My Strange Savior - Chapter 80

Chapter 80

“I tried so hard to save them, Rey…”

“Mom… Dad. Hic.”

‘How much does he miss his Mom? How much does he long for her embrace?’

Without saying a word, Rey’s intense emotions conveyed a profound sorrow. 

Gia’s expression distorted painfully. She had intended to confess about his parents’ death, but everything had become a mess.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry.”

With no other words to say, Gia felt sorry for even saying that. Rey’s cries intensified, and his body shook.

Gia held Rey tightly, embracing not only Rey but also herself from the days of her youth. She embraced him with all her might.

“Cry… Cry more, Rey.”

“Sister…”

“Although I couldn’t save your parents…”

Gia’s face, as she spoke through sobs, turned entirely red and blurry.

Kalion looked at Gia with concern, worried that she might collapse from crying so much.

“The one who did this to them… I’ll make him pay. I promise, Rey.”

“Sister… Hic… Mom… Dad.”

Embracing Rey, who cried while searching for his parents, Gia vowed revenge.

‘The one who killed my father. The one who killed your parents. And the one who killed Kalion’s subordinates… I will make him pay with my own hands.’

Gia whispered her determination while gently stroking Rey’s round head, and tears streamed down her face with anger burning in her eyes.

“Absolutely… absolutely.”

Kalion carefully wiped the tears hanging from Gia’s reddened nose. Kalion’s face, embracing the two, carried an expression of sorrow.

“Snnff… snff.”

As if the child’s strength had depleted, Rey leaned into Gia’s arms.

“Rey.”

“It seems like he’s asleep.”

Worried, Kalion restrained Gia when she tried to call out. 

How much did that little one shake and cry for his parents before collapsing like this? Pity filled Gia’s face as she looked at Rey.

“Come this way. I’ll take him to bed.”

In response to Kalion’s words, Gia weakly shook her head.

“No. I want to stay by his side until he wakes up. I want to.”

Knowing how miserable it felt to wake up alone the next day, Gia insisted. To Kalion, it seemed that Gia, too, could collapse at any moment, with her face turning pale.

Initially planning to stop her, Kalion soon agreed and lifted both Gia and the child at once. Having recovered enough to remove the crutches by the day they arrived, Kalion, who embraced them without hesitation, walked confidently and laid the two on the bed.

Gia held Rey, whom she was carrying, even tighter. Since all she could give was body heat, she wanted to give even that much more.

Kalion, who covered the two with a thick blanket as they cuddled, sighed softly. 

Gia, who seemed as strong as steel, unexpectedly cast a shadow of vulnerability on Kalion’s face as she conveyed the news of the parent’s death to the child. 

Gia, whom they thought to be tough, appeared softer than expected, and a shadow fell on Kalion’s face.

“You should get some rest too.”

“I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not.”

Kalion opposed Gia’s assurance that everything was fine, even if his ‘It’s always okay’ syndrome was contagious. 

He poured water into the teacup, but Gia, who had shed many tears, seemed worried. Kalion offered the cup, but Gia weakly shook her head.

As Kalion observed the scattered hair on the blanket, he exhaled and shifted his body. 

Gia’s lips, slightly chapped from crying too much, were barely visible. Feeling stifled, Kalion went to Gia, knelt beside her on one knee, and gently supported her slender neck with his hand.

Even though Kalion knew her face would be surprised when she realized what was happening, he unhesitatingly brought the cup to her lips. Gia’s throat opened as the cup touched her lips, and the water flowed down her throat.

Thinking that she had drunk enough, Kalion carefully lowered Gia. 

“I’ll stay here.”

Gia, looking at Kalion, couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed in their roles. Relieved that Kalion was staying by her side, she spoke.

“Alright… then don’t go.”

“Okay.”

“Uh, so… I have to stay until he wakes up.”

“I understand. I won’t move from here.”

To change the atmosphere after her embarrassing crying, Gia uttered a somewhat light-hearted remark. Despite that, Kalion remained serious.

In response to his sincere answer, Gia weakly smiled. It seemed even more pitiful to laugh with swollen eyes, unable to open them properly. 

Kalion firmly pressed Gia’s eyes with his large palm.

“Take a nap and wake up.”

Touched by his consideration, Gia closed her eyelids with a sigh. Kalion’s palm tickled Gia’s eyelashes.

As if seeking coolness, Gia unconsciously followed Kalion’s palm with her eyes, which had swollen due to crying. Kalion, with his large hand, gently looked down at Gia, who was gradually falling asleep.

He hope that when she wakes up, she’ll feel a bit better. 

Kalion, who did his best to comfort her, sat on the bed like a stone and looked at the two people embracing each other.

* * *

Rey, who had been depressed for several days, was gradually recovering thanks to Gia’s sincere care. 

At first, Rey didn’t eat and only cried, but Gia coaxed and comforted him, making him eat little by little.

Observing Gia’s nurturing behavior, following Rey like a mother bird, Kalion couldn’t help but wonder if Gia had this side to her. 

There was no need to mention that he fell for her again seeing such a scene.

Although Rey, who had shed many tears in a short period, was not back to his old self, he was slowly regaining his strength, and as he did, Gia’s worries also lessened. Whether it was a problem or a relief, it bothered Kalion that Rey wouldn’t detach herself from Gia.

Kalion felt frustrated that he couldn’t have time alone with Gia, but expressing it seemed too childish. When Kalion confirmed that the two had fallen asleep, he walked around the training ground to alleviate his frustration.

Seeing Kalion soaring through the training ground right after his recovery, the knights praised him, saying he truly was a great leader. 

The leader doesn’t neglect training. To reach that level, it seems one has to do it like that.

Unaware of Kalion’s complicated feelings, the knights sent him endless looks of trust and awe. 

“Focus on the training, everyone.”

Kalion ordered while glaring at the knights. They raised their swords promptly. 

On this day, Kalion’s sharp tone made them all cautious.

Realizing he had vented his frustration on the innocent knights, Kalion wiped the sweat from his damp hair. 

‘Pathetic.’

Even in the middle of winter, steam rose from his body. 

Kalion, who had devoted himself to training, lowered his sword. The other knights, who had tried to keep up with Kalion’s training intensity, looked pale.

“That’s enough. Dismissed, everyone.”

As Kalion gave the order, the knights scattered at the speed of light, fearing they might be scolded for any small mistake.

In the empty training ground, Kalion placed his sword in its sheath and sat down on the ground. The cold wind blew over his sweaty body.

Feeling a chilling cold that could snap him to attention, Kalion sighed in disbelief as he contemplated his actions. 

“Haah.” 

It was his decision, but things didn’t go as planned. Though he had internally decided that it was right to let go of his feelings for Gia and tried to be rational, the impulse to cross that line kept creeping in.

The freshness of a man’s first love didn’t seem to easily fold away. 

“Damn it. How foolish of me.” 

Shadows gathered around Kalion as he roughly tousled his hair.

“Commander.”

“Why aren’t you leaving?”

Jacob approached Kalion, who was sitting on the cold training ground, contemplating his actions. 

“Do you have any concerns… sir?” 

Jacob, with a bear-like stature, asked cautiously. 

Kalion had thought he hadn’t shown anything, but it seemed to be his misconception. If even Jacob, who was the least perceptive among the knights, approached to ask, then the others probably knew about his state.

“Did it seem that way?”

“Yes.”

Kalion chuckled with a hint of self-pity at Jacob’s response. 

“I guess I lacked in training.”

“It’s not that… Could it be because of Lady Gia?”

Why is Gia’s name coming up here? Kalion raised his head abruptly, looking at Jacob standing beside him.

‘Did it show that much?’

Without answering Jacob’s awkward question, Kalion stood up, ignoring the feeling of awkwardness.

“That’s…”

Uncertain of what to say, Kalion hesitated, and just as he wondered where everyone had been hiding, the knights stealthily emerged from the corners of the training ground.

The knights who had been observing Kalion realized that the protagonist who caused him such distress was indeed Gia.

“Why ask?”

“Because you look unhappy, commander.”

“It’s none of your concern. It has nothing to do with training.”

Despite Kalion’s cold words drawing a line, the knights didn’t easily back away.

“Aren’t you two dating?”

“What?”

Spencer, just below Hunt, raised his hand and asked.

“Stupid! It’s called being in a relationship.”

Upon Jacob’s jab, Hunt scratched the back of his head. 

“Ah, right. Relationship. Relationship.”

Kalion brushed off the awkwardness with a sigh. 

“It’s none of your conc—”

“You didn’t break up, right?”

“Huh?”

“Love quarrel?”

“Ehe… really?”

In a brief moment, they were inflating the story among themselves. 

While Kalion was at a loss, it seemed that Gia and he were not only dating but also had a lover’s quarrel. If that were the case, it would be fine for him too. However, it was a one-sided, unreciprocated pursuit.

“It’s not like that. Gia and I aren’t in that kind of relationship… Haah.”

“Oh, I see.”

“You’re not dating, right?”

“I told you we’re not.”

Why does he have to explain this? 

While Kalion was making his explanation, the knights added their comments. In the face of this, Kalion furiously unbuttoned his collar in frustration.

“…Does everyone still have energy left?”

“No, no, sir. Everyone, disperse! Disperse!”

Jacob urgently shouted for everyone to disperse, leading the knights away in a rush. 

In a knightly order that was closed and pathologically obsessed with strength, any new romance, regardless of the parties involved, was always a hot topic.

A love story in a knightly order buzzing with men. It didn’t matter who the object of affection was. If the target of affection happened to be the son of Bowers and the commander of the knightly order, it was even more of a juicy gossip.

Frustrated at having to explain to the knights who were already convinced that they were dating, Kalion roughly undid the buttons on his collar.