Back in the clearing—
Ayumu was already beyond her limit.
Maverick's blows continued. He threw punches, slaps, merciless strikes meant not just to hurt, but to humiliate.
Under normal circumstances, she would have responded.
She would have countered and ended it.
But her head injury blurred everything causing her body to refuse to obey.
And worse than that—something deeper had broken within her.
Fear.
Not ordinary fear. But something buried deep in her past, clawing its way back into the present.
The memory of her mother, that night, the helplessness and death she had witnessed, surged back all at once, overwhelming her.
Her breathing became uneven, shallow, then frantic, as her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Panic swallowed her whole, tightening its grip around her mind until she could no longer think clearly.
Maverick watched the scene with twisted satisfaction. So this was it—the so-called White Magis. So fragile. So easily broken. All it took was one weak point, one moment of hesitation over a horse, and she had fallen apart completely.
Pathetic.
And yet… strangely entertaining.
He tilted his head, thinking of how far he could push this. How much more he could make her suffer. Maverick was not sane anymore—there was no restraint left in his actions, only obsession and cruelty.
One of his followers stepped forward hesitantly.
"Sir Maverick… I think this has gone too far. She is still a woman."
Maverick's expression darkened instantly.
He shoved the man aside.
"Shut up!" he snapped. "All of you are here because you were paid. That makes you just as guilty as I am. This woman has done nothing but humiliate me. This is payback!"
His voice echoed through the clearing, unstable, manic. Even his own men faltered, taking a step back.
Then something worse crossed his mind.
A grin slowly formed.
"…Yes," he muttered. "Maybe I should strip her of her dignity instead. That would be fitting… a soiled White Mage."
He moved before anyone could stop him.
Grabbing Ayumu by the arm and turned her around on the ground to face him.
Ayumu's body trembled violently in his grip. Her eyes, half-focused from pain and fear, locked onto him—and in that moment, the memory returned again.
Her mother. That night. Helplessness.
Her death.
Maverick laughed evilly and started to tear her robes. Exposing her right bosom and pulling her hair back as she struggles.
Her breath caught in her throat. She couldn't scream. She couldn't even inhale properly as panic swallowed her completely.
Maverick laughed, dragging her closer as she struggled weakly in his grasp.
But then—the forest shifted.
Two figures arrived at incredible speed. Hooves thundered through the trees.
Before anyone could react, darkness exploded across the clearing, swallowing visibility whole.
The men staggered, disoriented.
And in the brief opening of sight they had—A fist came out of nowhere.
One by one, they were struck down, collapsing to the ground without even understanding what hit them.
Maverick barely had time to turn. A shadow erupted beneath him.
It seized him instantly, coiling around his neck like a living vice.
He was lifted off the ground, choking, his grip on Ayumu forced loose.
Kaiser stood in the darkness.
His hand extended as the shadows moved with his will.
His expression was cold.
But his eyes—were furious.
Not just at what had happened.
But at what they had dared to do to her.
"…How dare you."
The words were quiet.
But the killing intent behind them was unmistakable.
He thought, how dare they try to violate Ayumu. If he was but a second later, Ayumu might have already been raped and the thought of that made him furious beyond control.
Ayumu was his.
The thought surfaced unbidden, sharp and undeniable. And now that he understood it, there was no turning back.
But even so—this was not the time for bloodshed.
As much as he wanted to end them here and now… it would only complicate matters. They had to be taken alive.
Drobar was equally enraged.
He had only recently come to know Ayumu, yet in that short time, she had become someone he considered a friend—someone who had, without even realizing it, helped him when he was at his lowest.
And now, these pieces of filth had dared to lay their hands on her.
He moved swiftly, grabbing the three men that he had punched and beaten up then tying them tightly with rough restraints. His grip shaking with anger.
Meanwhile, Maverick still hung in the air, gasping desperately.
The shadow around his neck tightened intermittently, cutting off his breath as he struggled to break free, his face turning pale.
"You worthless piece of scum," Kaiser said coldly, his voice low and cutting. "You were far worse than I imagined. How dare you commit such an act. You do not deserve to be part of the Magis community."
The shadows constricted sharply.
Maverick convulsed once—then went limp.
"He dead?" Drobar asked nonchalantly.
"I wanted to kill him," Kaiser replied flatly. "But... he must stand trial."
He released the shadow.
Maverick dropped to the ground unconscious.
Kaiser turned away immediately, his attention shifting.
"I will deal with him later. Right now… Lady Ayumu needs treatment."
Drobar exhaled slowly, his anger still burning—but now mixed with clarity.
Only now did he truly understand what Ayumu meant when they were in the library a few days back.
If he had already been an appointed judge, he would have had the authority to execute them on the spot.
But he wasn't.
He had delayed his studies. Delayed his exams. Delayed his responsibilities.
And because of that—Justice could not be delivered immediately.
His jaw tightened.
If trials were held… men like these might even escape punishment through influence or corruption. That thought alone made his blood boil.
Kaiser, on the other hand, walked toward Ayumu slowly.
She was still on the ground.
Her torn robes clutched tightly around her trembling frame. Her breathing was uneven, her body shaken by pain and fear.
Kaiser's expression darkened further.
This sight of her helplessness. This was definitely unforgivable.
But he forced himself to remain steady.
She needed treatment first. But its difficult as he could not touch her.
"Ayumu," he said gently, though his voice still carried tension. "Can you stand?"
She did not respond immediately.
Her body shook violently, and the ground beneath her was stained with falling tears, like fractured crystals catching the moonlight.
Slowly, she tried.
Her hands pressed against the earth as she forced herself upward, trembling with every movement.
Her legs wavered. Her balance broke.
She wiped her face weakly, trying to regain composure… but her strength was already gone.
The sight of Ayumu shattered something within Kaiser.
He could not stand to see her like this.
Ayumu staggered forward, trying to take even the smallest steps, but her body betrayed her at every turn. She was in too much pain—physically, emotionally, everything breaking down at once.
At this rate, riding back was impossible. And what more, she could not even walk.
Kaiser made his decision.
"I'm sorry, Ayumu," he said softly. "Please forgive me if this frightens you."
Ayumu lifted her gaze weakly toward him, her bruised face barely able to focus.
Kaiser moved without hesitation.
He removed his outer robe, revealing the tight black sleeveless turtleneck beneath.
Then, carefully, he draped the robe over her head and shoulders, shielding her face from view and blocking out the world around her.
Before she could react further, he lifted her into his arms.
Ayumu flinched instantly, panic flickering through her weakened state, and she let out a small cry of fear.
"Shh," Kaiser murmured gently, holding her more securely. "It's me… Kaiser. Don't be afraid. I'm just trying to help you."
Slowly, her struggling eased.
She was still trembling—but no longer resisting.
Her breathing remained uneven at first, but it gradually steadied into deeper, slower breaths.
That alone was enough.
A good sign.
Kaiser mounted his horse swiftly, holding Ayumu securely against him.
Once seated, he adjusted her carefully, placing her on his lap so she would not fall. He could feel her entire body shaking, her silent sobs pressing into his chest through the fabric.
His grip tightened slightly—not restraining, but anchoring her.
"I've got you," he said quietly. "You're safe now."
He turned his head toward Drobar.
"I will leave first. I entrust those filth to you."
Drobar exhaled, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah… sure. Leave the cleanup to me, huh?"
It came out like a joke—but there was no real humour in it.
He understood.
Ayumu needed medical attention immediately. And there was no time to waste.