CHAPTER 424: CH 424: A SECOND CHANCE - PART 5

Kyle watched Silvy closely, her excitement undeterred even in her weakened state.

She clutched his robe with renewed fire in her eyes, declaring her wish to marry him with all the seriousness her trembling body could muster.

For a moment, Kyle said nothing, his gaze steady, unreadable. Then he sighed and knelt down beside her.

"You say that now, but it’s not that simple. It’s not just up to me anymore."

He said, his voice quiet but firm.

Silvy blinked, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"My engagement to the Grand Duchess—Amana—is still in place. She’s not just a political figure. She’s someone with real power, real emotions, and a real stake in what happens next. If you want to marry me, Silvy, it won’t just be my decision. You’ll need her agreement as well."

Kyle said calmly.

There was a short silence.

He had expected her to hesitate. He’d expected some sulking or maybe even despair. But Silvy’s eyes lit up instead, brighter than ever.

"Then I’ll talk to her! I’ll convince her myself!"

She said, straightening her back despite the wince of pain.

Kyle gave her a deadpan look.

"That’s not the reaction I was hoping for."

"You were trying to discourage me, weren’t you? Too bad. You’re stuck with me now, Young Master."

Silvy grinned.

Kyle raised an eyebrow.

"Didn’t I tell you not to call me that?"

"But it suits you."

She said with a cheeky grin, before attempting to stand up again. Her muscles trembled, and before she could fully straighten herself, her legs gave out beneath her.

Her body collapsed with a soft thud, her breathing suddenly shallow from the exertion.

"Silvy! Are you alright?"

Kyle moved quickly, kneeling by her side.

She laughed breathlessly, wiping sweat from her brow.

"I’m okay! I’m fine, really! Just... my legs are still asleep. Probably."

Kyle frowned, unconvinced.

"You’re anything but fine. You just came back from nearly dying."

"I’m strong. I can walk—"

She said, forcing a smile.

"No. You’re going to rest. That’s an order."

Kyle interrupted firmly.

Before she could argue further, Kyle gently slid one arm under her knees and the other around her shoulders. Silvy gasped in surprise as he lifted her up with ease.

"H-Hey! Put me down! You can’t just carry me like this!"

She squeaked, flailing her arms a little.

"I can and I am. You collapsed. Don’t be stupid."

Kyle said coolly.

"But this is unfair. This attitude of yours... it’s exactly why I fell in love with you, you know."

She pouted, pressing her forehead lightly against his chest.

Kyle sighed, a long, exasperated sound that was quickly becoming familiar whenever Silvy was around.

"Stop with the dramatics. Just focus on recovering."

She smiled up at him from the safety of his arms, still flushed from both exertion and excitement.

"You’re blushing, Kyle."

"I’m not."

He said flatly.

"You are!"

Kyle tightened his hold slightly to adjust her weight, pretending not to hear her.

"Just rest. You’ve done enough for now."

"...Fine."

She whispered, resting her head against his shoulder, content for the moment.

The cave around them was quiet, save for the soft dripping of water and Kyle’s steady footsteps as he carried her out.

In that silence, Silvy closed her eyes, breathing in the comforting scent of his robes and feeling the warmth of his mana still gently flowing into her.

Even if there were obstacles in their path—goddesses, duchesses, dying lands—she would walk through them all.

She just had to recover first.

______

Kyle barely made it a dozen steps before the earth trembled beneath his feet.

From the jagged shadows of the cave, a horde of malformed monsters began to crawl out—grotesque, sinewy things with too many limbs and jaws full of flickering tongues.

Their bodies seemed to leak dark ichor, their very presence corrupting the air around them. The stench was foul, a mix of rotting flesh and sulfur.

Silvy stirred in his arms, her fingers tightening around his robe.

"More of them?"

She murmured.

"Yeah!"

Kyle muttered.

"Looks like they didn’t get the message the first time."

He adjusted his grip, holding her close with one arm while drawing his sword with the other. Its blade glowed faintly with his mana, the light enough to push the darkness away.

The monsters let out guttural screeches and charged without hesitation.

Kyle exhaled once and then moved.

His sword flashed like a bolt of white lightning. The first two creatures lunging toward them were sliced cleanly in half, their bodies dissolving into smoke before they even hit the ground.

Kyle spun lightly on his heel, his footfalls silent despite the weight in his arms, and cleaved through a third monster with effortless precision.

Even one-handed, his movements were fluid—measured and efficient. Each swing of his blade left arcs of light behind, dancing through the air like calligraphy written in blood and mana.

Silvy blinked up at him from his arms, half in awe.

"You’re making it look so easy."

"That’s because they’re weak. These are just fragments—leftovers trying to stop us."

Kyle replied coolly.

A particularly large beast emerged from the ceiling above, crashing down with a shriek. Its claws extended like scythes, aiming straight for Kyle’s back.

Without looking, Kyle snapped his fingers.

A spear of condensed wind mana burst into existence and impaled the monster mid-air, pinning it against the wall like a pinned insect. It writhed briefly before it too dissolved into nothingness.

Kyle clicked his tongue.

"Sloppy. I let one get that close."

Silvy giggled, despite herself.

"You’re ridiculous."

More monsters rushed forward, moving in swarms now, trying to overwhelm him with numbers. Kyle narrowed his eyes.

He didn’t have the freedom to unleash his full mana while holding Silvy—she was too fragile right now. So, instead, he adjusted.

He stepped forward, turning his body slightly to shield Silvy, and swept his sword in a wide arc. The blade shimmered with compressed energy, and the monsters in front of him exploded into ash.

He used the momentum of the slash to pivot, sending a pulse of mana into the ground.

Pillars of ice shot up beneath the monsters behind them, impaling several and creating a temporary wall to slow the others.

Silvy watched in quiet amazement, her face nestled against Kyle’s shoulder. His calmness, even under threat, was almost absurd.

One of the monsters managed to leap over the ice barrier, claws raised and mouth open to reveal rows of jagged teeth. Kyle tilted his head and hurled his sword like a javelin.

The weapon tore through the creature’s skull with a crunch and embedded itself deep into the cave wall behind it.

Kyle raised his hand and clenched his fist.

The sword pulsed, exploded in a wave of white-hot mana, and the remaining monsters within the radius were vaporized instantly.

Silence returned, heavy and oppressive.

Kyle walked forward and retrieved his sword from the stone with a tug, then resumed walking as if nothing had happened. Silvy remained quiet, the soft thud of his heartbeat filling her ears.

"I didn’t think I’d ever feel this safe while being completely helpless."

She whispered.

Kyle glanced down at her briefly.

"Then don’t get used to it. Next time, I expect you to be fighting beside me."

Silvy smiled.

"Deal. But next time, I get to carry you."

Kyle scoffed.

"Good luck with that."

As they finally reached the mouth of the cave, light poured in from the outside. The air was fresh, cool. The scent of blood and rot was gone. Silvy inhaled deeply and closed her eyes.

Kyle looked out at the horizon. The world was still broken. Still at war. But for now—just for this moment—it was quiet.

He shifted Silvy slightly in his arms.

"Let’s go home."