Chapter : 15
It was because Sirius had placed his foot on Joseph’s wrist.
If he pressed down as it was, it was obvious it would break.
At the thought that he might never be able to wield a sword again, Joseph’s mind went completely blank.
I shouldn’t have stubbornly refused to apologize for no reason.
And I definitely shouldn’t have spoken casually to Sirius.
Filled with belated regret, Joseph trembled as he spoke.
“Wouldn’t it be enough if I apologize to Elena…?”
Joseph looked up at Sirius with eyes that mixed humiliation and resentment he hadn’t quite let go of.
But unlike his merciless kicks, Sirius’s face was calm.
His gaze was quiet, as if observing something.
Joseph soon realized what he was looking at.
All this time, that monster had been making sure he didn’t lose consciousness.
So he could punish him for as long as possible.
Even the overwhelming power Joseph couldn’t hope to resist had been deliberately controlled from Sirius’s point of view.
“I told you an apology wasn’t necessary.”
Sirius sneered at the fear-stricken face in front of him.
What meaning did a single word carry anyway?
Words could be fabricated endlessly, and they held no power to force anything.
It was knowledge he had learned firsthand during his years in the imperial palace.
He was about to press down on Joseph’s wrist.
“Ah.”
But before that, something he had momentarily pushed aside came to mind.
Blinded by rage, he had been dealing with the matter in his own way—but he should also hear Elena’s opinion.
Sirius turned his head and looked at Elena.
“If we want to make sure he never dares to touch you again—”
“……”
“Elena?”
But when their eyes met, Elena’s face was deathly pale.
Her body was trembling in tiny shivers, like someone freezing in the cold.
Sensing something was wrong, Sirius left Joseph behind and hurried over to her.
“What’s wrong? Are you suddenly feeling sick?”
Elena barely managed to shake her stiff head.
How could she possibly stay calm with blood spilled right in front of her?
That’s what she wanted to say, but her teeth were chattering.
Even if her mouth had worked properly, she wouldn’t have been able to speak.
Just moments ago, Sirius had casually beaten someone half to death with that cute face of his.
Thanks to that, she fully realized that this world was one of those smash-and-bash fantasy novel genres.
But Elena’s tolerance wasn’t nearly high enough to handle that kind of genre.
“You don’t have a fever, but your hands are freezing.”
When Elena stood there completely stiff, Sirius examined her anxiously.
The hand that had so mercilessly subdued Joseph was paradoxically very warm.
She reminded herself that Sirius had acted because he wanted to protect her.
…Even so, it was still scary. Sob.
Elena barely managed to open her stiff lips.
“I’m fine. I’m not hurt.”
“Then why is your face so pale?”
“I was just… startled.”
Being frozen like this didn’t mean she wasn’t grateful.
If not for Sirius, she would have ended up badly bruised at the very least.
It was just that the violence unfolding before her had knocked her senses right out of her.
“Haa.”
When Sirius suddenly sighed, Elena flinched violently.
She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but in plain terms, she was completely shaken.
“No matter how I think about it, you’re too weak.”
Sirius said it like a sigh as he helped her to her feet.
But with Elena’s legs shaking uncontrollably, there was no way she could stand properly.
After she staggered several times, Sirius gave up on making her stand.
Instead, he casually hoisted her onto his back.
The movement was so smooth that Elena didn’t realize what had happened until Sirius had already taken a few steps.
No wonder her field of vision had suddenly risen.
Dangling on his back, she returned to her room in a daze.
‘What? Why is he carrying me?’
Wasn’t this something only people who were extremely close did?
Just yesterday, they hadn’t even properly talked to each other.
Even now, Elena didn’t understand why Sirius’s attitude had suddenly changed.
Talking to him itself still felt awkward.
So she couldn’t even ask him to put her down.
After all, he was doing her a favor—surely he wouldn’t just drop her… right?
Elena decided to stop thinking altogether.
Since she couldn’t do anything either way, it was better to quietly let him carry her.
‘It’s warm.’
Once she cleared her thoughts, her senses sharpened.
Where their bodies touched was warm.
The comforting heat slowly calmed her startled heart.
By the time they were nearly at her room in the west tower, her fear had almost completely faded.
Instead, embarrassment rushed in.
Come to think of it, she had only thought about being grateful—she hadn’t said it.
Being scared was one thing, but gratitude was gratitude.
When they reached her door, Elena hurriedly got off Sirius’s back and bowed deeply to him.
“I couldn’t say it properly earlier, but thank you for helping me.”
“Mm.”
But Sirius’s expression after receiving her thanks seemed strangely serious.
Elena cautiously studied his face.
Was he displeased because she thanked him too late?
Considering that Sirius placed great importance on manners—especially greetings—it wasn’t impossible.
But her guess was quickly proven wrong.
“Seeing your color come back, I guess you really were just startled earlier.”
He had only been checking whether she was truly okay.
His face showed relief mixed with a hint of confusion.
Being so shocked that your legs trembled was probably something he’d never experienced in his life.
But Elena became troubled as well—because Sirius asked a difficult question.
“What do you want me to do about Joseph?”
Only then did she remember leaving Joseph collapsed on the ground, beaten all over.
A sense of grim satisfaction and a shuddering scene replayed in her mind.
It felt good to see a bad person punished—but she didn’t want it to happen right in front of her.
She didn’t want to be involved in either wrongdoing or punishment.
Still, it wasn’t something she could completely ignore now.
“Should I go back and step on his wrist again?”
“What?”
Elena involuntarily recoiled and asked back.
Sirius slightly lowered his eyebrows as he replied.
“You don’t like that?”
“It’s not that I like it or not… I think he’s been punished enough. I’ll tell Joseph myself not to do anything like that again.”
She hated Joseph, but she felt the punishment for nearly hurting her had already been more than enough.
She didn’t want any more bloodshed.
But Sirius seemed dissatisfied with her decision and said with a lamenting tone,
“You’re weak in heart too. How are you going to survive like this?”
It wasn’t scolding—it sounded worried, so she didn’t feel offended.
Though the fact that Sirius was concerned about her life was horror in itself.
Sensing it was time to retreat, Elena instinctively stepped backward.
“Anyway, thank you for today. Please rest now.”
“Wait a moment.”
Her attempt failed miserably.
Sirius stopped her with a thoughtful expression.
Time passed in silence, as if it wasn’t easy for him to speak.
Elena wanted to ask him to say it later, but everything that had happened earlier kept her quiet.
Don’t act up in front of Sirius.
She repeated that phrase about fifty times in her head.
Finally, Sirius spoke with a resolute expression.
“I’ve been thinking since earlier, and I think this is the best way. Follow me.”
“Where are we going?”
“To see my master. I have something to say about you and me.”
By “master,” he meant Duke Rode—her father.
Elena’s expression instantly stiffened.
As if he had anticipated that, Sirius held out his hand.
“If you’re scared, I’ll hold your hand. Let’s go together.”
He would hold her hand.
It was an unexpectedly gentle offer.
But Elena shook her head rapidly, before she could even think.
“I understand that you’re afraid.”
Even though he was rejected immediately and awkwardly, Sirius didn’t blame her.
Having stayed at the Duke of Rode’s estate for over a month, he understood the atmosphere here.
The duke, who ruled over everyone, was particularly cold toward Elena.
He barely acknowledged her existence.
Because of that, she drifted through this place like air.
Still, Sirius found it strange that she feared the duke excessively even when there was no immediate threat.
What had happened between this father and daughter who only shared similar faces?
He didn’t know.
So he had no intention of thoughtlessly urging reconciliation.
But from his perspective, continuing like this wasn’t good for Elena either.
“Even so, it’s something that has to be done.”
Sirius said firmly.
Elena couldn’t quite grasp what he was thinking.
Should she ask what business he had with her father?
But judging by the tightly set line of his mouth, he didn’t seem inclined to explain.
Her thoughts grew tangled.
‘What on earth does Sirius want to say to Father?
And what does he mean by something about you and me?’
It felt like stirring a perfectly calm teacup with a spoon for no reason.
Anxiety welled up, and Elena asked carefully,
“…Is it really something that must be done?”
“Yes.”
The certainty in his short answer was unmistakable.
What should she do now?
Elena felt stuck.
She could refuse—but seeing how resolute Sirius was, it seemed pointless.
“Then if I say I won’t go, will you go alone?”
“Yes. I’ll go alone.”
“Ugh… then I’ll go with you!”
Elena shuddered and shouted as if she’d made up her mind.
It felt better to go with him and find out what he was planning than to let him go alone.
Sigh. While she was sighing, Sirius was smiling brightly.
When he smiled, he really was cute and handsome—hard to hate.
“Then it’s settled. Let’s go.”
Feeling warmth, Elena looked down.
As if he hadn’t forgotten, his warm hand was holding hers tightly.
