CHAPTER 168: WHISPER OF ANOTHER SEALED BOX!

Elysia tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes as she glanced at Erainlia.

"By the way... why did you come here with such a large group of guards?" she asked.

Erainlia’s expression tightened slightly, though he tried to mask it with a calm smile.

"I came searching for one boy," he replied.

Elysia blinked. "A boy? Who is it?"

"It’s... my sister’s boyfriend," Erainlia said after a short pause.

Elysia’s chest tightened.

(A boyfriend? Could it be...?)

Erainlia hesitated, then added, "I don’t know him personally... but I heard his name is Kael."

Elysia froze. (Kael... I knew it... it had to be him.) Her fingers curled around the hilt of her Oathblade, gripping it tighter as a rush of conflicting feelings washed through her—shock, unease, and something she couldn’t name.

She forced her voice to stay steady. "But why are you searching for him?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Erainlia’s face for any sign of truth or deception.

Erainlia didn’t answer right away. His hand rests on the pommel of his sword.

he drew in a long breath. "You deserve to know the truth, Elysia," he said, tinged with the edge of restrained anger.

"The boy I’m searching for... Kael... is not just my sister’s lover. He is also a criminal."

He lied to her.

Elysia’s eyes widened. "Criminal? What do you mean by that?"

"Our family, has strict laws that cannot be broken without consequence. Kael violated one of them. He trespassed where no outsider was meant to walk, broke into the Temple of Runes, and... worse still, he touched what should never have been touched."

"I haven’t heard of that anything"

"Touched...?" she repeated.

"The Sealed Box," Erainlia said gravely.

"That cursed thing which our ancestors bound with their lives. The boy opened it. And by doing so, he awakened a darkness we fought centuries to bury."

His jaw clenched, his voice rough with emotion. "Such a crime is not something we can ignore. It is against our laws, against the world’s balance itself. For this, he must answer."

Elysia’s breath caught in her throat. She recalled Kael’s face—the quiet determination in his eyes, the way he bore his solitude with stubborn resilience.

(But did they have a sealed box if that is forbidden?)

She looked at Erainlia again. His anger wasn’t blind.

Still, she couldn’t let his words go unchallenged.

"You speak as though Kael is your enemy," Elysia said carefully, "but did you ever ask him why he did what he did? Did you accuse him to his face, or did you simply decide his fate from behind your family’s laws?"

"Was it really him?"

Erainlia’s eyes narrowed. "I accuse him because the evidence is clear. The runes reacted. The seal broke. The darkness stirred. All of this ties back to him. You know this as well as I do, Elysia."

His voice rose slightly, his control slipping as anger and frustration mingled.

"My sister trusts him. But trust does not absolve a crime. Do you not see how dangerous this is? If Cecelia continues to stand by him, she too will be dragged in with that criminal!"

"Then you’re here," Elysia said softly, "not just as Cecelia’s brother, but as her protector."

Erainlia’s jaw tightened, but he gave a short nod. "If I don’t stop this now, my sister will suffer. Our family will suffer. The law exists for a reason."

His hand shifted again on his sword, his posture rigid, as though preparing to carry out justice with his own blade if necessary.

Elysia’s thoughts raced.

Finally, she exhaled slowly, making her choice.

"You want to find Kael," she said, her eyes meeting him without flinching. "Then you don’t need to scour the forests or the cities. You’ll find him at the academy."

Erainlia’s brow arched. "The academy?"

"Yes," Elysia confirmed. "He and I... we’re in the same class. The day after tomorrow, classes will resume. If you want to confront him, that’s where you’ll find him."

Erainlia studied her face for a long moment, as if trying to read the thoughts she kept hidden.

"Cecelia never said that to me".

At last, he gave a short nod. "Very well. I’ll wait. Two days from now, at the academy... Kael and I will meet. And there, he will answer for his choices."

Elysia’s chest tightened, but she forced herself to stay calm. "Just remember," she murmured, "accusations are not the same as truth. If you mean to confront him, then let him speak. Let him fight, if that’s what it takes. Don’t simply cut him down."

(Because i am the one who is going to kill him), she thought.

Erainlia’s eyes flickered, as if he was weighing something unspoken. Then, with a steady breath, he straightened his back.

"We’ll see, Elysia," he said firmly. "If he proves himself guilty... then there will be consequences."

Without waiting for her reply, Erainlia raised his hand slightly. His guards reacted instantly, stepping forward with the discipline of shadows.

Their armor barely made a sound as they closed ranks around him, forming a protective circle that moved with precision.

Just as he was about to leave, Erainlia paused. Slowly, he turned his head and glanced back at Elysia one last time.

"You seem worry," he said quietly. It wasn’t a question, more like an observation. A thread of curiosity and warning wove through his voice. "For your sake, I hope you’re not wrong about him."

Elysia froze, her lips parting slightly, but no words came out. She wanted to deny it, to explain herself, to say something—but her voice failed her.

All she could do was stand there, her eyes fixed on his, silently holding the weight of his meaning.

Erainlia studied her for another heartbeat, then gave a small nod, almost to himself. With that, he turned away fully.

His guards moved in unison, disappearing with him into the forest’s depths, their dark silhouettes blending with the trees until nothing remained.

Elysia realized then that she had been holding her breath. Slowly, shakily, she let it out. Her hand instinctively went to her chest, pressing against the frantic pounding of her heart.

Her thoughts spiraled. (What have I done? By speaking for him... I’ve taken responsibility. If Kael really has broken their law, if he really is guilty... what will happen then?)

(then i might miss the chance but if i can’t i should let other stop him)

Before she could sink deeper into worry, a faint rustling sound came from behind one of the nearby trees.