Home/I confined you, but I have no ill will/ch 89

89.

Unknown appeared—the once-frail child now stood before Kailun as an adult. His supposed absence was a lie; he'd known it was a trap.

"Hello."

He smiled casually.

"We've met, haven't we?"

Kailun nodded slowly.

"The underground lab in Teyrin."

He recalled a pale face behind bars, desperately seeking help.

Unknown traced the back of a chair with his finger.

"Please save me."

That thin voice—Kailun still remembered it.

"So—did you save me?"

No. He hadn't saved the children. That child had grown into the seer before him—Unknown. Though he looked like a normal adult, he reeked of misfortune.

"Were you hurt?"

Kailun looked at his black clothes, covering even his hands.

"What if I was?"

Unknown scoffed and rolled up his sleeve—his arm was a wreck. Though functional, the skin was scarred and lumpy, with fresh red lines.

"You didn't treat them?"

"They'll just come back."

He lowered his sleeve.

"Unknown."

Kailun called his name, hesitating.

"I want to help you."

Now? His expression twisted grotesquely.

"Don't you think it's too late?"

"Yes—but I couldn't just do nothing."

What had changed Kailun's mind? Unknown understood—caring for his young granddaughter had awakened compassion even for him. The salvation he'd longed for had come through someone else.

That makes it worse.

Unknown didn't want that. He pulled out a small vial.

"Do you truly want to help?"

"Yes."

"Then—"

He set it on the table—half-filled with dark red liquid. It didn't look healthy.

"Poison."

Kailun stared at him.

"If you want to help me, drink it."

Unknown's tone held rage. Kailun had expected this—he'd failed the child before, so offering help now wouldn't be accepted easily. Unknown's resentment ran deep.

He picked up the vial. He'd accepted this risk from the moment he faked his death. His hand went to the necklace he always wore—a heirloom that hid him from the gods, making him undetectable to prophecy. Otherwise, even faking death, Ibelin would eventually learn the truth.

He rolled the vial in his hand. He'd decided to grant Unknown's wish, but thoughts of Ibelin kept surfacing.

His beloved child, unaware—if he died, she'd be truly alone. The other relatives were beasts, coveting his estate.

"Kailun—I'm holding back a lot right now."

Unknown spoke again.

"Think of what I could do to Ibelin."

His grip tightened on the vial—Unknown smiled in satisfaction.

"I'm the only one who wronged you."

"To protect Ibelin, drink. Then nothing will happen to her."

In the end, he opened the vial and downed it. Pain seared his throat as strength left his body.

"Now—"

He wanted to say are you satisfied? but blood choked his words. He couldn't see Unknown's expression—how was he looking down at him?

A shattering sound came.

"You madman!"

Someone grabbed him, forced his mouth open, and gave him an antidote. The burning eased.

When his vision cleared, he saw who it was.

Martin!

She slapped him without mercy and dragged him along.

"Intruder!"

Guards rushed in—but Martin hadn't come alone. Her people blocked them while she glared at Unknown. Kailun grabbed her.

She clicked her tongue and hoisted him onto her back.

"I'm heavy."

"Shut up—you're just an old man!"

She was old too. They escaped through the back door to a carriage. She shoved him in and climbed beside him.

His memory afterward was hazy. When he awoke, he was in a bed.

"The patient is conscious."

A physician announced—then heavy footsteps. Someone slapped his face.

"Agh!"

His nose felt crushed.

"Stop! He's a patient!"

But Martin didn't care. People rushed in to restrain her.

"Calm down!"

"If you hit him now, he'll die!"

"Hit him after he's healed!"

She finally took a deep breath.

"Fine—I'm okay."

They kept a wary hold on her.

"I said okay."

At her low voice, they quickly backed off—young men, one familiar to Kailun.

"Oh—Taysh."

He'd known him before retiring—brown-haired, freckled, Martin's nephew. The curious kid had grown up in Intelligence.

"Yes—it's Taysh. Hello."

He sighed. Before Kailun could speak, Martin cut in.

"Kailun."

"Uh."

He shrank, guilty.

"Are you insane? You're insane, right?"

She clenched and unclenched her fists.

"...Did you see?"

"Of course I saw—did you think I'd leave you alone?"

He looked away.

"Did you see him drink that poison?"

He looked back—Taysh was bowing and pleading behind Martin.

"He drank it, vomited blood, collapsed—I barely saved you! You drank poison with your own hand?"

He chose silence—better to let her hit him a few times. But she didn't strike again. She sent the others out and sat beside him.

"Did you think that would atone?"

He smiled bitterly.

"Our mission wasn't to save the children—it would've been nice, but the Empire didn't want it. I did wrong—but I don't think you need to die for it. What about Ibelin?"

She continued.

"Unknown won't let your death go to waste—if she learns her grandfather was alive and died again, it'll breed more hatred."

"Sorry."

He finally apologized.

"Then live—stay alive and find a way to help. If you had any sense, I'd have beaten you bloody."

"I'm stronger."

"So you'd fight back?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"No."

He quickly answered—she seemed satisfied.

"Just recover—the poison wasn't immediately fatal. Rest, so you can meet Ibelin's fiancé when they arrive."

She left Taysh with him.

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