"You will do no such thing."

Kona froze at the voice. He turned sharply to the pin on his chest, shock flashing across his face.

Garrick, who had been watching the entire thing silently for days, had just spoken.

"But my lord, he’s in danger. Those beasts—"

"Have you learned nothing from watching that brat?" Garrick’s laughter echoed. "He lives for impossible shit. Just let him be. Right, Head of House?"

Kona’s eyes widened to their limit.

Head of House?

There was a brief silence before a deep voice echoed.

"...yeah."

Kona felt like his soul had left his body. The Head of House had been watching all along?

"A- as you wish, Lord Calderalth!"

"Tch. Fucking pussy," Garrick muttered.

"...must you be so vulgar?" Kastor said.

"What? He heard ’Head of House’ and instantly turned into a good little boy."

Kona flushed in embarrassment.

"It’s called respect. Maybe try it sometime."

"Respect my ass."

"Don’t mind him, warrior. You’re doing well."

"T-thank you, Lord Calderalth!"

Kona bowed repeatedly, barely containing his excitement. To be praised by the Head of House himself...

"Tch—"

Garrick was about to continue when a heavy impact slammed into the debris. Kona’s gaze sharpened instantly.

Ahead, Jenna froze, staring in shock.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

More impacts struck the rubble— then—

BOOM!

The debris burst apart, dust scattering in all directions.

From within the haze, a pair of purple eyes shone.

The moment Jenna saw them, her eyes widened.

"You’re alive!"

She threw herself into his arms, clutching him tightly as tears welled up in her eyes.

"I’m glad... I’m really glad!"

Zephyrion raised a hand and patted her back slowly, giving a small nod without any change in expression.

"...I am."

As if suddenly remembering something, Jenna quickly pulled back, her gaze sweeping over him from head to toe.

"Are you hurt anywhere? Any injuries?"

"No."

Jenna let out a long breath of relief. Aside from dust clinging to him, he was completely unharmed.

It was then she noticed the figure slung over his shoulder.

"...is that!?"

"Yes," Zephyrion said with a slight nod. "I retrieved him."

Jenna’s eyes widened further.

"Then... what about the beasts?"

"The cave in handled most. I finished the rest."

"Finished..."

Jenna didn’t know what to say. Even one of those beasts should have been impossible to handle, yet he spoke as though it were nothing.

"We’ve wasted enough time," Zephyrion said, walking past her. "We need to head to the village."

Remembering the village was still under threat, Jenna quickly nodded.

A moment later, they began moving through the forest toward Pulsegrove.

Zephyrion’s eyes were cold.

’One more thing.’

Everything else had been settled. Now, he just had to deal with the warden.

...

Kaiden jolted upright in a dimly lit room.

"Ah, you’re finally awake."

"Wh- what... where am I?"

He clutched his head, his gaze sweeping the space in confusion.

"You’re safe, Kaiden... You don’t remember?"

"What... happened..."

A sharp pain surged through his head, and Kaiden’s eyes widened as the memories came flooding back.

Zephyrion had held back so much... and he had still lost.

Grit!

Kaiden clenched his teeth so hard they nearly cracked. He had still lost, even then?

Fiona watched him with a conflicted expression. There was no one who didn’t know about Kaiden’s obsession with beating Zephyrion, yet she couldn’t picture it, Zephyrion losing. It felt impossible.

"...where is he?"

Fiona flinched slightly as she met Kaiden’s eyes. There was a murderous glint in them, as though he wanted to tear everything apart.

"...he’s outside the village. After he saved them from the ambush, he—"

"Wait." Kaiden’s eyes narrowed. "Ambush?"

"...yeah. The village head’s son set it up. It’s crazy... the villagers were almost wiped out, and the young lord led a whole beast horde to save them."

Fiona’s eyes shone as she spoke about Zephyrion. There was no mistaking the awe in them.

Meanwhile, Kaiden’s gaze had gone unfocused.

"He went..."

He had thought Zephyrion had refused to go because he was too afraid to face the beasts. But that clearly wasn’t the case.

If the villagers had nearly been wiped out, then the threat level had been that high. Zephyrion had anticipated it... and gone alone.

’He was protecting me...’

Alongside the anger, a wave of shame crashed down on Kaiden. How had he been so narrow-minded that he had missed something so obvious?

To think he had dared call him a coward.

Kaiden pushed himself off the bed.

"Where did he go?"

He had to face him. Had to apologize.

"I don’t know."

"What?"

Kaiden turned to Fiona, who was already shaking her head.

"He just told me to gather everyone and prepare with the villagers. The others are already there."

Kaiden frowned, confused.

"...prepare for what?"

"Battle..."

Moments later, as Fiona finished explaining everything Zephyrion had said, the two rushed out of the room and headed straight for the village gates.

There, the village head, along with every single able warrior, had already gathered.

"Young warriors. Welcome." The village head quickly approached them. "Thank you for coming. Here, take this."

He handed them a set of armor etched with numerous markings.

Kaiden stared at it in slight shock.

"This is..."

"They’re rune engraved. About three times the defense, and much tougher than standard armor."

Kaiden couldn’t help but look at the village head in surprise. The man, along with everyone else, was looking at them with something he hadn’t shown before, respect.

’This is... because of him?’

Zephyrion Calderalth.

...

Perched at the crown of a high tree, Dune stared down at Pulsegrove village, a complicated expression settling on his face.

Come morning, this village would cease to exist, its people reduced to nothing. Though he took no pleasure in carrying out such carnage, there was no alternative.

’It’s simply the way the world works.’

Dune slowly raised his arm.

The moment it came down, piercing roars tore through the forest as a tide of mutated beasts surged toward the village.