ITIEUPCML 13

~Chapter 13~

His purple eyes shook with worry.

“I will find the cure for you. So you, my Astia… can live happily with me.”

He bit his lip and tried not to cry. He looked desperate.

‘See! I was right…!’

Astia felt crazy. She really wanted to just tell them the whole story.
Later, Adel will find the cure, which is actually the Hineloti flower tea.

“I’m so sorry for being a useless brother…”

Damian gently covered Astia’s small hand and lowered his head.
When Damian looked up again, his eyes were full of stormy emotions.

“If I can’t save you, then I…”

‘Wait. Isn’t he about to go crazy?’

Astia remembered the original story. After his little sister died, Damian turned dark and became the final villain!
That can’t happen. She had to make sure he stayed kind and didn’t become dark.

Astia held Damian’s hand tight and tried her best to calm him.

“I’m not going to die, brother. So don’t say sad things. You always care for me so much.”

Damian sniffled.

She turned her head and saw Adel kneeling and bowing deeply.

‘Why is Adel doing that…’

A tear rolled down Adel’s cheek.

“Miss, I will risk my life to find the cure too…”

Astia had to comfort both of them for a long time.

‘If I have to make this sacrifice to stop him from going dark and ruining the world… I’ll do it…’

But she didn’t know why her eyes felt sweaty.

“Did you hear? The young lady is coming to watch our training.”

At the training ground, Haron smiled widely at his best friend, Ryan.

“I already knew before you did. I’m her guard, you know.”

“You really get all the luck in your life, Haron.”

All the knights were jealous of Haron. When he became Astia’s personal guard, everyone admired him.

Some even joked he must have saved the country in his last life.

His boss gave him extra hard training.
But Haron never stopped smiling.

“I get to protect the kindest, cutest, most angel-like young lady in the world. There’s nothing better.”

“Yeah, I’m jealous… I have to work harder. You’re just skilled. Oh, by the way…”

Ryan asked in a playful voice,

“How are things with Annie?”

“Huh? …Nothing’s going on.”

Haron’s eyes shook. Ryan patted his shoulder, seeing Haron’s nervous face.

“Come on, I need your help with Annie.”

“What is it?”

Ryan whispered,

“I heard the maids and servants made a group for the young lady… I want to join too.”

“You’re welcome to join.”

They looked at each other and nodded.
The other knights, curious, quietly came closer.

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh, we’re just…”

Haron explained about the group for Astia, and the knights nodded, their eyes shining.

“You should have told us sooner! I’ll join right now!”

“Me too! Can I tell Danny?”

“Of course. But let’s keep it secret for now!”

All the knights were excited and wanted to help the young lady.

‘Let’s help the young lady as much as we can.’

The group that Annie and Emily started for Astia was quietly growing, even though she didn’t know.

Luckily, Damian listened to Adel and allowed Astia to walk in the garden more often.
Adel was the empire’s top doctor, so his advice was important.

Maybe someday, Astia could even go out into the city.

‘When I get healthy… I want to travel everywhere!’

She wanted to escape the mansion and feel like a normal person.

‘Hmm. I should show Ruby the outside world too…’

She also wanted to buy Ruby some of his favorite vegetables.
Just thinking about it made her happy.

“Haap!”

At the knight’s loud shout, Astia looked over. She was at the training ground to watch Damian’s training.

“Pyu.”

She brought Ruby, so he wouldn’t feel lonely.

Astia sat where she could see best and watched the knights train.
She was amazed at their strong muscles and how they ran around.

“Wow…”

Nearby, Annie and Emily smiled as they prepared tea on a mat.

“How is it, Miss?”

“It’s wonderful. My brother stands out the most.”

Among all the knights, Damian stood out.
Sweat sparkled on his face in the sunlight, making him look amazing.

He was as handsome as ever.

“Of course! The master is a sword master. He’s amazing,” Emily added, pouring tea.

“Asti!”

Damian smiled from far away.
Astia waved at him, and he smiled even brighter.

‘The book didn’t describe him well at all.’

“Pyu!”

While Astia was thinking, Ruby whined, wanting attention.

“Ruby, what do you think? Isn’t my brother amazing?”

“Pyu…”

Ruby didn’t seem that interested. He only glanced at Damian before rubbing against Astia’s hand.

“Haha, you’re cute.”

Astia petted Ruby, and he looked sleepy.

Damian saw this and his eyes shook slightly.

“Asti! Watch closely.”

Damian pointed his wooden sword at Haron, his sparring partner. Annie’s face turned pale.

She bit her lip, nervously watching.

Astia noticed Damian’s cold look toward Haron.

‘Something’s about to happen…’

And she was right.

Damian felt something strange.
When he tried to move his hand with the wooden sword, everything around him turned black and white.

Then—

[There’s no more hope.]

A voice echoed in Damian’s mind.

Haron was gone. Instead, an older Astia stood there, wearing an old dress and looking sad.

[It’s already over.]

Her voice was flat and echoed.

Then her body started to fall apart, turning into ashes.
A man with silver hair, standing in the dark, slowly walked toward her.

He reached out his hand.
Magic gathered in his palm and started to shine.

‘No!’

Damian hurried and filled his sword with silver aura. The energy grew stronger, making the air shake.

Wuuuuuuung—

Power spun around the aura.

“Master…”

Haron called Damian with a worried voice. The aura became so strong it started to crack the wooden sword.

Pazik—

Haron’s eyes filled with fear. His hand holding the sword shook.

Still, Damian didn’t stop.

It was a dangerous moment.

In the chaos, Astia stood up and ran to Damian.

“Oh, brother!”

“Miss, it’s dangerous!”

“It’s okay, Annie. Emily.”

Astia ignored their warnings and shouted loudly.

“Brother! Stop!”

Luckily, it worked.

Damian’s eyes opened wide and he quickly put away his aura.

Annie sighed in relief.
Haron almost collapsed.

Kwa-jik—

In the end, the wooden sword broke under the power.

Damian opened and closed his fist, just staring at it.

“Are you okay? Did something happen?”

Astia asked with worry.
Damian stepped back and shook his head.

“Asti, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

Damian looked really embarrassed.
Astia let out a sigh of relief.

Luckily, Haron wasn’t hurt, and no one got caught in the aura.

“It’s okay. Just don’t do it again.”

“I’ll be careful. Sometimes I forget I’m a sword master. Haha…”

Astia gave Damian a big smile and a thumbs up.

“It’s my first time seeing you use aura. It was amazing! I can’t believe I didn’t know how cool you were! After practice, I asked the chef to make us cake. Let’s go eat together!”

Astia praised Damian with all her heart, and his face brightened a little.

She felt like he was hiding something, but he acted normal, so she pretended not to notice.

“Of course. I should do whatever Asti wants. Should we go in now?”

“…Yes. That sounds good.”

Damian threw the broken sword on the ground and spoke to the knights.

“Training ends here for today. Asti says that’s enough.”

“Yes!”

The knights answered loudly. Training was over.

“Thank you for coming, Miss! I would die for you!”

“I’m Ryan Arenold. My dream is to be your sword!”

“Haha, thank you, Sir Ryan.”

Astia answered all the excited knights like they were puppies looking for praise.

After some time, Damian shouted, and the knights went back to their work.

Astia looked around the now quiet training ground and held out her hand to Ruby.

“Ruby, let’s go.”

“Pyu…”

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

Ruby stared at one of the servants cleaning up.

‘Dice?’

Following Ruby’s eyes, Astia saw Dice standing quietly.

He looked blank as always, staring at the broken sword.
Then, feeling someone’s gaze, he turned and met Astia’s eyes.

Dice slowly bowed politely.

Just then, Damian came over after sending the knights away.

“Asti, what’s wrong? You don’t look happy.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s go, brother.”

Astia shook her head at Damian’s question.