“Captain!”
Aurelia instinctively stepped forward, her outstretched hand pausing just before touching his arm.
“I’ll help you over to rest!”
[Boss, please, you absolutely can’t collapse! If you’re fine… don’t let me be the one who gets in trouble!]
At the instant she touched his arm, Laurence’s movements stiffened for a moment.
A gentle aura, entirely different from the cold, oppressive feeling he’d had moments ago, washed over him as the girl’s hand met his, bringing unexpected relaxation.
The sensation vanished in a flash, yet it calmed his surging discomfort far more than expected.
He lowered his eyes, concealing the complex expression that flickered across them, choosing not to refuse her support.
Vera, seeing this, hurried over to steady Laurence’s other side, her brows knitted tightly.
“Captain, are you too tired?” Vera stepped up, steadily supporting Laurence’s other arm, brows locked in concern, but her tone was crisp and direct.
“There are so many tasks piled up, and you push yourself so hard in training—do you think you’re made of iron?”
“In that case… I’ll go prepare a pot of Anshen Tea, so Captain can get a good night’s sleep.”
She still took the initiative to fulfill her duties as the support, the only thing she could do now, and the best way to hide her inner turmoil.
[Seriously, I’ve transmigrated to another world, but I can’t use magic or heal mental trauma. All I can do is serve tea to my superior… Sigh… how depressing.]
However, when Vera tried to support Laurence by herself, he gently raised a hand to stop her.
“No need to help. I can manage.” His voice was still low, but had regained some of its usual steadiness.
With Aurelia’s arm as support, he managed to steady himself a little more.
After that, Laurence took a deep breath, as if to calm himself and force his discomfort down for the time being.
“Vera, please check the perimeter traps around the base, especially near the back door and the warehouse. Recently, there have been more Corrupted God’s Artifacts around Shadowlight City, and I can’t help but worry.”
Vera gave him a glance but didn’t try to persuade him further.
She knew Captain’s temperament too well—rather than argue here, it was better to just carry out the task immediately.
“Alright, I’ll go now.” When she turned to Aurelia, her tone softened but remained cheerful.
“Liya, I’ll leave the Captain to you. If anything happens, call me right away.” With that, she patted Aurelia’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry, with me here, nothing will go wrong on the base perimeter.”
Before Aurelia could say a single polite word, Vera had already turned, snatched the knife from her waist, and strode briskly out the door without a moment’s hesitation.
“Vera sis… sure is fiery…”
Carefully supporting Laurence, she helped him step by step toward his bedroom on the second floor.
***
The journey seemed especially long. She could clearly hear his slightly heavy breathing, feel his body occasionally tense from discomfort.
Every step, she moved with utmost caution, afraid she’d lose her grip and tumble down the stairs with the Captain.
[Who knew this Red-Haired guy… would be so unexpectedly heavy! My poor fragile waist… it’s about to snap! Damn it… gotta summon my inner manly spirit—!]
After a full thirty steps, she finally helped Laurence sit at the bedside, letting out a long sigh of relief.
[Whew… Not bad, me, I actually managed to carry this Red-Haired guy up all those floors~]
Just as she was about to fetch some water, a deep voice suddenly called out: “Liya…”
Aurelia froze in her tracks, heart almost leaping to her throat, turning her head stiffly.
But to Laurence, it simply looked like she’d exhausted herself carrying him upstairs and was now out of strength.
“Captain, is there anything else you need? Should I massage your shoulders? Or… pound your back? Whatever it is, I’ll do my best!”
[Just don’t suddenly get up and stab me or something, and I’ll do anything! I’m willing to do it all!]
Laurence pressed his fingers to his Sun Acupoint, as if struggling against something.
The fragmented images he saw made his pupils contract sharply, his mind shuddering violently.
Towering flames scorched the sky, twisted shadows writhed across the ground, the air thick with hopeless wails.
A blurry, blood-red figure stood at the center of destruction, emanating a soul-chilling aura, laughing madly.
This power was the same as what he’d sensed from the box moments ago, but many times stronger, more refined—as vast as the sea compared to a single drop of water.
These fragmented visions carried intense negative emotions: deep hatred, ingrained vigilance, unspoken love, and… the rage and sorrow brought by the reversal of time.
“Captain? Are… you alright?”
Aurelia’s delicate, boneless hand gently pressed over his, her soft voice pulling him briefly out of that chaotic mire.
He lifted his gaze, vision still a bit unfocused, golden eyes struggling to lock on, but Aurelia’s face—filled with panic and worry—was reflected clearly within.
That pure, fragile face overlapped eerily for a moment with the figure in his mind, then quickly separated… leaving him with a faint sense of unease and anxiety.
“…Liya?”
“I’m here, Captain. I’ve been here all along.” Her heart was pounding, but her mind raced even faster.
[Please, please, you’re my boss, my only pillar in this world! You can’t go down! If it comes to it… I’ll even stop secretly calling you Red-Haired!]
“Sorry… just a little dizzy.” Laurence shook his head, trying to dispel the lingering vertigo.
He didn’t want the others—especially the clearly worried Aurelia—to notice his brief abnormal state.
It wasn’t just physical discomfort; it was more of a mental blow, like being hit by an illusion spell—nauseating and oppressive.
“Well then… Captain, please rest up. I’ll go make you some Anshen Tea. Just a moment.”
She turned swiftly, grabbed the kettle and a clean cup from the corner table, pulled out a tea bag from her pocket, and began to brew.
[It must be that cursed box’s fault! Damn it! And that old thing in my head! Nothing good comes from either!]
While cursing the box and the voice in her head, she did her best to keep her movements smooth and calm.
‘Hmph, cowardly vessel, only knows how to blame others. That was a shard of my great power, awakening the dormant bloodline within him, that’s all.’
The voice in her head was tinged with disdain, holding a low opinion of Laurence.
‘It seems this generation’s Heroic Bloodline is more sensitive than I thought. But that’s all—utterly laughable…’
[Shut up! It’s all your fault! You decrepit old thing, one day I’ll rip you out and strangle you!] Aurelia roared back internally, but her hand was steady as she handed the cup of tea to Laurence.
“Captain, the tea’s ready. Careful, it’s hot.”
Laurence took the cup, their fingers brushing again for a moment.
That cool sensation spread through his fingertips, quietly dispelling some of the irritability brought on by the hallucinations.
He looked up at her.
The girl stood at the bedside, leaning in slightly, her black hair hanging softly over her shoulders.
Her red eyes brimmed with concern, lips pressed together, attentive to his every move.
Her gentle presence was a stark contrast to the scenes of ruin in his mind, making even the suffocating blood-red shadow seem to fade a little.
“Thank you.” He spoke softly, draining the steaming tea in one gulp, as if the heat didn’t bother him at all.
[Whoa… just chugged that scalding tea—aren’t you worried you’ll burn yourself? No matter how thirsty you are, that’s a bit much!]
After setting the cup down, he rubbed his still-throbbing Sun Acupoint and let out a heavy breath.
“Captain, do you want to lie down and rest for a bit?” Aurelia suggested gently, her gaze sweeping across his somewhat pale face.
[This is a prime chance to raise favorability. I have to do this perfectly! Otherwise, how am I going to ask him for help getting rid of that old thing in my head?]
“With Vera here, you don’t need to worry about anything at the base.”
Laurence heard her words, and the agitation and wariness caused by those strange hallucinations slowly faded.
Yes, this was the Sword of Saint Radiance’s base—the home he and his comrades shared.
The girl before him, who worried for him, cooked for him, kept everything running smoothly, was a teammate he’d personally chosen and brought in.
Those terrifying fragments, perhaps, were just the result of overwork and the box’s strange influence.
After all, anything related to Disaster… was never any good.
“Well then… I’ll leave it to you all. Thank you.”
Laurence lay down as told, closing his eyes, though the exhaustion and heaviness in his brow didn’t fully fade.
“Rest well, Captain. Call me if you need anything, alright?”
Aurelia tucked in his covers with gentle care, checked the window to make sure no draft was coming through, then left the room with the empty cup.
***
The moment the door closed, she leaned against the cold wooden door and let out a long breath, feeling her back soaked in cold sweat.
[Whew… looks like there’s no serious problem after all. He seems satisfied. My boss is steady—yes!]
For now, maintaining her image as the “gentle, considerate support girl” and taking good care of the Captain was undoubtedly the best way to boost favorability and lower suspicion.
[As long as that old thing in my head doesn’t stir up trouble, and just plays the part of an occasionally chatty bystander, this life isn’t so bad~]
***
In the days that followed, Laurence, citing “overwork and needing rest,” temporarily stopped going out on missions or doing intense training.
Aurelia, meanwhile, pushed her “support girl” role to the limit.
She tried all sorts of easy-to-digest, nutritious meals for the convalescent, made sure the soup was cooked to perfection, and even adjusted the herbal tea based on Laurence’s complexion.
She always brought his meals and warm water to his room right on time, moving gently, speaking with care, yet keeping a respectful distance.
“Captain, here’s some freshly made mushroom chicken soup—drink it while it’s hot…”
“Captain, the weather’s good today. Should I open the window a bit for some fresh air?”
“Captain, Vera says the perimeter traps have all been checked. You can rest easy!”
“Captain, I’ll be just outside the door. If you need anything… just call me, I’ll be there in a flash!”
Her care was attentive and sincere; anyone would see her as a kind and meticulous teammate.
Even Vera would comment in private, “Captain, since I’ve known you, bringing Liya into the squad is the most perfect decision you’ve ever made—no question about it.”
But only Aurelia knew that every time she entered Laurence’s room with food, her back was tense.
She watched his every subtle expression, searching for any change in his attitude toward her.
Ever since that box made contact with Laurence, his attitude had shifted abruptly, becoming distant, silent, even… hiding a deep, hard-to-pinpoint displeasure.
Most of the time, Laurence simply accepted her care in silence—neither warm nor cold—giving off a faint sense of coldness.
He watched her busying about, listened to her gentle voice, and was occasionally haunted by those chaotic, horrifying visions.
Eyes of destruction overlapped again and again with the caring red eyes before him.
This intense contradiction and inner struggle made his gaze toward Aurelia ever more complex and unreadable.
There was gratitude, scrutiny, and even a hint of… confusion and struggle he hadn’t yet realized himself.
A few days later, Laurence’s physical condition had clearly improved, almost back to normal daily activity, and he even felt faintly stronger than before.
As his body recovered, the mental fatigue also gradually lifted, and the bizarre, fragmented visions intruded less and less often.
He had more energy to think rationally.
He chalked up the embarrassing episode in the hall and his dazed state over the past few days to prolonged high-intensity tasks and the interference from the box’s strange energy.
It was a reasonable explanation, enough to convince himself to suppress those horrifying “illusions” for now.
[Looks like I really was too tired. To have such ridiculous thoughts… Liya is just a somewhat unusual teammate, that’s all.]
He made an effort to throw all those jumbled thoughts to the back of his mind, focusing again on team affairs and daily routines.
Still, when his eyes occasionally met Aurelia’s, the wariness deep in his heart had not disappeared—it was only buried deeper by his rationality.
And Aurelia’s own mindset, amid these seemingly peaceful days, had undergone a subtle yet resolute shift.