Chapter 21: Dinner with the Villain (2)

“Snap out of it!”

“Whoa….”

I barely managed to dodge Avelin’s sharp thrust.

It was just a light sparring session with Avelin after lunch.

We were using wooden swords to ensure we didn’t get injured before tomorrow’s battle against the waves, but if I had taken a hit, it would’ve hurt quite a bit.

I pulled my body back and corrected my stance.

However, even though this movement created a fairly large opening, Avelin didn’t take advantage of it like usual.

She simply lowered the tip of her sword and stared at me in silence.

“…Seriously, what’s wrong with you?”

“What do you mean?”

“This isn’t like you. Your movements are sluggish, your reaction time is slow, and the way you swing your sword is completely off. Where is your head at right now?”

Although her sword was lowered, Avelin’s gaze was sharper than any blade.

“I told you, didn’t I? You’re terrible at lying. Even at lunch, before the run, and all throughout training, you’ve been acting strange. It’s weird. When you woke up this morning, you weren’t making that worried face.”

Avelin casually leaned her wooden sword against her side.

“This isn’t the time to be training. You’ve got something weighing on your mind, don’t you? If you go into battle like this, you won’t be able to fight properly tomorrow.”

“That’s impressive. How do you see all that?”

“It’s written all over your face, that’s how!”

Avelin walked over to a wide bench in the training ground and plopped down, patting the spot beside her with her palm.

“Come here.”

“Hah, I’m not a child. Why are you treating me like one—”

“Hurry up!”

Her voice was sharp enough to shut me up. I sighed and sat down next to her without further argument.

“Now, tell me. The waves are practically at our doorstep—what’s troubling you so much?”

“Hmm…”

Even though I was sitting next to her, I hesitated, unsure how to put it into words.

I glanced sideways at Avelin. Unlike her sharp tone earlier, her eyes were much softer now, filled with quiet patience.

When I remained silent, she let out a sigh and spoke again.

“You know this as well as I do, Kayron. You’re the core strength of the Crusaders. So don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not asking because I care about you—I’m asking because I care about the Crusaders.”

“…So you’re not trying to comfort me?”

“It’s both! Besides, I’ve been giving my little sister advice since she was five years old, so I’d say I’m pretty good at this.”

She has a younger sister, huh?

But the key point of what she said was clear: “for the Crusaders.”

Hearing that solidified my decision.

After all, Avelin was the only person I could talk to about this.

“I got invited to dinner.”

“By whom?”

“Commander Balthazar.”

“…Ugh.”

The moment she heard that name, Avelin immediately understood the gravity of the situation and covered her mouth with her hand.

“If you think about it, it’s not that big of a deal. The commander invites his captains over for meals all the time, doesn’t he?”

“That’s true, but things between you and the commander have been tense lately. That changes everything.”

Avelin shifted her gaze toward the distant sky.

“Do you remember what the commander ordered me to do a while ago? He told me to keep an eye on you and report anything strange immediately.”

“Anything strange about me, huh.”

I had avoided trouble thanks to Avelin covering for me, but even I had to admit—it was suspicious.

I’d exposed Razen’s true identity, the one who had been hiding among us.

I’d tracked down Sophia, the woman who played the innocent healer, all the way to her home and eliminated her.

No matter how much I’d changed, no matter how different I was now…

“The commander is the one acting the strangest. Not only did he order you to spy on me, but when I subdued that lunatic Benedict and dragged him to the hospital, the commander was watching from afar with an eerie look in his eyes.”

“So he didn’t leave after giving me the order.”

Avelin bit her lower lip slightly.

“I don’t know what to think. I respect the commander—he’s the man who drove out the demons and built the Crusaders. But lately, whenever I see how he looks at you…”

“Right? I don’t know what to think either. That’s why I won’t refuse this invitation. I need to find out exactly what’s going on.”

“I have a bad feeling about this. Maybe….”

Avelin seemed to come to a decision. She nodded firmly, then looked up at me with determination in her eyes.

“I’m going with you.”

“…What?”

“I thought we were on the same side. Or are we not?”

“The same side… We fight together as Crusaders, but my Black Iron Group and your Silver Guards are in competition. And yet, when it comes to hunting down the demons hiding among us, we’re allies.”

“That’s two points in favor and only one against. So we are on the same side.”

Avelin emphasized the word ‘same side,’ her eyes shining with certainty.

In my past life, we’d constantly clashed. We’d never sat down like this and talked, not once.

And now, Avelin was the one declaring that we were allies.

Something that would have been impossible in my previous life was happening right before my eyes.

“…Yeah, I guess we are.”

“Don’t be so vague. You know what’ll happen if I open my mouth, right? So you might as well just admit it.”

“What the— That’s not persuasion, that’s blackmail!”

“I promise you, nothing will go wrong—as long as you acknowledge it.”

Avelin lightly tapped my arm and smiled mischievously.

And at that moment, a question crossed my mind.

In My Previous Life, I Only Saw Avelin’s Smile at the Very End.

But in This Life, How Many Times Have I Already Seen It?

The Apostle said that this world was destined for destruction at the hands of ever-growing demons.

But if small, gentle changes like this kept happening…

Maybe I could allow myself a little hope.

“So, what you’re saying is—you want to come with me to this dinner invitation?”

“Yes. If I’m there, the commander won’t be able to treat you recklessly. His strength is overwhelming, but if he tries to harm you, I can at least help you fend him off!”

“I appreciate the sentiment.”

And because I appreciated her concern—

I had no choice but to say this.

“But no.”

“…What? Why not? You’d better give me a reasonable explanation, or I’m coming with you anyway!”

Tap.

As Avelin leaned in with a fierce look, I gently pushed her forehead back with my finger.

“That’s exactly why. You said it yourself—my well-being is secondary. Your top priority is the Crusaders. Wasn’t that what you just said?”

“Well… yes, but….”

“So if something goes wrong, it should only happen to me. You can’t afford to get dragged into it too. For the Crusaders. Got it? And as you said, I’m one of our core fighters. The commander won’t be able to harm me so easily.”

Avelin nodded, understanding my point, but her slightly lowered head revealed lingering worry.

Seeing that,

I reached out without thinking.

“…Eh?”

Avelin flinched in surprise.

I had gently run my hand through her soft bangs.

She looked startled, but she didn’t push my hand away.

“That’s enough. I get how much you care about me as a comrade. So don’t worry. You know, don’t you? The kind of life I’ve lived until now.”

Instead of answering, Avelin slowly nodded. Then, lifting her head, she brushed my hand aside and locked eyes with me.

“Kayron, you have to come back safely. And if things get dangerous—run. Got it?”

“Of course. Tomorrow, we have to face the waves. I’ll return to fulfill my duty as a Crusader. Now then.”

I stood up and grabbed my wooden sword from the ground.

“Shall we spar some more? Help me clear my mind.”

“Fine. But this time, I won’t go easy on you just because you’re distracted! Haaah…!”

Avelin grinned before immediately lunging at me, giving me no room to breathe.

She wasn’t bluffing when she said she was good at listening to worries.

Now that I’d spoken about what I had been struggling with alone, I could already feel my body moving more freely.

****

“It’s Kayron Hyung!”

“Ack—Hey, you little rascals…!”

By the time I reached Commander Balthazar’s house in the residential district, the evening sky had grown dark.

I knocked politely on the door, but before I knew it, two young boys came running out, throwing themselves at my legs. I nearly dropped the basket I was holding.

The taller one was the second son. The smaller one was the third.

And above them, there was an eldest daughter.

Commander Balthazar was, surprisingly, a father of three.

“Hey, you brats! You shouldn’t pester me like this. Here, take this first.”

“Yes, sir!”

And standing behind them—

A woman, strikingly beautiful and graceful for her age.

Yet despite having a family like this…

“Come in.”

Commander Balthazar greeted me with a warm smile.

…While the air around him violently shimmered with a deep purple aura of demonic energy.

-- The End OF The Chapter --

 

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