539.
Berkia, who had unexpectedly allowed a counterattack, rose to her feet.
The damage wasn’t significant.
But.
‘Master.’
Just a moment ago, she had certainly caught a glimpse of Kyle’s shadow.
However, Berkia couldn’t fully accept what she had seen.
“What are you?”
Leo pointed at himself with his finger.
“Me.”
Leo, speaking brusquely, pointed at Berkia.
“You.”
He then declared flatly.
“Master.”
Even with those words, Berkia looked at Leo with an expressionless gaze.
“Nonsense.”
A chilling scoff flew through the air.
‘You won’t believe it.’
That was only natural.
It’s an absurd story.
If that’s the case…
“It’s just a matter of proving it.”
Leo spread out his palm.
Huuuung-!
The magical energy that erupted from Leo’s hand made Berkia tense warily.
Hwaac-!
And soon, in the snowy wasteland, a single flower bloomed.
Berkia’s eyes widened as she watched it.
As one flower blossomed into many, they quickly blanketed the surrounding area.
Berkia’s eyes trembled as she took in the sight.
“Flower… summoning magic….”
She couldn’t forget this magic.
How could she forget the face of her smiling teacher creating a blooming flower field?
Berkia’s hands trembled.
‘No. This… this….’
Just then, a spirit appeared on the open palm of Leo, who had reached out his hand.
Berkia took a sharp intake of breath at the sight.
“Spirit Magic?”
Soon, grey aura flowed out from the sword Leo held.
Using magic, handling spirits, and emitting aura—Berkia knew exactly what this meant.
“…All… Class.”
With a trembling voice, Berkia muttered inaudibly, meeting Leo’s eyes once again.
Someone’s figure distinctly appeared behind Leo.
“Th… Teacher….”
There was no way she wouldn’t recognize it.
The flower-summoning magic.
The abilities of the All Class.
And that figure—countless pieces of evidence stated that Leo was Kyle.
“Cough!”
Berkia clutched her face.
Toward that Berkia, Leo took a step forward.
Step—step—
Berkia instinctively took a step backward.
“I don’t want to see this…”
“Berika.”
“Leave it! Don’t try to understand!”
Berkia screamed, her mind breaking down more quickly as she looked at her understanding master.
Seeing this, Leo tightened his grip.
Leo knew.
He knew he couldn’t bring Berkia back up just by his presence.
Because Berkia had fallen too far already.
It was too late for her to lean on someone.
‘Even though you struggled, you wouldn’t lean on anyone.’
That was how Leo had taught his disciple.
To walk silently and independently, without relying on anyone.
“Ah!”
The hatred burning in her chest pained her.
The thought of her ugly self causing disappointment in her teacher was utterly despairing.
Her eyes tightly shut, Berkia suddenly snapped them open and looked up at Leo.
“Teacher.”
Taking a step backward, Berkia spoke with a trembling voice.
“Please… punish me.”
Step—step—Berkia approached Leo.
“Please punish me… this undead, this ugly me who tried to destroy the world you saved.”
There was only one person.
Berkia, the sole person qualified to be judged for her sin.
That person was Kyle, who sacrificed everything to save the world.
And it was also the way out of this terrible pain.
Looking at such Berkia, Leo spoke.
“Right. Running away is also one of the paths.”
Upon hearing those words, Berkia’s face began to relax.
But her expression froze at the words that followed.
“Also not a bad choice to ask the person you considered as a father to k*ll you, Berika.”
Berkia’s body began to tremble violently.
She had recalled it.
If her child asked her to k*ll them, how would she feel listening to those words?
It felt like her insides were flipping over.
Her self-loathing grew even deeper.
Flop—!
“Aaaaaaah.”
Berkia tilted her head back and moaned.
“Arghhhaa!”
Berkia, screaming in agony, began to go berserk.
Her mind grew distant.
As emotions overwhelmed her, her sanity began to fade.
In the middle of this, she met Leo’s eyes.
Again, that look.
A look of regret… a look of sadness… a look of understanding.
When had it been?
When was the first time my teacher looked at me like that?
From when had I started to consider my teacher like a father?
While her mind was getting dimmer, Berkia lost consciousness.
“Leo!”
At that moment, an urgent voice was heard.
When Leo turned around, Luna, Eiran, and Chen Sia were rushing over with pale faces.
“Is Berkia alright?!”
In response to Luna’s urgent question, Leo spoke.
“Her mind collapsed.”
The faces of Luna and Chen Sia hardened.
Eiran’s face turned pale.
“She’s about to go berserk now.”
“That… That shouldn’t…”
Eiran looked at Berkia.
“How… how can we…”
“Don’t worry.”
Leo nonchalantly spoke.
His gaze was already fixed on the Berkia who had lost her senses.
There was no intention of giving up from the start.
Because that wasn’t a word in Leo’s dictionary.
But…
‘Even if I tried to give up, it’s impossible because you’ll look at me like that, right?’
Leo tightened his grip.
The image of Berika, who looked at him with a frightened gaze during the last moment before her mind collapsed, was seared into his eyes.
There was only one time when Berika looked so frightened.
‘That time too.’
That day, the incomprehensible training was over again.
“Kiiiiiiiiiiik!”
“If someone sees, they’ll think you’re an animal.”
Kyle watched as Berika, lying on the ground like a beast, glared at him while gnashing her teeth, and made a bored expression.
Kyle’s training was the repetition of basics.
Endlessly swinging swords and continuously reciting magic spells that Berika could use—these were the basics of basics.
It was easy when strength and mental strength were overflowing.
But as time passed, the training gradually became harder.
When strength and mental strength began to deplete, mistakes began to appear.
Berika had been repeating this trial for two months now.
If she couldn’t successfully swing swords for a full day and recite magic spells, she couldn’t move to the next phase.
The assignments given by Kyle were extremely simple but equally difficult.
For someone like Berika, who had a strong desire to become stronger, Kyle’s training was unbearable.
And it wasn’t like Kyle would pamper a pouting Berika.
No matter how hard a life Berika had endured, she was still a child.
The difference in how Luna and Aron treated Berika compared to how Kyle treated her was stark.
Kyle didn’t show any hint of emotion toward Berika.
In fact, he was rather cruel and malicious.
If Berika fell during training, while Luna and Aron would help her get up, Kyle would wait until she got up herself, then knock her down again.
That’s why Berika disliked Kyle.
Even though she knew his training was helpful, it wasn’t easy to follow.
By now it was morning.
Berika, sitting on the floor, muttered,
“I’m hungry.”
Maybe I have to go until tomorrow without eating.
At this early hour, even Luna and Aron must be sleeping.
And there’s no way Kail would prepare a meal for me…
“Have some food and go.”
“Huh?”
Berika looked at Kyle in surprise, raising her eyes wide open.
Looking at Berika, Kyle said indifferently,
“Don’t want it?”
“If you’re going to provide it, I’ll eat it.”
As an orphan, Berika didn’t dislike Kyle even though she didn’t like him. She knew you had to eat when you can.
Berika knew better than anyone that you eat when food is available.
Berika, who rose from her seat, followed Kyle walking ahead.
‘Maybe Kail is not a bad guy?’
That thought naturally came, but she immediately regretted thinking that.
It’s ridiculous to think someone is good just because they give you food.
Shaking her head violently, defiance and mischief bloomed in her eyes.
‘This guy is a bad person.’
Of course, it didn’t take long for this thought to change.
‘Teacher Kyle is actually a good person.’
With a fork in her mouth, Berika smiled happily.
Then almost immediately, she shook her head furiously.
‘No, it can’t be! He can’t be a good person just because the food is good!’
As Berika tried to reaffirm her beliefs, Kyle asked while watching her eat hastily,
“Lu and Aron don’t feed you?”
‘Yes, he’s actually good, definitely.’
“They do.”
“They probably just give you what they cook themselves.”
Kyle criticized without mercy.
“Just give her something to eat.”
Unconsciously, Berika nodded.
Despite the improper thought regarding the loving teachers she has, the food Kyle provided was naturally alluring.
Berika looked around Kyle’s house as she ate.
It’s barren.
It didn’t feel like a place where someone lived.
“Teacher Kyle, there’s nothing in your house.”
“That way, attachments don’t form.”
Kyle replied nonchalantly.
“What do you mean by that?”
“If there’s somewhere to return to, attachments form. And if attachments form, regrets arise at the final moment.”
Though young, Berika couldn’t understand the meaning of those words.
However, she noticed that Kyle’s face somehow looked lonely as he said that.
Tinkle-
Setting the fork down, Berika asked,
“Can I sleep here?”
“If you’ve finished eating, go.”
Upon hearing that, Berika stuck out her lips.
“Old geezer.”
Pfft-!
“It’s strange.”
“What did you call us here for, excluding Kyle?”
Dwenno asked indifferently.
Looking at such Dwenno, Luna hit the table with a bang.
“Berika has been eating at Kyle’s house recently! Cooking for her was one of my pleasures!”
“That sounds odd. Why? That kid didn’t particularly like Kyle, did she?”
Lissinas tilted her head quizzically.
Looking at those two women, Dwenno spoke.
“Are you really not aware of the reason?”
“Dwenno, you know the reason?”
Dwenno looked disdainfully at Lissinas, who was asking curiously, and said,
“Isn’t it because the food Luna makes doesn’t resemble food, so she eats at Kyle’s place?”
“A! That makes sense!”
Aruon nodded as if understanding.
“Hey, this old man! How is my cooking bad! Your cooking is far worse, it’s like an art piece compared to mine!”
“Stop offending art. Moreover, my creation is innovative. And unlike yours, at least it looks appealing.”
Dwenno scoffed.
“Compared to eating your or Lissinas’s dishes, eating roasted monster meat would taste much better.”
With that, Lissinas and Luna constrained Dwenno using magic.
“You first?”
“No, let’s hit together. I’ll take the face.”
“I’ll take the chest.”
“You can try hitting me. Your hands will hurt eventually.”
Even while being hit, Dwenno remained calm.
After a while of commotion, Luna spoke seriously.
“Alright. If it’s because Kyle’s food is tastier, I’ll practice cooking from today!”
“It will be hard taking care of Berika like a parent.”
“Huh? Do I look like a parent with Luna?”
“No. Aron, gather your senses. I was talking about Kyle. Do you want to be seen as a parent?”
“No.”
“These guys are for real!”
Luna swung her cane at Dwenno and Aron like a madwoman.
Shaking her head at the sight, Lissinas looked out the window.
There, Berika was following Kyle around.
Watching this, Lissinas nodded.
![[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1743806812-5548-TS-The-Protagonist-is-Conquered.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered")
