"I don't need anything, you're free to leave…" Kyle's gaze softened momentarily as it rested on Mariana before hardening as he continued, "And why I saved you? Well… because of her." He gestured towards the young girl standing beside him.
"Oh…" Lucy murmured, her eyes following Kyle's gesture.
She looked down at Mariana, a thoughtful expression on her face, then back up at Kyle. "So what now? You said we're free to leave—"
"—Yes, but not her," Kyle interjected, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Excuse me?" Lucy's brow arched in surprise.
"What? Do you have something to say about it?" he asked, his blue eyes locking onto hers.
"You saved us, and we are eternally grateful for that," Lucy began, her voice firm but respectful, "but that doesn't mean we'll stand idly by and watch you take Mariana from us!"
A young man with long brown hair stepped forward, his features mirroring Lucy's. "Guessing you two are twins, right?" Kyle asked, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Yes… we are. And we aren't letting you kidnap Mariana," Lucy stated defiantly.
"What are your names?" Kyle inquired, his gaze shifting between the siblings.
"I am Lucy, and he's Lucian…" Lucy replied, her eyes never leaving Kyle's.
"Okay, Lucy and Lucian, what will you do if I try to take Mariana?" Kyle asked, his tone deceptively calm.
"You!" Lucian exclaimed, his voice laced with anger. "Don't forget you and your soldiers are just ordinary people. My sister and I can kill all of you and escape!"
In a blink, Kyle's demeanor shifted. His eyes turned glacial, and he moved with a speed that blurred the line between perception and reality. He appeared directly in front of Lucian, his hand clamping around the young man's throat, effortlessly lifting him into the air with one arm.
"You! Let me go!" Lucian gasped, his face rapidly losing color as he struggled against Kyle's iron grip.
"You dare speak arrogantly in my presence?!" Kyle's voice was a low growl, laced with barely suppressed fury. "If you are so powerful, why did you stand there and watch the demons overrun your village and enslave you?! Don't ever speak to me with such a tone again." An intense blue light emanated from his eyes, piercing and commanding.
"Understood?" Kyle's grip tightened slightly, a silent threat.
Lucian, his breath constricted and fear gripping his heart, nodded his head frantically.
Kyle released his hold, and Lucian crumpled to the ground, gasping for air, his hand clutching his bruised throat. Kyle turned back to face the stunned group, his expression cold and unforgiving.
"You think because you have both awakened your attributes, you can act all mighty?!" he scoffed. "I thought the demon attack would have corrected that delusion!"
He walked back to the sofa, his movements fluid and predatory, and sat down, his piercing gaze sweeping over the silent villagers.
"Of course, Mariana is staying with me because the world out there is dangerous. You are all free to leave."
With a snap of his fingers, a shimmering golden door materialized in front of the group, swinging inward to reveal a swirling vortex of light.
"When you enter that door, you will appear five miles from Neville's capital," Kyle stated, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "But heed this: once you step through, Mariana is dead to you, and you will become my enemy."
"What?!" The collective gasp echoed through the room.
His words hung in the air, stunning Mariana and plunging the entire room into a tense silence. After a long, heavy moment, Lucy finally broke the stillness, her voice softer now, tinged with a newfound caution.
The man before her might not possess life force, but his speed and strength were undeniable, far surpassing her and Lucian combined. They were both at least Rank 3, yet his movements were impossible to track. With this realization, her defiant stance wavered.
"What do you mean by, we'll become your enemy?" she asked, her eyes searching his.
"Neville, Gavania, and Skyborne… these three kingdoms are my enemies," Kyle stated plainly. "If you leave, you are effectively siding with them. But if you stay, you are with me and automatically become an enemy of the three. So I will say it again. Choose."
"Why are these three nations your enemies?" Lucian asked, his voice still hoarse as he rubbed his aching throat, remaining on the floor where he had fallen.
"That is not your concern," Kyle replied dismissively. "All you need to know is that if you stay with me, you will become a citizen of Celestia and have our protection, as well as unlimited access to this realm and everything within it, except the castle itself."
The group exchanged bewildered glances, their faces etched with confusion and apprehension. They looked back at Kyle, whose expression remained impassive, offering no further explanation or reassurance.
They might have dismissed his words as a jest, but the cold certainty in his eyes told them otherwise. Going against three established nations was no trivial matter. They had barely escaped one deadly situation, and now they were being presented with another, perhaps even more perilous one.
"If I may ask, what is your military strength?" a middle-aged man ventured, his voice hesitant.
"Two hundred and fifty," Kyle answered in a flat, unwavering tone.
"Thousands?" someone else blurted out, disbelief evident in their voice.
Kyle shook his head. "Just two hundred and fifty."
The number struck the group as absurdly small. How could a mere two hundred and fifty soldiers possibly stand against three kingdoms that undoubtedly commanded tens of thousands?
"Now choose," Kyle urged, his gaze unwavering.
'With such a small number of soldiers, anyone with common sense would surely leave… Unless… maybe they won't?'
"Sorry," a young man said, stepping forward, his expression conflicted. "I know you helped us, and even used some valuable potions, but I can't go against my people and my kingdom." Several others nodded in agreement.
Kyle simply gestured towards the open golden door, his face betraying no emotion.
"Yes! Sorry," the young man repeated, turning towards the exit.
"I don't need your apologies, just get out," Kyle said, his voice indifferent.
The men and women who had voiced their reluctance nodded and began to move towards the shimmering portal. The older villagers gently guided the children, their faces etched with worry and uncertainty.
"Come on, Lucy and Mariana," an elderly woman called out, her hand outstretched towards Lucy.
Before Lucy could take a step, Mariana gently but firmly held her back. Lucy looked down at the young girl, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
"What is it, Mariana? Do you… want to stay?"
Mariana looked at the departing villagers, then at Lucy, and finally at Kyle, her small face a mask of determination. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Lucy.
"You said we would have our revenge on the demons."
"I know, and we will," Lucy reassured her, her voice softening. "But staying with him… you'll become the enemy of not only the demons but also the elves and humans. I am sure the Emperor will help us; he can't simply ignore what happened."
"Then why didn't the Emperor help us for all those days we were trapped there?" Mariana asked, her voice small but filled with a painful clarity.
"This?"
Lucy was rendered speechless, her expression a mixture of guilt and helplessness.
Mariana released Lucy's hand and walked slowly towards Kyle, stopping beside him, her small figure standing resolutely.
"What are you saying, little girl!" the elderly woman exclaimed, her voice sharp with disapproval.
"I want revenge for my parents!" Mariana declared, her voice surprisingly strong.
"Why are you being so stubborn? We are trying to help you, and you're here talking about revenge! For people who aren't even your real parents!"
"Uh?"
"What?"
"..."
The unexpected revelation hung heavy in the air, stunning everyone in the room, including Kyle.
"What are you saying?" Lucy asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"We are the elders of the village…" the old woman explained, her gaze fixed on Mariana. "They found her in the forest, abandoned. She is an orphan."
The word echoed in the sudden silence, and every eye in the room turned to Mariana, their faces a mixture of shock and pity.