“Calm down, Kyle.” Albert said.

  The Baron just silently looked at him.

  Kyle’s breathing was ragged, his hands shaking. He looked to Albert, who pced a hand on his shoulder, urging him to sit back down.

  “Boy, the Viscount is ancient. He will probably kick the bucket in a few years. At that time, I will become the Viscount, as he doesn’t have an heir anymore. At that time, I will release your mother.”

  Kyle sat back down after listening to him, “But, what if he imposes the punishment of execution on her?”

  The Baron chuckled, “Boy, your mother is a healer, they are as rare as they can get. No matter what, she will never get executed. She will probably be sent to the eastern front to ease the Eclipsing of the soldiers stationed there.”

  Rage began to boil within Kyle once more. But he kept quiet.

  “Is there any way we could just make her punishment limited to imprisonment?” Albert asked.

  The Baron took a moment to think before replying, “I can talk to the Count, and make it so that she stays here only and relieves the Eclipsing of my soldiers and other adventurers in this area.”

  “Thank you very much! Please do that.” Albert said as he got up. “Thank him, Kyle.”

  Kyle got up, and just bowed to the Baron before he left the room followed by Albert, who thanked the Baron once more.

  Kyle was already at the outer area of the estate when Albert caught up to him. The sun felt harsher than before. Even though the area was filled with colorful flowers, the world felt muted to Kyle.

  “You also realized it, didn’t you?” Albert asked.

  Kyle just nodded his head.

  Just then a white carriage entered the estate.

  Kyle barely gnced at the carriage as it rolled to a halt before them. When the door swung open, a delicate hand emerged, followed by the graceful figure of a young girl just a few years older than him.

  She was strikingly beautiful, with long bck hair cascading like a silken waterfall over her shoulders. Her light green eyes glimmered with an innocent curiosity that seemed almost out of pce in such an imposing estate.

  She was wearing clothes of nobility. Her short dress, simple yet elegant, swayed slightly with the breeze, the hem resting just above her knees, a mark of both fashion and privilege. The pendant on her neck, and her earrings also made her look rich.

  Albert straightened immediately, offering her a polite bow. "Lady Lisa," he greeted warmly, his tone a mix of respect and familiarity.

  Lisa smiled softly, acknowledging him with a small nod. "Sir Albert. It's been a while since your st visit."

  Kyle, however, stood stiffly, his mind too preoccupied with his mother to muster any genuine courtesy. He gave a half-hearted bow, muttering, "My dy," before turning on his heel and walking away.

  Lisa's serene expression didn't waver, but her green eyes followed him, filled with quiet curiosity. "Who is he?" she asked Albert, her voice gentle.

  Albert, watching Kyle's retreating figure, sighed and adjusted the straps of his gear. "Just someone with a lot on his pte right now," he replied vaguely, before excusing himself and hurrying after Kyle.

  As the two disappeared beyond the estate's gates, Lisa stood by the carriage, her gaze lingering on Kyle's distant silhouette. There was something about him, something that intrigued her.***"I guess misery is just part of my fate," Kyle muttered.

  "Don't think like that. This too shall pass, and you'll find happiness again," Albert said.

  Kyle stared at the frothy ale in his mug, his hand gripping the handle as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded. The lively chatter of the tavern around them felt distant, like a hollow echo in the background of his tumultuous thoughts. He took a sip, but the bitterness that usually soothed his nerves only tasted ft today.

  Albert leaned back in his chair, his own mug resting on the table, barely touched. He watched Kyle silently for a moment before speaking again. “Why did the Baron pin it on your mother, Kyle? It doesn’t make sense.”

  Kyle scoffed, setting the mug down harder than he intended. “Rowan.” He didn’t even look up. “That bastard’s been wanting to fuck my mother for as long as I can remember. He’s been waiting for a chance like this.”

  “Rowan? Do you mean the Baron’s dog?” Albert asked, leaning forward.

  Kyle nodded, bitterness dripping from his voice. “Yeah, him. He couldn’t rape her because it’s punishable by death, so he’s been biding his time. He always tries to get her to have sex with him, but it never happens.”

  “Those Shadow Sves who killed the Viscount’s son were added to the sve chain a few hours before they reached Cragmere. Someone who was suffering from Eclipsing, how could he capture two Shadow Sves alive? I am sure they weren’t even cursed to begin with.” Kyle continued.

  “How do you know this?” Albert asked.

  “I heard it from the soldiers yesterday. Now they all are dead. No evidence. No witnesses. A perfect coverup.” Kyle said as he took a sip. “Now that I think about it, there was also that elemental tracker. I’ve heard they are quite rare to come by, so was it that they had one on standby?”

  “So, it was all pre pnned.” Albert said.

  “Rowan gets what he wants and the Baron gets a promotion.” Kyle sighed, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.

  "Yes. And there's another thing you forgot," Albert added, his voice low and contemptive. "The Baron's wife is a healer, but she doesn't get much praise because of your mother. A lot of adventurers knew about her and preferred her; she had a very good reputation. My party went to Cragmere just to get healed by your mother. Now, the baron's wife and daughter will become de facto healers in this secluded barony, while your mother will be..."

  “It’s such a tragedy, if only your mother had not chosen to stay in this secluded area, and instead went to one of the sprawling cities, she would have been as great and as widely known as the Ghost Healer.” Albert continued.

  Kyle sighed yet again, “If only…” he muttered.

  During the war that happened twenty years ago, a healer nicknamed as the Ghost Healer became very popur. There were various rumours about all the things that the healer did, from reviving dead people to simultaneously healing hundreds of wounded soldiers, but all of these were baseless with no proof. Maybe, the Ghost Healer wasn’t even a real person, or maybe different people given the same name. Who was the Ghost Healer, and where they went after the war, nobody knew.

  Soon Kyle and Albert stepped outside. Kyle adjusted his cloak, the brisk wind cutting against his face as he walked ahead, his thoughts already racing.

  Albert caught up with him, pcing a hand on his shoulder. “You’re going to see her, aren’t you?”

  Kyle nodded, his eyes fixed straight ahead. “I have to. I can’t leave her there, not without knowing she’s okay.”

  Albert hesitated, gncing toward the dimly lit streets. “I’d go with you, but the Adventurer’s Guild will be closing soon. I need to report everything that’s happened, about the mission, and the Wyvern. If I don’t, it might get problematic for me.”

  Kyle stopped, turning to face him. For a moment, his expression softened. “I get it. Thanks, Albert… for everything.”

  Albert gave him a nod, his usual smirk absent. “Be careful, Kyle. That prison isn’t a friendly pce, and you don’t want to draw more attention to yourself.”

  “I’ll manage,” Kyle said, adjusting his bag. Without another word, the two parted ways, Albert heading toward the guild, and Kyle toward the looming structure that housed the Barony’s prison.

  The prison was cold and foreboding, the kind of pce that seemed to leech the warmth out of your skin. Kyle shivered as the guard at the entrance scrutinized him.

  Kyle told the guard as to why he was here.

  The guard raised an eyebrow but didn’t question it further. “Follow me.”

  They walked down a long, damp hallway. The further they went, the darker it became, the torches on the walls spaced farther and farther apart until the flickering light barely reached the next. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the oppressive silence. Finally, they stopped at the end of the hallway, in front of a heavy iron door.

  “She’s in there,” the guard said, his voice ft. “You’ve got ten minutes.”

  Kyle nodded, his heart pounding as he stepped inside.

  The darkness was absolute, an impenetrable void that swallowed all light. Not even a single ray of sunshine dared to breach the thick curtains that sealed the room from the outside world. The silence was deafening, a heavy bnket of quiet that seemed to press down on everything within.

  But then, Kyle heard it, a strange, wet sound, like droplets colliding in mid-air. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was enough to make his heart skip a beat. He didn’t know what this sound was, but it was a wet sound.

  "What is that sound?" Kyle whispered to himself, his voice trembling slightly. He strained his ears, trying to pinpoint the source, but it was no use. The sound was too muffled, too distorted by the thick darkness that surrounded him.

  "Mom?" Kyle called out, his voice barely above a whisper.

  There was a pause, a heavy, oppressive silence that seemed to stretch on forever. Then, from the other side of the room, came a voice, soft, hurried, and filled with an urgency that Kyle couldn't quite pce.

  "Kyle?" the voice whispered, tentative, as if testing the waters.

  "Yeah, mom! It's me," Kyle replied, relief washing over him. He took a step forward, his hand outstretched, as if he could reach out and touch her through the darkness. "Mom, what's going on? Why is it so dark in here?"

  There was another pause, longer this time, and Kyle could hear the faint sound of something shifting on the floor. It was as if his mother was sitting down, or perhaps moving into a more comfortable position.

  "Kyle," she said, her voice filled with a rush of emotion that he couldn't quite decipher, "you shouldn't be here."

  Her words sent a shiver down his spine. There was something in her tone that made his blood run cold, something that warned him to turn back, to leave while he still could.

  "Mom, I—" Kyle began, but his mother cut him off, her voice urgent and almost panicked.

  "Kyle, I know you love me, and I know you care about me," she said, her voice trembling slightly, "but you shouldn't be here. Please, just go." The way she was saying made it feel like she was in a hurry.

  Kyle hesitated, his mind racing. There was something wrong, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. The way she was speaking, the strange sounds that echoed through the darkness, it was all too much to take in.

  "Mom, did you heal those sves? Did you remove their curse?" Kyle asked, his voice trembling.

  There was a long pause, so long that Kyle began to wonder if she had even heard him. Then, finally, she spoke, her voice soft and almost resigned.

  "No," she said simply, "I didn't."

  Kyle felt a wave of relief wash over him, but it was quickly repced by a deep sense of confusion. He didn't understand what was going on, but he knew one thing for certain, something was very wrong.

  "Alright," Kyle said, his voice steady despite the turmoil swirling inside him. "I'll go."

  And with that, he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing through the darkness as he left the room behind.

  Kyle stepped out of the cell, his face ashen and his heart heavy. The darkness of the room seemed to cling to him like a shroud, and the pain etched on his features was impossible to miss. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his fists clenched as he tried to steady his breathing. He was barely aware of the guard standing by the door, watching him with a neutral expression.

  Before Kyle could walk past, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway. Another guard appeared, his face lit faintly by the torch he carried. In his hand was a folded letter, the seal on it unbroken.

  "Where’s Sir Rowan?" the new arrival asked, holding the letter up. His voice carried a hint of urgency.

  The guard beside the door shrugged. “He’s inside. Go ahead.”

  Kyle froze. The words hit him like a blow to the chest. ‘Inside?’ His mother’s cell was the only one at the end of this hallway.

  His eyes widened, the realization crashing over him.

  ***

  From the doorway, the silhouette of a guard appeared, stepping forward hesitantly. "Sir Rowan," the guard called out, his voice wavering slightly. "The Baron has summoned you."

  The guard hesitated, his eyes gncing at the two figures, barely making out their forms in the murky darkness. His face betrayed his discomfort, though he tried to remain stoic. The sound of flesh spping flesh made him understand what was happening.

  Rowan turned his head slightly, his voice cutting through the heavy air. "Alright. Tell him I'll come soon."

  ***

  Kyle y on the bed, his body still, the only sound the quiet rustling of the sheets as the night pressed in around him. Moonlight filtered through the window, casting pale, silver rays across the room, painting everything in soft shades of blue and gray. His eyes stared at the ceiling, unblinking, but the steady burn behind them betrayed his calm exterior.

  Slowly, a bead of tear slid down his cheek. The first of many. It caught the moonlight for a fleeting second before it disappeared into the pillow.

  The weight of everything seemed to crush him in that moment. His heart throbbed painfully, a steady ache that no amount of time or action could soothe.

  All the pain, it all mingled together like a poison inside him, and the tears flowed, unchecked. Kyle didn't wipe them away. He let them fall, as though to wash away the pain, but he knew it would never be enough.

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