IPUAVNP Chapter 115

Episode 115

 

Brody’s mind was a mess, but fortunately, her body seemed to handle the aftermath for her.

She shrugged playfully at Kyle, as if the ridiculous question she had asked earlier was no big deal.

“What, are you scared? It’s not like this is the first time I’ve asked something weird.”

Of course, she had never asked him anything so direct before. Even so, her ability to feign ignorance and act as though she was joking could rival any seasoned actor.

“…What the hell.”

Kyle’s expression finally relaxed when he saw Brody laugh and casually take a bite of her cake.

“Ha…”

He let out a soft, awkward chuckle, but an indescribable heaviness lingered in the air between them.

Kyle quickly excused himself before leaving the room in haste.

“I’ll grab us something to drink.”

Left alone, Brody continued to eat her cake, forcing down one bite after another until she finally set her fork down.

The faint smile she had worn vanished from her face.

‘Why… would you ask that out of nowhere?’

As the memory of Kyle’s shocked response and the absurdity contained in his words replayed in her mind, a flush of shame crept over her cheeks.

The warmth he had shown her felt like a distant dream, replaced by the stark coldness of reality.

Of course.

Brody let out a long, weary breath. This was Kyle Roden, after all.

The man who had risked everything to save Zelda.

She started to laugh at herself for mistakenly thinking that he liked her because he had become a better person and that his attitude toward her had changed.

‘And this woman is the bravest, most righteous, and strongest woman I have ever seen.’

The words he’d spoken earlier—what had they even meant?

She wanted to question him, to challenge him, but she swallowed her frustration, suppressing the urge.

Brody stared down at the half-eaten cake.

‘He probably only said those things out of pity because I didn’t say anything. That’s just the kind of bond we have, I guess.’

Her thoughts drifted to his kind gestures and the memories of their recent time together. But she dismissed them as fleeting acts of camaraderie born from shared hardships.

That thought made her stomach churn.

‘I still need to try harder.’

In the past, the sight of Kyle’s indifference would have reignited her determination. But now, she felt utterly drained, as if all her efforts had reduced her to ashes.

‘Even after everything I’ve done, if it still isn’t enough… what more can I do?’

She had risked her life for this. She had faced countless dangers by his side. And yet, if she couldn’t win his heart even after all that, she couldn’t imagine what else it would take.

‘Have I been breaking myself against an unmovable wall this whole time?’

Lost in her hopeless thoughts, Brody felt all her energy drain away.

‘Am I still just a useful tool to him?’

The realization hit her like a crushing weight. It hurt—more than she cared to admit.

Once, she had been able to endure his utilitarian view of her.

She had accepted it, even when he had only pretended to be her partner for his own purposes. But now, it stung in a way it hadn’t before. She didn’t understand why.

Brody sat motionless, replaying Kyle’s cold reaction to her question over and over.

However the image of him smiling warmly at Zelda that flashed immediately afterward hurt the most.

Her clenched fists trembled.

Unable to bear the ache in her chest, Brody stood up from the table where Kyle had so thoughtfully laid out the desserts.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, Kyle, who had left to get drinks, walked down the darkened hallway toward the kitchen.

His face was blank, but his breathing was unsteady, as if he had been running.

In the empty kitchen, he grabbed a glass and prepared to pour a drink, but his hands were trembling so badly that he couldn’t manage it.

He placed the glass and bottle back on the table and loosened the buttons of his collar, gasping for air.

But even that didn’t ease the rapid pounding of his heart.

‘Do you like me?’

Brody had brushed it off as a joke, but Kyle knew it wasn’t. And because of that, he couldn’t take it lightly.

He only remembered the white-hot blankness in his mind when she asked.

He couldn’t even recall what he had said before leaving.

Do I like Brody?

It was a question he had never asked himself before.

And yet, the moment she voiced it, he felt as if she had exposed a part of him he wasn’t even aware of.

Perhaps he had never dared to ask himself because he already knew the answer.

Do I like Brody?

Kyle couldn’t say no.

But he also couldn’t recklessly say yes.

He had always considered Brody special, and how could he not?

She was his guide, his savior, and an irreplaceable companion.

Without even realizing it, he had begun imagining a future with her in it.

But… was this love?

He had never been taught what love was. He had never experienced it. And so, he hesitated.

Could he even call these feelings love?

The memory of his misguided desire for Zelda haunted him. He feared making the same mistake with Brody, mistaking something else for love.

That one mistake had left him cautious, self-critical, and full of doubt.

Kyle exhaled a trembling breath and ran his hands over his face.

For both Kyle and Brody, it was a night of deep, unrelenting turmoil.

 

***

The morning came when Fabian and the wolves of Herve were to return to the highlands.

To see them off, Kyle and Brody woke up early to prepare. Both looked tired—Brody hadn’t been able to fall asleep until late at night, and Kyle, after returning to his room late, had spent a long time tossing and turning before managing to doze off.

Kyle kept stealing glances at Brody, observing her mood.

“What should I wear? This dress? Or the yellow one?”

Brody stood before the wardrobe, casually picking out clothes, appearing no different than usual.

That morning, she had greeted Kyle as cheerfully as she always did, acting as though nothing had happened between them the day before.

Is she pretending, or was it really just a joke? 

Kyle had thought her question was serious, but seeing her act so nonchalantly left him confused.

He found himself repeatedly sneaking peeks at her.

Brody hummed a little tune as she brushed her hair, adjusted her clothes, and checked herself in the mirror.

Kyle’s eyes followed her every move, from the flick of her hand to the round expression on her face as she gazed at the mirror.

Everything about her seemed beautiful, so much so that he didn’t want to miss a thing.

Realizing what he was doing, he quickly averted his gaze.

When they finally stepped outside, the rest of the family was already gathered.

Even close relatives had come to bid farewell to Fabian, and among them was Zelda.

Zelda met Kyle’s eyes and offered him a much calmer, more relaxed greeting than before.

There was no reason to ignore her now. Kyle nodded in acknowledgment—a casual response akin to greeting an acquaintance.

Unbeknownst to him, a certain woman at his side was closely observing his every move.

“Ugh… I think I drank too much last night. If I run like this, I’m going to throw up.”

The wolves of Erbe, having overindulged the previous night, were groaning and complaining in unison. A few even dry-heaved dramatically.

“Get yourselves together! Making a spectacle of yourselves in someone else’s yard—what a disgrace.”

Fabian scolded, sharp as ever despite the alcohol he drank from the night before.

Standing next to Albert, Fabian glanced indifferently at the family gathered to see them off.

“Go back inside and get some more sleep. Why are you all out here causing a ruckus so early?”

He grumbled, though he himself hadn’t yet shifted into his wolf form to join his pack.

It was his way of showing his reluctance to leave, and everyone knew it, so they ignored his complaints.

“Take care,” Alexander said to his departing brother.

Fabian, visibly uncomfortable with the sentimental mood, awkwardly nodded and patted Alexander’s shoulder.

This time, there was no pretense about brushing off dust—it was a genuine gesture of encouragement.

Fabian also said his goodbyes to Kyle, the nephew he viewed so fondly because of their similarities.

“Take care of yourself. If you ever need help, come find me.”

To Kyle, who had grown up without the support of caring family members, these words were a source of immense comfort.

Overwhelmed, Kyle lowered his gaze without replying, and Fabian pulled him into a quiet hug.

“Look after your gutsy girlfriend, too.”

Fabian added, his teasing remark shattering the sentimental atmosphere. Even Brody, who had been on the verge of tears, burst into laughter along with everyone else.

Kyle then exchanged goodbyes with Albert, his cousin who was more like a brother to him.

“Let’s meet more often. I’ll come to your valley with my brother, and you can visit the highlands. How about that?”

Albert’s sincerity had a way of eliciting honesty from others, and Kyle didn’t hold back either.

He shook Albert’s hand warmly.

“Of course.”

The farewells ended quickly. Fabian didn’t linger or drag out the goodbye.

Once he and Albert had exchanged parting words with everyone, they and the rest of the pack departed for the distant highlands of Erbe.

Though their absence left a void for the family, no one was sad.

Having resolved the animosity that had once defined their relationship, they had become a family again.

Now, they could meet whenever they wanted.

You almost had to hang at that cliff for some time, but I decided that torturing you by that would be too much~