Father and Brothers

Autumn leaves drifted with the wind.

In the depths of the primeval forest, layers upon layers of fallen leaves piled up like golden snowflakes, covering the entire woodland.

This gold symbolized the flourishing rebirth of branches and leaves in another life.

A mass of black clouds pressed down toward the Karazat Great Forest.

The golden-red woodland looked as though it were being eroded by thick black ink.

Dark clouds weighed upon the land, threatening to crush it, just as described in the epic chronicles of the continent.

That army, like a mass of black clouds, each with blackened faces and protruding fangs, seemed as if they had stolen the purest black dye from the night sky itself.

“Form ranks!”

The demonic commander at the rear roared.

He was the leader of this army.

His expression was calm, as if everything in the world had already been cast aside.

What he was about to face was the legendary Sage.

The Demon Emperor had already issued his decree.

Among all the Sages of history, the current one was believed to be the weakest.

If not now, then when should they march?

For this moment, the Demon Emperor had spent years amassing troops and supplies.

From the start of the plan until now, two hundred years had passed.

At the thought of breaking through this natural barrier in one decisive strike, he was already trembling with excitement.

The demon race had finally arrived.

He would become a legend among demons.

The pioneer of a new continent.

Ever since the demon race had been suppressed by the Sage at the cost of the Sage’s own life, too much time had passed.

Humans had long since regarded demons as nothing more than legend.

Now, he would become a conqueror.

He would plunder that continent completely.

……………………

“Awaiting your return!”

Everyone in the botanical garden stood up together, raising their glasses toward Duke Mana.

The gesture was as orderly as a ceremonial guard.

Black attire and blue garments made the summer night feel solemn and grand.

Allen stood up along with everyone else, momentarily dazed.

She pulled Karianna along and secretly sat in the back row.

She was afraid of encountering her father and brothers, so she carefully chose her position.

This dark little corner was very effective.

No matter how careless others might be, it was almost impossible to be noticed here.

Who would have thought there would be a standing toast?

She had never known that whenever her father returned home, a welcoming banquet would be held.

Perhaps this was because she had never stepped beyond her small room before.

The banquet was held in the summer night.

Magitech lamps installed throughout the greenhouse illuminated the surroundings brightly.

Small buckets of ice crystals were placed around to lower the temperature.

Inside the greenhouse, it felt like spring.

Comfortable and mild.

The formal attire that usually felt heavy and stifling in summer now felt just right.

“…Raise your cups, let the wine not stop…”

The butler sang a drinking chant.

He toasted the three of them, draining his glass in one go.

The fragrant and precious red wine was swallowed down.

Everyone followed suit, drinking in one breath.

“Hahahaha!”

“Everyone, thank you for managing my estate while I was away.”

“I have nothing to repay you with, so I can only offer wine in thanks!”

With that, Mana raised his silver goblet and drained it with a smile.

The servants of this estate had followed Mana for many years.

Most were descendants of his former confidants.

Now, these people were like his friends.

Naturally, they were invited to the banquet.

However, there were too many people.

Neither the living room nor the dining hall could accommodate more than eighty guests.

Another venue had to be found.

After careful consideration, the greenhouse became the best choice.

Warm in winter, cool in summer.

With flowers and trees, and beautiful scenery.

It naturally became the site of the banquet.

A small room beside the greenhouse always kept tables and chairs ready, precisely for occasions like this.

“Please enjoy yourselves!”

“Drink to your hearts’ content!”

Mana said to everyone.

After speaking, he returned to his seat.

He sat at a long table placed lengthwise, listening to the kind words of the guests, chatting and laughing.

He laughed like a child.

It was hard to imagine why someone known as the Ironblood Duke could smile like this.

Allen watched quietly and thought to herself.

Under the bright magitech lamps, she could see clearly.

Her father’s smile.

Since childhood, she had never seen her father smile like this.

Even when he did smile, the moment he saw her appear, the smile would vanish.

As if she were a harbinger of misfortune.

This time, she finally saw him smile fully.

And he did not stop because of Allen’s presence.

Because of this, her father’s friends all knew he had three children.

Yet they had only ever seen her brothers.

She also noticed something else.

Three years had passed since their last parting.

His hair had turned completely white.

She had no memory of those three years.

It felt like another lifetime.

As if a single night of snowfall had covered her father’s golden hair, turning it white all at once.

She wanted to go up and ask him how he was.

She wanted to show him some filial respect, even if only to greet him.

But she was afraid.

Terribly afraid that once she approached, he would look at her differently again.

So she did not dare to move.

As she thought about it, her eyes grew painfully sore.

She dared not blink, afraid that tears would fall the moment she did.

“Sister Lian, why are you crying…?”

Karianna whispered.

She had been pulled into this little corner by Allen and could not see Alex.

She had originally planned to tease Allen a little.

Yet she discovered that Allen was crying.

“It’s nothing.”

“Seeing the duke reminded me of my father…”

Allen replied half-truthfully.

She dared not speak of what had truly happened to her.

If Karianna knew, she feared it might tear them apart.

So she could only keep lying.

But lying filled Allen with deep guilt.

“Let’s eat.”

“Don’t think about it.”

After saying this, Allen lowered her head and began eating the food she had chosen.

These were the most delicious foods Allen had ever eaten.

Yet they tasted like wax.

Flavorless.

She tried to steady her emotions, trying not to cry.

But the more she tried to control the tears, the more mischievous they became.

Catching her off guard, they slowly slipped from her eyes.

Rolling down her cheeks and dripping onto the table.

Allen kept her head lowered, silent.

Only drops of tears fell onto the tabletop.

Like blood dripping from a heart that had been stabbed.

Karianna wanted to comfort her.

But she suddenly realized—

She did not understand Allen at all.

All she could do was gently stroke Allen’s smooth silver hair.

After a while, Allen seemed to regain control.

She lifted her head and gave Karianna a foolish smile.

“Thank you, Karianna.”

That smile only made Karianna feel worse.

Allen’s face was still covered with glistening tears.

It was nothing but forced cheer.

Karianna felt her heart ache.

She pulled Allen into her arms and hugged her tightly.

“Don’t cry.”

“Don’t cry…”

Karianna comforted her.

In that instant, the fragility hidden deep in Allen’s heart—

Like the softness inside a snail’s shell—

Was touched by Karianna.

Allen’s tears, which had just stopped, burst forth again like a flood.

They soaked through Karianna’s clothes.

She gently patted Allen’s back.

At this moment, Allen lost all her pretense of strength.

She was like a child.

After a long time, Allen finally stopped crying.

She took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her tears.

“Sorry.”

“I got your clothes dirty.”

Allen whispered.

Quite a few gazes had already noticed them.

But earlier, Karianna had quietly explained the situation using lip-reading gestures.

That was why no one came to disturb them.

“Don’t say sorry!”

Karianna said unhappily.

Allen returned a small smile.

This was the familiar Allen again.

The quiet, monk-like Allen.

This sudden, inexplicable breakdown made Karianna want to understand Allen even more.

Only then did she realize how little she truly knew her.

Still, she believed that before long, she would fully understand Allen.

After all, she was very good with people.

At this moment, Allen neither ate nor drank.

She simply watched Karianna eat from her plate.

All she wanted was to return to her library.

Because she saw her brothers, Alex and Charlotte, beginning to walk over.

She immediately lowered her head like an ostrich.

Just now, Alex had seen her.

They had made eye contact for less than a second.

Allen had already lost.

He looked almost exactly the same as in her memories.

Even in the past, when Allen had already become a hero, she avoided meeting her brothers.

Her brothers also seemed afraid she would take revenge.

When they did encounter her, they hurried away.

Since the year she left home, they had rarely interacted.

Their last meeting had been the night before she left.

They had inherited the same bright golden hair as their parents.

Both were handsome thanks to Mana and Golia.

Alex’s swordlike brows carried a heroic air.

The second brother, though lazy, possessed intelligence Allen could never match.

In every aspect, the two of them surpassed Allen.

This made Allen the most unnecessary person in the family.

If this were another noble household, she might have lived a peaceful, idle life as a noble.

But because of them, Allen had finally revealed her true potential.

She became what was called a hero.

“Little Kari, who is this?”

Alex asked.

Charlotte shot Alex a glance and walked away on his own.

He did not want to interrupt Alex and Karianna’s world.

Nor did he want to become an unwanted third wheel.

Karianna was the daughter of the butler Nikolai.

Nikolai was an old friend of the duke.

So the duke tacitly approved of the feelings between Karianna and Alex.

“She’s Lian.”

“The new librarian.”

“She’s taking over for Grandpa Bradley, who retired.”

Karianna replied with a smile.

“So Old Bradley really left without a word.”

Alex sighed helplessly.

“He was already around when I was a child.”

“What a pity…”

“I’ll visit him another day.”

Alex said with a smile.

Alex extended his hand, wanting to shake Allen’s.

Allen looked at the hand reaching toward her and hesitated.

After thinking it over, she finally extended her small hand and shook his politely.

The moment she touched his hand, goosebumps rose all over her body.

She dared not look at Alex.

She kept her head lowered, silent.

“Lian, look at Alex.”

“That’s rude.”

Karianna reminded her softly.

Allen raised her head without thinking.

She looked at Alex with a strange expression.

Then immediately realized something was wrong and quickly changed her gaze.

Alex caught that look.

He was startled.

That girl’s eyes—

They were exactly like those of his foolish younger brother who had once gone to die in his place.

“Your eyes…”

“They resemble someone I know.”

Alex said coldly.

“D-do they…?”

Allen replied.