The Last Step Chapter 32: A New Stage

Kaiser's Perspective:

Infamous Kaiser? Wow, I didn't know E-ranks like ring bells.

The door creaked open, and in walked a girl with a playful smile, standing next to Levi. Her golden-brown hair bounced with each step, and her sharp, teasing eyes locked onto like a predator spotting prey.

"Ahaha! Just kidding! Never heard of you." She clapped her hands together like she'd just pulled off the ultimate prank. "I just wanted to see how you'd react."

I smirked, leaning back against the pillows. "Never knew the self-proclaid strongest Sword Saint had a sister. Thought Levi was a solo act, the one-man legend."

Levi scoffed, but before he could defend himself, Emma fired back. "And I never knew a bandaged-up, mummified man could talk! Shouldn't you be lying still, recovering? You're practically walking dical history."

I chuckled. "At least I don't have to live with the fact that I share blood with Levi. That must be rough."

Emma gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her chest like I'd just insulted her ancestors. "I take offense to that! Levi may be the worst, most arrogant, self-absorbed brother ever, but he's my self-absorbed brother!"

"Hmph!" Levi turned away, arms crossed. "At least I have the skills to back up my claims. Unlike certain injured individuals lying in bed."

"You're right, Levi. Unlike you, I'm so powerful that I can defeat my enemies while lying down. Truly, a terrifying skill."

Emma gasped. "Oh no, Levi, he's delusional. The injuries must have affected his brain! Quick, get a healer before he starts calling himself the 'Great Bandaged Knight' or sothing."

Levi smirked. "Too late. I think he already believes it."

I shook my head, feigning disappointnt. "And here I thought I'd be welcod with warmth and sympathy. Instead, I get roasted by Levi's long-lost twin."

Emma placed her hands on her hips. "Twin? Please, I'm the upgraded model. More charm, better jokes, and zero need to self-glaze like a certain soone we know."

Levi scoffed. "Excuse you, I am not self-glazing. I rely acknowledge my greatness."

Emma waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that. anwhile, Kaiser, if you ever need an actually cool sibling figure, I got you."

I smirked. "I'll keep that in mind next ti Levi starts monologuing about his own brilliance."

Levi sighed. "You two deserve each other."

The teasing continued, volleying back and forth like a sport, each jab hitting perfectly—until Levi, visibly tired of our antics, decided to put an end to it.

"Alright, enough. You two, shake hands."

Emma "hmmph'ed" and turned her head away. I raised a brow at her childishness while Celia, sitting next to my bed, burst into laughter.

Emma, still avoiding my hand, turned to Levi. "Where did you even pick this guy up from? The slums? The streets?"

I arched an eyebrow at the blatant disrespect, though her sarcastic tone made it clear she was just ssing around. "Wow, Emma. That one cut deep. But for your information, Levi is alive because of ."

Emma imdiately burst into laughter. "Pfft—Kaiser, you're such a self-glazer!"

I blinked. "? A self-glazer? Emma, you gotta check this out."

Turning to Levi, I gestured for him to step forward. He looked at suspiciously but complied.

"Turn left."

Levi did so, nodding to himself. "Ah, from this angle, I look even more imposing."

"Now turn right."

He followed the command, smirking. "This side really highlights my strong jawline."

"Alright, now do a full 360."

Levi hesitated but spun dramatically. "Truly, from every direction, I am perfection itself."

I finally turned to Emma, completely deadpan. "I'm trying to figure out from which angle you think your brother is NOT self-glazing. Every two seconds, this guy has to remind us he's the best."

Levi let out a confident chuckle. "But it's true."

That was it. We all burst into laughter, the room filling with unrestrained joy. Emma clutched her sides. "Okay, okay! I'll admit, you've got a point. But hey, at least Levi has the weight and power to back it up."

I exhaled, shaking my head. "Maybe so."

Celia, who had been watching quietly, smiled warmly. "Thank you, both of you. For helping Kaiser."

Levi and Emma turned to her, their expressions softening. "Of course," Levi said simply, while Emma gave Celia a cheeky grin.

"Aww, you care so much about him, huh?"

Celia's face imdiately turned red as she waved her hands frantically. "N-No! I was just—!"

Emma smirked. "Wow, Kaiser, you've got such a nice girlfriend."

Celia let out a squeak of protest. "I—! I'm not—!"

Emma continued teasing, completely unfazed by Celia's panicked fluster.

I sat back, letting the laughter wash over . After everything, after all the fights, the pain, the endless struggle—these monts of peace were rare. And yet, here we were. Laughing, teasing, being... human.

I glanced at Levi, who was now fixing his hair in the mirror, completely unfazed by our ongoing conversation. I let out a quiet chuckle.

He may be the most self-glazing person alive, but he's still the one who brought here.

As we continued to talk and joke, ti moved on, and before we knew it, a few days had passed with living with them.

In those days, we've had our fair share of fond bonding mories, especially that day.

Sitting at the dining table, I felt strangely at ease—an odd sensation after everything that had happened. Levi and Emma sat across from , their faces suspiciously neutral, which, in their case, ant anything but good.

"Co on, Kaiser. You've gotta eat, man. Recovery and all that," Levi said, pushing a bowl of stew toward with a grin that was just a little too wide.

Emma chid in, feigning concern. "Yeah, we made it with extra care. Just for you."

That should've been my first clue.

I picked up my spoon, giving them both a lingering look before taking a bite. The mont the stew touched my tongue, I felt my soul trying to escape my body.

"Agh—what the hell is this?!" I nearly gagged, my face contorting in ways I didn't know were possible.

Levi and Emma burst into laughter, practically falling out of their chairs at my suffering.

"Oh man, did you see his face?!" Emma wheezed, clutching her stomach. "He looks like he just bit into pure misery!"

I stuck my tongue out, grabbing my water. "Levi, did you try to poison ? Is this revenge for being better looking than you?"

Levi smirked. "Better looking? You're wrapped in bandages bandage boy."

"Yeah," Emma added, "if anything, you should be thanking us! That stew probably burned away any infections you had."

I groaned, rubbing my face as they continued their victory laugh.

Across the table, Celia smiled, watching us, but there was sothing in her expression—an unknown feeling of longing, like she wished she was part of this teasing ss.

I sighed. "My god, how am I supposed to eat this?"

Emma leaned forward, smirking. "Man up and finish it. You're supposed to be so unstoppable adventurer, right?"

I lifted the spoon, thinking I had control over my fate. But the second I even considered taking another bite, my entire body rejected the idea.

Levi and Emma cackled harder.

"Ahhahahahah"

Then, in a soft, shy voice, Celia spoke. "Kaiser... Say Aaaa."

I blinked, turning my gaze toward her. She held up a spoonful of her own al, her cheeks a faint pink.

For so reason, I actually did it. "Aaa—"

Before I could overthink it, she gently placed the spoon in my mouth.

The food tasted normal. Good, even. But I barely noticed.

Celia looked at expectantly. "Is it good?"

I swallowed, nodding. "Yeah. Maybe even better being fed by you."

Her blush deepened as she turned her eyes away. "Th-thanks."

She took another spoonful, completely ignoring Levi and Emma, who were whispering to each other while trying (and failing) to hold back their smirks.

I had this thought that I'd never admit out loud—she was even cuter like this, acting all serious and focused while feeding . How could I not smile at her antics?

She continued to take full spoons of her own stew and continued to feed it only. Completely ignoring herself once more taking care of .

"Celia, you're giving all your dinner," I pointed out, watching as she scooped up another bite.

She smiled, shaking her head. "I like doing it, Kaiser. It's nice... knowing you're recovering."

Levi snorted. "Man, Kaiser, you really got soone devoted to you, huh?"

Emma grinned. "Should we start calling her Lady Kaiser?"

Celia pouted, her face going bright red. "I-It's not like that!"

I just chuckled. It really was sothing else, having monts like these.

By the ti dinner ended, Emma patted my shoulder. "Don't worry, bandage-boy. We made a separate al for you. You won't have to go to bed starving."

I smirked. "Oh? Such generosity. Thank you, Your Majesty."

Emma grinned. "That's right. You better appreciate it."

That night, with them, was truly sothing else.

A few days passed. Almost a week since I woke up. My body was moving again, but Celia still hovered around , making sure I wasn't in pain. Silly girl. She couldn't take her eyes off long enough to focus on herself.

But today—by so miracle—she was asleep for longer than usual in the morning.

I slipped out of bed and told Emma I was heading out to the river. She just gave a wink and a thumbs-up.

"Make sure to bring so fish back, fisherman."

I raised a brow. "I'm not going fishing, cook."

"Then what? Collecting river water for a dramatic ritual?"

"Nah, I'll leave the dramatics to Levi. He probably spends more ti flexing at his reflection than training."

Emma snickered. "True. He polishes his face more than he polishes his skills."

I chuckled, stepping toward the door. "Try not to burn down the place while I'm gone."

She saluted. "No promises."

And with that, I slipped out, enjoying the first real breath of fresh air in what felt like forever.

Celia's Perspective:

I slowly fluttered my eyes open, feeling the warmth of the blanket still wrapped around . Today... today, I actually had a good night's rest. Maybe even overslept.

Not that I minded. It was nice.

The past few days had been different. I had stayed up late, making sure Kaiser was okay—checking his wounds, changing his bandages, sitting beside him just in case he needed anything. It wasn't tiring. It wasn't sothing I regretted. Even now, if I had the chance, I'd do it all over again.

With a small yawn, I pushed myself up and freshened up, washing my face before heading to Kaiser's room. But the mont I stepped inside, my eyes blinked in confusion.

The bed was empty.

The window next to his bed was slightly open, the gentle morning breeze swaying the small flower in the vase on the table. But no sign of Kaiser.

Where... did he go?

My brows furrowed as I quickly turned on my heels, heading downstairs to search the house. Levi and Emma's ho was cozy in a way that felt lived-in. Wooden floors, scattered books, a few old swords hanging by the wall—everything had a touch of personality, as if each item had its own story. But none of that mattered right now. Kaiser was nowhere to be seen.

I stepped forward, calling out, "Kaiser! Where are you?"

No response.

Instead, Emma appeared from the kitchen, a playful smirk already tugging at her lips. "Looking for your loving Kaiser?"

My steps halted.

Loving?

I felt my cheeks heat up slightly, but I shook my head, forcing my voice to stay neutral. "W-Where did he go?"

Emma's grin widened, and she leaned against the doorfra, arms crossed. "Oh? What's with that blush? You always turn red when it's about Kaiser."

I gasped, covering my cheeks with my hands. "I do not!"

Emma laughed. "You totally do. That's sweet. You really care about him, huh?"

I nodded without hesitation. "Of course. He's important to ."

Emma's smirk returned, but there was warmth in her voice. "You know, you kinda sound like an obsessive girlfriend."

My face burned. "I'm not! We're just friends!"

Emma shrugged. "Uh-huh, sure." Then she playfully tapped her chin. "Honestly, I don't see what's so special about him. He's just a brooding, mysterious guy with a knack for making so what funny jokes."

I frowned slightly but then placed a hand over my heart. "He's kind. He's caring. And he... he was my first real friend. The first person who ever truly cared for ."

Emma tilted her head. "Oh? Then what does that make ?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "Y-You're my friend too!"

Emma gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest like she'd been wounded. "So I'm just second place? Wow, Celia, I thought we had sothing special."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're so dramatic Emma, I can see it."

She grinned. "Yup."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Where is he?"

Emma chuckled. "Fine, fine. Your precious Kaiser is by the east riverside. But it's not like you have to go check on him."

I touched my cheeks lightly, trying to will away the warmth, then let out a small breath, going neutral. "He's still recovering. He shouldn't be outside right now. I have to go and make sure he is okay."

Emma leaned against the wall, smirking. "You say that, but you're acting like a worried wife looking for her runaway husband."

I puffed my cheeks, crossing my arms. "I'm not!"

She tilted her head, clearly enjoying this. "Oh? Then why do you care so much?"

I opened my mouth, but no words ca out right away. Why did I care this much? It wasn't like Kaiser couldn't take care of himself—he was Kaiser. Even injured, he was probably stronger than most people. But still... I wanted to be the one who looked after him.

My gaze softened. "It's just... this feeling in my heart. I can't ignore it."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "That's pretty vague."

I hesitated, fidgeting slightly. "I just... when I'm around him, I feel safe. I don't feel alone. And it's not just that... he listens. He makes feel like I matter. Like I'm soone important, not just... there."

Emma stared at for a mont before letting out a low whistle. "Wow. You are in deep."

I blinked, flustered. "I—No! It's not like that! Kaiser is just—"

Emma leaned in, grinning. "Your beloved~?"

I turned red instantly. "No! Stop that!"

She laughed, clearly enjoying my suffering. "Fine, fine. But you know, it's kinda unfair."

I frowned. "What is?"

Emma folded her arms, tapping her fingers against them. "I don't think I've ever t anyone who made feel like that. Not even Levi."

That caught off guard. "What do you an?"

She sighed dramatically. "I an, sure, I'd throw hands for him. Maybe even stab a few people. But you? You act like you'd tear the world apart just to keep Kaiser safe."

I paused, thinking about it.

Would I?

I smiled softly, stepping toward the door. "Maybe... but that's just how I feel."

Emma humd, then suddenly smirked. "Well, congrats. You win."

I glanced at her, confused. "Win what?"

She waved a hand. "Nothing. Just thinking about how I feel about Levi compared to how you feel about Kaiser. Looks like you've got beat there."

I didn't know what to say to that, but sohow, it made my heart feel warm.

I reached for the door, determined. "I have to go check on him."

Emma chuckled. "Go get your man, Celia."

I turned red all over again. "Emma!"

I tilted my head, but she simply gave a wink.

Shaking my head, I opened the door and stepped outside. Kaiser... just what am I going to do with you?

I kept my head down as I walked through town, weaving through the narrow streets and staying close to the edges. If I could just avoid being noticed, then maybe—just maybe—I could make it out without hearing anything.

I wasn't in the mood for whispers.

Not today.

But even as I walked, I could still feel it—the weight of their stares, even if they weren't directly looking at . That sa unspoken thing hanging in the air whenever I was around.

Cursed child.

I clenched my hands into fists, tightening them against my chest. It was stupid. I wasn't a child anymore. I shouldn't care.

And yet, I did.

There was a ti I used to wonder why people looked at that way. Why they avoided . Why they whispered my na like it was sothing ant to be erased. But now, I didn't need to ask.

I already knew.

I sighed, shaking my head and picking up my pace. There was no point in thinking about it. I had sothing more important to do.

Kaiser.

He was outside, and he shouldn't be. That was all I needed to focus on.

Making sure my hood was pulled low, I slipped past a few rchant stalls, narrowly avoiding a man carrying a sack of potatoes, then finally found an open path leading to the east side of town. I glanced around once, twice—okay, coast clear.

With a quick step, I hurried out, leaving behind the heaviness of the town's eyes.

The mont I was past the last building, I let out a breath, feeling a little lighter.

The east river. It was just ahead.

I followed the riverbank, my steps quiet against the soft earth. The sun hung high in the sky, casting golden streaks over the water's surface. The river itself was clear—so clear that I could see the fish swimming underneath, their scales glistening as they darted between the rocks. The soft rustling of leaves mixed with the steady sound of flowing water, making everything feel... peaceful.

I wish I could stay here forever.

I let out a small giggle as a few fish swam close to the edge. They looked so carefree, just wiggling around like nothing in the world mattered. Lucky.

My smile grew when I spotted sothing ahead.

Or rather—soone.

Underneath a tree near the riverbank, Kaiser was doing push-ups.

Shirtless.

My feet slowed, my eyes fixating on the way his muscles flexed with each movent. Even with the bandages wrapped around his torso, his body was... well... built. Every motion made his arms tense, his back shifting with defined strength. And when he pushed up one last ti before rising to his feet—

Oh.

Oh no.

The mont he straightened, reaching for his discarded shirt, I saw them. His abs.

I froze. My brain? Not working. My heart? Beating weirdly. My face? On fire.

Why does he look like he was sculpted by the gods?!

He turned slightly, and before I could snap out of my daze, his eyes landed on .

A small, knowing smirk touched his lips. "Oh? Celia?"

Abort mission. Abort mission.

I tried to keep my expression neutral as I walked toward him, but I knew my face was still warm.

"W-What are you doing?" I managed to say.

Kaiser, now fully dressed—thank goodness—tilted his head. "Exercising."

I pouted. "Obviously. But why? You're still recovering."

He stretched his arms, then rolled his shoulders as if to test his movents. "I'm fine." His usual calm, confident tone was there. "You don't have to worry."

I frowned. "I do have to worry! You're hurt! You should be resting, not... not—" I motioned at the ground where he had been doing push-ups. "That!"

Kaiser chuckled, stepping closer. "It's just part of my routine."

I crossed my arms. "Routine?"

His smirk grew. "You wouldn't understand, Celia. Let's go back."

Excuse ?

My brows furrowed as I stubbornly planted my feet. "Hey, I might not know everything about training, but I still wanna know." I pointed at him. "So explain!"

Kaiser gave an amused look, but when I didn't back down, he let out a small sigh. "Alright, alright. I'll tell you."

I leaned in slightly, listening carefully.

Then, in that effortlessly cool voice, he said—

"I normally do 200 push-ups, 200 pull-ups, 200 squats, and 200 sit-ups. For stamina, I finish with a 15 km run. I've been doing it daily for four years straight. But since I was injured, I missed this week—so I'm just making up for it."

Silence.

My brain? Gone. My ability to process information? Completely destroyed.

"You—what?"

Kaiser tilted his head. "What?"

I stared at him. "Two hundred everything?! And then fifteen kiloters?! Every day?!"

He nodded like it was normal.

I slowly turned to glance at a tree nearby, noticing a thick, sturdy branch that could probably hold weight. My mind imdiately pictured him hanging off it, doing pull-ups.

Then push-ups. Sit-ups.

And then running.

And then—

Oh no. The blush was back.

Kaiser noticed.

His smirk returned as he leaned slightly forward. "Hey now... don't fall for ~"

I swear to the heavens above—

My entire face burned. Without thinking, I playfully punched his shoulder. "S-Shut up! Stop teasing !"

He laughed, completely unbothered. "You make it too easy."

I turned away with a huff, refusing to look at him directly. "I did not fall for you. I was just... surprised."

"Surprised by what?" he mused. "My training, or my body?"

I gasped, smacking his arm again. "Kaiser!!"

He chuckled, rubbing his shoulder as if my tiny punches actually did sothing. "Alright, alright, I'll stop."

I pouted, still feeling warm all over. He loved teasing .

But... I guess it wasn't so bad.

As we started walking back toward Levi and Emma's ho, I found myself sneaking another glance at him. Strong, confident, and always sohow one step ahead of .

Maybe I was falling for him.

Just a little.

Kaiser's Perspective:

Celia really was adorable.

The way she kept sneaking glances at , then imdiately darting her eyes away—like she thought I wouldn't notice—was almost too much. Every ti I caught her, there was a tiny blush on her cheeks.

What's gotten into her lately?

Not that I was complaining. Watching her flustered reactions was quickly becoming one of my favorite pastis.

We walked side by side, the dirt path crunching softly beneath our feet as we made our way back to Levi's place. The sun hung low in the sky, painting the town in warm shades of orange and gold. Everything felt calm—until we stepped back into town.

That's when I saw it.

The shift in her posture. The way her fingers tightened slightly at the hem of her cloak. Her steps slowed, just a little. And then—she lowered her head, letting her hood cover her face.

She was hiding.

I frowned, my amusent fading. It only took a second to realize why. The townspeople weren't looking at her directly, but I could still feel it.

The way their gazes hovered, whispering just low enough to go unheard. Their movents stiffened slightly when we walked by, as if our presence alone was enough to bring discomfort.

No—not our presence.

Hers.

My fingers curled into a fist.

I realized it was always like this for her. People didn't see Celia the way I did. They didn't see the girl who worried over everyone, the girl who gave without expecting anything in return, the girl who smiled with a warmth that could make anyone feel at ho.

No, they looked past all of that—choosing instead to focus on sothing as aningless as her red eyes.

Like a bunch of cowards.

I glanced at her. Even without seeing her face, I could tell she was nervous. The way her shoulders tensed, how her hands fidgeted under her cloak, making sure not even a glimpse of her red eyes showed.

She had gotten so good at hiding.

Too good.

I hated it.

With every step we took, the anger inside burned hotter. It wasn't fair. She had to smile, talk, and live with the knowledge that people would never accept her, no matter how kind she was. And despite all of that—

She still cared about them.

I exhaled sharply, coming to a stop. I couldn't take it anymore. Watching her shrink away like this, watching her hide sothing that should never have to be hidden—it was wrong. And I wasn't going to let it continue.

Celia took a few more steps before realizing I had stopped. She turned back, blinking. "Kaiser?"

I didn't answer imdiately. My fists loosened, then tightened again. The words were right there, pushing at my throat, demanding to be spoken.

But first—I reached forward, gripping the edge of her hood.

And I pulled it down to reveal her face to the world.

Celia's Perspective:

The mont Kaiser pulled my cloak down, my breath caught in my throat. A chill ran down my spine as I felt the weight of a hundred unseen gazes pressing against my bare face. My hands twitched, instinctively reaching to pull it back up, but his hand was faster, steady, firm.

"Kai... Kaiser?" I stamred, my voice barely above a whisper. My fingers clenched at my sides, heart pounding more and more.

His gaze t mine—deep, unwavering, piercing straight into like he could see through every wall I'd ever built around myself. "Never hide your beautiful face for anyone," he said.

"You're not a curse, and I know that."

My throat tightened. No one had ever said that before. No one had ever looked at like that before—with absolute certainty, like there was no doubt in his mind that I belonged. I wanted to say sothing—thank him, argue, sothing—but my voice refused to cooperate. And then there's what he said...

Beautiful?

?

I wanted to believe him—so badly. But after years of whispers and hidden judgnt, doubt clung to . Still, Kaiser's words pressed against it, steady and unshaken.

"Now, co," he said, his voice carrying that sa unshaken authority.

I hesitated, tugging at his sleeve. "But Kaiser, they'll see —"

He cut off before I could finish. "So?" His tone was sharp, unyielding. "If they have a problem, they can choke on it. The world doesn't decide who you are. You do. And as long as I'm here, no one will dare lay a hand on you."

A shiver ran down my spine. It wasn't fear. It wasn't unease. It was... sothing else. Sothing that made my stomach twist in a way I couldn't na. His grip on my hand tightened, fingers interlocking with mine, grounding .

"But Kaiser, they may get angry and try to get rid of —"

"I'd like to see them try." His voice dropped lower, colder. The mont he said it, his grip on my hand grew just a little firr, and my heart did this weird, fluttering thing that made my breath hitch.

Kaiser wasn't in his usual indifferent mood anymore. That casual arrogance was gone. Instead, sothing dangerous lurked beneath his words. I could see it in his eyes—his sharp, piercing blue eyes that almost seed to glow. He wasn't just speaking empty words.

He ant them.

As we walked, whispers spread like wildfire. People turned, so with curiosity, so with that all-too-familiar judgnt in their eyes. I was used to this. The stares, the murmurs. The suffocating weight of being unwanted.

But this ti, it was different.

This ti, I wasn't alone.

I could feel the stares. People murmured behind their hands, eyes flicking between Kaiser and . But not one of them spoke loudly. Not one of them dared to step forward.

One man did. I noticed him approaching—his steps slow, cautious. His gaze flickered between Kaiser and , and for a mont, I felt my breath quicken. But then Kaiser turned his gaze on him.

The mont their eyes t, the man stopped in his tracks. His face paled, his body stiffened. Kaiser's eyes—still glowing, still burning with that aura—held sothing lethal in them.

The man then imdiately stepped back.

Kaiser spoke, his voice softer now, but carrying an unshakable finality. "You will never hide your face again. You're beautiful, Celia. And with , you never have to be afraid."

My heart did a strange little flip. "O-Okay..." My voice was embarrassingly small, my cheeks burning as I tried not to look at him directly.

Nobody dared to approach us, as we continued to walk. I noticed the Guild Hall near the middle of the square, its towering structure built of dark stone. The crest of the renowned Sword Saint of Godspeed, Levi, was etched into the doors, marking this as his domain.

The town, nad Levinton after him, was bustling despite the tension in the air, adventurers wielding their swords watching our every step. Their magical auras pressed against like a thick fog, but they didn't dare to approach Kaiser.

Except one.

A man stepped toward us, his boots clicking against the cobblestone road. He was tall, draped in a long black coat, his dark eyes unreadable, but there was sothing about the way he carried himself.

I tensed, instinctively stepping closer to Kaiser.

"Hey, you," the man spoke, his voice low, commanding. "I'd like you to co to the guild and explain who she is."

Kaiser didn't slow. Didn't even acknowledge him. His eyes remained forward, steps steady, completely unfazed. His grip on my hand never loosened. When he finally spoke, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"I don't repeat myself. Get out of my way."

My heart slamd against my ribs. That tone... It wasn't just cold. It was absolute. Unshakable. As if the re thought of defying him was death.

The man's brows twitched, his jaw tightening. He stepped closer and, before I could react, grabbed Kaiser's shoulder.

"It wasn't a request. It was a command. You're coming with —and her—to the guild."

Silence.

A thick, suffocating silence that made my hands lossen. Even the townsfolk had gone still, their chatter dying down as they watched, wide-eyed.

Kaiser stopped.

For a mont, he didn't move. Didn't speak. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, he turned his head, his blue eyes burning with that chilling, inhuman glow.

He placed his hand over the man's grip, pushing it off with an effortless force. His other hand never left mine still holding it tightly.

"The next ti you put your hands on ," he said, voice calm, deliberate, "you won't have hands left to regret it."

I swallowed hard.

The man's face twisted with anger, magic crackling at his fingertips. I felt it—the rise of aggression, the heat of impending violence.

"You're the one walking around our town with a curse—"

"Say that again." Kaiser cut him off, his voice low, dangerous. "And I'll make sure they find nothing but ashes where you once stood."

My breath hitched. The sheer weight of his words pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I should be scared. I should be terrified. But instead...

I felt safe.

He gave him a death stare of murderous intent himself. The tension in the air was unbearable, and I could feel it growing, intensifying with every passing second. The man's anger flared, his hands trembling, and yet he didn't move. He was too proud, too stubborn.

My anxiety spiked. What if this goes too far? My thoughts raced, my heart pounding harder as I watched the confrontation unfold. Kaiser stood there, unwavering, his eyes glowing with that cold, dangerous light. He wasn't backing down, not even for a second.

And yet, even as my fear crept up, sothing else pulsed in my chest—sothing different. A strange sense of security. I could feel it in the way Kaiser held my hand, in the way he stared down the man with such chilling authority.

He won't let them touch .

My breath caught in my throat. It was like I was locked in a bubble, safe from the world and all its dangers, all its cruelty.

But just as I thought I could breathe again, just as I convinced myself that Kaiser would handle it, the man's voice cut through the air.

"You're making a mistake," he spat, his voice shaking with fury.

Kaiser's lips barely moved, but when he spoke, his words were final, cold as ice. "The only mistake here is thinking you can stand in my way."

The man's face turned pale, his hands clenching into fists, and the crowd around us fell silent. It felt like everything had stopped, as if the world itself was holding its breath.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the man lunged.

And Kaiser...

Kaiser smiled.

But not in the way I was used to. This smile was different. It wasn't playful or warm. It was pure, unfiltered danger.

I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I just stood there, watching the chaos unfold.

The world around us seed to blur, and I was left with one question:

Would Kaiser's protection be enough to save us from what was about to happen?

My heart raced. My breath caught.

And then...

Everything changed.