There is No Mercy for Villains

Based on the information that Primo brought yesterday, after much deliberation, I was able to reach a firm conclusion.

Just as I expected, Creed Eleanor’s real purpose wasn’t to suppress Sylvia’s Evil Eye and help her regain freedom from it.

No, to be more precise, it’s highly likely it was a kind of preliminary work before getting her hands on the Evil Eye.

The fact that they did the same thing to Sylvia before my regression, and then waited about five years, might be for that reason.

In other words, those five years were a kind of aging period for Sylvia’s Evil Eye to reach its complete form before it fell into their clutches.

The bastard who approached me before the regression must have deliberately timed it, too.

Damn it, just thinking about it makes me want to puke.

As if his own daughter is some kind of wine, trying to mature her as he pleases before gifting her to someone else.

“…Kyle? Something wrong?”

“Yes, yes…?”

A mysterious voice enters my ears as I’m lost in thought.

Only then do I come to my senses and look around, to see my family and Sylvia staring at me with wide eyes.

I must have forgotten that we were in the middle of a meal.

“Is something the matter? You’re not eating, just staring intently at your plate.”

“Ah, no. I must have spaced out for a moment.”

I shake my head at my father’s words and diligently move my fork and knife.

I don’t have much of an appetite, but I force myself to pretend to eat, shoving the meat that won’t even go down into my mouth.

“…….”

I feel Sylvia’s gaze from the side, but I deliberately ignore it.

＊＊＊

Sylvia felt that Kyle’s condition was a bit strange today.

Of course, it’s not like he never showed strange signs from time to time, but he always had enough energy to answer her immediately when she called.

But today, there were many times when he didn’t answer when she called, or was a beat late.

It’s not just a matter of him looking tired.

His face always had a mix of worry and concern, and his complexion was as dark as if covered in storm clouds, so much so that Sylvia, who was watching him, felt gloomy even though the weather outside was so bright.

“Laird-gongja, please sit here.”

“……?”

Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, Sylvia secretly called him to the greenhouse where they had first met and abruptly sat him down on a chair.

Kyle was momentarily stunned by the sight of her acting like a mother trying to set the mood before scolding her unruly child, but he obediently approached and sat down on the chair.

“You have something to worry about, don’t you?”

“No….”

“It’s no use lying. My eyes aren’t that bad.”

“…….”

Kyle wanted to retort, asking why she even asked if she knew, but he gave a bitter smile at her seemingly resolute attitude and nodded.

“Yes, a little bit.”

“That answer doesn’t sit well with me either…. Fine, I’ll let it slide.”

Sylvia felt like she was about to explode when she saw him calling what was clearly a significant worry a small concern.

But she tried to maintain her composure and find out what was on his mind.

“Is it a worry that you can’t tell me about?”

“Yes.”

“Is it a worry that I can’t help you with?”

“…Probably.”

There was a slight pause before the answers to the two questions came back.

Sylvia realized from those answers alone that Kyle’s worry was something he couldn’t easily tell her.

No, perhaps it was a worry that he couldn’t tell her even more because it was her.

If that were true….

“Is it about the Eyes of Dawn?”

“……!”

“…I knew it.”

When she saw his pupils widen greatly at her carefully spoken words, Sylvia nodded indifferently, as if it was something she had expected to some extent.

In response, Kyle hurriedly spread his magic power and created a soundproof barrier around them.

Even if few people come to the greenhouse, it’s never bad to be careful.

“How did you know?”

“Well, in my opinion, the only thing that Laird-gongja would worry about so much is that.”

“I suppose so.”

Kyle thought that it was a choice that Sylvia could reach precisely because she didn’t know much about him.

If Sylvia had been a person who had been close to him since childhood and knew even trivial details, she might have made a different guess, but it was precisely because the time they had spent together was short and little had happened in between that she was able to guess.

“Are you really going to join them?”

“Yes.”

“You promised me before, didn’t you? That you would never be tainted by evil.”

“I have no intention of being tainted by evil. In the first place, I’m not so easily swayed that I’d be tainted by someone.”

Sylvia found his rather firm answer strangely believable.

But on the other hand, she was also worried.

After all, she had watched Kyle’s miserable end, being brutally murdered before her eyes before the regression, so it would be stranger if she wasn’t worried.

Although Sylvia could guess from the fact that he had tried to save her somehow at the very end that he hadn’t been completely tainted by evil.

However, even if that were the case, there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t go down the same path again if left as he was.

“Laird-gongja, I am truly grateful to you.”

“Is that so.”

“That’s why I can’t just stand by and watch you walk into a death trap. In the first place, what is your intention in becoming allies with those bastards?”

Intention.

Kyle couldn’t answer that question easily.

Perhaps if he had asked himself the question, the answer would have come back immediately, but he couldn’t bring himself to reveal his honest feelings in front of her.

It’s for you.

I decided to protect you at all costs, even if it means burning this body, even if it means receiving any kind of gaze.

What kind of expression would you make if I said that?

‘I’m sorry, Sylvia.’

I’m truly curious, but it’s also a word I can’t bring myself to say.

Knowing that better than anyone, Kyle carefully opened his mouth with his gaze lowered.

“Gongnyeo, may I ask you just one thing?”

“I think it’s my turn to ask questions now…. Yes, ask away.”

Believing that he wasn’t the type to escape the conversation under the guise of a question, Sylvia nodded and gave him a chance to speak.

Kyle, expressing his gratitude, raised his gaze and finally met Sylvia’s eyes before parting his lips.

“Gongnyeo, how would you feel if someone you trusted betrayed you?”

“Are you talking about yourself?”

“It sounds like you trust me.”

“Of course. You’re the one who freed me from the cage.”

Kyle inadvertently chuckled at her action of nodding without a moment’s hesitation.

He was truly happy to receive her trust, but on the other hand, the discrepancy between that and the feeling that he shouldn’t be that kind of existence to her made him feel strange.

“Yes, by all means. So, how would you act when someone you trust betrays you, Gongnyeo?”

“Well, that’s difficult. Wouldn’t it depend on my bond with that person?”

“That’s a surprisingly rational answer.”

“Well, I’m human too. I’m not benevolent enough to forgive everyone who has sinned, like some kind of Saintess.”

Kyle thought that wasn’t benevolence, but foolishness, but he didn’t need to say anything more, so he simply nodded as if he understood.

In other words, the treatment would vary depending on how much she trusted and followed that person.

“Then, to Gongnyeo, what kind of existence are Eleanor-gyeong, or your family?”

Hmm.

At that question, Sylvia couldn’t answer right away, unlike before.

It’s not just because the question is difficult.

It’s just that, considering the previous question, the content of the next question felt somewhat strange.

“…Mother was often sick and stayed in her room after giving birth to my younger sister. But I’m still grateful to her. She opposed Father to the end and tried to get me out of that cage, and Rinee was a grateful younger sister who healed me with her unique innocence and brightness.”

“…….”

Kyle’s eyes narrowed as he listened to the answer.

He noticed that there was only one person who wasn’t mentioned.

Sylvia also seemed reluctant to talk about her father, Creed, as she pursed her lips for a moment, rolling her eyes around as if looking for something to say, and then finally opened her mouth.

At that time, the tone of her voice was even lower than before.

“However, my relationship with my father…. To be honest, I don’t have good memories.”

“Is it because he oppressed Gongnyeo?”

“No, that’s not what I mean. Memories are ultimately what remains in your head when you’re together. However, I don’t even have ordinary memories of talking to my father or going out to play somewhere together.”

Kyle felt truly complicated at the sight of her forcing a smile as if to hide her bitterness.

Even he, who had been ostracized by the family since he was quite young, had received quite a bit of love from his parents until he was about ten years old.

Although not as much as his older brother, Hasel, he still had memories that children would usually have, such as going fishing with his father or his mother reading him books before bed.

Although those memories were diluted because the memories that followed were no different from nightmares.

But for Sylvia, it meant that she didn’t even have those small memories.

Because she was the owner of the Evil Eye from birth, and was called a cursed child.

“But from some point on, he started treating me quite favorably. He even talked to me. The fact that the person who tried to kill me when I was young, saying that he didn’t need a cursed bloodline, has changed like that is a happy thing for me.”

“…….”

No, that’s not it.

Sylvia is saying that even Creed Eleanor’s very small favor is a happy thing, but Kyle could say with certainty.

That feeling is definitely not the kind of paternal love that a father has for his daughter, who he couldn’t bring himself to abandon.

‘It’s because she has become useful.’

Kyle had no doubt that Creed Eleanor’s attitude had changed after contacting the Eyes of Dawn.

In other words, he must have shown Sylvia as much favor as possible within his means, because the product to be handed over to them shouldn’t be broken yet.

Even though that maximum favor didn’t include letting Sylvia out of that small cage, it was clear that he didn’t want to face his daughter until the end.

Kwadeuk.

When his thoughts reached that point, Kyle felt the heat rising from his dantian and surging hotly to the top of his head.

With his fist clenched so tightly that it was crushing under the table, he narrowed his eyes and strengthened his resolve.

I was considering showing at least minimal mercy because they were her family, but it seems like there’s no need to do that anymore.

I will thoroughly destroy and trample everything, and return it to where it should be.

That was the only thought filling Kyle’s head right now.