Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 561 - 560- I will take care of her

"Lay him there," Nolan said softly before Adrian slowly rested the sleeping young man on the bed.

Charles barely stirred as he was placed down. His breathing was slow and uneven, the faint traces of dried tears still clinging to his lashes. The exhaustion had finally claimed him after the storm of emotions he had endured.

Back in the garden, while weeping, he had fallen asleep in Elana’s arms.

The garden had been quiet then, the evening wind rustling faintly through the leaves while Charles clung to her like a child who had lost his way. His grip on her clothes had slowly loosened as fatigue overtook him, his sobs fading into shallow breaths until sleep finally took him.

Elana needed to use the restroom, so she asked whether Adrian could bring him to his room. Upon entering the house, Nolan had found them in the hallway and directed Adrian to the room.

The house itself was unusually silent. The lanterns along the corridor cast a gentle amber glow across the wooden floor, their light stretching into long shadows along the walls as Adrian carried Charles inside.

"The first impression I had of Charles told me he is a very wise and mature young man. But thankfully, that wisdom didn’t take away his emotions for his family members," Adrian voiced in a low tone as he stepped back from the bed.

For a moment, his eyes lingered on the sleeping figure. Charles’ brow was still faintly furrowed even in sleep, as if the pain of the day had not fully released its hold on him.

Nolan nodded slowly, folding his arms as he looked at the young man.

"He has always been quite attached to his elder sister. What happened today... it really left him broken."

His voice carried a quiet heaviness. Nolan had watched Charles grow up, had seen the boy mature far faster than most his age. Yet even the strongest hearts had their fragile points.

Adrian hummed softly, his gaze lowering for a brief moment before he spoke again.

"Yes... things didn’t go the way they should have."

There was a brief pause before he glanced toward Nolan.

"I apologize if I have been rude to you or Lady Natasha."

Nolan shook his head without hesitation.

"You weren’t, and those words you said... it only shows how much you care about her."

His tone held neither offense nor reproach. If anything, there was a faint understanding behind it.

Crossing his arms, he added, "Natasha was guilty of what she said to Elana back there, but trust me, she was only concerned for her."

Adrian nodded slowly, his expression calm but thoughtful. "I know, and more importantly, Elana recognized her concern as well." Looking down, with his lips still curved, he added, "It’s just...sometimes even if your intentions are pure, the way you say it might change its meaning."

His voice carried no accusation, only quiet understanding. Words had a strange way of shaping emotions. Even when spoken out of care, they could cut deeper than intended.

Nolan nodded in agreement. Natasha’s wording had been wrong, and the way it came out had hurt Elana deeply.

He could still remember the moment in the reception. The silence that followed Natasha’s words. The way Elana’s expression had fallen for just a brief second before she got up and left. Natasha had only been worried, but worry spoken without restraint often turned into something sharp.

After a brief pause, Nolan asked, "Professor...I want to ask you everything you know about her condition and whether Elana would suffer because of it."

The question hung heavily in the quiet room.

Adrian continued to look down, his gaze resting on the wooden floor as if carefully arranging his thoughts before allowing them to leave his mouth.

"It isn’t a proven fact, but I have observed another Nytharos’s apostle very closely. And I could tell that if that Fallen God wishes to...he could take control of Elana."

The words came out calm and measured, yet the weight behind them was undeniable.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The faint sound of Charles’ breathing was the only thing filling the room.

There was no better way of saying it. After all, the consequences would remain bad despite how beautifully it was presented.

Nolan, naturally, stiffened upon hearing those words, concern and fear clear in his eyes.

It was strange to see the man who had once faced an entire army without any backup on his side, standing alone with a brave smirk on his lips, now making that face.

That only showed how deeply he cared about his family.

The fearless warrior who would charge into a storm of blades without hesitation now looked shaken by a single possibility. Because this was not a battlefield he could fight on, nor an enemy he could strike down with his own hands.

Adrian soon told him, "But...I have a cure."

Nolan’s eyes widened.

"Professor Adrian?"

Adrian nodded slowly, meeting his gaze with quiet certainty.

"While I can’t completely remove Nytharos’s essence from her soul, I can suppress it regularly so that Nytharos couldn’t take a hold of her."

His words were steady, carefully chosen. Removing the essence of a Fallen God entirely was beyond even his reach. But suppression, containment, control... those were things he had heard and tested.

For the first time since the conversation began, Nolan’s rigid posture shifted.

His lips parted in shock, and a flicker of hope appeared in his eyes. A fragile, almost desperate light.

Before Adrian could say anything further, Nolan suddenly lowered his head.

The motion was abrupt and heavy, his broad shoulders bowing forward.

Adrian visibly flustered at the sight.

"Please... Sir Adrian... protect my daughter."

Adrian panicked and hurriedly urged him to raise his head.

"Ah, I didn’t tell you that to have you lower your head. Please, Sir Nolan. You are a Hero, an inspiration for me. Please don’t make me feel guilty."

He stepped forward instinctively, his hands slightly raised as if unsure whether he should help Nolan up or simply wait for him to rise on his own. The sight genuinely unsettled him.

In the kingdom, Nolan was not merely a respected knight. His name carried weight. Songs had been written about his battles, and countless young soldiers looked up to him as the very image of courage.

Seeing such a man bow his head like this felt deeply uncomfortable.

Nolan slowly shook his head.

"For my precious, I can go to any length, Sir."

His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. The words were simple, yet the conviction behind them was absolute.

To Nolan, pride, honor, reputation, none of those things mattered when it came to his daughter. If lowering his head could secure even a sliver of safety for her, then it was a small price to pay.

Adrian stared at him for a brief moment before a small, understanding smile appeared on his lips.

"I understand," he said gently. "And don’t worry, Sir Nolan, I won’t abandon my student in her difficult times."

There was no hesitation in his tone.

Turning slightly, Adrian looked outside the window.

The night had settled quietly beyond the glass. The garden was bathed in faint moonlight, the branches swaying softly with the breeze. For a moment, his gaze lingered there, thoughtful.

"I won’t ever leave her side," he said quietly, "You can count on me for that."