Goodbye

"Videl... what a weird guy... I hope I never see him again." Lian thought.

A sharp knock echoed through the old house. Lian, still wiping his hands from repairing a broken shelf, and Mira was carefully folding a cloth. Both of them continued doing their work.

Kael, who was close to the door, turned her head sharply. Her eyes narrowed, and her body tensed. “Who’s that?” she muttered under her breath.

The door creaked open, revealing a tall man in an immaculate black suit, his posture rigid, his expression serious yet calm. Kael’s breath caught.

“Sir Aldren,” she said quietly, her voice a mixture of surprise and caution. “I… I recognize you. What are you doing here after all this time? And how… how did you even find me?”

Aldren bowed slightly, a practiced motion of courtesy. “Miss Kael, it has been a long time. Your family has its ways, and I have my resources. Information about your whereabouts is not difficult to obtain. My job is to ensure that your family’s wishes are conveyed to you, even if it takes some effort to locate you.”

Kael’s shoulders stiffened. “So… you’re here to drag me back, I suppose?” Her lips pressed together tightly.

“I have a message from your mother,” Aldren said, his voice low but firm. “She expects you to return home. You have an arranged marriage, Kael, and she believes it is time to fulfill your duty.”

Lian and Mira were not hearing their conversation.

Kael’s hands clenched into fists. “I… I am not going back. I won’t let them control me like that. I won’t be some pawn in their plans.” Her voice shook slightly, though she tried to hide it.

Aldren’s expression softened a little, but he did not falter. “Miss Kael… I am truly sorry that I must resort to threats. But your mother has made it clear: if you refuse to return, she will use her influence. She can have Mrs. Mira and Mr. Lian expelled from the guild. The choice is yours, but you must understand the consequences.”

Kael’s throat tightened. Her heart pounded as she realized the gravity of the threat. Lian and Mira, standing behind her, hadn’t heard a word of the conversation. Her chest felt heavy, and for a moment, she struggled to keep her composure.

“I… I can’t let them suffer because of me,” she whispered, almost to herself. A tear threatened to escape, but she quickly blinked it back. She had always been proud, always determined, but she could not bear the thought of her companions paying the price for her defiance.

Aldren stepped closer, his voice gentle but insistent. “You are strong, Miss Kael. You have faced hardships before and survived. You can endure this, too. Sometimes, doing what must be done requires setting aside personal feelings temporarily. Think of it as protecting those you care for.”

Kael exhaled shakily, her defiance faltering. Finally, she nodded. “Alright… I’ll… go with you. But it is only to protect them, understand? Only to protect them.”

Kael’s gaze fell to the floor, her mind racing. She wanted to protest, to argue, but deep down she knew it was futile. For now, she had to accept this path.

Turning and going near Lian and Mira, she forced a small, casual smile, as if nothing had happened. “Well… it’s been fun, you two,” she said lightly.

Lian blinked, his hands frozen in midair from where he had been adjusting a tool. “Wait, what? Fun? Kael… what are you talking about?”

Mira’s eyebrows knitted together. “Yeah, what do you mean? You’re leaving? Just like that? After everything we’ve been through together?”

Kael’s eyes flickered with a mixture of guilt and determination. She straightened her back and adopted a confident tone, trying to sound nonchalant. “The hero life… it’s not really for me. I think you two will do just fine without me. Really.”

Lian and Mira froze, staring at her in disbelief. Lian opened his mouth to protest, but Kael didn’t wait for him. She turned sharply and walked out the door, her footsteps brisk, leaving Lian and Mira standing in stunned silence.

Outside, the evening air was cool against her flushed cheeks. She walked beside Aldren, each step heavy with the weight of her decision. As soon as they were a few meters away from the house, she could no longer hold back the tears. They flowed freely down her face, hot and bitter.

Aldren, walking a step beside her, noticed the trembling in her shoulders and the way she wiped at her eyes. “Miss Kael… you must remain strong,” he said softly. “I know this is difficult. I understand your feelings. But you must focus on what is necessary. You are doing this to protect them, are you not?”

Kael choked back a sob. “I… I can’t help but feel like I’m betraying myself, though. I’ve fought so hard to live my own life… and now…” Her voice trailed off, swallowed by the wind.

“You are not betraying yourself,” Aldren reassured her. “You are making a temporary sacrifice. A true warrior does not always fight battles they choose. Sometimes, the right thing is to protect others, even when it costs their own comfort. You are brave, Kael. Never forget that.”

Kael wiped her face roughly, nodding as she tried to compose herself. “I just… I just hope Lian and Mira understand. I didn’t want to put them in danger. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to them because of me.”

“They will understand in time,” Aldren said with a quiet firmness. “They care for you, and they will trust in your judgment once they see the reasoning behind your actions. For now, focus on keeping yourself steady.”

Kael’s steps slowed. She gazed at the path ahead, her heart heavy, her mind a whirlwind of worry and guilt. The old house, the laughter of her companions, the little victories they had shared together—all of it seemed to blur into a painful memory she couldn’t hold onto.

“I hate this,” she admitted softly, more to herself than to Aldren. “I hate that I have to do this.”

As the sun dipped lower, painting the sky in muted shades of orange and pink, Kael walked beside Aldren, hiding her tears as best she could. She felt a mixture of fear, anger, and sorrow, but also a quiet resolve. She would return, she would endure, and she would protect those she cared about—even if it meant walking back into the chains of her past, at least for a while.

Lian and Mira, back at the house, waited anxiously, unaware of the full weight of her decision. They would only understand later, when Kael’s sacrifice and resolve became clear, but for now, the evening carried a heavy silence, broken only by the distant sounds of the city as Kael disappeared toward her family’s mansion.