Father, I Won’t Do Anything

Belatedly registering the agonizing pain from his severed arm, Rosian let out a harrowing scream.

“Aaaack!”

Clenching his jaw, he struggled to maintain consciousness. Succumbing now would endanger not only himself but Jaina as well.

As Rosian desperately attempted to stanch the bleeding, the draconic soldiers swiftly charged.

It was at that moment–

“Your Highness!”

Wheeeing-

Accompanied by Jaina’s cry, a massive swirling vortex of darkness assailed the draconic soldiers.

“Kaaaaak!”

Enveloped by the darkness, the draconic soldiers emitted anguished wails as they were drawn into the vortex’s center.

After some time, as the vortex dissipated, only a handful of draconic soldiers remained.

Compared to their initial numbers, it seemed nearly two-thirds had been annihilated.

Witnessing this spectacle, Rosian finally collapsed to the ground.

“Your Highness, Your Highness! Come to your senses!”

Jaina hurriedly rushed to Rosian’s side.

If Rosian hadn’t drawn the draconic soldiers’ attention, she would have been unable to utilize the time-consuming dark magic.

The dragon might imbued within the draconic soldiers had indeed proven formidable.

Swiftly erecting a barrier upon reaching Rosian, Jaina was immediately beset by the remaining draconic soldiers’ relentless assault.

Changg!

Yet Jaina paid them no heed, tending to Rosian’s wounds.

“Haa, Miss Jaina, now is not the time to worry about me.”

“Be quiet! I need to stop the bleeding!”

Startled by Jaina’s raised voice, Rosian fell silent.

Tearing a strip from her hooded cloak, Jaina spoke urgently.

“You’ve lost too much blood. If we don’t treat this properly…”

“…We don’t have time for that.”

Rosian glanced at his severed left arm.

His left hand still tightly gripped the sword forged from Jaina’s fangs, prompting an involuntary wry smile.

“You’re smiling at a time like this?”

“Ah, I suppose it’s not quite the occasion…”

Yet Rosian felt a sense of fulfillment in this situation, as if the years of relentless sword training had finally borne fruit.

Gently pushing Jaina aside, Rosian rose to his feet.

“Your Highness?”

“Fortunately, I wield a one-handed sword style. With my remaining right arm, I can still buy us some time.”

Even as he spoke, blood continued to flow from his severed left arm, the hooded cloak strip quickly becoming drenched.

“Miss Jaina, just use magic to stop the bleeding. I’ll try to create an opening for your escape.”

Despite the evident agony, Rosian flashed a subtle smile – the same gentle, spring-like one Jaina had grown accustomed to.

“What are you saying!”

“Ah, and don’t forget to use the remaining reagents in your pouch.”

Chang!

Rosian gazed impassively at the gradually weakening barrier.

“Once the barrier shatters, run. Understood?”

Jaina’s pupils trembled, an uncharacteristic display of turmoil from her usually composed demeanor. Regarding her disquiet, Rosian offered a bittersweet smile.

‘We’ve grown much closer than before…’

“Your Highness! Such jokes are not funny! I’ll find a way with my remaining mana and the reagents in my pouch, so let’s escape together, okay?”

Rosian smiled wistfully at Jaina.

She had become his purpose, imbuing meaning into his once aimless, indolent existence.

Without her, he would have continued using his mother as an excuse to evade his fate.

‘You see, Brother Mikael? It wasn’t a futile effort.’

Panoramic memories flashed through Rosian’s mind.

Gazing bewildered as Jaina rushed into the flames.

The subsequent turmoil upon belatedly learning of Izren’s existence as her guard.

After discovering Izren’s role, Rosian had spent days in a daze, unable to focus on his sword training.

-Rosian.

Perceiving his state, Elia had been the first to approach him.

-Do I truly need to be there for Miss Jaina?

-…

-Jaina already has Brother Mikael and Lady Hilvenzia by her side. Perhaps I overstepped by inserting myself, driven by a desire to protect and aid her.

-But Rosian, it’s better to have even one more person capable of watching over someone.

Rosian had listened dazedly as Elia continued.

-Do you wish to be acknowledged as irreplaceable by Jaina, or do you genuinely want to help her?

-…

-If it’s the former, then having fewer people around Jaina would be preferable.

-That’s not it!

-Then what’s the issue? Simply continue wielding your sword.

Elia had added further reassurance.

-Even if you lack talent or effort, rendering you merely one among many around Jaina, even if she remains unaware of your sweat and tears today… Persevere.

Rosian tightly gripped the sole remaining sword in his hand.

-The day will come when you can be of aid to Jaina.

‘You were right, Mother.’

Chaaang!

As the barrier finally shattered, Rosian forcefully shoved Jaina back before charging the draconic soldiers, channeling every ounce of his mana.

‘I want to protect this child.’

That single resolve had propelled him tirelessly until now. It was time to demonstrate the outcome.

“Over here, you fools!”

Wheeeing!

With his remaining arm, Rosian swung his sword.

Not to strike, but solely to draw the draconic soldiers’ attention.

“Kaaak!”

Enraged, the draconic soldiers billowed black smoke from their eyes as they charged Rosian.

Struggling to focus his blurring vision, Rosian fixed his gaze upon them.

‘Is this how I die? I need to buy more time until MissJaina escapes…’

Yet contrary to his resolve, his strength waned as his body weakened from the blood loss, his sight growing increasingly dim.

As darkness encroached upon his vision and consciousness faded, a familiar voice reached Rosian’s ears in that moment.

“You’ve managed to buy enough time, at least.”

Tearing through space itself, a man appeared before him – a man Rosian knew all too well.

“Diamid Bellafanian…”

With the Tower Lord’s arrival, he could finally rest at ease.

Gazing hazily at the man’s back, Rosian lost consciousness, inwardly murmuring, ‘I’m glad Miss Jaina is safe,’ as he did so.

* * *

‘I’m bound to receive an earful from Elia.’

After glimpsing Rosian’s state, Diamid’s lips curved into a faint smirk before shifting his gaze towards the draconic soldiers.

Though they seemed to regard him as a new threat, Diamid paid the draconic soldiers no heed, contemplating how to deal with the arrogant dragons who had instigated this folly.

“Foolish dragons, hastening their demise…”

Combining formulas, Diamid raised his hands.

Sensing the immense mana he channeled, the draconic soldiers faltered before fleeing in a desperate bid for survival.

But it was futile.

The three-formula magic.

Woooong-

The very spell Peyron had deemed impossible, the one Diamid had employed against the dragons, erupted from his hands.

Baaaaaang!

Baaaaaang!

Diamid repeatedly channeled his mana to the absolute limit, recklessly expending it without regard for his physical state.

Even as the draconic soldiers were reduced to mere dust, he continued unleashing the spell upon their remains, as if making amends for his delayed arrival.

Diamid’s onslaught ceased only when Jaina, who had belatedly noticed his presence, spoke up.

“T-Tower Lord…?”

“Indeed.”

Diamid answered curtly, as if concealing the extent of his inner turmoil and fury.

For in that moment, all that mattered was the girl standing safely before him.

“For the Tower Lord to come here… Is this a dream…?”

As Jaina regarded him in a daze, Diamid swiftly approached her.

She had begun muttering before collapsing, prompting his haste.

Cradling the unconscious Jaina, Diamid gazed down at her familiar yet unfamiliar features.

The slight warmth emanating from her frame.

The raven locks resembling his own.

Even her facial features akin to Bezrice’s.

Only then did the reality truly sink in – that he had reunited with this tiny girl he had thought forever lost.

‘Jaina… No, my daughter.’

An indescribable blend of emotions surfaced upon his visage – seeming equal parts guilt and joy.

Unable to find his voice, Diamid buried his face in Jaina’s shoulder before turning at a familiar presence.

“I sensed dragon mana en route, which struck me as suspicious.”

Seiden, who had followed Diamid, surveyed their surroundings as he spoke.

“Indeed, draconic soldiers were present as well.”

“The barrier set up around the training grounds was already peculiar… If draconic soldiers were involved, then this must have been meticulously planned over an extended period.”

The barrier encircling the training grounds possessed formidable power, impenetrable even to Seiden, the academy’s headmaster, without Diamid’s aid.

Had it not been for Diamid’s assistance, they might not have arrived in time.

After completing his investigation, Seiden approached Diamid with a perplexed expression, for the latter’s complexion was alarmingly pale.

“Diamid…?”

“She collapsed suddenly. She’s clearly ailing, but in my current state, I’m struggling to identify the cause. Could you take a look?”

Regarding Diamid with bewildered eyes, Seiden noticed the man’s hands trembling ever so slightly.

‘The cold and callous Tower Lord, trembling… Should I be pleased?’

Seiden slowly examined Jaina’s condition, relieved to find no major injuries.

It seemed she had merely lost consciousness from overexerting her mana.

However, Diamid repeatedly scanned her body with his mana, poised to administer healing reagents if necessary. Sensing the need to dissuade him, Seiden spoke.

“Jaina has merely lost consciousness from overusing her mana. Her body is unharmed, so there’s no need for concern.”

“…Is that so.”

“In truth, Student Rosian’s condition is far more dire…”

At Seiden’s words, Diamid briefly glanced at Rosian before tossing him a vial of reagent.

“I noticed his arm had been severed earlier. This healing reagent developed by Hilvenzia should be effective.”

Dismissively, as if a severed limb were a mere trifle, Diamid carefully cradled Jaina before departing from the training grounds.

Watching his abrupt departure in a daze, Seiden belatedly hurried to Rosian’s side.

“Good heavens…”

Even from a distance, the blood trail was alarmingly fresh. Judging by the dried blood, the amputation had occurred quite some time ago. Seiden hastily located the severed arm and applied the reagent.

‘Please, please reattach…’

The Delaide royal family had generously supported Melbel Academy for generations. Moreover, Rosian was the son of Elia, Diamid’s former comrade.

If Rosian lost an arm within the academy’s confines, Seiden dreaded facing Elia.

Yet inwardly, he had already resigned himself to the inevitable.

Though Diamid had vouched for the reagent’s efficacy, too much time had elapsed since the amputation.

“Aah…”

Despite a considerable period elapsing after applying the reagent, no luminous glow or discernible change was visible. As Seiden sighed in resignation, a miracle occurred.

The bones began reattaching, followed by the flesh knitting together, the arm seamlessly reattaching itself – an outcome beyond his wildest expectations.

‘If such a reagent could be successfully developed, imagine how many lives could be saved in the future…!’

As Seiden marveled in awe, the fallen Rosian’s eyelids fluttered.

“Jai, na…”

“Student Jaina is safe. Don’t worry.”

Upon hearing those words, Rosian could finally rest at ease, closing his eyes peacefully.