Chapter 21
Bonsel’s Knight Hospital.
“It’s not something you should feel guilty about, Advisor.”
“Yeah. Thanks to you, everyone else made it safely to the capital.”
Adonis and Carden spoke one after the other.
“Of course, that boy’s death is unfortunate…”
Carden trailed off.
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Having wiped out dozens of monsters without a single major injury, Khalif went straight to the capital of Lakasim, while Meyna was hospitalized here.
She had no visible wounds, but was diagnosed with severe psychological trauma.
“Sir Lennox went out on reconnaissance with the holy knights of Lakasim.”
Adonis spoke as he tucked the blanket around Meyna.
“Yes.”
Meyna nodded weakly, then looked at the two men.
“I’m sorry, but could you leave me alone for a while? I’d like to rest.”
The two exchanged a worried glance.
Carden stood first, and Adonis followed.
“Then rest well, Advisor.”
With Adonis’s gentle words, the door closed.
Sunlight spilled across the wide hospital room.
Outside the window stretched the crisp, clear sky of a season just before spring.
Lying on her side, Meyna blinked blankly toward it.
“Please… please save me…”
The boy’s desperate face appeared vividly before her eyes.
‘I couldn’t do anything.’
All she’d managed, mustering every ounce of courage, was to hit the monster’s head with a pathetic candleholder.
But since she couldn’t use mana, she couldn’t possibly harm it.
“Haa…”
A heavy sigh escaped her lips.
She wanted to cry, but guilt choked even her tears.
Then Khalif’s cold words resurfaced in her mind — the ones he’d spoken after bringing her to the hospital.
“What the hell were you thinking?”
“You almost died.”
“You can’t fight monsters.”
“Know your place, Meyna Winslet. Just stick to serving me quietly.”
***
By mid-March, spring had arrived in full.
After two weeks of lying around like wilted vegetables, Meyna had finally regained her strength.
The boy’s dying face still haunted her, but the comfort and encouragement around her were like gauze laid gently over her raw wounds.
At noon in the meeting room.
Adonis spoke to Khalif, who had just returned from two weeks of reconnaissance.
“Sir Lennox, did you identify that lunatic?”
It was rare for him to speak harshly, but the word ‘lunatic’ showed how furious he was.
“Yeah.”
Khalif replied in his usual uninterested tone, glancing briefly at Meyna across the table.
She looked no different than before — neatly tied hair, silver-rimmed glasses, expressionless face, and perfectly straight posture.
Exactly the same.
“Lord Ouke.”
Removing his gaze from her, Khalif answered Adonis’s question.
“Ouke…? Even the name sounds weird!”
“He’s the only son of a count. Family’s based in Moonkasim’s capital, but he was vacationing in La Rundel Town.”
“Sir Lota.”
Meyna called Carden before Khalif could continue.
“Can’t we charge him with attempted murder?”
Her voice carried rare emotion.
Everyone — Carden, Khalif, and Adonis — stared in surprise.
“We could try to press charges…”
Carden paused to adjust his glasses.
“But if he’s from a count’s family, they’ll have lawyers of their own. It’ll get complicated.”
“Why?”
“Well, everyone was fighting for their lives, and there’s no direct evidence that he killed that boy.”
Even as he spoke, Carden shook his head, clearly frustrated.
“The law’s ridiculous sometimes.”
He added, “It’s a damn mess.”
“…”
Meyna lowered her head in silence.
Khalif was about to call her name when—
“Understood. Let’s focus on this week’s schedule.”
Meyna’s tone returned to her usual calm.
“I’m sorry for not working properly these past weeks. I’ll make up for it by working harder.”
Looking into her crystal-clear, determined eyes, Khalif felt reassured.
Meyna was strong as ever.
***
Days went by as usual.
“Sir Lennox! Wake up! You’ve got thirty minutes till work!”
“Five more minutes.”
“Get up now!”
Every morning, Meyna woke Khalif from bed.
“Today’s breakfast is creamy chestnut soup.”
“No appetite. Take it away.”
“Just one spoonful. Knights run on food, remember?”
“Airplane.”
“…Whoosh!”
Feeding him spoon by spoon, she made sure the oversized child didn’t skip meals.
“What’s the plan today?”
“You were supposed to finish the hunt before nightfall and rest.”
“And?”
“The Motensons contacted us urgently last night.”
Khalif frowned as he buttoned his uniform.
“What do they want now?”
The Grand Duke and Duchess Motenson — Hugo and Banze — were co-directors of the Ocean Agency.
They had power, wealth, and impeccable reputations.
Among all gifted individuals of the Empire, few matched their influence, and the public adored them.
But Khalif always seemed irritated by them.
“They said they have something important to discuss.”
“Important, my ass.”
He muttered under his breath.
“They’ll just nag again — ‘When will you stop settling for second place on the monthly ranking?’ ‘Go show your face at the Guild.’ The usual nonsense.”
“I don’t think so. I spoke to Lady Banze Motenson myself, and she sounded serious.”
“It’s an act, all of it. You still fall for that?”
Meyna shrugged, unconvinced.
“I’m off.”
After a quick prep, Khalif waved his hand casually.
“Be careful out there.”
She called after him, but he was already gone.
As always.
Meyna began tidying his room — his messy bed first, then the clothes he’d thrown everywhere.
***
“You’re recruiting new guild members?”
Khalif asked as he jabbed his fork into a steak.
Just three hours earlier, the Motenson couple had arrived at the Lennox estate — earlier than scheduled — bringing along five chefs.
“Mind if we borrow your kitchen?”
Banze had said cheerfully, pushing the chefs inside, and soon an extravagant dinner was laid out before them.
“More precisely, we’re forming a new guild,” said Hugo.
He was chewing on asparagus, ignoring the greasy lamb and cheese-covered pasta before him due to his diet.
“Am I not enough?”
Khalif asked coolly.
“Not at all.”
Banze laughed heartily, draining her wine in one go.
Her silver hair shimmered as it followed her motion.
“I just have a habit of never being satisfied.”
Meanwhile, Meyna was lost in thought.
Just before Khalif’s arrival, Banze had called her aside and spoken privately.
“Is it true? Where?”
“Near the imperial palace, most likely. As you know, Princess Parker is the only known awakened superhuman.”
When Meyna asked why she suspected otherwise, Banze added,
“We’ll find out soon — who’s been hiding their powers and why.”
“…”
“And once we do, we plan to recruit them into our agency.”
“I see.”
“Lady Winslet.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ll need your help.”
When Meyna asked how she was supposed to help, Banze only smiled.
The conversation ended as Khalif stormed in, complaining about how he’d nearly died clearing a dungeon.
‘What is she planning?’
The Motensons — benevolent as the sea, admired for their devotion to the Empire’s peace and prosperity.
At least, that’s what everyone believed.
But Meyna, who had seen them up close, knew one more truth.
Banze Motenson — not even her husband could read her true intentions.
“Miss Meyna? Eat up.”
Banze used a warm tone, addressing her fondly.
“Yes, thank you.”
Smiling, Meyna dipped a piece of crispy pork and took a big bite.
Then Banze set down her fork and knife.
“You really are lovely.”
Her emerald eyes shimmered strangely as she gazed at Meyna with her chin resting on her hand.
