"Things have gotten even messier, huh?"
They had been talking about Melissa only yesterday.
Kyle had learned from Amanda that people from the government had approached Melissa, and the one who had granted them permission was her own father.
That was why the former Maylith Patriarch had returned, despite planning to stay with Amanda and the others for a while longer.
With him being present there, those officials shouldn’t have directly approached Melissa.
Amanda had assured Kyle that everything was under control, at least for the time being.
But now...
{She called me and asked if I could send her some money,} Amanda said, her voice weighed down by concern. {Apparently, she left Grandpa’s place. She thought staying there would only make him worry even more.}
Kyle’s expression hardened.
"Did you get any call from your grandfather after that?" he asked. "What did he say?"
{I did. It turns out she never told Grandpa, or anyone else, that she was leaving. I was the only one who knew. Part of me wanted to tell him she was safe and give him some peace of mind, but... that would have been a betrayal of Milli’s trust. So I stayed silent.}
Amanda’s voice grew fainter with every word.
"You did nothing wrong, Amanda," Kyle replied without a moment’s hesitation. "From where Melissa is standing, it must have taken every bit of courage she had just to confide in someone. If you had revealed her situation, she would have lost the one person she could trust without question."
Kyle had seen firsthand how close the two sisters were. The fact that Melissa still reached out to Amanda, despite wanting to disappear from everyone’s sight, spoke volumes about the bond they shared.
{You’re right. That’s why I’m not just sending her money. I’m going to find her and help her myself.}
A flicker of concern crossed Kyle’s face.
"Are you sure about that? Government officials are probably already searching for her."
{Kyle...}
He let out a quiet sigh.
"You’re right. I’m sorry."
The words left his mouth almost immediately. He had just contradicted everything he had told Amanda. If Melissa had chosen to trust her, then trying to stop Amanda from going would only be denying that trust.
Melissa had trusted her. If Amanda turned her back now, she would never forgive herself.
"Then... do you want me to come with you?"
{No. You only just got enrolled, so asking for leave again would only create problems. Don’t worry. I can handle this.}
"Hmm, I understand." Kyle nodded, though the worry remained in his eyes. "But if anything happens, even if you need the smallest bit of help, call me. Nothing is more important than you, Amanda."
Silence lingered between them before Amanda spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper.
{Thank you, Kyle. You’ve always been there for me. If I hadn’t talked to you first, I would’ve been torn over what to do.}
A faint smile found its way onto Kyle’s face.
"You’ll never have to face things alone. I’ll always be here for you."
The conversation continued for a while as Amanda walked him through her plan.
She intended to find Melissa, take her to another city near Montair, arrange a place for her to stay, and provide enough financial support for her to live independently until she could get back on her feet.
Once everything settled, Amanda intended to bring Melissa to live with her.
{She’s better off staying as far away from that man as possible.}
The man she was referring to was Melissa’s father, someone both Amanda and Kyle had long since come to despise.
As the call drew to a close, Kyle spoke softly.
"My phone will always be on. Call me whenever you need me."
{Mm. I love you, Kyle.}
A warm smile spread across his face.
"I love you too, babe."
The call ended.
Kyle stared at the darkened screen for a few silent seconds before letting out a slow breath.
Then he made his way to the kitchen to brew himself a cup of tea.
He was worried about Amanda, but he also trusted her. She was a capable warrior in her own right, and more importantly, she wasn’t alone. She still had the unwavering support of her father and the rest of her family.
If the situation spiralled out of control, Amanda would always have people she could rely on.
"I wish there was something I could do for them."
Kyle shook his head, pushing the thought aside as he poured the steaming water into his cup.
With the tea in hand, he returned to his room. His gaze drifted to the stack of books waiting on the table.
Dinner was still some time away.
Rather than dwell on worries beyond his reach, he decided to make use of the quiet hours by losing himself in a good book.
.....
{Any call yet?}
Christopher let out a weary sigh.
"Not yet. Give him time to settle down and think it through. This isn’t a decision anyone can make lightly."
{Well, he was the one who said a day would be enough. I think he’s already made up his mind. All he needs is a little push.}
Christopher’s expression tightened.
"Don’t act recklessly. If you mishandle this, everything could fall apart. From what I’ve seen, Kyle has a short temper. More importantly, he’s far too valuable for you to gamble with."
{Relax, Professor. I’m not planning to force anything. But if I happen to offer him something worthwhile in exchange for joining us...}
Christopher’s eyes narrowed.
"What exactly are you planning, Ava?"
A faint chuckle came from the other end.
{If I announced it beforehand, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise, would it? You’ll find out soon enough, Professor.}
A sense of unease settled over Christopher.
Before he could press her any further, the line went dead.
Shaking his head, Christopher rose from his chair and walked to the window overlooking the academy grounds.
The assessment earlier that day had made one thing abundantly clear.
Kyle could never be confined to a single role.
He could be a merciless hunter who crushed every obstacle in his path, yet in the next moment become a compassionate saviour willing to risk himself for others.
The only thing that determined which side emerged was the situation before him.
And with Ava inserting herself into this matter, Christopher had little doubt which side would surface.
"I wonder..." he murmured. "Should I use this opportunity to bring him under my command after all?"
For a fleeting moment, a sinister glint flashed across Christopher’s eyes.
For years, he had been quietly gathering capable individuals, all united by a single purpose. Several students had already pledged themselves to that cause.
Kyle would be the ideal person to lead them.
His strength, judgement, and ability to inspire others made him the perfect choice.
But one question refused to leave Christopher’s mind.
Would Kyle ever stand beside an organisation that had nearly taken his brother’s life?
"...Haah."
He let out a long sigh and turned away from the window.
"Let’s not think about that for now."
.....
A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you can’t find my discord link send friend request to rashcore_ on discord