EPISODE 6

EPISODE 6

ANGELICCA SEVERIA

Today's work was completed much faster than expected, all thanks to the recruits who assisted us. Their help significantly lightened the workload, allowing everything to proceed smoothly and efficiently. By around eleven o'clock in the morning, the distribution of supplies had already been completed for every household in the village. After working tirelessly throughout the morning, the recruits were finally able to take a well-deserved rest.

Mounted on my horse, I spent the next few hours riding around the village to personally inspect the condition of the residents.

My patrol finally ended at around one o'clock in the afternoon. To my relief, I had not received a single negative report during my inspection. There were no emergencies, conflicts, or unexpected incidents that required intervention. Everything seemed to be running smoothly.

Throughout my patrol, I made a list of the necessities that the villagers urgently needed so that I could arrange to purchase or acquire them as soon as possible. Among all the items listed, additional winter clothing stood out as the most important. The cold season was becoming increasingly unforgiving, and many families lacked enough warm garments to protect themselves from the freezing temperatures. Coats, thick jackets, gloves, scarves, and other winter essentials would have to be prioritized before the weather grew even harsher.

At the very least, the farmers had managed to secure a decent harvest this season. It wasn't abundant enough to be called a blessing, but it was sufficient to help sustain their families through the approaching winter. 

As I reviewed the list in my hands, I mentally calculated the supplies we still lacked. Food stocks would only last so long.

My mind was so occupied with calculations and responsibilities that I barely noticed my surroundings.

"Miss Angelicca! It looks like you haven't had dinner yet! Come eat first!"

The sudden shout snapped me out of my thoughts.

I blinked and lifted my head, turning toward the source of the voice that echoed across the open field.

"Join us for lunch!" another voice called out cheerfully. "We cooked some food!"

My gaze landed on a group of warriors gathered beneath the enormous willow tree standing proudly in the middle of the grassy field.

The old tree's long branches swayed gently in the breeze, its hanging leaves providing a wide patch of shade from the sun. Several warriors were seated on the grass below, chatting and laughing while sharing food. Their armor and weapons had been set aside, allowing them a brief moment of relaxation after their duties.

A few of them had even climbed into the tree itself. Some were comfortably seated on the thick branches, their backs resting against the sturdy trunk, while others simply lay there with their eyes closed, enjoying the cool breeze as they recovered from exhaustion.

Then one of the warriors waved energetically in my direction.

"Come on, Miss Angelicca! The food will get cold!"

To be honest, I had no intention of going over there.

However, as I looked toward the group gathered beneath the willow tree, I noticed the unmistakable anticipation on the warriors' faces. Several of them were already watching me expectantly, their eyes bright with hope that I would join them. 

Besides, they had been a tremendous help to me throughout the day.

Without their assistance, distributing supplies to every household in the village would have taken much longer and required considerably more effort. The least I could do was acknowledge their hard work.

After a moment of hesitation, I gently nudged my horse forward and guided it toward the gathering.

As I approached, the conversations among the warriors gradually quieted. A few straightened their postures while others offered respectful nods in greeting. 

Once I reached them, I carefully dismounted from my horse.

The moment my combat boots touched the soft grass, Kaiser stepped forward with his composed demeanor.

"Miss Angelicca, you haven't had lunch yet, so we decided to cook something for everyone and have a meal together.

Before I could respond, another warrior sitting beside Kaiser spoke up.

"How did your rounds go, Miss Angelicca?"

"The patrol went smoothly. I didn't receive any troubling reports, and the villagers seem to be doing well overall."

A few relieved sighs and approving nods followed my answer.

Before the conversation could continue, Kaiser suddenly stepped forward again.

"Wait here. I'll get your lunch."

I barely had the chance to respond before he turned his head toward the warrior beside him.

"Linox, spread out a blanket."

Warrior Linox quickly nodded in acknowledgment. In the next instant, they vanished from my sight.

"Do you have any other tasks for us, Miss Angelicca?"

The voice drew my attention upward. I tilted my head and looked toward the towering willow tree nearby. Perched comfortably on one of its thick branches was another warrior. He leaned casually against the trunk.

"Yeah, maybe you've got more orders for us," another warrior added.

I shifted my gaze toward him and noticed that he was sharpening the dagger in his hand. 

As I looked around, something immediately caught my attention.

They all seemed... different.

Almost every one of them wore the faint hint of a smile on their faces. Their expressions were lighter, their eyes brighter. The tense and intimidating atmosphere that normally surrounded them had noticeably lessened. Instead, they looked relaxed.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously as I studied them one by one.

"Why are you all so talkative today?" I asked.

"We've always been talkative, Miss Angelicca. Don't be surprised if our comrades have become even kinder to you."

I immediately turned my head when I heard Jace's voice from behind me.

As I looked over my shoulder, I saw him approaching from a short distance away. 

A low-hanging branch of the willow tree stood in his path, its slender leaves swaying softly in the wind. Without breaking his pace, he casually reached up and pushed the branch aside, allowing it to fall back into place once he had passed.

The sunlight filtered through the curtain of leaves, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow across his figure as he continued walking toward me.

"I told them about the extraordinary things you've been doing that none of our leaders have ever done before," Jace said formally. "We never realized that you've been doing this for such a long time. It turns out that you've been the one supporting the unfortunate people who were exiled to this village all these years."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "When we spoke with them, all we heard were words of praise about you. They told us how much you've helped them and how, even after your father passed away, you never abandoned them. You continued to look after them when no one else would. Honestly, it's truly admirable."

I lowered my eyes and turned my head away.

Before I could think of a response, a sudden strong gust of wind swept through the area.

The branches of the willow tree above us swayed violently, and the rustling of countless leaves filled the air. 

No one spoke.

The only sounds that remained were the whispering leaves overhead and the wind that continued to buffet against me. The silence stretched between us, neither of us knowing what to say next.

Then, after a few moments, I heard Jace clear his throat.

"Anyway, Kaiser and Linox should be here soon," Jace continued. "We were getting worried because it's already late, and you still haven't had lunch. Some of the others have already eaten, but a few of us haven't yet, so we thought we could all eat together."

I simply nodded once in response.

To be honest, I didn't know how to answer what Jace had said earlier. I wasn't accustomed to receiving compliments, let alone hearing people speak so highly of me. The praise made me feel strangely self-conscious, and I found myself avoiding their eyes instead of responding. It was easier that way.

A few minutes later, I spotted two familiar figures approaching from a distance.

Just as Jace had said, Kaiser and Linox had finally arrived.

Both of them were carrying several items in their arms. They moved beneath the wide shade of the willow tree where we were gathered.

Kaiser unfolded a large blanket and spread it neatly across the grass while Linox carefully set down the containers and baskets they had brought with them. They arranged the lunch dishes on top of the blanket. 

I took a seat and began eating my meal. Around me, the warriors who had not yet eaten also started settling down to eat, including Jace.

 One of them would glance in my direction and pull me into the conversation, asking for my opinion or trying to get a reaction out of me. 

Unfortunately, I had no idea how to respond most of the time. It was difficult enough trying to follow their jokes, let alone come up with something witty to say. 

“Damn, if you could only see Damian right now,” Kaiser said between laughs. “You wouldn't know whether to laugh at him or feel sorry for him. The guy can't even move his neck!”

The others immediately burst into laughter.

“That’s what happens when someone lets their arrogance get the better of them,” Kaiser added, shaking his head while still grinning.

“Weren’t all of you entertained by what he did to Miss Angelicca back then?” he asked, looking around at the others. “I think I was the only one who didn’t find it funny.”

The sound of their laughter abruptly came to a halt when Jace spoke. He was in the middle of putting on his formal jacket.

An awkward laugh escaped Kaiser’s lips. He nearly lost his balance from where he was perched on a thick tree branch above us. I caught him glancing in my direction, and the moment our eyes met, he flashed me a strained smile.

The others quickly fell silent as well. Their smiles disappeared and they pressed their lips together. None of them could hold my gaze. 

“You tolerated what Damian did,” Jace continued. “So, in a way, you're no different from him.”

“Hell no. That only happened that one time,” Kaiser shot back immediately, his brows furrowing in protest.

Jace merely stared at him for a moment before speaking again. “Then you should apologize to Miss Angelicca.”

“Yeah, of course. We truly apologize because... we went along with Damian’s rude behavior,” Kaiser said in a formal tone, placing a hand over his chest as though he were delivering a sincere speech.

For a brief moment, he actually looked serious.

Then his expression suddenly brightened with mischief. “To make it up to you, Miss Angelicca, you can just treat us as your dogs from now on!”

Before I could even react, one of the warriors immediately clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Look at that. You’ve gone and turned all of us into dogs,” he shot back dramatically. “Why are you dragging us into your rabies too?”

The moment those words left his mouth, the entire group erupted into laughter once again.

The warriors never seemed to run out of things to talk about. One joke would lead to another, and before the laughter died down, someone else would throw in another ridiculous comment that sent everyone into another fit of amusement.

Hours passed that way.

The sun slowly traveled across the sky while their voices remained.

“Oh, right. About the rescue efforts, maybe we can help with that too, Miss Angelicca?”

At Jace's sudden suggestion, I lifted my gaze and looked at him.

Until now, I had been listening to the conversation while holding the glass in my hands, content to let the others do most of the talking. However, the moment he mentioned the rescue operations, my attention immediately shifted toward him.

Jace leaned forward slightly as he spoke.

“I mean, whenever we don't have anything important to do, we could patrol different areas of our realm,” he explained. “If we happen to find anyone who needs help or anyone who can be relocated here, we could bring them back ourselves. Wouldn't that be a better idea?"

Before I could respond, however, my attention was abruptly stolen by a sudden movement.

Kaiser sprang to his feet.

He practically launched himself from where he had been sitting and landed on the grass with enough force to make the surrounding blades sway beneath his boots. Straightening immediately, he stood tall with enthusiasm.

“Now that's what I'm talking about!” he exclaimed excitedly.

His eyes lit up as he pointed at Jace.

“We can definitely help with that!”

A wide grin spread across his face.

“What do you think, Miss Angelicca?”

“If you're willingly taking over my duty, then it's up to you."

The moment the words left my mouth, Kaiser's face immediately brightened.

“We'll definitely take care of it!” he declared.

He puffed out his chest proudly, looking more than ready to throw himself into the task. The others seemed just as pleased by my answer. Several warriors nodded in agreement.

For people who had only recently volunteered, they certainly looked eager.

“I'll escort you back to your house, Miss Angelicca,” Jace added.

I turned my gaze toward him.

Then I simply gave him a small nod.

No lengthy response was necessary.

The afternoon breeze drifted through the area, rustling the grass around us. The atmosphere felt unexpectedly peaceful after the discussion had been settled.

For the remaining hours of the day, we visited the small farm on the outskirts of the village.

What I originally thought would be a brief stop ended up taking much longer than expected.

The moment we arrived, the warriors were quickly drawn into conversations with the elderly farmers who worked there. Before long, laughter and lively discussions filled the farm as though they had known one another for years.

I watched them from a distance.

The elderly men and women tending the fields were not ordinary farmers.

Most of them had once been warriors themselves.

Years ago, they had fought and served our realm with the same strength and determination. However, time had eventually caught up with them. Their bodies had grown older, their battles had ended, and their lives had taken different paths.

Unfortunately, not all of those paths had been kind.

Many of them had been abandoned by their families.

Some had children and relatives who no longer visited them.

Others had simply been left behind once they were no longer considered useful.

There were also those who had grown old completely alone, without anyone to care for them or keep them company.

That was one of the reasons I had entrusted the farm to them.

Despite their age, they remained capable and hardworking.

Because of that, we ended up staying there far longer than planned.

Time slipped away unnoticed.

Before I realized it, the sky had darkened completely.

The golden hues of sunset had long disappeared, replaced by the deep shades of night.

When the clock finally reached eight in the evening, we decided it was time to leave the village.

The cool night air greeted us as we began our journey back.

The village lights gradually faded behind us while the stars glittered overhead.

As expected, the warriors insisted on accompanying me home.

Even though it wasn't necessary.

Even though I could have easily returned by myself.

Not a single one of them seemed willing to leave me alone.

By the time we finally reached my house, the group came to a stop.

Almost immediately, several cheerful voices called out at once.

“Good night, Miss Angelicca! See you tomorrow!”

Their bright smiles remained visible even beneath the night sky.

Before wrapping my hand around the doorknob, I paused and glanced back at them one last time.

The night had already settled over the village, blanketing everything in darkness, but the torchlights the warriors carried illuminated the area with a warm, golden glow. 

Through that soft light, I could see several of the warriors waving at me.

Some raised a hand casually.

And, unsurprisingly, Kaiser stood out the most.

The smile stretched across his face was impossibly wide. Even from several feet away, I could clearly see the brightness in his expression.

He looked genuinely happy.

For some reason, that realization made me hesitate.

I simply stared at them.

For a long moment, I remained standing there in silence, my eyes lingering on the group gathered outside my home.

Eventually, I broke eye contact.

Unable to continue staring at them for no reason, I looked away and gave a small nod instead.

Then I turned my back to them and faced the door.

Almost immediately, their voices rang out behind me again.

“Sweet dreams, our lady boss!”

“Good night!”

“Sleep well, Miss Angelicca!”

“See you tomorrow!”

Their farewells overlapped one another.

Some repeated the same words over and over.

Others laughed while shouting their goodbyes.

A faint shake of my head was the only reaction I allowed myself.

Even at the end of the day, they still had so much energy.

I opened the main door and stepped inside.

The familiar interior of my house greeted me with silence.

Compared to the constant chatter I had been surrounded by all day, the quietness felt almost startling.

Slowly, I closed the door behind me.

The moment it clicked shut, muffling the sounds from outside, I released a long, deep sigh.

Perhaps it was because I hadn't really done much today other than ride on horseback and accompany the patrol.

Maybe that was why my body didn't feel particularly exhausted.

If anything, I felt strangely relaxed.

Before leaving the village earlier, I had already eaten dinner with everyone, so there was no need for me to prepare anything once I got home.

With that out of the way, I quietly went through my usual nightly routine.

I changed into more comfortable clothes, washed up, and prepared everything I would need for the next day. 

Once I finished, I finally made my way toward my bed.

The mattress welcomed me with familiar softness as I settled beneath the blankets. The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the faint glow of the moonlight filtering through the window.

I closed my eyes.

The house was silent.

The night outside was quiet.

And yet...

For some reason, I could still hear them.

The warriors' voices echoed vividly inside my mind.

Their laughter.

Their arguments.

Their endless teasing.

Especially the ridiculous exchanges they had earlier.

Even though they were no longer here, it almost felt as though they were still gathered outside my room, talking over one another without pause.

I could practically imagine Kaiser saying something outrageous.

Then another warrior fired back with an equally ridiculous response.

Followed by everyone bursting into laughter.

A small sigh escaped me.

I took another deep breath and pulled the blanket over myself, allowing its warmth to comfort me. Slowly, the exhaustion from the day caught up with me, and before long, I drifted off to sleep.

When morning came, I woke up again at four o’clock. Even though it was still dark outside, I immediately got out of bed so I could start preparing for the day ahead. I stretched my arms slightly and rubbed the sleep from my eyes before gathering myself.

By exactly 4:30 a.m., I could already hear the familiar voices.

After finishing my workout, I headed to the bathroom and took a refreshing shower. 

Once I was done, I changed into a simple outfit that was comfortable enough for the morning.

After making sure everything was in order, I made my way downstairs to the ground floor. As I reached the entrance, I grabbed the doorknob and slowly opened the door, stepping out to face the new day.

“Good morning, our lady boss!”

“Good morning, Miss Angelicca!”

“Did you have a good rest?”

Their cheerful greetings came one after another the moment they saw me. 

I looked at them briefly before clearing my throat softly to get their attention. The chatter immediately died down as they focused on me.

“Let's move quickly,” I said in a calm voice. “We don't want to end up being late. I'll be heading to my main hideout at Hideout 5,” I continued. “That's where I receive my assignments and daily duties from Commander Viktor. It's also where I change into my uniform before reporting for work.”

“The female servants just finished delivering our uniforms to our locker rooms,” Kaiser replied. “That’s why we were able to get dressed right away. Besides, none of the commanders has assigned us any tasks yet, so we can accompany you there.”

I nodded in understanding and gave them a small smile.

“All right. Just wait for me outside the hideout later.”

They quickly nodded in agreement without any hesitation.

After that, I excused myself and began walking away from them. The cool morning air brushed gently against my skin as I made my way toward the horse stables. 

I headed straight toward my horse and gently ran my hand along its neck before mounting. The animal let out a soft snort as if recognizing me. Once I was securely seated in the saddle, I adjusted my posture and took hold of the reins.

Just as I was about to ride off, something caught my attention.

Not far from where I was, I noticed a group of warriors gathered together. 

They seemed to be engaged in a serious conversation with someone. Curiosity immediately stirred within me, and I narrowed my eyes slightly, trying to get a better look from where I sat.

A few moments later, I finally recognized the person they were speaking with.

It was Mr. Max.

The men listened attentively, nodding at whatever he was saying. 

As soon as the warriors noticed my presence, their conversation came to a pause. They turned their attention toward me, their gazes following as I approached on horseback.

“Miss Angelicca, someone has been looking for you,” Jace said politely.

I simply nodded, keeping my expression calm as I guided my stallion closer.

Before I could say anything else, Mr. Max stepped forward to greet me. A broad smile immediately spread across his face the moment he saw me. Standing below while I remained seated atop my stallion, he tilted his head upward to meet my gaze.

“Well, isn't this wonderful?” he said cheerfully. “Your comrades actually came all the way into the forest to pick you up. That's a pleasant surprise.”

His smile seemed to grow even wider as he continued speaking, “It's a good sign. It looks like you're finally starting to make friends.” There was genuine happiness in his voice. “I would be very glad if that truly happened.”

For a brief moment, I stared at him silently.

“No,” I replied calmly. “They simply came here.”

Without saying anything further about it, he reached for a small black pouch bag he had been carrying and held it up toward me.

“Here,” he said warmly. “This is your breakfast.”

I leaned slightly forward from the saddle and accepted the pouch from him.

“If only I had known that more warriors would be visiting today,” he continued with a cheerful laugh. “I would have prepared a much larger meal.”

“There’s no need to worry about us. We already ate before leaving the hideout,” Jace said politely.

“Make sure you eat well, Angelicca,” Mr. Max added, his voice carrying the warmth of genuine concern.

I could only give him a small nod in response.

“Well, we should get going now,” Jace continued, glancing at the others. “I think we're going to be late.”

The group immediately prepared to leave.

“Be careful while you're working,” Mr. Max reminded them.

They all nodded in agreement and offered their farewells before heading out.

Afterward, Mr. Max turned his full attention back to me. His gaze softened, and for a brief moment. 

“I should be leaving as well,” he said. “Summer is almost over, and the weather has been getting colder lately. I need to move all of my harvested crops into the storage house before the season completely changes."

Before I could even find the courage to speak, Mr. Max had already turned his back on me.

I watched him walk away, his figure gradually creating more distance between us with every step he took. 

It wasn't until he had taken a few more steps that I finally managed to draw a deep breath.

“Mr. Max?”

The moment my voice broke the silence and called out his name, he stopped walking.

Slowly, he turned around to face me again.

His eyes met mine, and a faint curve formed on his lips. 

For several seconds, I found myself staring at him.

There were so many things I wanted to say. Countless words rushed through my mind all at once. 

But somehow, none of those words made it past my throat.

It felt as though every sentence I had carefully prepared became trapped inside me, refusing to come out. The harder I tried to speak, the more difficult it became.

Unable to bear his gaze any longer, I looked away and turned my head toward the surroundings, pretending to be distracted by anything other than the awkward tension hanging in the air.

“Nothing.”

That was all I managed to whisper.

“It’s alright, dear. I hope you have a wonderful day today with these warriors who were kind enough to come here and follow your lead,” Mr. Max said cheerfully.

After hearing his words, I found myself unable to respond.

A few moments later, I watched as Mr. Max climbed onto his stallion.

The morning sunlight reflected softly against his figure as he adjusted himself in the saddle.

He gave us a final glance before urging his stallion forward.

I watched him ride away, gradually disappearing from view.

Mr. Max left ahead of us, while the rest of our group remained behind for a few moments to prepare for our own departure.

Soon after, we began our journey as well.

From that day onward, I experienced something I had never expected.

The forty-nine warriors assigned to accompany me remained consistently loyal and dependable throughout the days that followed.

As time passed, I realized that their actions went far beyond mere obedience.

Not only were they disciplined and respectful, but they were also genuinely willing to help.

Whenever we had free time between our responsibilities, they voluntarily assisted me with rescue missions. None of them ever complained, and none of them treated the work as a burden.

Instead, they worked alongside me as if helping others was a responsibility they had willingly chosen for themselves.

Their dedication made our efforts much easier and far more effective.

Over the course of six days, we traveled through different villages and visited the poorest areas hidden within the slums.

By the end of the sixth day, we had successfully rescued several beggars living in the slums surrounding the villages.

Each person we saved carried a different story of hardship and suffering.

Whenever Sunday came around, the warriors became my partners in carrying out our relief efforts.

At one point, they even came to me with an idea that completely caught me off guard.

They wanted to donate part of their salaries.

The moment I heard their proposal, I immediately refused.

I couldn't possibly accept it.

They worked hard for every coin they earned, and I had no right to take away money that belonged to them. Besides, they were already dedicating so much of their time and effort to helping with the rescue missions and relief operations.

In my opinion, that was more than enough.

But no matter how firmly I declined, they remained persistent.

Their determination left me at a loss for words.

Sometimes I wondered if all forty-nine of them shared the same stubborn personality.

To be honest, during those days, I had slowly begun adjusting to their constant noise and endless chatter.

At first, being surrounded by them every day had been exhausting.

They were loud from sunrise until sunset.

In the beginning, their noisiness had irritated me.

More than once, I had felt my patience wearing thin because of their endless commotion. My ears would practically beg for peace and quiet after spending an entire day with them.

But somewhere along the way, things changed.

The same voices that once annoyed me gradually became familiar.

The following evening, after gathering everyone together.

“We have several houses to repair tomorrow. That's why we need to leave early. Before winter arrives, we need to make sure the walls and roofs of the heavily damaged houses are repaired. Many of them won't be able to withstand the cold weather if we leave them as they are.”

As I prepared coffee for everyone in my kitchen, the sound of their conversation drifted in from the living room.

The kettle simmered softly on the stove while I arranged several cups on a tray.

Actually, the warriors had just finished eating.

Under normal circumstances, they would have already left and returned to their own quarters. However, tonight, they were staying a little longer.

We still needed to discuss the duties and schedules for the upcoming free days and free hours.

As I poured the coffee into each cup, I listened absentmindedly to the discussion taking place in the next room.

“Do we still need to buy more materials?” Kaiser asked. “Has everyone already contributed their share?”

A moment later, Jace answered.

“Yeah, but almost all of the houses have suffered extensive damage. Even with everyone's contributions, we're still going to fall short. We should prioritize the houses that are in the worst condition first.”

Several murmurs of agreement immediately followed.

After placing the last batch of coffee cups onto the large serving tray, I took a moment to make sure everything was balanced properly.

The tray was already crowded with steaming mugs, each one carefully filled to the brim. Thin wisps of steam curled upward from the dark liquid, carrying the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee throughout the kitchen. 

Once I was satisfied that everything was in place, I wrapped my hands around the handles on both sides of the tray.

The weight immediately settled into my arms.

Carefully, I lifted the tray and began walking out of the kitchen.

The soft glow of candlelight from the living room spilled into the hallway ahead of me. As I stepped through the doorway, the sounds of conversation instantly became louder.

Before I could even take more than a few steps, one of the warriors immediately noticed me.

Without hesitation, he stood from his seat and hurried over.

"Allow me."

Before I could protest, he had already reached out and carefully taken the tray from my hands.

As he began distributing the coffee to his comrades, I finally had the chance to observe everyone properly.

Under the warm glow of the large candle chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the entire living room looked almost golden.

Dozens of candle flames flickered gently overhead, casting dancing shadows across the walls and furniture.

The warriors occupied nearly every available space.

Some sat comfortably on the long sofas arranged around the room.

Others leaned against the walls with folded arms.

A few remained standing, listening attentively to the ongoing discussion.

I quietly moved closer while listening.

The coffee was quickly passed around from hand to hand.

Several warriors immediately took grateful sips after receiving their cups.

"I've already found several thick trees that we can use if we run out of bricks," Linox said before taking a sip of his coffee.

He lowered his cup slightly and continued.

"We can use the wood as a temporary substitute. Once we have enough funds again, we can replace it with proper materials."

“Yes, that’s one of the better ideas we’ve come up with,” Jace finally said. “We should already be at the village by three o’clock in the morning tomorrow. We still need to collect bricks from the workshop near the village market. The other team will accompany Miss Angelicca to purchase the rations. The rest will be responsible for transporting everything back to the villages."

"Understood, sir,” the others replied almost in unison.

The discussion continued for several more minutes.

They talked about timing, routes, materials, and manpower distribution. Every detail was carefully considered, as if even the smallest mistake could affect the entire operation.

Eventually, Jace shifted in his seat.

The sound of fabric moving against the sofa caught my attention.

Slowly, he stood up.

The conversation in the room softened slightly as he walked toward me.

He stopped directly in front of me.

The candlelight from the chandelier above cast a warm glow across his face, highlighting the seriousness in his expression.

“Is there anything we might have forgotten, Miss Angelicca?” he asked politely.

“You’re all already prepared. I don’t think there’s anything else I need to add,” I finally said after reviewing everything in my mind.

Then I remembered something else.

“Oh, and by the way,” I added, shifting my attention back to them. “Mr. Max told me to wait for him tomorrow morning. He said he’ll be bringing snacks for us to eatnHowever, we’ll be leaving early, so just assign one warrior who can stay behind here to receive whatever he brings.”

“Alright,” Jace said calmly. “Marti will take care of it.”

I gave a small nod in approval.

A soft sigh escaped me as I straightened my posture.

“I know you’ve all barely had any free time lately,” I said. “You’ve been spending most of your days helping with my personal duties and rescue work. Next week, we won’t do any rescue missions. You should all rest. Go drink, go out somewhere, do whatever you want.”

Almost immediately, Kaiser leaned forward with a bright grin.

“If we go drinking, will you come with us, Miss Angelicca?” he asked in an upbeat tone.

Before I could even answer, Camden followed up more carefully..

“Or rather… do you drink at all, by any chance?” he asked respectfully.

“Yeah, but I honestly can’t even remember the last time I drank alcohol,” I admitted.

“There you go! So you do drink after all!” Kaiser said, his face lighting up as if he had just discovered something exciting.

“Come with us, Miss Angelicca!” he continued. “Let’s drink at our usual spot! It’s our favorite place to hang out whenever we go out for drinks. Their food there is really good too!"

“Yeah, we used to gather there a lot back when we were still training,” another warrior added.

“Please come with us, Miss Angelicca!” Kaiser said again, this time more insistently.

I could feel several pairs of eyes on me, waiting for my reaction.

“Wait a second, maybe Miss Angelicca still has important things to do that day, so don’t force her—”

“Alright. I’ll come with you.”

I saw their expressions brighten.

Surprise flashed across their faces first, as if they hadn’t truly expected me to agree.

“I can’t wait for next week anymore!” Kaiser suddenly shouted, unable to contain his excitement any longer.

In an instant, he threw an arm around Linox’s shoulders, shaking him slightly in his excitement while laughing loudly.

Then my attention slowly shifted to Jace.

After a moment, his gaze turned back to me.

“Then I will look forward to Sunday as well,” he said, his voice calm before letting out a brief laugh.

“But I didn’t expect you to accept their invitation so easily,” he added, looking at me more directly now.

“My father used to be a heavy drinker. Sometimes, I would even go with him to drink in taverns, inns, and other places. That was one of the ways we bonded back then.”

As I spoke, I noticed Jace nod twice.

“I’m glad that you seem to be getting more comfortable with us, Miss Angelicca.”

His words made me pause slightly.

I didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, I instinctively looked away, almost as if avoiding the weight of his observation. My gaze drifted across the living room, where the other warriors were still laughing, teasing one another, and filling the space with an easy, familiar kind of chaos.

Their voices overlapped again, full of energy and life. Some were joking, others were playfully arguing, while a few simply laughed at things I didn’t even fully understand.

Watching them like this, I realized how different this atmosphere was from when I first met them.

Slowly, a thought settled in my mind.

If there was one thing I truly wished for, it was for this kind of bond to continue.

For this sense of unity, noisy as it was, to remain unchanged.

Because I never expected it.

I never expected that people like them, warriors who were supposed to be distant, disciplined, and hardened by duty would actually stay by my side.

Especially someone like me.

Someone who rarely spoke.

Someone who was never good at communicating or expressing herself properly.

And yet, despite that, they stayed.