Chapter 6

Terisha blocked her ears as the room trembled from my voice.

"IDIOT!" she shouted, raising her hand and slapping my knee.

PAK!!

"Ouch!! Hey, hey, hey—" I cried out, but before I could react, she grabbed my leg tightly.

"AHHHHHH! My bad! Please let go..." I pleaded, trying to pry her hand off, but it was immovable.

"Didn't I tell you not to discharge magic power?"

"That was unconsciously! It doesn’t count!" I protested, gritting my teeth.

Suddenly, the door opened. Footsteps echoed as two men and one woman entered.

"Ara~, that's sweet," a playful voice teased.

Terisha glanced back and instantly recognized the voice.

"Moneth!!" she cried out.

"Hiii~" Moneth waved with a bright smile.

Terisha ran toward her and leapt into the air.

Moneth caught her with ease, spinning her around as if they'd rehearsed it a hundred times.

"Why did you only come now? I was lonely," she said, wearing a sad face.

"Come on, the war was huge. We were tasked with guarding, escorting, and maintaining a presence for the citizens of the new developing kingdom."

"Still... couldn’t you have visited me once a month? Six months without contact is horrendous."

"Come on now, you're old, not a brat," said the man towering behind Moneth.

She turned to him with a glare. "Shut up, Grand. I didn’t ask you to talk. Bleeeh." She stuck out her tongue at him.

"Tsk, you kn—"

"That’s enough, the two of you," said another voice, silencing them both.

The two calmed down.

(Alright.)

(Okay.)

A redhead stepped forward—someone you could truly say was blessed by the gods, a face that calling him the most handsome in the kingdom a understatement.

"Reifen, by the way, did you buy the thing I asked for?"

"Of course! We— I mean I— didn’t forget," he said, wearing a suspicious look.

"You made Moneth remind you, didn’t you?" Terisha asked with a distrustful glare.

"Nope."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Well, it’s still to my benefit. I’ll tell the commander about your good deeds."

"Thanks."

I smiled as I looked at the four of them. I'm glad they survived.

"Speaking of which, where’s Hal— no wait, it should be Captain of the Hidden blades?" he said sarcastically.

"Just call me by my name. We're not that far apart to need titles." He laughed, and I smiled back, vigorously. 

He walks towards me having both of his hands on his hips

"Putting our titles aside... Man, you really went into a coma for three months."

"Four months," I corrected, stretching my fingers slightly under the blanket.

"Alright, four months," he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "So, when do you think you’ll be able to walk?"

"Ask Terisha, not me," I said, shifting my eyes toward her.

He leaned down with a grin, resting his hands on his knees as he turned to her.

"Hey, Terisha!"

She paused mid-sentence with Moneth and Grand, slowly turning her head toward us with one brow raised.

"What?" she asked, her tone flat, arms folded over her chest.

"When can this bastard hold a sword again?" he asked, jabbing a thumb in my direction while flashing a smile look.

Terisha narrowed her eyes, exhaling through her nose as she stepped closer.

"I don’t want to make wild guesses. His condition when he got here was nearly beyond saving—even my techniques are struggling to stitch him back together properly."

She closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly, thinking.

"I can’t say for sure, but I can estimate when he might be able to stand and walk again."

"When?" he asked, standing straight again and crossing his arms.

"Maybe in 3 to 4 months," she replied, opening her eyes slowly. "My first calculation was wrong, so this one might be too. Just consider it a rough estimate—I’m still not entirely sure."

"You slapped my knee, so add one more month to that rough estimate," I grumbled.

"It was your fault, not mine," Terisha replied, brushing her hair behind her ear with an exasperated sigh. "Anyway, I have to go and report to the commander about your recovery."

"Alright, take care," I said, watching her walk away. Her coat fluttered lightly as she exited the room.

Then I noticed Reifen's face twisted into a mischievous grin.

"...What?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Nothing," he replied, sitting at the edge of my bed with that same smug smile plastered on his face.

‘Hey Moneth, wanna com—’

‘To whe—?’

The two girls exchanged glances and walked out, giggling as they closed the door behind them. Now, only Reifen, Grand, and I remained in the room.

"Grand, close the door," Reifen said, his tone turning cold.

With a heavy thud, Grand slammed the door shut. The air shifted.

"It's time to change the topic," Reifen added, crossing his arms as he turned toward me.

Grand leaned his back against the door, arms folded, eyes sharp

—clearly on guard now.

"Hals," Reifen began, his voice steady, "I’ve spoken with the leaders of the alliance. They’ve agreed to let you live peacefully in the countryside, under the protection of Klaus the Third’s domain."

The atmosphere in the room shifted. The once warm presence turned cold and heavy, like a fog settling over the space.

"You’ve already done more than enough," Reifen continued, his eyes softening. "You don’t need to follow their orders anymore. Live with Terisha and—"

"Reifen!" I snapped, my voice low but sharp, cutting through his words.

He froze, lips pressed into a firm line as silence fell again.

"I don’t want this," I said, each word deliberate. "I’m sure you already know what’s happening to me... the voices—those who fell by my blade—they won’t let me forget."

I tightened my fists against the bedsheets.

"I don't want to forget them. I want to remember... I need to atone for my sins."

"Besides, if I were gone, who would defend you all from the invaders of the other continents?" I said, shifting slightly on the bed, pain still lingering in my limbs. "And I can't just abandon my subordinates."

"You really are Hals," Reifen muttered with a smirk, leaning back with his arms crossed. The room, once heavy with silence, felt a little lighter. Grand, still by the door, cracked a rare smile.

"Oh yeah, by the way," Reifen added, standing upright and stretching his back, "the leaders of the alliance want to see you once you’re able to walk again."

"Whaaaaaaat," I groaned, dragging the word as my head sank into the pillow. "That sounds annoying. Facing those old men and women is such a pain in the ass."

"Dumbass," Grand grunted from the door. "You think you can say no? It’s the era of peace now. You’re more of a symbol to the military than a soldier. Not to the citizens, of course."

"Anyways we also need to go, we have to report to the commander"

Grand opens the door he lets Reifen go out first 

"See ya next time hals" Grand said to me

"Ill see you all next time" I waved and he closes the door