Chapter 19
So he decided to target Kirzen first.
This other man could be dealt with afterward.
Clang—!
But as if he had read Raul’s intent, Heinkel blocked him once more.
And then he snarled fiercely at Kirzen.
“There won’t be a second time. Stop being a nuisance. How long do you plan to keep this up?”
Heinkel revealed open hostility as he swung his sword.
It was an attack quite unlike the ones before.
A thin layer of blue light cloaked his blade.
Raul easily deflected the strike with light movements, tossing aside his cleanly severed dagger, and smirked.
“I expected this, but I didn’t think you’d reveal your aura so soon. Seems you’ve made up your mind.”
“Yeah. If you don’t want to die, you’d better bring yours out too. It’s been so long for me, I can’t control my strength.”
Without a word, Raul drew a new dagger and coated it in a blood-red aura.
Whoosh—BOOM!
Their blades collided violently.
A tremendous noise rang out, dust scattering everywhere.
Even from that single clash, the room bore clear marks of their power.
The overwhelming pressure made Kirzen grit his teeth.
Damn it!
From the moment he first saw Raul, he had felt a stark difference in strength.
Had Heinkel not arrived, his life would not have been guaranteed.
There was a good chance he wouldn’t have been able to save Emilina.
That truth weighed on him with crushing helplessness. Just as Heinkel had said, he was nothing but a hindrance.
In a battle between such powerhouses, there was nothing Kirzen could do.
“I’ll leave him… to you.”
If he could, Kirzen wanted to kill Raul with his own hands.
But he wasn’t foolish enough to cling to pride in this situation.
He acknowledged the vast gap between himself and Raul.
And he didn’t want to hinder Heinkel, either.
Turning his back to them, Kirzen approached Emilina.
As he bent to lift her collapsed body, Raul struck, seizing the opening.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Tch.”
But Heinkel didn’t let him.
He chased Raul relentlessly, blocking his attacks.
Kirzen, widening the distance from the two, examined Emilina’s face.
Just days ago, she had seemed taller and stronger than him, but now she looked so small, so fragile.
She was so light he could lift her effortlessly.
Wordlessly, Kirzen gazed at Emilina’s face as he headed for the door.
His determined eyes seemed to hold a silent vow.
And then—
“Damn it, you’re in my way! Get lost!”
Raul’s ever-calm expression twisted in frustration.
The thought of losing his prey now filled him with rage.
He brought his sword down on Heinkel with all his might.
The impact forced Heinkel to stagger back.
That fleeting opening—Raul didn’t miss it. He hurled his dagger with lightning speed.
Shing!
The target was, of course, Kirzen. With this final chance, there could be no margin of error.
A smile of triumph curved Raul’s lips, while Heinkel realized too late what was happening.
Thud!
Unbelievably, Kirzen twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the dagger.
The speeding blade struck deep into the wall beside him instead of its mark.
Raul stared at Kirzen in shock.
So did Heinkel.
Then Kirzen spoke sharply to them—no, to Heinkel in particular.
“That’s an order. Kill him, no matter what, and come back.”
His voice, heavy with murderous intent, carried a sharpness far beyond his years.
Heinkel, regaining his composure, gave a sharp grin.
“As you command.”
Kirzen walked away without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Rodin paced anxiously, waiting for Kirzen’s return.
After about two hours, he began seriously worrying.
By the third hour, he had made up his mind, his face grim, as he reached for the doorknob.
He had resolved to inform the Klein couple of the truth.
But a low voice stopped him.
“She’s here. No need to go.”
It was the boy’s voice—the one who had left the room hours ago.
Startled, Rodin turned his head and saw the boy leaning against the window frame.
Cradling Emilina tenderly in his arms.
Rodin’s face lit up with relief.
“You’ve come back!”
He rushed to greet Kirzen and immediately checked Emilina.
Though her complexion was a little pale, she showed no visible injuries.
They’d need a proper examination, of course.
As Rodin cast a sidelong glance at Kirzen, the boy spoke in a subdued tone.
“She only fainted.”
“I see. Still, just in case, we should check her. Can you lay her on the bed?”
“Before that… could you leave us alone for a moment?”
“That’s a bit…”
Rodin faltered awkwardly.
After all, he was her physician of sorts. Checking Emilina’s condition should come first.
“Just five minutes. That’s all I ask.”
Kirzen’s desperate expression made it hard to refuse.
The urgency in him was so raw it would’ve felt cruel to ignore it.
After lightly checking Emilina’s pulse, Rodin reluctantly agreed.
“Only five minutes, understood?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. I’ll wait outside.”
Click. The door closed, leaving behind a heavy silence.
Kirzen gently laid Emilina on the bed.
Sitting on its edge, he called to her softly, his voice dark.
“Sis…”
But there was no reply—only the quiet rhythm of her breathing.
Kirzen gazed at her in despair.
His face hardened as he silently watched over her.
Five minutes. He wanted to hold her in his sight until the very last moment.
And he wanted to apologize.
“I’m sorry.”
His head bowed as the words slipped out in a whisper.
His trembling fingers barely touched her arm.
Her steady pulse gave him a sliver of relief, but he couldn’t stop the tears welling up.
Choking back his emotions, he spoke again.
“Sorry.”
For being too weak.
For letting her go through this because of him.
For failing to keep his promise.
“I’m truly sorry.”
And so, in those final moments, all he could do was weep silently.
“Ugh…”
Emilina forced her eyelids open with great effort.
Her whole body ached as though shattered, a groan escaping her lips.
This feeling… far too familiar.
A sense of unease rose in her chest, but the ceiling above was a familiar one, easing her worries slightly.
Warmth pressed against her left hand.
Lifting her body, she checked who it belonged to.
“Father?”
“Shh. He’s exhausted from caring for you all this time. Let him rest a bit.”
“…Oh. Okay.”
At Katie’s words, Emilina nodded blankly.
Her mind still felt foggy, as though she hadn’t fully woken from sleep.
Katie smiled softly as she looked at her daughter.
But her eyes brimmed with worry.
“How do you feel? I’ve heard the general situation, but I can’t help but worry.”
“I think I’m okay.”
“Hearing you say that means you probably are. But still—you were unconscious for nearly half a day. Your body must feel heavy.”
“I was out for half a day?”
“Yes.”
“I must have worried you… I’m sorry.”
“It’s enough that you’re safe. Next time, make sure—no, never mind. Just rest.”
Uncharacteristically, Katie let her words trail off, avoiding the subject.
Emilina felt something strange about it, but didn’t press.
An odd emptiness tugged at her heart.
That feeling gnawed at her, making it hard to continue the conversation.
She wondered why she felt this way, until suddenly she realized—Kir was nowhere to be seen.
Damn it!
And then, at last, she remembered that she had been kidnapped.
Her muddled mind had only just caught up.
What happened to the kidnappers?
Why am I back home?
And where was Kir? Why was Katie so calm?
As fragments of memory floated back to the surface, questions swirled inside her.
First, I need to find out about Kir.
For some reason, she felt she had to know about him before anything else.
Turning to Katie, who was about to wake Mactrun, Emilina cautiously asked:
“Um… Mother? Where’s Kir?”
Katie flinched, averting her gaze.
That reaction told Emilina at once—she was hiding something.
Emilina pressed her silently with her eyes, and finally, Katie spoke reluctantly.
“He’s gone home. So don’t worry about him anymore.”
“Home? But Kir’s an orphan. He has no home to return to…”
“Yes. You told me that before. I know.”
“Then why… Wait. Don’t tell me—it isn’t what I think, is it?”
She’d said she’d “heard the situation.” What exactly had she been told?
How much did her mother know?
Emilina looked at Katie with growing unease.
