Love Letter From The Future
Chapter 417: Proof of Existence (5)

Chapter 417: Proof of Existence (5)

0% The woman’s body, suddenly kicked without warning, was sent flying through the air. Before her wide eyes could even fully register the shock, Ria was already tumbling across the ground, coughing and gasping in agony.

Her gaze, filled with disbelief, turned towards the man.

Screams erupted from some of the onlookers who had witnessed the scene. A violent altercation breaking out in the middle of the Academy was the last thing they had expected.

Especially between siblings.

Yet, strangely enough, nearly half of those present wore expressions that suggested they had seen this coming. A clear testament to the kind of reputation the man had at the Academy.

“W-What do you think you’re doing...!”

“You’re the one who asked for it, Ria Percus.... I’m just giving you the chance you wanted.”

With heavy, deliberate footsteps, he approached her again, delivering another ruthless kick.

This time, Ria barely managed to raise her arms in a feeble attempt to block the attack. But even then, she couldn’t completely nullify the impact as it drove into her bones with a sickening crunch.

Her small body tumbled several times across the ground before finally coming to a halt.

Her mind went completely blank, rendering her unable to react. All she could do was let out brief screams and gasp for breath.

Even the pain felt distant now.

Above her, the sky stretched blue and vast, indifferent to the nightmare unfolding before her.

As she staggered, attempting to lift herself up, the man reached for the hatchet strapped to his waist.

As her consciousness faded, her instincts grew sharper. His intent to kill was so vivid, it felt almost tangible.

She was about to be killed.

That realization slithered down her spine like ice, prompting her to instinctively curl her body.

Not even the question of ‘why’ crossed her mind.

Instead, her body launched forward, her feet kicking off the ground as she shot straight toward the man’s embrace. Her body, accelerating in an instant, carried far more momentum than one might expect.

She’d knock him down and pin him beneath her.

This was the trajectory her instincts drew for her, and Ria raced down on it like a feral animal.

But in the next moment—

Before she could fully register what happened, her body was spinning helplessly in the air.

The man had caught her by the elbow and effortlessly swung her around, almost as if leading a dance. And the very next moment, she was airborne once again.

An opponent unable to move could be nothing but a puppet.

Thus, the man’s kick slammed into the girl’s body once more, sending her sprawling across the ground. She rolled several times as flashes of lightning and sparks burst before her eyes.

By the time she regained her senses, she saw the man standing over her with his hatchet raised high.

An involuntary scream escaped her lips.

“S-STOP... KYAAAAAAA!”

And then—

With a heavy thud, the hatchet came crashing down.

Shivering uncontrollably, Ria turned her head to the side. There, the hatchet blade, buried deep in the ground mere inches from her face, was glistening coldly.

She could hear the man’s ragged breathing. Clearly, he too was worked up.

“Ria Percus... I despise you.”

It was an emotion worn thin, eroded to nothing but its remnants.

His voice fell, carrying a faint warmth laced with regret. Like parched earth soaking up a single drop of water, he let out his brittle, withered truth.

“Please, don’t let this brat end up like this too.”

With those final words, the man slowly rose to his feet.

With a sharp jerk, the embedded hatchet was wrenched free, landing once more in his grasp.

A heavy silence hung over the scene as all eyes remained fixed on him—even Celine, who had been rushing forward to stop him, had frozen in place.

The man left behind one final remark.

“Tell that brat to handle the rest however he sees fit.”

He muttered the words as he brushed past Celine.

**

After everything was said and done, none of the four spoke a word.

Celine subtly avoided my gaze. Leto ran both hands down his face with a weary sigh, while Ria sniffled, dabbing at her tears.

I, too, found myself at a loss for words.

I hesitated, struggled, then finally spoke with determination.

“...Bring me some alcohol.”

All eyes turned to me in confusion. It was only natural—they must have thought it strange for me to ask for alcohol out of nowhere.

Leto was the first to catch onto my thoughts.

“Hey, Ian. Don’t tell me you’re—”

“Does he really think he can just beat up my sister and get away with it?!”

With a loud bang, my fist, filled with rage, slammed against the table, as if trying to smash it apart. Startled, Celine and Ria both stared at me wide-eyed.

“I have to go—go and confront him... No, I’ll beat some sense into him! How could he possibly lay a hand on our Ria?! Where could he even hit such a delicate girl!”

“Th-That’s right!”

Ria’s eyes sparkled, even though she didn’t fully grasp what I meant.

Regardless, she seemed genuinely happy that I was taking her side.

“Yeah, teach him a lesson, Oppa! It hurt so much!”

With my adorable sister cheering me on, I couldn’t back out now.

Grinding my teeth, I roared.

“Damn right! So first, I’ll drink until I pass out, and then—”

“Stop it now.”

But my brilliant revenge plan hit an obstacle right from the start.

Leto stared at me as if I were utterly hopeless.

“Think logically. Last time, your recklessness disrupted our entire plan, didn’t it? Like it or not, every piece of information your future self gives us is invaluable. Even if it’s indirect, it still helps.”

“What, so you’re telling me to just sit here and do nothing?!”

“You’ll see his face again if you pass out later anyway. We have important things to do right now—are you really going to let your emotions ruin everything?”

Every word of his was painfully correct.

And yet, I couldn’t fully accept it. Instead, I swallowed a frustrated groan. Rationally, I understood—but emotionally, it was a different story.

This was about my little sister getting beaten.

Rushing over to throw punches wouldn’t have been unreasonable. No, even if I drew my sword, wouldn’t the gods themselves understand?

Any brother whose sister had been assaulted had every right to lose his mind. I was no exception.

Ria, who had been excitedly speaking before, now looked deflated, cautiously glancing between Leto and me.

She didn’t know the full details, but she sensed it clearly—there was a flaw in my plan.

In the end, she timidly adjusted her stance.

“Ian Oppa. Leto Oppa is right.”

“Ria....”

With the loss of my last ally, my shoulders slumped in defeat.

What kind of brother was I if I couldn’t even protect my little sister? I might as well be useless.

And yet, my ever-kind little sister still tried to comfort someone as incompetent as me.

“Thinking about it, he’s not wrong. I’m weak, after all... I really shouldn’t go wandering around carelessly. It’s not like you can protect me forever Oppa...?”

She kept nervously glancing at me as she spoke. I immediately refuted her words.

“What are you saying, Ria... why couldn’t I protect you?”

“But, that means you’d have to stay by my side forever.”

“Then that’s settled! No, actually—you should just stay by my side forever. Got it?”

“R-Really?!”

Ria’s eyes brightened again, clearly pleased by my words. Seeing the color return to my sister’s face, my own heart naturally eased as well.

“Yeah, of course. I was already feeling uneasy. Lately, I’ve been hearing rumors that the Dark Order has its eye on me... Even if you’re at the academy, I can’t help but worry about your safety—“

“Oh, give me a break.”

It was an irritated tone I hadn’t heard in a while.

The speaker was obvious without even looking. It was Celine, who had her chin resting on her hand and was pouting at me.

“Ian Oppa, are you stupid? So you’re planning to drag Ria along everywhere you go now? Didn’t you say you’re heading to the Holy Nation next week?”

At her sharp remark, my mouth snapped shut.

Now that I thought about it, she had a point. The locations I traveled to were always dangerous.

Would it really be right to take Ria to a place like that?

Technically, my reason for going to the Holy Nation was volunteer work but, now that I received a letter from the future, it was only a matter of time before something happened. And there was no guarantee that it wouldn’t happen in the Holy Nation itself.

Come to think of it, I really should read that letter soon.

While I hesitated because I haven’t yet read the contents of the letter, Ria reacted with unexpected excitement and insisted,

“The Holy Nation?! I actually need to go there too! I’m supposed to acquire demonic beast carcasses.”

“Wait, still, that’s a bit...”

“Oppa, I want to go too! I’ll even hire mercenaries, so you don’t have to worry too much!”

Celine pursed her lips, looking displeased with Ria’s stubbornness.

A pair of golden eyes and another pair of hazel eyes simultaneously turned to me.

Each holding completely opposite expectations.

However, my answer was already as good as decided.

“...Alright, Ria. Let’s go together. If we’re both heading to the Holy Nation anyway, it’s safer if I’m with you.”

A mix of sighs and cheers followed my decision.

I hadn’t yet gotten permission from the Saintess, but Ria was my little sister. If I was meeting the Saintess’s family, then bringing a member of my family along seemed reasonable enough.

But there was something I didn’t know.

After sending off Ria and Celine and having a brief conversation with Leto, I returned to my bedroom and unfolded the letter.

As I did, my eyes instinctively skimmed over the back of the letter.

There, as always, was a hastily scrawled phrase.

‘Beware of family.’

A warning I should have read just a little sooner.