It's been three years... 

You attend to the people around you.

"You guys good?"

"Thank you."

You smile.

"The door."  one of the men speaks up. "It's not fully closed."

You raise a brow at the door, and you hum to yourself.

"Tessa, my beloved," You wrap an arm around the girl's shoulder. "Say... your boyfriend comes home after his service. How do you react?"

"Cry? Hug him?" She stares at you. "Are you planning something?"

"Nope!" You snicker.

The door opens, and the pile of corpses greets your group. On top of the S-class beast, a man is sitting there.

You stare up, and you laugh.

"A-art?"

"ARTHUR, MY BELOVEDDDDD!!!!" You gasp. "SYLVIEEEE!!!!"

The white fox flies past you and lands in Tessia's arms instead.

"Sylvie!" Tessia exclaims.

You cover your mouth with your hand, tears welling in your eyes. "SYLVIE, HOW COULD YOU!!!!"

"S-STATE YOUR NAME!" Dresh stumbles over his words

Arthur jumps off the corpse with a thud, and he smiles at you. "Arthur Leywin."

"YOUR HAIR!!!" You run up to him, tripping over your feet again.

"It seems-" Arthur catches you in his arms. 

"It aPPEARS I'VE FALLEN FOR YOU AND CAN'T GET BACK UP!" You cut him off.

You shake from laughter in his arms, and Arthur laughs with you. 

"Okay, but in all seriousness," You stand up, dusting off your uniform. "Welcome back..."

You smell awful. You grimace, communicating your thoughts.

'It's the blood.' Arthur responds.

"While I'd hate to interrupt your reunion, there are more pressing matters at hand," Dresh speaks up. "What exactly happened here? I had not been informed that someone by the name of Arthur would be joining us."

"I'm sure no one had been informed since I arrived less than an hour ago," Arthur hands you a core. "Does Helios eat these?"

"Heli is in Epheotus with Windsom," You smile. "I don't need it."

"A-are you saying that you single-handedly killed all those mana beasts, including the S-class mutant, behind you??" A soldier stammers.

'THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! HOW COULD A MERE BOY DO WHAT A WHOLE BATALLION OF MAGES CAN?!"

"WAIT WAIT-" Tessia holds both of her arms out. "How do you know Arthur, Y/n?"

Arthur stares down at you, and you smile at him. "Connections."

Arthur laughs. "I know her from childhood."

Tessia purses her lips.

"Oh, dear, wait." You shake yourself free from Arthur's grasp. "Tessia, is he the childhood sweetheart Arthur you were describing to us?"

Tessia stumbles over her words, and you gasp. "HE IS?!"

"L-Leader! We'll escort Arthur back to our camp." Tessia changes the subject abruptly. 

The atmosphere is awful

'Don't need to tell me twice.'

Arthur makes a beeline for the shower when you get to camp, and you get ready for bed with Tessia.

"Well that was anticlimatic," Darvus sighs, slouching next to the campfire.

"Anticlimatic?" You raise a brow. "Mans was sitting on a tower of corpses staring down at us as if we were some mere peasant in his life. What part of that is anticlimatic???"

"Exactly!" Darius exclaims. "How the hell was he able to kill them all - if he really killed them in the first place?!"

You snort, and Tessia speaks up.

"What, do you think that guy was sitting there, posing, waiting for us to take the credit?"

"Are you pointing fingers to make yourself feel better again?" You raise a brow in amusement. 

"Why are you taking his side?"

"When did I ever-"

"Tessia's mind is probably clouded by her past memories of the guy!" Darvus argues. "You saw the tension between them!"

You and Tessia stare at the man. "Did it just go over your head that I was the one in his arms-"

"I'm basing it off instinct!" He hisses. "Maybe that's something you can't do because your mana core is broken!"

You stare at him, the heat rushing to your head.

"Say that again you piece of shit." You glare at him. "I dare you."

"What?! That your mana core is broken? That you don't have an instinct-"

"I will kill you right here and now without my mana core," You walk up to him, and you shove a finger on his chest. "Don't forget that my healing works both ways."

"Oh? But you can barely-"

"Y/n I think-" Tessia tries to stop you.

You dig your finger into his chest and he feels his lungs burn.

"I said what I said."

You step back, and you walk off.

"Y-Y/n?" Tessia rushes up to you. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," You smile. "And you?"

"I'm fine," She scratches her cheek.

"Y/n!" 

You turn around, and you smile at Arthur.

"Are you ok?" He rushes up to you. 

"Almost killed someone," You smile, your aura still flickering. "Do you want to meet the others?"

"A-ah sure," Arthur follows the two of you, and you introduce him to the group.

Just as you were about to sit down, Darvus storms out of the room.

"Arthur Leywin. I, Darvus Clarell, fourth son of the Clarell House, formally challenge you to a duel!"

You blink.

Dear god.