Chapter 49 : Is this how I handle him?

“Sir Eimon, what on earth happened?”  

After securing the northeastern outpost, everyone from the temple gathered in the central tent, including Rita. 

Eimon, understanding the question was about Yan, a Kuyan youth, answered respectfully toward her golden eyes.  

“He wanted it. He said he wanted to fight.”  

“Did he really say that?”  

Rita couldn’t believe it.  

Yan’s combat prowess from earlier seemed like a lie compared to his unchanged halting speech. 

Glancing outside toward Yan’s tent, Rita saw Eimon chuckle heartily.  

“Of course not. Communication wasn’t smooth. I knew his condition and initially dismissed it. But he kept showing determination and proved his ability. So, we took him in, but there was no need to train him. He already knew how to fight.”  

“What? Is that even possible?”  

Priest Loen’s eyes widened.  

Having observed Yan briefly at the temple, Loen was familiar with his state.  

As curious gazes turned to him, Felix rubbed his chin and spoke.  

“Well, he’s Kuyan. They’re persecuted in the Central Continent, but in the Northern Continent, they’re known as a warrior race.”  

“I’ve heard that vaguely, but still, this…”  

“Only a few remain in Lagos… or rather, remained. Their blood has thinned, so their abilities rarely manifest, but before they were coveted as slaves, they were renowned warriors. I can’t explain the extent since I haven’t seen it myself, but my grandfather said it was like watching a different species.”  

This suggested Yan’s near-pure Kuyan blood might have awakened those abilities.  

“Still, it’s strange. Back then, he looked so young. In just a month…”  

This was exactly what puzzled Rita most.  

Felix scratched his jaw, squinting at the following gazes.  

“Well, teenagers in their growth spurts often shoot up in a month. I don’t find it that odd.”  

Loen and Rita, blinking, turned to Mikael, whose awkward smile and nod confirmed it.  

While Loen clicked his tongue in disbelief, Rita pondered silently.  

If true, Yan was indeed Kuyan.  

She should feel reassured, but an inexplicable unease stirred within her.  

 *** 

Thirty minutes later, with the mother-hunting team assembled, Rita formally introduced Yan.  

Reactions varied, but no one objected or felt uneasy.  

After all, Yan had saved them from crisis.  

The problem was Yan’s reaction.  

“Hm. Did I do something wrong?”  

Princess Sercia tilted her head, looking at Valery and Bailey.  

Rita was equally flustered.  

Yan, like when he first saw Mikael, was baring his teeth warily at Sercia.  

“One more word, and he might throw punches.”  

Eugène whistled, chuckling.  

Rita, glaring coldly at him, quickly soothed Yan.  

“Yan, what’s wrong?”  

“I don’t like her.”  

Yan repeated the same phrase, unable to suppress his hostility.  

Thankfully, his gaze toward the saint had softened compared to before.  

Rita felt slight relief, thinking he might have grown accustomed to holy power at the temple.  

But his reaction to Sercia was incomprehensible.  

“Maybe it’s like this: the princess is strong, he’s strong, so he senses a rival. Instinctively rejecting her, you know?”  

Eugène muttered jokingly, as if it wasn’t his problem.  

Though it sounded absurd, it made some sense, and Rita tilted her head unconsciously.  

But this couldn’t continue.  

“She’s the princess I serve. You must treat her with respect, Yan.”  

Despite her gentle tone, Yan’s expression didn’t soften.  

He growled, baring his teeth like she was his sworn enemy.  

Muttering her frustration, Rita took a firmer stance.  

“If you act like that toward the princess, I can’t take you with us.”  

Yan’s purple eyes widened, his mouth agape, as if shocked she’d say such a thing.  

Judging it effective, Rita held his gaze silently.  

His hesitant, purple eyes slowly dropped, then rose with a sullen look.  

After a long pause, Yan reluctantly glanced at Sercia.  

Feeling like a compromise, Rita was momentarily thrown but also struck by realization.  

‘Is this how I handle him?’

Meanwhile, Yan nodded at Sercia with a blank face, speaking curtly.  

“Got it.”  

His tone was so casual, as if addressing an object, that it seemed he thought himself royalty.  

Valery, face red, grabbed the back of his neck.  

“You brat! Where’d you learn such manners?! Show some respect!”  

Despite Valery’s outrage, Yan remained impassive.  

Bailey, Sercia’s escort, couldn’t hide his disapproval either.  

Despite the uproar from both, Sercia laughed heartily.  

She liked Yan, extending her hand warmly.  

“Alright, I look forward to working with you, Sir Yan.”  

Yan, ignoring her hand, turned away. Flustered, Rita quickly intervened.  

“Princess, just call him Yan.”  

“Haha! Fine, I’ll call him what I want. Don’t worry, Sir Rita.”  

Relieved by the princess’s cheerful demeanor, Rita sighed.  

At least the temple and palace have agreed…  

Her gaze shifted to the children of the forest.  

Eilin, Nashapur’s leader, looked intrigued, while Floria’s face was slightly sour, clearly displeased with Yan.  

But with Eilin silent, Floria kept her feelings hidden.  

In contrast, Yan blinked innocently at them, his childlike curiosity making Rita bewildered again.  

“Who knew the Kuyan had such a pretty boy? Well, if he’s strong, I welcome him. Looking forward to it, kid.”  

Yan remained indifferent to Eugène’s teasing grin.  

Annoyed at the lack of reaction, Eugène added more jabs, but the result was the same.  

Felix, exasperated, pulled Eugène back, ending the commotion.  

Next came the mages.  

“…Kuyan, huh?”  

Seth, his arm fully restored by Mikael’s holy power, raised an eyebrow.  

‘Yan’s aura felt different from the Kuyan he knew.’ 

But with Rita and the temple confirming it, Seth stayed silent.  

Blena, however, eyed Rita suspiciously.  

“That’s what happened?”  

She knew Rita wasn’t one to pick up strays, no matter how pitiful.  

Though she gave Rita a strange look, she smiled warmly at Yan.  

He was a valuable ally who followed Rita well, and that was enough for Blena.  

“I’ll call you Sir Yan.”  

Finally, Alois greeted Yan, showing respect unlike the others.  

Despite Valery’s scolding, Alois looked at Yan with envy.  

A powerful being, unlike himself.  

Someone worthy of standing by Rita’s side.  

Alois envied Yan’s trust from Rita.  

“As you saw, he can fight and won’t be a burden. Communication isn’t smooth, and he may seem peculiar, but he’s kind at heart.”  

Rita, trailing off with “probably,” bowed on Yan’s behalf.  

Sercia warmly welcomed him first.  

“He fights so differently from us. It’s a pleasure. I’ll trust him with the vanguard.”  

Despite the warm reception, Yan’s sullen expression didn’t fade.  

Mikael stepped in to ease Rita’s embarrassment.  

“Now that introductions are done, let’s go help.”  

As if waiting, everyone moved out.  

Satan’s massive raid had caused heavy casualties for the subjugation team.  

Thankfully, the supply warehouse with food and essentials in the south was intact, but the number of wounded was high.  

Injured soldiers on stretchers were carried through the chaotic paths.  

Lihanes Temple priests moved busily, and Mikael left immediately to treat the critically injured.  

“It’s grim, really.”  

Blena sighed at the pained groans and bleak scenes.  

“We barely boosted morale by defeating Baal, but Satan’s crushed it again.”  

Everyone agreed.  

An hour ago, a soldier who faced Satan at the northeastern outpost had deserted, half-mad.  

Desertion was strictly punished under military law, but Sercia quietly covered it up.  

“By the way, you were impressive.”  

Eugène, sauntering, glanced at Seth.  

“Facing that bastard, on the brink of death, how’d you stay so calm?”  

Chatting casually with the non-nobles, Eugène teased.  

Normally, Seth would’ve shot a cold glare, but he stayed silent, touching his once-severed arm.  

If Rita hadn’t saved him, if Mikael hadn’t been there, Seth would be one-armed now.  

“Your personality’s weird. If you’d just screamed, that thing might’ve stopped. Why endure until you were wrecked?”  

Blena jumped in, scolding him for his stubbornness.  

Seth didn’t snap back at her chiding.  

“…If I’d reacted, it would’ve gotten more excited and gone berserk.”  

“True, but still…”  

Blena trailed off.  

It seemed Seth had caught Satan’s attention in a bad way.  

As she hesitated, her pace matched Seth’s, who was staring at the ground.  

He stopped abruptly, looking at Rita’s back ahead.  

“I stepped up to help, but ended up just protected. At this rate…”  

He might fall behind, his voice tinged with frustration. Blena stared and asked.  

“Seth, do you still want to surpass Rita?”  

Seth frowned immediately.  

He couldn’t deny the thought, but it was absurd in their current situation.  

Blena, laughing heartily, patted his shoulder.  

“I think helping isn’t just about physical strength. If it was, we’d already be left behind, right?”  

“True, but…”  

“You know Rita’s personality. Would she accept us just because we volunteered?”  

Seth shook his head unconsciously.  

Rita was someone who demanded excellence.  

“She accepted us because she trusts us. So, shouldn’t we take pride and help her more?”  

“You…”  

Seth’s face crumpled, about to say she could say wise things, but Blena cackled and ran off.  

As he started to chase her, annoyed, he sensed movement behind.  

It was Alois, awkwardly trailing, not fitting in anywhere.  

Like many Mage Tower mages, Seth didn’t think highly of Alois and turned away.  

Alois’s eyes reddened, embarrassed, but he slapped his cheeks to compose himself.