Ravel felt a chill crawl down his spine. He shook his head frantically, signaling that he had been perfectly obedient.

  Glenn naturally shifted his gaze toward Tia, who had kept her head lowered the entire time.

  The room fell silent for a moment, until the faint sound of the little maid’s muffled sobbing became unmistakable.

  Ravel followed the sound and looked at her as well.

  Realizing she could no longer hide her emotions, Tia raised her hand and wiped at her tears.

  Glenn still said nothing. He knew she was a sensitive girl—after spending so many days together, a bond had quietly formed. Her reluctance was only natural.

  He had hoped she would say something like wanting to stay. If she did, he would of course agree.

  But that place was the home where she had grown up. Compared to staying here, she would surely want to return—there were companions she knew, routines she understood, and a life familiar to her.

  “All right, no need to cry like this,” Glenn eventually comforted. “We will meet again.”

  “Really?” Tia lifted her tear-streaked face.

  “Of course. And I can visit you as well. I will even bring gifts,” Glenn replied with a gentle smile.

  Only then did she seem a little soothed.

  In fact, Glenn could already guess that once Ravel returned to the Channis estate, the lord would immediately gather his entire family and flee as far as possible—anything to put distance between themselves and him.

  The next morning, Ravel had already packed his belongings. Glenn had no idea what he stuffed inside, but the bags were bulging.

  The noble youth was about to return to his comfortable, extravagant life, yet there was little joy in his eyes—only a deeper confusion.

  Tia couldn’t hold back her tears again that morning. She hugged the elf girl and Night Howl one by one, saying long goodbyes.

  Glenn sat on the Great Stag carriage patiently, waiting.

  At last the two boarded. “Ready?” he asked.

  Both nodded silently.

  “Then we are off.”

  With a tug of the reins, the carriage slowly departed the small town.

  Gortaya and Night Howl stood outside its borders, quietly watching them leave.

  Perhaps they had been informed in advance, for just outside Bayek's outer woods, a squad of private guards was already waiting.

  Baber was among them.

  They followed behind Glenn, careful not to draw too close—they all knew how dangerous he was and had no wish to provoke him.

  Soon, the familiar estate appeared.

  Lord Channis and Lady Sophia had come out early to welcome them.

  Glenn pulled the reins, and the stag carriage halted.

  Ravel leapt down first, throwing himself into his parents’ embrace.

  “My dear Ravel, I have been so worried about you! You do not know how terrified I was—if something had happened to you, what would I do…?”

  Lady Sophia wept as she checked every part of him.

  “Good, good… Though your skin is a bit darker, you look much stronger.” Lord Channis patted his son’s arm, blinking back tears.

  “Good? He is tanned beyond recognition! How does he look like a proper noble!?” Lady Sophia snapped.

  “Plenty of nobles who have seen the battlefield are darker than this—what do you know!?”

  The couple nearly quarreled right there.

  Just then, Tia stepped forward and softly greeted them.

  The two finally stopped.

  “He did not suffer, did he?” Sophia asked in the tone of a mistress.

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  Tia froze. Ravel had suffered, of course—but saying so would anger the lady, and yet she did not dare lie.

  Ravel quickly interjected, “I hardly suffered at all, Mom, do not worry.”

  “You have worked hard taking care of him. I will reward you later,” Lord Channis added.

  The little maid merely answered faintly, showing little excitement.

  Channis did not mind—he assumed she was gloomy after difficult days.

  Just as the family was immersed in warmth, Glenn’s voice brought them abruptly back to reality—they had nearly forgotten the man who had been the source of all their fear.

  “Tia, I have something for you.”

  He stepped down from the carriage and handed her the half-finished Magi-Phone he had originally prepared for Gortaya.

  She hadn’t used it, and had returned it. Afterward, Glenn had made several modifications, and by now it was nearly as good as a finished product.

  “You should know how to use this. If anything happens, you can contact me with it. But it has limited use—treasure every chance, all right?”

  When he finished, Tia hurriedly took it, gripping it tightly. Her nose stung; she nearly burst into tears again.

  “Do not keep crying,” Glenn added. “If I get the chance, I will visit you. And… I hope no one bullies you.”

  The last sentence was clearly meant for the Channis couple—to warn them that if they ever lost their senses, they would regret mistreating Tia.

  They understood perfectly, swallowing hard, their gazes toward the maid instantly changing.

  Just as Glenn turned to leave, Tia grabbed his sleeve.

  He looked back in puzzlement.

  “May I… have a hug?”

  Glenn couldn’t help but smile. He stepped forward and gently embraced her slender form before returning to the carriage and departing.

  As he expected, Lord Channis fled that very night—taking his entire family and every servant and guard with him.

  The now-empty estate was soon sold cheaply to a wealthy local.

  …

  In a forest overgrown with crimson vegetation…

  Roars of magical beasts echoed—some sharp, some hoarse—accompanied by snapping branches and earth exploding under mighty impacts.

  A massive beast, its mane flaming red, its body the size of an elephant and shaped like an enormous lizard, lay covered in wounds as it battled a lone figure wielding a giant sword.

  Power surged chaotically within it; its joints stiffened. The creature was nowhere near a match for its opponent.

  After another exchange, realizing it would die if the battle continued, the beast finally attempted to flee.

  But its hunter had come precisely to kill it—there was no escape.

  Ultimately, due to its slowing reactions, the beast had its throat pierced by the sword and collapsed, bleeding out.

  The victor did not immediately harvest the spoils. Instead, she sat down, uncorked a waterskin, and drank.

  Her entire body was caked in dirt and foliage, obscuring her face—only her sturdy frame suggested a man.

  But she was a woman—Bloodaxe, the tall warrior who had once crossed paths with Glenn in Duder.

  After taking Glenn’s commission, she spent tremendous effort tracking the target, eventually learning that the beast she sought was a Third-Tier magical creature.

  She herself was only Second-Tier—by all rights she should not challenge it.

  But she did.

  A hunter does not compare raw strength with her prey.