Ch. 113
The Young Master I Carefully Raised Became ObsessiveThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
Notes
T/N: We’re nearing the end of the story, finally~
This chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
T/N: We’re nearing the end of the story, finally~
Chapter 113
Ardion blocked my path and guided me forward. In any case, I didn’t want to linger in this chaotic situation for long. I was also low on mana.
I took Ardion’s hand and walked towards the stopped carriage. Just as we reached the front, a flash of light burst around us, and in an instant, the carriage exploded.
At that moment, I felt something. It completely enveloped my body, cold and damp yet clear and heavy, and then spread through every inch of me. Then suddenly, I reached out my hand. I wanted to feel this sensation wrapping around me more clearly. It felt like I was touching water. My mind cleared, and a sense of peace washed over me. A wave of happiness fluttered through me as countless lights radiated from around us.
I opened my eyes. Ardion was looking at me.
“Ardion?”
“Laila, are you okay?”
I nodded.
Ardion pulled me into a fierce hug. “I had to urgently transfer mana into you directly, but thank goodness it worked.”
So what I had just experienced must have been his mana. It was such a strange and wondrous experience that I could still feel it lingering in my mind.
Come to think of it, the carriage exploded in the blink of an eye…
I looked at Ardion’s face belatedly. “But what about you? Are you okay?”
Ardion nodded with a serious expression. “I’m fine.”
But he didn’t look fine at all. I wanted to ask further, but he suddenly lifted me into his arms. His embrace was warm. Somehow, all the tension in my body melted away, and before I knew it, my eyes closed.
When I woke up, a soft light illuminated the room. As I blinked, I heard the rustling of someone approaching.
“Master!” Derol came up to my bedside.
I exhaled quietly before speaking. “Derol, are you alright?”
“Yes, I was lucky to be a bit farther from the explosion, so I wasn’t injured.”
That was a relief, though my mind still felt hazy. I remembered being in Ardion’s arms, but not how I got here.
I looked at Derol and asked, “Do you know how I ended up here?”
“Ardion brought you here. This is his old estate. You used to stay here before, remember?”
Now that he mentioned it, the ceiling looked familiar. As I glanced around, Derol watched me closely.
“Are you feeling alright otherwise?”
I nodded.
Just then, the door opened. Ardion walked in, and our eyes met.
He rushed to my side. “Laila, how do you feel? Any pain or discomfort?”
“No.”
Hearing me brush it off like it was nothing, his expression fell.
“Laila,” he said in a trembling voice.
I was still dazed, but I patted his back gently. His broad back was firm and strong as he held me.
“I’m sorry… for putting you into danger again.”
“It’s okay. And stop apologizing. It’s not your fault. It was Rowell’s doing.”
Ardion sighed and stepped back slightly. He held my shoulders and looked me in the eye. His green eyes shimmered with moisture, making him look almost ethereal.
“At least our mana seems to resonate well.”
“What do you mean?”
“You were completely fine even when I used my mana on you directly.”
I listened quietly as he gently brushed my hair back.
“And according to the healer, your mana has stabilized a lot now. You shouldn’t suffer any of the side effects from mana depletion anymore.”
“So it’s thanks to you enveloping me in your mana that I’ve recovered like this?”
“Laila, I had no other choice… I just…”
I hugged Ardion. His solid body stiffened for a moment. I rested my face against his shoulder and whispered, “Thank you, Ardion. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve died. I wouldn’t even be in this world.”
Ardion embraced me calmly. “Of course. You’re the one who saved my life too.”
His words made tears well up. I didn’t do anything special. I just tried to survive.
“I’m sorry, Ardion. Back then, I—”
“I know. You already told me before. Even if you had used me, I would’ve let you. Willingly.”
“Ardion…”
“You’re all I have.” He pulled me into a tighter hug. I sniffled.
Ardion slowly pulled back and gently wiped the tears from my face. “Don’t cry, Laila. It hurts me more.”
Even Ardion’s eyes were glistening with tears. I barely managed to hold back my sobs and nodded. He softly cupped my cheek.
Our eyes met, and he said in a low voice, “Being near you helps stabilize my mana too. Thanks to that, I’ve gotten better at controlling it.”
I blinked in surprise. I’d always worried I was a burden to him, receiving so much without giving anything in return. But that wasn’t true. He had been drawing strength from me as well.
I couldn’t believe it. Just to be sure, I asked again, “Is that really true?”
Ardion nodded. “That’s why, Laila… I can’t be without you anymore.”
His words carried a subtle possessiveness. The way he looked at me was burning with intensity.
“But what about your mana? Are you low?”
“I’m fine.”
“Really?” Ardion gave me a grave look. His seriousness made me feel uneasy too.
“What’s wrong?”
“I didn’t let you absorb too much on purpose.”
“What?” My voice rose in disbelief.
Ardion looked at me with concern. His gaze grew darker, more intense. “Laila, are you really okay?”
I stared blankly at him. Just a moment ago, he was crying and worried for me, but now he looked like he might devour me whole.
He gently took my hand, and a subtle warmth spread through his touch.
I turned away slightly and asked, “By the way, what happened to Rowell?”
“He’s in the Entry Prison.”
That was the same prison I’d once been held in.
“What about Serina?”
Ardion looked at me for a moment before pulling a piece of paper from his pocket. It was a letter. I remembered when Serina had asked for paper and a pen before we parted.
She must’ve meant to write this letter.
I carefully accepted it and read it.
[To Laila,
First of all, I want to say thank you.
I know there’s no forgiveness for the things I’ve done, the times I tried to kill you, but through this letter, I want to at least say I’m sorry.
More than anything, I believe I should bear the weight of my own sins. Your words that day stuck with me more than I expected.
You asked me: don’t I want to live happily?
I never truly lived a happy life before. I was so focused on revenge, on destroying the one who ruined me. But that person had become someone entirely different. He didn’t even remember.
You were right. I had the wrong target all along. And now, maybe, I finally have a chance to seek a different kind of justice.
I’ve submitted all the records and orders I received from Rowell. By the time you read this, I’ll probably be in prison or facing trial.
Please don’t defend me. I want to face the consequences of my actions. Still, thank you for everything. I found out later that your name is similar to Lilac. I heard the flower means ‘first love’. Since you were the first person to truly believe in me, that meaning feels even more special.
Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for your words.
I think this is the first time I’ve ever said thank you this much in a letter. That’s how grateful I am to you, in so many ways.
Thank you, Laila.
– Serina]
I stared at the letter for a while, speechless.
“Is Serina in prison too?”
Ardion nodded. “Given everything she’s done, and because Zicard was unjustly imprisoned due to her, the sentence will be a few years at least.”
I looked down at the letter in my hand and glanced at the bed. Come to think of it, Serina had done quite a bit. Whatever the case, she had to answer for her crimes.
“When’s the trial?”
“Serina’s trial is over. What’s left is the knight commander, the order… and Rowell.”
“When’s Rowell’s trial?”
“Tomorrow.”
Tomorrow? Time must’ve flown. Wait, how long have I been here?
“Ardion, how long have I been out?”
“About two weeks.”
“So I was like this for two whole weeks…”
Ardion gently cupped my cheek. “But you woke up.”
No wonder Ardion looked so strained lately. His mana must’ve taken a toll.
I looked down at my hands. Slowly, I brought them together, and faint threads of mana light began to swirl around them.
Startled, I looked up at Ardion. His eyes were intense.
I called out to Derol. “Derol! Look at this.”
Derol lifted his head to see. In my hands, the faint glow of mana shimmered.
“I can see the mana light,” I murmured in awe.
Ardion gently held my wrist. “Your mana flow… it’s completely different now.”
My face brightened. “Does this mean I can create my own mana now?”
Ardion’s face stiffened. “Not yet.”
“But if I can already see the glow—”
He kissed me before I could finish. I tried to push against his shoulder, but he climbed into bed with me. He barely pulled away, his breath heavy between us.
“Ardion.”
“Laila, you still need me, don’t you?” He pressed his forehead to mine, his gaze deep and intense, as if willing me to desire him more.
I blinked in silence.
Ardion gently pressed down on my wrist. “Even if you say you don’t need me… I’m never letting you go.”