IPUAVNP Chapter 146

Chapter 146

 

At that moment, the person Brody thought of was Eileen.

Eileen, who had been bedridden for three years after being struck by dark magic.

Her lifeless body had once lain still, exuding nothing but cold, empty breaths—just like Kyle now.

But back then, Brody had saved Eileen with the red cypress sap of the Clock Rabbits.

A cure that healed any wound or illness.

Brody pushed herself up.

Yes. The red cypress sap was the way to save Kyle.

If she could get it, she could bring him back.

But her relief was short-lived.

Reality immediately presented a problem… She had already used what she had to save Eileen.

And that miraculous cure could only be found in the Clock Rabbit Village in Asgar.

Unlike Eileen, who had endured for three years thanks to her powers as a Great Witch, Kyle was only a beastman. There was no telling how long his body would last against the dark magic.

Then, in that moment, Kernels muttered regretfully to himself.

“If only the witches who fought Amidal were here… They could have saved Kyle. But they already crossed through that magic gate…”

At the words magic gate, not only Brody but also the twins turned their gaze to the large mirror standing in one corner of the hall.

The twins immediately shouted.

“Where did the witches go through that magic gate? We’ll go after them!”

They pestered Kernels for answers, fixated on the witches.

But amidst the chaos, Brody found herself drawn to the so-called magic gate.

The mirror’s surface reflected this hellish reality so perfectly that it was hard to believe another world lay beyond it.

Her brow furrowed.

Something about the stone frame surrounding the mirror felt familiar.

Engraved into the stone was a vine-like pattern.

She had seen it before.

Her gaze traced the vines downward—until she noticed a keyhole on one of the pillars.

“!”

A memory surfaced.

That key.

The key Rubinus had given her. But what shocked her even more…

‘A key that can open any door. You’ll need it someday.’

That was what Rubinus had said when she handed it to her.

Brody’s fingers instinctively reached for the rabbit-shaped pouch tied to her waist.

She hadn’t checked yet, but she knew.

This key would open the magic gate.

Pulling it from her pouch, she compared it to the engravings on the mirror’s frame.

They matched.

Without hesitation, she turned to the twins and Kernels.

“I found a way to save Kyle!”

“You did?”

Her eyes burned with unwavering certainty as she answered their stunned expressions.

“I’m going to open this gate and go to Asgar. The cure to save Kyle is there.”

The Oswald twins stared blankly as Brody struggled to lift Kyle.

Even Kernels looked at her like she had lost her mind.

The magic gate couldn’t just be opened at will.

How was she going to enter it?

But despite their doubts, the twins found themselves moving instinctively, helping her support Kyle.

“Are you out of your mind? That gate only opens in the summer!”

Kernels shouted, trying to snap her out of it. However, he soon fell silent.

Brody had stepped forward and inserted the key into the lock on the magic gate.

It fit perfectly.

And just like when Eileen had opened it before, the mirror’s surface rippled like water.

“What… It actually opened?!”

While Kernels stood in shock, Brody turned to the twins.

“Are you coming with me?”

They didn’t answer.

They simply looked at her as if to say, Why even ask?

Brody smiled faintly at their silent affirmation.

Kernels flapped his wings anxiously beside them.

“Wait, are you seriously leaving like this? What about me?!”

But that was for him to decide.

Brody and the twins, carrying Kyle on their backs, stepped through the gate without hesitation.

Beyond it lay the distant land of Asgar.

 

***

 

Moments after they disappeared.

Alexander and his wolves, having defeated all the tigers outside, rushed into the temple in search of Kyle and the others.

But when Alexander reached the main hall, all that remained was bloodstains and a single corpse.

The body of Simon Elders.

“Leader! Look at the magic gate!”

Alexander turned sharply at the cry and looked at the magic gate.

The transparent mirror surface rippled faintly, as if someone had just opened the gate.

He strode toward it.

By the time he reached the magic gate, it had already returned to being a simple mirror, reflecting reality.

The key, which had been inserted into the keyhole, crumbled into ash, having fulfilled its purpose.

Alexander stood silently, staring at the magic gate. Just before it had closed, he had caught a glimpse beyond the rippling surface.

A snow-covered land.

His wavering eyes steadied.

There was sadness in them, but also relief.

Because now, he was certain.

Beyond that gate lay the continent of Asgar.

And Kyle and Brody had reached their intended destination safely.

 

***

 

As soon as the group passed through the magic gate, they found themselves falling through empty air.

Fortunately, the drop wasn’t too high, and no one was injured…

“Achoo!”

One by one, they got up from the snow, shivering and sneezing.

The biting cold clawed at their bodies, completely unprepared for winter after coming from a summer land.

But Brody, recognizing the familiar chill, quickly scanned their surroundings.

The night was deep and dark. Snow-covered log houses came into view.

But it had been a long time since she was last here, and she couldn’t immediately recognize the right house.

“Cough, cough! How long are we going to stand here freezing?!”

It was Kernels who said that.

Having followed them through the gate, he hopped furiously on the icy ground, unable to bear the cold.

After some time, Brody spotted a familiar sign at the end of the marketplace.

“That’s the house! Follow me!”

She led Kernels and the twins toward the hay store.

Finding the front door locked, she hurried around to the back where the entrance to the May family’s home was.

BANG BANG BANG!

“Mom! Dad! Sis! Open the door!”

She pounded on the door, calling out urgently.

“Mom! Dad!”

After a couple of calls, warm candlelight flickered behind the darkened windows.

A moment later, the sound of a latch clicking was heard and the door swung open.

The May family rushed out in their nightclothes.

“Brody…?”

They were speechless, stunned to see Brody, who was supposed to be on her pilgrimage, suddenly appearing in the middle of the night.

But what truly shocked them came next.

Behind Brody, three blood-soaked men and a pitch-black crow emerged from the darkness.

Mrs. May and Brody’s sister, Judy, screamed.

But Brody had no time to calm them. Without a word, she ushered everyone inside.

As the family recoiled from the overwhelming aura of the wounded warriors, Brody turned to them urgently.

“Mom, Dad! I’ll explain everything later—just get the medicine! The cypress extract!”

At first, the family stood frozen, as if staring at ghosts who had barged into their home.

Then, their eyes fell on the man Brody and the twins were laying down.

A man barely clinging to life, covered in blood.

That was enough to shake them out of their daze.

They were kindhearted rabbits. Even if he was a ghost, they had to save him.

Mr. May snapped out of it first. He handed his wife the candle and rushed into a room, emerging moments later with a small vial.

“Here, Brody!”

“Thank you, Dad!”

Brody took the vial and rushed to Kyle’s side.

He was still breathing…but barely.

Everyone held their breath as Brody uncorked the bottle and carefully poured the red cypress sap into Kyle’s mouth.

The liquid trickled down his throat as she fed him every last drop.

Then, they waited.

Seconds stretched into eternity.

Moments later…

Oswald, who had been pressing his ear to Kyle’s chest, suddenly widened his eyes.

“His heartbeat’s stronger! It was barely there just a moment ago!”

With that, they all noticed that the shallow, struggling breaths had become steady.

The tension that had gripped the room finally broke.

The Oswald twins turned to Brody, seeking confirmation.

“Is he okay now?”

“Is the captain going to live?”

Tears welled in Brody’s eyes. She nodded silently.

Relief washed over the twins and Kernels, their bodies sagging from exhaustion.

Brody, too, let out a trembling breath, gently touching Kyle’s face, embracing him.

But just as they were about to fully relax…they sensed it.

Their joy was being watched.

They lifted their heads, their expressions hardening.

Standing in their nightclothes, eyes wide with disbelief…

The May family stared at them, utterly speechless.