The crimson aura lingering around White Mask's face made me realize the depth of pain she must have endured.

The kind of pain that might make even the Saint with his infamous, unrelenting back injury pale in comparison. I steadied myself, preparing for what was to come.

Right. I’d absorbed the pain of someone on the verge of death before. If I managed that, I could handle this.

After a deep breath, I reached out and swept my hand through the aura surrounding her face, letting it cling to my fingertips.

I didn’t absorb it right away, though. There had to be some noticeable effect for it to mean anything. Recklessly absorbing without thought was not something my still-weak body could handle.

“…!”

Yet, despite my hesitation, it seemed that White Mask felt a difference almost immediately. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Has there been a change?" I asked.

She lifted her hand, touching her face as if to confirm. It was proof enough that something had shifted.

"The pain… it’s gone."

"That’s excellent news."

I remembered hearing about the agonizing pain she’d suffered after being bitten by the Dragonslayer. Perhaps she’d been carrying that torment all along, merely enduring it in silence. Her resilience was certainly commendable, but eliminating the pain alone wouldn’t be enough.

"Would you like to see a mirror, Master?"

"And how do I look to you?"

"To me, you’ve always appeared as beautiful as ever, so I can’t tell if there’s a change."

"Flattery, even now?"

White Mask gave a resigned laugh, tapping her forehead with her palm. But it was true—thanks to my Super Coward Mode, I could only see her true face, not the distorted one that everyone else saw.

She lifted a mirror from the table, gazing into it as I watched, nerves on edge.

“…Ah.”

A soft gasp escaped her lips, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Her expression was enough to confirm it—her face had been restored. The experiment had been a success.

“…Ha."

I couldn’t believe it worked. I never imagined it would be powerful enough to resolve what seemed like an incurable affliction.

Of course, my body still had its limits, but this meant I could take the next step. Now that I knew it worked, I had to fully absorb this pain—otherwise, her face would revert to its scarred state.

This wasn’t a loss for me, either. The more pain I absorbed, the stronger I became. My physical abilities had noticeably improved since I gained this power. No wonder the Inquisitor grew so strong with it.

I clenched my fist, drawing in the red aura. It shot up my arm, slamming into my mind.

"…Argh!"

I was overwhelmed by a splitting headache and waves of despair.

I understood now why White Mask had screamed when bitten by the Dragonslayer. It felt like skin was being torn from my body. And that wasn’t the worst of it.

The psychological toll—the disfigured appearance that had damaged her self-worth, the depression that followed, the creeping lethargy—everything seeped into me.

My whole body went limp, collapsing onto the floor.

"Get a hold of yourself!"

White Mask’s panicked voice sounded nearby, but I could barely process it.

I tried to fight through it, but my brain forced itself toward unconsciousness, desperate to escape the pain.

Deathly pain might actually be preferable. This was agony worse than dying.

In the end, I didn’t pass out.

The experience was painful, but it hadn’t physically harmed me. It felt like I was on the edge of blacking out, but I regained my senses before that could happen.

I was resting, thanks to White Mask, who’d laid out something for me to lie on. Most of the pain had faded, though I still felt lingering aches from the ordeal.

White Mask looked down at me, concern in her gaze.

"Did you… know it would hurt that much?"

"Yes… but it was worse than I expected."

I glanced over at the white mask hanging on a hook. She wasn’t wearing it now, and her face had fully returned to its original state.

It was a victory, no doubt.

"I didn’t expect you to go through such pain just to restore my face."

“But isn’t it a good thing that it’s back?”

“You really are… something else.”

There was no need for her to look at me with such a wistful expression. I was glad, because this meant we had a real chance of restoring the Commander as well.

If I could just gauge how much stronger I needed to be to endure an Outer Entity’s power, the Commander could be saved.

"…Thank you. Rest well."

White Mask gave me a faint smile, and I returned it.

Once I’d mostly recovered, White Mask and I returned to the knights’ headquarters. The Deputy Leader’s expression upon seeing White Mask was priceless—a moment I wished I could capture, though, unfortunately, there were no cameras here.

With a bright look, she nodded in approval.

“So, it worked?”

“Yes, Deputy Leader.”

“Incredible. I never thought I’d see that face again.”

She glanced over at White Mask, whose gaze remained low, as if embarrassed. Perhaps revealing her face for the first time in so long left her feeling self-conscious. With a face that beautiful, she should have more confidence.

“Well, this is promising. We’re closer to a solution for the Commander’s condition.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Truly, Tanton, we owe you a debt we can’t ever repay.”

“Come on now, helping each other is what we’re here for, isn’t it?”

The Deputy Leader chuckled warmly.

With the update given, I headed straight to the library. Information gathering was crucial at this point.

Knowledge would be the key to victory.

As soon as I returned to the branch and changed into more comfortable clothes, someone knocked on my door. Only one person would knock on my door at this hour.

“Asti?”

“Yes, Raydan.”

Asti stepped in. Checking the clock, I realized it was nearly time for lunch.

Hmm. If I ate, I’d probably feel too sluggish to go to the library afterward. But if I skipped Asti’s meal, she might look disappointed. I mulled it over.

“Asti, how about we go to the library together?”

“The library?”

“Yeah, there’s something I need to research.”

Asti seemed to understand what I meant, giving a slight smile as she nodded.

“Alright, then I’ll prepare for our outing.”

“Let’s eat out today.”

It would be nice to spend time with her for a change.

…Or so I thought.

“…How did this happen?”

“Meaning?”

I’d planned for a quiet meal with just Asti. Somehow, our party had become a group of three.

"Uh… Hunter? What brings you here?"

“I was on my way to the library myself.”

“Oh?”

“Apparently, each region has its own hunters. I felt the need to research more about my father’s past through that lens.”

Okay, fair enough.

But the issue wasn’t her reason for being here—it was her appearance.

Gone were the usual layers of clothes. She wore shorts, a fitted t-shirt, and had a fresh, short haircut. The masculine vibe was completely replaced with an air of cold allure.

It was impossible to miss that this outfit was meant to make a certain impression.

“Uh, that outfit…”

“What? I wore this in your dream as well, didn’t I?”

Dream talk again, with just a hint of guilt. And she acted innocent, too.

Asti seemed to pick up on Hunter’s intentions. Even with her usual neutral expression, her gaze held a hint of wariness as she looked at Hunter.

So much for a peaceful outing…