IPUAVNP Chapter 113

Episode 113

 

Kernels was the one who informed Kyle about Brody’s situation while Kyle was conversing with the elders beside Fabian.

Before he approached Kyle, the Oswald twins, seated at a table some distance away from where Brody was, frowned as they observed the crowd surrounding her.

“What the heck are they doing now?”

“Doesn’t look like a very refined atmosphere.”

The twins, who had been thoroughly indoctrinated by Kyle’s rabbit protection ideology, sensed the unusual atmosphere and were about to rush over to pull Brody out.

But Kernels, who had been nibbling on cake beside them, stopped them.

Wiping the whipped cream off his beak with the tip of his wing, Kernels said,

“Hold on. It’s better for the person involved to handle something like this directly than for underlings like you.”

Feigning wisdom, Kernels puffed himself up and immediately flew over to Kyle.

Despite his usual disdain for Brody, there was a reason Kernels was showing goodwill this time.

A few days earlier, Brody had saved him from Kyle’s wrath after failing to properly keep watch of her.

As Kernels flew over, Kyle was already scheming a way to escape the elders’ company.

Oblivious to Kyle’s inner thoughts, the elders flattered him, gauging his reaction.

“…Lord Kyle, you’ve accomplished such a tremendous feat. Achieving harmony with Erbe, something no one has managed in 20 years, truly remarkable.”

“…”

They acted as if they had never sided with Abel to push Kyle out in the past. This change in their attitude only disgusted him further.

Normally, he would have made his disdain obvious, but he suppressed it this time.

Arguing with these people wouldn’t help his goal of regaining his footing here and threatening Abel.

Still, the thought filled him with a hollow feeling.

‘These are the same people who abandoned me. And now, I’m enduring all this to win back their support.’

This sense of alienation was why Kyle felt increasingly out of place, even among his own people.

Just as the situation became unbearably suffocating, Kernels arrived.

“Lord Kyle, you need to go see the rabbit immediately.”

As soon as he heard Kernels’s whisper, Kyle’s expression hardened at the sight of the people gathered around Brody.

“Is something the matter, my lord…?”

“I’ll excuse myself now.”

Cutting off the elders mid-sentence, Kyle turned away without hesitation.

Regardless of the disapproving looks cast his way, he headed straight for Brody. The only thought in his mind was to drive off the pests swarming around her.

When he reached her and saw Brody looking flustered amidst the crowd, anger nearly blinded him.

However, knowing that losing his temper here might make Brody blame herself for ruining the event, he managed to swallow his rage.

Of course, he couldn’t hold back his sharp tongue.

“Don’t go spouting nonsense in front of people. Otherwise, I might just serve your father his son’s reckless tongue on a plate over there.”

After issuing his warning, Kyle grabbed Brody’s hand and led her away from the crowd.

As he walked, Brody lowered her gaze, her face flushed, while staring at his back.

‘Isn’t this practically a public confession?’

It seemed like more and more events were reinforcing her assumption that Kyle liked her.

And to think…

‘She’s the bravest, most righteous, and strongest woman I’ve ever met.’

Brody had never imagined Kyle thought so highly of her.

She was surprised, but also deeply grateful that his words had boosted her confidence, especially when she’d been feeling so small in front of others.

With her heart swelling with emotion, Brody looked down at her hand clasped in Kyle’s large, warm one, her cheeks reddening. Her heartbeat grew louder.

“Don’t pay attention to those idiots.”

Kyle said, as he brought her to another table, his tone comforting.

“They’re just brutes who look down on anything weaker than them.”

Brody let out a small laugh.

“It’s funny hearing that from you.”

Kyle, after all, used to be the most sincere of all in looking down on the weak.

Feeling awkward at her comment, he scratched his head.

Brody laughed for a while before looking up at him and asking,

“By the way, were you serious earlier? About me being the strongest woman you’ve ever met?”

Her mischievous expression made it clear she was teasing him.

Embarrassed, Kyle avoided her gaze.

“…You’re good at pushing around someone strong like me. The one who controls the strong is always the strongest.”

“Is that so?”

She asked teasingly, her smirk infuriating him.

Annoyed, he glared at her. But when he saw Brody, his gaze softened.

“…”

Her smile was different this time. Her eyes sparkled like stars, and the happiness radiating from her made his heart skip a beat.

Kyle turned away quickly, his face growing warm.

She was the one smiling, yet for some reason, he felt like his heart was overflowing with happiness.

It was a truly peculiar feeling.

 

***

 

After chasing away the Oswald twins, who had approached him out of concern, Kyle tried to spend time alone with Brody, feeding her dessert.

However, their moment was soon interrupted by another intruder—a messenger sent by Eliza.

The messenger explained that Eliza wanted Brody to meet some close relatives.

“There’s no need for you to go.”

Kyle said coldly, his nerves still on edge from the earlier incident.

But Brody couldn’t ignore Eliza’s summons, nor did she intend to.

“It’s fine. No one will dare say anything to me as long as I’m by her side,” Brody reassured him.

Despite her gentle demeanor, Eliza was the wife of a leader. No one would dare speak out of turn about a woman she introduced.

Knowing this, Brody comforted Kyle and headed toward Eliza.

She could still feel the glances directed at her, but she no longer paid them any mind.

‘And she’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met.’

Kyle’s words echoed in her mind, filling her with encouragement. The smile on her face refused to fade.

 

***

 

As the night deepened, the banquet reached its peak.

Brody remained with Eliza, while Kyle ignored the relatives attempting to strike up conversations with him, choosing instead to wait for Brody.

“Why are you sitting there all alone?”

“You look like a husband waiting for his runaway wife—so pitiful.”

The Oswald twins approached, teasing their leader, but Kyle shooed them away with an irritated wave of his hand, unwilling to let anyone obstruct his view.

Kyle’s gaze was fixed solely on Brody. Or more accurately, in the crowd of many, Brody was the only person he could see.

He couldn’t help it. Wherever she was, it felt as though a spotlight illuminated her in an otherwise black-and-white world.

As Kyle continued staring, an idea suddenly struck him.

He stood up abruptly, striding quickly past tables and people to enter the house.

He headed straight to the kitchen.

“Prepare a fresh cherry pie and cake. Bring them to my room later.”

His ever-eating rabbit was likely too distracted by conversations to eat now, which meant she’d inevitably get hungry later.

Anticipating this, Kyle had come to arrange food for her in advance. Then he left the kitchen, his expression filled with satisfaction.

As he headed outside, he unexpectedly ran into someone.

It was Zelda, who had just exited the guest bathroom on the first floor after washing her hands.

“…”

An awkward silence passed between them before Zelda spoke first.

“It’s been a while.”

“…It has.”

Since their late-night meeting in the garden, it had indeed been some time.

Though they had crossed paths a few times since, they hadn’t exchanged words.

Kyle replied curtly and tried to leave, but Zelda stopped him.

“Kyle.”

“…”

“Can we talk for a moment?”

Her tone was firm, almost demanding.

Kyle’s expression hardened. He already knew what Zelda wanted to discuss.

He had avoided this conversation once before, but this time, he couldn’t simply refuse and walk away. He reluctantly stopped.

 

***

 

At that same moment, Brody was in the middle of a conversation with relatives of Roden. Yet her focus kept drifting to the mansion’s entrance.

Her once-bright face was gradually clouding over.

‘Why did Kyle go after Zelda?’

She had seen Zelda enter the house and couldn’t shake the image from her mind.

And then not long after Zelda entered, Brody saw Kyle hurriedly enter behind her.

She froze on the spot.

The thought of Kyle being alone with her gnawed at her, leaving her distracted.

To anyone, it would look like Kyle was following Zelda inside.

When neither of them reappeared, Brody grew increasingly restless.

Moments ago, she had been happier than ever, but now, anxiety turned her complexion pale.

“Miss Brody, are you feeling unwell?”

Noticing her discomfort, Eliza spoke up in concern.

“I must have kept you too long. I’m sorry. Please go and rest.”

“Oh, I’m fine…”

Brody replied, though her face clearly said otherwise.

Concerned, Eliza and the other women quickly excused her.

Once freed, Brody immediately headed for the house.

As she stepped inside, she instinctively looked for Kyle and Zelda, only to scold herself.

‘What am I even doing?’

But her anxious curiosity had already taken hold.

Walking through the halls, she noticed the back door leading to the garden was slightly open.

Approaching it, she found herself drawn toward the faint light beyond.

‘Surely, they’re not together,’ she told herself.