Chapter 363: I know who did this

"You look quite happy today?" Corella asked, noticing the radiant smile on his face as they sat at the table, having breakfast.

It had been three days since the incident, and the investigation was still underway. They had yet to determine who had attempted to take Blake’s life. The reports so far suggested that it could have been corrupted humans who had simply chosen the nearest powerful presence as their prey.

Corella was still naturally worried. Whoever had been behind the attack was still out there, roaming freely, and there was always the possibility that they harbored the same grudge against Blake.

That was why she had been rather depressed these past few days. But seeing that smile on his face this morning lifted her spirits more than she realized.

"Well, you could say I’m looking forward to spending a good day today," Blake replied as he sliced into his omelette with his knife. His movements were elegant, though there was a subtle urgency to them, as if he were eager to get somewhere.

Corella hummed in surprise. "Do you have any specific plans? Can I come too?"

Blake slowly shook his head. "Sorry, but you can’t."

Corella chuckled. "Ahah, I know. I was only joking." Her gaze suddenly settled on the tomato on her plate, which she found far more interesting than it had any right to be, and she lowered her head.

Blake soon added, "Well, you can’t come because you need to prepare."

Corella hummed and looked up. "Prepare what?"

"Clothes, shoes, and other things. We are, after all, going to Kremach tomorrow."

Corella’s eyes widened.

The fork slipped from her hand and clattered against the plate as she stared at him. "Are you serious?"

Blake nodded. He reached into his jacket, pulled out the tickets, and extended them toward her.

"Here. We’re departing tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll be staying there for a week, so prepare accordingly."

Corella took the tickets and double-checked them, just in case, even though she knew Blake simply wasn’t the type to joke about something like this.

The tickets confirmed exactly what he had said.

A two-way trip to the beach city of Kremach.

She slowly looked up, still stunned. "This was such a sudden plan."

Blake took a sip of his coffee before asking, "Are you not happy about it?"

"Of course..." She paused, then lowered her voice. "I am. But don’t you have several meetings and people to meet?"

The smile on her face betrayed her words. She wasn’t worried about those obligations in the slightest. If anything, she was already far too excited about the vacation.

Blake leaned forward and reassured her, "I’ve been neglecting you for far too long. And, to be honest, I’m quite tired of all these meetings and conferences. I need some time away as well. More importantly, I need some time to nurture our relationship."

Corella was already on cloud nine. She nodded enthusiastically. "True. I’ve been telling you to take a break."

Though she had never expected the break to be this romantic.

Ehehe~

Blake soon finished his breakfast and rose from his seat.

Leaning down, he kissed the top of her head and said, "I’ll be back by nine. Then we’ll pack our bags together, okay?"

Corella was practically humming with joy as she nodded.

The moment Blake’s footsteps faded into the distance, she shot both hands into the air and squealed.

"Yaaah!"

She was happy.

.....

After leaving the house, Blake boarded his car, alone today by choice. Rather than turning the steering wheel toward his workplace, he headed for the station instead.

His expression remained bright as he drove. Yes, he was happy that he would finally be spending some time with Corella after so long. But there was another, more significant reason for the smile that had settled so naturally across his face this early in the morning.

Where is he...?

As he approached the station, Blake parked his car and began scanning the area.

There weren’t many people around, yet he still couldn’t spot the person he was looking for.

Just then,

Knock.

Blake turned toward the sound and found a man standing beside the car, wearing a hoodie and a face mask.

He unlocked the door, and the man pulled it open before settling into the passenger seat.

"Did you arrive earlier?" Blake asked as he started the engine and drove away from the station.

"Just a minute ago. How did it go?" Kyle asked, lowering his mask and fastening his seat belt.

"Well, you gave me the best advice when you suggested taking her on vacation. I really have been neglecting Corella these past few weeks. She kept trying to give me space while still being there whenever I needed someone to comfort me."

Kyle nodded thoughtfully. "Well, she’s more or less devoted to you, and that’s the only thing that makes her similar to Amanda."

A faint smile touched his lips as he continued, "Though unlike Corella, Amanda wouldn’t have given me any space. She would’ve intruded into my personal space until I finally gave up on being depressed."

Blake smiled faintly. "Well, she’s a lively girl who cares about you more than your family did."

Blake paused briefly, his gaze settling on Kyle after saying those words. For a moment, he hesitated, uncertain whether he should have brought up their family at all.

However, before he could say anything, Kyle spoke.

"I never had a family, Blake. I only had you."

He said it nonchalantly, as though the past no longer held any weight over him.

Blake didn’t pursue the matter. He knew there was nothing to gain from reopening wounds that had already left bitter memories behind.

Instead, he asked, "Why did you suddenly become so insistent on us leaving Guhang?"

Kyle leaned back in his seat and replied, "Well, I want you to stay away from this place until I deal with your attackers."

Blake flinched.

"Wait... how do you know them?"

For the past two days, Blake had been searching relentlessly for the people responsible. He had mobilized every resource at his disposal, trying to uncover even the smallest clue that might lead him to them.

Yet no matter how far he reached, no matter how widely he cast his net, he hadn’t managed to grasp a single thread.

But Kyle remained calm.

"I know who they are. That’s why I’m going to meet them and try to convince them to stop."

Blake was taken aback. "Convince them? But how? And who is this person you’re trying to keep me away from Guhang for?"

Blake never boasted about his position in the country, but neither did he undermine the authority it afforded him.

His clan was still one of the Ten Petals, and following his father’s death, he had become the legitimate patriarch of the family.

That was why he considered himself someone who could be useful in this entire operation, if Kyle was willing to let him help.

Kyle hummed quietly. "I know what you’re feeling, but neither you nor anyone from the Ten Petals could go against him where he stands now."

He glanced toward his brother before adding, "You know him, right? Arthur?"

Blake barely managed to keep himself from slamming on the brakes.

His eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, he could hardly believe what he’d just heard. Fortunately, there was no car directly ahead of them. Otherwise, he would have almost certainly crashed into it.

A moment later, Blake asked, his voice heavy with disbelief, "Kyle... are you certain it’s him?"

Kyle nodded. "Not only him, but several other influential figures from prominent clans and..." He paused briefly before adding, "Headmaster Christopher as well."

Blake had no choice but to pull the car over and park on the side of the road. The revelation was too much to process while driving.

He stared through the windshield in silence.

He had no doubt that Kyle wouldn’t make such an accusation without being certain of his information. Still, the implications were too serious to accept without question.

"Have you double-checked?" Blake finally asked.

Kyle assured him, "Yes. I also know that one of their manufacturing branches is located beneath the academy itself. Raiding that place could expose Christopher and get him caught, but it would alert everyone else."

Blake’s expression hardened as he considered the situation.

"That’s why you’re approaching the one man who could influence everything." He paused, then looked toward Kyle. "But Kyle, Arthur is strong and eccentric, at least from everything I’ve heard about him."

Kyle nodded. "I know but I have my ways of either convincing him or forcing him to stop this. Unless he wants to lose his pride, his position and his life, he would need to follow what I say."

°°°

A/N:- Thank you for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far, please leave a comment or review for the future readers. And join my discord server for images.