Chapter 441: Evelyne’s Sincere Request

Evelyne’s Sincere Request

Evelyne raised her eyes toward Victor.

There was genuine helplessness in them now.

"So please... just give me a bit of time."

For someone who had been speaking with confidence and arrogance earlier, Evelyne’s tone had changed considerably.

There was no trace of that earlier pride now.

Her shoulders were slightly lowered, and even the way she held herself had become more restrained. She didn’t realize it herself, but every word she spoke was being carefully chosen.

Victor’s presence had done that to her.

Fear had seeped into her bones so quietly that she hadn’t even noticed it happening.

She wasn’t consciously trying to act humble.

She simply was.

The difference between them was too enormous.

A person could pretend to be fearless before someone stronger than them. They could force a smile, straighten their back, or raise their voice.

But there was a limit.

Once someone had personally witnessed the gulf separating them from an existence they couldn’t hope to challenge, instinct took over.

And Evelyne’s instincts were screaming at her to be careful.

Victor looked at her for a few moments.

His golden eyes remained calm.

He wasn’t particularly bothered by the change in her attitude. In fact, he didn’t seem to realize just how frightened she had become.

To Victor, he had merely asked her to investigate something.

That was all.

He hadn’t threatened her.

He hadn’t raised his voice.

He hadn’t even shown hostility.

Yet Evelyne’s body continued to carry the tension of someone standing before an unpredictable monster.

Victor eventually nodded.

"Fine, I’ll give you a bit more time. So I’ll be staying at your place while I wait. I hope that’s alright with you."

The words were casual.

Almost friendly.

Evelyne froze.

For a brief moment, she wondered if she had heard him correctly.

He wanted to stay at her place?

Her mind immediately began racing.

The Elmhart Family’s residence wasn’t some empty mansion where nobody would notice another person arriving. Her current family was there. People she needed to protect were there.

And now Victor wanted to stay among them.

The thought alone made her temples ache.

She couldn’t predict what might happen.

Victor was powerful enough that, if he wished to do something, there was probably very little anyone around her could do to stop him.

But refusing him wasn’t an option either.

Evelyne forced herself to breathe slowly.

Her lips parted.

"...It will be my pleasure."

The words came out politely.

Inside, however, she was anything but pleased.

She really didn’t like the idea of Victor staying in her home.

Not because she hated him.

Quite the opposite.

It was precisely because she had no idea what such a dangerous individual might do that the thought made her uneasy.

What if something happened?

What if someone in the family offended him?

What if someone unknowingly crossed a line?

What if Victor became angry?

Evelyne didn’t know enough about him to answer any of those questions.

She knew only one thing.

He was exceptionally strong.

Beyond that, Victor remained a mystery.

Still, she couldn’t reject such a simple request.

If she refused, she had no idea what the consequences would be.

Perhaps Victor would simply shrug and leave.

Perhaps he would become annoyed.

Or perhaps something much worse would happen.

She didn’t know.

And uncertainty was often more frightening than certainty.

Evelyne lowered her eyes for a moment.

’I’ll just have to be careful.’

She had survived this long by knowing when to speak and when to remain silent.

This was definitely a moment for silence.

Victor, unaware of the storm of thoughts inside her head, simply turned his attention toward the cave’s entrance.

"Well then, let’s get going."

His voice broke the tension.

He turned around and began walking toward the exit.

The movement was so natural that it almost made Evelyne question whether everything that had happened moments ago had truly occurred.

The strange battle.

The overwhelming difference in strength.

The impossible pressure.

The questions.

Everything.

Victor walked toward the mouth of the cave as though he were simply leaving after finishing an ordinary conversation.

Diana was nearby.

The spirit of the scythe followed him, her dark hair shifting slightly in the lingering wind.

Victor was about to step outside when—

"WAIT!"

The sudden shout echoed through the cavern.

Victor stopped.

His foot remained suspended for half a moment before he slowly lowered it.

Then he turned his head.

Confusion appeared on his handsome face.

He looked over his shoulder at Evelyne.

"Huh? What is it? Is there anything more?"

Evelyne didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, something completely unexpected happened.

She stepped forward.

Then she dropped to her knees.

Her movement was so sudden that even Victor’s expression changed.

The sound of her knees touching the stone floor echoed through the cave.

She lowered her head.

Her long black-green hair fell forward, partially covering her face.

Victor stared.

For perhaps the first time since their conversation began, genuine bewilderment appeared in his golden eyes.

What was she doing?

He couldn’t understand it.

First she had been arrogant.

Then she had become cautious.

Then she had asked for more time.

Now she was kneeling in front of him.

Why did everything this woman did become more confusing by the second?

Victor’s brows drew together slightly.

He looked at the peculiar scene before his eyes, genuinely unable to figure out what was happening.

Evelyne, however, remained completely still.

Her fists were clenched against the floor.

Her breathing was uneven.

She knew exactly how absurd this looked.

But she didn’t care.

There was something she needed.

Something she had wanted ever since witnessing Victor’s sword.

It wasn’t merely power.

It wasn’t simply strength.

She had spent countless years believing that reaching the peak meant defeating everyone standing above her.

She had thought that if she trained enough, fought enough, endured enough, then eventually she would become the strongest.

But today had shattered that belief.

Victor hadn’t merely defeated her.

He had shown her an entirely different realm.

A realm she hadn’t even known existed.

The sword had been simple.

Too simple.

That was what frightened her most.

There had been no unnecessary movement.

No complicated display.

Yet the result had been something she couldn’t comprehend.

Evelyne’s heart pounded against her ribs.

She knew that asking him might be shameless.

She knew he could refuse.

She also knew that there might never be another opportunity.

If she let him leave now, she might regret it for the rest of her life.

Her pride could wait.

Her dignity could wait.

Even fear could wait.

There was only one thing that mattered.

She wanted to learn.

Not because she wanted to imitate Victor’s strength.

Not because she wanted to become someone else’s shadow.

She wanted to understand the sword.

To understand what she had just witnessed.

To know how a single strike could reach such a terrifying height.

Her voice finally broke through the silence.

"Please teach me your way of the sword!"

There was no arrogance in those words.

No calculation.

No hidden motive.

Only sincerity.

Every ounce of sincerity she possessed had been poured into that single request.

Victor remained standing before her.