With every pull of the trigger, the gunshots awakened the dormant beasts.

Since hand-to-hand combat wasn’t an option, Sel had to take down each beast with a single bullet.

Dodging as much as possible to conserve ammunition, Sel managed to defeat three beasts.

Only one bullet remained.

A massive serpent-like beast slithered across the ground, pursuing Sel.

The beast didn’t attack recklessly.

It seemed to be waiting for Sel to tire, methodically and persistently cornering her.

Its movements were reminiscent of Dwayne from earlier.

Had Sel fled toward the campsite, she might have been able to get help from the mercenaries.

But she chose the opposite direction.

It wasn’t because she wanted to die—it was because that direction held no value to her.

When Dwayne had stabbed her with his dagger, the mercenary group had left more than a wound on her thigh.

“I told you not to be fooled, didn’t I? I said it was all fake kindness!”

Her mother’s voice pierced her temples like dozens of needles.

There was no guarantee someone like Dwayne wouldn’t appear again.

That dagger had severed the trust connecting her to the mercenary group.

Her mind was a blank haze as her breath quickened from running.

At the edge of her vision, a blue light flickered in the distance.

‘A sword aura?’

The beast trailing her, jaws wide open, let out a strange cry and collapsed.

An overwhelming force suddenly gripped Sel’s shoulder.

“Sel!”

It was Lavi, who had followed the sound of her gunshots.

Reaching her, he pushed Sel behind him and scanned their surroundings.

The lifeless bodies of beasts lay scattered on the ground.

He couldn’t believe Sel had faced them alone. The fact that she was still alive was a miracle.

Sel, exhausted, saw Lavi’s broad, sturdy back in her blurred vision.

She fought back the urge to cry, tightly shutting her eyes and exhaling shakily.

Even standing upright was a struggle; her body swayed with weakness.

Noticing this, Lavi lifted her and placed her on a nearby rock.

“What were you thinking, coming this deep into the forest at night? Don’t you know how dangerous the Black Forest is?”

His concern came out as clumsy scolding.

Realizing this, Lavi clamped a fist over his mouth in frustration.

“…I’m sorry,” Sel said weakly, her voice devoid of energy.

Lavi opened his mouth, trying to find the right words.

“Damn it, I should’ve come sooner. It’s a miracle you’re alive. Really.”

No matter how fast he was, Lavi always seemed to arrive too late when Sel was in danger. It made him furious with himself.

He raked a hand through his hair in frustration.

“What the hell happened?” he asked.

Sel didn’t respond immediately.

Head bowed, she trembled like a small bird drenched in rain.

Seeing her like that only made Lavi angrier.

The more his anger swelled, the stronger the unnatural urge to hold her grew.

He wanted nothing more than to stop her trembling right then and there.

But despite his intentions, his arm moved of its own accord, reaching out to her.

Lavi’s hesitant hand settled on her shoulder.

He felt her delicate frame shiver beneath his palm.

‘He must’ve been terrified. Exhausted.’ The trembling shook his heart as much as hers.

“I shot Dwayne, Commander,” Sel said heavily.

Lavi patted her shoulder, surprising her with an unexpected response.

“I know. You did well.”

“He was a high-ranking noble. But… I was too scared, too angry to let him hurt me. So I shot him.”

Her voice wavered, heavy with uncertainty.

“What happens now?”

“You should’ve just killed a scumbag like that outright. Nothing to pity there,” Lavi replied, his tone gentle despite the harshness of his words.

He could piece together what had happened but suppressed the anger bubbling within him. Now wasn’t the time for fury; Sel needed comfort first.

Sel tried to seem composed, but the fear in her eyes and the tremble in her voice betrayed her.

“Are you afraid because he’s a noble?” Lavi asked.

Sel nodded silently.

“You don’t trust the other mercenaries anymore, do you?”

How did he know? Lavi was sharp, in his own way.

Sel neither confirmed nor denied, keeping her head low.

“Did you see him on your way here?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Is he dead?”

“A shot to the abdomen and shoulder won’t kill him easily.”

Lavi, still patting her shoulder, gently tilted her face upward.

Her tear-streaked face glimmered in the moonlight.

Lavi’s thumb gently wiped away the traces of her tears.

“Don’t let this get to you. Scum like him deserve whatever they get.”

“But injuring a high-ranking noble…”

Sel hesitated, unable to finish her thought about the trouble it might cause the mercenary group or Lavi.

Lavi smiled softly, cutting her off.

“I’m stronger and more powerful than most of those idiots, Sel. If something like this happens again, just kill them outright.”

“…”

“Well, except the Emperor. There’s only one person above me, and that’s him,” Lavi added with a shrug.

“That’d be treason,” he said with a smirk.

Sel let out a small, involuntary laugh.

What about those words could possibly be comforting? The tangled mess of emotions in her heart seemed to unravel at his simple statement.

With a sigh of relief, Lavi knelt down to check Sel’s condition. He finally felt ready to look at her face.

Her cheek was swollen, as if she had been struck. Torn pants revealed the scars on her thigh—just the sight of it felt like a dagger in his chest. And her clothes, dripping muddy water, hinted that she had fallen into some body of water.

The soaked fabric clung to her skin, pulling heavily downward, and the night’s chill only worsened the situation. It was clear her drenched clothing was stealing what little body heat she had left.

“I’ll fetch some medicine and spare clothes. Wait here. If you return to camp looking like this, the others might get the wrong idea,” Lavi said firmly.

If the mercenaries saw her in this state, questions would arise. If they realized Sel wasn’t as strong as she appeared, someone might entertain unsavory ideas.

Moreover, her wet clothes clung uncomfortably close to her frame, outlining her delicate body. The pale skin of her scarred thigh peeking through the torn pants caught his reluctant attention, and the thought of bringing her into a camp full of rough men like that made his stomach churn.

As Lavi rose to leave, Sel suddenly grabbed his wrist. She didn’t speak, but her grip, fragile as a withered twig, stopped him.

“I’ll be back quickly. Don’t worry,” Lavi assured her.

“It’s hard… to stay here alone,” Sel’s soft voice interrupted him.

The feeble plea struck Lavi harder than any shout could have.

He glanced around. The corpses of slain monsters lay scattered, faintly illuminated by moonlight. The smell of blood might attract more creatures in his absence.

“I wasn’t thinking,” Lavi admitted, crouching again. Turning his back to her, he gestured for her to climb on.

Sel remained seated, unmoving. Her condition wasn’t good, but accepting her commander’s back felt like an act of shamelessness she couldn’t allow herself. Instead, she used his offered posture as leverage to stand, though she wobbled with every step forward.

Then, without warning, she was swept off the ground.

“Just don’t think about anything right now. Watching you stumble around makes my eyes hurt,” Lavi said.

“But—”

“That’s an order. Didn’t you promise to obey my commands in the field?”

Faced with his firm tone, Sel closed her mouth. Lavi adjusted her weight with practiced ease, securing her onto his back with both arms supporting her thighs.

“There’s a shelter nearby. It’s crude, but it’ll shield you from the wind for now. Let’s rest there,” Lavi said as he started moving quickly.

Sel, draped across his broad back like a child, felt the sting of the cold night air against her damp clothes. Yet the steady warmth radiating from Lavi’s body wrapped around her like a protective shield.

She tentatively rested her cheek against his solid back. His powerful heartbeat echoed steadily beneath her, soothing her frayed nerves. The rhythmic warmth melted away her lingering fear, and tears silently streamed down her face.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to face him just then.

—

As Lavi had said, the conical shelter was modest but serviceable.

Made from woven vines and long wooden planks, the space was only large enough for four adults to sit close together. At the center was a shallow pit for a fire, and bundles of herbs were attached to the walls, likely to ward off pests.

It resembled a temporary hunter’s outpost.

“There’s something like this here?” Sel murmured, wiping her nose with her arm. By then, she had somewhat composed herself.

“I built it,” Lavi replied, digging into the dirt floor.

“What?”

“I come here alone often, especially during the new moon or when ghostly energy stirs in the Black Forest.”

Sel had no idea what to say. She had only glimpsed bits of his otherworldly swordplay and the bloody aftermath of his hunts. Beyond that, Lavi remained an enigma.

“Aren’t you afraid?” she finally asked.

“Afraid of what?”

“That you might get possessed and attack me with your sword.”

Still facing away from her, Lavi chuckled. “If that happens, just knee me in the gut or something.”

“I could do that?”

“I’m a Swordmaster.”

“And I’ve got knees that have bested a Swordmaster before,” Sel retorted with mock confidence.

Lavi laughed, shaking his shoulders. His digging unearthed a hidden box, which he opened to reveal emergency supplies: oil, a dagger, mana stones, matches, herbs, and a blanket.

Satisfied, he stood and tossed his shirt at Sel.

Under the faint moonlight streaming through the shelter’s entrance, his bare upper body shimmered faintly. His taut muscles, honed to perfection, seemed almost unbreakable.

“This… why are you giving me this?” Sel stammered.

“Change into it. Fold your wet clothes so they can dry.”

“I’m fine. Really—”

“Your lips are blue. If you stay like this, you’ll fall ill tomorrow. I’ve warned you enough times not to get sick during a mission. Don’t be a burden. Change into that and wrap this blanket around yourself.”

Lavi handed her the blanket and left the shelter, announcing he would fetch firewood. Though he didn’t go far, the sound of him chopping wood echoed nearby.

Sel stared at the shirt and then down at her soaked limbs. The icy, wet clothes clinging to her body were sapping what little heat she had left.

After a moment’s hesitation, she decided Lavi was right. Changing was the sensible choice.

She shed her wet clothes and pulled on his oversized shirt, which hung loosely down past her thighs, mercifully concealing her figure.

Lavi remained outside, splitting wood for longer than necessary. When he called out, asking if she had finished changing, it felt oddly courteous, as if he were respecting her privacy.

When she finally answered, he stepped back inside, arms laden with firewood.