CHAPTER 100: CH 100: WELCOME BACK - PART 2

The accusations weighed heavy on Kana’s chest as she tried to defend herself.

Words tumbled out of her mouth, reason after reason, reminder after reminder that she had been with the High Priestess, that she had already been cleared.

But no matter what she said, the guard’s expression did not shift. His eyes held that familiar disdain, that smug certainty that she was guilty simply because he had already decided she was.

Every time Kana tried to speak, his tone only grew sharper, cutting across her explanations like a knife, dismissing her entirely.

Her heart thudded with helplessness. This wasn’t a discussion—it was a verdict he had written before she even opened her mouth.

Beside her, Irielle’s arms crossed and her voice rang with irritation.

"Kana, enough. I told you this was pointless. Let’s just leave."

Kana’s lips parted to argue, but something in Irielle’s tone stopped her. Perhaps she was right.

Perhaps this was nothing more than a waste of breath. Shoulders sagging, Kana finally turned, ready to walk away from the gates and the hostile eyes.

But the sharp bark of command stopped her.

"Wait!"

Two guards stepped forward, blocking their path. Their hands moved toward their weapons, their expressions taut with self-importance.

"You are not cleared to leave. Until we conduct a proper investigation, you will remain here. Both of you are to be detained for questioning."

Kana’s eyes widened, disbelief flashing through her.

"But we haven’t done anything—"

She never finished.

One of the guards reached for her arm, his hand already angling to grip her wrist.

He didn’t make it.

A sickening crack rang through the air, sharp and violent.

The man let out a strangled cry of pain, clutching his twisted wrist.

Kana blinked, stunned, before realizing what had happened—Irielle had moved, swift and merciless, breaking him without hesitation.

The injured guard’s voice wavered with fury and agony.

"Resist... and you will regret it! Detain them—now!"

Irielle’s gaze slid to him, her sigh heavy with disdain.

"You’re really making a mistake."

But her warning only stoked the fire. The guards bristled, their discipline snapping into readiness.

Weapons were drawn, footsteps pounded against stone, and in moments the small standoff flared into chaos.

Kana’s breath caught as steel clashed and shouts filled the air. Yet before she could so much as raise her hand, Irielle was already moving, her figure a blur.

Every strike was precise, every motion unyielding.

She flowed through the fight like water laced with fire, disarming, subduing, breaking through the guards in less than five minutes.

Kana’s heart twisted, torn between awe and unease.

She had always known Irielle was dangerous, but watching her cut through trained guards so effortlessly was a reminder of just how far beyond human she really was.

The one who had started it all—the guard who had singled Kana out, who had worn that smug expression since the beginning—watched the tide turn.

At first, there was satisfaction in his sneer, but it drained from his face the moment he realized the rest of his squad was falling like leaves in a storm.

His bravado cracked, replaced by panic.

He turned to run.

He didn’t get far.

Irielle was already behind him, her hand catching his collar and yanking him back with ease.

"Going somewhere? You don’t really think you can run from me, do you?"

She murmured, voice sharp enough to cut. Her eyes gleamed with cold amusement.

His face drained of color, and for once, the arrogant mask he wore faltered, leaving only fear.

Kana swallowed hard, her throat dry, her hands clenched at her sides. She wanted to tell Irielle to stop, to not go too far, but the words tangled inside her chest.

Before the moment could spiral further, a firm voice cut through the tension.

"What is happening here?"

The sound of calm authority was like a stone dropped into churning waters.

Everyone froze.

Evaya stepped into view, her presence carrying the weight of command.

Her eyes swept across the scene, taking in the injured guards, the overturned weapons, and finally the figures of Kana and Irielle standing at the center.

The fallen guards scrambled to speak first, desperation clinging to their words.

"We were trying to apprehend the criminals! They attacked us—they resisted arrest!"

Evaya’s brow arched slightly, her voice cool.

"Criminals?"

"Yes! They came here demanding entry and then—"

One of them shouted, pointing toward Kana and Irielle.

His words faltered as Evaya’s eyes narrowed, her expression sharpening as recognition dawned.

She turned her gaze back to the so-called criminals, her lips pressing into a thin line.

And then she sighed.

Of course.

"It’s just you two."

The tension in the air shifted in an instant. Where the guards’ voices had been heavy with self-righteousness, now uncertainty trickled in.

And Kana, standing there with her chest tight and her breath shallow, met Evaya’s calm stare with both relief and a flicker of shame.

Because even though she had done nothing wrong, somehow, it always came back to this.

Evaya’s sigh lingered in the air, but before she could continue, Kana quickly stepped forward, her voice steady despite the storm inside her chest.

"They’re not criminals. Irielle and I—we’re important witnesses in the High Priestess’s matter. If you detain us, you’ll be interfering with her direct work."

She said firmly, eyes meeting the wary stares of the guards.

The words struck like a hammer. The guards, already shaken from their swift defeat, froze. Their faces paled as if all the blood had drained out of them.

"W–witnesses...?"

One stammered, glancing between Kana and Evaya, sweat breaking along his temple.

Kana nodded, holding her ground.

"Yes. The High Priestess herself entrusted us. Do you really want to explain to her why you tried to drag her witnesses off in chains?"

Uneasy silence followed. The smug guard, still pinned by Irielle’s grip, swallowed hard, his earlier arrogance crumbling into dread.

The others shifted uncomfortably, their discipline cracking as fear crept into their eyes.

Evaya folded her arms, her gaze sharp.

"You heard her. Next time, think before you act."

The guards lowered their heads, chastened, the weight of their mistake pressing heavily down on them.