723 Sia's decision

As the door opened, with light footsteps that resembled musical notes, a stunningly beautiful girl stood in front of Varian.",

Her eyes scanned his body from head to toe with an intense gaze as if she wanted to see if he had even the slightest scratch.",

Varian's external injuries were already healed thanks to his plantae powers. So, even though Sia scanned every inch of his body, she didn't find a single cut.",

'Thankfully, I changed my clothes.' Varian was inwardly relieved.",

After the battle, he removed his torn battle clothes and put on a new one…wait!",

"Why have you gone fighting?" Sia glared at him with an accusing gaze. "Didn't you say you would only take a vacation?"",

It was an ironclad rule devised by Varian himself that they shouldn't touch battle clothes during vacation.",

Since he was wearing combat clothes, then…",

Varian coughed lightly and said with a cheeky face."I was chilling in battles."",

"You!" Sia pointed her finger at him as her chest heaved up and down. It seemed as if she was on the verge of going furious, but with deep breaths, she calmed down.",

Rubbing her eyebrows, Sia snorted. "I am deceived."",

"Hey, hey." Varian stepped forward until the distance between them was the limit he could reach.",

Sensing the clenched fist behind her back and her quivering eyebrows, he understood that she was worried and scared.",

'What if something happened to him?'",

'If I didn't go to seclusion, I could protect him if anything goes wrong.'",

'I'm scared.'",

Even though he didn't read her mind, he guessed her thoughts.",

If you lose everything you have and then get something you cherish, you'd be absolutely paranoid about it and do your best to not lose it.",

Varian was someone like that.",

Sarah was the same. So was Sia.",

While Varian was grateful she was worried about him, he didn't want to drag her down.",

"I went Xander hunting," Varian said, prompting Sia to raise her head in surprise.",

Xander hunting?",

Wait, the situation on planetoids was deteriorating and it was related to level 7s.",

"Did you fight the princ—" Sia stopped midway as she noticed a bed behind Varian and the man strapped to it.",

"He…?" Sia pointed at the man who appeared familiar in confusion. "When did he appear?"",

Varian looked at her genuinely confused face and laughed. "He's been here the whole time. You didn't notice him because you were giving me all your focus."",

Sia's face turned beet red as she bit her lip.",

'You cheeky bastard.'",

Cursing him inwardly, she turned to the man in an attempt to ignore his remark.",

"Hm?"",

She had seen him somewhere. But these days, except if it's important, Sia didn't try to commit anyone to her memory.",

So, she used her mind power to search her memory, and suddenly, her eyes widened.",

Joshua Xander.",

"What exactly happened?" She asked in an exasperated tone.",

Joshua was much, much stronger than Charles. So, how did Varian end up capturing him?",

And what did he mean by 'Xander hunting'?",

Varian snapped his fingers and they moved to a living room. After seating her on a cozy sofa and serving her refreshments, he began explaining the events that transpired.",

Sia's raised brow went higher and higher with every event until Varian suddenly stopped.",

"Why did you stop?! Did you fight Ron or spare him?" Sia leaned forward.",

Varian took a deep breath and leaned back on the sofa. With a slight nod, he said. "I killed him."",

"His sister?"",

Varian turned his head to the side. "…I need the herb for revenge against Kreo."",

"V…" Sia opened her mouth but swallowed her words.",

At first, she thought he was doing it out of his enmity with Xanders. But she was wrong.",

'He's doing it for me. After seeing my memory, he wants to avenge me.' Sia clenched her fists as a complicated emotion flashed in her eyes.",

No matter what she'd say, she couldn't deny the joy she felt.",

But at the same time, her heart hurt knowing Varian would blame himself for the pain she suffered under Roxanne.",

'It's not your fault.'",

'You aren't responsible for it.'",

Such statements wouldn't help one bit. They wouldn't be able to change Varian's mind at all.",

'Varian…I just want you to be happy.' Sia bit her lip and opened her mouth. "S-So, what did you call me for?"",

At her words, Varian sighed lightly and looked out the window. The dark space glimmered with occasional lights from the space cities.",

Clenching his fists to the point his nails dug into his flesh, Varian said in a heavy tone. "After learning what happened to you, I wanted to burn down every Xander. But with my level, level 7s are the best target."",

Sia nodded.",

"I thought I could kill every Xander, innocent or not, without remorse. But Joshua…even though it's only for a brief period, I've witnessed what kind of person he is." Varian said with a wry smile.",

Sia recalled the memory from that day and a sigh escaped her lips. "He doesn't have the arrogance of Xanders. He values life. Even during our fight, he first tried to talk it out. If I'm honest, he's close to an ideal soldier."",

Varian shook his head like it was a pity. "The only sin he committed is being born into Xanders."",

"But it's not the sin he chose to commit," Sia added.",

"Is it?" Varian turned to Sia and his eyes burned like torches. "I made myself a promise that I'll erase the Xander surname from the face of the earth.",

I'm sure a lot of Xanders are filth. But even among them, there will be nice people who don't deserve death."",

Sia froze at his words. Xanders and nice people…?",

'If Shadow Guardians can have those traitors, it makes sense that Xanders can have nice people.'",

"I'm willing to dirty my hands. I can kill them all, innocent or not. My mind is conflicting it, but my heart says go for it." Varian said with a serious expression.",

"You…" Sia realized that he was dead serious.",

The Varian she knew wasn't someone who liked to implicate the innocent. But if it was for revenge, if it was for her, he was willing to take that step.",

He'd surely feel remorse for doing so. He knew it too. But he was prepared to do it.",

"So, Sia, I just need a yes from you." Varian was just waiting for a nod. "I'll erase all the filth that has the Xander surname."",

"I…" Sia was tempted to say yes, but she stopped herself and observed Varian's state.",

Even though he appeared very calm, she could see something in his eyes.",

Rage.",

Burning rage.",

'He wants to kill every last Xander…' Sia's heart ached for him.",

Killing the Xanders was a form of redemption for him since he failed to protect her.",

'Is it wrong to kill the innocent Xanders?' Sia looked at the unconscious Joshua.",

The hatred against Xanders was so deeply engraved in her bones that she wouldn't feel a shred of remorse for killing Joshua.",

In fact, she'd feel a twisted joy.",

'Do it. Kill them all. Slaughter them to their last member.'",

Sia wanted to shout but she firmly stopped the words in her mouth.",

"Varian…" She looked at him with a loving smile and thought of everything he had done after finding her.",

She thought he'd reject her and hate her. He not only accepted her, but he also worked very hard to make her happy.",

'The name of this city is Eos. It means dawn. A new beginning.'",

A future that was no longer haunted by the past.",

'We can't change the past, we can't escape our responsibilities. But we can do what we can.'",

Hope for the present.",

'In this city of Eos, I want the three of us to have a new start.'",

A new start with a new family.",

Recalling the time they spent together, Sia realized the best decision to make him happy.",

"No. Don't kill any innocents."",

"I—what?" Varian was taken aback by her response.",

Sia nodded with a bright smile. "Killing innocent Xanders doesn't make me happy."",

She lied.",

It's fine.",

'If you can go against your conscience to heal my wounds,'",

"You, no, we will kill the Xanders that deserve death." Sia gave him a strong smile.",

'I can give up my vengeance to heal yours.'",