Accepting Rebuke

"Uhm, young master... "I get why Roland is on his knee, but why am I...?" Blanca inquired nicely. "What on earth is this girl doing here...?" "I was told you were the one who dragged her all over the place." Karl gestured to Anna, who sat elegantly. "Who are you seriously pointing at!?" "Thanks to me, we found out who tried to kill you," she explained. "Well, that's no news," Karl boasted. "Can I stand up, young master?" Blanca inquired. "No... what's the matter with Father...?" "I assumed he was on his way." Blanca remained mute.'

As I suspected, something serious is going on, judging by the manner Aunty and Mother left here yesterday,' Karl thought to himself. "I can't tell you, young master," Blanca replied, "but why not?" Karl asked aggressively, but his tone was cool. "Because the Chairman directly instructed me not to inform you" "..." Karl was at a loss for words. "...You mentioned Dimitry is at his family's funeral?" he rose up and asked Roland. "Yes," Roland said. "Was it the same individual who attempted to murder me?" "...it's the same one who gave the order...I've been following up on those people, seeking for a way to crush them with all the crimes they've performed in this institution." Imari Okotie-Eboh is a Nigerian, and his father is Jaja-Jabari Ngozi Okotie-Eboh." "Wait, that's so long; how did you even pronounce it?" Karl spoke to Anna. "I told you I'd been on his case for a while; well, it's usually difficult at first, but you'll get better, though I had to stay up all night to pronounce it correctly." "I admire your dedication, but there's no way I'll ever learn to pronounce it." Karl pocketed his money and walked away from them. "Where are you going, young master?" Blanca inquired.

"My friend's funeral is today...where should I go?" "Young master, I don't believe going to young master Dimitry is a good idea because he currently blames you for everything," Roland advised. "Eh? Why will he blame me? Didn't I warn him? Back in the days, if your friend's loved ones were killed, it's only fitting that you offer your friend the head of the killer during the funeral as a faithful and strong friend."

~slap~

He wasn't expecting a slap to hit on his face. "...what the hell?" he asked, frowning.

"Do you believe executing the person who murdered his family and offering his head to him will make him feel better? , how did you visualize it in your head? 'Oh Karl, thank you for killing the guy who destroyed my family, now I feel better,' I'm guessing...huh? Leaving aside the fact that it was because of you that his family was murdered in the first place, if you truly want to bring him vengeance, what you should be offering him is your head!!" As she walked out, Anna yelled at him, "...tsk, you're no different from them."

Karl remained still, his face buried in his hands. 'Wow, she really went after young master... that girl... no wonder young master was captivated,' Roland reflected, as he was taken aback by what he had just witnessed.

Blanca's mouth gaped open, "What are you doing?! "Get that, young lady!" He yelled.

The guards at the entry were going to chase Anna down when they heard Karl's piercing scream. "Stoppp!!!" he yelled at Blanca, "...do you intend to further disgrace me?" Blanca bowed and said, "I'm sorry, young master."

"...come and drive me to the place," Karl said as he walked outside. "Sir, yes!" Roland jumped to his feet and dashed outside to fetch the car.

"I don't want to meet any of you here," Karl said to Blanca. Shouldn't you be helping your father instead of wasting your time here... leave before I come back?" Karl growled at him. "Sir, yes!!" With a deep bow, he said. '...hya hya... young master is frightening,' Blanca observed as he adjusted his black sunglasses.

.....

'It's been five days since Asha hasn't returned, as I predicted... he must have failed, does that imply he's an esper...'

Imari was lost in contemplation, Nimesh, the fourth deity and prince of the Sanwal empire, a small Indian empire noted for its gold production entered the room. "...You look disturbed, Imari... the same thing with Senan and Timur, who departed to Russia about a week ago and I don't think he'll be returning to school... is this about the white-haired freshmen?"

'...Should I enlist Nimesh's help? since he's a prince, this should be fine for him to wrap up,' Imari pondered before responding, "Yes, would you li- " "I deny your offer," he responded before Imari could finish her sentence. "..." Imari looked at him as if he wanted to murder him, '...let's calm down, battling him will bring us nothing good... I'm not willing to give up any part of my body to this bastard's odd martial art. I'm going to fight him myself... Karl Asgeir Frydenlord...thanks for making me so angry.' Imari went away.

As Imari walked out, Nimesh sat on the sofa and muttered, "...you'll die..." He looked at Imari, who had come to a halt "...I'm not sure about the details, but I believe he's an esper... S rank, the Bureau, and the Delion guild are keeping all information about him hidden... but you know my father's link inside the Bureau, so I'm not sure why they're actually keeping all information about him hidden... I've done my best... the rest is up to you." "Thank you," Imari said as she raced out the door, "that bastard? S rank?" 'Never in a million years,' he thought, misled by his own ignorance.

.....

When Karl and Roland arrived at the cemetery, it appeared that the burial had concluded, and the guests dressed in black were embracing Dimitry and walking to their automobiles. "Tchi..." '...thinking of what she said... I feel guilty,' Karl couldn't bring himself to move from where he was. "Are you all right, young master?" Roland inquired. "Let's go," he said, moving forward without waiting for Roland.

As soon as Dimitry saw him, he bolted with a knife in his hand; no one knew where he got it, but he appeared to have been prepared for this moment. Karl remained motionless despite hearing black in his brain.

[Karl, you are his objective... you should back up]

Karl simply stood there until the knife touched his neck, and blood poured down his neck. "Do you really have the guts to come here?" because you believe I can't kill you" Dimitry shouted this with rage in his voice, and his red eyes were staring at Karl so intently that he could frighten him. Despite this, Karl returned his gaze. "To be honest, you can't entirely blame me." "What?" Roland was taken aback because he had expected Karl to apologize.

"...I definitely told you, you are weak, you cannot protect yourself, you are better off with me, even though you were a coward, I didn't push you to get stronger on your own, I was willing to protect you and everything you hold dear, but you were just too much of a coward, and it got the best of you... but you can have my head, if it truly makes you feel better... take it"

Dimitry drove the knife further into Karl's neck, but his hands began to shake as more blood dripped down his neck.

He screamed at Karl and dropped the knife "You're a jerk!! I hate you!!!!"

'...just what is he...his orientation is like that of an experienced warrior...' Roland asked of Karl in his mind. 'I expected him to apologize after what Miss Anna said to him, but instead he is demonstrating Dimitry's frailty, young master, you amaze me once more.' "You may have my head, I'm serious... my only sin is not protecting my friend's family, and for that reason, I'll gladly offer you my head, but you can't keep blaming me for your cowardice." Karl stated it once more.

Dimitry collapsed on the floor and sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm sorry," Karl whispered softly as he turned away.

'...wow, he finally apologized...'

"Young master might be terrible at expressing himself, but I'm sure he regrets letting you go that night," Roland stated as he bent next Dimitry. Roland stood up and walked away.

[I told you to move, but you refused, and you could have been killed]

As Karl entered the automobile, Black said as he emerged from Karl's clothing. "You don't get it... I know how it feels to be blamed...they died as a result of my incapacity to protect them..."

[However, you are now strong] "...Black sometimes, you can't just divide yourself into two...you can't be everywhere, which is why it's not always alright for you to be the strong one; everyone needs to be strong so they don't blame others."

[Is it why you said such comments to him... do you have plans to strengthen him?] "It's up to him, but if I see in his eyes the desire to get stronger, I'll teach him how to survive at the very least, because learning to protect is not teachable... after all, I'm still learning."

[hmm... You can be adult at times, but immature at others] "...what?! I'm quite mature!!"

[Right now, you're acting immaturely] Karl scoffs, "Hmm...whatever."

For a moment, Black stares at him.

[However, you may be able to defend everyone] "...no, I can't be everywhere all the time," Karl reiterated.

[You don't have to be; all you have to do is make your army stronger than they were the prior time.] "What exactly do you mean?"

[When we get there, we'll cross that bridge.]

[You've been ambushed]

As Roland approached, Black said and camouflaged into Karl's clothes.

'...is it possible that Black is also aware of my previous life... based on my memories...?' What does he mean when he says I've been ambushed?' Karl was completely baffled.

Roland got inside the automobile.

~Gbooommm~

As he hit the engine start button, the automobile exploded.