Reborn As Papa Silva

June 16, 1601

Kiten, Hospital

"Something up, Sebastian?"

"Hmm?" At the call of his name, Sebastian jerked his head up from the sink where he was helping sanitize the medical tools for the day of work ahead.

He continued absentmindedly soaping the ligatures, knives, tweezers, scissors, and other instruments, passing them on to Owen beside him to rinse and dry.

"What do you mean?" Sebastian asked, not missing a beat.

Owen gave him a long, assessing look before returning his gaze to the sink. As he rinsed the tools, his brows furrowed slightly. He spoke softly.

"I haven't known you for long, mere moments in fact, but I'd like to think you're not usually this... out of it." He paused, mulling over his words before continuing. "You seem like you've got a lot on your mind. Something bugging you?"

Sebastian went silent, unsure how to respond. He didn't know Owen very well. He had a decent impression of him, sure, but he wasn't the type to have a heart-to-heart with someone who was effectively a stranger.

Come to think of it, have I ever really had a heart-to-heart with anyone? Besides Acier and Count Vardy, no one came to mind.

When his parents had still acted like his parents, they'd always been the ones unloading their feelings, never giving him space to reciprocate or share his own. Maybe that was why he wasn't good at communicating his emotions—unless it was with someone who knew him well or had a knack for reading people.

Owen was definitely not the former, and even if he was the latter, he was still just a work colleague, not someone Sebastian was inclined to confide in.

So Sebastian stayed silent, and Owen didn't push for an answer.

Minutes passed in silence as they finished cleansing the tools and dried their hands. But as the quiet stretched on, Sebastian found he couldn't hold back any longer. There was something he needed to know.

"Hey, Owen?"

Owen, his "senior," looked up and nodded. "Yeah?"

Sebastian met his gaze, chewing his lip before asking, "What's the casualty rate on the battlefield?"

Owen paused, clearly taken aback by the question, and raised a brow. "For us, Diamond, or just in general?"

Sebastian crossed his arms. "For us—specifically for our Magic Knights, fighting outside the walls, on the battlefield."

Owen scratched his chin, thinking. "It's actually pretty low. If it weren't, this war would've ended months ago. I'd say about 12 to 13% on average over the course of the war… but recently, I'd have to say it's closer to 20 to 21%, since we keep losing more troops."

Without reinforcements, the more Magic Knights that died, the fewer there were to divide Diamond's attention. Because of that, the Diamond invaders could dedicate more troops to deal with each individual Knight.

At the beginning of the war, Diamond had outnumbered the Magic Knights roughly 13:1. Now, it could be said the gap was closer to 20:1. Naturally, that widening disparity meant the probability of Clover's troops dying had risen accordingly.

And as the war dragged on, that gap would only continue to grow, pushing the death rate higher still.

Sebastian clenched his fists tightly, biting his lip hard enough to draw Owen's attention.

"Why do you ask? Worried about someone in particular?" Though Owen wore glasses, they did nothing to impair his ability to see through people's fears.

Before Sebastian could answer, Owen continued softly, "Didn't I tell you to avoid getting attached to anyone?"

Sebastian clenched his jaw and shook his head. "It's not that… I already came here to Kiten with someone I cherish." This wasn't a matter of getting attached—he already was.

"Oh..." Owen's lips parted slightly before he asked, his voice low, "Mind me asking what your relationship is?"

Sebastian hesitated for a moment, then shook his head again. "She's my girlfriend."

A faint blush rose along Sebastian's neck, and his heart raced as he spoke. It was the first time he'd ever addressed Acier as such.

I've finally crossed that wall, he thought, suppressing a smile. Now I just have to give her that and make it official.

"Oh…" Owen repeated, giving Sebastian a complex look before reaching over to pat his shoulder.

"Don't worry too much. From what I've seen, with our dwindling numbers and all, the soldiers are more reserved now. The higher-ups have made it clear that every one of their lives is a strategic asset. They shouldn't be doing anything too reckless. She'll be fine."

Owen's forced smile didn't bring Sebastian much comfort. Recklessness and Acier seemed to go hand in hand.

All he could do was pray. Pray that when she went off the rails again, she'd bulldoze through it like she always did.

And pray that she'd take their talk from last night to heart, or at the very least keep it in mind.

—

Meanwhile, On the Battlefield

"Hah hah hah hah hah hah hah, die! Die! All of you Diamond fuckers, die!!!"

A crazed, feminine laugh rang across the battlefield as a slender blonde mage incinerated another Mage Warrior to ash, utterly ignoring their screams for mercy.

"You tell them, Lily!" Acier cheered, her adrenaline surging as she relished the blood-soaked chaos. Her moment of triumph was cut short when her mana sense alerted her to a presence barreling toward her.

A hulking figure of a man, carrying a magical axe composed of earthy minerals, charged at Acier and swung the weapon down with terrifying force toward her petite frame. Despite their stark difference in size, the giant was sweating profusely, his chest heaving as his wide, dilated pupils betrayed his absolute terror.

It was easy to see why.

Acier casually backflipped out of harm's way, allowing the axe to crash into the ground, creating a massive crater. The force caused the giant to lurch forward, momentarily off balance as his momentum shifted.

That brief opening was all Acier needed.

In the blink of an eye, she became a blur, reappearing midair directly in front of the man. Her right arm drew back, winding up as her hand was swiftly encased in a gleaming silver steel gauntlet.

Without hesitation, she threw a powerful right hook. The man attempted to conjure a gaudy earthen mask or helmet to shield himself, but it was pointless.

Before the armor could fully form, it shattered instantly on impact.

Acier's fist smashed into the side of his face, the force cracking and caving in his skull. Her blow pressed on, unimpeded, stretching his face grotesquely like mashed potatoes before his head burst in a sickening explosion of blood and brain matter.

A crimson rain drenched that corner of the battlefield, painting Acier's already bloodied clothes and hair an even deeper red.

None of it was her blood.

It was clear this wasn't her first kill of the day—nor her first gruesome one.

Stepping over the giant's lifeless body, she turned her gaze to the remaining survivors of the Diamond battalion. Her lips curled into a feral, devilish grin, making the soldiers gulp in terror and instinctively backpedal.

Despite their fear, they didn't flee. Swirls of magic gathered around them—gusts of wind, bolts of lightning, flickering flames, and orbs of water—all prepared to unleash a devastating counterattack against the two demons in human form who had mercilessly slaughtered their comrades.

But they were too slow.

Now that the majority of their forces were dead, long-range attacks were back on the table. Not that it mattered.

Before the mages could finish casting their spells, dozens of nearly invisible silver needles materialized out of nowhere, surrounding them in an instant and riddling their bodies with holes.

No part of them was spared. Needles pierced foreheads, hearts, chests, legs, stomachs, throats, necks, and even their "little brothers."

They were dead before they could react.

And just to be thorough, a searing wave of flames engulfed their corpses, burning them to ash and leaving nothing behind.

"Hah hah hah! More! More! Give me more!" Lily howled with laughter, her voice echoing across the battlefield. "Come on, you Diamond fuckers! Where're the rest of you at?! Come out for Big Momma Lily!"

Acier beamed at the supposedly meek girl who was now cackling madly. It was only after seeing Lily step onto the battlefield, unleashing her "true self," that Acier finally understood how the shy girl had managed to survive this war for so long.

Initially, Acier had been concerned when Marcel proposed a plan to use her and Lily as bait to draw Diamond's attention. The rationale was simple: two young, beautiful women would undoubtedly be seen as easy pickings, enticing the enemy to capture them alive to have some "fun."

Acier wasn't worried about her own safety. Her silver hair alone would eventually give away her identity, and Diamond might see her as a valuable hostage—someone they could use to blackmail Clover into surrendering Kiten or making other concessions.

She bore no grudge against Marcel for suggesting such a morally questionable plan. This was war, and in war, anything goes. Using their looks—and Acier's identity—to attract Mage Warriors and Diamond forces was simply a good strategy.

Clover's generals, Vortigarn, and even the newly crowned Captain of the Blue Rose had acted as bait on the battlefield many times, deliberately drawing enemy attention as high-profile targets. The former Captain of the Blue Rose, in fact, had sacrificed herself in this way only months ago.

When Kiten was nearly breached, the captain had tempted Diamond's Mage Warriors with the promise of glory—either from taking her head or capturing her for other reasons. Her beauty could clue one in on what that reason was. Her sacrifice had successfully diverted attention away from the town, but it cost her life.

Rather than say she died fighting Diamond, it would be more accurate to say she gave her life to Diamond. She blew herself up along with the enemy before she could be captured and face a fate worse than death. She went down fighting.

If people like her were willing to go to such lengths, Acier was determined to do the same. And with her sensitive identity, her chances of surviving unscathed were far higher.

Once Diamond figured out her identity they wouldn't dare to kill her, lest they yearned to provoke the wrath of House Silva and the Silver Eagles. They would settle on capturing her, and likely treat her with high care and dignity. 

Acier wasn't particularly worried about her own safety, her concerns weren't for herself.

What worried her was Lily. The girl had seemed so meek—trembling in fear when Marcel first proposed the plan. Acier couldn't fathom why even Lily's sister, Chloe, paid no attention to her distress and insisted she go along with it.

Nor could she process why Glacius and Kaiser, two individuals she's come to know were practical embodiments of chivalry, showed no negative reaction to the proposition.

In fact it was her-the one onboard with the plan, and not Lily who received looks of pity and concern from the group.

It was only when one of the Diamond Mage Warriors made an offhand comment about "showing Lily a good time" if she came along quietly that Acier understood.

The moment the words left his mouth, Lily's demeanor shifted entirely. The quivering frown was gone, replaced by a sadistic grin. Before the Mage Warrior or his comrades could react, he was already reduced to ash, sent to meet his ancestors in an instant.

Acier had stood there blankly, just like the rest of the Diamond troops, watching the transformation.

Right then and there, Acier understood why Lily was the elder sister—and why she wielded flame magic.

The girl was completely unhinged. Quite frankly batshit crazy. 

Lily threw Marcel's carefully crafted ambush plan out the window and charged directly into the enemy ranks, fists blazing, incinerating anyone in her path with sadistic glee.

She was like an arsonist, finally given free rein to burn everything in sight without consequence. And she did exactly that, roasting the Diamond soldiers alive as if they were nothing more than meat over an open fire, screaming in delight, as she reveled in the carnage.

Acier wasn't sure why she followed. Before she could even process her actions, her lips had curled into a similar grin, and her hands and legs, encased in steel, were already charging into the fray alongside Lily.

The two of them fought with uncanny synergy, moving acrobatically through the battlefield, weaving around enemy attacks. The Diamond soldiers, wary of hitting their own comrades, kept their strikes close-range. Acier and Lily, unburdened by such concerns, took full advantage.

Lily unleashed spiraling tornadoes of flames, engulfing everything around her, while Acier either dodged the fiery blasts or deflected them with her shield. With her sharp mana control and acute mana sense, Acier never lost track of Lily's position, ensuring none of her squadmate's wide-range attacks touched her, nor any of her's were unleashed in Lily's direction.

Together, they decimated an entire battalion of fifty soldiers.

By the end, Acier felt light—free, even. She realized she had lost count of how many enemies she had killed. Twenty? More?

It didn't matter. For the first time, Acier felt nothing but release.

Perhaps influenced by her teammate's wild personality, Acier felt no lingering trauma nor discomfort from her first kill—only a strange sense of exhilaration.

As her sharp mana senses picked up on a fleeing Mage Warrior, she wasted no time. Her grimoire flipped open, and in her right hand, a steel javelin materialized. Aligning her body, she hurled it across the battlefield with rocket-like precision.

The javelin zinged through the air at near-unbelievable speed, skewering the fleeing soldier like a kebab and pinning his lifeless body to a nearby boulder.

Lily froze, her manic grin fading into a pout. "Is that it…? It can't be. Where's the rest?!"

She pointed accusingly at Acier, a frown deepening her expression. "Rookie, you should've let him go! He could've brought reinforcements!"

Acier blinked, realizing her error. Lowering her head like a chastened child, she muttered, "Sorry… I'll do better next time, I promise."

Lily crossed her arms, snorting in irritation, but didn't press further.

From a cliff far away, Marcel, Glacius, Kaiser, and Chloe watched the battlefield in stunned silence.

That… went a bit too well.

They had braced themselves for a chaotic, even disastrous day when they added Acier to the mix. While the squad's training drills had gone smoothly enough, actual battlefields were unpredictable, chemistry in simulations didn't necessarily translate into the real thing. They were certain that Lily's unrestrained chaos would overwhelm the young princess.

Instead, they saw the opposite.

Acier hadn't just held her own—she had integrated seamlessly into their unit, even amplifying Lily's destructive tendencies. Somehow, impossibly, the "rookie" had worked in perfect tandem with their resident pyromaniac.

They had expected Acier to freeze the moment Lily went ballistic. Yet, after a brief pause, she had jumped in without hesitation, as though it were second nature. Acier even seemed to push Lily further, matching her manic energy blow for blow.

Royalty really are built different, the quartet thought wryly.

Watching the devastation unfold, they could barely comprehend it. Decimating entire units in one fell swoop was a feat only seen from the Wizard King or the Captains months ago—and that was before Diamond's 8 Shining Generals had tied them up in conflict.

This, however, was a landslide victory, the likes of which Clover hadn't achieved in months.

Even more baffling, the victory had come from throwing their carefully crafted "master plan" out the window.

Silence stretched among the group as they exchanged wordless glances. Finally, Marcel coughed awkwardly. "Well… the method's not important. The result is all that matters… right?"

The trio blinked at him, unimpressed. Why are you asking us? You're the leader.

The Purple Orca Vice Captain coughed again, his cheeks slightly reddening. He opened his mouth to call Lily and Acier back when something in the distance made him freeze.

Far to the north, beyond where Lily and Acier stood, two Diamond battalions were spotted advancing together. Their movements were coordinated, their grimoires already alight with swirling magic. The troops were preparing to fire long-range attacks aimed directly at the two girls.

Marcel's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. From their current position, Lily and Acier couldn't close the distance fast enough to disrupt the enemy's spells and casting, nor could they outrun the targeting range. Fleeing wasn't an option.

They would have to stand their ground.

The quartet watched as Acier conjured a circular steel shield, positioning herself at the front while Lily shifted behind her. Placing her hands on Acier's back for balance, Lily braced herself as the two dug their feet into the ground.

From the advancing battalions, a massive wave of intertwining flames and lightning surged forward, hurtling toward the duo like a devastating beam.

Marcel's expression grew somber, but his voice remained steady as he shouted, "Kaiser!"

The Granvorka heir was already moving. His grimoire flipped rapidly, pages fluttering in the wind as he raised both arms toward Acier and Lily.

"Vortex Magic: Area Helix," he intoned curtly.

Around the two girls, the air began to shift and swirl, forming a spiraling wind that quickly intensified into a spherical motion. Within the span of a heartbeat, they were engulfed in a spinning dome of air, its size growing monstrous with each passing moment.

By the time the vortex reached a five-meter diameter, the Diamond Battalion's beam attack had already struck its target. But instead of an explosion or destruction, something unexpected happened.

The beam didn't shatter the dome. It didn't even penetrate it. Instead, it was caught in the swirling winds, twisted and spun around, picking up speed and momentum as it spiraled within the vortex. Then, as if by design, the attack was hurled back toward its origin—straight into the ranks of the Diamond Battalion.

"Acck!"

"Quick, dodge—BOOM!"

Their panicked cries were short-lived. The redirected beam carved through the battalion like a scythe through grass, tearing down the center of their formation. Those caught directly in its path were incinerated on the spot, while those on the edges were sent flying sideways, colliding into their comrades in a cascade of chaos.

But this was just the beginning.

As the redirected beam wrought havoc, Glacius' and Chloe's grimoires flipped open, their pages glowing with mana. Together, they pointed toward Kaiser's spinning dome.

The swirling winds shifted and rose, transforming into a towering tornado that shot skyward, its base bypassing Acier and Lily as if they were untouched by its wrath. The wind, once a pale white, began to take on a frosted hue, shifting to a light blue as the air turned frigid. Within the cyclone, countless jagged icicles and razor-sharp shards of ice materialized, spinning like blades in the tempest.

The monstrous tornado roared forward, growing larger and faster as it barreled toward the disoriented Diamond troops. Glacius, Chloe, and Kaiser chanted their combined spell in perfect unison:

"Vortex X Frost X Ice Magic: Breath of Ymir!"

The Diamond soldiers, scrambling to their feet, were struck with sheer terror. Their grimoires flipped desperately as they tried to retaliate, but their assailants wouldn't give them the chance.

Marcel's grimoire flipped open next, his voice calm yet chilling as he pointed at the ground beneath the enemy's feet.

"Mud Magic: Sunken Earth."

The grassy plains beneath the Diamond soldiers shimmered orange before morphing into thick, slushy mud. Their footing disappeared as they slipped, tripped, and began to sink, struggling like flies caught in honey.

The mud disrupted their concentration, shattering their spellforms and leaving them vulnerable. Panic overtook their ranks, but before they could even attempt to regroup, the cyclone was upon them.

The frosty tornado tore through their formation mercilessly. Soldiers were skewered by jagged icicles, their bodies diced like meat. Others were frozen solid, only to shatter into glittering shards of ice moments later. A rare few were flung from the storm, their injuries seemingly minor—until the harsh impact of their fall worsened them into life-threatening wounds.

The tornado roared on for several minutes, the icy winds gradually taking on a reddish hue as blood and gore mixed into its swirling mass. It was a blender of death, shredding everything in its path without mercy.

Finally, the storm dissipated, leaving behind a deathly silence. The battlefield, once teeming with life and aggression, was now a scene of devastation.

In the aftermath, the ground was littered with the broken remnants of the Diamond Battalion. Nearly all had been wiped out, save for a few survivors who lay scattered across the field, their injuries grievous enough to threaten their lives at any moment.

The chilly wind subsided, revealing the brutal efficiency of the combined magic—an overwhelming display of Clover's might.

The remaining soldiers watched in terror as the blonde-haired Lily hurtled toward them, flames bursting beneath her feet like miniature rockets, propelling her forward with alarming speed. The sadistic glee that had briefly faded from her face now returned, sharper and more menacing than before.

Desperation consumed them. They cried out, surrendering wholeheartedly, pleading for mercy. But mercy would not come.

Clover had tried mercy before. They had taken prisoners in the hopes of brokering deals, using hostages to negotiate treaties or secure even a fleeting ceasefire. Yet Diamond had responded with cold indifference. They neither valued the lives of their captured soldiers nor entertained any diplomacy. The bombardment of Kiten had continued without pause, each attack risking the deaths of their own men—and they didn't care.

Clover's efforts to extract useful intelligence had fared no better. Torture yielded nothing of substance. Even memory magic, performed by a promising commoner family, uncovered no secrets. The prisoners knew nothing of strategic value—no plans, no motives, no hidden truths. They were simply pawns, expendable and meaningless.

Instead of assets, the prisoners became liabilities—mouths to feed, protect, and manage in a war-torn kingdom that could barely sustain its own. They were executed, one by one. Others were handed over to the people of Kiten as outlets for their rage and despair. What the people did to those captives remained unspoken, but the implications were dark and grotesque. Very NC-17. 

No, Lily wouldn't take these soldiers in. She wouldn't ignore them, either, leaving them to flee and regroup. Mercy? They dared to beg for mercy? What mercy had they shown the Magic Knights they slaughtered, those who had pleaded for their lives? What about the people of Kiten, still begging Diamond to end their relentless attacks?

This feud between Clover and Diamond had long passed the point of reconciliation. It was a war destined to end only with the annihilation of one side.

Lily's mercy was a swift death.

Her smirk twisted into something perversely delighted as she sent the remaining soldiers to join their comrades in death. Her flames danced as she delivered their fate, her actions as resolute as they were merciless.

For Clover, for Kiten, and for herself, Lily's message was clear: there would be no forgiveness, no reprieve, and no survivors.

—

1 Hour Later, Town Hall

"You... wiped out three battalions all by yourself?"

The incredulous voice rang out as Team Marcel turned toward its source—a handsome, slightly effeminate young man clad in the Blue Rose robe.

Standing there was Dax Caesar, a 26-year-old captain of the Blue Rose, promoted three months ago following his predecessor's sacrifice. He had long, straight teal hair tied back into a sleek ponytail, Adriatic-blue eyes framed by sharp lashes and brows, and a lean, athletic figure that matched his poised demeanor.

Dax's journey to this position was anything but ordinary. A late bloomer by all accounts, he had barely scraped through the Magic Knights entrance exam, securing a lowly spot within the Blue Rose—a mere errand boy to his squadmates.

His fate, however, took a sharp turn during what was supposed to be a routine mission. Pulled out of the base by two superiors to serve as their luggage boy, Dax found himself deep within a treacherous desert grand magic region, tracking suspected spies and rival kingdom scouts. What began as an ordinary mission devolved into chaos when a colossal, scorpion-like magic beast skewered his companions alive.

Alone in the unforgiving wilds, Dax was forced to adapt—or die. The constant brink of death forged a transformation in both his personality and his magic. When he finally emerged from the hellish desert, he was no longer the timid boy who carried bags. He demanded the right to take on proper missions, and to his surprise, his supposedly "misandrist" captain approved without hesitation.

Over the years, Dax climbed the ranks through sheer determination and an unrelenting work ethic. Mission by mission, he earned his place, rising to Senior Magic Knight 1st Class. Two years ago, his captain had considered naming him her successor, but she had held back, knowing the resistance she'd face from the more misandrist members of the Blue Rose.

Tragically, her death during this war forced the matter. Dax assumed the role of captain—not through recognition or ceremony, but through necessity. It wasn't how he wanted to earn the position.

To his surprise, the women in his squad didn't oppose him. Whether it was begrudging respect for his skill, or their collective grief over losing their former captain, they accepted him. The war, too, had worn down much of the squad's misandrist tendencies as they watched the men of the Purple Orcas and even the errand boys of the Blue Rose fight just as valiantly as anyone else.

Thus, Dax Caesar became not only the captain of the Blue Rose but also one of the two Clover generals in this war.

Today, while Vortigarn fought on the front lines, Dax stood at the command center within the town hall, barking orders and managing the broader strategy.

He hadn't expected Team Marcel to return with a report just two hours after being deployed—let alone news so absurd it bordered on nonsensical.

And yet, as unbelievable as their words sounded, Dax could tell they weren't lying. Who would concoct such a ridiculous story? One that could be disproven in minutes? The evidence had already been confirmed: three entire battalions of Diamond invaders—nearly 160 men—were gone. Completely wiped out. All that remained were piles of bodies, scattered limbs, and shredded clothes.

What made the situation even more baffling was the location of these battalions—all within the area designated to Team Marcel. The undeniable proof stared them in the face, yet Dax and his subordinates, flanking him in the town hall, could only gape at the team before them, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

Reports from scouts trickled in, further confirming the chaos. Diamond's forces had pulled back, regrouping and likely retreating for the day. The unexpected loss of nearly 15% of their troops had thrown them into disarray.

Diamond's generals, Dax surmised, would be desperately trying to piece together what had gone wrong. Yet even if they had witnesses—none of whom survived—they would never believe that six individuals had annihilated three battalions. No, they'd convince themselves that reinforcements from the Silver Eagles or Crimson Lions had secretly arrived and launched a devastating ambush.

And because of that they wouldn't dare besiege Kiten again in the short term.

For the first time in months, Kiten wouldn't face prolonged bombardment. Its barriers would remain intact. And for the first time in months, the people would have a chance to breathe, rest, and recuperate.

At the front of his team, Marcel rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and spoke in an awkward tone. "Well, one thing led to another... and it just kind of happened, you know?"

Dax blinked. No, I don't know, he thought, suppressing the urge to retort. His gaze shifted past Marcel to two of his teammates—two girls dyed head to toe in blood.

Acier stood confidently, arms crossed and grinning smugly. Lily, in stark contrast, fidgeted nervously behind her sister, as though she were the one being judged.

That threw Dax off. By all rights, they should be afraid of her—the girl literally drenched in the blood of her enemies. Yet Lily avoided eye contact, looking at him like he was the intimidating one.

Dax resisted the urge to sigh. He'd never understand the convoluted workings of Lily's mind. Chloe hadn't been lying when she said her sister was a shut-in. Around her own people—those she had to treat politely—Lily was painfully awkward, consumed by the fear of making a bad impression. But when it came to enemies, she was entirely different.

Diamond soldiers? They didn't faze her in the slightest. Why should she care what they thought of her? She was going to kill them, after all. Dead men didn't think. Dead men didn't talk. Even if they did insult her, that would only be until she killed them.

But with people she couldn't kill—people who'd remember her—Lily panicked. She didn't want to make a bad impression or fool of herself. So she hid behind Chloe, letting her sister handle any interaction that required communication.

Yes, Lily was a strange one. Then again, everyone had their quirks. Insecurity, Dax reminded himself, was part of being human.

Still, the results spoke for themselves. Whatever Dax wanted to say—to Lily, to Acier, or even Marcel—he kept it to himself. Results were all that mattered. And Team Marcel had delivered, and then some.

With a blank expression, Dax gave them a hesitant thumbs-up. "...Good job? I guess." His tone was as unsure as his words.

He ran a hand through his hair before barking his next order. "Report to the walls and see if the barrier mages need relief. If not, go take a shower or something—you're free for the rest of the day."

Team Marcel's expressions varied, but they all saluted in unison.

"Yes, sir!"

Dax nodded blankly. "Dismissed."

The team left as orderly as they had arrived, leaving Dax staring after them, still grappling with the ridiculous yet undeniable reality of their report.

Kiten, Hospital:

"Please don't scare me like that again…" Sebastian pleaded as he finished closing the last of Acier's very few cuts and wounds.

When she had entered the medical ward, he had nearly fainted at the sight of her bathed in blood. It took him a moment to realize it was dried blood—nearly none of it hers.

Still, the image made his heart constrict. As he looked down at Acier, who was wiping herself with a wet towel, he sighed in resignation.

"Couldn't you have at least washed your face before coming here?" Sebastian asked weakly. He was absolutely certain she had done this on purpose, just to get a reaction out of him.

Acier gave him a sly look and hooked her mouth into a smirk. "But Sebby, didn't you say I should prioritize my health first and foremost? That's exactly what I did—visiting my beloved doctor as soon as I was able to."

Sebastian parted his mouth speechlessly, but she wasn't finished yet. Wiping a fake tear from her cheek, she adopted a dramatically pitiful expression.

"How could you say something so terrible, Sebby? What if I got an infection from leaving those wounds open so long? Do you not love me anymore? Do you not care what happens to me?"

Sebastian blinked, doing his best to ignore the wry looks his colleagues were giving him, as well as the barely concealed mirth in their eyes.

The lack of life-threatening injuries or fatalities today had filled the usually somber ward with an unexpectedly lighthearted atmosphere. Perhaps for the first time in months, the doctors, healers, apothecaries, and nurses found themselves smiling.

Sebastian couldn't bring himself to ruin the mood. Instead, he clamped his jaw shut in comical defeat and hunched his shoulders.

Acier beamed victoriously, her eyes narrowing slyly once more.

"Hey, Sebby?"

Sebastian forced a polite smile. "Yes, Acier?"

Acier placed a hand over her chest. "I've made a large contribution to this war. I suppose a reward is in order. Don't you?"

Sebastian closed his eyes, his strained smile never faltering. "Of course!"

Acier's grin widened as she opened her mouth to speak, but Sebastian, already seeing where this was going, struck first with his unamused smile.

"Unfortunately, what a low rank like me thinks isn't significant. Please relay your requests and desires to your immediate superiors, Princess Acier. I'm sure they'd take your achievements into steadfast consideration and reward you accordingly."

Acier blanked, blinking once before her expression darkened. A vein bulged visibly on her forehead as she parted her mouth into a strained smile.

"Sebastian Theodorus Silva, the one I wish to be bestowed a reward by is you."

Sebastian mirrored her smile, his tone calm but unyielding. "Like I said, Princess Acier, that is inappropriate. Moreover, it's not a request I could fulfill, seeing as I possess nothing to give you."

If possible, Acier's smile grew darker. "Maybe you're not thinking hard enough, Doctor. Rewards can be abstract. Don't feel the need to kneel to conformity. Use that brain of yours and be creative."

Sebastian's smile matched hers in its sharpness. "Ah, but I wouldn't dare slight your prestige and honor, Princess, by offering you something beneath your standing. My hands are tied. If you truly seek recompense for your victory, please direct your query to the Town Hall. I'm positive they can compensate you in a manner befitting your rank."

Acier ground her teeth, her smile so strained it was anything but sweet. "Like I said, Doctor Silva, pay my standing no heed. I will be the one to judge whether your gift is worthy of me."

Sebastian paid her expression no mind. "That's another thing that confuses me, Princess. What do your actions have to do with me? I have no ties to the warfront. I didn't put you on that battlefield or in that position. I'm just a humble healer doing my part. It's quite frankly shameless of you to ask anything of me. Any reward you receive should come from your squad leader, the acting generals, or the commander of this camp."

"Sebastian…" Acier trailed off in a low, warning tone.

The medical team watched the exchange like a live soap opera, thoroughly entertained. They hadn't been this amused in months.

Owen ran a hand sheepishly through his hair. Are you sure she's your girlfriend and not your wife? You're acting like newlyweds.

Unknowing—or perhaps indifferent—to their thoughts, Sebastian continued to smile at Acier, though his inward thoughts ran deeper. Should I just put another ring on her finger? This isn't the worst atmosphere… right?

Sebastian much preferred a more private setting, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Without further delay, he reached into the satchel at his side.

Before he could wrap his hand around the small box inside, another voice—a strangely old yet exuberant one—interrupted them.

"He's absolutely correct. If you desire a reward, the one you should be seeking out is me."

Sebastian and Acier stiffened before abruptly jerking their heads to the side. Acier, more spooked than Sebastian, froze—her acute mana sense hadn't even picked up the mysterious intruder.

Both of them stilled as they took in the stranger. The entire medical ward followed suit.

A slightly tall, old man with an aura of youth beyond his years stood before them. He wore a regal cyan fur cape and leaned on a royal red scepter in his right hand. His aqua hair and emerald eyes sparkled as he smiled jovially at the duo.

Sebastian and Acier immediately dropped to one knee, bringing their hands across their chests in a three-finger salute, heads bowed.

"Greetings, Lord Alden!"

A split second later, the rest of the medical ward followed suit.

"Greetings, Lord Wizard King!"

Alden Arcana's smile brightened as he chuckled softly, waving them off. "Please, please. I've come here to show gratitude and appreciation, not to intimidate anyone. Be at ease."

Sebastian and Acier exchanged a quick glance before standing up stiffly. Acier was a princess, and Sebastian had been in the immediate presence of Nathaniel, a Duke, many times. A King appearing out of nowhere didn't bother him... too much.

The rest of the medical ward, however, didn't share their ease. No one dared to rise, their gazes fixed firmly on the ground, their expressions uneasy.

Sebastian and Acier noticed Alden's smile falter, thinning into a grim line. A look of sadness and hurt flashed in his eyes, but neither of them commented.

Alden quickly forced a smile and turned his attention back to them. "Perhaps it's not appropriate to do this here. Let's head to my office, both of you."

Before Sebastian and Acier could voice a response, their vision was overtaken by a large card that materialized behind Alden.

At the top was the letter VII, and in the backdrop, a clear sky stretched over a beautiful river. In the foreground, eight tree-like branches angled inward from the card's left side, each adorned with small leaves.

The trio vanished in a blinding ray of light.

The medical staff, who had averted their eyes from the brilliance, blinked blankly before awkwardly getting to their feet.

Author's Notes:

[1] That Tarot Card was the 8 of wands which has to do with quick movement

[2] Feel free to join the Discord! https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8ar