My Second Chance In Life In Another World

CHAPTER 17: RECONCILIATION

“With that, the match has ended, and the boy has won.” The knight's deep voice cut through the tense air as he approached Uncle Philip with measured steps, his armor clinking softly with each stride. His expression was stern, betraying no emotion as he closed the distance between them.

“Now, it’s time for me to fulfill my role.” The knight’s voice was calm but authoritative, each word weighed with responsibility. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, more out of habit than threat, as he addressed Philip directly.

“Philip, I received a report from the neighborhood that you’ve been abusing your family. Now, I catch you in the act, raising your hand against a young boy.” He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. “Even though he won, I don’t know if that would still be the outcome if I hadn’t arrived.”

The knight’s gaze hardened as he drew himself up to his full height, his presence commanding the space. “In the name of the king, Darius Crescent, I arrest you,” he declared, his tone final, leaving no room for argument.

Philip, disheveled and panting from the fight, glanced around frantically as if searching for an escape, but there was none. His eyes darted to his daughter, Chris, whose face was streaked with tears, and then to his wife, Aunt Lyshia, who stood a few paces behind, her expression a mix of fear and sorrow.

“No! Don’t take Papa away!” Chris cried out, rushing forward to stand between the knight and her father. Her small hands trembled as she clutched the hem of her dress, but her voice was firm, despite the quiver in her words. “I know he’s done bad things… he’s hurt us, but he’s still my papa! Maybe… maybe he’ll return to normal after this. Please, don’t take him away!”

Aunt Lyshia stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on her daughter’s shoulder, though her own eyes were filled with unshed tears. “I ask you the same,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, as though even speaking the words was an admission of her own fears and hopes.

I stood off to the side, my body still aching from the battle, yet my mind was more focused on the unfolding scene. I wasn’t sure when Aunt Lyshia had woken up or how much she had seen, but her presence now felt heavy, as if her silence held more weight than any words she could speak.

The knight, however, shook his head slowly, his expression softening just a fraction as he addressed Chris directly. “Little Miss, I’m sorry, but I can’t do that,” he said gently, his voice losing some of its earlier sternness. “I must follow the procedures and take your papa to the capital. But I promise you, he won’t be hurt. He needs to atone for his sins, but no harm will come to him.”

Chris’s tears flowed freely now, her little shoulders shaking with sobs. “But… can’t Papa stay with us? Just for a little longer?” Her voice broke, and she buried her face in her mother’s skirts, clinging to Lyshia as if she could keep her family from falling apart by sheer will alone.

The knight sighed softly, bending down to be at eye level with Chris, his armored hand resting lightly on her head. “I’m sorry, but he can’t,” he said, his tone full of genuine regret. “He needs to face the consequences of his actions. But I promise you this, someday your papa will return, and when he does, maybe he’ll be the man he once was.”

“Are you sure?” Chris looked up at him with wide, pleading eyes, her voice small and filled with desperate hope. “Promise me…”

The knight nodded solemnly. “I promise.”

With that, he rose to his feet and gestured for two of his men to take Philip into custody. The scene was heartbreaking, the silence only broken by Chris’s quiet sobs and the rustling of the knight’s cloak as he turned to speak privately with Lyshia. I could only watch, feeling an overwhelming sense of helplessness.