Is it wrong for me to like seeing the villain suffer [22]
Kalin burst into a dry laugh as if what I said was complete nonsense.
“Ha, what nonsense...! That poison is linked to a magical ritual that I spent my life developing.”
He raised the corner of his mouth with a smug smile and said:
“Your healing ability may be able to remove the poison, but it will never erase the weather. The only one who can save that little one is me.”
I didn't say anything, while Arkel kept holding Kalin's collar, looking at me silently.
I said quietly:
“I cannot definitively confirm that it will work.”
Calin burst out laughing madly:
"Haha! See, Arkell? You still don't understand? You should have begged me instead of standing there-!"
However, a sharp scream interrupted his words.
"Can't you just shut up? I'll take your arm off before I break it!"
It was Sylvia who interrupted him sharply, and Calin growled angrily and closed his mouth.
As for Arkiel, he did not say a word more, but rather kept his gaze fixed on me.
She met him with a similar look and continued:
“The choice is in your hands, but one thing is certain.”
“And what is it?”
“I will never allow Naran to die.”
He stared at me for a moment, then finally spoke:
“I will trust you.”
While his words were still echoing, Huan entered, leading a group of knights.
"my lord."
Arkell nodded as he handed Calin over to them, saying coldly:
“Take him.”
“Your command is obeyed.”
Kalin shouted, struggling madly after they grabbed his arms:
"Wait! Wait a minute, Arkle!!"
He started screaming, exhausted, as if he was in his last moments:
“What a fool! Even after I gave you a golden opportunity...!!”
“Move quietly.”
“You are the one who will kill your brother with your own hands, Arkell!”
Arkell looked at him with a face devoid of any trace of emotion until they turned away from him completely. Then he turned, his eyes staring into the void, devoid of life.
I called his name in a firm but soft tone:
“Kick.”
He turned to me.
“Naran will not die.”
His red pupils twitched slightly.
“...You think so? But... I...”
“Trust me.”
I extended my hand to smooth Naran's unconsciously tossed hair and smiled a small smile.
“He promised me we'd have breakfast together.”
Arkell stared at me for a long time, with a hesitant gleam in his eyes that began to waver, until I finally realized:
He's afraid.
He's actually trembling inside for fear of losing his brother, no matter how collected he appears on the outside.
At that moment he seemed like a lost child, a complete stranger to what he had known.
I called out again:
“Kick.”
“…….”
"If you're afraid, say it. It's okay to say you're afraid."
His body trembled for a moment as if he had been struck to the core, then he clenched his fist tightly and said in a low voice:
“I can't.”
“…….”
“If I show my feelings, I will be weak... If I am weak, I will not be able to...”
I laughed lightly and said:
“Who told you this nonsense?”
“…….”
“The truth is that whoever suppresses his feelings by force is the one who falls to destruction the quickest.”
“…….”
"And I...I want to see you be honest with your feelings. Even if it seems weak, it's okay."
“…why?”
“Because I think that would be nice.”
Arkel's gaze trembled at this spontaneous, unfiltered answer.
His face showed that he did not understand what I meant. If I could, I would have explained to him how beautiful a handsome man's face is while he was crying, but now was not the time.
I gently extended my hand to Naran's chest and closed my palm on his heart. I felt a weak, intermittent palpitation, barely resisting.
“I will try to cleanse the poison with holy power. It seems that it has not yet reached the heart.”
But inside me I whispered: Soon it will spread...
Time is running out for me.
I swallowed hard.
I had talked to Arkell steadily, but in reality I was afraid too.
Can I really summon holy power?
Naran is unconscious now. The basic condition for the activation of power is for the recipient to express his submission and appreciation for it, and this is not possible.
However...I have to try.
If I turned to Kalin again, I would once again be at his mercy. The connection with him must be cut off completely.
On Naran's closed face was the image of his bright smile that I was accustomed to seeing.
'Calm down...'
I took a short breath and reminded myself of one truth that I held tightly to:
'I can't let Naran die.'
I focused all my energy into my palms, but Naran remained motionless, not opening his eyes, and his pale face did not change.
Does this mean that holy power is not responded to?
I bit my lip until blood flowed.
I've done it once before... I can again... I have to... Please... Please...!
I don't want Naran to die alone like I lived...
“Lizzie.”
Just as my head was about to explode from despair, I felt a strong grip pinning my shoulder. He was kicking.
"It is enough."
He said it in a low voice.
“But...”
“I will bargain with Kalin myself.”
“That bastard is going to ask for something impossible.”
"It doesn't matter."
His voice and his looks said he didn't care what would happen to him.
“I'm used to obeying my uncle. If I do what he wants again, things will be resolved... That's enough.”
“Is this really enough for you?”
“…….”
“Is this what you really want?”
Arkle stared at me silently.
“Tell me honestly, what do you want?”
“What I want...”
He muttered, lowering his gaze, and then released the words as if uttering a long-kept confession:
“...I don't want to lose Naran. But...”
His voice trembled as he took a deep breath as if his chest could not bear the load:
“…I don’t want to go back to my childhood. I want to be free from it.”
Arkell's face constricted in pain, as if something was tearing him apart from the inside.
“I can't take it anymore... I don't want to hurt anyone anymore.”
Arkell sat collapsed on the ground, clutching his chest, as if the feelings he had suppressed for so long had exploded all at once.
His handsome eyebrows furrowed, and in his eyes, which I had become accustomed to seeing as cold as death, a light that I had never seen before shone.
He said pleadingly, his voice shaking with hope:
“Please… save Naran.”
He bit his lower lip, then said my name in a voice cracking with anger:
“Lizzie…”
This man, who had always been like an iron puppet, now appeared with a face full of hope and weakness.
“See?”
I smiled slightly and said:
“When you're honest, you look so beautiful.”
“…what, what…”
Arkell was confused and looked away. His ears were a little red.
'Are you blushing now...?'
My heart sank at once, and my breathing became troubled.
'What is this? Madness! He's… he's so cute. Did he know he looked like this?'
I felt my strength exploding until I almost toppled this entire palace.
“O-Oi!”
An urgent scream from Sylvia brought me back to consciousness.
Her eyes were wide as she pointed to Naran:
“Master…Young Master just blinked!”
“Two fires!”
Arca quickly bent down and examined his face.
A weak moan escaped from Naran's lips:
“Oh…”
It was tiny, but evidence of his returning consciousness.
Arkell and Sylvia exchanged looks filled with hope, and their faces seemed to shine with living hope.
Naran's turbulent breathing began to stabilize little by little, and the color of his pale face began to regain its health.
No doubt, Kalin's spell was beginning to break.
How did this happen?
Just a little while ago I couldn't release my holy power...
Was it thanks to Arkle?
There is no other explanation; After I was aroused by Arkel, Naran's soul returned to moderation.
‘…..’
Then I realized that I was a more submissive person than I had imagined.
While I was blaming myself for this thought, I heard Sylvia's voice:
"Sir! Do you hear me?"
The boy slowly opened his eyes, confused and not knowing what happened.
When his eyes met mine, he suddenly remembered and asked in a shaky voice:
“Uncle... where is he?”
She patted his head, smiling:
"Rest easy, Naran. We've sent him away, and you'll never see him again."
He stared at me hesitantly, then a gentle smile appeared on his lips.
“So... you're the one who saved me, Lizzie.”
In fact, it was my desires that saved him... but I didn't say anything, just smiled silently.
“…Naran.”
Arkell called out to him as he looked at him silently.
A strange expression of constriction appeared on Naran's face when their gazes met.
He lowered his gaze and muttered as if making excuses:
“I know...it was really stupid.”
'Tell him you were worried about him, quickly...'
I stabbed Arkle lightly on the waist to urge him to speak, but he got up without saying a word.
“Huan, I will take care of the arrangements for you.”
'Huh? 'Is it possible that he would leave like that?'
After all that worry...
Before he left the room, Arkel turned to me and his eyes met mine.
He said in a low voice:
“I will repay this debt one day.”
Then he walked with quiet steps until he disappeared.
'How dry...'
I shrugged with a sarcastic smile and turned my face.
One of the knights carried Naran on his back on Huan's orders, to take him to the doctor.
Hwan said, pushing his glasses up.
“Miss should also get some rest. I will do the rest of the work here. If you need anything, send me a message.”
I nodded, and he motioned for Sylvia to accompany me to my room.
As we were leaving, I heard his voice behind me:
“…I really thank you, miss.”
I didn't have the strength to answer him, so I just raised my thumb and smiled.
Exit is like a movie finale.
'You've been really helpful, haven't you?'
I hoped to myself that this would be a reason to keep me kicking around with him for a little while longer.
❖ ❖ ❖
Arkell returned to his office, ran his hand through his hair and sat in the chair.
The papers he was required to review were piled like mountains on the desk, but he could hardly see them.
“When you're honest, you look so beautiful.”
'Beautiful...?'
“This is crazy.”
Arkle muttered unconsciously as he gently massaged his temples, but his hand suddenly stopped.
“…I don’t want to go back to my childhood. I want to be free from it. I can’t take it anymore… I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore.”
“…….”
What a farce...!
He almost hit his head with his fist out of anger.
Why does he keep showing his weakness in front of her?
This has never happened to anyone before.
Arkel exhaled a short sigh and wiped his face with his palm.
'Lizzy Alheim...'
He intended to release her before his sister returned.
Staying with him for a long time will only bring seeds of strife.
But why now...
'...or just start a war?'
In his red eyes, which were always empty, there was a strange sparkle.
For the first time in his life, he seemed to want something, until it seemed that his eyes were burning like flames.
****
Translated by: Snow
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