Chapter 539

Velkia pushed herself upright after being struck by the unexpected counterattack.

She had not suffered any serious damage.

However...

'Master.'

For a moment, she had unmistakably glimpsed Kyle’s shadow.

Yet Velkia could not fully accept what she had seen.

“What did you say you were?”

Leo pointed at himself.

“I am...”

He spoke bluntly, then pointed at Velkia.

“...your...”

He made a casual declaration.

“...master.”

Even after hearing those words, Velkia stared at Leo with hollow eyes.

“Nonsense.”

A cold sneer crossed her face.

'She won’t believe me.'

It was only natural.

The story was absurd.

In that case...

“I’ll simply have to prove it.”

Leo opened his palm.

Hummm—!

Velkia’s expression grew wary as Magic Power surged from Leo’s hand.

Whoosh—!

Soon, a single flower bloomed amid the snow-covered ruins.

Velkia’s eyes widened.

One flower became two, and before long, the surrounding area was filled with flowers in full bloom.

Her eyes trembled at the sight.

“Magic that Blooms Flower...”

There was no way she could have forgotten it.

How could she forget the face of her master, who had smiled brightly while creating a garden of blooming flowers?

Velkia’s hands began to tremble.

'No. This is... this is...'

At that moment, a Spirit appeared above Leo’s outstretched palm.

Velkia gasped.

“Spirit Magic?”

Then gray Aura erupted from the sword in Leo’s hand.

Using Magic, commanding Spirits, and wielding Aura.

Velkia knew all too well what that meant.

“...All-Class.”

Murmuring in a trembling voice, Velkia met Leo’s eyes once more.

The image of someone else clearly overlapped with him.

“Ma... Master...”

There was no way she could fail to recognize him.

Magic that Blooms Flower.

The abilities of an All-Class.

Even his appearance.

Every piece of evidence told her that Leo was Kyle.

“Ugh!”

Velkia clutched her face.

Leo took a step toward his struggling disciple.

Step. Step.

At the same time, Velkia retreated.

“No...”

“Velkia.”

Step. Step. Step.

“Don’t look at me...”

“You did nothing wrong.”

“It’s different from back then! Don’t try to understand me!”

Velkia screamed as though having a fit.

The sight of her master understanding her caused her mind to crumble even faster.

Leo tightened his grip.

He knew.

His existence alone would not be enough to make Velkia stand again.

She had already fallen too far.

It was too late for her to lean on anyone.

'Even when things were difficult, she would never have relied on anyone.'

That was how Leo had raised his disciple.

To walk silently on her own without depending upon anyone else.

“Aaaaah!”

The hatred burning in Velkia’s chest tormented her.

The thought that the master she revered had returned only to witness her hideous state and be disappointed filled her with despair.

Velkia squeezed her eyes shut, desperately trying to suppress the emotions driving her mad.

Then her eyes suddenly snapped open.

She looked up at Leo.

“Master.”

Velkia’s voice trembled as she continued backing away.

“Please... please punish me.”

Step. Step.

Velkia approached Leo.

“Punish this hideous creature who became an Undead... who tried to destroy the world you saved.”

There was only one person.

The only one qualified to hold Velkia accountable for her sins.

Kyle, who had sacrificed everything to save the world.

And that was the only way she could escape this unbearable pain.

Leo looked at Velkia and spoke.

“Right. Running away is one option.”

Relief began to spread across Velkia’s face.

However, she froze at the words that followed.

“Asking the man you regarded as your father to kill you so that you can finally be at peace isn’t a bad choice, Velkia.”

Velkia’s body began trembling like a leaf.

Only then did she realize.

What if her own child asked her to kill them?

How would she feel upon hearing those words?

Her stomach twisted.

Her self-loathing deepened further.

Thud—!

“Aaaah.”

Velkia threw her head back and groaned.

“Aaaaaaaargh!”

She released a scream filled with anguish and began to rampage.

Her consciousness grew distant.

Her reason vanished beneath a torrent of uncontrollable emotion.

Amid it all, her eyes briefly met Leo’s.

He was looking at her with those eyes again.

Eyes filled with pain, sorrow, and understanding.

When was it?

When was the first time Master looked at me with those eyes?

When did I begin to think of Master as my father?

As her consciousness faded, Velkia lost control.

“Leo-nim!”

At that moment, urgent voices rang out.

Leo turned and saw Lunia, Eiran, and Chen Xia running toward him with pale faces.

“What happened to Velkia-nim?!”

At Lunia’s frantic question, Leo answered,

“Her mind has collapsed.”

Lunia and Chen Xia stiffened.

Eiran’s face turned white.

“She’s about to lose control completely.”

“Th-that...”

Eiran looked toward Velkia.

“Wh-what should we do...?!”

“Don’t worry.”

Leo spoke calmly.

His gaze had already returned to the mindless Velkia.

He had never intended to give up.

The word did not exist in Leo’s vocabulary.

But...

'Even if I wanted to give up, I couldn’t after seeing you look at me like that.'

Leo’s hand tightened.

The terrified eyes Velkia had shown him in the final instant before her mind collapsed remained burned into his memory.

He had only seen her look that frightened once before.

It had been the same back then.

'Even then...'

===

Another incomprehensible day of training had ended.

“Kieeeeeek!”

“Anyone hearing you would think you were a Demonic Beast.”

Kyle looked indifferently at Velkia, who lay sprawled across the ground like a hissing animal while glaring at him with all her might.

Kyle’s training consisted of endlessly repeating the fundamentals.

The most basic of basics.

Swinging a sword without pause while reciting every spell Velkia knew.

It was easy at first, while her physical and mental strength remained abundant.

However, the training became increasingly difficult as time passed.

Once her body and mind began to tire, mistakes inevitably followed.

Velkia had repeated this ordeal for two months.

Unless she successfully swung her sword and recited her spells for an entire day, she could not advance to the next stage.

Kyle’s assignment was extraordinarily simple.

And just as extraordinarily difficult.

For Velkia, who desperately longed to become stronger, Kyle’s training was nothing short of torture.

Kyle did not indulge her complaints, either.

No matter how harsh a life she had endured, a child was still a child.

The difference between how Luna and Arron treated Velkia and how Kyle treated her was immense.

Kyle showed her no affection whatsoever.

In fact, he was cold and cruel.

Whenever Velkia collapsed during training, Luna and Arron would rush over and help her stand.

Kyle merely waited until she rose on her own, then knocked her down again.

That was why Velkia hated him.

She understood that the training was useful, but that only made it harder to endure.

Before they realized it, dawn had arrived.

Still sitting on the ground, Velkia muttered,

“I’m hungry.”

She might have to go without food until the following day.

It was already dawn, so Luna and Arron would be asleep.

And she doubted Kyle would bother feeding her...

“Eat before you leave.”

“Pardon?”

Velkia’s eyes widened as she looked up at Kyle.

Seeing her expression, Kyle spoke listlessly.

“You don’t want to?”

“I’ll eat if you’re offering.”

As an orphan, Velkia would never refuse a meal simply because she disliked Kyle.

You ate whenever food was available.

Velkia understood that better than anyone.

She stood and trotted after Kyle as he walked ahead.

'Could Master Kyle actually be a good person?'

The thought arose naturally, but she immediately hated herself for having it.

Calling someone good merely because they offered her food was ridiculous.

Velkia shook her head vigorously as rebellion and irritation returned to her eyes.

'This person is terrible.'

Of course, it did not take long for that opinion to change.

'Master Kyle is a good person.'

Velkia wore a blissful expression with a fork in her mouth.

Then she suddenly shook her head from side to side.

'No! Delicious food alone doesn’t make him a good person!'

While Velkia struggled to compose herself, Kyle looked at her devouring the meal and asked incredulously,

“Don’t Luna and Arron feed you?”

'No. He’s definitely a good person.'

“They do.”

“I suppose they serve you whatever they cooked themselves while calling it a nutritious meal.”

Kyle clicked his tongue mercilessly.

“They should just buy you food.”

Velkia nodded repeatedly without even realizing it.

It was an irreverent thought to have about the masters who loved her unconditionally, but Kyle’s cooking naturally inspired such feelings.

As she ate, Velkia looked around his house.

It was desolate.

It did not feel like a place where anyone truly lived.

“There’s nothing in your house, Master Kyle.”

“That way, I won’t leave behind any attachments.”

Kyle answered calmly.

“What does that mean?”

“If you have somewhere to return to, you become attached to it. Then, when the final moment comes, you’ll have regrets.”

The young Velkia could not understand his words.

However, she could tell that Kyle looked strangely lonely as he spoke.

Clink.

Velkia set down her fork.

“Can I sleep here?”

“If you’re finished eating, leave.”

Velkia pouted.

“Stingy.”

Thwack—!

===

“It’s strange.”

“What is? And why did you call all of us here except Kyle?”

Dweno asked listlessly.

Luna slammed her palm against the table.

“Velkia has been eating at Kyle’s house every day lately! Cooking for Velkia was one of my greatest joys!”

“That is strange. Why would she do that? She doesn’t particularly like Kyle, does she?”

Lysinas tilted her head.

Dweno looked at the two women.

“Do you truly not understand why?”

“Dweno, do you know?”

Dweno stared at Lysinas as though she were utterly pathetic.

“She eats at Kyle’s house because Luna’s cooking does not even resemble food.”

“Ah! Of course!”

Arron nodded in realization.

“You old fogey! What’s wrong with my cooking? Compared to yours, mine is a work of art!”

“Do not insult art. My cooking is a product of originality. Furthermore, unlike yours, it is visually beautiful.”

Dweno sneered.

“I would rather roast Demonic Beast meat over an open flame than eat anything prepared by you or Lysinas.”

At those words, Lysinas and Luna used Magic to bind Dweno.

“You first?”

“No, let’s strike together. I’ll take his face.”

“I’ll take the solar plexus.”

“Hit me as much as you like. You will only hurt your hands.”

Dweno remained indifferent even as they beat him.

After the commotion subsided, Luna spoke seriously.

“Fine. So it’s because Kyle’s food tastes better? Then I shall begin practicing my cooking today!”

“Raising Velkia must be difficult.”

“Huh? Do Luna and I seem like parents?”

“Arron, come to your senses. I was talking about Kyle. Do you truly want to look like a parent alongside this woman?”

“No.”

“You’re both dead!”

Luna wildly swung her staff at Dweno and Arron.

Watching the scene, Lysinas shook her head and looked out the window.

Outside, Velkia trotted along behind Kyle.

Lysinas watched them for a moment, then nodded.

(T//N: What a roller coaster of emotions. From Velkia’s anguish to the old heroes' banter. But man, Velkia broke me...)

***