Conan and Victor immediately open the door. Elena and Laura step away, hiding their faces so that Lorand and those beside him will not recognize them. Lorand and the hero party exit through the gate and move away from the city.
Conan looks at his friend and says, "My friend, for a moment I thought I saw Lisa! I guess I've started seeing things from exhaustion!"
Just as he says this, Elena's voice is heard.
"No, you didn't imagine it. You saw correctly."
Both Conan and Victor immediately turn toward the direction of the voice and freeze in place.
In a trembling voice, Conan says, "Lisa, how good that you are here?"
Lisa, "That day I didn't have time to thank you. We parted in a hurry. Leona and I said that we should come here and thank the kingdom's heroic warriors."
Victor begins to speak excitedly. "There was no need. It is our duty—"
Conan cuts Victor off mid-sentence.
"Lisa, please forgive us for the lie we told. We had no intention of deceiving you."
Elena's serious gaze turns into a gentle smile.
"Actually, it doesn't matter. Even if you are not warriors, you saved our lives that day. For that, we express our gratitude."
Victor begins to feel proud.
"As I said, ladies, there is no need for thanks. This is our duty."
Laura looks at Victor.
"But in the end, a lie remains a lie."
Embarrassed, Conan says, "As I said, please forgive us for lying."
Elena, "What if I say we consider you forgiven—and that both sides told the same lie?"
Conan frowns. "I don't understand. What do you mean both sides lied?"
Laura throws strange glances at Elena. At that moment, Elena begins to speak.
"We are not actually General Lorand's servants."
Conan and Victor are surprised. Laura, confused, tries to interrupt Elena, but Elena speaks again.
"Actually, we are palace servants."
Laura lets out a deep breath. For a moment, she thought Elena was going to tell the whole truth.
Conan, "Actually, that is not a serious lie. I mean, there is nothing wrong on your side here."
Laura, "No. Lisa is right. At first, we thought you were just troublemakers. That's why when you said you were warriors, we tried to scare you by using the general's name. That is our lie."
Victor scratches his head and speaks in surprise.
"Honestly, it would have been fine if you had said you were palace servants from the beginning. It might have even scared us more. After all, you live in the royal palace."
Elena, "We just thought it would be more effective," and blushes.
Conan, "The important thing is that you are well. There is no serious problem."
Elena, "Good thing you reminded me. What happened after we left that day?"
Conan, "To be honest, it wouldn't be a lie to say we were saved by someone else that day."
Elena frowns. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"
Conan replies, "It's a long story. Don't pay attention to it."
While they are talking, Ardin approaches the city gates.
Seeing Ardin, Conan says, "Hello, master, how are you? We were also waiting for the guards to change the shift."
Elena sees Ardin and is astonished. She tries to hide her face, but it is already too late. Ardin looks at Elena carefully.
"Master, is there a problem?" Conan asks.
Ardin, "The young lady seemed very familiar to me."
Elena replies, "That may be the case, Master Ardin. We are palace servants. We have seen you there many times. You must have seen me there as well."
Ardin scratches his head and smiles.
"That might be it. Please forgive me for disturbing you."
Elena, "No, there is no disturbance at all."
Ardin looks at Conan and Victor, then smiles.
"Today you are permitted by me. The ladies have come from the palace. They are unfamiliar with these places. Guide them around here, and then accompany them back to the palace."
Conan begins, "But, Master—"
Elena cuts Conan off.
"Thank you, Master. Having people we can trust by our side would truly be very good."
Victor nods. "Yes, you are right, Lady Lisa. There can be no one more reliable than us."
Conan gives a worried look and glances at Ardin.
Ardin steps closer to Conan, places a hand on his shoulder, and whispers softly.
"You will become a warrior only if you train. But what we need from you is not to become a warrior, but to protect yourself and those around you. Therefore, Conan, the more people you have to protect, the better."
Conan looks into Ardin's eyes and nods. Ardin says goodbye to them and heads back toward his home. Other guards arrive to change the shift. They switch shifts, and Conan and Victor head toward the city with Elena and the others.
Throughout the walk, Conan and Elena talk, but Victor cannot find a single word to speak with Laura. No matter what topic he starts, Laura finds a way to end it.
After walking for a while and observing a few of the king's improvements in the back areas, they sit in a restaurant near the center of the capital.
Conan thinks to himself, This place looks very expensive. I got lost in the conversation. I didn't even notice how we ended up here.
While Conan is thinking, Elena suddenly speaks.
"By the way, the bill here is on us."
Conan replies, "That's impossible. We are not so helpless that we would make ladies pay the bill!"
Elena, "No, please don't misunderstand me. I don't mean it that way. Just accept this as a token of gratitude. At least allow me to show this gratitude to the hero who saved me."
Victor, "No, miss, you misunderstood us. If it truly comes from your heart, then please."
Elena smiles. "Thank you!"
Conan kicks Victor's foot under the table. Victor feels the pain but says nothing.
Elena asks, "How do you know Ardin?"
Conan replies, "He was the master who saved us that night."
Laura, "That part is clear. But something else is interesting. Ardin is a respected former general. Yet today, it seemed like he had business with you."
Conan nods. "That's true. Master Ardin personally obtained permission from General Lorand to give us private training."
Elena looks surprised. "I knew Ardin trained young people without professions in self-defense. But this is the first time I hear that he personally gives individual training. You must be close to him."
Victor grins. "You could say we are close."
Laura, "Still, the fact that he got permission directly from General Lorand means you are important to him. From what I know, he is extremely strict."
Victor proudly says, "Of course, the master saw our potential and chose us as his personal students."
Laura raises an eyebrow. "Wait a minute… when you called that old man a sadistic old man, were you talking about Ardin?"
Victor shifts uncomfortably. "Miss, it would be great if you didn't say that in public."
Conan and Elena begin to laugh.
Elena, "Now I understand where your combat skills come from."
Conan, "Actually, my father taught me how to fight. The master only improves me further."
Elena smiles. "Your father must have been a very skilled warrior. I would have liked to meet him. At least if he hadn't taught you those skills, who knows what would have happened to us."
Conan says with a hint of sadness, "My father is no longer in this world. But what he taught me has made him immortal for me."
Elena lowers her gaze. "I understand. Please forgive me."
Conan shakes his head. "No, don't worry."
Conan tells them everything that happened to him.
Elena feels disappointed seeing that such a skilled warrior was overlooked simply because he had no profession. Worse, she thinks there must be many others like Conan.
Looking at Conan, Elena says, "I have acquaintances in the palace. I can speak to them for you. At least you could become a guard in the palace. If you prove yourself, you might even become a warrior. It would be much easier for you."
Conan smiles. "No, miss, there is no need."
Elena frowns. "Why!?"
Conan replies, "I just have my own reasons."
Victor says angrily, "That blond dog and that traitorous woman."
Conan glares at Victor.
Elena asks, "I understand the hero. But who is the traitorous woman?"
Conan stays silent, but Victor speaks.
"The sword master, Rose."
"Victor, that's enough!" Conan says angrily.
Victor raises his voice. "It's not enough! They should know this! They present themselves as heroes, but no one knows their true faces! So don't tell me 'enough' again!"
Conan sighs. "I have already forgotten what happened. I don't want these topics to be brought up again."
Elena, "I more or less understand the situation. But if you have forgotten, then it is no longer a problem for you, right?"
At that moment, Kaelhor's voice echoes.
"This is a very good opportunity, human. If you become a warrior, you will awaken that power quickly."
Conan responds uneasily, "You're right. But I'm just very busy right now. Just give me some time."
Elena nods. "As you wish. But I don't want to see a skilled warrior like you being overlooked."
Kaelhor speaks again.
"No matter how far you run, you will not escape your fate, human."
Victor continues, "I completely agree with Conan. That blond dog, as if it wasn't enough that he enjoys himself with other girls, now he will stand beside the princess and think he is something—just to get revenge on my friend."
Laura snaps, "Know your place! Our princess is not like those foolish girls! The hero doesn't even interest her! Let alone someone using the princess to make someone jealous."
Victor raises his hands slightly. "Miss, don't be angry. I'm just saying what kind of person he is."
Elena says firmly, "That can never be possible. At least I am as sure of it as my own name that Princess Elena feels nothing for the hero."
Conan says calmly, "Who the princess has feelings for does not concern me. I already encounter them enough every day. I don't need to run into them more."
Elena gives a disappointed look, then smiles and agrees with Conan.
Victor claps his hands lightly. "Our food is getting cold. It would be better to leave the conversation aside."
After finishing their meal, Elena pays the bill. Then Conan and Victor escort them to the palace.
After they enter, the two return home.
While walking through the back street areas, Conan suddenly grabs his head and stops.
Victor turns to him. "My friend, are you alright?"
Conan breathes heavily. "It feels like my body…"
He collapses to his knees.
"Conan…?" Victor says in panic.
At that moment, it feels as if countless swords are piercing Conan's body all at once without stopping. He screams in pain as everything around him turns dark.