Part 2 Chapter 91
***
“Ha ha ha ha!”
In the moment of exultation, I glanced around the conference room nervously.
Yes, this was exactly how I expected things to unfold.
The Basenberg guards, their faces pale, stuck to the walls, enduring mental torment as they waited for their turn.
David, lying on the table, his belly exposed like a person on an operating table, unsure whether he was alive or dead.
Father, already with a deep wound around his neck, seemingly thrilled from the earlier stabbing.
And then, there was Elliot, trembling on his knees in front of Ryan, possibly next in line.
‘Incredible, amazing.’
I had hoped that Ryan, by using Father to release his pent-up frustration while maintaining the power block, would keep his emotions in check. But I didn’t know how far he would go.
The idea of controlling his impulses wasn’t part of the original plan, but I decided to come because I wanted to be there for Ryan. I feared that due to my unexpected death, Ryan might lose control and escalate the violence beyond what he intended.
I hoped he wouldn’t lose his humanity in this process.
‘At least, he can’t do this in front of me.’
I sighed with relief and then began to look around at the shocked faces of my family members.
***
The scene where Bania rushes into the room alive brings Edgar to a moment of realization.
His confusion stemmed from whether Bania had not died or was somehow revived—though he leaned more toward the latter.
Bania, with his blood running through her veins, had been rejected just like Ryan, cast away in the past. It was a power that had been passed down. It was only now, too late, that Edgar realized the tragic nature of the situation—the tragedy that started the day he abandoned Ryan and had been steadily built by his own hand.
Diana, in contrast, was more shocked by Krista, who arrived holding Bania’s hand.
Krista, the 1% of hope that Edgar had clung to during his wait, simply stood there, staring at the family members on the execution block, doing nothing.
And then, she smiled cruelly.
“Well, it’s ruined. Damn it.”
Diana muttered to herself, before quickly hiding under the table with a cloak of a guard she had grabbed.
Elliot, sitting on the floor, helplessly looked up at Ryan and Bania, clinging to each other.
There was no way Ryan had been mistaken, but how could Bania be alive?
“You, how are you… alive?”
As Elliot pointed a trembling finger toward Bania, she cheerfully replied, “Hey~ Catch on!”
“Ahh!”
Ryan stopped Elliot’s hand with a quick motion, twisting his finger. Elliot had started to speak as if worried that if he asked, Nika might realize Bania’s survival.
“Where’s your son-in-law?”
Just as expected, Elliot whispered, asking about Nika. I whispered back, answering, “He went to check the central stairs.”
Nika, after I insisted on coming, gritted his teeth and headed straight for the 8th-floor entrance, not the conference room. He knew the conference room was safe, but the entrance could potentially be targeted by Basenberg’s reinforcements.
“What’s that? Is Father a doctor? Is he going to operate?”
Ryan chuckled and glanced at David, who was stripped and laid out on the table.
“Was preparing for surgery.”
“Are you insane?”
Thwack!
Ryan flinched as I slapped his rock-solid shoulder.
“Ow, why’d you hit me?”
“Stop making it worse!”
“I need to operate on this bastard to fix my own insanity!”
“That’s nonsense!”
I squeezed his waist tight, making sure he couldn’t move.
“I get dizzy when I see blood. Let’s stop this and go home.”
“…I wish we could.”
We both turned to look at Father, who was staring at us with a blank expression.
I checked again by using my power on the wound on Father’s neck, but the power block remained.
“Lord.”
Max, realizing something, tossed Ryan a gun. Ryan caught it and quickly chambered a round.
“Get out.”
Ryan said to me before turning his aim to Elliot’s head.
Elliot, wide-eyed, trembled in fear.
Sadly, my second brother could only leave this place dead, just like the first, David.
The other gifted individuals could be subdued physically, but the two brothers with the highest-level offensive abilities were ticking time bombs.
“Just shoot? You watching?”
Ryan urged me. I looked back at Father. He was still watching me.
He must have known I was giving him a moment to decide.
“…Ryan, wait.”
And finally, Father stood up, holding his neck wound and stumbling towards us.
“Father…”
Elliot turned to look at him.
Father and son stood silently facing each other.
“I’m sorry.”
“Father, Father…”
“Let’s meet again soon. This is all I can do for you.”
“Ab… Abba…”
Elliot started to cry like a child. Father’s chin trembled, and tears filled his eyes too.
Then, Father looked at Ryan.
The signal that the power block had been lifted.
But Ryan waited.
Elliot, trembling, turned his head back toward us.
“What’s wrong? Why are you just standing there and shaking? Go ahead and set my head on fire. I’m ready for whatever.”
“……”
Elliot remained silent, kneeling, tears falling freely down his cheeks.
He must have known. He knew that if he did anything, the last mercy his father had given him—allowing him to leave in peace without further suffering—would go to waste.
“Don’t feel sorry for yourself. You know well that you’ve done things worthy of death, right?”
“……”
Elliot closed his eyes. The fear of death and late remorse streamed down his face relentlessly.
Ah. This is why I couldn’t bear to watch.
I couldn’t just calmly watch the end of this villain.
“Ah! Are you crazy? You could have just said something! Why hit him like that?”
He was my flesh and blood, and our shared memories, buried deep in my mind, were undeniable.
“Ugh, damn it, our princess’s pretty face is all swollen now!”
Especially my second brother, who had always been needlessly kind.
“Ta-da! I brought something nice for you, big sister! Take this and feel better, and don’t bring my ledger to your boyfriend anymore, alright?”
“Ryan…”
Elliot, tears streaming down his face, began speaking.
“I’m sorry… I… I ignored you when you were thrown out, and I didn’t help you…”
“……”
“I don’t know why I did that… You’re my brother… I really don’t know why…”
“……”
Ryan silently listened to his brother’s words.
Twelve years in prison, an entire half of Ryan’s life stolen by his older brother’s actions.
Elliot’s late apology—did it ease some of Ryan’s anger?
I didn’t know.
“U-uh…”
Elliot raised his head, seemingly filled with hope because Ryan had been listening.
“If you just give me one chance, I’ll make up for what I haven’t done as your older brother…”
In an instant, the light left Elliot’s eyes. His body crumpled as his breath ceased.
A stunned silence enveloped the room.
Everyone gasped in shock, holding their breath. As they watched, Ryan calmly walked toward David.
“Next.”
