One day passed, then two, and then a full week.
Raquelamalin knocked on the door with a worried expression. When there was no response, she eventually decided to simply open it and step inside.
The study was filled with rows of books, organized and meticulously kept free of dust. At its center sat a single chair and a glowing monitor. Scattered books lay in heaps around the seat. The lights were off, leaving only the eerie glow of the screen illuminating Yujin‘s face. He sat with his head propped in one hand, staring intently at the monitor.
"…Maybe you should come outside for a bit?"
Larin‘s quiet voice finally made Yujin turn around. Dark circles were etched deep under his eyes.
"Ah, Larin."
"Don't 'Ah, Larin' me. Come out and show your face. Kisha and Kiril are worried."
Following his short duel with the butler, Yujin had effectively entombed himself within the Nearl family archives, obsessed with deciphering their combat styles. The problem was that he had taken his research a bit too far.
On the screen, members of the Nearl line were shown in old combat recordings. The books beside him contained detailed accounts of their techniques—their habits, their mindsets, even their philosophies on life. Watching Yujin study these like a man possessed, Larin had wanted to stop him multiple times. She knew he was strong, but skipping meals just to research didn't seem healthy.
"Hmm... has it really been that long?"
Yujin stood up, his joints letting out a series of audible cracks. He stretched his neck and looked at her, his movements a bit stiff but focused.
"Sorry. I have a habit of getting lost in things once I start."
"I just wish you wouldn't make everyone worry."
"I‘m sorry."
As Yujin offered a small, sincere smile, Larin stared at him blankly for a second before suddenly slapping him on the forehead.
"…Ow. What was that for?"
"Don't smile like that. It‘s... dangerous."
"What, are my expressions under regulation now? Wait, you're not the first person to tell me that."
Larin‘s face stiffened. She looked at him sharply. "Who else said that?"
"Someone back in Kazdel. I wasn't the Master's only disciple, after all."
Yujin was smiling as he reminisced. For some reason, Larin found that irritating, and she gave his thigh a sharp pinch.
"Let‘s go. The kids are waiting."
"Alright."
The dining room was laid out with a spread that looked more like a banquet than a simple lunch. Kiril and Kisha were already there, their eyes lighting up the moment they saw Yujin enter.
"Master!"
"I'm back."
Yujin had been neglecting their lessons for the past week. The butler placed a set of utensils in front of him.
"By the way, where is Daniel?"
"The Head had some business to attend to. He insisted you all eat without him and left in quite a hurry."
Yujin wondered what could be so urgent for Daniel these days, but the man was entitled to his private affairs.
The food was exquisite. It felt like a proper feast. Larin and Kisha ate with gusto, while Kiril continued his meal with the easy familiarity of someone who grew up in the manor.
"Did you prepare all of this yourself?"
"Yes, well, I am used to working alone. But seeing a lively table like this... it feels like the old days. It‘s quite pleasant," the butler replied with a smile.
Watching the children and Larin eating together like a family, Yujin felt a warm glow in his chest. After the meal, he moved to help clear the dishes, but the butler waved him off. As far as he was concerned, Yujin, Larin, and Kisha were honored guests of the House and were to be treated as such.
He also took a moment to apologize again for the duel. He admitted he had overstepped his bounds by testing Yujin of his own volition. Yujin dismissed it; to him, it had just been a good way to stay sharp.
Walking out to the courtyard, Yujin saw Kiril and Kisha already doing laps, wooden swords buckled to their waists.
"They‘re working hard, even without me."
Despite Yujin being cooped up in the library, the two had continued their training. He had taught them the absolute basics—focusing on preventing bad habits from forming early on.
He recalled when he had first shown his swordplay to Netsalem. The King of Rot had looked at him as if he were some bizarre specimen. Yujin‘s style was a hybrid of the "Backalley Arts" he had learned on the streets, yet it lacked the crudeness usually found in self-taught warriors. The eventual product of his training with Theresis had been what they called the Kazdel Military Forms.
"…Should I teach that to Kisha?"
The name was official, but the only ones who knew it were Yujin and Theresis.
Larin was standing in a corner of the training ground, watching the children with a warm smile. Yujin approached her.
"I‘ve been meaning to ask... are you settling in okay?"
Larin, a Banshee Princess and a Sarkaz of high blood, had been through a lot. Yujin wanted to make sure she felt safe.
"I‘m fine. Honestly... I might like it here more than the Valley."
Larin looked genuinely at peace. The open courtyard, the spring sunlight, the occasional cool breeze... Everything had changed in just one week, all because of the man standing next to her.
She and Kisha had been living in the literal gutter. Now, thanks to Yujin, they were treated as guests of the Nearl House. The title of "Banshee Princess" meant nothing in Kazimierz. Here, she was just another Sarkaz—just another "dirty Infected." She had hidden in the backalleys, hoping for silence. But the Confessarii had found her even there, making her flight even more desperate.
Then she had met Yujin. It was impossible not to feel something for him. At the convenience store, he had shown kindness to a total stranger. When she was cornered by the Confessarii, he had descended like a bolt of light to save her life. And now, he had provided her a haven.
"Thank you," Larin said, looking him in the eye. Her voice was steady and warm. "I never got to say it properly. Thank you for the convenience store. And if you hadn't come for me during that fight... I wouldn't be standing here."
Yujin scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "It‘s nothing. I just did what I had to do."
"Most people in this world wouldn't do what you do. That‘s why I‘m thanking you."
Yujin watched her. He gave her a playful look and chimed in, "Well, you look much better now. When we first met, you looked so gloomy. You‘re much prettier when you smile."
Larin hitched her breath. Hearing those words delivered in such a calm, casual tone made Yujin look different in her eyes for a split second.
"Ngh."
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
Larin had zero resistance to men. The Banshee race was almost entirely female; she had spent her whole life surrounded by women. Compliments from a man were uncharted territory.
"…Stop smiling like that," she muttered, her ears turning dark red as she looked away. Yujin just blinked in confusion.
"Hah. To be young..."
From a distance, the butler watched the two of them and adjusted his monocle. Youthful energy truly was a sight to behold.
As purple eyes met platinum ones, Larin found herself thinking that even her mother wouldn't disapprove of this. He was a disciple recognized by the Nachzehrer King, an elite swordsman, and clearly powerful. Perhaps her responsibilities could...
Slap!
"Get it together, Raquelamalin! You‘ve only known him for a week...!" she whispered to herself.
It felt like she was being enchanted. She remembered what her older sisters—her surrogate family—had told her about handsome, capable men.
'Sister, what if I meet a man who is both handsome and actually capable and kind?'
'Raquelamalin, such a man is a mythical beast. He doesn't exist.'
'But if I do?'
'Then don't hesitate. Kidnap him and make him your husband.'
As those memories swirled in her head, Larin waved her arms frantically and shouted.
"I‘m not a barbarian!!!"
"Why are you yelling suddenly...?"
Yujin and Kisha watched her in stunned silence. But they decided it was best to let it go.