Chapter 21: 21

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Levi walked slowly down to the picnic basket, tossing his water bottle into it.

It was my role as the de facto eldest to lead him on this short adventure, pulling on his hand as he moved in a leisurely manner, as if there was plenty of time to spare.

“Let’s go up now!”

I stepped on the ladder first, but suddenly a hand came down in front of my face.

I lifted my head, and I saw Levi standing with both feet on the floor of the hut.

For him, who jumped up and down the balcony on the second floor, there was no use for the ladder.

Therefore, the so-cool ladder that was hanging from the large zelkova tree was a sort of kindness made solely for me.

“Thank you.”

I smiled, and took his hand in mine.

Suddenly, I had a hunch that my unilateral role as a tow truck would end soon.

I entered the cabin without letting go of his hand, which was becoming warmer, as unrefined exclamation burst out.

“Wow…”

A hut where forest fairies might hide and dwell. The lush spring mountains that could be seen at a glance, and even the setting sun that seemed to melt away along the ridge.

Everything was beautiful.

The same was true of the children standing side by side holding hands.

It couldn’t have been more perfect as it was right now. I was so sure of this that I immediately said.

“Hey, Levi. If you have time, join me…”

“Hush.”

At that moment, Levi covered my mouth.

Was he telling me to shut up?

I stared at him in shock, thinking that he had dumped me before I could even propose, when he said.

“We have to go down.”

“Huh?”

“Right now.”

I didn’t even have time to ask why.

Suddenly, Levi hugged my waist and jumped down from the tree.

Without being able to scream out loud, I closed and opened my eyes and I was on the floor, and when I closed and opened my eyes again, this time I was on January’s back.

What the. What the heck.

Still bewildered by Levi’s actions, my arms were wrapped around January’s neck, as I held on firmly. 

“Run.”

“Awoo!”

January and the pack began running without being asked or nitpicking.

They didn’t normally listen to Levi’s orders, but something seemed to be bothering them as well.

The sun had completely set in an instant as they ran down the mountain, and the woods were dyed darkness. I didn’t know what to do, but I felt uneasy.

‘What about Levi? Did Levi ride a different wolf?’

As I traveled down the mountain and arrived at the mansion, it was so fast that I couldn’t raise my head or open my eyes.

As soon as January stopped, I was about to look around, but Levi was already in front of me. He seemed to have run down faster on his own two feet than a wolf moving at full speed.

He really was Wolfgang’s son.

Levi lifted me off of January’s back, took my hand, and walked quickly.

The atmosphere of the mansion wasn’t normal, to say nothing of him initiating skinship first.

Armed knights were busy moving around the yard…

“You’ve arrived.”

There was even Duke Wolfgang, who I’d rarely seen lately since I’d been chasing only Levi.

With a real sword in his hand.

Wolfgang stood there as if he’d been waiting for us. As we approached, he motioned towards the mansion with his chin and said. 

“Inside, both of you.”

“There are a lot of them.”

“So stay inside.”

“I’ll help you.”

He lifted one eyebrow, as if he didn’t like Levi’s reply. Then he suddenly turned his gaze towards me and stared.

“A body the size of this peanut will die if it is injured in any way.”

“…What? Peanut, is that me?”

“If you don’t have anyone to watch over you, you’ll die right away.”

“No, why the sudden curse?”

“What do you think, son?”

Eventually, Levi nodded his head seriously and went into the mansion with me.

He could be convinced of anything. So, what was the situation?

As I was dragged into the main hall of the mansion, Vivi, who was often anxious and noisy, found me and gave me a good scolding.

“Hey! You have to come quickly before the sun goes down…!”

But when her eyes met with Levi’s, she shut her mouth.

Confused, Vivi’s pupils dilated as she looked down at my hand in Levi’s grip. Contrary to my expectation that she would be glowering, Vivi was quiet.  

Certainly, I didn’t feel the freshness and passion of a girl in her first love from Vivi now. It was more subtle than that. 

There didn’t seem to be any lingering attachment. On the contrary…

“Ha, I loved you.”

She was on the pitiful side.

Vivi muttered this under her breath, then turned away from Levi. After that, lonely leaves seemed to flutter. 

She really shouldn’t be here. We should pack her up and send her to Hollywood right away. 

As he clicked his tongue, Levi moved in a familiar direction.

It was Wolfgang’s office, which I’d been in and out of until recently.

“Oh, you’re here.”

There was a zero waiting for us there.

Under the desk with papers in his arms.

“…What are you doing?”

“I’m taking care of the papers and my safety.”

I don’t think he needed to care that much. 

I was looking at him piteously, as he tried to become one with his papers and clung to the floor.

Whaaa!

There was an ominous uproar. 

“It’s begun…”

Benjamin said calmly.

I didn’t know what was going on, but I thought it was unusual, so I crouched down by his side. I was with Levi, who wouldn’t let go of my hand.

I asked the startled Benjamin, who wasn’t used to seeing us like that.

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“Please explain the situation.”

“It’s just a common assassination attempt.”

“Assassination… What?”

I must’ve heard that wrong. No way.

Benjamin nodded his head and again answered flatly, “Assassination.”

Crazy.

Frightened, I quickly climbed up Benjamin’s back.

Benjamin, who swore, and Levi, who stopped me falling in the midst of it, but didn’t care what I was doing.

I stuck my nose against the window in the high office, and in the distance I saw people tangled together in the dark backyard.

Familiar, and unfamiliar, faces were swinging their flashing blades.

It was literally a jaw dropping sight. 

After a while, Levi snapped the curtains shut.

‘They must be really crazy. Are they really trying to kill him in earnest?’

Usually when someone tried to commit an assassination, they would sneak in at dawn when everyone was asleep, then run away after only killing their target. 

This looked like a small war. A war of attrition between allies and enemies. 

Above all, from the reaction of the people of Bastion, it seemed that this wasn’t a one-time or two-time event.

I’d wondered why the townhouses had a backyard, and conjectured reasonably that it was prepared for use as a battlefield.

“Oh, what a mess this is.”

Then I was pushed off of Benjamin’s back, and landed on my butt on the floor. Stunned, I looked up at Levi.

Just when I thought I’d tamed him a little bit, but really, this jerk. 

“Did you know about this kind of thing when we built that hideout…?”

“Because you wanted to.”

Benjamin exclaimed in surprise, then covered his mouth.

It may sound romantic, but it was a problem because it wasn’t like that. 

No matter how much I asked you! How could they fight with swords, shed blood, then he helped me build a hut in a place where there might be graves?

‘Is your empathy messed up?’

I was at a loss where to start, and how to educate him.

No, this place called Bastion itself must have gone awry in the first place.

How could no one stop me when I was fooling around?

Presumably, they were unaware that the backwoods was a dangerous place.

‘Because it was routine.’

A sigh escaped me, but I also felt skeptical. 

Was this the only way for me to live in this world?

“…Who the heck is this, and why are they doing this?”

When I asked this, Benjamin’s mouth closed, unlike usual.

I was feeling even more anxious because of that reaction. My words poured out.

“What, why can’t you tell me? Is it that scary? Are the circumstances spectacular? So much so that it’s hard to even talk about it?”

“That’s not it, the truth…”

“The truth?”

I gulped, my mouth felt dry.

Benjamin muttered with a grave look.

“Too many things come to mind.”

That was the problem.

It was a moment where you wrap your hands around your forehead. Levi and Benjamin tilted their heads at the same time.

“There’s a problem though.”

“What?”

“I think they’re pushed through today.”

Even though His Excellency was outside, and Benjamin’s voice became cloudy, as he was muttering to himself that something was wrong.

A problem? Does that mean that the assassins have entered the mansion?

What about Vivi? What about Kim and Sarah? What about Joan? What about Betty? What about Uncle Sanchez and Tony? Where’s Grandpa Hugo?

What about me…?

My shoulders trembled with anxiety and fear.

How many times does a person encounter trained killers in their lives? Of course, this was the first time in my life. 

‘But I have had my fair share of near death experiences.’

Clasp

Including the first meeting with this fellow, who suddenly grabbed my hand.

It was starting to hurt a little bit, but I was starting to feel like his strength was a good thing at this point.  

His ability to empathize was low, but instead his instincts were superior. So, I leaned on Levi’s warmth, and then I quietly asked.

“Oh, what should we do? What if someone gets hurt…”

“What? No way.”

Benjamin laughed at my concern.

“This is Bastion.”

“What kind of groundless confidence is that?”

Bang!

I heard a loud noise from somewhere.

Levi squeezed my trembling hand once again. 

Benjamin, who was still on his stomach and organizing files, asked Levi.

“How many people have come in?”

“Four.”

“They’ll catch them in no time.”

He’s talking like a cockroach has entered a room!

At this point, I felt like I had to give up understanding. 

That’s when Levi, who was watching my wild thoughts and anxious eyes, rose from his seat. 

This time I grabbed his hand in a hurry.

“Hey, Levi! Where are you going!”

“….”

“It’s dangerous! Stay here!”

Then I pulled hard, but he didn’t budge.

Levi was looking down at me courageously, and dropped my hand as I begged him to wait.

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Then he strutted out of the office, holding in his hand the dagger he had just used to cut the rope.

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