General Jidu approached Lord Azron and looked in the same direction Azron was looking at, his gaze narrowing as it found Sera standing on the roof of her new house, still and unmoving as she looked out over the entire City, as if she were trying to grasp something far beyond the towering walls that surrounded it.
"Is it a good idea to let her do whatever she wants outside the mansion?" General Jidu asked, his voice low and cautious as he spotted her.
Azron did not answer immediately, his eyes fixed on her, unwavering, as though her silence held meaning he intended to uncover.
"Freedom uncovers true intentions. Let's observe her, for now," he said at last, his tone calm yet carrying a quiet weight.
The two men remained there, watching her without speaking, their presence hidden in the distance as Sera finally moved, climbing down from the roof and disappearing into her house, yet even as she vanished from sight, Azron's gaze lingered a moment longer before he turned away.
Sera yawned softly as she looked for her room, her body finally giving in to the pull of exhaustion as the cold night air clung to her skin and made her movements slower, heavier, her eyes half shut as she stepped forward—until her foot suddenly struck something hard, making her stumble and nearly fall.
She steadied herself quickly, her breath catching as confusion flickered across her face, and when she looked down at the floor, she froze.
Her four luggages. They were there. Right in front of her.
For a brief moment, she couldn't move, couldn't even think, as disbelief spread across her features, and then slowly, almost as if afraid they would disappear, she knelt down and reached out, her fingers brushing against one of the luggages.
It was real.
A quiet sense of admiration stirred within her chest toward Lord Azron, unspoken yet undeniable.
He had returned them. All of them.
She quickly inspected the luggages, her hands moving faster now, noticing that the locks had already been opened.
They must've checked these.
The thought came instinctively, but she continued, opening them one by one, her breath tight with anticipation, only to find that nothing was taken.
Everything was still there. Even the guns.
She paused, her fingers still, unease brushing faintly against her thoughts.
Why did they leave it here? Maybe they don't know what these are.
She reached for another luggage and opened it, her breath catching again as she saw all of her snacks and essentials untouched—her chocolates, candies, medicines, shower essentials, even her pads.
Emotion rose too quickly, tightening her chest as she almost shed tears at the sight of everything that once felt lost now returned to her. And then her gaze fell on something else—her mission body suit. The suit her master had given her. The suit she always wore every time she killed someone. It was more than clothing; it was the extension of who she was, the embodiment of her past, the reminder of a truth she could never escape.
For a moment, the room felt smaller, heavier, as that truth settled beside the quiet relief blooming in her chest.
Still, she held onto the happiness of having her things back, letting it ground her as she lay down and pulled one of the luggages close, wrapping her arms around it as if it could anchor her between two worlds.
Within moments, exhaustion overtook her, and she fell asleep.
The next morning, Sera jogged her way to the government office, her movements light and controlled, her body feeling refreshed after a deep, uninterrupted sleep.
The absence of Shrin's snores had allowed her to rest fully, and because of that, she could now rise early to exercise.
She did miss Shrin, but having her own private time now felt better in a different way—it gave her freedom, space, and the chance to practice her martial arts without restraint.
The sound of a wrapper crackled softly as she opened a chocolate candy just before entering the office, the familiar sweetness bringing her quiet happiness as she remembered how she had packed a good amount of sweets in her luggage, and how having them returned to her meant more than she expected.
It had been a long time since she had eaten her favorite sweets.
She stepped inside and looked around. Lord Azron was not yet there.
Thank goodness.
A small smile formed on her lips as she began arranging the scrolls that needed to be reviewed for the day, her hands moving with practiced ease until her attention drifted once more to the map of the whole continent.
She stared at it curiously as she wiped the edges of the table where it lay, her eyes scanning the markings before she began to count the Mort flags again, checking if another land had fallen to the Morts.
"…10…11…12."
Her voice was soft, almost thoughtful, as she took in the sight of the Mort blue flags standing across so many lands, a quiet amazement flickering within her.
Then her gaze shifted to the other flags—red, green, and yellow—spread across different parts of the continent, the lands governed by Mort's enemies.
Her expression changed when she noticed that the red flags had increased by two, meaning two lands had been conquered, and their territory was larger than the Morts.
The realization settled heavily within her as she remembered Grand Ersi's story—that the Morts once ruled most of the lands and kept peace among the four states, until the Vaiels–a powerful clan which owned the red flags, grew greedy and sought to rule the entire continent themselves.
They had ambushed Lord Arelus and his three sons—Azolin, Alurion, and Agran—leaving only Azron, who had been just ten years old at the time.
After their deaths, Azron was declared the new Lord of Mort State, leading his first battle when he was only fifteen, forced to grow up and defend their land as the enemies conquered parts of it after his father's death.
From that moment on, Lord Azron had been at war, fighting relentlessly to reclaim the lands that were once part of the Mort State.
I was also fifteen when I was given my first assignment—like him, Sera thought, the memory sharp and vivid in her mind. I remember being so terrified on my first kill. I can imagine how difficult that was for him.
Her gaze shifted toward Lord Azron, who was already seated at his table, scanning through the scrolls with quiet focus.
Azron lifted his head and tried to massage his neck, the long hours of reviewing reports beginning to strain him, and it was then that he noticed Sera still looking at the map.
Is she thinking about going out of Mort City? he wondered, the memory of her standing on top of the temple roof flashing through his mind again.
She has potential. It would be a waste to keep her talents unused.
The thought settled firmly as he stood up and approached her.
"Follow me," he said as he walked toward the door.
Sera immediately followed, curiosity rising within her as she tried to understand where he was taking her. They stepped outside the government office gate, and she glanced at him.
"Are we going somewhere?" she asked, but Azron did not answer.
A carriage bearing the Mort family crest approached them, and Sera waited, expecting him to climb in first, but instead, he stepped onto the ladder and looked at her.
She met his gaze with quiet curiosity. Without a word, he signaled her to board. His cold stare made her comply immediately, and she stepped inside, sitting down as she waited for him to follow—but he never did.
Instead, she looked out the window and saw him effortlessly climb onto a horse.
Why is he not joining me? she wondered, her eyes scanning the carriage, noting that there was enough space for the two of them.
Then realization settled in.
Right. This era is conservative. A woman and a man should not be alone together. If Lord Azron is spotted by anyone being alone with me, it'll surely be a huge scandal.
The carriage began to move, following behind him, and Sera looked out the window, watching him as they traveled. Thirty minutes passed before her eyes widened slightly at the sight of a massive gate ahead.
Mort Military Grounds.
They entered, and she realized this was where the army of the Mort State conducted their recruitment and training. Azron climbed down from his horse, and immediately, the warriors gathered, their voices rising in unison as they greeted their Lord, the sound so powerful it almost shook the ground beneath them.
Sera stepped out of the carriage, her breath catching at the sight before her. The army ground was enormous, filled with hundreds of warriors wearing battle armor, their presence overwhelming, their discipline unmistakable.
They all bowed to Azron with their right fists placed against their chests, a display of loyalty and respect, and with a simple wave of Azron's hand, they dispersed just as quickly as they had gathered, leaving behind only the echo of their devotion in the air as the four generals approached them.
Their presence firm and commanding as their eyes fell on Sera with clear curiosity, studying her as if trying to understand what she was doing there.
She stood still beneath their gaze, fully unaware that she was the first female to ever enter the army grounds. Her chest tightened slightly as her thoughts echoed the same question—what am I doing here, and why did Lord Azron bring me here?
Her eyes moved around the area, and she quickly noticed the warriors stealing glances at her, their attention drawn again and again as if they had not seen a woman in a very long time.
Their curiosity lingered too openly, too boldly—until General Dan turned around, his face dark and terrifying. Instantly, like a command without words, the warriors snapped their heads away and resumed their training, discipline falling back into place as if nothing had happened.
"Prepare the combat arena." Lord Azron ordered.
Combat Arena? Sera thought as she looked at Azron, her gaze searching his expression for answers he did not give.
The four generals immediately went ahead toward the arena, their movements swift and unquestioning, while Lord Azron walked forward and Sera followed closely behind him. Each step forward made her curiosity deepen, her senses sharpening with quiet anticipation.
They entered an enclosed area surrounded by thick, spiky wooden fences, their sharp edges casting jagged shadows around the space. At the center stood a circular stage, worn and marked, with a variety of weapons placed along the sides, each one gleaming faintly under the light.
Sera stayed silent behind Azron, observing everything, her eyes moving carefully as she tried to understand what was about to happen—wondering who would be fighting in that arena.
"Pick your weapon." Azron spoke, his eyes landing directly on Sera.
Sera froze. Her eyes widened as she faced him, her hand instinctively lifting to point at herself.
"Me!?" she asked, disbelief clear in her voice.
The four generals exchanged surprised looks, their reactions immediate and unguarded.
Sera stepped closer to Azron, uncertainty pulling her forward.
"Me?" she asked again, her voice softer now, as if confirming she had heard him correctly.
Azron turned to face her fully. His expression was deadly serious, composed and unreadable, yet still undeniably striking.
The intensity of his presence made Sera instinctively take two steps back.
"A month from now, we will be going to pacify a territory in the North. I was thinking of bringing you along. Interested?" Azron said, placing his hands on his lower back as he spoke.
North. Outside the City.
The thought struck her all at once, leaving her momentarily speechless as the weight of his offer settled in.
"Interested?" Azron asked again, his eyebrow slightly raised.
The generals watched closely, their attention fixed on her response.
"Yes." Sera answered without hesitation.
Azron's lips curved into a soft, almost fleeting smile.
"Then prove that bringing you along will not be a problem. Choose your weapon." His voice deepened, firm and commanding, no longer addressing her differently from any of his soldiers.
Sera stared at him, disbelief flickering once more.