When the two of them finally arrived at the outskirts of the settlement, it was already late in the night. The streets were still a little busy and a lot more boisterous. Ethan and Lia made their way to the market square, where Mark and the others were supposed to be waiting.

Sure enough, they found the group outside the tavern, engaged in what looked like a lively debate with a couple of attractive waitresses.

"Ah, there you are!" Mark spotted Ethan first, waving him over. "Just in time. We already got our payout from the panther hunt."

Gale, standing beside him, tossed a small pouch in Ethan's direction. Ethan caught it midair and gave it a quick weight test in his palm before glancing inside—silver and copper coins gleamed back at him.

"Fair split," Mark assured him. "Might not be much, but it's honest work."

Ethan hummed, tucking the pouch away.

"You heading out already?" Toren asked, folding his arms.

Ethan nodded. "Got what I needed."

Mark tilted his head slightly, studying him. "You sure? You've got a good thing going here."

Ethan offered a half-smirk. "Not really my style."

Mark chuckled. "Didn't think so. Oh, what the hell." He unexpectedly lunged forward and surprised Ethan with a big bear hug.

Ethan tensed at first, caught off guard by the sudden embrace. Mark was solid, a wall of muscle that squeezed him tight for a brief moment before pulling back with a hearty laugh.

"Try not to get yourself killed out there, alright?" Mark grinned, clapping him on the back. "You're a damn good fighter, buddy. If you ever change your mind, there's always a place for you here."

Ethan smirked, shaking his head. "I appreciate it, thanks."

Gale, leaning lazily against the tavern's wooden frame, smirked. "You mages are all so damn mysterious."

Toren snorted. "Shut up, idiot. Hey, are you sure you don't want to stay back just for tonight?" He winked and looked towards the two waitresses, giving a knowing look.

Ethan chuckled lightly and shook his head. "Thank you for the invitation, but I think we should get going."

"Well, your loss, man." Toren grinned.

Lia, who had been standing quietly beside him, glanced at Mark and the others. "Thank you for everything," she said sincerely. "You've been kind."

Mark waved her off. "Ah, don't get all sentimental on me now. You two take care of yourselves."

Gale raised his mug in salute. "Safe travels, Rutgard."

Ethan gave them one last nod before turning on his heel, Lia close beside him. As they walked away from the warm glow of the tavern, the sounds of laughter and drunken cheer fading behind them, he felt a little uncomfortable, but he shook it off and continued walking forward.

Lia walked beside him in silence for a while, glancing up at him every now and then as if she wanted to say something. Ethan saw her and ignored it for a while. "You alright?" he finally asked, breaking the quiet.

Lia hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah…I just… can I ask you about something master?"

Ethan arched a brow. "About?"

She exhaled softly. "Master… do you not like women?"

Ethan stumbled mid-step. Of all the things she could have asked, that was the last thing he expected. He turned to look at her, half-expecting some sort of smirk or teasing glint in her eyes, but Lia looked completely serious.

Ethan cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh.. What kind of question is that? Of course, I like women."

Lia frowned slightly as if gathering her thoughts. "You turned down the waitresses back there without a second thought. And before that, I've never seen you so much as look at a woman with interest. I just… wondered."

Ethan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not that I don't like women, Lia." He glanced up at the night sky, his pace steady. "I just have… other priorities."

Lia tilted her head, her expression thoughtful. "Like what?"

"Like not dying," Ethan said flatly. "Like getting stronger. Like making sure we're not at the mercy of someone more powerful than us."

Lia pursed her lips, then looked ahead. "So, you don't have time for things like that?"

"Exactly," Ethan awkwardly smiled. "Besides, love and romance? They're just distractions." He laughed it off, hoping it did not show off his status as a noob in these things. Lia silently nodded and the two of them walked under the moonlight.

Nights were supposedly more dangerous for journeys compared to traveling during the day, but Ethan preferred it this way. Less chance of his minions being discovered.

Lia, however, stayed close to his side, her usual chatter absent as she kept stealing glances at him. Whatever thoughts had been running through her head before, she seemed to have decided against voicing them.

Ethan's thoughts drifted to the mine again. The corrupted beasts, the unnatural energy—something was festering in that place. But he had chosen not to get involved. He wasn't a hero.

And yet… he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he had just walked away from something much bigger than a few corrupted animals.

Lia broke the silence. "Where are we going next?"

Ethan exhaled. "Further south. Somewhere bigger. A real city, where we can blend in better."

She nodded but hesitated before asking, "And after that?"

He smirked. "Keep moving, keep getting stronger. That's the plan."

Lia smiled faintly, looking ahead. "That doesn't sound so bad." Ethan patted her head and smiled. "I am sorry, I am dragging you into such a messy lifestyle."

Lia shook her head. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Master. I go wherever you go."

Ethan chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You say that now, but you might regret it when things get even messier."

Lia gave him a stubborn look, folding her arms. "That day will never come, Master."

Ethan smiled faintly but didn't argue. He appreciated her loyalty, even if he wasn't sure he deserved it. "Come on," he said, picking up the pace. "Let's get moving." Lia nodded and followed without hesitation.