I Will Protect My Brother - Chapter 34

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 34
“So, what do you think? How does it feel?”
“…She’s quite beautiful.”
Alpien wore an enigmatic smile, his expression clearly designed to elicit some reaction from me.
But when I merely furrowed my brow without offering further comment, he spoke again.
“I buried her with my own hands, you know. Even drove the nails into the coffin myself, then covered it all with earth. I hoped she would return peacefully to the Guardian Star’s embrace.”
‘Ah, so because you buried me, I couldn’t stay dead and got reincarnated instead. You damnable bastard.’
“When I opened the coffin a few years later, it was completely empty.”
‘Of course it was—I’m alive and well, standing right here… wait.’
I had been mentally picking apart every word Alpien said, but suddenly my entire train of thought derailed.
My corpse had vanished?
I glanced down at my arms and legs in bewilderment.
I had naturally assumed I’d been reincarnated into a different body through the blessing of the stars. Since my soul remained the same, I figured my appearance would simply resemble my former self.
But could this actually be my original body?
I had no memory of the time between my death and being reborn as an infant. What on earth had happened during that gap?
“…Ah.”
A powerful grip seized my shoulders, snapping me back to awareness. Alpien had bent down to meet my eyes.
The distance between us was mere inches. I could feel his breath.
Behind his expressionless glasses, his pale blue eyes burned with intensity.
“If Rosien Wynyak is alive somewhere, I will find her. No matter what form she takes. This time, I will make her mine without fail.”
‘Good grief, what nonsense.’
“Running away won’t help. No matter who else might covet her, I will be the victor in the end.”
‘That makes you a shameless pervert lusting after a child, you deranged bastard.’
I brushed his hand away dismissively, as though he wasn’t worth responding to. Alpien seemed to add something more, but I ignored every word.
I left the Holy Temple without sparing him another glance, my mind consumed by a realization I had somehow overlooked until now.
‘Come to think of it, the Planetarium has an automatic memory recording function.’
Every moment the owner sees and hears is recorded in the memory storage device embedded within the Planetarium.
Which meant the clues to my death and reincarnation might very well be preserved intact within my Planetarium, didn’t it?
* * *
At that same moment, in the Defense Force headquarters of the Capital of Abuye Kingdom.
“Welcome, Owen Wynack.”
Owen Wynack entered the Defense Force Outpost, his expression rigid and severe.
Recently, the Capital of Abuye had been plagued by attacks from creatures of unknown origin. The assaults, which had persisted for over half a year, occurred without regard to location or time.
The Defense Commander’s face was etched with deep concern.
“We cannot dismiss this as mere beast attacks. This entity clearly possesses intelligence. It must at least have the capacity to understand human language and think logically.”
“What leads you to that conclusion?”
“All the victims share a common characteristic.”
The victims appearing throughout Abuye had one thing in common: they were all wanted criminals being pursued by the kingdom for serious crimes.
“The brutality is beyond comprehension. Even if these wretches deserve the hammer of justice, this is excessive by any measure.”
“But leaving it alone does solve our problems conveniently, doesn’t it?”
“If you saw the state of the corpse directly, you wouldn’t say such things…. Even under crushing pressure, a human body couldn’t be mangled like that. And what of those bizarre rope-like marks left on the body?”
“Hmm.”
“But what’s even more horrifying is that amid all this, the killer deliberately leaves the face intact—as if to ensure the criminal can be identified. As if, as if….”
The Defense Commander’s body trembled.
“As if asserting the justification of these murders…. It’s audacious and utterly shameless.”
“How unusually considerate of you.”
In particular, the scale of the assault that had erupted in the Capital this time was beyond imagination. The Assassination Guild Cartel had orchestrated a mass slaughter so severe that not only the Capital’s security forces but the Defense Force itself had been mobilized.
Ultimately, the King of Abuye himself had requested cooperation from Wynyak.
Though our actual influence far surpassed the Kingdom, nominally the King of Abuye was Owen’s liege, leaving no grounds for refusal.
‘I’d hoped to stay out of this.’
“To lure it out, we’ve planted bait in the Abandoned Theater at Capital Outskirts, which is currently closed. Based on the intervals at which it has appeared thus far, it will surely show itself again tonight or tomorrow night.”
“Understood. Clear all personnel from the theater’s vicinity—not a single ant remains. I’ll handle this personally.”
“Yes!”
The Defense Commander’s complexion brightened dramatically. If the Family Head of the Transcendent Families took direct action, doubt became meaningless.
Inside the Abandoned Theater, a Wanted Criminal whom the Defense Force had thrown in as bait trembled violently.
A grotesque creature burst from the elongated shadow, its tentacles coiling tightly around the man’s entire body. Owen watched without blinking as the creature sucked the man dry, leaving only his head behind. I observed with complete detachment.
For an ordinary human, the scene would have been cruel enough to cause fainting or vomiting on the spot. Yet to Owen’s eyes, it was merely a tedious sight—no more remarkable than crushing an ant beneath one’s foot.
“Have you finished your meal, son?”
The creature, which had been crunching bones, ceased its movements. The shadows that had jutted irregularly throughout the old theater began to recede.
Soon, someone stepped out from beyond the boundary of light and shadow.
Too refined to be called a grown youth, yet too mature to be called a young boy. His beauty, which had reached its peak in recent times, was now fully revealed as he emerged from the darkness.
Golden hair reflecting the sunset’s glow scattered like gold dust through the air, dazzling to the eye.
“Father.”
Kalien wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and smiled faintly.
Blood stains were smeared across his pale, smooth cheeks and the right corner of his mouth.
“What brings you here?”
“You’ve been deliberately ravaging the Kingdom, so I came to rein you in, you fool.”
If I collected all the sighs I’ve heaved raising this creature, I could bore through the earth itself.
Kalien smiled as if bewildered.
“I selected the prey carefully. Only unnecessary garbage discarded from human society.”
“….”
“Wasn’t it beneficial all around? I pacify Seongyeol, Abuye disposes of criminals. It seems we’re living well together, helping one another.”
Owen shrugged. From his perspective, Kalien was indeed coexisting peacefully with humanity, living quiet days. Except for the absence of Rosien by his side.
“I have no objection, but let me offer one piece of advice. No matter how you rampage, leave no traces. Because of you, I’ve been burdened with troublesome matters. It would be better to dispose of them quietly as missing persons.”
“It was a form of consideration on my part.”
Kalien licked the blood remaining on his lips.
“Isn’t it good to recognize the face? That way, people can easily tell the garbage has been disposed of.”
“That kind of consideration is worse than useless. In the first place, is there no other way to manage Seongyeol besides this method? Why not just create the Elixir quickly?”
“It’s a problem that will be solved once Rosy arrives. Why bother?”
“Are you truly intending to make that one into an Elixir?”
“Only if Rosy permits it.”
“…You have no intention of revealing your true identity to that child, do you? ‘Karga’.”
Kalien, who had been walking with measured steps, came to an abrupt halt.
“I believe it unnecessary.”
“I’m saying this because I suspect the fallout will be severe if discovered later.”
“Wouldn’t the fallout be severe regardless of when it’s discovered, Father?”
Humans live with multiple faces. Everyone harbors some aspect of themselves they wish to hide from others.
“That’s simply how we all live. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to show only your beautiful side.”
“I suppose that depends on one’s perspective, but…”
“If I choose not to reveal it, Rosy will never know. Not unless someone whispers it to her.”
Well, that was debatable. Owen’s gaze drifted uncertainly through the empty air.
Scattering traces everywhere like this, he’d likely have his tail caught before long…
Of course, common sense rarely prevails with arrogant transcendents.
As Kalien took a step forward, the bloodstains splattered on his boots and pant legs vanished without a trace.
“And don’t call me by that name. If you slip up outside, it would be problematic.”
Kalien spoke with casual indifference before disappearing beyond the Abandoned Theater. Owen shrugged and drew his sword.
Soon, a crescent-moon-shaped blade aura traced patterns across the empty space.
It took mere minutes for the Abandoned Theater to collapse entirely, obliterating all evidence.
* * *
When Kalien returned home, a welcome letter had arrived at the Wynak Mansion.
“Young Master, a letter has arrived from Delpiam.”
“From Rosy?”
Kalien’s face, which had been clouded with boredom moments before, suddenly bloomed with a radiant smile.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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