Chapter 15 — Rewards and Resolve

Kai crouched beside Darius, checking the older adventurer’s condition. His breathing was steady, chest rising evenly. “Stable,” Kai murmured. He glanced at Lira, who was already tending to Darius’s wounds with a few remaining herbs.
“We should leave,” Kai said quietly, voice calm.
But something caught his sharp emerald eyes. The mine carts, still loaded with gleaming Mythril ore, sat unattended. A small, fleeting thought crossed his mind — Old Man Ray has helped me… I can repay him in some small way.
Without hesitation, Kai slipped a few heavy chunks into his bag. They were small but valuable, enough to show his gratitude.

Kai touched Lira’s shoulder, giving her a small pouch of herbs. “Use these to replenish your mana. You’ve spent most of it healing him.”
Lira took them with a quiet nod, her silver hair falling softly over her shoulders.
Next, Kai shifted his enhanced bodyweight subtly. With his body enhancement magic, he lifted Darius carefully and slung him over his shoulder. The older man groaned softly but didn’t wake.
“Let’s go,” Kai said, heading toward the path leading back to Havenbrook Village.

They arrived before nightfall, renting the same two rooms as before. Kai laid Darius gently on the bed. For the first time, he showed any trace of concern beyond strategic calculations — a flicker of thoughtfulness toward the people around him.
He turned to Lira. “Sleep here,” he said simply, gesturing toward his bed, preparing to take the chair.
Lira shook her head. “I’ll be fine, Kai. You sleep on the bed; I can handle the chair.”
Kai’s eyes narrowed faintly. “You’ll comply.”
Reluctantly, she did. Her small smile didn’t escape him, but he ignored it, settling on the chair while still keeping one hand lightly on his ninjatō beside him.
Through the night, his vigilance never wavered. Lira’s soft breathing beside him reminded him of the stakes — and of what had happened before when she was almost kidnapped.

The next morning, Darius was gone. Kai rose silently, heading down to find him. Darius was at the inn’s breakfast hall, eating with cheerful appetite.
Lira soon joined, having dressed quickly. She found both Kai and Darius eating.
“You two worried me,” she scolded, hands on her hips. “Do you have any idea how stressful it is not knowing where someone is?!”
Kai said nothing, merely dipping his bread in stew, while Darius grinned sheepishly.
“All three of us are fully recovered,” Lira continued, relieved. “But… Kai, you’re still thinking about something,” she noted, tilting her head slightly.
Kai’s gaze drifted briefly toward the window. Selene. I need to be stronger. My path is mine alone.

After breakfast, the trio set out for Drakensport. The miners could now work without fear, thanks to their efforts.
During the journey, Darius finally pieced together everything. “Wait… you fought the Orc Lord, carried me back, and a vampire — claiming you’re hers — appeared?” He smirked. “Man, a woman showing interest in you, and you show zero emotion. How do you even do that?”
Kai didn’t answer, eyes forward, scanning the surroundings as always.
Lira, meanwhile, explained the practical side: “Kai collected all the Orc cores. That proves our mission is complete. We’ll receive a reward from the guild.”

The journey back was uneventful, and upon arrival at the guild, they handed over the Orc cores. The receptionist counted carefully and handed each of them their share.
“You can open an account with the guild to save your reward money,” the receptionist explained. “You can withdraw as much as you want to spend and keep the rest safe.”
Kai nodded, opening an account to safeguard his earnings — precise, methodical, and always thinking ahead.

Afterward, he visited Old Man Ray, presenting the Mythril from the mines.
“For you,” Kai said simply, placing the chunks in the old man’s hands. “You’ve helped me more than anyone.”
Ray’s eyes widened, touched. “Kai… this is more than I could ask for. Thank you, lad.”
Kai nodded briefly, turning away. No words of emotion were necessary. His path was clear, and he would continue to forge it — stronger, sharper, and on his own terms.