IPUAVNP Chapter 129

Episode 129

 

“Big brother.”

Abel stood up and looked at Kyle.

Kyle took a deep breath, then slowly opened his eyes and asked,

“…Father?”

“He hasn’t arrived yet.”

Hearing the answer, Kyle let out a trembling breath. But it wasn’t just his breathing that was shaking—his entire body was trembling uncontrollably.

“Are you okay?”

At Abel’s question, filled with concern, Kyle silently stared at him.

‘Big brother, going to Leonit alone is too dangerous. Please, let me go with you.’

Yesterday afternoon. Kyle recalled pushing Abel away when he had desperately pleaded for him not to go alone to Leonit Baldwin.

Perhaps he had been swayed by Abel’s earnest efforts to save Brody, who was as precious as life to him.

In his younger brother’s eyes, Kyle had seen genuine concern for him. It was strange—he had seen that look countless times before, yet it was the first time he truly understood the worry behind it.

It felt as if a veil that had been covering his eyes had finally been lifted.

‘Maybe the emotions that blinded me were my hatred and resentment toward Abel…’

Kyle sighed.

Facing his brother’s sincerity still made him uncomfortable. But he did not run away.

Though turmoil swirled in his heart, he momentarily set it aside and looked at his younger brother—at those calm, peaceful eyes, devoid of thorns and malice.

Realizing that this was Abel’s true feelings toward him, the storm inside Kyle gradually subsided.

As a small sense of peace settled in his heart, Kyle slowly closed his eyes in exhaustion.

 

***

 

While the two brothers waited for their father, Alexander had already arrived at the underground cavern where Walter Alcamon resided.

“Wait here for a moment, leader.”

The arrogant bears showed no respect for the leader of another tribe. They left Alexander standing outside and deliberately took their time as they strolled into the audience chamber.

Only after a long wait did they finally emerge, leisurely telling him he could now enter.

Such humiliating treatment should have angered him, yet Alexander’s expression remained as hard as stone.

He strode into the audience chamber where Walter Alcamon awaited him.

But what he saw inside was utterly absurd.

Walter Alcamon was sitting on the floor below the platform, playing with blocks alongside his youngest son.

“Father, look! I built a watchtower for the castle!”

“Yes, Shanikah. A watchtower is essential for spotting enemies outside the castle. You did a great job.”

For Alexander, who knew Walter Alcamon’s nature well, the sight was nothing short of bizarre.

Praising his son’s castle, Walter Alcamon soon noticed Alexander approaching and greeted him with a smile.

“Well, well, look who it is. It feels like just yesterday that I met Kyle Roden, and now the leader of Roden himself has come to my fortress.”

He remained seated on the floor.

Even among leaders, greeting an elder like this was highly disrespectful—but the bears of Alcamon had never been ones to humble themselves before anyone.

“So, what brings the great leader of Roden all the way here?”

Of course, Walter Alcamon’s arrogance was met with the unyielding posture of Alexander, who stood rigidly straight, unfazed.

Though he clicked his tongue at Alexander’s stiff demeanor, Walter maintained a polite expression.

Whether he noticed or ignored this, Alexander remained impassive as he spoke.

“I have come because I require assistance.”

Straight to the point.

Even without further explanation, Walter immediately understood that ‘assistance’ meant military support.

His brows furrowed.

“I was under the impression that the war with Elders was already over.”

Alexander answered without hesitation.

“The Baldwin’s lions have kidnapped my son’s woman.”

“Kidnapped…?”

Walter, taken aback, stared blankly for a moment before his eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me the kidnapped woman is the rabbit?”

“…”

Alexander said nothing, but his darkened expression was an answer enough.

Walter Alcamon didn’t bother asking how she had been kidnapped. He already knew that Kyle and the lions had a strained relationship, so he could easily guess the reason without needing further details.

“Hah, this is quite the predicament.”

Normally, he wouldn’t have cared whether Kyle Roden’s lover had been kidnapped or not.

But Brody was different.

She was more than just Kyle Roden’s lover—she was the rabbit who had once helped both Walter and his son.

Simply put, she was not someone he could easily turn his back on.

As he pondered over this dilemma, a sudden thought made him lift his head. His gaze, filled with curiosity, turned toward Alexander.

“This is rather unexpected. Are you really willing to go to war with the lions just to save that rabbit?”

As far as he remembered, Alexander Roden had never loved his eldest son, Kyle. He had taken his heirship away and even cast him out.

Yet now, that same Alexander had come all the way here, humbly requesting support because Kyle’s lover had gone missing.

“No matter how I look at it, this decision doesn’t seem like you at all.”

The words carried unintended weight.

They struck Alexander right in the chest, and for a brief moment, his blue eyes wavered.

His gaze dropped heavily to the floor. Then, after a long hesitation, he finally muttered,

“She is the woman my son loves.”

The moment those words left his lips, a surge of sorrow welled up inside him.

Yes. Brody was the woman Kyle loved.

She was also the only one who had given Kyle the love that Alexander, as a father, had failed to provide.

Pride and dignity aside, he had to do whatever it took to bring her back into Kyle’s arms.

‘Why did you have me?’

He could not bear to see Kyle’s empty, lifeless eyes from that morning again.

Feeling as if his heart was collapsing, Alexander lowered his head.

Then, still bowing, he spoke to Walter Alcamon.

“…For the first time, I want to be a father to my son.”

At this moment, he was speaking more sincerely than ever before.

Walter Alcamon initially looked at him in surprise, but only for a moment.

Alexander’s heartfelt plea had touched him—as a father, it struck a chord.

He too had recently realized how inadequate he had been as a father to his own son.

His gaze softened as he looked at the wooden blocks that his son, Shanikah, had been playing with just moments ago.

After some contemplation, Walter finally spoke.

“Personally, I am inclined to help Roden, as I owe a debt to that rabbit. However, this is just my personal stance. Convincing my council with such reasoning alone would be impossible.”

“As you know, we have avoided conflicts with other tribes for decades. Breaking that long-standing tradition is not something we can take lightly.”

In other words, if Alexander wanted their support, he needed to provide a compelling justification for the council.

From this point on, emotions had to be set aside. The discussion had to be driven purely by reason.

After carefully listening to Walter’s concerns, Alexander soon responded.

“There is nothing we can offer you in return for this battle.”

It was a difficult statement to make, yet his voice remained firm and unwavering.

Walter Alcamon almost scoffed at the absurdity of it, but then, as Alexander continued, he immediately understood why he was so confident.

“However, by aiding us, you will gain a legitimate reason to take ‘Lobisa,’ located in the northwestern plains of Baldwin.”

The moment the name ‘Lobisa’ came out of Alexander’s mouth, Walter’s expression cracked.

Lobisa was a forest in the northwestern part of Baldwin’s plains, known as the southern region’s largest honey-producing area—the paradise of bees.

It was the only lush, green area in Baldwin’s plains. However, because there were no animals to hunt, the lions had little interest in it.

But for the bears of Alcamon, who relied on honey as a staple food, Lobisa had been a coveted land for years.

Their own mountains had been losing beehives, making the forest increasingly appealing.

The one who had given Alexander this crucial piece of information was Kyle.

He had remembered Walter’s offhand remark about his son, Shanikah, gathering honeycombs in Roden’s territory.

‘…My boy ate some honey while he was staying there. Hope you understand—there aren’t many hives left in our mountains these days.’

For Alexander and his elders, who had been searching for negotiation terms with the bears, this information was invaluable.

The bears of Alcamon were not noble protectors of peace. They had simply remained neutral because they hadn’t needed to intervene.

But now, if the opportunity aligned with their interests and there was a strong justification, they would undoubtedly be willing to go to war.

As expected, Walter Alcamon’s expression wavered as he stared at Alexander.

A chance to claim a land they had long desired, with a justification handed to them by Roden’s wolves—this was too tempting to refuse outright.

After a brief hesitation, Walter finally stood up from his previously arrogant seated position.

Facing Alexander directly, he spoke.

“…Give us time to hold a meeting. It won’t take long.”

With that, he left the audience chamber.

But even as he walked away, Alexander already felt as if he had heard the answer he was waiting for.