CHAPTER 141: THE BOY BESIDE HIM

—Don’t be ridiculous! What could you possibly do? Get out of the way!

His fear for Dominic only sharpened his fury at the meddling boy.

—Don’t interfere!

Dominic was clearly not normal.

He needed to be seen by a healer.

And yet, Quintus restrained Gabrant and blocked his way.

—Unbelievable! Have he gone mad as well?

No matter what Gabrant said, they would not listen.

In the end, he was dragged off in restraints to the waiting room.

The knights stood at the door, preventing him from leaving.

Was this not imprisonment?

He grew restless and agitated.

—If something happens to Dominic that cannot be undone, how will you take responsibility?

Unable to bear it, Gabrant tried again and again to go to Dominic.

Each time, Quintus and the others grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him back into the chair without a word.

—Damn this brute strength!

Angry, Gabrant sat back down heavily in the chair.

Dominic, with hair as golden as his mother, with the same beautiful features as hers, and with Gabrant’s own blue eyes.

The son he had seen earlier in that room had been abnormal—mad, even.

Now, he knew the truth.

The destruction in that room had been caused by Dominic himself.

What on earth had happened to him?

The anxiety and impatience ate at Gabrant until he thought he might go insane himself.

How many hours had passed?

Midnight had long come and gone.

When Dominic finally appeared with Louis and the others, Gabrant leapt to his feet without thinking.

Was there anything unusual about him?

He desperately examined his son, still in his bloodstained, tattered clothes.

His bare feet, where boots had once been, were discolored, his nails has been torn away, soaked in blood.

Had he kicked the walls?

His hands that was sticking out from his sleeves were swollen and misshapen with the skin torn open and dripping with blood.

He must have destroyed most of that room with his bare hands.

And yet, Dominic had returned to being himself again.

Relief nearly took Gabrant’s strength away, and he had to grip the back of a chair to remain standing.

In that moment, he felt genuine gratitude toward the boy.

He was honestly glad.

Yes, this was the Dominic he knew—the expressionless man known as the Iron Knight.

No—there was one exception.

When he looked at Shiao Yi, that boy, his face changed.

Was his son truly capable of such a gentle expression?

With hands that must have been in terrible pain, Dominic still wrapped his arm around the boy’s shoulder.

The boy in turn put his arm around his back, close and familiar.

They pressed themselves together, unwilling to part, and sat side by side on the couch.

A sharp anxiety stabbed Gabrant.

At this rate, his son would be taken by that boy.

The proud Beaumont family that was long known for producing excellent knights, would die out.

And all his effort to secure ties with the royal family would mean nothing.

Then he noticed it—Dominic had not once looked at him.

...

After coming up from the underground and parting ways with the High Priest, Rex and his group headed to the living quarters that the Rosarian people had prepared, in order to deliver their report to Lord Quintus.

It was already very late at night.

He thought perhaps everyone had already gone to bed, but at the doorway he came across Captain Dominic, who was stepping out together with Shiao Yi.

"Captain! Have you been released?"

Rex called out with joy, and Dominic gave him a nod.

"I caused you worry."

"No, I’m glad to see you well."

Rex and Amal watched their captain walk away with Shiao Yi.

Somehow, Dominic and the boy seemed closer than usual.

His clothes were badly torn and worn.

Could it be that during his confinement the men of Dalmasca had punished him?

Rex did not know what had happened up on the heights, since he and Amal had been waiting below, but he had witnessed with his own eyes one wing of the castle blown apart into rubble.

What in the world had happened?

And still, how could they have beaten him so badly, enough to ruin his clothes like that?

It was nothing short of torture.

Anger toward Dalmasca burned inside Rex’s chest.

Of course, he also knew that there were good men among Dalmasca.

Tenby had proven himself reasonable, and Amal, who stood beside him now, was a good man too.

Thinking of Amal, Rex swallowed his rage in silence.

Yet Amal seemed to be having the same thoughts.

His face was clouded with pain.

Rex patted him lightly on the back, telling him not to worry.

It wasn’t his fault.

The captain seemed strong enough.

With his resolve steadied, Rex put his hand on the door.

It seemed the others were still awake.

Lord Quintus cast his gaze at General Gabrant, who sat crouched low like a broken man, and said, "Let’s speak in another room."

He rose to his feet.

"As a result of the questioning, it seems Talcott and Weksham were not directly involved with this ancient magic circle. They only learned of it afterward, after everything was finished, when a letter of protest from Rosaria arrived. That was the first time they confirmed the truth."

Seated at the table in Lord Quintus’s room, Rex explained what he had learned in the underground prison.

It was written in the report, but since this would be a deciding matter in the coming council—already today, now that midnight had passed—Quintus wished to hear the details directly.

Amal was also present.

Before they entered, Rex had told him to rest, since he would need to attend the council in the morning.

But Amal had stubbornly insisted on coming along.

Rex noticed the subtle effort of him stifling a yawn and grimaced at the man’s stubbornness.

He was old now.

He should not push himself so hard.

Even with the prison matters, there had been no need for him to stay the whole time—confirming the facts would have been enough.