Lynn parried Ivyna's onslaught with his sword, still not answering her questions.
He was already confounded by the complex relationship between the siblings, as Lot's diary had not mentioned this detail.
The clashing of blades echoed continuously through the silent mansion. In normal circumstances, such noise would have drawn the attention of the butler and servants, but now not a soul was in sight.
This was also why Lynn had refrained from activating overload mode or using magic prematurely.
"Is it so strange? My brother, Father is not at the estate tonight. I have diverted all the servants. They will only know that the demon follower the Church is hunting has broken into the mansion…" Ivyna, frenzied and wild, struck Lynn's blade with relentless fury, as if to vent all her pent-up anger and frustration.
Lynn's expression was odd, for the demon follower the girl spoke of seemed to be none other than himself…
Boom~
In the midst of their combat, a sudden explosion rang out from afar. Through the third-floor window, flames flickered faintly in the west of Harbor Town.
How could it be so soon?!
Lynn's expression changed instantly. It was clearly not yet time for action; had the [Smugglers' Guild] acted prematurely?
"Where are you looking, my brother?"
Taking advantage of Lynn's distraction, Ivyna executed a spinning strike that sent his longsword flying, embedding it in the crack of the wall.
Immediately, the brown-haired girl raised her sword once more and struck downward!
"Die!"
Ivyna murmured to herself, her dark golden eyes fixed coldly on Lynn, whose face showed not a trace of fear…
Why?
Why is there no fear of death?
A hint of hesitation and confusion crossed the girl's face.
Despite her harsh demeanor over the years, this man always regarded her with an extraordinary compassion.
But she never sought charity.
What she desired, she would seize for herself!
Thoughts flashed through the girl's mind, while Lynn, sensing the threat, extended his arm.
In that moment, it felt like a replay of their first battle.
This time, however, no one intervened, and with a fierce wind, the slender blade approached Lynn's head!
Yet Lynn moved faster. His right hand shot out, grasping Ivyna's wrist at an unusual angle.
With a powerful twist, a faint sound of dislocated bones echoed through the silent corridor.
Outside the window, the pure moonlight mingled with the rising flames, painting a devilish scene. Lynn seized the opportunity to kick Ivyna forcefully in the abdomen.
Thud~
With a dull thud, the girl's body recoiled and crashed heavily against the wall.
How could this be?
Ivyna struggled to rise again, a trickle of blood seeping from her mouth. Ignoring the pain in her right wrist and abdomen, she gazed at Lynn with disbelief.
To be so effortlessly defeated despite using all her strength.
Ivyna could hardly accept this reality, and with her still-functional left hand, she advanced with the sword once more.
"I'm sorry, my time is limited, Ivyna…" Lynn sidestepped Ivyna's horizontal slash, disarmed her with a reverse move, and elbowed her to the ground. He then aimed the blade at the girl's pale neck.
Ivyna's pupils contracted, watching in stunned silence as the silvery blade neared. Her mind went blank.
Am I going to die?
The girl slowly closed her eyes.
Reflecting on how she had exhausted every effort only to stake everything on pleasing a duke's son, she found it laughable. Perhaps being freed from this struggle would bring relief?
Clink~
The light sound of the blade touching the floor brought Ivyna back to reality. She opened her eyes to see Lynn tying her hands and feet with a rope.
"You're not going to kill me?" Ivyna stared in stunned confusion at her familiar yet alien brother, asking bewilderedly.
"There is no need for that. After today, you will never see me again… I believe this should be to your liking." Lynn casually explained, dragging the rope originally intended for Yadahn and tossing Ivyna into his room.
For Lot's sake, Lynn did not intend to harm the girl but could not allow her to interfere.
Since she had cleverly redirected the household staff, she might as well stay here and reflect.
Lynn turned to leave, but Ivyna's voice rose once more behind him.
"Why, with such power, can't you pass the knight exams, or even match me in training…"
"Are you pitying me?" Ivyna demanded with a mixture of shame and anger, clinging to her remaining dignity.
"So insignificant, Ivyna… my sister." Lynn turned to look at the girl lying disheveled on the ground, his voice tinged with reflection.
"Your swordsmanship is exceptional, far superior to anyone I have seen, yet your vision remains confined to this small Harbor Town, a barony that cannot even be inherited."
"Beyond Harbor Town lies the Nordland Territory, beyond that, the Sechus Empire, and beyond the Empire, a much broader world…"
Lynn murmured softly, a world full of magic and divine arts, with countless secrets awaiting exploration.
"Never mind, you may not be able to understand." Lynn shook his head before Ivyna could respond.
For most people in this world, a town, a village, a family is everything, and this matter is irrelevant to him.
Unable to understand? Ivyna watched her brother's retreating figure, her expression complex, until the door was firmly shut.
The girl remained silent for a while, then suddenly bowed her head, biting the rope binding her hands and straining to tear it apart.
But the rope, made of tough materials, proved unyielding to her teeth. In her struggles, she forcefully collided with the table leg.
The black book on the table fell to the ground, rolling to Ivyna's side.
The brown-haired girl froze, recognizing the hasty writing on the pages as her brother Lot's handwriting.
[Perhaps without me, everything will be better…]