"...I’m sorry, my lady," Grace whispered, so softly it barely stirred the air.
Then she straightened, turned, and slipped out of the room without making any noise.
A few minutes passed in silence. Then, slowly, Nura’s eyes opened. She stared at the ceiling for a long moment before her gaze drifted toward the door.
"..."
She stared at it for a long moment before turning back to the ceiling and closing her eyes.
’One day... I will figure it out...’
’What they are hiding from me...’
’Who this ’big brother’ is...’
’How exactly our relationship was...’
’...everything.’
───────
"...Next."
The car rolled forward and stopped beside the inspection window. The officer at the terminal reached out and a hand placed two identification cards into his palm.
The officer glanced at the driver, then the passenger before feeding the first card into the slot.
──────────────
Name: Soren Everly
Date of Birth: April 15, Year 175 PA
Gender: Male
Nation: Oros
Status: Awakened
Hunter Rank: C
[...]
──────────────
The second card followed.
──────────────
Name: Ethea Everly
Date of Birth: September 22, Year 176 PA
Gender: Female
Nation: Oros
Status: Civilian
[...]
──────────────
A holographic screen flickered to life above the terminal, casting a faint blue glow as it scanned the driver’s face, then the woman’s. A wireframe of each face appeared briefly before matching the ID photos and fading away. At the same time, the detection magic array swept over the vehicle and found nothing out of place.
The officer glanced at the results, then handed the cards back through the window with a smile.
"Welcome to the Temur Empire. Enjoy your stay."
The young man took the cards and returned the smile. "Thank you. Have a good day."
The car pulled away from the checkpoint and merged into the flow of traffic heading toward the nearest city. The officer was already looking at the next vehicle.
"...Next."
───────
"...We made it."
Soren smiled as the checkpoint shrank in the rearview mirror until it was just another speck on the horizon. The road ahead stretched wide and open, flanked by dry grasslands and the occasional cluster of trees.
"Mm, we are finally here." Ethea smiled, her eyes tracing the familiar landscape beyond the window. "It feels as if I am returning home."
"Well, you said you spent six years in here, so I suppose that makes sense." Soren glanced at her. "Any places you want to visit again while we’re here? Aside from the academy, I mean."
Ethea considered the question for a moment. "...No. There are a few places, but they are all close to the academy. So we can visit them along the way."
"Then the academy it is." Soren pressed the accelerator, and the car surged forward along the open road. "Hmm... We should reach Kugali City in an hour, and to reach the academy, we still need to cross five more places. I wonder if any of them has a Teleportation we could use."
"Then... Let’s stop for the night in Bagdad City and spend a day or two resting there before using a Teleportation Gate."
"Huh? Why?" Soren asked confusedly, recalling what she said just a moment ago.
"Well..." Ethea pondered for a moment before replying. "If I remember right, there should be a harvest festival going on around this time of year in Bagdad. You might be able to find the ingredients you were looking for there."
"Oh, a harvest festival?" Soren’s eyes immediately lit up. "Is it gonna be big?"
"Mm, it’s a national celebration, and Bagdad City is where it is held every year. The region is the largest producer of crops and livestock in the entire empire, so farmers and merchants from all over gather there for the festival. You will find things that are impossible to get anywhere else."
Soren’s grin widened. "Then we’re definitely stopping. I have a few recipes I’ve been wanting to try but couldn’t due to the lack of ingredients. I hope we really can find them there."
"I hope so too." Ethea smiled, then paused as if remembering something. She slowly lifted her arm, picked up the water bottle from the holder, and held it out toward him. "...Are you thirsty?"
Soren glanced at her outstretched arm, a flicker of concern passing through his eyes before he caught himself. "Yeah."
"Then let me open it for you." She twisted the cap off with a little effort and handed it to Soren. "Here."
"..." Soren took the bottle and gulped down a few mouthfuls before passing it back. "Thank you."
Ethea smiled happily as she took the bottle back, her fingers curling around it with a satisfaction that went beyond the simple act. It was a small thing, opening a bottle and handing it to him, but it was something she could do now. Something she hadn’t been able to do for months.
"You’re welcome." She placed the bottle back in the holder and settled her arms back to her lap, her smile lingering.
"..." Soren’s own smile widened, but he said nothing and turned his eyes back to the road.
It had been a month since they left Kalmira.
And he poured all his effort into helping her recover, and it had finally paid off a few days ago. Her mana pathways recovered by another fifteen percent, and with her mental cultivation having broken through to the Second Stage, she had gained enough strength to move her arms from the shoulders down. It was still painful and difficult, and her movements were slow, so she used her mental power to help guide them, easing the strain just enough to manage small tasks on her own.
Unfortunately, she still couldn’t stand or move the rest of her paralyzed body. Her core remained damaged, and the curse still loomed over everything like a shadow waiting to fall.
But... looking at her now, seeing how happy she was for this one small accomplishment, Soren couldn’t help but become even more determined.
If a single month of effort had brought her this far, then another would push her further, and if that still wasn’t enough, he would keep going for as long as it took. He would find a way to heal her completely, and he would break that damn curse, no matter what!
"...Dear."
"Hmm?" Soren turned around with a smile. "What is it... dear?"
"I’m going back to ’sleep’ now." Ethea smiled as he called her back again with that intimate title. "’Wake me’ up if something happens."
"Alright, I will." Soren gave a reassuring nod.
With a grateful smile, Ethea closed her eyes and dived back into her soul space to continue her mental cultivation. Within moments, her breathing slowed into the familiar rhythm Soren had come to know over the past month.
He glanced at her one more time, then turned his attention back to the road.
The drive to Kugali City took just under an hour. The city unfolded before them, a sprawling hub of sandstone buildings and modern towers, its streets busy even in the mid-morning. Soren didn’t stop. He followed the signs toward the highway and pressed on toward the next city on their route.
The hours slipped by.
The landscape shifted from dry grasslands to irrigated farmlands, then to rolling hills dotted with small villages. Soren only stopped to have lunch with Ethea or to recharge the car, preferring to cover as much ground as possible before nightfall.
By the time the sun began to set, they had passed through the second city and were closing in on Bagdad. The traffic thickened as they drew closer. Cars, trucks, and the occasional caravan of merchants all heading the same direction.
The festival was already drawing crowds, and the billboards along the highway advertised cooking competitions, market stalls, and evening performances under strings of golden lights.
It was well past midnight when Soren finally pulled into a hotel parking lot. He cut the engine and sat for a moment, letting the silence settle.
"Ethea. We’re here."
Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked slowly, adjusting to the dim light. "Already?"
"Already." He smiled and stepped out. "Let’s get you inside."
He helped her into her wheelchair and pushed her through the front doors. A receptionist glanced up with a tired but welcoming smile.
"Reservation under Everly."
The receptionist tapped at her terminal, then nodded. "Room 412. Fourth floor. The elevator is to your left. Enjoy the festival."
Soren thanked her and wheeled Ethea toward the elevator. A few minutes later, they were inside the room, a modest space with a wide window overlooking the city lights. He lifted Ethea onto the bed and helped her settle in before collapsing into the chair beside her.
"We can finally take a rest," he muttered.
"Mm." Ethea turned her head toward him. "And tomorrow... you get to explore the festival."
"Huh? What do you mean ’you’?" Soren raised a brow. "Are you planning to send me off on my own?"
Ethea laughed softly and shook her head. "That’s not what I meant. I have attended the festival before, back when I was still at the academy. I only meant that you would be the one experiencing it for the first time."
"Ah, that’s good then," Soren said, a small smile appearing on his face. "You can be my guide."