The night grew deeper, colder, quieter.
Outside the medical tents, the Mort camp remained restless. Wounded warriors groaned in pain while physicians moved from one tent to another carrying basins of water and bloodied cloths. Fires flickered beneath the dark sky as guards continued patrolling the perimeter, cautious of a possible Vaiels retaliation despite the withdrawal.
But inside Azron's tent, everything felt still.
Sera sat beside his bed without moving, her eyes locked on the rise and fall of his chest as if she feared his breathing would stop again the moment she looked away. One of her hands held his firmly while the other rested near his arm, trembling every now and then despite her attempts to calm herself.
Her hands were still stained red with blood.
Azron's blood.
Even after hours had passed, she still could not erase the feeling of his heart stopping beneath her palms.
Her gaze shifted slowly across his body.
The bandages wrapped around his chest and shoulder.
The stitched wounds.
The IV bag hanging above him, the clear fluid slowly dripping through the line she inserted into his vein.
She checked everything repeatedly.
Again.
And again.
Making sure nothing had changed.
Making sure he was still alive.
The physicians quietly cleaned the tent around her. They removed the basins filled with bloody water, gathered the used cloths, and wiped the blood from the floorboards. None of them dared speak loudly. The earlier sight of their Lord dying—and the Lady of Mort dragging him back from death itself—still lingered heavily inside their minds.
But Sera barely noticed any of them.
Her entire world remained fixed on Azron.
At the entrance of the tent, Generals Wang, Jidu, and Dan stood quietly watching her.
Relief lingered in their faces knowing their Lord was finally stable, yet disbelief still shadowed their expressions after witnessing what had happened earlier.
Especially Wang and Jidu.
Neither of them could fully process what they had seen.
Their Lord had died.
Then breathed again.
It felt beyond reason.
"Did he really…" Dan lowered his voice slightly, the shock still evident in his face. "…die?"
Jidu slowly nodded.
"His heart stopped." His gaze shifted toward Azron. "Then he returned from the dead."
"Sera brought him back," Wang said quietly as he stepped closer toward the bed.
The other two generals followed behind him.
All three men stopped a short distance away and looked at Sera.
Her face looked empty.
Emotionless.
But the silence surrounding her felt heavier than grief itself.
She continued staring at Azron as though the world around her no longer existed.
"He is stable now," General Jidu spoke softly, trying to comfort her. "Let us look after him for a while. You should rest."
But Sera did not answer.
The thought of Azron almost dying still gripped her chest so tightly that she could barely breathe whenever she remembered it. Every time his breathing slowed even slightly, panic immediately rose inside her again.
Jidu slowly lowered himself to her level.
"Sera…" He gently held her arm.
The touch finally pulled her attention away from Azron.
She looked at him.
But her eyes still seemed distant.
Blank.
Like her mind had not fully returned from the fear she experienced earlier.
"Everything's fine now," Jidu told her softly. "We're here."
Sera stared at him quietly.
Then her gaze shifted toward Dan.
Toward Wang.
The three men looked at her with genuine concern, not only for their Lord—but for her too.
A tear slowly slid down Sera's cheek.
Her consciousness finally seemed to return little by little.
She wiped the tear weakly, but the moment her fingers touched her face, she paused.
Blood.
Dry blood covered her hands.
She slowly looked down at herself.
Her once beautiful red dress was ruined, stained darker with blood from the battlefield and from Azron's wounds. Blood covered her arms, her fingers, even parts of her chest where Azron had leaned against her earlier.
For the first time since the battle ended—
she finally noticed how she looked.
Sera rubbed her hands together weakly, trying to remove the dried blood, but it had already settled deeply against her skin.
Her breathing trembled slightly.
"Can you…" her voice came out quieter than before. "…look after him for a moment?"
The generals immediately nodded.
"I…" She glanced at her bloodied clothes again. "…I need to wash up. Arelus cannot see me like this."
Sera slowly stood from the chair beside the bed.
But the moment she took a step away—
her eyes immediately returned to Azron.
Hesitation filled her face.
Like she physically could not bring herself to leave him.
"Please…" she looked at the generals again. "Focus on his breathing."
The three generals exchanged glances before nodding seriously.
"We will," Wang assured her gently.
But Sera still lingered.
Her eyes remained fixed on Azron's chest rising and falling beneath the blankets.
Only after several long seconds did she finally force herself to move toward the exit.
Even then, halfway to the door, she stopped again and turned back anxiously.
"Call for me if anything happens."
"We will," Wang repeated softly as he carefully guided her toward the entrance. "Don't worry."
Sera looked at Azron one last time before finally stepping out of the tent.
And only after she disappeared into the night did the three generals release the heavy breath they had all been holding.
Sera walked slowly through the camp, searching for water where she could wash the blood from her body. Every time she passed by a group of warriors, they immediately stopped whatever they were doing and bowed their heads before her.
"Lady Sera."
Their greetings followed her quietly through the night.
The atmosphere around her felt different from the one she had left behind years ago in Mort City. Before, the warriors respected her because she was close to their Lord. But now…now they looked at her with reverence. With loyalty. They had witnessed everything on the battlefield—how their Lord had bled for her, how she had stood beside him in war, how she had dragged him back from death itself.
The Lady of Mort had returned.
Sera lowered her gaze slightly as she continued walking. Her dress was still stained dark red with blood. Some of it was Azron's. Some of it belonged to the men she had killed. The scent of iron still clung to her skin no matter how much she wanted to forget it.
Then she saw Rin approaching her from a distance.
He slowed down the moment he noticed the blood covering her body and clothes. Concern flickered across his face before he stopped in front of her.
Sera halted as well.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
The night breeze moved quietly between them, carrying the distant groans of wounded soldiers and the crackling sound of firewood from the camp.
Sera looked at him, trying to find the right words to say after everything he had learned.
But nothing came out.
So instead, she asked the thing that mattered most to her.
"Where's Arelus?"
Rin immediately answered.
"He is safe…already asleep."
The tightness in Sera's chest loosened slightly.
"Thanks."
Her voice came out softer than she intended.
She lowered her head for a moment, exhaustion finally creeping into her body now that her son was no longer in danger.
Then her eyes widened slightly as another memory struck her.
"Runar…"
Her gaze immediately searched around the camp.
"He was injured."
Sera instantly moved, about to walk past Rin to look for him, but Rin quickly caught her wrist.
"He's alive."
Sera stopped.
Rin slowly released her hand once he had her attention.
"The physicians already treated him. He's resting now."
Concern still lingered on Sera's face.
"The wound was deep."
"I know." Rin nodded quietly. "But he protected Arelus. He survived."
Sera lowered her gaze.
Relief washed over her again, though this time it came with guilt.
Runar had almost died protecting her son.
And despite everything…despite knowing she could never return his feelings…he still chose to stand beside them until the end.
Sera closed her eyes briefly.
"Thank you…" she whispered softly, though she wasn't sure whether she was thanking Rin for telling her or thanking Runar for surviving.
Rin looked at her carefully.
"How's…Lord Azron?"
There was visible concern in his eyes despite the memories he still lacked. Even without remembering who Azron truly was to him, something inside him still cared.
Sera slowly lifted her gaze back to him.
"He is stable now."
Rin let out a quiet breath he did not realize he had been holding.
Then his eyes drifted over the blood staining her dress, her hands, her skin.
"You should clean up."
Sera looked down at herself as if only noticing it again.
"Yeah… I should…"
Her gaze wandered around the camp. Physicians were still rushing between tents while wounded warriors filled the surroundings. No one rested. Not after a battle like this.
"There's a lake near here," Rin said quietly. "I'll take you there."
Sera nodded.
Rin carried her things for her and guided her away from the crowded camp. The farther they walked, the quieter everything became. The sounds of war slowly faded behind them until only the wind and rustling trees remained.
The moonlight reflected faintly through the forest path until they reached a lake hidden between tall rocks and trees.
The water shimmered silver beneath the night sky.
Rin stepped closer to the edge and checked the surroundings carefully before glancing at the water.
"It's safe here."
Then he turned his back on her and walked several steps away to give her privacy.
Sera quietly removed her bloodied dress and stepped into the lake. The cold water embraced her skin, slowly washing away the dried blood covering her body.
She lowered herself deeper until the water reached her neck.
Not far from her, Rin sat on a large rock facing the opposite direction, silently guarding her without saying another word.
Sera closed her eyes.
But the moment she did, the memories returned immediately.
Arelus surrounded by enemies.
Azron shielding her body with his own.
The arrows piercing through him.
The blood spilling from his mouth.
Her breathing became uneven.
She opened her eyes again and stared blankly at the rippling water around her.
For the first time in her life…she had truly been afraid.
Not fear for herself.
Fear of losing someone.
She had seen countless deaths before. She had killed people with her own hands and walked away without trembling. Death had always been something familiar to her.
But seeing Azron collapse in front of her had shattered something inside her she never knew existed.
Because no one had ever protected her the way he did.
No one had ever chosen her over their own life so instinctively.
Azron did not hesitate.
Even knowing he could die, he still shielded her first.
Sera lowered her trembling gaze as the water moved softly around her body.
Her chest tightened painfully.
Regret slowly filled the emptiness inside her.
She regretted leaving him.
She regretted believing that freedom meant being far away from the people who loved her.
Because chasing freedom had almost cost her everything.
Her son.
And the man she loved.
It took Sera a long moment to fully wash away the blood staining her skin.
The cold water carried the crimson color away little by little, rippling softly across the lake until nothing remained except faint pink traces disappearing into the darkness. Yet no matter how much she scrubbed her hands, she could still remember the feeling of Azron's blood covering them. Warm. Endless. Terrifying.
When she finally stepped out of the water, the night wind brushed against her damp skin. She quietly put on fresh clothes while her wet hair clung to her back and shoulders.
Then her eyes fell on the red dress lying on the ground.
The same dress Lurion had forced her to wear.
A beautiful cage.
Her gaze darkened.
Without hesitation, she picked it up and threw it into the lake.
The fabric landed on the water and slowly sank beneath the surface, the bright red swallowed little by little by the darkness below. The jewels stitched into it glimmered faintly beneath the moonlight before disappearing completely.
Sera watched it sink without regret.
Like burying the memory of Lurion touching her.
Of him forcing her to stand in front of Azron like some prize displayed on a battlefield.
Of the humiliation. The helplessness. The fear she had hidden behind her calm face.
The dress vanished beneath the water until nothing remained.
Sera turned away from the lake and walked toward Rin.
He was still sitting on the large rock, guarding the area quietly like he had never once planned to leave.
She sat beside him.
Their backs rested against each other.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The wind moved gently around them while the moonlight reflected across the calm lake.
Then Sera finally broke the silence.
"I'm sorry…for lying to you."
Her voice came out soft and heavy at the same time.
She lowered her gaze slightly after speaking, waiting for Rin's response.
Waiting for anger.
For resentment.
But none came.
Rin remained quiet for a moment, his gaze fixed ahead at the dark forest.
Memories slowly surfaced in his mind.
Not memories from his forgotten past.
But memories from Orchid Village.
Sera cooking quietly in the kitchen.
Arelus running around the house laughing.
The mornings they spent together.
The peaceful life they shared.
He remembered how Sera stayed beside him when he woke up with no memories. How she patiently guided him through a life he did not understand.
And he remembered the day Arelus was born.
How happy he had been holding the child for the first time.
Rin slowly closed his eyes.
He might not remember who he used to be.
But he knew one thing for certain.
Those years in Orchid Village were among the happiest moments of his life.
"Whatever reason you had for keeping the truth from me," he finally said quietly, "won't change what I feel towards you."
Sera's fingers tightened slightly on her lap.
"You're still my sister," Rin continued. "Nothing will ever change that."
Then he leaned back against her gently and reached for her hand.
His warm hand wrapped around hers without hesitation.
A silent reassurance.
That nothing between them had broken.
That despite the lies…despite the hidden truths…he still trusted her completely.
Sera's eyes softened.
She held his hand back firmly as relief slowly eased the heaviness in her chest.
For the first time since the battle began, she felt like she could finally breathe again.
Then Sera slowly lifted her gaze toward the sky.
The moon shone brightly above them, calm and distant, illuminating the quiet lake and the forest surrounding them.
And suddenly, her thoughts drifted toward the people waiting for her.
Azron.
Arelus.
Rin.
The family she never thought she would have.
The people who taught her what love truly was supposed to feel like.
Not control.
Not fear.
Not survival.
But warmth.
Safety.
Home.
Sera stared at the moon silently as emotion filled her chest.
The world she came from had never given her that kind of life.
But somehow…in this strange world…she found it.
A faint smile finally appeared on her lips.
"Master…" she whispered softly in her heart.
I have finally found it.
The life you wanted me to find.