Chapter 108: The Vanquisher Weeps

Nila Greenfoot had always prided herself on keeping a cool head.

She prioritized adaptability in all situations. When Jiaoying and her grandfather gave her lessons, they harped on the jeopardy of being caught unawares in any capacity.

She would never allow life, or any enemy, to say that it had gotten the drop on her! For that was far too close to defeat for her liking!

That was how she felt, truly. And that simple, but effective way of thinking had gotten her out of many dire situations and allowed her to come out ever-stronger.

The pursuit of strength was largely all that mattered to Nila. Little else preoccupied her mind aside from becoming a better swordswoman on the level of Jiaoying and her grandfather.

Her mind did not wander over that which would have been normal for her age. She had no interest in attending parties. Not drinking either.

And certainly not relationships.

With Nila’s one-track mind, the revelations that hit her one after the other were worse than a clean punch to the jaw from a giant.

Static filled her ears. The ground seemed to sink underneath her. Before she knew it, her knees were buckling.

“N-Nila!”

Raizel caught the young woman before she could fall to the ground, but that only seemed to further rattle her.

“L-Let me go!”

Nila practically flung her head out of Raizel’s arms. Upon falling, she accidentally cracked her head against her Aunt’s coffee table.

“Oww…” The elf rubbed the back of her head and blinked the stars out of her eyes.

Raizel started to go to her, but stopped just before he made another mistake.

Instead, it was Yari who went to her niece’s side with a gentle air.

She kneeled beside her, gently cupping the back of her head and massaging it lightly until some form of relief was achieved.

“I know this all must be… a bit difficult for you to come to grips with. I myself had difficulty contending with-”

“D-Difficult!? I believe that the more fitting term is impossible! How do you expect me to believe any of this about myself, o-or about grandfather and-”

Yari placed her hand over her niece’s chest to calm her rapid heartbeat. Nila, recognizing she was spiralling, took slow, steady breaths until her mind began to feel like her own again.

When Nila looked up at her aunt again, she found water pooling in her eyes and a pained expression.

“Please know that no falsehoods have been spoken here today. Everyone here… they care immensely for us, and they simply want to know that we will be safe.”

Nila had never seen her aunt cry before. She had always seen Yari as this pillar of sophistication. More elegant than queens. More unshakeable than barbarians.

It was no surprise that seeing her aunt cry was enough to make Nila feel a bit weepy as well. When she spoke again, her voice was as quiet as a whisper.

“…Did Grandfather…really do all of those things to you..?”

Yari bit her lip before nodding.

In that moment, all the tears that Nila had barely been suppressing came roaring out.

Just as Nila was not used to Yari seeming vulnerable, the reverse was true as well.

As the only real family that the two of them had left, the elves hugged each other tightly while they sobbed.

Solomon and Raizel looked at each other, unsure if they should have been around for such a clearly personal moment.

However, neither of them could leave. It hurt them to their core to see the women they loved in shambles.

Only when they started to calm down did Solomon move forward with Jiaoying.

Together, they wiped both of their faces consolingly.

“…Given everything that we know..” Jiaoying began. “It’s not safe for either of you to stay here any longer. You have to leave.”

Nila’s eyes immediately widened. “W-What?! B-But what about-”

“I know you wanted to graduate, sweetheart.” Jiaoying said bitterly. “But it is truly not safe for you or your aunt to stay here in that man’s grasp.”

Nila looked towards Yari, waiting for her to protest, but she said nothing. A development that surprised Nila to her core.

She, just like her aunt, had never left the island since arriving in Komen. Nila was fully convinced that Yari would put up some form of resistance. She had never even mentioned wanting to leave before.

“You both can come with me when I leave next week.” Jiaoying smiled at both of them sweetly. “I’ll take care of you in Eirbane. You’ll be safe, comfortable, and Nila, I can even teach you swordsmanship. You can learn with your aunt.”

Under any other circumstance, Yari would have strenuously objected not only to leaving, but to Jiaoying providing her housing as well.

Such a thing would only make her feel burdensome and powerless. She despised needing to be looked after by others.

But Yari had the safety of Nila to think about now. If there was even a small chance that Raidis would do something to Nila, then Yari would take the appropriate steps to prevent that.

Her pride be damned.

“This is for the best.” Solomon added. “There’s nothing you could get here that Jiaoying couldn’t give you.”

The words were meant for Nila, but for some reason, they ended up garnering more of a reaction out of Yari.

She bit her lip uncomfortably, turning her gaze to the floor. “…Would you be saying that if you also had to leave?”

“What do you mean?”

Yari swallowed. “I was… trying to figure out how to tell you this, but… recently, Raidis has been in communication with Zadkiel Olethros. They have arranged for him to take a visit upon the start of the next term.”

Raizel stiffened at the mention of his father. Solomon did the very same. Zadkiel’s visit would be in a very short three months from now when they returned from break.

“What?? Why is the old man coming here??” Raizel clenched his fists.

“I-It’s the Black Depths… they don’t have enough men, rations, or supplies. Zadkiel is coming to discuss… sending some of the older students to the front lines.”

Solomon and Raizel’s jaws went slack.

The largest wrench possible has just been thrown into their plans.

And now, they had no idea where they were supposed to go from here.

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