How does Christine always appear at times like this?

Maxim looked down at Christine, who was smiling shyly. It was a subtle smile, like a quiet night. Christine wasn’t tall. At most, the top of her head would reach his chest. He usually didn’t notice because she wore high-heeled shoes, but Christine, standing in front of him in pajamas and slippers, looked really small.

The turmoil in Maxim’s heart gradually subsided.

Christine’s hair resembled the sun during the day and the moon at night. Her green eyes, which sparkled like spring leaves, contained Maxim.

“Senior?”

Christine tilted her head as if puzzled by Maxim, who kept standing at the doorstep.

“Are you okay?”

She brought her hand in front of Maxim and waved it. Her pale fingers passed in front of his eyes, whoosh, whoosh.

“Senior Maxim? Vice Commander? Are you still half asleep? Hey?”

Tap.

Maxim’s hand rested on Christine’s head.

“Huh?”

Swish swish.

Maxim stroked Christine’s hair as his heart desired. Gently, so as not to mess up her hair, he stroked her fluffy and soft hair. She froze in place, startled. Maxim found that reaction amusing and caressed her hair even more carefully.

“Come in.”

Maxim stepped back from the door, laughing playfully. Christine blankly stared at him from the doorway, then blushed furiously and followed into the room.

“So, what brings you here in the middle of the night, Vice Commander?”

Maxim sat Christine at the table and asked. Christine crossed her arms with a slight blush as if dissatisfied.

“I told you, I came because I couldn’t sleep.”

Maxim liked the attitude she maintained. He liked how she seemed to shine brightly and illuminate the darkness.

“That’s good. I wasn’t very sleepy either.”

Maxim sat across from her. Christine crossed her arms even more tightly and narrowed her brows.

“It’s obvious without looking. You were thinking about your ex-girlfriend, right?”

Christine said in a chilly voice.

“Moping around doesn’t suit you.”

The last part was more of a grumble. Maxim laughed and waved his hand.

“Yeah, I got a bit mopey while lost in old memories and looking at the night sky.”
“Senior, did you cry?”
“I didn’t cry.”

When Christine brought her face closer, Maxim avoided her gaze and turned to the side. Christine slightly raised the corners of her mouth.

“I said I didn’t cry.”
“Who said anything?”

Christine feigned ignorance. It was an expression like she should whistle or something.

“By the way, I just remembered something.”
“What is it?”

Maxim took out two teacups and poured cooled tea from the teapot. Cold tea wasn’t very tasty. He set the cup in front of Christine. She sipped the cold black tea as if it was nothing.

“We’re starting the investigation of the Wilderness in earnest tomorrow.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll check your physical condition, senior.”

Maxim barely swallowed the black tea that almost went into his trachea. The cough that came out with a cackle had the scent of tea.

“All of a sudden?”
“Yes. It’s been a while since I last checked… And you must have accumulated fatigue, so it’s just to check.”

Maxim held his nose at the spicy sensation.

“I see…”
“You wouldn’t listen to me anyway even if I tell you not to go out or fight, senior. If you were going to listen to me, you wouldn’t have stayed in this knight order in the first place.”

Christine said in a sullen voice.

“So, just lie down and take off your clothes.”

Christine brought her finger and poked Maxim’s chest.

“Because this is all I can do for you, senior.”

Maxim got up from his seat, thinking he couldn’t win against Christine after all. She looked at him getting up with eyes that seemed to contain worry and also a hint of sadness. Maxim stopped removing his clothes halfway and turned to Christine with his outer garment pulled up halfway.

“This is embarrassing.”
“Why are you acting awkward now of all times?”

Christine retorted, but there was a slight blush on her cheeks. Maxim chuckled and took off his shirt, hanging it on his arm. Maxim’s back, roughly divided by muscles, was revealed.

“Lie down.”
“Okay, okay.”

Maxim roughly hung his shirt on the chair and lay on the bed. The hard bed and the cold blanket were felt on his back.

Christine walked over to Maxim, lying on the edge of the bed with his upper body slightly raised. The cursed scar crossing his body was visible. Maxim touched it with a self-deprecating expression.

“It’s hideous no matter how many times you see it, right?”
“…No.”

Christine shook her head in denial. She took a spot next to Maxim and lightly climbed onto the bed. Her scent suddenly hit Maxim.

“Then, shall we take a look?”

A white light gathered on Christine’s fingers, her index and middle fingers. She brought her hand to where Maxim’s scar began and stroked along the path of the wound. As she examined the scar, she suddenly frowned.

“Senior, have you tried to use Aura Blade recently?”

Maxim flinched at that question. Although it wasn’t recent, he almost generated aura while clashing and competing with Theodora during the selection test. He gave an awkward smile. Christine’s glare was piercing.

“…”

When Maxim remained silent, Christine asked again in a slightly angry voice.

“I asked if you tried to use Aura Blade.”
“…Yes.”

Christine’s gaze became even sharper. Maxim couldn’t help but shrink like prey in front of a predator. She let out a big sigh.

“When was that?”

Maxim hesitated to speak, but unable to resist Christine’s gaze, he opened his mouth.

“Well… during the selection test…”
“Don’t tell me you mean when you were competing with the Commander?”

Maxim nodded like a sinner.

“No wonder your body looked strangely unwell back then…”
“… I’m sorry.”
“Apologize to your own body.”

Christine said as she took her hand off Maxim’s scar.

“The curse has spread a little. I thought it had stopped, but it seems to be progressing again because you tried to use aura.”

Christine asked Maxim.

“Does it hurt?”
“No. I don’t feel anything unusual.”
“I’ll stop the progression for now. It will take some time.”

Christine opened her palm and brought it over Maxim’s scar. Then, a golden magic circle formed under her hand. The magic circle began to rotate as if gears were interlocking. Maxim felt a warm energy seeping into his scar.

“If only there was a way to reverse it, not just stop the progression…”

Christine looked down at her hand as if resentful. She was tending to Maxim’s scar with a distorted expression. Maxim reached out his hand to her head. Christine flinched her shoulders at the touch on her head.

“…Thank you.”

Maxim kept stroking her head. Christine spoke in a mumbling voice as she felt Maxim’s touch.

“Me too.”

The golden magic circle kept rotating.

Eventually, the sky was turning orange from the dawn sun. Christine removed her hand from Maxim’s scar.

“It’s done. The progression has stopped, so now you really shouldn’t overdo it. Especially Aura Blade, never, ever use it. Understand?”

Christine sat Maxim up and earnestly advised him. Maxim could understand her feelings of repeating it until his ears were sore.

“Yeah, I understand. I won’t overdo it.”
“You’re incredibly skilled with the sword. You can be active even without aura. So never use mana excessively.”

Maxim nodded. Christine sighed briefly as if she still didn’t trust him even after giving that advice.

“If you overdo it after this, I’ll really just…”
“Just what?”
“Just means just, you know!”

Christine blushed and became angry. Maxim smiled broadly at the sight.

“Please stop making people worry… seriously.”
“I won’t make you worry anymore.”
“Do you even know how many times you’ve said that?”

Christine complained profusely with puffed cheeks. She got up as if sulking on purpose and opened the door to leave.

“Christine,”
“What?”
“Good night.”

When Maxim said goodbye with a smile, Christine’s expression faltered momentarily. But she recovered her sulky expression and closed the door to leave.

“Good night to you too, senior.”

Leaving those words behind.

==

The clear sky felt rather awkward here. Maxim looked up at the cloudless sky and frowned. There are no seasons in the Wilderness. Whether it’s summer or winter, it always maintains a certain level. According to what he heard from the Marquis of the Frontier, it’s the effect of the mana lingering in this zone.

“Does everyone understand what phenomenon we want to investigate?”

It was chilly weather unsuitable for summer. Beyond the sturdy walls of the border region, the investigation personnel gathered in a temporary camp built after driving out the monsters.

The Raven Knight Order, including Maxim, listened to the investigation plan presented by the Marquis of the Frontier while shrinking their bodies in the chilly weather. The wind was blowing into the camp. Camilla pointed to Roberto and asked him to explain the specific details of the abnormal phenomenon.

Roberto answered her question accurately, even though he frowned.

“Originally, the Wilderness has very frequent battles with monsters invading the fortress across the cliffs. However, I know that their appearances have abruptly stopped recently. In other words, even if their numbers had increased, there has never been a time when monster appearances decreased this much…”

Camilla nodded.

“That’s the most important content we need to investigate. Since it’s very dangerous to go all the way to the cliff at the end, we usually don’t go there… But this investigation should be an exception. To find out the cause, we need to go directly and observe the monsters’ movements.”

Glance.

Theodora’s eyes met Camilla’s.

“Please follow the leadership of our troops well. Even though you’re here on a separate request from the royal family to conduct the investigation, while you’re investigating, think of yourself as under my command and act accordingly.”
“I will do so.”

Theodora nodded.

“Good, then I’ll assign the missions from now on.”

The Marquis of the Frontier said as he stuck his command baton on the table with a thud.

“You will be given two missions. I’m not telling you to do both, but I will divide your knight order into two main groups.”

Tap tap, the command baton hit the table.

“For the first mission, those who will perform the existing mission together with our troops on the city walls. Second, those who will be included in the investigation troops.”

Christine looked at Maxim at this point. He felt her gaze and responded with a stiff smile.

“Commander, please distribute the personnel.”

Theodora stepped forward. In her hand was a piece of paper that seemed to be a list of names.

“I will call out the names of those included in the investigation troops.”

Maxim thought it was just his feeling. He felt like Theodora’s gaze was directed at him.

“The vice commander, Christine Watson, and I, Theodora Bening, will all be included in the investigation troops. In addition, those who will accompany us are, first, Paola Simone.”

Paola calmly nodded. It was natural for her to be included in the investigation personnel since she was also an experienced member of the incident 15 years ago and would be of great help in terms of combat power.

“Leone Becker, Claude Bendam…”

Theodora continued to call out the names on the list.

“…Roberto Miller, and,”

Theodora looked at Maxim. This time, it wasn’t just a feeling. Their gazes crossed, and Theodora called out the last person’s name.

“Maxim Apart.”

Christine secretly let out a sigh, and Maxim calmly received Theodora’s gaze.

“This concludes the list of people included in the investigation personnel.”