"Me? Wein Arcveil!"
He pulled the sword pierced into the vampire, leapt, and dove down from the top of the demon beast's hill of corpses. When he hit the ground, a gust of wind burst forth, pushing several of us backward.
Loraine pushed through every gap, forcing her body to keep moving forward. Tears streamed down her face, falling one by one to the floor, soaking the path she took as she passed people who didn't move aside in time.
"Loraine, wait!" Claire shouted from behind. She tried to catch up, but the crowd growing tighter blocked her way, making it hard to move any further.
"Wein?" she called softly, her voice catching in her throat. She kept walking until she finally reached the front. Tears still ran down her face; she tried to wipe them away, but they kept flowing the moment she saw the man walking toward her.
All sounds faded into silence. The crowd that had been watching seemed to fall out of reach as Wein approached Loraine, his face gazing softly at her.
Loraine heard nothing around her. Though many people warned her to step back and others behind her retreated, she stood still, waiting for Wein's arrival.
"Don't come any closer!" several people barked at Wein. They didn't dare approach—even to save Loraine, they hesitated.
"I… missed you."
That gentle voice came out in a whisper, like the soul of someone who had been silent for too long. Wein stepped closer, his body cold from the night, touching Loraine in an embrace that slowly dispelled the loneliness that had lingered. The warmth wasn't only physical—it came from a heart that had been holding back longing for so long.
"I did too…" Loraine replied, her voice trembling between held-back sobs. "I waited every day… for a whole year."
Her tears fell, wetting Wein's chest, as if all the long-buried waiting had finally found a place to shatter.
"I don't think… we can stay like this for long," Wein said softly, his voice laced with hidden reluctance. Gently, he pulled away from the embrace, though Loraine still held on tightly, unwilling to let him go.
From afar, the sound of halted footsteps followed the sudden silence. Some people stared at them wide-eyed, surprised by the depth of the moment.
Among them, Mark stood frozen. His eyes wide open, his face filled with jealousy he couldn't hide. His sword slipped from his grasp and hit the ground, clashing against the stone with a loud clang—mirroring the heartbreak inside him.
Claire approached slowly from behind. She was amazed as she saw Wein smile gently while gazing at Loraine's blushing face.
"Loraine, you…" she said, nearing Loraine from behind, turning to Wein who noticed her presence. His handsome face made her stare longer.
"I… Claire. Haha, nice to meet you." Her smile was a bit forced as a strong aura weighed down on her when she spoke to Wein, and even a second of eye contact left her weakened.
"Oh, I'm Wein. Nice to—"
"General Wein, apologies for your arrival being like this." Someone came from behind, dressed in a very neat shirt, causing the crowd to part and give way.
"What? General?" – "That guy's a general?" – "Is he part of Gladius?" Whispers began to stir, voices purposely louder so that others could hear who was speaking.
"Your arrival was very sudden. I thought you'd be with the others, but it turns out you handled everything yourself," the man in the neatly pressed gray shirt with a furred collar spoke.
Wolves circled the area where Wein stood and finally sat obediently once they felt safe. Their blood-covered teeth looked terrifying considering their size.
"It's fine. I was informed by HQ that a Plasma-level vampire would be here, so I took care of it before it could breach the walls," Wein chuckled—a forced formal conversation, yet he carried on.
"Come, let's head to the camp to welcome your arrival, General," said the man, who was the chief here—higher than the assault leader who had earlier shouted at Wein.
Loraine Eleanoir
"You're right, he is handsome," said Claire, her eyes sparkling, cheeks flushed, her energetic movements making Loraine smile faintly.
"Even you! Have you both been fooled by some guy playing dress-up as a general?" Mark grumbled, stomping a few times as he walked behind Loraine and Claire, his face fuming.
Claire looked back with a smile. "I think you're just jealous of a guy as amazing as him, right, Loraine?" Claire laughed heartily.
"Damn it, I'll show you who's amazing in a duel later," said Mark, grumbling under his breath until Claire shot back.
"Oh, shut it, Mark. Wein is different from you. Don't all men get jealous of someone better than them? Especially when the girl they like admires that man," Claire said firmly, leaving Mark silent the rest of the way.
How is this possible? I was shocked by what I just saw even though I tried to stay cool in front of Loraine. Wein killed that many demon beasts? Mark thought to himself.
But that's impossible, right? Killing a Plasma-level vampire on his own? As far as I remember, he's the same age as Loraine—meaning he's a year younger than me.
They all walked toward the camp. There was no room left, as the demon beasts had been completely wiped out—turned into a throne by Wein.
Seeing Wein's tall figure with an athletic build and dense muscles, even Mark—who was technically bigger—still felt chills just by looking at him.
Time passed, and they all sat before a crackling bonfire. The damp cave surrounding them made the atmosphere feel warmer in the summer heat.
Mark glanced toward the tent Wein had entered earlier. Annoyed, he asked Claire and Loraine, "You see that coward?"
"There he is," Claire pointed at the man walking toward them. With confident steps, Wein waved at Loraine, who was watching him.
Mark stepped in front of Claire and Loraine just as Wein got closer. He stood before him. "Wein Arcveil, I, Mark Von Dfawz, challenge you to a duel."
"I'm honored, but I'm sorry. I'm only here to say goodbye to you all. The Gladius meeting is starting soon," he explained flatly, walking past Mark, who instinctively stepped back as Wein passed.
"So soon?" Loraine asked, the disappointment plain on her face as she approached Wein to bid farewell.
"I'm sorry. I'll come back later—I promise I won't leave you without a word for another whole year," Wein said, smiling before turning and leaving the three of them behind.
He walked away alongside the Chief who guided him out of the cave. Loraine let her body fall onto a rock, sitting with deep disappointment.
He's different… is it true he's part of Gladius now? Loraine muttered, barely audible, her eyes following Wein's movements as he walked toward the portal and disappeared from the cave.