Chapter 7

* * *

Diena let out a sigh of relief.

Malakar cast a spell to prevent any sounds from inside the carriage from leaking outside.

“Shh. Just stay quiet for a little while.”

“I…”

“You don’t have to explain anything. So this is why you ran away. You’ve awakened your ability, haven’t you?”

Diena carefully nodded.

“Yes. I have an ability that purifies darkness.”

“A Purification Ability?”

“It’s an ability that can absorb darkness and erase it, or transfer it to another Ability User.”

Malakar stared blankly, looking completely shocked.

“An ability like that exists…”

“I’ll purify your darkness, Sir Malakar. So could you please ask Lord Varkan to take me with you?”

Malakar thought of Varkan and the others around him, all of whom suffered side effects because of their powerful abilities.

If not only he, but all of them could receive her purification…

‘It would be an enormous help. Enough to make that bastard Duke Rothwell afraid.’

Even without that, he had already intended to help Diena escape.

He wasn’t heartless enough to ignore a young girl trapped in such a miserable situation.

“I’ll ask him, but…”

Whether Varkan would actually listen was another matter entirely.

That stubborn brat never listened to anyone when he didn’t feel like it.

Just then, loud voices erupted outside the carriage.

“Halt!”

Diena instinctively pulled the blanket tighter around herself and curled up.

“His Grace the Duke of Rothwell has arrived!”

Soon after, Baltazar’s low voice filled with anger could be heard.

“What business does someone from House Kardian have here?”

Diena focused intently on every word of the conversation outside.

* * *

Varkan answered in a blunt voice.

“I don’t see any reason why I should explain that to you.”

The people nearby held their breath at his insolent attitude.

His tone was far too casual for someone speaking to the Duke of Rothwell.

Baltazar’s expression darkened with displeasure.

“If you refuse to explain, then I suppose I’m free to act as I please.”

Varkan answered without yielding an inch.

“You can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“This procession was authorized by His Majesty the Emperor.”

“His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Sir Malakar is inside this carriage.”

“…”

“One of the five elders of the Magic Tower. His Majesty entrusted his protection to us.”

Baltazar fell silent for a moment.

Soon afterward, his angry voice rang out again.

“This is my territory. Since you’re within my lands, I have the right to inspect that carriage. Open the carriage door immediately.”

“I’m afraid not.”

Varkan’s voice was firm.

“No matter who rules House Rothwell, you have no authority to search a Kardian carriage. On what grounds do you intend to search it?”

“Young Master Kardian! How am I supposed to believe your claim that Sir Malakar is inside?”

“I don’t recall asking you to believe me.”

Silence hung in the air.

A short while later, Baltazar spoke again, this time in a calmer voice.

“You know this already, don’t you? I have a niece who hasn’t awakened an ability.”

“…”

“She recently made a small mistake. My wife disciplined her.”

He shook his head and continued.

“But it seems she couldn’t accept that discipline and chose to rebel instead.”

“She ran away from where she was being disciplined. I believe she’s hiding inside that carriage.”

Realizing threats wouldn’t work, Baltazar switched tactics and tried to persuade Varkan.

“I’m asking for your help in recovering a member of my family. Surely House Kardian would be worried too if one of your family members disappeared.”

Varkan didn’t respond.

Baltazar sighed in irritation.

He had realized Varkan would never open the carriage door.

Staring at the carriage, he suddenly shouted,

“Diena! Stop this and come home! My wife is worried about you!”

Diena held her breath.

A serious look appeared on her face.

‘If Uncle acts like this…’

She could already predict how Varkan would react.

“The world is colder than you think. No matter where you go, I doubt you’ll find anyone willing to welcome you.”

At first glance, it sounded like concern.

But Diena knew the true meaning behind his words.

Did she really think a worthless Non-Ability User like her would be treated well anywhere?

“A person shines brightest within their family. Do you really think strangers who aren’t even your family would take in someone as useless as you?”

Baltazar’s voice grew colder and colder.

He was probably getting irritated because he still wasn’t receiving a response.

At that moment, Malakar shook his head and gently covered Diena’s ears.

“Don’t listen. It’s all nonsense.”

He was worried she would be hurt by those words.

‘He’s taking my side.’

Diena was about to tell him she was fine when she stopped.

Even though Malakar was covering her ears, she could still clearly hear Varkan’s voice outside.

He had raised his voice in anger.

“That’s just your opinion.”

The area outside instantly fell silent.

“The young lady isn’t in my carriage. But even if she were, and even if she truly had no abilities at all…”

Varkan’s voice was calm, yet unwavering.

“If she asked me for help, I would’ve helped her. That’s how my parents raised me.”

After a brief pause, he continued.

“I awakened my ability late as well. Yet not a single person ever called me useless.”

“Varkan Kardian!”

Baltazar shouted furiously.

But Varkan paid him no attention.

“So I’d appreciate it if you stopped speaking as though your opinions were some absolute truth.”

Until then, Diena had been hiding beneath the blanket with it pulled over her head.

Slowly, she peeked out.

‘Thank goodness.’

At least now she no longer had to worry about being sent back to Rothwell immediately.

‘Thank you, Uncle. For explaining so thoroughly to Varkan exactly what you think of me.’

Her chest tightened and her nose stung.

It wasn’t because Baltazar’s words had hurt her.

Perhaps they would’ve in her previous life before she regained her memories.

But now that she remembered everything, his words couldn’t wound her anymore.

The reason she felt like crying was because the Varkan of today overlapped perfectly with the Varkan she remembered.

The way he stood his ground and spoke without hesitation was exactly like the Varkan she knew.

If anything, Baltazar’s words had probably only strengthened his resolve to take her with him.

‘That’s so like Varkan.’

The ally who always became especially vicious whenever he dealt with House Rothwell.

Seeing that familiar side of him again made it difficult to hold back her tears.

* * *

The carriage rattled as it finally left House Rothwell behind.

Diena gazed out the window at the estate’s rooftops growing smaller and smaller in the distance.

A long sigh escaped her lips.

She felt relieved to have finally escaped, yet the anxiety remained.

Carefully, she lifted her head and looked at Varkan, who sat across from her.

“Why did you help me? You told me to go back to my family.”

Varkan stared out the window for a while before slowly turning his gaze toward her.

“I told you already. That’s how my parents raised me. I hate House Rothwell, but you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“…”

“And I didn’t feel like doing exactly what Baltazar wanted.”

The answer was unbelievably simple.

Yet Diena tightly clasped her hands together.

Because she knew how significant those words really were.

‘Even so, he helped someone from House Rothwell…’

Ability Users suffered from darkness as a lifelong side effect.

To suppress it, they needed suppressants.

And House Rothwell currently controlled the supply of suppressants and was using it to pressure House Kardian.