Ten days before the expedition, Lavi brought Sel to the mercenary guild.

Sel needed to participate in training before the departure, but the primary reason was that Lavi couldn’t leave her alone in that dangerous cabin.

Lavi gave Sel his fifth-floor room.

He couldn’t bear to see Sel sharing the same floor as Eric like before.

The guild members enthusiastically welcomed Sel, though they were puzzled as to why she was staying on the fifth floor.

Lavi defended his decision, raising his voice and claiming it was part of the guild’s retirement benefits.

Lavi moved down to Sel’s former fourth-floor room. Sitting on the edge of the desk, he pressed his fingers against his temples.

Piles of paperwork he had processed were stacked high on the desk.

“What kind of ring would be best?”

Though he had no memory of that night, it was true he and Sel had spent it together.

In his mind, Lavi was already a groom. He planned to propose to Sel after returning from this expedition.

He began brainstorming dozens of ways to impress her.

Lavi stood up and paced, then knelt gracefully on one knee in front of the full-length mirror on the wall.

“No, that looks a bit tacky.”

He stood up again, pretending to present a bouquet and a ring. He felt like a peacock fanning out its feathers for a mate.

Lavi sought the most elegant and dignified way to offer the ring.

He practiced so intensely that sweat trickled down his forehead.

Just as Lavi slightly bent one knee and struck his most handsome expression while gazing into the mirror—

“Good grief.”

A sigh echoed behind him.

Eric, who had entered silently, groaned as he took in the scene.

Eric’s face twisted in disbelief as he muttered, “It’s broad daylight, not even ghost hours…”

Keeping his distance, Eric didn’t step closer to Lavi.

The room fell silent except for the faint scratching of Eric jotting something down in his notebook.

“Uh, it’s… practice. Sword-drawing practice,” Lavi stammered, pretending to draw his sword with a flourish.

Eric’s eyes remained cold and dry.

“Sure, if you say so.”

“It’s true! We’re going on an expedition with the knights, so I’m practicing for the sake of the guild’s image!”

“Of course.”

“I’m serious!”

“Yes, yes. Your dedication is admirable.”

Despite his words, Eric’s tone was icy.

As Eric turned to leave, the door creaked open, and Sel peeked in.

“Oh, Eric’s here too?”

“What brings you here, Sel?”

“I had some questions about the Moon’s Fragment. They say the area has strong magical fields, so I was thinking of modifying some weapons to match.”

“Too bad, Sel. Lavi’s far too busy living his best life right now.”

“Enough nonsense. Get out, Eric,” Lavi interjected, issuing a command to dismiss Eric.

Eric tore a page from his notebook, folded it into a small note, and turned toward the door.

As he passed Sel, he handed her the note, saying, “Don’t bother the man too much while he’s busy living his best life,” and left the room.

Outside, the sound of Eric whistling for a crow echoed and faded.

Lavi cleared his throat awkwardly and hurriedly sat on the sofa.

“So, you’re curious about the Moon’s Fragment.”

Lavi patted the seat next to him, signaling Sel to sit.

Blushing, Sel hesitantly sat where Lavi had indicated.

Since that night they spent together, she’d felt a strange ticklish sensation whenever she looked at him.

“Yes, the only information I’ve found is the legend surrounding the Moon’s Fragment.”

The legend told of the moon, wounded and hiding in the dark night to avoid the sun, descending to the earth once a year to see the rising sun, becoming the Moon’s Fragment.

“They say it’s an incredibly powerful magic stone, imbued with restorative power. When its energy is depleted, it looks ordinary, like the one you have, but originally, it’s said to shine like the moon.”

“Have you seen it up close?”

“No, I haven’t. I was in and out of consciousness at the time, and something blocked me from getting closer.”

“Something? What was it?”

“I faintly recall battling an immense presence. That was the day I collapsed in front of your cabin.”

“!”

Startled, Sel blinked as she recalled their first meeting.

How could everything about her be so adorable? Lavi thought. He let out a helpless laugh, realizing he could never escape her charm.

“The magical field emitted by the Moon’s Fragment is immense. Most magical formulas are nullified in its presence. We plan to approach the barrier with only manual weapons.”

“Thank you for the information.”

Unlike Lavi, who was filled with personal intentions, Sel quickly rose from her seat, eager to get back to modifying her rifle.

But just as she turned, Lavi reached out and clasped her hand tightly.

Sel flinched, her arm trembling.

“Why so startled? We’re at the point where holding hands shouldn’t be a big deal, aren’t we?” Lavi murmured.

After all, they’d kissed and spent a night together.

Pulling her gently, Lavi made Sel stumble and fall onto his lap, sitting sideways.

Wrapping his other arm around her back, Lavi held her close.

Though she was stiff with surprise, Sel didn’t resist.

Lavi chuckled softly, looking down at their intertwined hands.

His thick fingers slid between her slender ones.

Though Sel’s hand tensed with embarrassment, Lavi didn’t stop.

He tenderly stroked her calloused palm with his fingers.

“The legend of the Moon’s Fragment… don’t you think it’s a little sad?”

“What part of it?” Sel asked, her voice trembling slightly.

“The moon that fled from the sun… If it cared enough to secretly descend to see the sun, why did it have to run away in the first place?”

At those words, Sel, who had been staring at Lavi’s hand, lifted her gaze.

Lavi’s face, with its sharp, defined features, seemed to glimmer in the light.

Sel’s eyes dropped again to their hands.

Her own hand, held firmly in his large one, was marked with reddish allergy spots and scars from her daily work.

“The moon is full of scars, but the sun is beautiful. It must have been hard to stay close.”

Feeling the cold breeze prickling at her eyes, Sel blinked rapidly.

Lavi’s arm, which had been wrapped around her back, moved up to rest on her shoulder.

As he pulled her closer, Sel found herself pressed tightly against Lavi’s chest.

His heartbeat thudded loudly in her ears.

“Did you know, Sel? The sun has scars too.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you look at the sun through black glass, you can see dark spots on it. Just like how the moon is mottled with marks. But the sun burns itself to shine so brightly that its scars are hidden.”

“I… I didn’t know that.”

“What’s the point of shining so beautifully for the moon if it ends up alone in the end?”

“When you put it that way, the sun seems a little pitiful.”

“If the moon knew the sun had scars just like it, do you think it would have stayed?”

“I don’t know. It might still have left. The sun’s scars aren’t visible unless it stops shining. And thanks to the sun’s light, the dark night sky becomes bright. I prefer it that way.”

“Haha, when you put it like that, it makes sense.”

Lavi let out a soft laugh, stroking the back of Sel’s hand.

Her fingers, likely scratched and bruised from repairing weapons, bore fresh red marks here and there.

“When we get back from this expedition, I have something to tell you.”

“To me? What…?”

Sel’s eyes wavered.

Lavi laughed, patting her back and assuring her it wasn’t about money. But Sel’s expression, which would normally have softened with a smile, remained tense.

It was as if she had sensed something.

She knows. She knows how deeply I feel for her.

In that moment, Lavi made up his mind.

The gemstone for the proposal ring he would give Sel would be the Moon’s Fragment.

He would capture the fleeing moon and seal it in a ring forever.

***

“Lavi, have you lost your mind again? What grudge do you have against me now?”

Eric grit his teeth as he parried Lavi’s relentless blade.

Lavi remained silent, his face serious, as he aimed his sword at Eric.

Late at night, the two clashed swords in the training grounds.

The deafening clash of metal echoed through the air.

Mercenaries who had been preparing for bed pressed against the windows, watching their duel with fascination.

Eric was the only one who could stand against Lavi’s overwhelming force.

“Anyone can tell you’re not in your right mind. At least tell me why I’m taking this beating, you bastard!”

Clang! Eric blocked Lavi’s blade, panting heavily.

Even without imbuing his strikes with magical energy, Lavi’s raw strength was enough to threaten to snap his opponent’s sword.

The force pushed Eric’s feet backward, grinding against the ground.

“If there’s ever a time I lose control because of the possession, you’ll need to protect the guild.”

“Why are you spouting something so obvious? Don’t tell me you’re doubting my skills?”

Clang! Eric deflected Lavi’s sword and lunged diagonally with his own.

Lavi parried the thrust and quickly closed the distance.

Eric’s silk robe tore under the sharp edge, exposing his muscular upper arm, which glimmered pale under the moonlight.

“Are you insane? Why’d you rip it, you bastard?!”

“I had to push you this hard to make you fight seriously.”

Lavi spoke calmly, wiping sweat from his brow.

A storm of anger brewed in Eric’s usually dry eyes.

“This robe is worth more than your ugly face, you know?”

“You can just buy another one—ugh!”

Eric’s sword came flying toward him. The two blades sliced through the air with blinding speed.

The training grounds were soon engulfed in a thick cloud of dust.

The mercenaries couldn’t keep up with their movements, which were too fast for the n*ked eye. The dust rose so high it reached the fourth floor.

The mercenary in charge of maintaining the training grounds let out a heavy sigh.

Thinking about having to refill the dirt ground they had ruined made tears well up in her eyes.

After a long while, the two finally planted their swords into the ground.

Eric stood gripping the hilt of his sword, panting heavily.

Lavi lifted the edge of his tunic to wipe the sweat from his face.

Under the moonlight, his chiseled abs gleamed like a clay pot glazed to perfection.

“You’ve improved a lot, Eric. I thought you were living lazily while I was away at the annex.”

“Hah… If you had any conscience left, you wouldn’t be calling me lazy. I see even your shallow sense of shame has abandoned you.”

“Well done. At this level, even if I’m not in my right mind… I can trust you to handle things.”

“You realize you’ve been acting strange lately, right?”

“………”

“Have you… found out something?”

Eric started to say more but closed his mouth.

Lavi’s gaze was unwavering as it bore into Eric.

His eyes seemed to push away the cold night air, filling the space with their intensity.

“Sel is joining the upcoming expedition.”

“Are you out of your mind? Do you know where we’re going, and you’re bringing a rookie like Sel along?”

“He asked me to take him.”

“What are you, some genie in a lamp? Why are you granting every ridiculous request? Did you forget what happened on the last expedition?”

“I was against it at first too. But there are circumstances.”

“This is unacceptable.”

“I know.”

“Then why did you agree?”

“It’s a decision I made after a lot of thought. That’s why I’m asking you to keep an eye on things and protect him if I’m not in my right mind.”

“…Protect?”

One of Eric’s eyes narrowed. He had to double-check if he had heard correctly. Not “look after him,” but explicitly “protect.”

Injuries during expeditions were commonplace.

There hadn’t been any deaths so far, but it wasn’t impossible.

Lavi had always accepted that as a given. He didn’t so much as flinch at injuries.

For someone who believed that survival was a personal responsibility the moment a sword left its sheath, it was almost absurd to hear him talk about “protection.”

Eric’s lips twisted into a wry smile.

Lavi offered no further explanation and shut his mouth.

Whatever words he swallowed down only caused his throat to ripple like waves.

Lavi pulled his sword from the ground and strode into the building without another word.

Eric, arms crossed, watched his retreating figure with a detached gaze.

“Hmph, so he’s realized it.”

Eric’s quiet murmur lingered in the training grounds before dispersing.

A long, drawn-out sigh followed, trailing behind him like a shadow.