Ch.102Report on the Downfall of Kindness (12)

While Maria and Lily were drawing attention in the village, Kain ran to an open space planted with rosewood trees along the outskirts of the village.

The plan was for the two women to create a commotion to gather the villagers, while Kain would stimulate the trees in the clearing. This would cause extreme confusion for Roberta, forcing her to reveal herself.

Even if the hunter didn’t show herself, it wouldn’t be meaningless. Simply disrupting the villagers’ encirclement would guarantee safety and a chance to escape.

Perhaps they might even find another exit besides the ravine.

But a plan is just a plan. If even one of the three failed to do their part properly, death would be the only outcome.

Even if Kain safely reached the clearing, if he couldn’t inflict meaningful damage to the enchanted trees, if Roberta didn’t reveal herself and countered with stronger magic…

However, the three had no time to consider such possibilities, nor opportunities to gather more information. They were already prey.

So rather than doubting whether their chosen answer was correct, it was better to push forward as if it were.

It was a dangerous tightrope walk, but Maria and Lily did their best. The two women, who had originally planned to act together, separated to attract as many villagers as possible.

‘Maria and Lily are doing their part well. I just need to do mine.’

Kain steeled himself and continued forward.

He didn’t touch the ground. He moved from branch to branch, jumping between trees.

The “Black Forest” was named for its dense canopy that barely let sunlight through. True to its name, the spaces between trees were narrow, and the branches were sturdy.

Kain had grown up among trees since childhood. Climbing and traversing them wasn’t difficult for him. Thanks to the stealth, tracking, concealment, and infiltration techniques he had honed at the Imperial Security Bureau, Kain moved as quietly and swiftly as a leopard stalking its prey.

However, he couldn’t just move forward recklessly.

The villagers weren’t a major problem. True to their entranced state, they were insensitive to external stimuli. They only responded keenly to visual cues, while being indifferent to sounds or physical sensations.

Kain was confident he wouldn’t be caught by them. But as he kept moving from tree to tree, he couldn’t prevent birds from flying away or small animals from scurrying out.

Each time a bird took flight or a rabbit darted away, people would stare blankly toward the forest. Kain had to stop then. The villagers would grin vacantly, then stare blankly at the commotion in the village before moving on with heavy steps.

Every time he pressed himself against a trunk, questions arose.

‘Why on earth is Roberta doing this?’

Based on Brother Henry’s words, Roberta seemed to have known something about “magic” before coming here.

The fact that she had “modified” the old monk’s knowledge and experience to suit her intentions suggested she could at least perform basic implementation.

Additionally, judging from Maria’s “mother’s” reaction, Roberta’s magic was clearly heretical even by “traditional magic” standards. Hadn’t she mentioned “tree blood” and “unforgivable sin” when seeing Kain’s sap-soaked hands?

‘Then where did Roberta learn such sinful practices?’

She had even been part of the Crusades, which were crawling with inquisitors and holy knights. It was impossible to understand or comprehend how a witch had survived among them.

Why was she doing this? How was she able to do it? And what was she trying to accomplish?

These were the first questions one should ask when dealing with criminals. But Kain couldn’t answer any of them.

He was just prey hunting the hunter, running forward.

* * * * *

Finally, Kain reached the clearing. The naked, enchanted rosewood trees were still unpleasant and even disgusting. It was like watching animals jumping around with their skin flayed off while still alive.

At least last time, the trunks hadn’t had blue and red vein-like protrusions. Yet despite this, the trees oozed yellowish honey. Instead of bees, large green flies buzzed around, licking the honey.

Kain wrapped his arms and hands with tablecloths and clothes he had stolen from someone’s yard. He didn’t want to experience the sap sticking to him again. Especially if it was so toxic that it needed to be purified by a witch’s fire.

He placed both hands on the nearest tree. Unpleasantly, he could feel a pulse despite it being just a tree. The throbbing sound too. And the vibration of a heart beating underground.

As if disgusted, the tree twitched its branches. The human face carved below it writhed its mouth. It looked up at Kain through charred eye sockets.

“Yes. The impure sacrifice has walked to the altar on its own.”

But the face that sprouted beneath the tree merely glared at Kain without doing anything else.

“Why? Weren’t you repulsed by just a touch? It’s not like the bruise has faded in the meantime.”

The face continued to just glare at Kain. Kain kicked the face. It grimaced. The branches shook threateningly.

“Fine. Try to catch me. I dare you!”

But that was it. The face returned to its previous gaping expression, as if uninterested.

Wondering if it was because he wasn’t touching it with bare hands, Kain unwrapped the cloth from his hands and stroked the tree trunk with his bare hands. But again, nothing special happened.

Shing.

Kain drew his imperial sword. The human face glanced at him as if looking at an insect. Until the imperial sword was driven into its forehead.

Though he clearly struck the tree, it felt like stabbing freshly butchered meat. Like striking the body of a newly slaughtered pig, skinned and hanging upside down.

The tree twisted its body. It twisted its branches. Leaves fell, as if slapping Kain’s cheek. Two times, three times. Kain struck again. But the tree merely seemed annoyed, not spewing any sap.

“So you’re not interested in damaged sacrifices!”

Kain ran to the tree that had spat sap at him before. The tree that had attacked the knights and was now broken. Like a lizard’s tail that regrows after being cut off, new buds wrapped in translucent membranes had already grown.

Kain sliced off the new buds with his imperial sword. The trunk heaved, whipping its roots like a lash. It felt like thousands of snakes were writhing under Kain’s feet.

The stark difference in reaction was bewildering. He spat, kicked in frustration, and even cut his arm slightly with the tip of his sword. He sprinkled the dripping blood, but the tree merely seemed bothered.

‘What should I do? How should I do it?’

Kain’s mind went blank. He thought of Maria and Lily, surrounded by villagers. Roberta’s incredibly kind demeanor flashed through his mind, followed by Brother Henry’s miserable final moments.

‘A witch repays kindness threefold and evil threefold! So neither just receive nor just give. Size doesn’t matter. If you receive, give; if you give, receive!’

The story Maria’s mother had told. But he couldn’t understand its meaning. Only the pain was vivid. The Black Phoenix symbol she had drawn on Kain’s hand with blood…

Kain raised his imperial sword. He carved the Black Phoenix symbol into the broken tree trunk. The trunk shuddered. He watched with anticipation for what might happen.

But nothing happened.

“Why?!”

Kain shouted.

“Why, why is there no reaction! Didn’t you hate even being touched?!”

The surrounding rosewood trees stared at Kain. The way their lips twitched seemed like they were suppressing laughter. The silent gazes, the trees lazily writhing as if mocking him, the blue and green veins pulsing on the flayed meat-like branches and roots—just looking at them made Kain’s stomach turn.

Light flashed in the distance. Holy fire. Since they had agreed beforehand to conserve strength as much as possible, that light now meant she was cornered.

Losing.

The forest gradually lost its light. Clouds were devouring the sun. Yet the shadow cast from Kain’s body grew darker.

Going to lose.

Kain’s hands trembled. The tip of the imperial sword shook. Just like that day when he had shouted that he could do it, asking for trust. Beatrice had trusted Kain. But Kain had failed to live up to that trust.

Again, right before his eyes.

The light was completely obscured. Darkness fell over the forest. The sound of leaves rubbing against each other like laughter, the friction that could be either wind or coquetry, the increasingly darkening view.

– What do you need to do to receive something from a witch?

Behind a tree, a shadow fluttered like a hem of clothing. A familiar figure emerged. But the face wasn’t clearly visible. Though he didn’t need to see it clearly to know.

“Beatrice?”

– Think about it, Kairos. What did they say you need to do to receive something from a witch?

Beatrice was always like this. She never told him everything at once. Rather than giving the answer herself, she guided the other person to recall the answer on their own. Sometimes, no, often, this aspect was frustrating.

But Kain recalled the answer. He always did back then.

“They said you have to give when you receive and receive when you give. Regardless of size.”

– The same applies to witches. That’s how gifts work, right? Giving with the intention of receiving, and receiving with the intention of giving…

“Like kindness?”

Beatrice was silent. But Kain could feel that she smiled gently.

– Yes. Like kindness. People are kind to each other because they want to receive kindness in return. That’s why everyone dislikes unkind neighbors, right?

“But Roberta isn’t kind at all.”

Beatrice shook her head.

– No, Kairos. She’s truly kind. She’s currently showing the maximum kindness she can. Binding all three of you as ‘one’… becoming one. That’s what she truly desires.

“What if I refuse?”

– There’s no such option. She will ‘persuade’ you. Just like she ‘persuaded’ Brother Henry. She’ll take more time to persuade, persuade, and persuade again. That woman who cares for you, that woman who loves you…

“No!”

Kain shouted, swinging his sword. Beatrice, enveloped in darkness, fell silent. Kain gripped his sword firmly. He needed to regain his senses.

“No. I can’t stop here. I can’t end it here! I need to know why this is happening, why Roberta is doing this! I have to save Lily and Maria!”

– But you didn’t save me.

Beatrice came closer. Her face was still not visible. But Kain stood firm on both feet.

“That’s why.”

Beatrice stopped walking.

“That’s exactly why. I couldn’t save you. I tried to save you, but I failed. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to. I couldn’t. Back then, I was only capable of that much.”

Kain forced his blurring eyes open. Beatrice’s figure seemed to be fading.

“Every time I felt like dying, I pushed my body harder. I worked like crazy, ran without looking back. But after finishing each task, all I felt was… futility. So. So what’s the point of all this? It’s not like you’ll come back to life. Beatrice. I…”

He forcibly lifted his head. This wasn’t something to say while looking down. He had to look straight ahead.

“I… regret it.”

– You’ve said that before. But so what? What has changed? Besides the night streets of Venelucia becoming the mountain village of the Black Forest.

Once again, light flashed. More distinct and intense than before.

“I’ve changed.”

– But you’re still going in circles?

“No.”

Kain murmured firmly.

“I just took the wrong path last time, so I’ve come back. That’s why I want to choose the right path this time. To move forward beyond this. I told you. I regret it. It’s the same now. But I don’t want to be bound. I don’t want to pile up the same regrets.”

For some reason, Beatrice seemed to be smiling.

– How funny. Talking to me while saying you don’t want to be bound.

“What do you mean?”

Beatrice shook her head as if refusing to explain. Instead, she looked up at the sky.

– When is a gift not a gift, Kairos?

Kain knew the answer. It was a joke often exchanged among Beatrice’s faction. A gift that’s not a gift.

“When you receive it at a moment you don’t want it.”

– That’s now. The reason those trees don’t care about you is because they’ve already gotten what they want. Sacrifices. Two pure and righteous sacrifices walked into that village on their own.

You wanted to know what’s different from before, right? Before, the impure and the pure were mixed. But now they’re separated. The impure one is now isolated here alone.

A high-pitched ringing hit Kain’s ears. Kain stabbed the ground with his imperial sword. The plan to separate and become bait—who knew it would be a mistake?

“I have to go back…!”

– It’s too late, Kairos. Since the impure one has already been separated, they’ll prevent you from approaching the altar. You’ll watch as the two women are offered. So, I’ll ask again. When does a gift cease to be a gift, Kairos?

Beatrice’s shadow came closer. Close enough to hold Kain’s hand.

– What’s the most effective way to desecrate something evil?

“When you offer an unwanted sacrifice…”

– Then offer it.

Kain understood.

“Give as you wish to receive, and receive as you wish to give, right?”

That’s the rule. The rule for dealing with witches. So even the witch can’t escape this rule.

Roberta wants to show them kindness. And Kain must reject that kindness.

The way to reject is simple.

For Kain to show kindness.

He approached the broken tree. He gripped the imperial sword tightly. Without missing. So that the strength of his grip would be fully transmitted. To end it in one go.

He already knew where to cut. Kain placed the sword against the side of his neck. The vein, pressed by the cold steel, throbbed with presence.

A massive beam of light shot high into the sky.

Kain cut his own throat.

Unlike when he had cut Beatrice’s throat, he made no mistakes.

This time.