was no trace of the legendary knight who once ruled the land.

The once-mighty body that struck fear into enemies had withered away, leaving only frailty behind.

The piercing gaze that once stood defiant against death now lacked any will to resist.

What remained was a defeated man.

Kayla had come to see her father, but the sight of him left her speechless.

The image of her father, who had once stood tall like an indomitable tree, was no more.

She never could have predicted he would end up like this.

A man who once faced any enemy without fear now seemed utterly broken.

Every time Kayla saw her father like this, she felt as though tears would well up.

And often, they did.

When she visited Loctana and met her brother, she felt as though she was seeing a memory of her father.

Her brother, who was once as small as her, now stood a head taller than most southern men.

His body was hardened from rigorous training.

Seeing his strong figure brought her immense relief, and the weight on her shoulders seemed to lighten.

Her brother, Kailo, wouldn’t know just how much it had meant to her.

Even after returning to her hometown, Kayla frequently boasted to her father about Kailo.

She said he had grown into such an impressive man.

She would joke.

“If he weren’t my brother, I might have fallen for him.”

Her father, though weakened, would often smile faintly at her playful words.

“…Is this about your brother?”

Jade Alan asked, his voice hoarse and metallic.

He was always like this.

Though he never expressed it openly, he worried deeply for Kailo, who lived far away.

Every time Kayla mentioned her brother, she could sense her father’s sorrow in his voice.

He blamed himself, saying it was his failure.

Despite all his achievements in war, he couldn’t protect his son.

It was his sin, he claimed.

Though he didn’t show it, Kayla was certain her father had shed many tears thinking about Kailo.

Biting her lip, Kayla answered,

“…Yes, Father. It’s about my brother.”

“That fool… Why did he choose not to return back then…”

“…As I said, even if he wanted to come back, he couldn’t. Vivian wouldn’t let him go…”

Kailo had promised to return.

He said there was unfinished business keeping him there.

That was almost a year ago.

Kailo, as he claimed, stayed to settle matters and ended up waging war with the Lord of Nerumport, achieving tremendous feats and spreading his name far and wide.

The very fact that he fought under Rondor’s banner was absurd, but having seen her brother embrace Vivian at the time, Kayla knew it was his decision.

Thanks to his widespread reputation, many marriage proposals began to pour in.

It wasn’t simply because he was the heir of the Alan family.

If that were the only reason, proposals of such variety and high status wouldn’t have come.

Now, many knew the truth:

There was no better match than Kailo.

At 15, he slew a dragon.

He defeated the Eight Knights of the Delrum Kingdom’s Corrode family single-handedly.

He led a victorious war against Nerumport.

He eliminated Rondor’s traitor and former knight captain, Baelor.

And, he was none other than the son of Jade Alan.

Moreover, his chivalry even extended to protecting Vivian, the lone survivor of the Rondor family, despite her being an enemy.

Not just proposals, but noble ladies infatuated by tales of Kailo sent countless letters of admiration and love.

But the fact that such a son could not return home only deepened Jade’s melancholy.

Jade Alan turned his gaze away and let out a long sigh.

Whenever he sighed like that, Kayla felt as though a bit of his life slipped away with each breath.

He whispered softly, his voice barely audible.

“…It’s no wonder Vivian won’t let it go. Considering what I’ve done.”

Kayla knew her father felt deeply remorseful toward Vivian.

In the end, war was war, and compassion was compassion.

Whenever Vivian was mentioned, Jade Alan could never hide his pity.

Perhaps it was the heart of a father who has lost a son.

When he was healthy, it wasn’t uncommon for him to mutter while looking at Kayla.

“If I ever knew you’d be left alone…”

But that was no longer the case.

“Ah, Father. That’s not it.”

“Not it, you say? I, the Duke, his son, Lois—”

“There was another assassin!”

Kayla raised her voice, responding to the news that had come from the south.

Jade Alan immediately turned his head to look at her.

“…What?”

“They’ve identified the man who poisoned Duke Rondor and crushed Lois Rondor to death with a boulder… It’s Robert Rondor, Vivian Rondor’s uncle!”

It was true that the Alan family and the Rondor family had clashed endlessly during the war.

But the main reason for their notorious feud was the slaughter of the Duke Rondor and his son.

The Alan family had trampled on numerous families, incurring countless grudges and resentment, but the Rondor feud had become emblematic because of this incident.

“Ah, Father… It wasn’t you…! You didn’t annihilate the Rondor family!”

Jade Alan’s eyes wavered.

His expression betrayed disbelief.

Intense, complex emotions emanated from the once-powerless man.

And even Kayla, as she spoke, couldn’t stop the tears that welled up for her pitiable brother.

“…Then why has my son suffered all this time…?”

Jade Alan muttered.

But even that thought didn’t last long.

As if unable to bear the weight of it, he changed his tone.

“…No, no. Considering the people I’ve killed in war, Kailo would have been taken hostage regardless. But still…”

Behind the word “but,” there was a heavy silence, laden with his suppressed, complicated feelings.

And true to his ever-stoic nature, those complex emotions all coalesced into one—anger.

“…Grr…! Ngh!”

The beastly groans that escaped through his clenched teeth struck Kayla with painful force.

His gaunt arms tensed with renewed strength, veins protruding starkly.

He stood there for a while, looking as if he might cry tears of blood, before finally letting out another deep sigh.

Then, with a bitter laugh, he looked at Kayla and said,

“…Your mother always wanted to see Kailo so badly.”

Tears streamed down Kayla’s face.

She knew it too—how their mother had passed away with her last thoughts consumed by worry for her eldest son.

Kayla, knowing this, had visited her mother’s grave after meeting Kailo, sharing stories of him to bring her peace.

Yet even so, she had contained her emotions, standing firm in her father’s stead.

Now, she was the one holding this family together.

With her mother gone, her father weakened, and her brother held hostage, Kayla had carried the family through the long years.

Wiping her tears, she spoke.

“Now, Mother will finally be able to see Brother.”

“…Brother has been there all along. Vivian doesn’t have much reason left to hold him now. And the war Brother fought to resolve… It seems like it’s finally over. Father, so—”

Kayla didn’t need to finish her sentence.

In Jade Alan’s powerless eyes, a spark returned—one that hadn’t been there for years.

“Kayla.”

“…Yes.”

Jade Alan, rising from his bed, spoke.

“…Bring me paper and ink.”

***

Vivian stared coldly at the documents before her.

But her eyes weren’t reading a single word.

Her hollow gaze betrayed deep, murky thoughts.

“…Valon.”

Vivian called for Valon, who stood guard outside the door.

“Yes, I’m here.”

She posed the question that had been gnawing at her persistently.

“…What about Kailo?”

The answer didn’t come immediately.

After a moment of silence, as though sighing, Valon replied.

“…If Yanes isn’t saying otherwise, there shouldn’t be any issue.”

His voice carried the faintest hint of irritation.

Vivian couldn’t blame him.

She had asked about his whereabouts so many times today alone.

But even so, Valon needed to watch his tone.

Just because she had tolerated his impertinence over the years didn’t mean she would forever overlook it.

Vivian shook her head, brushing off the displeasure she had felt toward Valon.

Even she could feel it now—she was in an overly sensitive state.

As she thought, it wasn’t a situation where she could blame Kailo.

She had asked him a lot of questions.

But seeing what Kailo was doing, she felt so uneasy that she couldn’t endure it without acting like this.

Listening to his voice through the necklace had its limits.

Today, she had already used all her energy to hear his voice.

Now, with no way to eavesdrop on him further, unease was inevitable.

In her anxiety, Vivian had ordered Kailo to be monitored several days ago.

It was a secret order that only Kailo was unaware of.

Members of Kailo’s unit took turns keeping a close watch to ensure he didn’t try to run away.

Frankly, it wasn’t a difficult order, so everyone followed it diligently.

Valon spoke from beyond the door.

“…Lady Vivian, please don’t worry too much. Do you really think Kailo would leave without a word?”

Vivian nodded alone at Valon’s sweet reassurance.

Those were the words she needed right now.

Yes, Kailo wouldn’t leave so suddenly.

Running away in secret wasn’t his style.

However, the plan that had been spinning in her mind all day showed no sign of stopping.

Vivian still knew—she firmly believed—

Kailo still loved her.

Hadn’t he said it himself?

There was nothing to fear.

No reason to hesitate.

If he said he would stop, then all she had to do was go and lead him forward.

We, together, lo…

The word “love” still had shackles on it.

It was still a word too difficult to utter recklessly.

Just a little more patience, and she would become an adult and offer the witch’s sacrifice.

After that, Vivian would be ready to reveal her deepest feelings to Kailo.

She could whisper that word into his ear all day long.

She could say it casually, as a joke by the riverside.

She could say it as a greeting while eating breakfast.

She could shout it while sharing a bed with him, their bodies entwined passionately.

So, just a little longer.

Kailo only needed to wait a little longer.

“…It’s late. We’ll keep a close watch on Kailo, so why don’t you rest now?”

Perhaps worried about her, Valon suggested from outside.

Vivian turned her head to look out the window.

It was indeed late.

The moon was high, and it was time to retire to bed.

But her anxiety would not let her sleep.

Vivian rose from her seat.

She opened the door and stepped outside.

“Lady Vivian?”

Valon, puzzled, called out to her.

She asked.

“Valon, do you know much about alcohol?”

He rolled his eyes before nodding.

“…Well… I do enjoy it.”

“Then, could I ask you a favor? Could you fetch me a strong drink from the storeroom?”

“…A strong drink, you say?”

“Yes.”

Vivian replied.

“…Something so strong it makes it hard to keep your senses.”