Lynn parried Ivina's attacks, still not answering her questions.
Because he was utterly confused by the complex relationship between these two siblings, Lotte's diary didn't mention this at all.
The clash of sword blades echoed through the silent manor. If this were any other time, it would have surely alerted the butler and servants, but right now, there was no one in sight.
That's why Lynn refrained from using the overdrive mode or resorting to magic just yet.
"Is it very strange, my brother? Father isn't at the estate tonight, and I've led all the servants away. They'll only know that the devil worshiper the Church is hunting broke into the manor tonight..." Ivina appeared to be driven to madness, her sword relentlessly striking against Lynn's, as if she needed to vent all the built-up anger and frustration.
Lynn's expression became odd, for the wanted devil worshiper the Church was after seemed to be him...
Boom!
During a brief pause in their battle, an abrupt explosion rang out in the distance. Through the window on the third floor, a faint fire glimmered on the western side of the harbor town.
Why would this happen so quickly? Lynn's expression changed abruptly. It wasn't time to act yet. Could it be that the members of the "Ship Gang" couldn't wait and had already taken action?
"Where are you looking, my brother?"
Seizing Lynn's distraction, Ivina launched a spinning strike that sent his longsword flying, embedded firmly into the gap in the wall.
Then the brown-haired girl raised her sword once more, this time for a downward strike.
"Die!"
Murmuring to herself, Ivina's amber eyes locked onto Lynn, yet his face revealed no trace of fear.
Why?
Why was he not afraid of death?
A hint of hesitation and doubt crossed the brown-haired girl's face.
Over the years, no matter how terrible her attitude had been, this man before her always looked at her with an extraordinarily compassionate gaze.
But she never needed his pity.
What she wanted, she'd take for herself.
A myriad of thoughts flashed through the girl's mind, while on the other side, Lynn sensed the threat and extended his arm.
In that instant, it was as if the first time they had fought was replayed.
Only this time, there was no one to stop them, and with a sharp gust of wind, the slender blade had reached above Lynn's head.
However, Lynn's movement was even quicker. His right hand extended, seemingly at an unusual angle, and grabbed Ivina's wrist holding the blade.
Then, he exerted a twist, and a faint sound of a dislocated bone resonated through the silent corridor.
Outside the window, the moonlight intermingled with the rising flames, creating a devilish picture. Lynn took advantage of this and raised his leg, sending a fierce kick towards Ivina's abdomen.
Thud!
With a dull impact, the girl's body arched backward and crashed heavily against the wall.
How was this possible?
Struggling to get back up, Ivina's lips slowly oozed a trace of blood. She couldn't afford to be concerned with the pain in her right wrist or abdomen. She looked at Lynn with an expression of disbelief.
She had used her full strength and had been easily knocked down.
Ivina found it difficult to accept this reality, and her undamaged left hand once again lunged with the sword.
"Sorry, Ivina, but my time is limited..."
Lynn dodged Ivina's horizontal slash, took the slender blade from her, and then delivered an elbow strike that knocked her down once more. Finally, he swung the blade towards her fair neck.
Ivina's pupils contracted, and she could only watch as the silvery blade came closer and closer, her mind going blank.
Am I going to die?
The girl slowly closed her eyes.
Recalling all the effort he had put in, only to have his fate determined by a Duke's son, he found it particularly laughable. Perhaps seeking release through this would end his suffering?
Ding!
The soft sound of a sword's tip touching the floor echoed in Ivina's ears, and she opened her eyes in confusion, seeing Lynn behind her, taking out a piece of leather rope to bind her hands and feet.
"You're not planning to kill me?" Ivina stared at her familiar yet unfamiliar brother, puzzled by his actions.
"No need to do that. After tonight, you won't see me again... I think that should suit you well." Lynn casually explained, dragging the rope that had been prepared for Yadon, and tossing Ivina into his own room.
He wasn't really Lotte, and he couldn't handle such a complex sibling relationship. But since Lotte had chosen to end this karma by taking his own life, Lynn didn't plan to interfere.
He also understood where Ivina's resentment came from. She struggled but couldn't resist her predetermined destiny; she had been born to be a sacrifice for the Pedror family's revival. However, she had clearly targeted the wrong source of her resentment. What truly tormented them both was the stubbornness of Baron Pedror and the ignorance of the feudal system in the Secas Empire.
Since she had cleverly sent away the housekeeper and servants from the mansion, she could take some time to reflect on her actions.
After tonight, everything about the Pedror family would no longer concern him.
Lynn turned to leave, but Ivina's voice sounded once again from behind.
"Why do you have such power but can't pass the Knight's examination or even a sparring match with me?"
"Are you pitying me?" Ivina maintained her last vestiges of pride, asking in a tone mixed with shame and anger.
"Too insignificant, Ivina..." Lynn turned his head to look at the disheveled and bewildered girl on the floor.
"Your talent in swordsmanship is excellent, far better than anyone I've ever seen. However, your vision is limited to the small harbor town, and you're fixated on inheriting the title of a baron that even the territory can't hold."
"Beyond the harbor town is the Nordland domain, beyond Nordland is the Secas Empire, and beyond the Empire, there is a much broader world..."
Lynn muttered softly, realizing that this world held the existence of magic and divine arts, along with countless secrets waiting to be explored.
"Forget it. You probably can't understand," Lynn said, shaking his head before Ivina could respond.
For most of the world's inhabitants, a town, a village, a family was everything, and this matter had nothing to do with him.
"Can't understand?" Ivina gazed at Lynn's departing back with a complex expression, until the door was firmly closed.
The girl fell silent for a while, then suddenly lowered her head and bit into the leather rope binding her hands, struggling to break free.
However, the rope was made of a tough material, and biting it with her teeth was futile. In her struggle, her legs hit a nearby table leg.
A black book that had been left on the table fell to the ground, rolling to Ivina's side.
The words on the pages were hastily written, but Ivina recognized her brother Lotte's handwriting immediately.
"Perhaps, without me, everything will get better..."
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