IPUAVNP Chapter 114

Episode 114

 

Brody’s heart pounded wildly, as if she had witnessed something she shouldn’t have. Tension coiled in her chest, and she unconsciously nibbled on her now-dry lips.

‘What could they be doing over there?’

In that moment, Brody realized just how fragile her belief in Kyle’s feelings for her truly was.

The mere sight of him with Zelda was enough to make her question his heart.

A wave of insecurity swept over her—was it possible Kyle still harbored feelings for Zelda? 

She had thought she had finally won him over, achieving her goal, but the fear that she might still be standing in place gnawed at her.

Or perhaps it was something else entirely?

Brody couldn’t quite pinpoint her feelings.

She cautiously turned her gaze back toward the garden where the two stood. Then she saw something that made her heart sink.

Kyle was smiling at Zelda.

At Zelda’s words, which Brody couldn’t hear, Kyle’s lips curved into a soft smile—one she had never seen before.

A smile full of affection.

At that moment, Brody turned sharply away, her body moving instinctively to flee the scene.

It was as though she couldn’t bear to witness another second.

 

***

 

Earlier, when Zelda had asked, ‘Can we talk for a moment?’ Kyle had hesitated, unable to reject her as he had before.

Her words had stirred something within him—a buried feeling that had remained unresolved since the day he entered this place.

It was a question that had lingered in his mind since the barren plains of Rubinus: Had she really abandoned me?

Strangely, the moment he saw her again, the question lost its urgency.

It no longer mattered.

He had come all this way, risking his life on the belief that she wouldn’t abandon him, but upon facing her, it became clear just how meaningless that belief had become.

Kyle wanted closure.

Rather than suppressing his feelings for Zelda, he needed to confront them and find resolution. That was why he agreed to her request to talk.

The two moved to the secluded garden, far from prying eyes.

As soon as they arrived, Zelda began to speak.

“I wanted to apologize to you.”

Kyle didn’t respond. He simply stood there, listening, his expression unreadable.

Encouraged by his silence, Zelda continued, summoning her courage to speak from the heart.

“We never promised to love each other, but we were as good as engaged. And even if there wasn’t love, I believe we shared trust.”

Trust.

Yes, Kyle had trusted Zelda. He believed she was the one person who wouldn’t abandon him. Even when everyone else regarded him with disdain, she had been different.

“I never intended to deceive you. Until recently back then, I truly thought I would become your wife. But… I realized it too late. I had feelings for your brother.”

Kyle recalled the day Abel had come to him, confessing his love for Zelda.

‘She loves me as I love her.’

Kyle had dismissed his brother’s words as nonsense, mocking him for his delusions.

But now, he realized it was true.

Zelda had loved Abel, not him. Just like everyone else.

“I should have told you the truth,” Zelda said, her voice trembling.

“But instead, I used my cowardice as an excuse, thinking an apology would suffice. I didn’t realize how much more that would hurt you.”

She bit her lip, unable to continue. Lowering her gaze, she avoided looking at Kyle altogether.

At that moment, Kyle’s suspicions were confirmed.

Zelda had abandoned him.

In the barren plains of Rubinus, when he realized even she had left him behind, Kyle had felt utterly broken. He had hit rock bottom.

But now, facing that truth head-on, he found that it no longer had the power to crush him.

The fact that she had abandoned him didn’t matter anymore.

Kyle finally understood why his heart had calmed so quickly the moment he saw her again after returning to Roden.

He had already moved on.

Whether Zelda had abandoned him or not, it was no longer significant.

Kyle had thought he loved Zelda, no he firmly believed it.

After all, he had wanted to possess her. If that wasn’t love, then what was?

But looking back, he realized it wasn’t love. It wasn’t Zelda he had wanted; it was what she represented—something Abel couldn’t have.

Their parents’ love, others’ attention—everything Kyle had been denied, Abel had taken. But Zelda was the one thing Abel couldn’t claim. That was why Kyle wanted her.

She wasn’t someone he loved; she was a symbol of his desire to defeat his brother.

He remembered now how he had never once envied Abel’s feelings for Zelda.

On the contrary, he had relished it. He had hoped Abel’s love would consume him, breaking him apart.

The clarity of his thoughts brought Kyle a profound sense of relief.

Looking back at Zelda, still apologizing before him, Kyle felt nothing but calm.

“It’s okay if you hate me, but I needed to apologize to you.”

Kyle saw Zelda as part of his past now—a past he would never look back on, a past that no longer held any sway over him.

He spoke to her with a calm finality.

“I don’t hate you.”

Zelda looked up at him in surprise, but Kyle continued, meeting her gaze unwaveringly.

“As you said, we weren’t in love, nor did we ever promise each other anything. There was no great responsibility tied to whatever trust or expectations we had.”

“…”

“We were nothing to each other—then, and now. So, there’s no need for you to apologize or feel sorry.”

With those words, Kyle firmly closed the chapter on Zelda Arsha in his heart.

He could now define his feelings for her: it was not love, but a misplaced and destructive desire. Nothing more, nothing less.

Zelda, who had been frozen in place, managed a faint, bitter smile, as though she understood his complete detachment.

“Thank you for saying that.”

Looking into his now serene eyes, Zelda finally let go of her own burden.

Noticing the calm she had never seen in him before, Zelda smiled faintly.

“You’ve changed a lot, you know.”

“Have I?”

“Whenever I see you with Miss Brody, that’s all I can think about. She’s changed you in so many ways.”

Zelda added with a gentle tone, as if to emphasize that her words were meant kindly.

Kyle, though flustered, couldn’t deny it. His flushed face betrayed him.

It was true—Brody had changed him, more than even he could sometimes comprehend.

She had reshaped his values, his thoughts, and perhaps even the way he viewed the world.

This very moment might even be one of the changes she had inspired in him.

Kyle smiled—a warm, genuine smile that appeared only when he thought of one person.

 

***

 

The banquet stretched late into the night. No one wanted to leave, unwilling to part with what might be their last evening together as a group.

When Kyle returned from his conversation with Zelda, he found Brody sitting quietly, barely touching the food she had taken.

She seemed lost in thought, her expression distant.

“What are you thinking about?”

Brody quickly snapped out of her thoughts and gave him a smile.

“Nothing.”

“You’re tired, aren’t you?”

Kyle said as he reached for her hand and gently pulled her to her feet.

“Let’s head inside.”

Brody blinked, startled.

“But the banquet isn’t over yet. Can we just leave like this?”

“What does it matter? Those people will probably drink until dawn anyway. I doubt they even care about leaving tomorrow.”

Kyle replied, clicking his tongue in irritation. Without waiting for her response, he began leading her toward the house.

Brody followed him, confused, her gaze fixed on his back.

As they entered the house, her expression darkened.

No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t shake the image of the warm, unguarded smile Kyle had shown Zelda earlier.

‘What did they talk about? What could she have said to make him smile like that?’

Brody had believed Kyle was beginning to harbor feelings for her. But after seeing that smile, everything felt uncertain again.

Could it be that he still had lingering feelings for Zelda?

Her mind buzzed with unspoken questions she couldn’t dare to voice.

When they entered their room, Brody’s eyes widened in surprise.

Spread across the table were all her favorite desserts.

She didn’t need to ask who had brought them.

Kyle casually pulled her toward the table and explained,

“You were holding back earlier, so I asked the chef to bring a few up here.”

Brody stared at him silently.

He sat her down, handed her a fork, and carefully began dividing the cakes onto pieces for her, all the while feigning nonchalance.

Brody felt her chest tighten.

Watching him act so attentively—so unlike himself—only made her feel more unsettled.

‘Then what was that smile he gave Zelda about?’

Kyle suddenly stood.

“There’s no drink. Eat this while I go grab something to drink.”

At that moment, Brody couldn’t suppress the emotions bubbling inside her.

She acted on impulse, grabbing his arm before he could leave.

“Kyle.”

He turned to her, confused by her abrupt action.

“Do you…”

Brody hesitated, her voice trembling slightly.

“Do you like me?”

She hadn’t even realized how desperate or reckless her question was. She just wanted clarity—anything to ease her restless heart.

But all she gained was the sound of her own heart pounding.

Kyle froze, his expression hardening as her words sank in.

“Why… would you ask that out of nowhere?”

He said, his tone guarded and his face growing cold.

His reaction made it clear—he had never once thought of her that way.

He pulled his arm away from her grasp, his gaze now icy and distant.

Brody felt as though she had been struck. The sting of his indifference was sharper than she could bear.

‘What have I done?’

It was only then that Brody fully realized the weight of her impulsive question.

 

Thank you Jean for the Ko-fi again ♥️