Lyon Returns! (2/3)

Lyon POV:

A few days passed, and Belle doubled the amount of time she made me wait outside each day. Today, 15 hours had gone by, but Belle refused to open the door.

I leaned over the railing, waving back to those who called out to me from the nearby streets as I observed a poster plastered against the alleyway below. It showed the new colour-coded dress scheme that Isabelle had designed. The Trainees wore dark green, Workers; dark red, Watchers; dark blue, and the Vices wore black and white. Kumo had made this dress code mandatory once I returned.

There were several posters like this scattered throughout the district in order to inform the regular civilians of the change. If they had an issue, the Organization is who they'd go to, so it was important to make their lives as easy as possible.

*Click*

The door finally opened, and Belle stepped outside. She closed it behind her before moving towards the railing.

"...You're so persistent."

She leaned against the rail, peering down into the dark alley.

"I don't think that's a bad trait to have."

"...It is. It means that you don't know when to give up, and that's dangerous."

I narrowed my eyes at her words as she turned to face me. She stared at me intensely while the wind caused her long hair to sway side to side gently.

"I've seen it... I've seen what you've done here in District 4. I've seen the lives that you've changed and saved... No one here speaks bad about you..."

"..."

I remained silent while I observed her light green eyes that shimmered closely.

"But that's as far as it goes. I'm grateful that you took my brother off that path of destruction. It's thanks to you that he found me—that we reunited..."

Tears pooled at the sides of her eyes as she kept eye contact with me.

"But in doing so, you made him remember who he once used to be. That pain ate away at him constantly, day by day. Brunaulf never had a strong heart in the first place; he was forced to be strong for our parents... For me."

My eyebrows quivered slightly. Belle ignored the tears flowing down her cheeks while continuing to speak.

"He has suffered enough... Please don't come back again. He won't be returning to that world; I won't let him."

She wiped the tears away and glared at me. The fierceness in her eyes multiplied, showing her determination and resolve. My lips curved into a gentle smile as I observed her desire to protect Brunaulf.

"Belle, do you know how much worse he would have been if he didn't hear my voice a few days ago?"

Her facial expression contorted, and a shadow fell over it. She balled her hands into fists that shook with an overflowing rage.

"Ha... You think you're so cool just because you became a District Leader at a young age? You think you know it all, don't you? Looking at me with that condescending smile. You make me sick! You don't understand my brother better than I do!!"

My smile faded as she took a step forward.

"You think I don't know what you're doing? Planting that seed of hope inside of him, telling him of his responsibilities to come back and fight for your stupid Organization! Haha... You can fool other people, but your cute face and sweet words won't work on me!"

She roared while looking at me with slightly delirious eyes. Her breathing was unstable, but she didn't shy away from letting me know her thoughts and her feelings. However...

"Listen to me, Belle."

I pushed her against the wall lightly and placed my hand on the door behind her.

"No, you listen to me!!"

Her hands crashed into my chest with the intention of launching me off the landing. Her veins bulged every time she screamed. I stepped back voluntarily, and Belle's eyebrows crumpled together.

"You're selfish!"

"And you're stubborn."

She laughed hysterically while pointing at my chest.

"You come into people's lives giving them hope, but you fail to realize that not everybody is strong like you!"

My eyes widened as I looked at her with a solemn expression.

"You should stop running from the past, Belle."

"What would you know about that? Your suffering can't compare to mine! This is to protect his future, our future!!"

I tried my best to remain calm. I didn't agree with what she was saying; she was projecting her own insecurities onto me.

"...So you think locking Brunaulf away in that state is protecting him? That's unhealthy."

"Shut up... It's better than watching him get hurt again..."

Her eyes visibly shook at my words. She knew her actions weren't right, but from her perspective, she couldn't let Brunaulf suffer anymore.

"Belle, I'm going to speak with him one more time."

"NO—"

My arms wrapped around her as I pulled Belle into a deep hug. She tried to push me away, struggling to break free, but eventually, her resistance stopped. Her arms trembled as her hands gripped my back tightly.

"Please... Don't force him to go... Just leave him out of this..."

She sobbed uncontrollably and buried her head deep into my shoulder.

"You're wrong, Belle. I've never forced Brunaulf to do anything. He could have left at any time, and I wouldn't have chased after him. He chose to stay because he knew opportunity had come his way. He knew this was the turning point for him. It's the same for everyone in the Organization; they all were given and still have a choice."

Her shoulders heaved up and down while pulling me in closer.

"We have hope because the future isn't set. It's what allows us to re-examine ourselves, to make changes, to be better. I promise you, Belle, we won't lose this war, and Brunaulf will return to you safely."

She moved her head away from my shoulder and looked into my eyes.

"...And what if you're wrong?... What if someone dies?... Can't you just stay like this? The district is already fine now... Why don't you just stop?..."

"Do you think the Ruler will let it go? I took Isabelle away from him. He's a man who would even go up against Enigma just to get his hands on some Ki Enhancing Drugs. If we don't move, he will once he's ready."

She bit her lip and looked away. Her cheeks were red from the intense anger she displayed earlier.

"...But how can you be sure?..."

"He wants to become a King. To rule over not just the South, but Outer and even Inner Astril too. He's blinded by power, and I won't just sit back and watch him destroy everything in his path to achieve his goal."

"Fine...You're strong... But promise me this, if my brother refuses to fight, please don't force him too..."

I unlinked my arms around her waist as my lips spread into a thin smile.

"I promise."

She covered her face with her hands for a while. I heard her take deep breaths as she calmed herself down. Belle wiped the tears away and nodded her head. She opened the door to the apartment before walking off.

I let out a small sigh as I stepped inside. I opened the side door and saw Brunaulf slumped against the wall in the same position as last time.

"Brunaulf."

The light flickered in and out of his lifeless eyes. He turned his head to face the wall, pulling the black hoodie deeper over his face.

"B-Belle!!"

He called out for his sister repeatedly, but this time, she wouldn't be coming. Brunaulf reluctantly shifted his head towards me after realizing the situation.

"L-Leader..."

"Let's go for a walk, Brunaulf."

I stretched out my hand, and he gazed at it for some time. He grabbed hold of it, using it as support for him to get to his feet, and we left the apartment.

***

??? POV:

I gazed at Elinor, bowing with one hand on her knee. That trivial war with Enigma, it was time to hear the results of it. I had left her in charge, so I already knew what the outcome would be.

"My Lord, I have brought what you wished for."

One of the Vices opened the door and quickly placed down a large number of briefcases before leaving. My thin lips curved into a smile as I looked at Elinor with pleased eyes.

"Unfortunately, it was impossible to take it all, but I hope this amount reaches your expectations."

"Of course it does. When have you ever failed me, Elinor?"

I watched the blood rush to her cheeks while her gaze remained fixated on the floor. I turned my attention towards the briefcases as Elinor splayed her hand, opening a few of them in the process.

"The new and improved KEDs are split into two main categories: Grade 4+ and Grade 3-. Grade 4+ is split further via a colour-coded scheme based on the overall type of your ability, whereas Grade 3- is the standard KED for those below Shin. Using the incorrect KED will cause worse side effects than the old iteration."

My hands rested on the sides of the armrests as I observed the different coloured liquids in the syringes. Enigma's research was now in the palm of my hands—this had brought me one step closer to my goal.

My predecessor had chosen to walk a different path thanks to the involvement of a power much greater than his, but I wouldn't be swayed. I knew I was a King. I knew I was meant to rule, and I knew people were meant to bow down before my presence like the dirty worms that they were.

"We took heavy damage during the war. A large majority of the Organization's Watchers and Vices were wiped out as well as a significant amount of the Royal Guards in the 20s."

"A trivial matter. How long until our forces will be ready to move out again?"

"At the very minimum, we need two months to recuperate our losses."

I rose from my seat and peered down at Elinor, who bowed her head even deeper.

'Two months? That would be fine.'

I planned on letting those defying me run around a little longer. They would become drunk on the hope that their situation had changed, lost in a dreamlike state of temporary peace and then... Only then would I strike my hand down.

I would release Tengu's Breath, watching it spread across the three districts enamoured by the delusion known as harmony, and I would punish them for their insolence; for disobeying their King.

They will remember clearly who the Heavenly King of the South is. The name that had started to lose its recognition would be revitalised once more, and I alone would be the spearhead that was responsible for it.

'You'll be back in my hands soon, Amplifier.'

I descended the steps and crouched down in front of Elinor. I lifted her chin up and noticed a plaster covering a wound across her cheek. I ran my hand over it gently while she looked into my eyes.

"Who did this to you?"

"...It's just a scratch... There's no need to concern yourself about it..."

She placed her soft fingers against mine and caressed them. Elinor closed her eyes while I gazed at her luscious eyelashes that complimented her perfect skin and rosy red cheeks.

'...'

Once I ruled over this country, I would make her my Queen. I would give her everything she could ever want in this world, and I would show her that I was meant to be a King; a man worthy of taking her as my bride.

My subjects understood this well, and it reflected in their recent performances. Solina had jumped all the way to Rank 10 after she suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of a nobody. The other Royal Guards also advanced themselves further as the countdown to the upcoming purge drew near.

"Make sure no one antagonizes the other districts. Let them dream a little longer."

"Y-Yes... My King..."

I kissed her forehead softly as she went a darker shade of red. I held her close to my chest while my thin lips spread into a wide grin.

'Soon.'