It Seems Like The Infamous Trash Can is Right Here! - Chapter 79
Lionel’s sudden action made my heart clench tight.
When no response came from inside for a while, the servant outside spoke again.
“I will leave the wine and food by the door. Please enjoy your evening.”
Soon, the sound of retreating footsteps faded down the hall.
But Lionel still didn’t lower his guard.
Moving silently to the door, he gestured for me to hide behind a pillar.
Once he was certain I was well concealed, he slowly lowered the door handle.
Click.
The door creaked open just a sliver—
And just when I thought it had only opened a small gap, Lionel swung his blade.
Clang!
A deafening explosion, louder than metal striking metal, shattered the silence, and thick smoke flooded the room.
I held my breath, crouched behind the pillar, when something suddenly brushed against my shoulder.
With a shriek, I swung my arm with all my strength.
“Kyaaah!”
“Ugh…!”
A stifled groan, followed by another violent, resounding crash.
Unlike the first time, this time the clashes continued—relentless, rapid, a flurry of exchanged blows.
As the smoke gradually thinned, I could finally make out what was happening.
A man, eyes burning with murderous intent, clashing swords with Lionel.
Their movements were so swift they blurred, and in the chaos, the man’s mask was knocked loose.
Only then did I recognize him.
“…Brother?”
The intruder was my brother, Vaikal.
Was it his hand that had touched my shoulder earlier? I had hit him really hard…
Lionel, too, seemed momentarily taken aback as he recognized his opponent.
But Vaikal didn’t hesitate.
“That is enough, Vaikal.”
“Nonsense. I’ll kill you and take my sister back.”
The rage in his voice was unmistakable. He wasn’t just lashing out in anger—he truly intended to kill Lionel. His strikes grew even more ferocious, fueled by raw, lethal intent.
“Stop it! What are you doing?!”
I couldn’t stand by any longer. I threw myself between them, forcing both men to pull back abruptly.
“Are you insane?! You could have been hurt!”
Whether Vaikal was angry or not, I ignored him, ripping off my mask and throwing myself into his arms.
“Don’t be mad! How could you be mad at me?!”
I hadn’t expected things to be fine.
We had been separated without even a proper goodbye, and for years, I had heard nothing from him.
Thrown into solitude before I even had the chance to understand that the endless love and care I had received as the youngest sibling was not something everyone had. I had endured, trembling alone.
My mind had withered under anxiety and fear, my heart dried up as I constantly looked over my shoulder, retreating further and further into doubt.
My body had worn down, weighed by grueling labor and strict routines.
Even when I sent letters and money to the postbox number my father had given me, no response ever came.
For the past three years, I had been unbearably lonely, and my longing for my family had only grown.
And now, finally, I had found my brother again. My family.
It was natural that I couldn’t face him calmly. But I never expected that, the moment I saw him, I would break down in tears like this.
I thought I had matured during that time apart. That I had learned to control my emotions.
“Serenia…”
The moment my brother sighed and pulled me into a tight embrace, I sobbed like a child.
“I was too late, wasn’t I? I’m sorry, my little sister.”
“I missed you… I missed you so much….”
“I know. I missed you, too. So much it was killing me.”
I was sad, and I was apologetic. I was sad, and I was happy. A tangled mess of emotions churned within me. But above all else, there was one overwhelming feeling: Relief.
My brother was alive. My family was alive.
That truth alone unraveled everything, and even knowing my face would swell from crying, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.
