IWBTVCF 58

Chapter 58

Kailrus spent the whole night without sleeping.

He could not stay still. At dawn, he went to the training ground and struck the wooden dummy again and again.

If he did not release the boiling anger inside him, it felt like something would explode.

The day before, when he met Riez in the Brante family carriage after a long time, he had only felt troubled.

For more than three weeks, he had avoided her because he did not know how to cut ties properly.

His words came out stiff, but while walking hand in hand, he tried to show his feelings through his actions.

After today, they would not meet for a while.

This would be the last time he would spend such small, casual moments with her.

So he decided to make the farewell beautiful.

He tried to act kinder than usual.

It did not suit his personality, and it felt awkward.

But when he thought back, he had actually liked it.

After spending a pleasant day, just before parting, Kailrus seriously told Riez about his ambition.

His great ambition — to inherit the title of Duke of Diern.

When Riez first tried to stop him from going north, he thought she was just sad because it was farther away than the academy.

When she cried, he felt like he was walking on clouds.

Does she like me that much?

Warmth rose inside him.

It was the first affection he had ever received from someone else.

It was not bad at all.

He held back a smile and wiped her tears.

Her messy crying face looked pitiful and cute.

I want to hug her and comfort her.

Even though he knew she might be a sweet poison that would make him weak, he still wanted to drink it.

He would still go north, but did he really need to cut ties completely?

If he surpassed Darius and gained recognition… if he gained everything… couldn’t he stay with Riez afterward?

Hopeful thoughts slowly filled his mind.

When he imagined a future with Riez, his heart felt full.

That was why he had said he would return stronger and more impressive.

But when she pushed him away, something felt strange.

No matter how logically he explained, she kept stubbornly refusing like a child.

Her desperate opposition to his journey north began to feel odd.

Not knowing the reason, his heart softened.

He even thought of postponing his departure for a while.

Maybe she had some reason she could not tell him yet.

But then Riez declared that she would use her wish to stop him.

He could have refused such an unreasonable wish.

But he accepted the bet.

He did not understand her, yet he wanted to know the reason.

And his pride was involved.

Until the score reached 99 to 99, Kailrus had intentionally given her points.

He had not used his full strength.

If this is truly her desperate wish… should I just lose for her?

Maybe he secretly wanted to stay close to her.

But in the final round, Riez threw away her accessories and clothes like someone ready to risk everything.

Her determination looked almost beyond this world.

When their eyes met after turning around the tree, Kailrus realized something.

She was not trying this hard because she liked him or worried about him.

He could not misunderstand it.

Her eyes were saying, I’m sorry.

Her light green eyes were filled with guilt.

If she felt so sorry, why was she trying so hard to stop him?

Then a truth he did not want to believe struck him.

She loves Darius. She wants Darius, not me, to become the Duke of Diern.

There was no other explanation.

If that was the reason, everything made sense.

Kailrus cried out and urged his horse with explosive strength.

He could not give her the 100th win.

After stealing the victory, he saw despair on her face.

He was sure his guess was correct.

It felt like countless needles pierced his chest.

The betrayal was so huge that he felt like collapsing.

Ironically, he realized how important she had become to him.

Yes.

The sweet poison had finally spread through his body.

He should have cut it off earlier.

Then it would not hurt like this.

Full of regret, he kept striking the dummy until his wooden sword broke in half.

He stared blankly at the broken piece.

It felt like his own heart had split in two.

He rubbed his face roughly and laughed bitterly.

Morning came.

It was time to leave for the northern Diern Duchy.

He would leave half of his heart behind here.

A thin ray of sunlight through the curtain slowly woke me up.

Yesterday’s terrible memories rushed back like a tide, and I quickly sat up.

Kail said he would leave for the north today.

I hurried to prepare to go out, but then stopped.

What could I even do?

Begging did not work.

The match had failed.

The only thing left was to lie in front of the carriage wheels and tell him to step over me if he wanted to leave.

A feeling of helplessness washed over me, and I sat back down.

Maybe it was impossible to go against the original story.

Even after three years, Kail’s true nature and goal had not changed.

I could protect Darius in some other way.

But if Kail spent four years under Duke Selphius in the duchy, he would return as the same person from the original story.

How could I save him from falling into darkness?

“I don’t know…”

Maybe everything I had done was useless.

I buried my face in my hands.

Then I noticed something on the bedside table.

The pig doll.

The one Kail had won as a prize at the Brante territory fair two years ago.

The one he had left beside my bed when I was sick.

How did this come back?

At that time, we could not find it.

I picked up the small note beside it.

It was from Millie.

“I’m so sorry, Miss. Because of my carelessness, the doll arrived only now. It was found deep inside the laundry storage in the territory! Thanks to the writing inside the doll’s clothes, they knew it belonged to you.”

After reading the note, I quickly took off the doll’s light blue vest.

Inside, faded black letters appeared.

A charm wishing for Riez’s health.

A small laugh escaped me.

He must have been embarrassed to write it outside, so he hid it inside the clothes.

My smile slowly disappeared, and tears filled my eyes.

Kail had changed.

At Serdin Lake yesterday, at the restaurant — I had felt it many times.

He had changed.

In a good way.

My efforts were not meaningless.

He would never become the same villain from the original story.

I had to believe that.

I stood up firmly and continued getting ready.

“I’ll see him off properly. I’ll apologize and make up, then send him away with support.”

After finishing quickly, I ran out of my room and met Millie in the hallway.

“Where are you going, Miss?!”

“I’m going to see Kail for a moment!”

“So early in the morning?”

“Yes!”

There was no time to explain.

I informed the coachman briefly and took a horse.

I rushed toward the Diern ducal residence.

Now that I decided to trust Kail, I only wanted to see his face and reconcile.

I’ll tell him I want you, not Darius, to become the successor.

It was not completely true.

But it was true that I wanted Kail to succeed and be happy.

When I passed through Grayden Town, the ducal residence came into view.

As I turned the corner—

“Depart!”

A man shouted.

The sound of hooves and wheels filled the air.

‘No!’

Carriages with the Diern family crest were passing through the gate, surrounded by knights on horseback.

Selphius and Kail must be inside.

“Kail! Kail!!”

I shouted his name.

But my voice was swallowed by dust and noise.

I quickly chased after the procession, but I could not catch up with the military horses running at full speed.

‘We missed each other….’

I stared at the direction where he disappeared.

“Is this… the end?”