"Participation in another raid?" Lancelot asked, his brows raised with clear surprise.

His reaction was justified. As a reward for his bravery, the last thing Lancelot had expected to hear was yet another mission.

Moreover, William did not strike him as a patriot or a battle maniac who would crave more action the moment he had recovered.

"Is there a specific reason you wish to join Brutus's group?" the older man asked next, arms crossed in curiosity.

William hummed and answered honestly, "I simply do not like that guy, that is all. If there had been any other group available, I would have asked you to replace Emma with one of them. But since there are none, let me join that group as well."

Lancelot was taken aback. "This is not just the overprotective boyfriend talking, is it?" he asked, noticing how both Emma and William glanced at each other.

There was something they had chosen not to tell him, and Lancelot could tell that it went beyond simple jealousy or insecurity.

"Is there a problem, Sir Lancelot?" Emma asked calmly. "Would this become a hindrance to the alliance between our two nations?"

Lancelot sighed. "It is no secret that our connection is being strengthened through this training programme. Gahalia needs the support of its neighbours, especially those from the south."

The situation surrounding the Death Sink was the greatest crisis they faced. Because of it, several nations were drawing closer, uniting their forces and setting aside old grudges.

They had chosen survival over pride, and that was the wiser path.

"So yes, Brutus and the others are important to us," Lancelot said, before turning his gaze to William. "But so are you."

It was no secret that William was regarded as an important asset by the Great Hall, someone who had already reached a level where he could earn an upper rank soon after joining and perhaps even work alongside a seated member.

At present, William was likely as strong as some of the lower seated members of the Great Hall, which alone showed how crucial it was to maintain a good relationship with Delimore Junior.

With that in mind, Lancelot said, "Very well. If this is truly what you want, then you may join Emma's group for the mission tonight."

….

"I cannot accept this," were Brutus's first words after hearing about Lancelot's agreement.

Bardy had not expected Brutus to reject the decision so outright. He usually carried himself with a calm demeanor, making this reaction all the more surprising.

"And why do you think your opinion matters?" William asked, tilting his head slightly. "This is neither your academy nor your nation, hero. Rules are set, and you follow them."

Brutus ground his teeth, his expression turning icy. He then turned away from William, as if the man was not worth arguing with.

Facing Emma instead, he said, "Is this truly how much your partner trusts you, Miss Emma? How can you stay silent and not protest against such behavior?"

Brutus knew that William must have sensed something. That was why he was so insistent on coming along, and why Emma had allowed it despite his still-healing wounds.

The silver-haired girl remained unfazed and replied calmly, "I see no problem with him joining us. And if you cannot tolerate that, then neither of us will go."

Her decision was absolute. If William found Brutus suspicious, she would trust his instincts and keep her distance. Moreover, she had already received a warning from Natalie, something Kevin had mentioned to her about this man.

Bardy growled, "Is this how you behave with someone who is acting as a bridge between two nations?" His voice darkened as he continued, "Your actions will have consequences you may not be able to withstand, Miss Emma."

"Heh, is that supposed to be a threat?" William replied, his tone as casual as ever. "Tough luck, Mister Bridge. Neither of us gives a damn about politics or any crap you guys worship."

Taking a few steps back, William reached for Emma's hand and said, "Well, it is clear the two of you are not comfortable with me coming along, so we—"

"No, wait," Brutus cut in suddenly, his gaze dropping. "This mission goes beyond our comfort or any agreement you may have with Sir Lancelot."

He lifted his head and looked at them both. "Tonight, we are meant to assist soldiers who are struggling to keep the townspeople safe. Several Death Sinks appeared two days ago."

William fell silent, and so did Emma. She had been informed about the mission, but she had not known that multiple Death Sinks were involved.

Brutus let out a deep breath and said, "I apologize for my outburst. Please, let us depart already." With those words, he turned around and began to walk away.

Bardy shot one last hostile glare at the blond man before following his friend toward the gate.

William looked at his beloved and asked softly, "What do you say? If you want, we can skip this. No one will blame you."

Emma bit her lower lip before replying, "William… I want to face it. Not just a dungeon monster, but a real threat. I believe only that will help me grow as a warrior."

William could feel her eagerness, one that bordered on desperation, to break out of her shell and take another step toward becoming stronger.

He respected that resolve. Tightening his grip on her hand, he said, "Then let's do this."

….

A single aether rail coach awaited them outside the gate.

Brutus and Bardy were nowhere in sight, so William assumed they had already taken their seats.

He and Emma stepped into the coach, and sure enough, the two foreigners were seated at the front.

William and Emma moved toward the back and sat close to each other, their hands still clasped.

Not long after, a man entered the coach to check on everyone. His gaze lingered on William for a brief moment, but he said nothing before stepping back outside.

Soon after, the scenery beyond the windows began to blur and shift.

The coach accelerated to an incredible speed, carrying them straight toward their mission site.

Emma gently traced circles on the back of William's hand and whispered, "Just because I did not say anything does not mean you can go crazy and start hunting Devils."

She looked at him firmly and added, "You are still recovering, so stay on the sidelines and watch me dominate the battlefield."

William grinned and lifted her hand to his lips.

Pressing a kiss to her knuckles, he said, "I cannot wait to see my cool Emma in action again."

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.