Encouragement!

"I'm really useless. I thought I could protect them, but in the end, I couldn't protect anyone."

At that moment, Yol's voice was as flat as still water as she spoke of her self-loathing.

Merlin fell silent. A few seconds later, Yol raised her bloodshot eyes to look at him.

"I've realized that aside from being a little stronger than most, I'm good for nothing. I swore to you that I'd protect them, but in the end, all I could do was howl like a stray dog, and then make you go to all the trouble of saving me.

"Can you tell me? What's the point of someone like me being alive?"

Merlin's expression was complicated. He could see that she was on the verge of falling, as if she were standing at the edge of a cliff.

Normally, he should have given her a warm hug and comforted her.

But Merlin knew that she was gentle on the outside and strong-willed within. Doing that would be far too underhanded.

So he kept his expression calm, raised his right hand, and slapped her hard across the face. Smack!

The slap left Yol dazed. In the blink of an eye, her pretty left cheek swelled and reddened.

Yol's head, knocked to the side by the slap, turned back. Still bewildered, she was slapped again by Merlin. Smack!

This time, blood ran from the corner of Yol's mouth. She raised her head, and a trace of anger finally surfaced in her eyes. "That's enough!"

Seeing Merlin raise his right hand again, ready to slap her, she couldn't help shouting.

Seeing that she was angry, Merlin felt a little guilty, but kept his voice calm as he said,

"You said, 'someone like me'? When disaster struck, you didn't abandon those kids. You wanted to help them survive.

"But I abandoned you. You're the better person between us. And it's not as if these disasters were your fault.

"If anyone's to blame,

"it could be the Royal family of this country,

"it could be the World Government,

"or it could be the greed in human nature...

"But it could never be you.

"Why blame yourself?

"You're just an ordinary nun from a little church who happens to be strong. Isn't it a little arrogant of you to take all this responsibility upon yourself?

"You're only flesh and blood. Two bullets would be enough to kill you. Shouldn't you be glad you're still alive?

"Yol, do you know?

"Kindness is a good thing. It's a virtue of yours. But being too naïve, and showing everyone the same kindness regardless of the circumstances, is just foolish.

"You have to learn to make peace with yourself. You don't have to force yourself to shine so brightly. Don't make me feel like I'm useless and have no good qualities when I'm standing in front of you.

"You're a nun, not a saint.

"And don't be so self-righteous. It'll only make people dislike you."

Merlin spoke calmly, voicing what was on his mind. Maybe he was letting off steam, or maybe he simply didn't want to watch her take all the blame and pressure onto herself.

The values Merlin had brought with him from his previous life told him that kind people shouldn't be treated this way.

Yol stared at Merlin, dazed and bewildered. "Do you hate me?"

Merlin sighed. Black Flame flared in his right hand as he pressed it against her face.

"Disaster Absorption."

He absorbed her pain and injuries, then looked at her calmly.

"No, I don't hate you. I just hate the way you treat everyone with the same kindness.

"Remember, you're an ordinary woman. You're neither a god nor a saint.

"I don't want you blaming yourself and denying everything about yourself because of factors beyond your control.

"You did nothing wrong. If anyone's to blame, it's just bad luck on their part. In a disaster that could destroy a country, everyone is equal. You're not their parent. The fact that you didn't abandon them in the face of this disaster was already the greatest kindness you could show them.

"Don't take their misfortune upon yourself. If you think you're weak, then make yourself stronger from now on."

Yol stared at Merlin blankly. A few seconds later, she slowly lowered her head, her heart filled with complicated feelings she couldn't put into words.

"Mm!"

Merlin withdrew his hand and glanced at her.

"Sorry for slapping you. If you're still upset, you can hit me back."

Yol suddenly looked up at Merlin. At the same time, Merlin abruptly jumped backward. Watching him, Yol's mouth twitched.

"What are you doing?"

Merlin felt a little awkward. Then, with a strange look in his eyes, he glanced outside.

"Someone's coming. Let's get out of here!"

As he spoke, he took the katana from his waist and handed it to her.

"Use this to defend yourself for now!"

Yol hesitated. "I don't know how to use a sword."

Merlin was at a loss for words. "Then just swing it around like a stick and hack away. You can do that, right?"

Yol gave him a peculiar look. Merlin glanced outside, his ears twitching, then picked up the bag of food they'd packed and set off first. He quickly climbed over the courtyard wall on the other side, and Yol followed close behind.

Without realizing it, Yol had begun to rely on the younger brother she'd once had to look after.

Merlin led her around the soldiers in the streets. Before long, the two of them arrived at the half-collapsed building where Lami was hiding.

Wearing the [Lynx], Merlin could hear a heartbeat and a suppressed breathing sound inside.

He looked around. It was safe for the moment. "Lami, come out."

As he spoke, he bent down and removed the backpack and the string of grenades blocking Lami in.

Lami soon crawled out, looking timid. When she saw Yol, her eyes immediately welled up.

"Waaah, Sister..."

Seeing Lami covered in dust and grime, Yol's eyes grew moist too. She hurried over, crouched down, and hugged her.

Gently stroking her head, she comforted her warmly. "Don't cry, Lami. Sister's here. I'll protect you, I promise."

"Waaah!" Reassured by Yol's comforting words, Lami finally broke down and sobbed softly.

Merlin slung on the backpack and took the grenades. Keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, he looked at Yol.

"Let's not waste time. We should get going. I'll take you somewhere we can rest for the night."

Yol nodded quickly. Merlin glanced at the little Lami and said, "Yol, carry Lami on your back. It'll be faster."

Merlin led the way while Yol carried Lami. They kept out of sight along the way, and before long, the three of them climbed over a wall and entered Viscount Mela's mansion.

At that moment,

the mansion's main building was already ablaze.

Seeing Viscount Mela's pitiful corpse, ravaged by grenades, Yol's eyes filled with complicated emotions. The devastation around the main entrance showed just how much danger Merlin had been in.

Now that he was back here, Merlin felt a little complicated too. This was where he'd gained the power to protect himself—and even Yol and the others.

As he watched the mansion surrounded by flames, he felt a little relieved.

It meant those people had already searched the place. Merlin led them to the artificial hill.

When he saw that this area hadn't been searched, a glimmer appeared in his eyes.

"Let's go."

He bent down and went in first, moving aside the rocks blocking the hole below. Then he retrieved the briefcase hidden in a crevice on the right.

He glanced back at Yol and Lami at the entrance, then jumped down through the one-meter-wide circular opening.

In the blink of an eye, Merlin's feet touched down on the straw-covered floor of the underground chamber.

He crouched and surveyed the area.

The chamber was five meters deep. Inside was a cellar-like space, three meters across and four meters high, with wooden posts set around its walls.

But Merlin's attention was drawn to the right, where a dark passage led off into the unknown.

The passage appeared to be two meters high and one and a half meters wide.

Its floor was paved with bricks and stone.

Every ten meters, an oil lamp burned on the wall, casting light through the passage.

Taking in the only scent lingering there, Merlin's thoughts stirred.

"It smells like Viscount Mela. Was he the one who lit the lamps too?"

Yol called down softly from above. "Merlin, how is it down there?"

Merlin looked up. He saw Yol's face at the opening, and noticed several footholds in the narrow shaft leading up to her.

Just then, Lami, standing beside Yol, asked in a small, puzzled voice, "Merlin? Is Sister calling for Brother Laplace?"

Yol stroked her head and whispered, "That's right. It's him."

Merlin said, "Lower Lami and the luggage first, then jump down yourself."

Merlin soon caught Lami and set her aside. Then he caught the briefcase, and finally Yol as she jumped down.

He set her on the ground, then jumped up and grabbed the footholds in the wall, climbing back to the entrance. He blocked the opening with the stones above, then climbed down again.

Standing on the pile of straw, Merlin glanced at Yol and handed her his backpack.

"There are some clothes in my backpack and the briefcase. Change into them for now.

"I'm going to scout out where this passage leads. You two can rest on the straw here.

"I brought food. Have some with Lami."

Yol opened her mouth, glanced at Lami, then nodded and said softly,

"Then please be careful."