I waited patiently in the lounge, settling into the worn couch. The dim yellow light above my head cast long shadows across the room, while bright white light spilled from the attached kitchen, the only two sources of light in the otherwise dark space.

The tap water running. Plates clinking together. Those were the only sounds breaking the silence of the night.

Serena and Lydia were both less-spoken people, so there were no words between them as they worked. Just small movements of understanding, Serena washing a plate and handing it over, Lydia taking it, cleaning it with a cloth, then placing it carefully on the growing pile beside her.

The rhythm was almost meditative.

Finally, after about ten minutes of waiting, I heard the final clink of the last plate being set down.

"I'll arrange them," Serena's voice drifted out from the kitchen. "I need to get the hang of where everything is."

"Do you know the arrangement?" Lydia asked. I heard the soft sound of fabric as she spread the dish cloth over the kitchen cabinet.

"Yeah, Sera showed me. She offered to help..." Serena paused, and I could hear the smile in her voice. "But I figured the kids needed her more than this kitchen does."

She laughed softly into her fist.

"You're right," Lydia replied, her own smile evident in her tone.

"I'll be off then."

"Yeah, goodnight. I'll turn in for the night after I'm done arranging."

"Alright."

Lydia emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her skirt. She lifted her head and stopped when she spotted me sitting on the couch in the lounge under that dim orange light.

"Did your girl not let you in or what?" Lydia asked, smirking, though I could sense a small edge of surprise, and maybe anger, in her tone.

She really sucked at acting.

"What do you mean? I was waiting for you," I said, standing up from the couch.

"For me?" Her cheeks immediately turned pink, and I could hear the expectation rising in her voice.

"Yeah. You forgot about the plate Merin ate from. It must still be outside with her," I said, pointing a thumb toward the door.

A vein bulged on Lydia's temple. Her eye twitched.

"Tsk." She clicked her tongue sharply. "Fine! I'll go get it!"

She bolted out the door, her footsteps heavy with annoyance.

I couldn't help but smile.

Turning back toward the kitchen, I watched Serena through the doorway. She'd quickly arranged the plates and was now struggling with something else: Trying to turn off the bright white light.

She caught one rope hanging from the ceiling and pulled it.

Nothing happened.

She tried another one. Instead of turning off the bright white mana stone, she accidentally switched on a different one, the dim orange light that now glowed softly in the corner.

Her face twisted in confusion as she fiddled with the various ropes dangling above her head.

No one would believe she'd run an inn as part of a secret mission.

Finally, she found the right rope. She pulled it, and the bright white light blinked out.

Triumph spread across her face. She puffed her chest out proudly, like she'd just conquered some great challenge.

She gathered all the hanging ropes together into a neat bunch and carefully tucked them into the sheath mounted beside the light fixture.

Honestly, there should be a system with multiple sheaths so you know which rope does what. But... that would just take up more space and be a pain to put each rope back individually.

"Done for the night?" I asked.

Serena looked over at me. I could practically see her thoughts racing.

'Did he watch me fumble?' was probably one of them.

"Y-yeah... I'll go sleep with Sera," she said, walking toward the stairs while stretching her arms above her head. Her back arched slightly, and I caught myself looking away.

She stopped mid-step as she passed by me.

"Or did you guys have plans for the night?" she asked, a smug grin forming on her face.

"Just go!" I said, waving her off.

She laughed and started climbing the stairs, the wooden steps creaking under her feet.

"Thanks for agreeing to take care of the orphanage," I called after her.

She stopped again, one foot on a higher step. "Yeah..." she said quietly, looking down.

Then she turned toward me, her expression more serious now.

"Don't forget your promise to grant immunity to the orphanage." Her eyes locked onto mine. "I'll protect the town like I claimed. But you need to deal with the legal stuff like you promised."

Her gaze was searching, assessing whether I'd actually keep my word.

I didn't know what her mission was or why it was so important for her to stay near this village while announcing herself as a vigilante. Technically, it wasn't against the law to act as one... but only if you were supplementing law enforcers in their quest to catch criminals, not to execute them in their place.

What she'd done at the town square definitely crossed that line.

"I'll stand by my word," I said, smiling.

"Good." She nodded once, satisfied. "I'll do my best taking care of the orphanage as well." Her eyes were confident now, determined.

I nodded back.

She smiled, genuine this time, and resumed walking up the stairs. Each wooden step creaked softly under her weight until she disappeared around the corner.

I turned back, grabbed Blood Raven where it was leaning against the couch's edge, and walked toward the door.

The night air greeted me as I stepped outside.

I stepped outside into the cool night air, and immediately spotted Lydia near the old tree. She was shivering, no... trembling in anger.

I smiled.

"Rune!" she said sharply as she heard me laugh.

"Sorry, sorry!" I said, though I couldn't quite wipe the grin off my face.

We both turned our attention to Merin, who was sleeping peacefully under the tree on the grass. A coat was draped over her. There was no plate beside her.

"I already brought it and placed it in the kitchen before you entered," I said.

Lydia made a small pout and then sighed as she resigned. She watched the moon as she lifted her head. The moon cast dim white light upon us.

"Can you guys stay quiet..." Merin mumbled, turning to her other side.

"Time to get up, Merin. I have work for you!" I called out.

"Hey! At least let me sleep—" Her words were cut short as her body got up the next instant.

"Tsk." She clicked her tongue.

"Go bring my belongings from the orphanage's store room at the back," I said.

"Your belongings...?" Merin asked. The thin fabric covering her body fluttered from the cool breeze, and her body trembled from the cold.

I didn't even feel pity. Instead, I felt some demonic happiness.

"Yes, there will be a brown box with runic designs... there must only be one of that kind inside," I said.

Merin's body started moving without her consent, heading toward the orphanage.

"Are you not going to sleep?" Lydia asked, watching Merin disappear toward the orphanage's back.

The reason I sent Merin was simple. Only Seraphina knew how to unlock the storage. It contained confidential information about the kids' origins. But you could open it if you were strong enough, like Merin. No one in this town currently was capable of it... you would need a master's aura to do that, and only Merin fit the description.

"No, I have some work to do," I said. "I originally planned to do it along with you and Sera once we left the village and headed to the forest... but Sera insisted we stay here, so I'll do it alone."

Lydia nodded. "It's not like you'll tell me what it is anyway. I'll just go to sleep and not be a bother to you," she said as she walked past me.

I caught her hand. She jolted back, stopping. She turned back slowly.

"Do you need something else...?" she asked.

"No," I said.

"Then..." she started, looking at my hand still holding hers. Her features were now sharp under the moonlight.

"Then? Should I let go of your hand?" I asked with a slight smile.

She didn't answer. Instead, her eyes were cast downward and to the side as she stood facing me.

"I really meant it when I said thank you for being here," I added. "You are not a bother."

Lydia lifted her eyes to meet mine. Her eyes hesitated while she watched mine.

I pulled her slightly, prompting the motion toward me. She gave her consent as her body moved with my pull.

I pulled her into me.

Lydia fit against my torso as my body cast a shadow over her, covering her whole.

Her warmth seeped through the fabric between us. I could feel her heartbeat, rapid against my chest.

My hand moved from her wrist to settle at her waist, and her own hands came up hesitantly before settling against my chest.

"Rune..." she whispered.

My other hand lifted to her face, fingers gentle as they traced her jaw before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Lydia," I said softly. "I know I tease you... but having you here means more to me than I know how to say."

She left the she's been at for a decade and the people she knew for more than a decade fro me.

Her breath caught. Those guarded eyes of hers softened completely.

"You're making it very hard to stay annoyed with you," she murmured.

"Good," I said, my hand sliding to cup the back of her neck. "I don't want you to be annoyed with me."

I leaned down slowly, giving her every chance to pull away. She didn't. Instead, she rose up on her toes and closed the remaining distance herself.

Sera did the same. I can say she gave me her consent.

Our lips met softly, tentatively at first. Then her fingers tightened on my shoulders, and the kiss deepened.

My arm wrapped more securely around her waist, pulling her closer. She tasted like mint tea, sweet and warm, "mmhh.." and when she made a small sound in the back of her throat, something in my chest tightened.

When we finally broke apart, both breathless, I kept my forehead pressed against hers.

"I meant it. Every word," I whispered.

She smiled, genuine and unguarded. "You're an idiot," she said, voice thick with emotion.

"Apparently." I smirked.

She laughed softly, pressing her face against my chest. I held her there, one hand stroking her hair, the other wrapped around her waist. She fit perfectly in my arms.

In the distance, I could hear Merin's footsteps returning. But that could wait.

This,Lydia in my arms, this was what mattered right now.

I will ask her to join my crew again. Hopefully, she doesn't have anymore reasons to reject.

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