The city slept beneath the moon.
Lanterns illuminated quiet streets.
Most merchants had closed their shops.
Most travelers had already found places to rest.
The island slowly drifted into silence.
Meanwhile.
Kel's night somehow continued becoming more complicated.
The silver-haired youth walked through the streets carrying Evelyne in his arms.
Princess carry.
Again.
The woman remained wrapped in her new cloak.
The packages containing her dresses rested within Kel's storage ring.
Her strength still hadn't fully returned.
Every purification came with a cost.
Especially one that removed centuries of corruption.
The body needed time.
Time to adapt.
Time to heal.
Time to remember how to be human.
The night breeze drifted through the city.
Evelyne quietly looked upward.
The moon.
The stars.
The buildings.
The people.
Everything felt new.
Strangely new.
As though she had awakened in another era.
Which wasn't entirely wrong.
Two centuries had passed.
Entire generations had lived and died.
Kingdoms had changed.
Noble houses had vanished.
History had moved forward.
Yet somehow.
She remained.
The thought felt surreal.
Inside his mind.
Seiren floated lazily.
"You know."
"Hm?"
"People are staring."
Kel looked around.
Indeed.
Several late-night pedestrians glanced toward them.
Then smiled knowingly.
Then continued walking.
The Guardian immediately started laughing.
"They think exactly what the merchant thought."
"They are incorrect."
"That has never stopped humans before."
Kel couldn't argue with that.
Unfortunately.
Seiren was correct.
A few minutes later.
An inn appeared.
Warm lights glowed from its windows.
The building looked expensive.
Comfortable.
Clean.
Perfect.
Kel entered.
A bell rang above the door.
Immediately.
The innkeeper looked up.
Then froze.
His eyes widened.
His expression transformed.
And within approximately three seconds—
A complete story formed inside his mind.
A completely wrong story.
The innkeeper smiled.
A wide smile.
A very wide smile.
The kind of smile that suggested dangerous misunderstandings.
Inside his mind.
Seiren immediately sensed it.
"Another one."
"What?"
"Another storyteller."
The Guardian pointed toward the innkeeper.
"Look at his face."
Kel looked.
Then frowned.
The innkeeper's expression indeed looked suspiciously familiar.
The same expression as the merchant.
The same expression as people who thought they understood everything.
Which usually meant they understood absolutely nothing.
The innkeeper immediately bowed.
"Welcome."
His eyes moved toward Evelyne.
Then toward Kel.
Then back toward Evelyne.
The misunderstanding evolved.
Rapidly.
A handsome young husband.
Carrying his exhausted wife.
At midnight.
The wife clearly unable to walk.
The husband refusing to leave her side.
The innkeeper felt deeply moved.
A beautiful romance.
A heroic romance.
An expensive romance.
His favorite kind.
"You've come to the right place."
The innkeeper nodded confidently.
Kel approached the counter.
"We need a room."
The innkeeper smiled wider.
"Of course."
Without hesitation.
The man selected one key.
Not just any key.
One of the most expensive rooms.
One of the most luxurious rooms.
One specifically designed for couples.
The room featured.
A large bed.
Romantic decorations.
Fresh flowers.
A fireplace.
A balcony overlooking the sea.
And enough subtle details to make Seiren laugh herself unconscious.
The innkeeper proudly handed over the key.
"Our finest room."
Kel accepted it.
"Thank you."
The innkeeper froze.
That was too easy.
Normally people asked questions.
Not Kel.
The silver-haired youth simply accepted.
Because he genuinely didn't care.
A room was a room.
Inside his mind.
Seiren was dying.
"YOU DIDN'T EVEN CHECK!"
"It has a bed."
"THAT IS THE PROBLEM!"
The Guardian laughed so hard she disappeared again.
Meanwhile.
Evelyne noticed the room number.
Then noticed the decorative key.
Then noticed the innkeeper's smile.
And immediately understood.
The woman lowered her face.
Again.
At this point she considered remaining permanently embarrassed.
Several minutes later.
They entered the room.
Silence followed.
The room was enormous.
Far larger than necessary.
Moonlight entered through elegant windows.
Fresh flowers decorated tables.
The fireplace crackled gently.
The atmosphere felt suspiciously romantic.
Very suspiciously.
Inside his mind.
Seiren looked around.
Then laughed again.
"This is definitely a couple's inn."
Kel looked around.
"Comfortable."
"THAT'S YOUR CONCLUSION?"
The Guardian surrendered.
Completely.
Meanwhile.
Evelyne sat carefully upon the bed.
The mattress immediately sank.
Soft.
Comfortable.
Very comfortable.
The woman nearly cried.
For two centuries.
She had slept on stone.
Actual stone.
The bed felt divine.
Meanwhile.
Kel dragged a couch toward the corner.
Then sat down.
Then immediately began reviewing documents.
Naturally.
Because apparently investigating monsters wasn't enough.
Now he needed paperwork.
Evelyne watched him quietly.
Then eventually asked.
"Aedon."
"Hm?"
The silver-haired youth looked up.
The woman hesitated.
Then spoke softly.
"Don't you have a dormitory?"
Silence.
The question lingered.
Inside his mind.
Seiren listened quietly.
Kel nodded.
"I do."
Evelyne blinked.
"Then why stay here?"
A pause.
The woman lowered her gaze.
"Surely your academy expects you back."
The silver-haired youth remained silent for several moments.
Then answered calmly.
"Because I purified you."
Evelyne looked confused.
Kel continued.
"You currently possess almost no strength."
The fireplace crackled softly.
The room became quiet.
The silver-haired youth leaned against the couch.
His expression remained calm.
Practical.
Honest.
"If someone attacked you right now."
A pause.
"You couldn't defend yourself."
The woman lowered her gaze.
Because that was true.
Painfully true.
Kel continued.
"You lost centuries of accumulated corruption."
"Your body is adapting."
"Your magic is unstable."
"Your physical condition is weak."
The silver-haired youth folded his arms.
"Therefore."
Another pause.
"I'll stay until you're capable of protecting yourself."
Silence.
The room became very quiet.
Even Seiren didn't interrupt.
Because the statement sounded simple.
Yet it carried weight.
No hidden motives.
No expectations.
No conditions.
Just responsibility.
The same responsibility he spoke about earlier.
The responsibility of actions.
The responsibility of choices.
The responsibility of helping someone until they could stand again.
Evelyne stared at him.
The fireplace illuminated his silver hair.
The young man looked completely sincere.
As though staying here was the most natural decision in the world.
The woman slowly looked away.
Then toward the bed.
Then toward the sea visible beyond the balcony.
Then back toward him.
A faint smile appeared.
Small.
Warm.
And strangely peaceful.
For centuries.
She had been alone.
Completely alone.
Now.
For the first time.
She wasn't.
The thought made her heart feel lighter.
Meanwhile.
Inside his mind.
Seiren finally spoke.
"You know."
"Hm?"
"Everyone keeps misunderstanding because normal people don't act like this."
Kel looked confused.
"What part?"
The Guardian stared.
Then sighed.
A very long sigh.
"Everything."
The silver-haired youth thought about it.
Then returned to reading his documents.
Completely unconvinced.
While Evelyne quietly smiled into the darkness.
And somewhere below.
The innkeeper proudly told another employee about the romantic young couple staying in the finest room.