The forest on a moonless night was darker than a blindfold covering the eyes. From the highest point of the Benning estate, Leon Benning gazed out over the vast black woods that covered nearly half of the territory. In reality, however, he was likely looking at his own reflection cast upon the window by the lamplight from his study.

It was Leon Benning’s habit to stand in front of a window late at night, staring at his reflection as he pondered. His thoughts usually wandered toward the future. Closing his eyes wouldn’t bring back memories of the past—Leon never dwelled on the past. He always looked forward, not with urgency or desperation, but with a slow, relentless persistence.

A knock came at the door. Without turning around, Leon granted permission for the person to enter. It was one of the servants, speaking in a cautious tone.

"Master, a man named Roberto Miller is here to see you outside the estate."

He’s arrived.

Leon Benning turned his head slightly.

"Let him in. He is my guest."

The servant appeared surprised by Leon’s response but bowed respectfully.

"As you command."

Leon, with an emotionless gaze, watched the door close behind the servant, then clasped his hands behind his back.

His daughter had returned to the capital.

There were things that needed to be resolved while Teodora’s feet still stood on the capital’s soil. He glanced down at his hands, absentmindedly running his thumb over the signet ring on his right index finger—a ring that bore the Benning family crest, signifying his position as head of the house. It was not a wedding ring, but it carried its own weight.

"..."

Leon’s cold eyes turned as he sensed the approach of footsteps climbing the stairs toward his room. A steady tread echoed through the hall, growing closer to the count’s study. Another knock came at the door.

"Master, I have brought your guest."

Standing behind the servant was a tall man, hooded. Leon waved the servant away without a word. The man’s head followed the retreating servant.

"May I come in?" a smooth voice asked. Leon remained silent, and the man took that as permission, pulling back his hood as he stepped into the study. Roberto Miller’s features were revealed, his dull blond hair tied back. Leon gestured toward the chair in front of his desk with a simple nod, inviting Roberto to sit.

"Why did you have me come in secret?" Roberto asked with a slight grin as he took the offered seat.

"Now is the time to be most cautious. One small mistake could ruin everything. I don’t want our plans to be derailed by unnecessary risks."

Leon’s voice was calm yet firm, a subtle reprimand. Roberto shrugged, as if amused, and hung his hood on the back of the chair.

"The mission was shorter than expected. I doubt I was in the wilderness for more than two weeks. How are things with the no-man’s land?" Roberto asked, leaning back in his chair.

Leon waved a hand dismissively.

"I’ve heard whispers that the royal family will soon issue a summons."

"Something happened, then?"

Leon replied with detached interest, though he didn’t seem overly concerned about events in the no-man’s land.

"You may as well explain what happened."

"I don’t need to go into detail about the anomalies—we’ve already sent reports. What’s important is that I found the source, and we’ll need to send troops to the no-man’s land soon," Roberto explained.

Leon nodded slightly, encouraging him to continue.

"The cause of the anomalies, as the Border Lord suggested, appears to be the Behemoth said to slumber beyond the edge of the cliffs. It’s stirring."

"The Behemoth? It’s been, what, fifteen years? I see why you’d recommend sending troops."

"Yes. The situation resembles what happened fifteen years ago."

Roberto added, but Leon showed no visible reaction.

"If the royal family requests support..."

"I won’t send everything, but I won’t decline either. There’s no reason to refuse," Leon replied coldly, his tone calculated.

Roberto’s expression tightened slightly, as if he had anticipated such a response.

"The Border Lord can deal with it. If they can’t contain it, then they’re simply doing us a favor. We’ll focus on our own matters. What else do you have to report?"

"It’s about your daughter and Maxim Apart."

Leon sighed deeply.

"Go on."

"It seems Maxim used aura despite the curse."

Leon let out a dry laugh, which grew louder and sharper, echoing through the room. He habitually rubbed his signet ring as he continued to laugh.

"How did that happen?"

"Teodora and Maxim fell off the cliff during an incident. Teodora was injured."

Leon’s laughter grew louder, completely unconcerned about his daughter’s injury. A smirk curled at his lips as he spoke.

"An amazing coincidence, isn’t it? I almost wish I’d seen it happen."

"Yes. It seems Maxim had no choice but to release his aura during the battle with the beasts at the bottom of the cliff."

Leon stifled his laughter with a cough, his voice hoarse from the outburst.

"So, he couldn’t resist. Or rather, he had no choice?"

"Given the circumstances, yes, it was inevitable."

Leon chuckled one last time.

"It’s possible Teodora may have realized Maxim is cursed."

"She likely knows. She may have spoken to Christine Watson, the knight’s mage."

"Then she’s probably certain of it."

Leon seemed oddly indifferent, as if Teodora knowing this was of no real consequence.

"Christine’s ability to keep the curse in check is reaching its limit, I imagine."

The 'cute mage' was Leon’s nickname for Christine. Roberto nodded in agreement.

"Yes. I checked on Maxim when he was in the infirmary, and despite Christine’s efforts, the curse was still progressing."

Leon frowned and pressed his fingers to his temples, clearly irritated. Roberto, sensing his mood, cautiously suggested an alternative.

"Keeping Maxim Apart around might be too risky at this point..."

"Has anyone discovered the true nature of the curse?"

Roberto shook his head.

"Not yet. But if we continue to watch, they might eventually figure it out. Perhaps it would be better to either eliminate him or recruit him."

Leon slowly waved his hand in refusal.

"If we could’ve recruited him, we’d have done it long ago. When we were introduced to Christine through the tower, I was willing to offer her the highest possible position within the family. Her talent was remarkable, on par with my daughter’s. But she refused coldly."

Leon gave a bitter smile.

"Well, if she becomes too much of a nuisance, eliminating her might be an option. It wouldn’t be difficult. I’ll have to reach out to the tower master again."

"But didn’t Christine leave the tower after a falling out with the master?" Roberto asked, puzzled.

Leon tapped his fingers on the desk dismissively.

"We use whatever pieces we can."

His eyes gleamed sharply.

"When will Teodora return to the field?"

"It’s not yet scheduled. Likely after she recovers from her injuries and they’ve gathered sufficient forces."

"How serious are her injuries?"

For the first time, Leon seemed to show concern for his daughter.

"She should recover in less than a month."

"A fairly significant injury, then. Still, she should be able to attend a small social gathering."

"What if she refuses?"

Leon laughed, completely unconcerned.

"She won’t have a choice. It’ll be the event where her former lover’s engagement and marriage will be publicly announced."

He cracked his knuckles loudly, the sound filling the room.

"That will be all for tonight. I’ll reach out to Emil first. Then the tower master."

Leon shot a crooked glance at Roberto, who stood, pulling his hood back over his head.

"Continue keeping an eye on them. Teodora, Maxim Apart, Christine..."

Leon’s eyes glinted coldly.

"Watch everything within reach."

Roberto bowed slightly in response.

"Understood."

All for the glory of the Benning family.

Under Leon’s icy gaze, Roberto muttered the words quietly.

Afternoon at the Black Crow Knights’ New Headquarters

The newly relocated headquarters of the Black Crow Knights was much more respectable than the previous one. The training yard was no longer overgrown with weeds but paved with solid stone. Though slightly isolated, it no longer required a climb up a steep hill. The new headquarters had once belonged to another knight order, and only minor renovations had been made.

"Deputy Commander, the tasks you assigned have been completed," a regular knight reported to Christine. The reports on the equipment’s condition and requests for additional gear from the central order had been compiled, thanks to a few volunteers.

"Good work," Christine said, her voice carrying over the sound of cicadas. She had been handling Teodora’s duties while the latter was on leave. It was a quiet period, mostly filled with administrative work. As the sun stretched out across the sky, Christine gazed at the warm light that resembled the color of her own hair.

Maybe it’s time to call it a day.

Though it was still early, there wasn’t much left to do. They needed to conserve their strength before the royal summons returned them to the battlefield.

"Shall we leave early? There’s nothing else to do," she suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea."

The knight quickly agreed, and Christine smiled slightly before dismissing the others. As they hurried off, she gathered her belongings from the deputy commander’s office and stepped out of the headquarters.

"Leaving early, Deputy Commander?"

"Have a good evening."

Christine waved back at the knights, making her way along the road that led away from the Black Crow Knights’ base. The heat radiating from the ground felt hotter than the sunlight itself. She wished for a breeze, but the wind was unkind, offering no relief for her flushed cheeks.

"So hot..."

Despite her complaints, Christine’s steps were light as she headed toward the market.

What should I bring as a gift today?

Her mind was filled with thoughts of what to buy. Before she knew it, she had reached the outskirts of the market. Christine walked along, her hands clasped behind her back, tapping her cheek with her finger, and twirling her long hair as she strolled through the marketplace.

"Flowers... but those aren’t really good gifts, are they?"

"What’s not a good gift?"

Christine jumped as if startled by a cat, her body stiffening at the sudden voice from behind. Turning around, she found none other than Maxim, his expression as calm as ever. Christine furrowed her brow at the sight of his nonchalant face.

"Ah! Seriously, you scared me!" Christine snapped, her voice laced with irritation as she playfully swung her fists at him. Maxim laughed, easily blocking her light punches.

"I couldn’t just ignore you when I saw you walking by," he replied.

"Are you back already?"

"I’ll officially return tomorrow. I arrived around noon today," Maxim said with a nod, moving as if he wasn’t in pain, despite his injuries. Christine let out an exasperated sigh.

"So you’ll be back at work tomorrow. I wonder if you’ll even be able to join the regular training sessions with your injuries."

"I’ll manage. I’m feeling much better now."

Christine shook her head, clearly not wanting to argue further.

"Where were you heading?"

Maxim’s question made Christine purse her lips before answering.

"Home."

Maxim raised an eyebrow. There was only one place Christine ever referred to as 'home.'

"Going to see the headmistress and the kids?"

Christine nodded.

"It’s been a while since I last visited... I’m just going to stop by for a bit."

Maxim took a step back, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Well, take care."

"Wait, Senior..."

"Hm?"

Just as Maxim was about to leave, he felt Christine’s hand grasp his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.

"Could you come with me?" she asked.

"To your home?"

"Yes. I’m sure the headmistress and the kids would love to see you too."

Maxim looked down at her, a faint smile on his lips as he realized he had no choice.

"Alright. But first, let’s pick out a gift."