.​​Aren’s POV​Due to our earlier argument, I was forced to leave the village to look for Frexia. The forest is vast, and I had no idea where to start. I decided to check the giant tree by the lake, one of her favorite haunts.​I scaled the towering trunk again, hoping to find her at the summit, but when I reached the top, there wasn’t even a shadow of her.​"Where could she be?"​I sighed, figuring she was likely blowing off steam. It was possible she had headed toward the mountains to hunt monsters and vent her frustration.​"What if she really is up there hunting?"​I scratched my head, losing the motivation to keep searching. The mountain range where Frexia usually fights is incredibly far. Regardless of my excuses, I had to find her. Just a while ago, we were eating happily, and now here I am, exhausting myself just to track her down.​Left with no choice but to head for the mountains, I began my descent. But the moment my feet touched the ground, something impossible happened.

​​Several minutes passed as we traveled, yet I remained in a state of disbelief over her revelation. Questions swirled in my mind, but before I could speak, I noticed her watching me with a slight pout.​"W-why? Is something wrong?" I stammered.​"Nothing," she replied. "I just expected you to be more curious about me, considering I am your firstborn daughter."​I scratched my head, admitting that I was still reeling from the news and wasn't quite sure how to feel. She let out a sigh and told me she was only joking—that she was simply testing what it felt like to finally speak to her father.​"Don't mind me," she said. "I am over three hundred years old; I am far too old to be getting emotional. Besides, it’s not as if I actually grew up loving you as a father."​Her words stung. "What? Why? Don’t tell me I do something terrible to you in the future that makes you hate me?"​"Not at all," she answered coldly. "You won’t have the chance to do anything wrong in the future, because you

​The next morning, we woke up early to prepare for our journey to Akbe. We were barely an hour’s trek away from the town, and we needed to gather our strength for the battle ahead.​Some parts of the forest were infested with monsters that were actually edible, so we decided to hunt and secure some rations first.​"I don't think this meat is edible," I remarked to Akexia.​"Let’s head further west," she replied. "It would be better if we could find a river."​We encountered various types of monsters along the way. Even without using her Time Sword, Akexia made short work of her opponents. She hoisted heavy beasts and tossed them aside as if they were weightless. I watched in awe at how she dominated them using nothing but her raw, natural strength. "I’m truly amazed by the skill you show in combat."​She beamed, approaching me with a lively stride to flex her arm, proudly showing off her muscles.​"This is nothing," she boasted. "In my time, I once took down five hundred orcs in a sin

​The municipal hall was eerily silent. While time remained frozen, I hurried through the corridors, the sound of my own footsteps muffled by the magic. I checked every room, my heart racing with every handle I turned. Finally, I came across a heavy set of double doors marked Governor’s Office. Two soldiers stood guard outside, mid-blink and perfectly still like wax figures.​"Finally, I found it," I muttered, catching my breath.​I pushed the doors open and stepped inside. The office was spacious, smelling of old paper and expensive tobacco. Behind a mahogany desk sat a man in a magnificent, elegant uniform. Gold medals glinted on his chest—unmistakable marks of his high-ranking status.​"Looks like this is our man," I whispered.​Suddenly, a faint light flickered from the crystal embedded in my hand. Ora and Akexia emerged, their forms shimmering in the stagnant air.​"Be careful," Ora whispered, her eyes scanning the room. "I sense magic spells active in this room. He’s also carryin

​​After concluding our business in the town of Akbe, we immediately headed back to the Black Raven tribe to proceed with our plan. Our goal was clear: we had to convince Frexia to be adopted by the Flause family, enroll in the Zeron Palace Academy, and ultimately claim the title of Top Elite Knight.​As we journeyed through the dense forest, we were constantly forced into combat with the monsters prowling the area, especially since we had veered far from the main road. Fighting them was no trouble for Akexia; what concerned me more was her refusal to use the Time Sword. Instead, she chose to engage them in grueling, hand-to-hand combat.​It was obvious she was enjoying the thrill of the hunt. Much as I wanted to stop her, I feared drawing her ire. I suddenly recalled her own warning that we were running out of time, yet here she was, squandering precious hours on a mere hobby.​What should have been a manageable trek turned into a six-hour ordeal. Our progress was slowed significantl