Aren's POV​That evening, we returned to the village and stayed at the house to rest for the night. Our plan was to leave first thing in the morning to continue the mission.​While preparing dinner, Frexia couldn’t help but complain because Akexia was joining us at the table.​"Tell me, why is she even here in our home?" Frexia muttered irritably. "She could have stayed at the guest house."​I let out a sigh at her behavior. "She’s part of our team now; you should treat her as a comrade."​"I understand that you need her for the mission," Frexia countered, "but this is still our home. She doesn’t need to be with us every second."​I tried to explain to Frexia that she should be kinder and treat Akexia as a friend since we needed to work together. To me, sharing a meal wasn't a big deal. I even asked if she was still feeling jealous of Akexia—who was currently going by the name Amora.​Akexia suddenly chimed in.​"You know, I actually like your husband," Akexia said playfully. "He’s n

​​Minutes passed after the heated competition between Frexia and Akexia. As they made their way back to Black Raven Village, the bickering between the two continued unabated.​Once inside the living room, the three gathered to discuss the strategy for their upcoming mission.​"I still refuse to believe I lost that duel," Akexia muttered. "It was clear there was some foul play involved."​"Shut your mouth!" Frexia snapped, her temper flaring. "You have a lot of nerve accusing me of cheating when you didn't even bother to show me if your magic bag was empty from the very start!"​Aren let out a heavy sigh, pleading with them to stop. Their arguing was a dead end; neither was willing to yield or accept the other’s perspective.​"But we can't just let this go," Akexia insisted. "You know how vital it is that we complete this mission."​"I know," Aren replied, "but this is your fault too. It’s unfair to force Frexia into something she’s completely against."​Frexia demanded to know what th

Aren's POVThe morning after bidding farewell to the tribal chief, we departed from the village and began our journey toward Akbe.Our travels proceeded without a hitch, largely because Frexia and Akexia were finally getting along. They were able to talk without bickering or being cold to one another, even sharing stories about their past travel experiences.We knew the attack on the village was supposed to happen today. We had planned to intercept the invaders, but since we didn’t see any Akbe soldiers heading toward the village, we realized that history might have changed.There is a strong possibility that the governor changed his mind because of the pact we made. Nevertheless, Ora cautioned us that nothing is certain, and it would be best to stay vigilant for whatever comes next.As we walked, Akexia noticed I was unusually quiet while listening to their conversation."Why so silent? What’s on your mind?" she asked."Oh... nothing. I guess I’m just worried about what we’ll find in

The three of us were blindsided by the Governor’s sudden aggression. After subjecting us to a high-tier sealing spell—one so potent that even Akexia couldn't dispel it—he stood there threatening to execute us on the spot.This was a disastrous detour from our plan. Since I couldn't breathe a word about our true mission, I found myself paralyzed, unable to offer a single answer to his interrogations."Why the silence? Is the truth that difficult to utter?" the Governor pressed. "No... I'm certain you simply cannot tell me your true motives."Beside me, Frexia was spiraling into a violent rage. Seeing the blade’s edge draw blood from my neck was the breaking point for her."Don’t you dare lay a finger on my husband!" she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "Touch him again, and I will wipe out your entire bloodline along with this wretched town!"Isaa merely smirked at Frexia's struggling form, clearly unimpressed by her attempts to break a Level 5 sealing spell. "Do what you will; y

Aren’s POVFollowing the explosion and the appearance of a massive fireball atop the roof, I scrambled up the side of a neighboring building to get a clear view of the devastation."Frexia! Akexia!!" I screamed.The entire rooftop was being swallowed by a sea of flames, making it impossible for me to leap across. As the fire began to recede, I spotted Isaa on the far side of the building.He had fallen to his knees, his energy clearly depleted. I knew he was resting to recover his strength, but I hesitated to strike. My mind was consumed by worry for my companions.His energy is running low, I thought. This is my chance to attack. But...As the flames finally dissipated, the true extent of the damage was revealed. Akexia remained on her knees, still shielding Frexia in her arms. The sight was horrific—Akexia’s back and wings were charred and raw. She had taken the full brunt of Isaa’s attack just to keep Frexia from harm.Her body was riddled with wounds, and a large portion of her wi