IPBPBD 18

Chapter 18

It was a tone tinged with slight worry.

Raul tilted his head crookedly and looked up at his subordinate. His expression seemed to say, “Really, now?”

“If you’d rather die in her place, be my guest.”

The subordinate silently stepped back without answering.

Raul was a man who did what he said.

He felt pity, but nothing beyond that.

It wasn’t worth trading his own life for.

“Hff…”

Meanwhile, Emilina was gasping for breath, barely clinging to life.

She felt her consciousness slipping further and further away.

She tried desperately not to faint, but her body wouldn’t obey.

At last, as death loomed before her eyes, a sudden wave of sorrow welled up inside.

“Why me?”

Why did she have to suffer this? What wrong had she committed?

All she had done was take in one poor, pitiful child.

All she had wanted was to live an ordinary life, like everyone else.

What crime had she committed that she must die such a meaningless death once again?

She felt a deep despair toward her wretched fate—wondering if there was even any point in holding on to life.

In that fleeting instant, countless thoughts rushed through her mind.

Emilina weakly closed her eyes.

Through her shut eyelids, tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Still…”

It’s a relief Kirl isn’t here.

Now that things had come to this, she only prayed that he would never come to this place.

And then it happened.

BANG!

“Noona!”

A loud crash shook the air, and a familiar voice pierced her ears.

Through her fading vision, she could just barely make out Kirl’s figure.

And, absurd as it was, a stray thought passed through her mind:

“Since when did Kirl grow so big?”

That became Emilina’s final memory.

* * *

In the slums on the outskirts, Kirlzen and Heinkel moved swiftly and silently, scanning the area.

They had tracked Emilina this far, but their enemy had erased all traces, leaving them with nothing solid to go on.

As more time passed, Kirlzen grew restless, biting his lip anxiously.

Watching him, Heinkel finally clicked his tongue and said:

“Pathetic.”

“…Don’t start with me.”

“I’m only stating facts.”

Kirlzen didn’t reply.

Heinkel hadn’t expected one anyway, so he simply followed in silence.

After a while, Heinkel spoke again.

“Next time.”

Kirlzen glanced at him, and Heinkel continued.

“Don’t you ever kneel to someone beneath you again.”

“…”

“A master doesn’t beg. He commands.”

With that, Heinkel strode ahead, as if that was the end of the discussion.

Kirlzen stared at his back for a while before asking quietly:

“…Why the sudden change of heart?”

“Call it whimsy.”

Kirlzen nodded slightly in acceptance.

He refocused on the search—only for Heinkel to snap irritably.

“Quit making that dumb face and pay attention. Or is your nose just for decoration?”

Kirlzen’s brow furrowed.

Did Heinkel think he wasn’t anxious? His sharp words only stoked his irritation.

Just as Kirlzen opened his mouth to retort, Heinkel spoke first.

“You can’t find her because you’re impatient. If you’ve awakened, then use your ability properly.”

He jerked his chin toward the right-hand alley.

There—it was faint, but a murderous aura lingered.

Kirlzen had sensed it too, if only for a moment. He swallowed his pride and set his irritation aside.

They pressed on, following the trail.

Then, once again, a wave of killing intent surged toward them.

This time Kirlzen pinpointed the location immediately.

He broke into a mad sprint, racing toward it—because Emilina’s life was in danger.

That feeling gnawed at him, urging him to hurry.

Heinkel, clearly thinking the same, quickened his pace while scanning the surroundings.

Soon they reached the end of the alley. Not far off, they could sense three presences.

Without hesitation, Kirlzen kicked the door open.

BANG!

“Noona!”

The door burst apart with a violent crash.

Kirlzen’s eyes darted across the room, searching for Emilina.

And then—straight ahead, he saw her.

She was in the grip of a man he had once seen before, a hand wrapped tightly around her throat.

In that instant, Kirlzen froze.

Because Emilina’s lips were faintly curved in a smile.

“No!”

Sensing something terribly wrong, Kirlzen shouted, but it was already too late.

Emilina’s body crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut.

Kirlzen trembled violently, swallowed by a storm of emotions.

An unbearable rage clouded his reason.

Like a massive crater erupting, pitch-black darkness surged within his chest.

The thought crossed his mind—nothing else matters. He wanted to surrender to his instincts.

Just as Kirlzen was about to be consumed by darkness—

Someone whistled and stepped in front of him.

Heinkel, who had arrived only a step behind, blocked his path.

In a calm, quiet voice, he snapped him back to his senses.

“She’s not dead yet. Cool your head. Do you plan on repeating the past?”

Despite his playful manner, his eyes were colder than ice.

Kirlzen’s warped vision cleared, and he regained his reason.

He understood Heinkel’s words.

Exhaling deeply, Kirlzen forced his anger back down and steadied his breath.

But inside, uncontrollable power and rage clashed violently.

At that moment, Raul—having confirmed Emilina had only fainted—spoke leisurely.

“Hm. Didn’t expect you to get here so soon. And uninvited guests, no less.”

Amused, Raul stretched out his legs and shifted from his crouched posture.

He turned, and familiar faces awaited him—along with a stranger.

Raul waved in a falsely friendly manner.

“Well, well—how have you been? You look much healthier than last time. That hole in your gut must’ve healed nicely, huh?”

“Shut up!”

“Ha ha ha! No need to get so worked up. I was only stating the truth.”

Kirlzen ground his teeth, glaring at Raul.

The anger he had barely suppressed was beginning to rise again.

Raul studied him, noticing the change.

But he wasn’t particularly concerned.

“Troublesome, maybe… but still just a rookie.”

Even if his regeneration had quickened thanks to awakening, he was still a greenhorn.

At present, Raul didn’t consider him a real threat.

Then Heinkel clicked his tongue and cut in.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we? How about me, then? I should be more than enough to handle the likes of you.”

It was true.

Raul could feel Heinkel’s unusual strength.

That presence he had occasionally sensed at the duke’s mansion… now he knew it belonged to this man.

An unexpected hidden hand.

Still, Raul answered playfully.

“So, you’re the one who roughed up my subordinate?”

“He did put up a cute little struggle. Thirty seconds, at most.”

At Heinkel’s dry reply, Raul’s expression hardened unusually.

“Thirty seconds…?”

The remark stung his pride.

George had been one of his personally trained men.

It was too confidently said to be mere boasting.

But soon, Raul’s irritation gave way to excitement—he hadn’t met a real fighter in a long time.

Licking his lower lip, Raul stared at Heinkel.

“Well, one thing’s certain. You like fighting, don’t you? I can feel it—you’re like me. Doesn’t your heart race?”

His face was alight with excitement.

Heinkel drew his sword with a wry smile.

“Sharp of you to notice.”

Then he jerked his chin toward Emilina.

“She’ll only get in the way. Take her out when you see an opening.”

But Raul wasn’t about to let that happen.

He wouldn’t hand over such a convenient hostage so easily.

Raul ordered his subordinate:

“Now, that won’t do. Bill, grab the woman.”

But Bill only hesitated.

Raul, puzzled, glanced at him—and saw pity flicker in his eyes.

“Click.”

Without hesitation, Raul drew a dagger from his chest and hurled it.

It struck true—straight at Bill’s throat.

The act was so sudden that Bill couldn’t even scream before collapsing lifelessly to the floor.

“See? This is why you don’t recruit sentimental types. Useless, letting their conscience get in the way.”

Muttering, Raul moved to seize Emilina himself.

Or rather—he tried to.

CLANG!

If Heinkel hadn’t rushed in to intercept, refusing to allow him even that much.

Raul matched him with sharp reflexes and sneered.

“Come on now, at least give me a handicap.”

“Sorry, but I’m not that kind. If I see an opening, I take it.”

Heinkel smirked.

Raul kept his smile, though in truth he was concealing tension.

“One wrong move and I’m dead.”

His opponent was terrifyingly fast, moving before he could even sense it.

Raul was thrilled by the prospect of such a fight—yet realized that if it dragged on, he might fail his mission.