Three Months Later.

“Vice Commander.”

The voice echoed faintly, like the distant ringing of a bell, lingering clearly in Maxim Apart’s mind. He realized that he was dreaming.

However, the dreams he had lately weren’t the kind he could wake up from simply because he wanted to, so instead of speaking with his unmoving lips, Maxim responded in his thoughts.

Yes, Christine. Vice Commander, what are you going to do today? Training.

Maxim answered coldly on purpose. The scene before him was shrouded in mist, as though covered in a thick fog. He wanted to close his eyes, but in dreams, he couldn’t.

What kind of training? What else would it be but swinging my sword?

The voice seemed to move closer and then drift farther away. Maxim didn’t know whether he should try to grasp that fading voice or let it go.

Vice Commander.

Golden hair, shining like sunlight, flickered before his eyes. The sight of her pained him as though his chest were being torn apart by a sword.

Vice Commander. Yes. Please, don’t look for me.

The fog thickened. Like a harbor at dawn, where sea fog rolls in, Christine disappeared behind a veil of mist.

“...Ugh.”

Maxim blinked. It felt like a snake was coiling tightly around his skull. He lay there for a long time before slowly getting up from his bed.

“Damn it.”

His body didn’t feel heavy. The weight was only in his mind. Maxim clenched and opened his fists to get his blood flowing again.

It had already been three months since that day. Maxim decided to stop thinking about the changes. As he took off his shirt, the cold air brushed against his skin. He began to move his body slowly.

“Hah…”

Only his left palm touched the cold floor. Maxim finished what must have been his countless set of push-ups and stood up again. As he loosened his wrists, he sensed a familiar presence outside the cabin.

Clunk.

The door opened. Maxim, just picking up his shirt, made eye contact with Nayra, who wore a rather displeased expression.

“Oh, Master.” “Oh, my ass. Is that how you greet your master after not seeing me for a few days, you ungrateful student?”

Thud.

“Ow.”

A heavy pouch of gold coins flew and hit Maxim square in the head. Their reunion, after a few days apart, wasn’t exactly warm. As Maxim clutched his head in pain, Nayra clicked her tongue in disapproval.

“What are you whining about? Hurry up and put on your clothes and sit down.”

Maxim picked up the pouch of coins and placed it on the table, hurriedly pulling his shirt over his head. Nayra pulled out a chair and crossed her legs as she sat at the table.

“…Welcome back.” “Took you long enough. Don’t bother.”

Nayra waved off his belated greeting with a dismissive hand. Maxim sat across from her with an awkward expression, and Nayra wasted no time getting to the point.

“There have been several ‘attempts’ in the meantime.”

Maxim immediately understood what she meant by “attempts.”

“They weren’t bad, skill-wise. None of them could use aura, though.” “…That family’s getting desperate.”

Maxim responded with a mix of bitterness and guilt. Nayra snorted at his reaction.

“If you’re going to respond half-heartedly like that, don’t ask for my help in the first place.”

Nayra glared at him as she spoke.

“The fact that I’m helping you now is purely my choice. It’s my amusement and my whim. Your worrying about me won’t change that.”

She grabbed Maxim by the chin, stopping him from saying anything, and locked eyes with him. Her piercing blue eyes bore into him before she finally let go, her tone softening slightly with a faint hint of amusement.

“It’s good to see you still have a bit of that cute charm left.”

Maxim rubbed his chin, casting a complicated glance at her.

“Well, let’s get to the point.”

Nayra tapped the table lightly with her fist, as if she were a judge ready to hand down a verdict.

“The Banshee extermination. It was nothing more than a walk for me, but they’ve classified it as a pretty difficult mission.”

She said this as though it were the most natural thing in the world, despite the fact that she had killed five ancient banshees with ease.

“I had to stay by the lake for a few extra days just to avoid suspicion. If I had returned right after finishing the mission in one day, it would’ve raised too many questions.”

Her tone was filled with displeasure.

“But, thanks to that, I was able to lure them out.” “You did it on purpose to draw out the assassins?” “I couldn’t just go looking for them myself, so I played dumb. Mumbled to myself like an idiot, swung my sword around aimlessly, just like you do.”

Maxim gave her a stiff smile at the sharp comment. Nayra, clearly enjoying his awkward reaction, continued.

“On the second day, they showed up. If they had even ten seconds to witness me hunting banshees, they wouldn’t have dared come out.”

Nayra placed a neatly folded document on the table.

“I didn’t find much, but it seems they were ordered to prioritize capturing you alive. They held back their attacks, leaving enough power to avoid killing you.”

Maxim unfolded the document. The Bening family’s involvement was confirmed, but instead of hiring outsiders, they had sent their own people.

“…Someone from the Bening family…” “They weren’t just testing the waters. They knew for certain that you’re the one carrying out the adventurer missions. It was likely a serious capture operation.”

Maxim’s expression darkened, his eyes turning cold.

“They probably wanted to capture you and then use their daughter, Teodora, to control you.”

Maxim clenched his teeth.

“They’ve likely already replaced most of the royal guard with their own people. But instead of eliminating or ignoring you, they’re trying to capture you alive. Do you know why?”

“…Teodora.” “They can’t completely ignore her or turn their back on her, even if they want to. She’s a significant figure in their plans.”

Maxim rubbed his eyes in frustration as Nayra looked down at him.

“…When I brought you here, I asked you a question.”

She placed her hand on Maxim’s bowed head.

“What do you want?”

Shaky legs. Mages appearing. Christine vanishing. The sudden downpour.

Maxim clenched his fists as he recalled that moment.

“And you answered me.”

Nayra’s voice was soft, but firm.

“You said you would take back what was lost. You wouldn’t lose anything else.”

Her words settled in Maxim’s mind like a gravestone, marking a resolve within him. His cold eyes began to gleam with murderous intent.

“…Yes.” “Don’t hesitate.”

Nayra grabbed his head and lifted it firmly. His long hair fluttered with the motion.

“I hate anything that ends halfway.”

Nayra had taken on Maxim’s role for two reasons.

The first was to confirm whether the Bening family was still searching for him.

“You already know this, so let’s move on.”

The obsession of the Bening family, or more specifically, Count Leon, had exceeded all expectations. Time and again, they had tried to abduct Nayra, who was acting as an adventurer.

“They won’t give up. Count Bening will hunt you down until the day you die.” “That’s comforting news.”

Maxim grimaced in distaste.

“At least it means we can always track them by following their agents.”

And the second reason.

“About that tracking issue…”

Nayra tapped her chin with her fingers, thinking.

“It seems there are more eyes on me than before.” “…You mean?” “Not just the usual Bening agents who’ve been keeping tabs on me.”

At Maxim’s puzzled look, Nayra held up a single finger.

“Curiosity.”

“…”

“They seem to think I might be useful.”

Maxim thought about the term “unofficial mission.”

“Are they pawns of the nobles?”

“Most likely. But it doesn’t seem like all of them belong to the same group.”

Nayra’s sharp blue eyes gleamed with an almost supernatural awareness. It was as if she could see through everything. Her voice, steady and calculating, weighed every possibility.

“Tell me, what should we do?”

“There will be contact first.”

Maxim began speaking.

“The nobles won’t be blind to the fact that the Bening family is relentlessly pursuing someone. The fact that the rumors are spreading about an unknown adventurer only heightens their interest.”

“So, even though the royal capital is practically under the thumb of the Bening family, you think they’ll still take action?”

Nayra questioned, and Maxim responded confidently.

“They can’t move openly, so they’ll approach through the adventurer’s guild. It’s no coincidence the royal court has been tightening restrictions on adventurers.”

Maxim’s voice carried a conviction that was hard to ignore. Nayra raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“You’re quite sure of yourself.” “After becoming a knight, I spent at least a year trailing behind high-ranking nobles. I know what they want and how they operate.”

Maxim answered matter-of-factly.

“Alright, let’s say I manage to establish contact with a noble. What happens next?”

Nayra traced her fingers across the table.

“What will you do then?”

Maxim looked down at his hands, clenching and unclenching them. He closed his eyes and focused on his body.

He could still move. He could still fight.

That was Maxim’s conclusion.

“From that point on, I’ll take over.”

Nayra chuckled softly. Her blue eyes, glinting with amusement, seemed to ask if he could really manage it.

“You don’t need your master anymore, is that it?” “…I wouldn’t dare say that.”

Nayra watched as Maxim let out a long sigh.

“If you get involved any further, they might discover you.” “I don’t particularly mind.” “Your people in hiding might be less thrilled about it.”

Nayra let out a short laugh, clearly amused by his words, and continued to tease him.

“The boy who used to follow me around is all grown up now. He even talks back to his master.” “I don’t remember having such a mischievous master.”

Nayra burst into laughter again.

“True enough.”

A moment of silence followed. Maxim looked back at Nayra, who was watching him.

“How’s your body holding up? Any lingering injuries?” “The wounds are fine. I’ve nearly purged all the demonic energy as well.”

At the mention of demonic energy, Nayra’s eyebrows furrowed, and a displeased sound escaped her lips.

“I never would’ve guessed the Mage Tower was conducting independent research into dark magic.”

Nayra touched Maxim’s arm gently.

“But on the bright side, we’ve uncovered one of their tricks.”

Nayra thought back to the witch who had melted into the ground like a shadow. Even though she had taken care of it before being detected, there was no guarantee it hadn’t been noticed.

“…Of course, the same goes for us.”

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a bright light into the room.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” “I have more than enough help already.”

Maxim’s words carried a subtle plea for Nayra not to get involved any further. She recognized the implication and softened her expression.

“Do you remember when we first met?”

“When you were working as an adventurer, Master... Is that what you’re talking about?” “I was more of an herbalist than an adventurer.” “No herbalist could be that strong.”

Back then, in the forest, when Maxim had encountered a Grizzly bear, Nayra had taken it down, saving the young Maxim. That experience, etched deep in his bones, still appeared in his dreams occasionally.

“What were you thinking, a kid like you, wandering through the woods all alone?” “…Why the sudden trip down memory lane?”

Maxim answered gruffly. Nayra, finding his reaction amusing, covered her mouth with a hand, stifling a laugh.

“You’ll understand one day, when you’ve lived more years than you have left to live.”

“Do you really think you’re the one to be saying that? You’re going to live much longer than I will.” “You caught me.”

She threw out the words like some wise sage, then reverted to her usual playful self, leaning back in her chair with a youthful grin. Maxim tried to read the meaning behind her expression but eventually gave up, burying his face in his arms.

Nayra placed her hand on his bowed head. Maxim flinched, attempting to get up, but Nayra firmly pushed him back down. Maxim, now in a ridiculous position, had no choice but to accept her head pats.

“You hopeless student.”

Maxim’s expression shifted, a mix of joy, guilt, anger, and self-loathing crossing his face.

“Don’t make that face.” “Promise me, Master.” “What, that I’ll leave once things are settled?”

Maxim fell silent, his words taken right out of his mouth.

“You don’t need to worry. I planned to step back as soon as this is over. I don’t want to complicate things further either.”

Nayra sighed softly.

“This is as far as I can go.”

She drew a line. Though she wanted to do more, she couldn’t. After all the years she had lived, Maxim was the only disciple she had taken under her wing. Watching him suffer was unbearable.

“From here on, it’s entirely up to you.”

That’s why she spoke with such strength.

“It’s your choice, and your path to walk. Will you have any regrets?” “I’d rather focus on what I can regain than waste time on regrets.”

Christine had disappeared. Teodora was likely left alone in the knight order. Had he been able to protect Marion? Maxim bit his lower lip.

“…Alright.”

Nayra studied his expression but said no more.

For a while, silence stretched between them, a comfortable silence in which both were lost in their own thoughts.

“Let me see your sword.” “Huh?”

Maxim’s eyes widened. Nayra tilted her head, confused by his reaction.

“Why are you so surprised?” “Well… it’s been a long time since you’ve said that, Master.” “I am your master, after all. Why is it so surprising?”

Nayra stood up, and Maxim’s gaze followed her. Her greenish-golden hair shimmered in the sunlight. Looking down at him, Nayra spoke in a playful tone.

“I’m hungry, Maxim.” “…Yes, Master.”