IITYVA 34

Chapter 34 – 

I let out a long sigh and swept my hair back.

“Ha… That bastard’s nonsense is enough to drive someone insane.”

“B-Bastard…?”

“What? He says this happened because I pushed him away? That buying the medicine was the same as spending money for me? That if I marry him and give him three kids, he’ll release As?”

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. It felt like my brain was about to bleach itself from rage.

How little does he think of me—and of As—to say something so outrageous?

“I warned you, didn’t I?”

I suddenly reached out and grabbed Millen by the collar.

“I told you, I never want to have to raise my voice for the same reason again.”

Without hesitation, I dragged him toward the window.

Since Silavi had cloaked both of us, there was no need to worry about being seen.

Of course, Millen panicked and struggled wildly, but there was no way he could overpower my strength, which was being enhanced by the spirits.

“L-Let go! Let me go right now, I said let go!”

He screamed his lungs out, but his voice couldn’t pierce through the thick air shield created by the Silavis.

Outside the window, Hisha—whom I had summoned—was waiting quietly.

I easily overpowered the flailing Millen and loaded him onto Hisha, then flew off to a secluded mountain.

It didn’t take long to get there.

Perhaps it was the shock of flying through the sky, but Millen was now screaming and struggling even more violently than before.

I kicked him off and let him drop to the ground, then walked toward him, step by step.

“Y-You think you’ll get away with this?!”

Now covered in dirt, Millen seemed to be yelling just to say something.

I sneered at him and slowly raised one hand.

“Oh, I think I’ll get away just fine.”

At that moment, the ground rumbled with a low rumble sound.

As I clenched my fist as if grabbing something from the air, thick ropes of earth suddenly surged up from the ground and wrapped themselves around Millen.

“Argh! What the hell is this?!”

Bound by the earthen ropes, he was dragged helplessly along the ground.

With a thud, he was thrown backward.

“Gah!”

He screamed as though it hurt, thrashing around.

I walked over to him slowly and raised my right hand again.

“Don’t struggle. I’m telling you this for your own good.”

“What?! What are you—Arghhh!”

As I grasped the air again, massive stones shot up from the earth and pinned down each of Millen’s limbs.

He thrashed like a madman, but his arms and legs were already tightly bound by the earth ropes—there was no escape.

With each added weight of the stones, Millen let out even more unbearable, grating screams.

“Argh! You crazy bitch! If you’re going to lose your mind, do it quietly—!”

Apparently, he didn’t take my kind warning to heart, because he was still trying to struggle, putting every ounce of strength into moving his body.

His flushed face was drenched in spit and sweat from the effort.

I looked down at his pathetic state and shrugged.

“Well, if I break something, he won’t be kidnapping anyone anymore. Guess I’ll just break it.”

I loosened the earth ropes slightly.

As the tension lessened, the shoulder Millen had been trying to jerk upward with all his strength suddenly shot up—

—Right into my foot, which I had just coated with a solid layer of ice.

The full force of the impact went straight into Millen’s shoulder.

“Ugh… AAAAAAAAGH!”

The scream that tore from him this time was on a whole other level.

His shoulder must have broken.

“You know, if you just listened, good things could happen. But you didn’t even listen to your senior.”

I clucked my tongue while Millen writhed in agony, and finally he managed to shout:

“T-That brat! Don’t you want to save that damn kid?!”

“Hm?”

“I’m the only one who knows where the brat is! I-If you let me go now, I’ll overlook all of this!”

“…You’re hilarious.”

I chuckled coldly and squatted down.

As our eyes met at the same level, Millen glared at me with fury.

I lightly tapped his cheek and tilted my head.

“You’re really a graduate of the Atlanta Academy? Why’s your brain working so slow?”

“W-What…?!”

“As’s location? Sure, don’t tell me. I insist.”

I narrowed my eyes without the faintest hint of warmth.

“Because I don’t need your mercy.”

With that, I stood and sliced through the air with my hand.

Silavi spirits bloomed behind me like a fan unfolding.

“Guys, find As for me!”

Countless silver butterflies flapped their wings and scattered into the air.

“W-What is this…?”

Millen seemed to forget his pain and stared blankly at the Silavis.

I let out a soft sigh and lightly kicked him with my foot.

“Hey, be honest. You’re not really an Atlanta Academy graduate, are you? How do you not know what a spirit is?”

“W-What? How dare some uneducated wench insult my degree—ARGH!”

“Funny how you keep calling me names for someone dumber than a rock. Huh?”

I had half a mind to stomp down hard on him right then and there, but suddenly, one of the Silavi butterflies fluttered toward me.

It had found As.

Ignoring the groaning Millen on the ground, I spoke calmly.

“You found As? Lead the way.”

The Silavi flapped its wings as if to say “yes” and began flying in a direction.

Without a second glance at the still-bound Millen, I quickly followed.

Whether some wild animal tore him apart or he somehow survived, it wasn’t my concern.

The place the Silavi led me to was a gloomy alley far from the bustling part of the city.

Not only was it deserted, but the dim alley didn’t even let in proper light. Rows of rundown buildings, sometimes used for storage, lined the narrow street eerily.

“Damn that Millen…”

I muttered in a chilling tone as I followed the Silavi without a moment of hesitation past door after door.

After walking quite a bit deeper into the alley, the Silavi stopped in front of one door.

“So this is the place.”

The butterfly fluttered its wings in confirmation.

I turned the rusted doorknob, but it was locked and only rattled uselessly.

“Guys, break the door!”

There was no time to figure out how to open it properly.

I called out for help, and my kind spirit friends didn’t let me down.

With a loud CRASH, the door broke open.

Once the cloud of dust settled, I spotted a large sack at the far end of the empty warehouse.

“As—!”

I rushed over and opened the sack.

Inside the worn and torn fabric, As lay unconscious, drenched in cold sweat.

“Ha… Aches…”

I never should’ve left you alone.

Tears threatened to spill from my eyes.

From Grand Duke Bahar to Millen—why is everyone so obsessed with harming this child?

With trembling hands, I carefully gathered As into my arms.

Thankfully, he didn’t seem to have any major injuries—he was just passed out.

Once I confirmed he was safe, tears finally began to fall freely.

I poured healing magic over him immediately.

A gentle light of healing enveloped his body and slowly seeped in.

When the healing was complete, I carefully adjusted As in my arms and stood up.

“Hisha, let’s go.”

I didn’t want to spend another second in this wretched place.

Hisha kicked off the ground and soared into the sky.

…

A cool breeze brushed against my cheek. My hair fluttered behind me like waves.

I silently hugged As closer to my chest.

My heart was in turmoil.

I felt nauseated, like something heavy was trying to rise up in my throat.

‘So… if I didn’t have the power of the spirits, I would’ve lost As for sure…’

The fear I hadn’t registered before due to my rage now started to bloom inside me.

If As hadn’t been kidnapped—then it would’ve been me.

And I would’ve been forced into a marriage I never wanted.

“…That monstrous bastard…”

I muttered through clenched teeth, trembling all over.