Draven continued examining Nia.
After a moment—
he finally spoke.
"I can't say the experiment was entirely successful."
His gaze remained fixed on her.
"But it worked."
He paused.
"Although, I still don't have a clear understanding of its effects."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I don't know exactly what you're capable of now, nor can I say for certain whether your current condition is stable."
He glanced briefly at her.
"You're fine at the moment, but considering what happened after you consumed the potion..."
His expression became thoughtful.
"I can't completely rule out the possibility of another loss of control."
He paused.
"Though, as far as I can tell, the likelihood of something like that happening again is next to none."
Draven shrugged slightly.
"But all that is beside the point."
His attention returned to Nia.
"What I'm really interested in..."
He looked directly at her.
"...is your current capabilities."
"What can you do now?"
Nia stared at him.
"...I don't know."
Draven's expression remained unchanged.
"That's obvious."
He sighed.
"I want you to try doing something."
Nia glanced down at herself.
*Do something...?*
She looked at her hands.
*What am I supposed to do?*
Silence followed.
Draven stared at her for a moment.
*This is going nowhere.*
He released a quiet breath.
"Let's try something else."
**SHING!**
He suddenly drew his black blade.
Before Nia could react—
**SHRAK!**
The blade pierced straight through her body.
Nia's eyes widened.
Her mouth opened slightly as blood trickled from her lips.
Draven calmly withdrew the blade and watched the wound.
Slowly—
the damaged flesh began closing.
The wound gradually shrank until it disappeared completely.
Draven's eyes narrowed.
*I see.*
Then—
**SHRAK!**
His blade moved again.
Blood sprayed across the room.
Nia's wrist had been severed.
She stared down at her hand lying on the floor.
For a moment—
she didn't move.
Then—
she suddenly screamed.
"AAAAAHHH!"
She staggered backward, clutching her injured arm.
Her breathing became erratic.
But—
something was happening.
The severed limb began regenerating.
Flesh gradually formed around the exposed end of her arm.
Muscles.
Bones.
Skin.
One after another—
they reconstructed themselves.
Nia's scream slowly faded.
Her breathing gradually steadied.
She stared at her newly restored wrist.
"...It grew back."
She slowly moved her fingers.
Then—
she looked at Draven.
He was still examining her.
*As a half-demon, her regenerative abilities were already abnormal.*
*But not to this extent.*
Draven lowered his blade.
"Thought as much."
He glanced at her arm.
"Your regenerative capabilities have increased."
He paused.
"Sorry about that."
Nia simply stared at him.
Aldric's voice suddenly came from behind them.
"Hey."
His expression was irritated.
"What would've happened if she couldn't regenerate?"
He glanced at Nia's restored arm.
"Were you planning to leave her without a hand?"
Draven looked toward him.
"I would've used my blood."
He returned his attention to Nia.
"It would've been reattached."
Aldric stared at him.
Then—
he sighed.
"So you actually thought it through."
He paused.
"Good."
His expression became serious.
"But I'd kindly ask you not to kill her."
He leaned back slightly.
"I like her, and I don't want her dying twice."
Draven glanced at him.
"What gave you the idea that you have a say in anything concerning her?"
Aldric's expression twitched.
Draven continued.
"I never intended to kill her."
He lowered his blade.
"I have no such intentions."
He paused.
"There's no reason to."
His gaze shifted toward Nia.
"Instead..."
He looked directly at her.
"I want her."
Nia stared at him.
Draven sheathed his blade.
Then—
he extended his hand toward her.
"Come on."
Nia looked at his hand.
For a moment—
she hesitated.
Then—
she reached out and took it.
Draven turned around and began walking.
Nia followed, still holding his hand.
She looked down at him from behind, wondering where he was taking her.
They crossed the room.
Then—
Draven stopped in front of the bed.
Lucifer and Elenya were sleeping peacefully beside each other.
Draven looked down at them.
"Look."
He glanced at Nia.
"Do you see those two?"
Nia followed his gaze.
Draven continued.
"Those are my siblings."
He paused.
"And they're the most important people to me."
His expression became slightly more serious.
"If anything were to happen to them..."
He looked back at the sleeping babies.
"I honestly can't imagine what I'd do."
His grip around Nia's hand tightened slightly.
"That's why I protect them."
He turned toward her.
"At any cost."
Draven stared directly at Nia.
"And from today onward..."
He paused.
"...you'll be doing the same."
Nia remained silent.
Her eyes shifted from Draven to the two sleeping babies.
She simply stared.
Elenya.
Lucifer.
"...Protect?"
She murmured the word quietly.
*He wants me to protect them?*
Nia stared at the two children.
*Me?*
*He wants me to protect someone?*
Her expression remained blank.
*How does one protect another person?*
She had never experienced anything like that herself.
No one had ever protected her. No one had ever made her feel safe or given her the reassurance that someone would stand between her and danger.
She had an idea of what protecting someone meant.
But that was all.
Knowing what the word meant and actually doing it were two different things.
After a moment—
Nia finally spoke.
"I can't."
Draven's eyes narrowed slightly.
Nia lowered her gaze.
"I don't know how to do it."
She looked at him again.
"I don't know how to protect someone."
Aldric stared at her.
Vaelith also watched quietly.
Draven remained silent for a moment.
*She doesn't know how?*
He glanced at Nia.
*Considering she was a captured slave...*
*It shouldn't be surprising that she has no idea what it means to protect someone.*
His gaze returned to the two babies.
*But...*
*That might actually work better.*
Draven looked back at Nia.
"Then I'll tell you what you need to do."
Nia raised her eyes.
Draven's expression remained serious.
"Your job is to make sure no harm comes to them."
He paused.
"At any cost."
Nia listened without interrupting.
"That means getting rid of anything that threatens to hurt them."
His voice remained calm.
"Anything."
He looked directly at her.
"Even if it costs you your life."
A brief silence followed.
"If you were to die in the process, you'd still have to make sure they're safe first."
Nia stared at him.
Draven continued.
"That's what I want from you."
He paused.
"Do you understand?"
Silence filled the room.
Nia looked down at the two sleeping babies again.
*That's what protecting someone means...*
*Making sure they're safe, no matter what happens.*
She remained still for a few moments.
Then—
she nodded.
"Yes, Master."
Her gaze settled on Elenya and Lucifer.
"I'll protect them."
She looked back at Draven.
"Both of them."
A brief pause.
"From now on."