The night continued quietly.
Moonlight painted the ocean silver.
The waves crashed rhythmically against the rocky shoreline beneath the ancient cliff.
The place that had once hidden a monster now felt strangely peaceful.
Kel stood.
Brushing dust from his clothes.
The investigation was over.
The monster was gone.
The truth had been uncovered.
The culprit behind the Leviathan attacks had been found.
For the first time in centuries.
The cliff no longer felt haunted.
The silver-haired youth glanced toward Evelyne.
The woman remained seated upon the stone.
Wrapped tightly within his oversized black cloak.
Her expression looked calmer than before.
Human.
Truly human.
Not the slightest trace of the horrifying creature remained.
Only a beautiful woman sitting beneath moonlight.
Inside his mind.
Seiren observed silently.
The Guardian seemed unusually satisfied.
After all.
Not every day did someone purify a centuries-old monster.
Kel stretched slightly.
Then spoke.
"Let's move."
Evelyne blinked.
"Move?"
Kel nodded.
"I don't think you enjoy spending nights beneath this cliff anymore."
Silence.
The woman slowly looked around.
The cliff.
The ocean.
The darkness.
The rocks.
The place where she spent centuries.
The place where she suffered.
The place where she cried.
The place where she lost herself.
A faint shiver ran through her body.
"No."
Her answer came quietly.
"I don't."
Kel nodded.
"Good."
The silver-haired youth extended a hand.
Evelyne accepted it instinctively.
Then attempted to stand.
Unfortunately.
Reality immediately intervened.
The moment she rose—
Her legs trembled violently.
The world spun.
And she nearly collapsed.
"Ah—"
Before she could fall.
Kel caught her.
The woman froze.
Then realized something.
Several things.
First.
Her body was weak.
Extremely weak.
After all.
She had just undergone a purification process that erased centuries of corruption.
Second.
She had not properly walked as a human for centuries.
Third.
And most importantly.
She was wearing absolutely nothing beneath the cloak.
The realization arrived like lightning.
Her face instantly turned red.
Very red.
Dangerously red.
Kel, meanwhile, remained completely calm.
The silver-haired youth examined the situation.
Then reached a conclusion.
A practical conclusion.
The kind of conclusion only Kel would reach.
Without warning.
He picked her up.
Princess carry.
Completely naturally.
As though carrying someone was no different than carrying luggage.
Evelyne froze.
Her brain stopped functioning.
Entirely.
Several seconds passed.
Nothing.
Not a single thought.
Inside his mind.
Seiren immediately exploded into laughter.
"KEL!"
"What?"
"YOU PICKED HER UP!"
"She can't walk."
"THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE!"
Kel genuinely didn't understand.
The Guardian laughed harder.
Meanwhile.
Evelyne remained completely motionless.
Her face had become crimson.
Because unfortunately.
She couldn't protest.
How exactly was she supposed to leave?
Walk?
Impossible.
Her legs barely functioned.
Remain here?
Absolutely not.
Therefore.
This was the only option.
The woman buried her face deeper into the cloak.
Trying to hide.
Trying to disappear.
Failing completely.
The silver-haired youth simply began moving.
Leaping across rocks.
Crossing narrow paths.
Heading toward the city.
Several minutes passed.
Eventually.
The city lights appeared.
Warm lanterns illuminated quiet streets.
Most stores had already closed.
Only a few remained open.
The night was late.
Very late.
Then Kel spotted something.
A clothing store.
Actually.
A clothing store that was currently closing.
Perfect.
The owner was already pulling down the shutters.
Until—
"Wait."
The owner turned.
Then froze.
Because the scene before him was absurd.
Absolutely absurd.
A handsome silver-haired young man.
Carrying a beautiful woman.
Wrapped inside his cloak.
At midnight.
The owner blinked.
Then blinked again.
Then immediately reached the wrong conclusion.
A spectacularly wrong conclusion.
Kel approached.
"We need clothes."
The owner nodded rapidly.
"Oh."
His eyes sparkled.
"I understand."
Inside his mind.
Seiren sensed danger.
"Oh no."
Kel looked confused.
"What?"
"He understood something."
The Guardian covered her face.
"Unfortunately not reality."
The shop owner immediately opened the door again.
"Come in! Come in!"
His smile became wider.
Far wider than necessary.
Evelyne lowered her head further.
Something told her disaster was approaching.
The trio entered the store.
Rows of dresses.
Shoes.
Cloaks.
Formal wear.
Casual wear.
Filled the room.
Kel placed Evelyne gently upon a chair.
Then immediately handed over several gold coins.
The shop owner stared.
Then stared at the gold.
Then stared at Evelyne.
Then stared at Kel.
And his misunderstanding evolved.
Rapidly.
"Young man."
The owner nodded knowingly.
Very knowingly.
Far too knowingly.
Kel looked confused.
"Yes?"
The shop owner smiled.
"A wonderful husband."
Silence.
Kel blinked.
Evelyne froze.
Seiren exploded.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The Guardian completely lost control.
The silver-haired youth frowned.
"Husband?"
The owner nodded.
"Naturally."
Then pointed dramatically.
"Late at night."
Point.
"Carrying your wife."
Point.
"Covering her with your cloak."
Point.
"And coming to buy replacement clothes."
The shop owner folded his arms proudly.
"The answer is obvious."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Evelyne's face turned completely red.
The poor woman looked ready to combust.
Meanwhile.
Kel tried following the logic.
Several moments passed.
Then he spoke.
"Actually—"
The owner immediately interrupted.
"No need to explain."
He raised a hand.
A wise expression appeared.
The expression of someone who believed he understood everything.
Unfortunately.
He understood absolutely nothing.
"You two were swimming."
Silence.
Evelyne wished for death.
The owner continued confidently.
"The clothes were damaged."
Another confident nod.
"The wife became embarrassed."
More confidence.
"The husband removed his cloak."
Even more confidence.
"The husband carried her here."
Maximum confidence.
The shop owner smiled.
"A beautiful marriage."
Inside his mind.
Seiren physically fell over laughing.
"THIS MAN IS A GENIUS!"
"He is incorrect."
"HE CREATED AN ENTIRE STORY!"
Meanwhile.
Evelyne couldn't even lift her head anymore.
The embarrassment had become fatal.
Her face felt like it was burning.
And somehow.
What made it worse—
Was that Kel didn't seem embarrassed at all.
Only confused.
Very confused.
The silver-haired youth simply looked toward Evelyne.
Then pointed toward a row of dresses.
"Choose what you like."
The woman slowly looked up.
Their eyes met.
Then she glanced away immediately.
Because after everything that had happened tonight—
Being mistaken for his wife somehow felt like the most unbelievable part.
And judging by Seiren's endless laughter echoing through Kel's mind—
The night wasn't finished tormenting her yet.