Chapter 83: Count Corrode and the Eight Knights – 2

Vivian thought she would feel joy or relief, but instead, her heart sank with the news.

There was only one worry that settled in her chest.

…What about Kailo?

Even with his mother dead, she had made sure Kailo couldn’t leave.

The resulting rift in their relationship still had an impact.

When she prevented him from leaving back then, Kailo began demanding compensation, and as a result, physical contact between them increased significantly.

Perhaps their feelings of affection and hatred toward each other deepened as well.

What would happen now?

Vivian was already scared.

She knew a confrontation with Kailo was inevitable.

A brief moment of closing her eyes and thinking made it clear to her.

Just imagining Kailo leaving made it hard for Vivian to breathe.

So, letting him leave was something she couldn’t allow.

Even though she knew that if she gave her permission,

Kailo could return to his homeland, Vivian had no intention of granting such a simple approval.

The Alan family without a head?

Kailo’s younger siblings left alone?

The chaos that would erupt in that land?

…None of it mattered to Vivian.

It was only a few years ago that she had hoped for them to struggle in endless pain.

Moreover, Vivian had already survived that pain.

The pain the Alan family had caused Rondor—why should Rondor now help the Alan family?

The only person who could take the position of head of the family was her, and back then, she was only 13.

The younger siblings of the Alan family should take the position of head.

They should consider Kailo as someone who no longer existed.

If she had let Kailo go to prevent their chaos, it wouldn’t even be called a hostage; it would simply have been her acting as a guardian.

With such selfish thoughts, Vivian rationalized her choice.

Yes, you did the same to me.

I didn’t defeat the Undefeated Knight.

He fell on his own.

Why should I care about your position?

You should suffer in pain too.

It was only by thinking this way that she could steel her resolve.

It was only by thinking this way that she felt she could endure the upcoming fight with Kailo.

And as she made up her mind, one truthful thought whispered within her.

As much as the Alan family needed Kailo… Vivian also needed Kailo.

So deeply that it was impossible to separate from him, that disgusting Kailo had already become deeply intertwined with Vivian’s life.

“…Hah.”

Vivian pressed her forehead and let out a sigh.

It had already been days since the cold war with Kailo.

She already missed the ordinary conversations she used to have with him.

Like an addiction, she wanted a deeper relationship with him.

…Suddenly, she wanted to kiss him.

It seemed like that would calm the anxiety stirring in her heart.

“Where is Kailo?”

After a long pause in the face of Vivian’s silence, Lady Linne finally spoke.

“He is probably still down in the city. He’s probably hunting witches.”

“…It’s not something you can hide, is it?”

“…Please don’t think of it that way, Master. I know it’s nonsense.”

Vivian sealed a letter she had written to Count Corrode with wax and handed it to Lady Linne.

“Please send this to Count Corrode.”

Anyway, once Kailo returned, it would all be resolved.

***

The news had spread.

The news that my father had collapsed was echoing throughout the castle.

Only those who had seen my face hurriedly silenced themselves, awkwardly clearing their throats.

The road I walked was filled with silence.

But perhaps I had already expected it.

I wasn’t too shocked.

Perhaps because I had already planned what would come next, it felt like walking a path that was already laid out.

To be honest, I could already guess Vivian’s reaction.

After setting down my gear and washing my body, I headed to Vivian’s room.

-Creeeak.

Without even knocking, I pushed open the door.

Vivian looked up at me quietly, as if it was expected.

“…No.”

That was her first word.

Not even slightly off from what was expected.

“I don’t care about your family’s situation.”

“Be quiet. Just stop.”

Vivian’s mouth was shut with a firm gesture, silencing her attempts to argue.

There was no reason to listen to annoying and unpleasant talks.

“I’m not going.”

After all, I was staying.

There were unfinished matters here.

Once Vivian was safe, once she found out who had tried to assassinate her and eliminated them, then I would leave.

But that was not yet.

Even ignoring the fact that Vivian might die, I couldn’t leave because my feelings for her weren’t light.

Of course, this feeling was a curse, but… even so, I knew I had to surrender to it.

Even if it was a curse, if I left and Vivian died, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.

Vivian was frozen, staring at me.

Blinking her eyes, she stared at her for a long time, her lips moving slowly.

“…Really?”

Then I repeated.

“Yes.”

Vivian’s shoulders relaxed with a sigh.

It felt as though the strength she had prepared for a fight was now released.

She, who had been trying to figure out my intentions, gave a weary smile.

Then she asked me,
“…What change has occurred?”

“Change? No, it’s just that I don’t want to fight, so I’m not going.”

“That’s true, but…”

I sighed as I collapsed onto Vivian’s bed.

My father would understand.

He wouldn’t be upset with me over my choice.

In fact, he might even blame himself for causing me harm.

But it’s time for me to be independent from him.

Losing the support of my father makes me a little anxious, but still, his presence had protected me while I was growing up.

Now, it’s time for me to handle things on my own.

Vivian looked at me for a long time, somewhat dumbfounded, before letting out a small laugh.

I looked at her smile and asked,

“Are you really that happy I’m not going?”

“…I like that you’re listening now.”

She stopped hiding her laughter and smiled brightly.

It was a beautiful smile that seemed to blind you with its radiance.

“…You’re so sweet. Come here, Kailo.”

She praised me in a tone she rarely used, as though she was truly pleased with my choice.

Ignoring her words, I lay on the bed, and Vivian was the one to approach first.

Then, without hesitation, she pressed her lips to mine.

The kiss seemed less about affection and more about trying to tease me.

I could tell she understood my feelings and was trying to drive me crazy.

I squeezed my eyes shut but accepted her kiss.

Thinking about how Vivian might act all triumphant made my head hot, so I decided to tease her a bit.

I tightly gripped her bottom.

Smack!

Vivian gasped and pushed my hand away.

I, feeling a small victory, got up from the bed.

“Soft.”

“…Do you want to die?”

Vivian threatened, but I pretended I didn’t hear and wiped my mouth, preparing to leave the room.

“…Oh, wait.”

Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly remembered something and spoke to Vivian.

“I caught a witch in the city.”

Vivian froze for a moment before asking me again.

“…A witch?”

I nodded.

“I’m planning to kill her tomorrow. Can you just stamp something for me?”

Vivian looked shocked by the mention of the witch.

Hesitating, she asked,

“How do you know she’s a witch?”

“I received a tip and found ritual symbols drawn in blood, along with various herbs in a basement. There were also straw dolls with nails in them and documents praising demons.”

She was definitely a witch.

The shock I felt when I saw all of it with my own eyes was substantial.

It made me realize that these cockroach-like people were living their lives casting spells on others.

“…Without a trial?”

“I saw it with my own two eyes.”

“…Wouldn’t it be better to execute her like with others like usual on the execution day? Why the rush?”

“Cockroaches like that need to die.”

I understood the confusion Vivian must have felt.

My sudden hatred toward the witch might have seemed strange.

But I had been growing my hatred for witches day by day.

The reason I didn’t hate Vivian, even though she was going to become another man’s woman, and the reason I couldn’t leave her even after my father had collapsed, all of it was because of the witch’s curse.

When I thought about it, I realized how much this curse had influenced my life.

It had planted a sense of sacrifice in me, which was something I had never had for others.

I could now understand how abnormal my actions were.

That’s why I hated witches.

Now, I even understood the mindset of the paladin I met at the Las Order in the past.

I now understood why he was so fanatical about hunting witches.

“…I told you.”

Leaving behind the dazed Vivian, I left.

It seemed like it was a good day to sharpen my sword.

***

Twenty days had passed.

“He has already killed two?”

Elena shouted at Vivian as if scolding her.

“How many more are you going to allow? It’s four now…! Tighten up the leash!”

There was no trace of the usual calm in Elena.

Vivian was gradually realizing how intense the pressure from Kailo was and how much he hated witches.

It was confusing for Vivian as well.

She couldn’t understand Kailo’s sudden outbursts.

It almost felt as though, the more his anger grew, the more he took it out on the witches.

Vivian couldn’t react to this unexpected connection.

“…I’ll take care of it.”

In the end, Vivian had no choice but to make a light promise.

After all, Kailo wouldn’t be going to the city very often in the next few days.

Count Corrode was coming.

I also heard that his famous Eight knights were coming.

The meeting was meant to address the tyrannical guilds, and in that setting, Vivian was unsure of what she might have to say.

Her head was already starting to ache.

If things went wrong here, there could be significant changes in their relationships.

The boundaries of the continuously disputed territories might shift in his favor, and the taxes for entering the city could change.

It felt like she was truly entering the realm of adult politics.

This was her first time dealing with a fight outside her domain, so it was only natural to feel nervous.

“When Count Corrode comes, Kailo will stay by my side. I’m sure of it.”

Count Corrode’s Eight knights.

Based on skill, Corrode lined up the Eight knights and offered them great privileges and glory under his name.

They were all former commanders of knight orders who had fought in wars, and each of them was willing to sacrifice their life for the count.

Already, their intimidating presence seemed to be weighing on her.

If Kailo was not around, she might have been scared of them by now.

“…The real problem is after that. Don’t let Kailo Alan go into the city anymore…!”

Vivian finally lost her temper under Elena’s pressure.

“Tell them to hide somewhere…!”

“What?”

“If Kailo is that scary, tell everyone to be careful! If he push me with evidence I can’t deny, I won’t have any power to fight in court! How can I protect these fools when they openly draw ritual symbols in the basement?!”

“Those witches would have been caught anyway, even if it wasn’t for Kailo.”

“…The only one who’s ever barged into a house covered in dirt after hearing a rumor is Kailo Alan.”

“Now that there’s someone who enters like that, tell them to be careful. I’ll try to stop him as much as I can.”

“…Sigh.”

Elena nodded faintly.

“…Yeah, I guess that’s what we should do.”

“Besides, I’ve already helped by bringing in many people to Loctana. I’ve made it easier for them to blend in with the people.”

The witch took a long drag from her cigarette and exhaled before speaking.

“…I was just hot-headed. Yeah, I understand.”

With those words, Elena disappeared over the window sill.

The room was left in silence, and Vivian remained still for a while.

She slowly crawled onto the bed and lay down.

After the argument, it felt strangely lonely.

Count Corrode was coming with his knights, Elena kept getting angry about the witches, marriage proposals were coming from all sides…

And Kailo, she wondered what he was doing at this time.

Maybe it would have been nice if Kailo’s room was right next door.

Or perhaps if they were sharing the same room like this, that would have been nice too.

Vivian squeezed her eyes shut and fiddled with the necklace on her neck.

When she channeled some energy into it, the necklace began to make a sound.

Colorful, soothing breaths.

It was Kailo’s voice.

As she listened to his breathing, Vivian felt the tension in her heart begin to ease.

With her eyes closed and imagining, it felt as if Kailo was lying right next to her.

A sense of peace began to settle in her heart.

She thought of Kailo’s words, that he would stay by her side instead of looking for his father.

…Wasn’t that an indication that he would stay by her side from now on?

Just imagining it made Vivian feel stronger.

“…Good night.”

Vivian whispered softly to the necklace and gently kissed it.

The sleep that hadn’t come before quickly followed with Kailo’s breathing.