Assashin stayed silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on the floor. Then he finally spoke.

  > “Theo… I guess I don’t really have any grand plan,” he said quietly. “But I do know this — I’ll dedicate myself, my sword, and everything I’ve got to protecting and supporting Soma. You two… you’re my family now. And I don’t ever want to lose another part of it.”

  A small, warm smile appeared on his lips as he said those words — the exact same ones Soma had once told him after saving him from those assassins.

  Theo blinked, surprised by the familiarity of that sentence. It hit him right in the heart.

  Even though his sister could be stubborn, reckless, and constantly attracting danger, she somehow managed to surround herself with people who truly cared about her.

  People like Assashin — loyal, strong, and willing to risk everything for her.

  Yet sadly, Soma often failed to realize how important those people were, pushing them away without meaning to.

  That’s where Theo’s role came in.

  As her little brother, it was his duty to guide her back, to remind her she wasn’t alone — even when she stumbled or made mistakes.

  With that thought, Theo stood up proudly, walked to Assashin, and patted his head like an old man full of wisdom.

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  > “Well done, young man,” he said in an overly serious tone. “You should be proud of yourself! You’ve earned the approval of me — Theo, the most important, the smartest, and the wisest being in the entire world! You may celebrate now! Hahaha!”

  Assashin couldn’t help but grin. He scooped Theo up and placed him on his shoulders, chuckling.

  > “Alright, alright, my lord — thank you for your boundless humility and generosity!”

  Their laughter filled the room.

  For a brief moment, the tension of the past days melted away.

  Theo’s laughter — this time — wasn’t forced. It was pure, genuine joy, echoing from deep inside his little heart.

  (“Good job, Assashin! You’re the best!” — Author’s note)

  But suddenly—

  While the two were still playing around, they both froze.

  The sound of a door creaking open made them turn.

  It was Soma.

  She was awake.

  > “Whaaaaaat?!” both Theo and Assashin shouted in perfect unison.

  Soma blinked at them sleepily, then smiled faintly.

  > “Good morning, Theo… Ah, Assashin — are you alright? You didn’t get hurt, did you? I hope nothing bad happened to you.”

  Assashin’s cheeks flushed slightly.

  > “Ah—uh—yeah, I’m fine. Thanks to you, Soma. Really. But… I’m sorry. It was my duty to help you, to protect you, yet all I did was slow you down. Because of me, you got hurt so badly… I’m really sorry.”

  Soma shook her head gently.

  > “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t get hurt that much, honestly. Most of my injuries are just surface wounds. Nothing serious.”

  > “Soma, are you sure you’re alright?” Theo asked, his eyes wide with concern.

  > “I’m fine, Theo,” she reassured him softly. “You don’t need to worry. Like I said, they’re just minor injuries.”

  Assashin’s expression grew more serious.

  > “Soma… there’s something I need to tell you,” he said, crossing his arms. “From what I noticed last night, it seems someone was behind that old man’s sudden attack at the guild. If my guess is right… they were waiting for us. Which means this wasn’t a coincidence. Do you have any idea who that enemy might be?”