"That's the spirit," Sage replied warmly.

The words hung between them, unceremonious yet profound, neither triumphant nor patronizing, just acknowledged.

Mina nodded once, her grip tightening on the Copper Badge before she slid it into the small pouch at her waist, as if sealing away not just a symbol of her rank but also the weight of that moment.

The hall around them continued its gradual descent into quiet; the echoes of celebration faded into distant murmurs and the occasional scrape of furniture as the Adventurers roamed about in the Guild Hall.

The sunlight flickered lazily against the stone walls, its glow steady now, no longer competing with the earlier excitement that had filled the space.

For the first time since their conversation began, Sage allowed himself to breathe normally.

He leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms in an exaggerated motion as if dismissing the emotional exchange as merely an inconvenience.

Inside, however, his mind remained alert, turning over the subtle shifts he'd observed in Mina's demeanor.

The disappointment hadn't vanished, it never truly did, but it had transformed. Where there had been fragile uncertainty, there was now direction. That realization was far more valuable than confidence born from easy victory.

"You handled that well," he said casually, tilting his head toward her. "Most people sulk longer."

Mina shrugged, her shield clinking softly as it shifted against the chair beside her. "Sulking doesn't make me stronger."

"No," Sage agreed. "It just wastes time."

She glanced at him then looked away, studying her surroundings as if searching for answers in the nearly empty Guild Hall.

"It feels… strange," she said after a moment.

"Strange how?" Sage asked with raised eyebrows.

"Like everything just keeps moving," Mina replied slowly. "Even when something important happens."

Sage followed her gaze to where the Mission Board stood tall and orderly, half-cleared of notices.

A pair of Copper-ranked adventurers spoke in low voices near the exit; their laughter subdued but present. Nothing about this hall suggested anything monumental had occurred beyond routine success.

"That's because it did," Sage said thoughtfully. "Life rarely pauses for milestones; it simply builds over them."

Mina frowned slightly as she absorbed this idea; a look of contemplation crossed her chubby face.

They sat together for a while longer in silence, a silence that felt less heavy and more contemplative now.

Sage didn't rush to fill it; he'd learned long ago that people revealed more when given room to breathe. When he finally spoke again, his tone was deliberately light and almost absentminded.

"So," he said while resting an elbow against his chair's armrest, "what do you usually do after events like this?"

Mina returned to herself and blinked up at him before asking, "After competitions?"

"After things end," Sage clarified gently,..."victories or losses or moments people expect you to remember."

She pondered for a moment. "I train," she said. "Or I wait."

"Wait for what?" Sage asked, curious.

"For the next thing," she replied simply, crossing her arms.

Sage chuckled softly, clearly amused. "You don't celebrate."

"I don't see the point," Mina stated. "Celebration doesn't change what comes next."

"No," Sage conceded, "but it does change how people face it."

Mina shrugged again, unconvinced.

Sage was taken aback by how mature this young girl seemed; she appeared to be an adult trapped in a child's body.

But he quickly dismissed the thought, after all, he couldn't compare the mindset of a ten-year-old who had grown up fighting and surviving to that of children back on Earth.

Shifting topics effortlessly, as if the idea had just struck him, he asked, "Is Greyvale treating you well so far?"

"It's quiet," Mina pouted as she glanced at him. "Cleaner than most places."

"That wasn't quite my question," Sage noted mildly.

She hesitated briefly before nodding. "Yes," she affirmed. "It treats me well."

"Did you grow up in Greyvale City or have you traveled before?" Sage leaned back in his chair casually.

Mina's expression tightened slightly as she shook her head. "No, I wasn't born here; I come from a small village in this region."

Sage offered her a brief glance and smiled faintly but didn't press further. Instead, he opted for something more mundane: "Do you prefer cities or roads?"

"Roads," Mina answered without hesitation.

"Why is that?"

"Cities feel temporary," she explained after a pause. "Like they're always pretending nothing can touch them."

"Interesting," Sage rubbed his chin and chuckled softly. "And what about roads?"

"Roads don't pretend," she replied confidently. "They know things will pass through them."

Sage leaned back thoughtfully, surprised by her insight but intrigued nonetheless. "So where is your elder sister? Is she alive?" he asked suddenly.

Mina rolled her eyes and snorted. "What do you mean 'is she alive'? Of course she's still alive."

"That's good to hear," Sage said with relief. "That narrows things down."

Mina frowned at him with confusion in her eyes. "Narrows what?"

"The kind of world you grew up in," he replied calmly.

A silence settled between them for a few moments, broken only by the murmurs of other Adventurers in the Guild Hall.

"She's not here right now," Mina said as her gaze drifted toward the entrance of the Guild. "She's fighting… in a war." Her voice dropped lower as she spoke those last words.

That word landed heavily between them.

"War!?"

Sage nearly toppled off his chair, genuinely surprised,..no, shocked, that Mina's elder sister could be so badass.

After a moment to collect himself, he asked, "A border conflict?"

Mina shook her head. "It's a Kingdom-level war."

Sage's eyes widened as he processed the implications. He hadn't expected the kingdom to be embroiled in such chaos.

A war at this scale meant mobilization of troops, resources diverted from trade to warfare, an influx of mercenaries, desperate deals among nobles, and entire regions destabilized by ongoing violence.

It meant refugees fleeing their homes, shortages becoming commonplace, opportunists seizing chances for profit, and a quiet reshaping of power dynamics.

"How long has this war been going on?" Sage managed to ask after regaining his composure.

"Hmm... let me think... it's been almost a year," Mina replied. "But it's nearing its end now."

Sage's gaze sharpened as he looked at Mina. "And your sister? Is she an army commander or was she conscripted?"

Mina stifled a laugh before answering. "She leads a mercenary group," she said. "They were contracted early on. The fighting has been intense; it's dangerous work."

Sage stared ahead, his mind racing with thoughts. A year-long war, and yet Greyvale felt untouched by its effects.

There had been no surge of mercenaries passing through town, no panic buying in the markets, no rumors circulating in taverns. Trade routes showed no significant strain that would reach this far inward.

The disconnect was unsettling.

"The war is almost over," Mina continued softly. "The Kingdom is close to winning."

"What will happen if your sister finds out you're working as an Adventurer?" Sage seemed to think of something and then suddenly asked with a knowing smile.

When Gregor mentioned Mina's sister and how much she despised men, Sage couldn't help but wonder what her reaction would be upon learning that her little sister was working under one.

Mina sighed at his question and rubbed her chubby cheeks thoughtfully. Worry flickered in her big sparkling eyes.

"That's exactly what I'm worried about," she admitted. "My elder sister hates men; she wouldn't even want to breathe the same air as them! When she comes back and discovers I'm technically working for a man… well, she might go ballistic, she could tear this place down or even kill you in the process!"

Sage swallowed hard as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "Wow, this internet toxic feminist is something else."

"But you don't have to worry," Mina reassured him with a sweet smile. "As long as I don't tell her about any of this, she won't find out! The Guild will be safe and you won't get ripped apart."

Sage felt a wave of relief wash over him, but then he noticed something in Mina's expression that made him uneasy.

"Hey, why do you look like you're about to spill the beans to her?"

"No way, I won't."

"Come on, you totally look like a snitch."

"Listen here, you petty uncle. I'm trying to save your life and this pathetic Guild of yours, so show some gratitude instead of slandering me!" Mina raised her tiny fist and glared at him with a fierce expression.

"Alright, alright! I hear you," Sage said, raising his hands in surrender.

"Hmph! That's what I thought," Mina huffed, a proud smile spreading across her face.

Sage couldn't help but smile back at her. "Looks like her mood has finally lifted," he thought to himself as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"You know," he continued, "you don't have to keep it a secret from your sister. You can tell her that you're an Adventurer, there's no need to hide it."

"What!?"

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