10. What Happened One Night - 12
And from beginning to end, there were those who watched the battle between Kain and the knights of Dekaraznan from the shadows.
"Dekaraznan has failed. In the end, the culprit who abducted Sarah slipped away right under their noses."
Sarah's uncle, Gale Sernad, had gathered all the servants of House Sernad and was muttering something in a low voice. Before the middle-aged man, the household servants, dressed in a motley assortment, listened quietly, heads bowed.
Their official identities, as far as the Dekaraznan Ducal House knew, were attendants, coachmen, cooks, and the like, there for Sarah Sernad's convenience and service. But if one were to examine their unofficial identities, their true nature was that of the 'hunting dogs' secretly raised by House Sernad.
They were hidden daggers, obeying only the orders of the direct bloodline, including Count Sernad, and dispatched whenever feats of arms were required. A pack of base curs kept by House Sernad, sent through back channels to handle every manner of filth so as not to tarnish the honor the family presented to the world.
"The culprit's identity is unknown. The reason they abducted Sarah is also unknown. However, one thing is certain: they possess knowledge of our situation."
It was too much of a coincidence. Of all times, for Sarah to be abducted at this historic moment, when his darling niece was perhaps about to undergo the wedding consummation with the Young Duke Dekaraznan? The timing was far too uncanny to dismiss as mere chance.
'...If I had to point a finger, that brat from Estel is suspicious...'
The middle-aged man still hadn't forgotten the day Kain arrived at the Dekaraznan Ducal House—the way his expression hardened the instant he met Sarah's eyes. The face Kain had worn as he cast a glance as tender as if he were meeting a long-lost lover. ...And the uncharacteristic fury of the young duke, who had looked utterly enraged watching Kain treat Sarah with the same casual disregard he always showed her. If he had to name a suspect, the Young Duke Estel was undoubtedly the one with the greatest motive.
But the middle-aged man soon shook his head, dismissing the thought. First of all, the mysterious attacker who had fought the Dekaraznan knights head-on moments ago had demonstrated truly formidable martial prowess. Judging from the light he emitted—likely an aura—during the fight, he was presumed to be a martial artist who had reached the Master Realm.
'Could some pathetic, worthless fool like him possibly be a martial artist who has reached the Master Realm?'
The Kain von Estel who lingered in the middle-aged man's memory was nothing but a truly pitiful, wretched fool who knew only how to fawn over Sarah's face. There was no way a Kain like that could have attained the Master Realm, the pinnacle said to be achieved by only the greatest martial artists. And, most decisively, the Young Duke Estel—
"Yawn, what's going on? What is all this commotion about in the dead of night?"
—had appeared looking as though he'd just woken up, still not grasping the situation, accompanied as always by the white-haired girl he kept constantly at his side. No matter how you looked at it, there were far too many contradictions to say that the unknown intruder who had just displayed such astonishing prowess was the same person as the young duke standing there yawning with a sleepy expression on his face.
'...Yes, it's probably not him.'
The middle-aged man withdrew his suspicious gaze from Kain and gave a final order to the 'hunting dogs' assembled before him.
"We will now retrieve Sarah. She is a valuable 'product,' so see to it she takes no damage during the recovery. You may kill the one who abducted her. I would like to ask what they were thinking by pulling this, but there's no real need. Remember to be thorough; there's no call for mercy in your methods."
The hunting dogs simply nodded obediently at his intimidation. None of them whined about how they were supposed to handle a martial artist of the Master Realm. A one-on-one duel was one thing, but on a battlefield where each sought the other's death, there were few who could withstand the 'hunting dogs.' Individually, they weren't that strong, but they were tenacious, persistent, and vicious.
And then, without a sound, the hunting dogs began to vanish one by one. A fair amount of time had passed since the abductor left the Dekaraznan Ducal House. They would have to hurry if they were to catch up now. After all the hunting dogs had vanished, the middle-aged man cast one last glance at where the Young Duke Estel stood, and then concealed himself as well.
Thus, until the very last moment, he failed to notice. The fact that the white-haired girl beside the Young Duke Estel had been watching him with a meaningful gaze until the end.
And the fact that the Young Duke Estel standing there had no shadow.
****
A quiet forest located some distance from the Dekaraznan Ducal House's mansion. Kain was still walking slowly through its heart, holding Sarah in both arms.
His stamina had been depleted far more rapidly than expected, likely from the clash of blades moments ago with Lady Dekaraznan and the Dekaraznan knights. Considering the plan ahead, it was better to rest whenever possible and recover his strength. Soon, he would have to act with a ferocity incomparable to what had come before.
...Besides, Kain had no intention whatsoever of leaving this forest. Because this forest was the place he had chosen as the final battlefield for this operation. It was the banquet hall prepared to draw out the 'hunting dogs' raised by Sernad, and that bastard uncle of Sarah's.
Kain gently brushed aside Sarah's disheveled hair where she lay unconscious in his arms, a result of the earlier shock. In a few hours, just a few more hours, it would all be settled. All the unreasonable things you've had to endure would come to an end. You would be able to be happy, for all the tears you've had to shed until now.
The fight I'm about to undertake from this moment on is a fight for your freedom, and at the same time, a fight for my atonement, for my failure to recognize your pain over the past twenty years. Before the regression, I had no choice but to let you marry a fool like Lucian von Turnizen, but this time, I'll help you be with the one you love.
...It wasn't because I found that bastard Lucian insufferable. Right, absolutely not.
Then it happened. From the Communication Artifact Kain carried, Aria's voice flowed out.
- Kain. House Sernad's hunting dogs have begun their pursuit. They'll likely reach your current location in a few minutes.
- Right. Thank you for letting me know, Aria.
He had been waiting with bated breath for them to arrive. Thinking it was time to start preparing to receive the guests, Kain quickened his pace slightly. Still, with a little leeway left, he decided to ask Aria a question while he thought of it.
- ...By the way, Aria.
- Yes, Kain.
- That magic you used on Lady Dekaraznan earlier. Don't you think its power was a bit too strong?
It was true that Aria's timely sniping had allowed him to withdraw without any harm, but frankly speaking, that flash of light was far too powerful. It was a high-yield spell that would have vaporized an ordinary person—no, an ordinary knight—without a trace if they'd been hit by such an attack from a blind spot. Aria's magic was so strong that, had Lady Dekaraznan not possessed the Black Dragon Whip, it might have resulted in her losing at least one limb, if not her life.
- The situation was so urgent at the time. I think I failed to regulate its power. And I reasoned I needed to fire magic of that caliber to make Lady Dekaraznan fearful enough to give up the pursuit. If I overstepped my bounds, I apologize.
At Aria's utterly seamless reply, Kain hesitated, unsure how to answer. Wait, wasn't there a contradiction there—first saying she'd failed to control the power, and then saying she'd deliberately used a high-output spell?
"No, well, I wouldn't say it was overstepping... And it's true that you were helpful..."
As Kain hesitantly answered Aria, he could practically feel her mood brighten from the other side of the artifact.
- Does that mean I did well? Is that it? No, that is what it means, right? Right?
"...Well, I suppose so."
When Kain nodded with some difficulty, Aria launched another incomprehensible probe.
- Then, compared to Lady Bianca?
"...What?"
Why was Bianca's name suddenly popping up here?
- ...Hmm, I mean, Lady Bianca and I are both mages, after all. I've been thinking about it lately, and our roles seem to overlap a bit. Of course, a comparison between someone as frightening as her, who has only mastered magic for killing, and me, who has learned all sorts of useful spells to assist you, Kain, is hardly fair. But still, I was just curious, if we had to compare, who is more helpful.
"....."
Listening to Aria, he could only think that the suffocating blood feud between her and Bianca was far from over. No, perhaps it wouldn't end until one of them stopped breathing. They had fought so fiercely that day, practically to the point of bloodshed. Was all that still not enough for her?
But with Aria here and Bianca absent, there was only one thing Kain could say. Offering a silent prayer for the absent Bianca, Kain opened his mouth and shamelessly gave Aria his answer.
"...Hmm, I think you did better."
- A-are you saying I'm more helpful to you, Kain? That's what you meant, right?
"Yes, that's right. I've received a great deal of help from you lately."
In contrast, all that Bianca had done to Kain since the regression was cheat him, abduct him, inflict artificial amnesia on him, and use magic to put several pretty holes in his body. No matter how he thought about it, this time, Aria was the overwhelming victor.
'...Sorry, Bianca.'
He could only think this was all the accumulated karma she'd built up coming back around to her in a form like this.
'I won.'
In this moment, Aria savored a feeling of intense elation. She was truly looking forward to returning to the Estel Ducal House and telling that woman, Bianca, this story, just to see the look on her face.
"...Nnn, Kain?"
Then it happened. Sarah, who had been unconscious all this while, began to slowly open her eyes as if she were regaining consciousness. Startled, she was momentarily bewildered as to why she was in this place, and then, realizing that Kain was still holding her in his arms, she squeezed her eyes shut again.
"...Ka, Kain..."
"What is it, Sarah?"
When Sarah hesitated, unable to continue properly, Kain looked slightly puzzled and asked her a question.
"...Well, that..."
In her entire life, she had never been held in the arms of a man outside her family for such a long time. In a word, everything bothered her. She wondered if Kain was finding her heavy as he held her. Strange thoughts circled her head, like whether Kain might have frowned at her natural scent.
Sniff sniff—
'...M-my scent seems to be the same as always.'
Fortunately, it didn't seem like she smelled strange. If she'd known this would happen, she would have at least put on some perfume before leaving that room—!
"...Why are you suddenly sniffing?"
"...I th-think I'm catching a cold."
As Sarah, her face turned bright red, made a desperate excuse, Aria's voice came through the receiver again.
- ...Kain, you aren't having any strange thoughts right now, are you? Right?
"....."
His head began to ache. Kain was already beginning to long for his cozy room in the Estel Ducal House.