IPUAVNP Chapter 141

Chapter 141

 

‘Yesterday, Lord Kyle left Roden.’

Perched on a tree branch in the backyard of Alexander’s mansion, the crow Kernels wiped away a tear with the tip of his wing while gazing at the distant sky.

“Leaving at dawn like a fugitive without even saying goodbye to me, Kernels… I’ll never forgive him, not even in death.”

Of course, despite his harsh words, he ultimately trembled with his shabby shoulders and shed tears.

Having always followed Kyle around, he felt the emptiness even more keenly.

Moreover, it wasn’t just Kyle and the rabbit who had left.

Yesterday morning, the Oswald twins had also disappeared without a trace. There was no doubt that they had followed Kyle.

Whether he liked them or not, they had always been around, and with them suddenly gone, Kernels felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness.

It had only been a day, yet he already missed them.

“Sigh.”

After crying for a while, Kernels sniffled and looked at the mansion.

Since yesterday, a heavy shadow had loomed over it.

Although Alexander and Abel carried on with their daily routines as if nothing had happened, something seemed off. And Eliza…

She just sat blankly, staring out the window.

It was as if they had all been thrown back to the time right after Kyle was cast out through the magic gate—or perhaps even to a more painful moment.

‘This sadness will fade with time. Their absence will become less noticeable…’

With that thought, Kernels looked down at the pond below, trying to soothe himself by watching the sparkling pebbles.

But today, for some reason, the shimmering light that usually excited him felt dull and lifeless.

Even the things that used to bring him joy no longer interested him.

“…Maybe I should have followed Lord Kyle, just like the twins.”

It was a thought that slipped out in a sigh.

But as soon as he voiced it, Kernels shook his head vigorously.

‘No, following him would only bring hardship. It’s better to stay here comfortably, even if I’m lonely.’

Besides, Kyle was no longer the heir of the wolf tribe or anything else. Following him wouldn’t bring any benefits to Kernels.

For a materialistic crow who liked having a strong backing, Kyle—who had given up everything—held no appeal as a master anymore.

Kernels reminded himself of this, trying to steady his wavering heart.

And while he was caught up in his own internal struggle, a scout crow flew toward Alexander’s mansion from the eastern sky.

Noticing that the scout was from the eastern reconnaissance unit, Kernels whistled.

The hurriedly flying scout spotted Kernels and quickly landed, shouting,

“Kernels, sir! There’s trouble! You need to meet the leader immediately!”

“What’s going on?”

Kernels asked indifferently, watching the breathless scout.

But after hearing the urgent news, his eyes widened in shock.

“Is that true?”

The scout’s firm confirmation sent Kernels rushing to Alexander’s office to deliver the news.

“Leader! Leader!”

He pecked at the office’s glass window as if he were about to break it.

The moment the window opened, he urgently relayed the message.

“Leader, Simon Elders has appeared! He’s surfaced at the temple in Elders’ Canyon!”

At this sudden news, Alexander and his butler, who had been in a meeting, exchanged startled glances.

“Simon Elders appeared at the temple?”

Although they had been waiting for his return, something about this was suspicious.

It made no sense for Simon Elders to leave his hiding place and appear in a temple located in the heart of the canyon.

But this wasn’t the time to hesitate.

Alexander needed to capture Simon Elders before he vanished again.

Making up his mind, he ordered his butler,

“Go to Elder Arsha and tell him to prepare the troops. I’ll personally go to Elders’s Canyon.”

Since Simon Elders’s actions seemed like a ploy to lure them in, Alexander ordered Abel to stay behind and guard the capital.

Then, he left the study to depart for the canyon, with Kernels following closely behind.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, on the same morning, in the peaceful village of Morgen, Kyle had woken up early in a small inn.

For the past hour, he had been watching Brody, who was still sound asleep beside him.

It was time to wake up, but he felt guilty about disturbing her slumber, so he had been lightly poking her face with his finger.

“Brody.”

His whisper near her ear was warm and affectionate.

“Brody, wake up.”

“…”

“It’s time for breakfast.”

At the mention of food, her previously motionless body twitched.

Kyle chuckled at her reaction and planted a kiss on her cheek. Then, he kissed her forehead and her hair as well.

Tickled by the affectionate barrage of kisses, Brody finally woke up, giggling.

The first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was Kyle’s gaze, brimming with love.

With a voice warmer and softer than the morning sunlight, he greeted her,

“Good morning, my rabbit.”

His sweet words made Brody’s face light up with pure happiness.

If there was a happiness she wouldn’t trade for anything, it was surely the emotion she felt in this very moment.

“Kyle.”

Murmuring his name, she snuggled into his arms.

Kyle stroked her hair and said,

“We need to get up and get ready.”

“No, I don’t want to. I’m not getting up.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, acting spoiled. She just wanted to stay like this a little longer.

But since they had to leave soon, Kyle had no choice but to scoop her up and stand.

“Ahhh!”

She let out a shriek as he effortlessly lifted her and carried her into the bathroom.

Her scream soon turned into shared laughter.

 

***

 

While the couple enjoyed their affectionate morning…

“Isn’t this a bit much first thing in the morning?”

The Oswald twins, who had finished getting ready and come down to the inn’s first-floor dining hall, immediately greeted them with a grumpy complaint.

“How are we supposed to hang around you guys when we’re single and miserable?”

Their faces were full of sulky resentment, claiming that the lovey-dovey couple had woken them up.

Of course, Kyle and Brody ignored their complaints, simply replying,

“It was time to wake up anyway.”

Just then, the innkeeper approached their table, setting down a pitcher of water and some cups.

“Heh… Did you all sleep well last night?”

But he was the one who should have been asked that question—his face was pale, and he was sweating profusely.

Brody noticed his sickly complexion and trembling body, and she asked,

“Are you feeling unwell? You don’t look very good.”

When asked with concern, the innkeeper gave an awkward reply.

“Yes. The night air felt cold yesterday, and I must have caught a cold.”

Still, he assured them it wasn’t serious and smiled before returning to the kitchen, saying he would bring out their food shortly.

The four of them sipped the water the innkeeper had brought and chatted quietly while waiting.

A little while later, the sound of a bell rang as the inn’s front door opened, and several customers entered the dining hall.

A group of about a dozen strong-looking men walked in. Instead of choosing from the many empty seats available, they deliberately sat near Kyle’s group.

“…”

Kyle and the twins exchanged sharp glances in an instant.

The men who had sat near them all carried the same aura and scent—predatory, like wild beasts.

And the barely concealed killing intent emanating from them was directed straight at Kyle’s group, who were now trapped in their encirclement.

Were they just some village thugs looking to rob travelers?

As Kyle slowly raised his head, he caught sight of the innkeeper in the distance.

Upon seeing the newcomers, the innkeeper turned pale and quickly backed away, retreating into the kitchen.

‘Customers just arrived, but he didn’t come out to greet them? Instead, he ran away?’

Something was definitely wrong with this situation.

And the moment Kyle realized it, he instinctively knew that, whether they were thugs or not, they had to escape immediately.

The same realization dawned on the twins and Brody.

Determined to get out of there, Kyle whispered in a low voice to Brody.

“Brody, transform.”

At the same time, all four of them sprang up from their seats.

But—

“Huh?”

Their bodies, which should have instantly shifted into their beast forms, did not change.

“Boss, I can’t transform…!”

Their transformation wasn’t working.

However, before they could even process the bizarre situation, the men standing across from them were faster, drawing their swords and aiming them at Kyle’s group.

As the blades thrust forward, Kyle immediately pushed Brody behind him.

Though deeply unsettled by their inability to transform, he remained calm, shielding Brody as he growled at their attackers.

“What do you want?”

One of the men finally spoke, as if he had been waiting for the question.

“Hand over the rabbit with you. If you do, we’ll let you all go.”

‘They want… Brody?’

Kyle’s eyes widened in shock.

Their words implied they knew about Brody’s true identity.

How?

Who were these people?

But he didn’t have time to dwell on it.

“Do you *****s even hear yourselves?”

Oswald, who had been hiding his hands behind his back, suddenly grabbed a chair and hurled it straight at them.

With that, the carefully drawn lines of confrontation collapsed.

Seizing the opening, Kyle and the twins threw chairs and overturned tables to deflect the incoming attacks.

“Boss, catch!”

Oswald, after smashing a chair over an opponent’s head, grabbed a fallen sword and tossed it to Kyle.

Kyle caught it and immediately sliced through one of the men’s throats.

The sword that man had been holding was quickly snatched up by the twins.

The restaurant instantly turned into a battlefield.

Meanwhile, Brody, preparing for the worst, hurriedly reached into the small satchel tied around her waist, searching for her pocket watch.

But just then, an airborne chair shattered against the wall, and the flying debris struck her.

Startled, she let out a sharp cry and collapsed.

Kyle, who had been fiercely fighting to protect her, turned toward her scream and shouted.

“Brody! Get outside, now!”

He was trying to get her out of the danger zone.

Brody’s entire body was shaking like a leaf, but under Kyle’s cover, she crawled toward the door, desperate to escape.

As soon as Brody safely made it outside, Kyle positioned himself in front of the door to block any pursuit.

Meanwhile, Brody frantically searched for a hiding place, scanning her surroundings in a panic.

But at that very moment-

“Mmph!”

A hand suddenly clamped over her mouth.

“Mmph…!”

She struggled violently, but the firm grip cut off her air supply completely.

As she felt herself suffocating, her trembling fingers reached into her satchel for the pocket watch.

Yet, just as their ability to transform had vanished, so too had her power to manipulate time.

Time continued to flow forward.

And soon, the only thing that stopped-was Brody herself.

People who like angst come forward! It’s your time to shine!

I will be just crying in the corner (⁠༎ຶ⁠ ⁠෴⁠ ⁠༎ຶ⁠)