Chapter 162: Apology – 1

A person had rushed to Loctana without rest upon hearing the news that shook the entire continent.

She had cried so much on the way that the carriage seemed like it would collapse, and she had been consumed with worry and anxiety.

They said Kailo was in critical condition.

They said he could die at any moment.

She should have stopped him.

She should have held him back.

Why did he have to be on the verge of death for that wretched woman from the South?

Her chest felt unbearably tight and painful.

He should have been seeking happiness by now, but once again, he was suffering.

After what felt like an endless journey, she finally arrived at Loctana.

—Clatter…

The carriage came to a halt.

Clang!

The carriage door swung open.

A beautiful woman with reddened, swollen eyes and tear-streaked cheeks stepped out.

“K-Kayla, my lady! Please wait!”

A servant called out from behind, trying to stop her, but Kayla walked straight toward Vivian without hesitation.

Vivian did not even dare to lift her head and meet Kayla’s gaze.

Kayla, furious, thought to herself—

Of course.

A person should have no face to look me in the eye after what she has done to my brother all his life.

And now, he was at death’s door because of her.

What was so special about that woman?

What made her so beautiful that he would risk his life for her?

The Vivian before her was nothing like the woman from the past.

Once proud, perhaps even noble in demeanor, she now looked utterly ruined.

But that did not stop Kayla.

Vivian would never understand the despair she had felt when she received the news.

Had she known her brother would end up like this, she would have held on to him with all her strength, even if it meant dying.

“You…! You…!!”

As Kayla approached Vivian, she raised her hand high.

Vivian did not even flinch.

Her face was resigned, as if telling Kayla to strike her as much as she wished.

Kayla’s trembling hand froze in midair.

Her resentful eyes locked onto Vivian.

Vivian’s eyelids quivered slightly before she lowered her gaze.

If only she had kept that arrogant demeanor, it would have been easier to spit in her face.

…But then Kayla noticed Vivian’s red-rimmed eyes.

She couldn’t do it.

Instead, she lowered her hand with great effort and grabbed Vivian by the collar.

“Urk!”

Vivian let out a small gasp.

Had she really been locked away in prison lately?

Considering Kailo’s condition, Vivian probably hadn’t had the will to eat either.

Her frail body shook under Kayla’s grip.

Yet, even through her fury, Kayla’s voice came out choked with resentment.

“…My brother…”

“…My brother chose to save you…”

No matter how much Kayla wanted to blame Vivian, she knew this was Kailo’s decision.

She knew how long he had thought about Vivian, even back in the North.

Even while resting, even when falling asleep, even during training—Kailo had always been thinking of her.

In the end, there was no reason to direct her anger at Vivian.

This was just Kayla looking for someone to blame.

“…So I will hold myself back, too.”

But she could no longer look at Vivian with any semblance of respect.

Even if this situation was more a result of Kailo’s choices than Vivian’s actions, emotions did not work so rationally.

“…But…”

Kayla continued.

“…If my brother dies…”

Hot tears streamed down Kayla’s cheeks.

Her eyes, wide with grief, bore into Vivian with an unrelenting weight of blame.

…Father would be next.

And if Kailo left as well…

“…If my brother dies, I will—”

“-If Kailo dies…”

But this time, it was Vivian who spoke first.

The arrogance of the past was nowhere to be found.

Only a completely broken woman stood before Kayla.

Vivian looked up at her and said,

“…If Kailo dies, I will atone with my life.”

There was not a hint of falsehood in her defeated eyes.

Kayla could see the truth in them.

The lord of a domain.

The head of the Rondor family, forever entwined in enmity.

Vivian Rondor was declaring complete surrender to Kayla Alan.

“…I’m sorry.”

Vivian bowed deeply before Kayla.

The retainers witnessing the scene held their breath.

Everyone here knew the history between the two families.

“I am… so sorry.”

Vivian’s voice trembled.

Kayla closed her eyes tightly.

She had no reason to accept Vivian’s apology.

As she had said before, this was Kailo’s choice.

If there was anyone to blame, it was perhaps the fact that Vivian had made Kailo fall in love.

For the first time, Kayla thought she might understand the old Vivian.

She finally understood why Vivian had tormented Kailo so much.

The truth didn’t matter.

Feelings did.

She had lost her mother.

Her father and brother were at death’s door.

Her once warm family had been torn apart and drowned in tragedy—

All because of the influence of the Rondor family.

Mother never got to see my brother before she passed away.

And as for Father…

I could never bring myself to tell him about my brother’s fate.

Now, my brother is on the brink of death.

Even if it was Kailo’s choice, there was nothing that could be done.

If he dies, Kayla will surely blame Vivian.

And so, now I could understand Vivian’s heart.

At the time, she believed Father was largely responsible for the deaths of their family.

Now, I finally understood why she had tormented Kailo so much.

“…Lift your head.”

At last, Kayla spoke.

She wanted to say more, to blame Vivian further, but when she saw her face, she couldn’t.

No matter how much she resented and despised her, she could see it—

She could see the hell Vivian was enduring.

She didn’t want to compare sorrows, but for some reason, it felt like Vivian was suffering more than she was.

Just the sheer agony she was going through seemed like its own punishment.

Kayla roughly wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

“…I want to see my brother.”

“Take me to him.”

Vivian weakly nodded.

“…Alright.”

***

As Kayla entered Kailo’s sickroom, Vivian remained outside, waiting.

Seeing Kayla break down in sobs as she stepped inside, Vivian knew—no matter what, she couldn’t intrude on that moment.

If she stayed too close, she would only provoke more of Kayla’s wrath.

It was best for her to disappear from sight.

Listening to Kayla’s sobs, Vivian sank to the floor, her back sliding down the wall as if she were collapsing.

“Lady Vivian…”

The maids hesitated, their voices laced with concern.

But Vivian couldn’t bring herself to stand.

She felt utterly wretched, so ashamed that she wished she could crawl into a hole and hide forever.

She hadn’t been the only one who loved Kailo.

With someone as brilliant as him, it was only natural that others would love him too.

Yet she had been the one to take him away from them.

How could she be so monstrous?

…And yet, even now, she still couldn’t let him go.

Why?

With every fiber of her being, she had loved Kailo.

That was the unchanging truth, no matter how much time passed.

She knew she no longer had the right to hold onto him.

She understood that now, she had to prove her love through action.

And yet, her feelings had not changed in the slightest.

She still carried a love for him so deep it felt unbearably heavy.

Hiding her face in her hands, Vivian sat there for a long while.

Then, slowly, she suppressed her emotions and forced herself to her feet.

There was something she needed to do.

She had preparations to make.

***

In her old chambers, five soldiers entered.

Yanes, Duran, Wallace, Martin… and Valon.

Each of them had come secretly at Vivian’s summons.

Though the sky was still bright, no one could enter this place without permission.

Vivian sat in silence, gathering her thoughts.

“…I was told you called for us.”

Valon was the first to speak.

“…Valon.”

But before anything else, she needed to confirm something.

This wasn’t why she had called them, but she had to ask.

She had pieced together what had happened from the stories she’d heard.

And a suspicion had formed.

“…Did you bring Kailo here?”

Guilt darkened Valon’s eyes.

The strong warrior’s gaze wavered with regret.

He had suffered serious injuries in the battle against the Paladins.

But, of course, his wounds were nothing compared to Kailo.

“…Yes.”

His voice barely above a whisper, Valon admitted it.

Vivian said nothing.

Strictly speaking, his decision had saved her life.

…But still.

She couldn’t help but wonder—what if he hadn’t?

Perhaps the outcome would determine how she truly felt.

If Kailo survived, maybe, in the distant future, she would be grateful.

But if he didn’t… she would resent Valon for the rest of her life.

Yet she couldn’t say any of this out loud.

His choice had saved her life, after all.

Carefully, she spoke.

“…Though it resulted in saving me.”

“…I won’t thank you for it.”

Kailo had paid the price.

She could never express gratitude for that.

“…I understand.”

Valon’s voice was steady, as if he already expected that response.

Vivian swallowed down her emotions and continued.

“And if… Kailo dies…”

“…Yes.”

“…I will banish you from this land. I won’t be able to bear seeing your face.”

Valon bowed his head low.

And again, he nodded.

“…Yes.”

She would make sure he was given enough to survive, enough wealth to avoid starvation.

But she couldn’t bear to have him near.

That much was certain.

Even now, the pain was nearly unbearable.

The tears that threatened to escape were almost too much to hold back.

Vivian was about to say more—was about to berate him—

But then she saw his face.

And because they shared the same sorrow, because she knew he was grieving too…

She sighed quietly instead.

That wasn’t why she had called them here.

There was something she needed to reveal.

Something that had to be known for her plan to succeed.

Taking a deep breath, Vivian steadied herself.

“…I called you all here for a reason.”

The soldiers straightened, their gazes fixed firmly on her.

“I need your help with my plan.”

Wallace was the first to respond.

“Whatever it is, give us your command.”

Not just because they were Kailo’s friends—

But because Vivian trusted them, too.

Not in the same way she had trusted Kailo, enough to give her life for him.

But among those still left in the castle, these five were the ones she could rely on the most.

They had spent enough time together for that trust to form.

“…Will you follow any order I give?”

Vivian asked before she began.

“For Kailo’s sake.”

Without hesitation, they all nodded.

“We will give our lives.”

Valon answered first.

Vivian looked at their faces.

Then, she resolved herself.

A secret she had hidden her entire life—

A truth she had kept even from Kailo.

But now, there was no reason to keep it concealed.

For Kailo’s sake, she could say it.

Before explaining her plan, there was something she had to tell them.

Looking up at them, she spoke.

“…First, you must know this—I am a witch.”