Chapter 41: Sorry

Robin endured inner grief and anger, quickly bent down to check Lily's condition.

His hands lightly touched Lily's limbs, each movement careful yet urgent.

As the examination deepened, his complexion grew increasingly solemn, his heart sinking bit by bit.

Lily's body showed multiple comminuted fractures; the shattered bones seemed to mercilessly crush Robin's last hope.

In this world with relatively backward medical conditions, even if Lily could barely cling to life, she was destined never again to run or fight freely, only become a cripple who couldn't even do heavy labor.

Realizing this cruel reality, Robin seemed to have his strength drained, despairingly collapsing onto the ground, eyes hollow, mind blank.

"Robin! Eric!" Lily's weak voice suddenly rang out, as if she had used all her strength.

"We're here!" Eric, hearing the shout, crawled and knelt to Lily's side, gripping her hand tightly, as if that could hold onto her fading life.

"This matter… just let it be, don't get injured because of me." Lily said in a breathy voice, then coughed violently, each cough sounding as if she expended her last life force.

Then she opened her eyes wide, stared fixedly at the ceiling, her gaze gradually losing focus, remaining motionless.

"Lily!" Eric let out a heart‑wrenching scream, full of grief and despair.

He frantically shook Lily's body, as if that could snatch her back from death's hand.

Robin felt as if struck by lightning, collapsing onto the ground, as if the whole world collapsed at that moment.

His eyes fixed on Lily's face, which was gradually losing vitality, tears uncontrollably streaming down.

The anger in his heart surged like a raging tide, nearly drowning him completely.

He silently vowed to make those who harmed Lily pay a terrible price.

When the Malizi Knight arrived, he happened to see Robin sitting dazed on the ground, Eric holding the crying scene.

Tomson clenched his fists tightly, as if making some major decision.

"Robin…" the Malizi Knight slowly stepped forward, his gait heavy and sluggish, as if each step bore endless sorrow and helplessness.

Immediately after, he extended his broad yet slightly trembling arms, tightly embracing Robin and Eric.

His body trembled slightly, tears uncontrollably sliding from his age‑lined face onto Robin and Eric's shoulders, exuding indescribable sorrow.

The embraced Robin, whose heart had been immersed in extreme grief and anger, now felt a faint ripple.

He felt the Malizi Knight's deep care and self‑blame, slowly reaching out to gently pat the Knight's back.

The Malizi Knight seemed startled by this gesture, staring blankly at Robin, unable to recover for several seconds.

He truly hadn't expected that, in such a sorrowful moment, Robin would still have the thought to comfort himself.

Since discovering Robin's extraordinary talent like a raw jade, and because of his relationship with Tomson, the Malizi Knight had always treated Robin, Eric, Lily and Tomson as his own nephews, caring for them attentively.

Therefore, upon learning the news that Lily and Eric had been beaten, he rushed in anger to the door to argue.

However, the other party was the son of Lord Valentin, whose status was too noble, and the forces behind him were tangled and complex.

In this vortex of power, although he was a Knight Leader, he also felt deeply powerless.

"It's my fault, I couldn't protect you, but my ability is only so much, Robin…" the Malizi Knight's voice was thick with bitterness and self‑blame, "I'm sorry!"

After speaking, he slowly opened the package he had brought in and took out an apple from inside.

His movements were somewhat sluggish, as if performing an exceedingly solemn ceremony.

He picked up a small knife, carefully peeling the apple skin; circles of peel fell, as if also stripping away his helplessness and pain.

After peeling, he gently slipped the apple into Robin's hand.

Robin did not put the apple into his mouth; instead he lifted his head, his gaze calm yet bearing a chilling resolve, and said, "The lord doesn't intend to pursue, does he?"

The Malizi Knight, who considered himself to know Robin's character well, seemed to understand something from his eyes and words.

He slightly frowned, then lightly patted Robin's shoulder, a flash of struggle passing through his eyes.

His fists were clenched tightly, knuckles whitening from the strain, his heart warring between heaven and man, yet he remained silent.

He looked at the young yet incredibly resolute Robin before him, fully aware of the anger and unwillingness in his heart.

But faced with this cruel reality, what else could be done?

In the end, he let out a deep sigh; that sigh was filled with powerlessness and sorrow toward reality.

Robin dragged his heavy, dazed body back to the barracks, his heart full of fury and grief almost drowning him.

When he stepped into the barracks, he saw a shadow inside recklessly messing with his belongings.

"My good little brother, you're finally back!" Leimeng emerged slowly from the shadows, his face bearing a snarling grin that looked especially terrifying in the dim light.

His eyes glittered with a strange light, as if plotting some vile conspiracy.

Robin's eyebrows twitched slightly, a flash of disgust and impatience in his eyes, and he said in a low voice, "I'm not in a good mood right now; if you don't want to die, just get out."

At this moment, having just witnessed Lily's tragic fate, his inner fire burned unchecked, and Leimeng's appearance was undoubtedly adding salt to his wound.

"Do you think you even have the right to tell me to get out?" Leimeng heard, letting out a harsh, piercing sneer, and the sneer stopped abruptly as he suddenly drew his Sword, striking at Robin like a venomous snake.

The Sword sliced through the air with a sharp, whistling sound.

Robin's pupils contracted sharply, and relying on his cultivated instincts from training and combat, he reacted instantly.

Yet, in that split‑second flash, his heart sank, instantly realizing that Leimeng had already reached Knight Level.

From the Sword's fierce force and speed, Leimeng's power had qualitatively leapt, far beyond what a knight apprentice could achieve.

Robin narrowly avoided Leimeng's lightning‑fast Sword, then without hesitation he grabbed the Big Iron Hammer on the nearby rack.

His arms bulged with veins, he roared, lifted the hammer high, then, with a thousand‑ton weight, slammed it down toward Leimeng.

Leimeng hurriedly swung his Sword to block, and at that instant the air itself seemed to warp.

Accompanied by a huge boom, the hammer and Sword clashed, scattering dazzling sparks.

The massive impact sent Leimeng staggering back several steps, his footing unsteady, nearly falling.

In contrast, Robin only swayed slightly, quickly steadied himself, showing little reaction.

Leimeng's face was full of disbelief, his eyes written with shock and confusion.

He widened his eyes, stared fixedly at Robin, as if trying to see through him, and involuntarily said, "You've also reached Knight Level."

He never expected that Robin, whom he had always seen as a thorn in his side, would unknowingly break through to Knight Level, and even surpass himself in strength.

(End of chapter)