CHAPTER 303: VALE’S SORROW

A few minutes later, the three of them—Isaac, Vale, and Priscilla—were ready.

Priscilla had insisted on coming, saying that as Isaac’s maid it was her duty to accompany him. She wanted to follow him into the dungeon too.

When Vale asked what rank she was, she replied without hesitation.

"Master rank. Level thirty-eight."

’Only level thirty-eight?’ Isaac thought, raising a brow.

That didn’t match her strength.

From what he’d seen, if Priscilla and Vale fought, she would defeat him easily.

’She’s an apex rank species, and she probably grew to her full potential,’ he thought. ’Vale is still being held back because he could never grow to his full potential. That’s why she feels stronger despite her lower level.’

The three of them wore reinforced gear—coated masks, layered suits, and environmental filters—to survive outside the city’s dome.

The air beyond the walls was poisonous.

"Celia," Isaac called, turning to where she and Leora stood. "Teleport us somewhere outside the city. Any direction works, just make sure it’s a clear area."

Celia nodded. "Understood."

A dark cloud began to expand from beneath her feet.

It rolled forward, swallowing them one by one.

The world twisted.

For a few seconds, everything was weightless.

When they stepped out, the city was gone.

They stood in the wilderness.

Isaac lifted his head and looked around.

It was his first time seeing the world beyond the city’s barrier.

The sky was a sickly red, like sunset trapped in blood.

His gas mask filtered the toxins, but even through the filter, he could sense the mana in the air.

It was corrupted, poisonous, and hostile.

He crouched and placed his palm on the ground.

His senses extended outward, feeling through the layers of dead soil.

What came back made his chest tighten.

’This...’

’So, this is what the rain does.’

The ground pulsed faintly with death. No life. No water. Just lingering traces of something malicious. Of mana that didn’t seem to belong to this world.

The soil itself felt like it was alive, breathing, and angry.

He stood up, brushing off his hand.

"Vale," he said, turning toward him. "Use your strongest defensive ability."

Vale blinked. "What? Why?"

"Just do it."

Vale frowned, but did as told.

He took out a relic from his pocket, a metallic crest etched with runes. The moment it activated, a faint golden barrier surrounded him.

Isaac didn’t wait.

He stepped forward and flicked his finger against Vale’s forehead.

A shockwave burst out instantly.

The golden shield cracked like glass and shattered, and Vale was thrown several meters back, tumbling across the dirt before stopping against a pile of stone.

Priscilla didn’t even move.

She just crossed her arms. Her expression was neutral.

Vale lay there, dazed, before coughing

. Blood trickled down the corner of his mouth.

"What the hell..."

Isaac walked up to him, crouched, and pressed a glowing hand over Vale’s chest.

The wound closed instantly, healed by Isaac.

"So? Do you believe me now that Celia will be safe with me?"

Vale stared at him, stunned.

He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

Celia flew toward them from where she had been waiting, shouting,

"Brother!" She dropped beside Vale, eyes wide in panic. "Are you okay?!"

Then she turned to Isaac, frustrated and panicked.

"You could’ve held back—"

"It’s fine," Vale said, cutting her off before she could continue.

He pushed himself to his feet and dusted off his jacket.

His voice was calm.

"He did it to show me the difference in our strength. Now I can trust him to keep you safe."

Celia blinked. "What...?"

Vale looked completely composed, as though he hadn’t nearly died seconds ago.

His voice was steady. "Celia, this is normal. We awakeners go through near-death scenarios all the time.

"We experience pain. We lose comrades. And as a guild leader, I have to be the one who overcomes it first, or everyone else falls apart."

He looked at her seriously.

"Keep that in mind, Celia. This is the world you’re walking into. You’ll see death often. People you know will die.

"Sometimes, they’ll scream for help right in front of you, and you won’t be able to do a thing. All you’ll be able to do is hide and hope the monster doesn’t find you.

"Can you handle that? Can you stay sane in that world?"

Celia’s hands trembled.

She’d heard him say similar things before, countless times.

But hearing them now, after seeing him nearly die in front of her, made the words hit differently.

For the first time, she truly understood what he meant.

The wilderness wasn’t an empty wasteland.

It was a nightmare made real.

She didn’t speak.

Her eyes were glassy.

Her breath quickened.

Isaac stepped forward and reached for her hand. He interlocked their fingers and gave a gentle squeeze.

She turned to him.

"It’ll be alright," he said quietly. "I’ll be beside you. Always. I’ll protect you."

Her shaking slowed.

Her breathing steadied.

She nodded faintly, as if those words alone anchored her.

But before she could fully calm down, a low, disapproving sound came from Vale.

"Haah?"

Isaac looked up.

Vale, who hadn’t flinched even when his defenses were shattered, was now glaring daggers at him.

"You," Vale said coldly, "who allowed you to touch her?"

Isaac blinked. "What?"

Vale stepped forward, his tone sharp. "You think you can just—"

"Brother!" Celia shouted, cutting him off. "Don’t! He’s my boyfriend! Of course he can hold my hand!"

Everything stopped.

Vale blinked once. Twice.

He wondered if he had misheard her.

Yes, he must have.

There is no way his star was plucked by this womanizing bastard.

Celia swallowed hard, cheeks flushed pink.

"Isaac is my boyfriend. We already—"

She stopped mid-sentence, realizing what she was about to say, then looked away, twirling a strand of hair, shy and nervous.

"I mean... we’re together."

Vale stared at her, then at Isaac.

For a second, his mind went blank.

Then a thought clicked.

’Ah,’ he realized grimly. ’I left the cat to guard the milk.’

His expression darkened.

He cracked his knuckles.

The air around him shifted slightly with mana.

Before he could take a step forward, Celia quickly moved in front of Isaac and spread her arms. "You’ll have to hit me too if you’re going to attack him!"

"Step aside, Celia," Vale said, his voice strained. "We’re just warming up. He hit me earlier. I’m returning the favor."

"Stop it, brother! If you hit Isaac, I’m never talking to you again!"

Vale froze mid-step.

"...What?"

Celia’s eyes were wet, but her voice was steady. "You heard me."

For a moment, no one said anything.

The wilderness wind howled between them, carrying the faint metallic scent of the dead soil.

Vale stood motionless, his expression blank.

He looked down, then slowly up again.

You’d stop talking to me... for him? A bastard you met days ago?"

His shoulders dropped.

The strength in his posture seemed to drain away.

It was like watching a tree suddenly lose all its leaves.

He looked older, defeated, and for once, completely lost.

"Brother..." Celia whispered, guilt flickering across her face.

She hadn’t meant to hurt him that much, but she also knew if she didn’t draw a hard line, he’d never stop interfering.

He had always been overprotective. Always kept her from getting close to anyone. Always told her that the outside world wasn’t for her.

She’d agreed every time before, because she hadn’t had a reason to resist.

But now... she did.

Minutes passed in absolute silence.

Finally, Vale moved.

He rubbed his face with one hand and sighed deeply.

"Do you really mean it?"

Celia nodded. "I do."

He let his hand fall and stared off into the red horizon for a few seconds.

The wilderness wind caught his coat, lifting its hem slightly.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low. "You’ve grown up."

There was no anger in it. Just quiet resignation.

Priscilla, who had been watching from the side the whole time, raised a brow but didn’t comment.

Her expression softened slightly when she saw Vale’s face.

She could tell Vale must be feeling the same way when dragons watch their children leave their nest and fly away.

Celia took a hesitant step toward her brother, her tone gentler. "I still love you, brother. You’re family. That won’t change."

Vale looked at her again.

His lips twitched into something that almost resembled a smile. He seemed to be trying to smile, but failing miserably.

"I know."

The moment hung between them, long enough that the tension in the air finally started to fade.

Isaac exhaled quietly.

"Well," he said, breaking the silence, "now that that’s settled, we should go and clear the tutorial dungeon."

Vale gave him a look but didn’t respond.

He just turned toward Celia and said, "Stay close to him. And don’t do anything reckless."

Celia smiled faintly. "I won’t."

The group gathered again as Celia prepared another teleport.

The dark cloud expanded once more, swirling around them. As it enveloped the team, Vale took one last glance at Isaac and said quietly, "If you ever hurt her—"

"I won’t," Isaac said, meeting his eyes. "I promise."

Vale didn’t answer.

The cloud swallowed them, and the surroundings disappeared.