Theo and Assashin stared at each other for a moment after hearing Soma’s suggestion. For a second, neither of them spoke. Then suddenly, both boys burst into laughter.

  Soma frowned slightly, clearly confused by their reaction.

  Theo stepped forward, wiping the tears of laughter from the corner of his eyes.

  “Alright, alright… enough joking,” he said, trying to sound serious again. “Actually… I think that’s a pretty good idea.”

  The moment those words left his mouth, Soma’s pale face brightened. The dull exhaustion that had colored her expression for days seemed to fade, replaced by a spark of determination.

  “Well then,” Soma said eagerly, “what are we waiting for? Let’s begin.”

  Without wasting another second, Assashin rushed out toward the market. After a short while, he returned carrying two wooden crutches, thinking they might help Soma support herself while trying to walk again.

  Soma’s eyes lit up at the sight.

  “That’s actually a great idea,” she said with a small smile.

  Leaning on the crutches, Soma tried to take the first step.

  The attempt failed.

  Her legs trembled violently, and before she could stabilize herself, her body collapsed onto the floor.

  Theo gasped and instinctively moved forward, but Soma raised a hand to stop him. There was no frustration on her face—only stubborn determination.

  “I’m fine.”

  She stood up again.

  And tried once more.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Again.

  And again.

  Soma continued practicing tirelessly, though she was careful not to push herself to the point of exhaustion. Slowly, with repetition and patience, her body began to respond. What started as shaky steps gradually turned into steady walking.

  Day by day, strength returned to her limbs.

  Eventually, Soma was able not only to walk, but to run again.

  Her agility and speed returned, almost like before.

  Yet the injury had left a mark. Since that day, Soma would tire more quickly than before, and sudden emotional changes made her heart race uncontrollably. Despite these signs, Soma dismissed them as insignificant details.

  Five days of rehabilitation training passed.

  By then, Soma had regained enough strength to fight again. In fact, during a sparring match, she defeated Assashin in a one-on-one duel with surprising ease—just as everyone remembered.

  Still, despite the excellent results of her physical recovery, Soma refused to stop training. Every day, she continued strengthening her body, determined never to find herself helpless like that again.

  Two full weeks passed since the day she returned home.

  One quiet afternoon, a letter arrived.

  Soma unfolded it slowly and began reading.

  It was from Marecilla.

  “Hello, Soma.

  I’m glad to hear you recovered so quickly.

  So I have a proposal for you…

  What do you say about forming an alliance with my guild?

  Note: You owe me one.”

  As Soma finished reading, a strange expression appeared on her face.

  Her lips curved into a faint smile… yet her eyes burned with irritation.

  The mixture of emotions was unsettling.

  From the corner of the room, Theo and Assashin watched carefully. The sight alone made both of them nervous.

  Then Soma slowly lifted her head and looked toward them.

  The smile on her face had turned slightly… unsettling.

  With a small gesture of her hand, she signaled them to come closer.

  Theo and Assashin approached cautiously, their steps hesitant. By the time they reached her, both boys looked pale, their bodies stiff with tension.

  But the news that followed wasn’t terrifying.

  It was simply unexpected.

  Theo spoke first.

  “Uhh… Soma… I’m actually happy to hear that kind of news,” he said carefully. “But we’re a bit confused. You prefer working alone. That’s why we left Spearhead and Marecilla before… right?”

  Soma nodded slowly.

  “You’re right,” she replied calmly. “But this time… I’m forced to accept the offer, even if I don’t like it.”

  Both boys froze.

  Assashin’s eyes widened dramatically.

  “Whaaaat?! Soma… someone actually forced you to do something?” he exclaimed. “Who?”

  Soma sighed softly before answering.

  “It’s Marecilla.”

  Theo immediately nodded as if everything suddenly made sense.

  “Ah… yeah. That explains it.”

  Assashin blinked in confusion.

  “Wait… excuse me,” he said slowly, scratching his head. “But who exactly is this Marecilla?”