CHAPTER 83: THE FALL

"Wait," Aria shot back. "You’re richer than me. You’re just too stingy to use your money to build anything worthwhile."

"Shut up! Shut up! You should have just died!" Sylvester roared, spittle flying as he screamed at his sister.

"Well, you’re going to be spending the rest of your time locked in prison," Nolan said.

"You don’t have any proof of what I did. In fact, it’s you who are going to prison. I’ll call the knights right now. Beg me, and maybe I’ll forgive you." Sylvester said.

Aria fell silent, her lips pressed tight.

Lyra frowned. "He’s right... we don’t have proof. But I’ll speak to Lucan myself. He won’t think I’m lying. Putting a curse on someone is reason enough for prison."

Before Sylvester could reply, a noise echoed from the hall. Footsteps, heavy boots, coming down the staircase. Everyone froze, waiting.

The door opened, and armored figures stepped inside.

"The Royal Knights?!" Aria gasped.

Nolan narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

One of the knights stepped forward. "We were sent by the Royal Mages. They detected a high-class spell coming from this inn. Are you the ones responsible?"

Nolan smirked. Good timing.

"No, it’s not us," it him Aria said quickly," while pointing at Sylvester.

"No, no, it’s not me either!" Sylvester shouted, desperate. "She’s lying, she’s the one trying to frame me!"

"That’s a lie," Lyra cut in sharply. She pointed to the unconscious man slumped against the wall. "That mage, he’s the one Sylvester hired. And those two lying over there, the sorcerers he brought with him. He paid them to curse his own sister."

The knights glanced at each other, then walked to the bodies. They lifted the unconscious men and dragged them aside. One knight turned back to Sylvester.

"You’ll have to come with us. You’ll be interrogated."

"What? You can’t! You have no proof it was me!" Sylvester struggled, but the knights grabbed him by the arms and forced him toward the door.

As they dragged him out, Nolan raised a brow. "Strange. Why did they believe it was him and not us?"

Lyra smiled faintly. "Because I used a spell on that knight. He’ll believe every word I said."

Aria blinked. "Wait, then what about those two giant serpents? Where did they go?"

"Oh, that." Nolan shrugged casually. "I summoned them. Right now they’re in the forest, not even in Sindra."

"What?!" Aria stared in disbelief. "They were right here seconds ago! Just who are you?"

Nolan smiled, brushing the dust from his hands. "I’m just your average guy."

"Well, I think that’s all," Aria said softly. "Let’s go back to the inn."

On the way, she glanced at Nolan. "I’m sorry... for what happened. That it was my brother who actually did this."

Nolan shook his head. "Don’t apologize. But tell me—how long have you known?"

"Not long," Lyra answered before Aria could.

Together, they left the room, moving downstairs past the diners. People glanced at them nervously, but the three walked out the door as if nothing had happened.

They returned to Aria’s inn, where Mira was busy serving customers. When she spotted them, she hurried over.

"Mom, are you going to tell me where you went?" Mira asked.

Aria hesitated, then spoke with a heavy sigh. "Your uncle... he was the one who put the curse on me."

Mira froze. "Wait... what? Uncle Sylvester? That’s not true—it’s not possible!"

"It is," Aria said, her voice firm. "He’s been arrested just now."

Mira’s eyes widened, disbelief turning into hurt. "I didn’t expect this. Out of everyone... why him? Why?"

"He envied me for petty reasons," Aria replied quietly. "He has more achievements than I do, yet he resented me. I always knew he was greedy, but I never thought he would be so envious and jealous."

"I never liked him anyway," Mira muttered bitterly. "Short, always forcing a fake smile..."

Aria gave her daughter a tired smile. "Well, what’s done is done. Look at the mess though—the door is broken."

"Well," Nolan added after a pause, "we should take our leave."

"Yes, it’s time," Lyra agreed.

Aria stepped closer, bowing her head slightly. "Thank you. For everything. I don’t even know how to repay you. Now I owe you even more."

Nolan waved it off with a smile. "Not this again. Don’t think of it as a debt. Just think of it as a friend helping a friend."

Aria’s expression softened. "Thank you. Truly, I appreciate it."

Nolan gave a small nod, and together with Lyra, he walked out of the inn. The two of them headed back toward their mansion.

The sun was already dipping low, painting the sky in hues of orange and violet. Shadows stretched long across the road as Nolan let out a weary breath.

"Well... the sun is almost gone. What a long day," he said.

"You did well," Lyra replied softly. "At least nothing happened to her."

Nolan raised a brow. "But I still don’t get it. Since when did you start caring for humans?"

Lyra glanced ahead, her tone calm but honest. "It’s been about a month. I don’t even know why I bothered at first. But... Aria means something to you. She’s someone you see as a friend. That makes her important to me as well. You’re my master. And..." Lyra allowed a faint smile, "she cooks good meals."

Nolan blinked. "Wait, what? The last time we ate there, you didn’t even join us."

"Well, I went later on," Lyra admitted, looking away. "She made something especially for me. And it was delicious. Someone that talented in cooking... shouldn’t be left to die."

Nolan chuckled, shaking his head. "So that’s the real reason, huh?"

Lyra ignored his smirk, her expression turning serious again.

"Well, are you going to follow me and the others to the Empire?" Nolan asked.

"Yes, I’ll follow," Lyra answered. "But I won’t fight—not unless I must.

"I knew you’d say something like that," Nolan said quietly.

They fell into silence, walking side by side. Neither of them noticed how the last glow of daylight slipped away, nor how their words lingered in the quiet air. And before they realized it, they were already standing at the gates of the mansion.