Chapter 103. Like a fool, I didn’t trust you
***
"I found the traitor!"
As Kayan was chasing after the man, he heard someone behind him shout that they had found Hashad.
Everyone nearby turned their heads toward the source of the sound.
However, Kayan's animal instincts were focused not on the sound coming from behind but on the suspicious man fleeing in the attire of an ally.
Kayan decided to trust his instincts.
He continued chasing the man without stopping.
Just as his feet were about to reach his target,
Suddenly, the man ahead stopped in his tracks.
And slowly turned around.
"Long time no see, Kayan."
“….”
"As expected, your eyes are not easy to deceive."
Hashad gave a sly smile.
As expected.
Kayan felt more uneasy and unpleasant than the satisfaction of having captured the enemy.
"The last remaining Red Wolf's words are so pitiful that it's almost heartbreaking. To go so far as to disguise himself and run away like that."
"When your life is on the line, what use is pride?"
"Give up. You can't escape from here anyway."
"Is that really the case?"
Facing Hashad's face, the pain of losing Ihedia once again pierced Kayan's heart.
Hashad kept grinning at Kayan.
His expression resembled that of a cunning demon, causing Kayan to feel a chill run through his veins.
"Even if my fate is sealed and I die here, at least I met you, so I won't go feeling so wronged."
Kayan was annoyed by Hashad's oddly confident attitude, but at that moment, they were surrounded on all sides by the emperor's army.
Realistically, there was no way Hashad could escape.
He wanted to draw his sword and strike immediately, but he planned to capture him alive and execute him publicly in front of the Anut people who had been waiting along.
During the journey to the capital, Hashad might resort to some underhanded tricks, so he must first sever his tendons to prevent him from moving freely.
Just as Kayan was about to step forward with his sword in hand,
However, even after seeing Kayan's movement, Hashad showed no signs of panic.
Sensing something was off, Kayan slightly furrowed his brows.
At that moment, Hashad pointed the sword at his own neck.
Was he trying to take his own life before suffering a worse fate?
Kayan scoffed.
"Are you planning to commit suicide now? If that was your intention, it would have been better to die honorably in the imperial palace."
"Oh, you still don't get it, do you?"
Hashad chuckled mockingly at Kayan.
A stronger resolve filled his brow.
No matter how one looked at him, Hashad did not appear to be someone facing death.
Why was he acting so calm and confident?
Hashad narrowed his eyes.
“It seems the witch’s spell hasn’t been broken yet.”
Suddenly, an odd flash of light appeared in Kayan’s eyes.
The one Hashad was referring to was clearly Ihedia.
The moment her name was mentioned, Kayan's heart rate spiked sharply.
But a spell?
At the unexpected word, Kayan’s entire body stiffened.
Though it might be a desperate attempt to survive, Kayan couldn't help but believe Hashad's words.
“You don’t know why my father wanted to depose me, do you? Such a reason wouldn’t have been written in the will either.”
“…
“He knew I was unable to inherit the throne and felt great pity for me. Still, the red wolf’s lineage must continue, so despite the pain in his heart, casting aside his own son was an unavoidable choice. Well, I understand.”
“…..”
“The reason I searched for magical artifacts like a madman was to restore my reproductive function, but unfortunately, it was impossible. Even the sacred waters of Apeso had no such effect. Instead, I found something else special.”
Kayan’s eyelids trembled slightly.
What on earth………………
Observing Kayan, who was engulfed in confusion, Hashad tapped his head and continued speaking.
"A tool that can completely control the human mind... I was quite surprised when I saw it myself."
“….”
"Well, then another question arises here. The child in the imperial palace... whose bloodline is it?"
Shocked, Kayan trembled.
Ihedia was cursed by Hashad, and the child’s biological father none other than himself?
As the unbelievable revelations kept coming, the blood drained from Kayane’s face.
“Don’t play games.”
"If you ignore my words now, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Are you willing to face the consequences?”
"You’re saying that now…”
"That woman used contraception when she was with you, right? Unfortunately, it didn't work. She was already pregnant when she was brought to the palace.”
“…..”
Kayan's eyes wandered through the air, shaking uneasily.
Could it be that...
If all of it was true...
All of Ihedia's actions that had been incomprehensible up until now flashed through his mind like a slideshow.
How terrible the things Iheedia had endured because of him.
He had spent so much time blaming her without even knowing about this circumstance.
He left her abandoned in a cold, dark tower and even turned her into a slave in a labor camp.
And to make matters worse, he even tried to kill her child.
No matter what nightmare he might have, it couldn't be worse than this reality.
Kayan felt as though someone were choking him, making it hard to breathe.
All of this couldn’t possibly be true.
It had to be that Hashad, cornered and desperate, was spouting absurd lies with his treacherous tongue to deceive him.
Please, let it be so…
“You look quite pathetic, heh heh.”
“…”
“Every time she was dazed by the hypnotic scent, that woman always called out your name. She searched for you so desperately that I felt like I was going to cry.”
At that moment, a fierce flame ignited within Kayan’s chest.
Consumed by rage, he exhaled roughly and growled like a wild beast.
“I was secretly glad to know that you cared for that woman. Of course, you would feel a special affection for the child born from her womb.”
Kayan’s hands trembled as he was consumed by intense emotion.
Hashad glanced at his hand trembling with murderous intent and raised his eyebrows.
“If I die, your daughter will die too.”
“What?”
Kayan asked in disbelief.
“Before leaving the palace, I made sure to secure a way out for myself.”
“…”
“Judging by your expression, something seems to be bothering you.”
The knife Hashad held pressed slightly into his own neck, causing a trickle of blood to flow.
Kayan swallowed hard.
Having spent years scouring the world in search of all manner of bizarre magical tools, he could have easily devised such a scheme.
Moreover, Ihedia’s consistently ambiguous reactions had been gnawing at his mind.
He had suspected that there was something hidden behind Ihedia's efforts to save Hashad, but he never imagined it could be for such a reason.
Blinded by his love-hate feelings toward Ihedia, he felt utterly foolish for failing to notice it.
"Please don't kill him."
"It's not about asking for forgiveness... It's about letting go of the grudge. Even if you torture me cruelly for the rest of my life, just don't kill him."
“It’s for Adeline’s sake…”
Kayan wanted to collapse to the ground.
Overwhelming regret flooded over him like a tidal wave, shattering him.
Why couldn’t he believe those words?
How desperately, how painfully had she spoken those words?
As Kayan struggled to regain his composure, Hashad gave a subtle nod to someone behind him.
Noticing Hashad's unusual gaze, Kayan turned his head.
“Ugh.”
But it was already too late.
An arrow flew in from somewhere and pierced his back.
"It's done."
Hashad's lips curled upward.
This time, it wasn't just a graze; it had struck him directly, so he would soon breathe his last breath.
Even if he were the mystical creature Hirpus.
Even if a miracle were to occur, it would be after a very long time had passed.
By then, Hashad would have already left Anut.
Kayan threw the sword he was holding in the direction the arrow had come from, using his last ounce of strength.
Hashad’s men, who had been lying in ambush, screamed and fell to the ground.
Even after being hit by the black arrow, he could still hold himself up—truly, a spirit creature was a spirit creature.
As Kayan staggered, Hashad raised his sword to finish him off.
One of Kayan's knees buckled.
Just as Hashad's sword was about to strike his head,
"Hashad is here!"
Kayan's subordinate spotted the scene and shouted loudly.
Soon, he would be surrounded by soldiers.
If he missed this opportunity, he would never escape Anut.
With no other choice, Hashad cursed and fled.
"Your Majesty, are you all right?"
Kayan's subordinate rushed over and checked on him.
Kayan was on the verge of losing consciousness.
He managed to open his mouth.
"Capture Hashad... No matter what happens, you must keep him alive..."
Kayan couldn't finish his sentence and dropped his head.
His subordinate's voice echoed in his ears, but Kayan's consciousness was fading. He felt the black magic flowing into his heart. Using his purification ability while unconscious was nearly impossible.
Unbearable pain followed, unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
Before losing consciousness, Kayan recalled Ihedia's face.
Ihedia.
I didn't trust you. I was a fool.
"Adeline is usually quite shy, but she makes an exception for you, master Kayan."
"One last request. Please don't kill him. For this child's sake."
Before leaving the palace, it was a relief to have held Adeline in his arms. Kayan sensed that if he lost consciousness now, he might not wake up for quite some time.
He felt guilty for not being able to tell Ihedia how sorry he was before that.
He had to gather his strength somehow……………….
Contrary to the wish, his vision grew increasingly blurry.
***
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