Chapter 235: Ch 234: You can Hate me

It took some time for the elves to wake up from their naps, and most of them looked disoriented, having no idea what had just happened.

Their pitiful expressions made Kael feel bad, but not to the point where he was willing to risk everything just to reassure them that everything was going to be fine.

"I have prepared breakfast. We should have some before we start our day."

Iris gestured for Kael to sit down before placing food in front of him. It had been purified by Seraphina, so it was safe to eat.

Kael put the food into his mouth and let out a sigh of relief as the familiar flavors hit his tongue. He had missed this taste.

He did not want to say that the food at the Duchy was flavorless, but it did leave a lot to be desired. That was just his personal preference, not a criticism of the cook.

He finished the food in record time before he heard a loud noise coming from upstairs.

"It seems like our dear ’High Elf’ is awake. Please wait here, Kael. I will go and check up on her."

Iris gestured for Kael to stay seated, but he decided to follow her anyway. Iris did not stop him, and together they reached the door behind which Kana was being kept.

The sounds grew even louder as they approached the door, and it almost sounded as if someone was being killed inside.

But Kael knew that was not the case, and Iris quickly forced the door open, only to see Kana struggling to get off the bed.

Restraints made of holy magic were being used to hold her in place, and she was not the only one bound like this. Kael had asked for all the elves to be restrained this way because there was no way to know what they would do otherwise.

"Let me go!"

Kana demanded while tugging at her restraints in an attempt to free herself. But they were far too strong and held her firmly in place. There was no way she was going to break free that easily, and even she knew it.

Kael sighed as he looked at her struggling form before taking a seat in front of her. His eyes met Kana’s, and he gave her a patient smile.

"Lady Kana, I would suggest that you stop struggling against those restraints and rest for the next few days. The corrupted elf tree has been burned, and we have planted a new one. But it will take some time for it to grow strong enough to support you all."

Kael informed her, but Kana was beyond listening.

She tried to lunge toward him, only to be stopped by the restraints.

"How dare you do that...! Do you have any idea how much that tree means to us elves? Have some decency and do not touch it, you bastard!"

She yelled, making Kael sigh in regret.

"I am afraid I cannot do that. As I told you already, that tree is already gone, and we have planted a new one. I will give you some time to think this over before I come back tomorrow to talk to you."

Kael sighed before leaving the room, and Kana still looked agitated. She needed some time to think and come to terms with what had happened.

Anyway, what had already happened could not be changed, so she had no choice but to adapt to her new reality.

...

"Are you much calmer now? I can tell that you have thought about this issue."

Kael visited Kana again that evening, and she looked much calmer.

Her eyes drifted over him, but she seemed content to ignore him. It made Kael sigh in regret, and he decided to address the issue.

"Ignoring me won’t do you any good, Lady Kana. I will come back again if you want me to."

He told her, and Kana looked at him with a blank expression. For a moment, he was sure she was going to ignore him.

But then she opened her mouth and began to speak.

"I was sure that you would be our end. Those visions the corruption showed me said that we would all burn along with our tree. In the end, it all came true. And yet, I am alive. I no longer know how I am supposed to feel."

Finally, Kana spoke the truth, and her voice sounded exhausted.

She had fought against destiny and her future so hard, only for it all to come true.

Moreover, she had survived the ordeal, meaning that all her preparations had been useless from the start.

If this had been the intended outcome all along, then what had Selene died for? She died believing that they needed to get rid of Kael, when he had turned out to be their savior.

"My sister...! I lost her for nothing...! I...what do I do now?"

She asked in a tired voice. The fact that she could not even muster enough strength to cry was enough to make Kael feel bad for her.

But no matter how bad he felt for her, this was something she needed to face on her own. He could not live her life for her.

"Lady Kana, I am afraid that I do not have the answers. If you wish to hate me for what happened, I would welcome your hatred. But I cannot carry those feelings for you."

Kael told her, and Kana looked at him with fierce eyes.

Fire burned inside her, and Kana spoke with her emotions laid bare.

"I hate you. I hope you and your family burn in hell! No, worse! I hope you all fall into an inescapable ruin...but I cannot do that. You gave the elves another chance. My feelings...I can no longer even feel the way I want to."

Kana truly hated him and his family for what had happened. And yet, she could not fully express that hatred after everything that had occurred.

Perhaps she had never truly hated them and simply needed time to vent her anger.

Whatever the situation was, Kael decided to give her some space for now.