The Bookkeeper

As it turned out, none of them aside from Raiden had a systematic voice in their head to tell them when they increased in rank—they felt it within themselves. It was instinctive, like something you just knew even before looking at the numbers on your crest. So the moment Raiden heard of Leo's achievement, it filled him with hope.

He began thinking everything through thoroughly. Since Levi's mission couldn't be timed precisely, he needed stronger defenses in case they were attacked while Levi was away. Leo's advancement couldn't have come at a better time.

It was late into the evening, and Levi was finally able to leave on the mission to save Speed's sister. They gathered in the living room while he collected supplies for the journey.

Raiden placed a thousand persa on the sofa. "Take the forest route and maneuver through it to Persia City. Get a carriage if you need one, and you'll obviously need somewhere to sleep—this should cover everything."

Levi gave him a firm nod. "You said there might be a spy around, right?" He glanced at Raiden. "Either way, I won't be coming back if I spot any of them in the forest." His voice was firm and steady, leaving no room for bargains.

"Good… and don't forget to get us information on the kingdom too. I can't shake the feeling that something bad is coming."

Levi turned to him with a smirk, turned invisible, and left the room entirely. Raiden didn't know if he wanted them to succeed. He felt no sympathy for Speed or his sister whatsoever. He just wanted to get Ash on her feet. But the question that haunted him was whether what he was doing was worth it.

At that moment, Leo returned from Speed's room, holding a book as he resumed his studies on magic and Ash.

"Speed wants to speak with you." Leo's words cut through Raiden's daze. Raiden turned to him and gave a firm nod but remained motionless for a moment, wondering: was this the only thing he could do?

He shrugged and left everything up to chance. He walked past Leo, who was reading at the entrance of the corridor while playing with a brown bracelet, and headed to Speed's room.

The moment he entered, Speed spoke. "When are you going to save my sister?"

Raiden's expression softened instantly as he stood by the door, shoulder against the wall, glancing left to stare at Speed.

"Calm down, brother… you will see your sister soon."

Speed sneered, the expression visible even through his mask. "Mack isn't the strongest in the Jasper house. He has a brother—and that's who you should watch out for."

Raiden's expression darkened in an instant. "Why are you only telling me this now?" 

Speed's eyes lit up with amusement—he was definitely mocking Raiden behind that mask. "I just remembered…"

Raiden remained still and let out a sigh. Speed had clearly omitted that detail intentionally, meaning his loyalty to Mack remained intact.

He suddenly smiled—soft and gentle. "You do realize I'll kill both you and your sister if this is a trap, right?"

Speed's eyes widened with fear instantly. With that calm, tender expression on Raiden's face, he hadn't expected such brutal words. And he knew with absolute certainty that Raiden wasn't lying.

"I am not lying… Mack has a brother, Seth, and he's the one who actually took my sister." Speed's voice was calm and calculated now, his expression reflecting the same control.

"Sure…" Raiden said, still wearing that smile as he left the room without another word.

He made his way to his room, walking past Leo, who still remained at the entrance. More than a week had passed without an attack from any of their enemies. Considering how much his enemies had increased in size, he was expecting at least an attack every three days—but nothing. It was great because they had enough time to prepare, but it still made him uneasy.

The moment he entered his room, he checked on Ash once more and lay down gently on the bed, staring at the ceiling as he wondered what the Kingdom was planning.

This was his nightly routine—most of his evening spent with these heavy thoughts. Thinking about it all alone felt like a crushing burden. Those worries consumed every part of him until he finally drifted off to sleep.

Raiden had barely slept when morning came. But the moment he woke up, his danger detection kicked in. It was faint, barely registering above a pulse, which meant the danger wasn't immediate.

Still, he hurried to his feet, and the moment he got downstairs, Leo was already up—towel wrapped around his neck, sweat dripping across his ripped torso as he read.

"We have a visitor, Leo," he said, sparing him no glance as he walked past him to the training room for his sword.

The moment he returned to the living room, Leo was on his feet, wrapping bandages around his hands. The fierce confidence in his eyes left no doubt—he wasn't going to let history repeat itself.

A glance at him made Raiden smile, though he walked past him to the house entrance. There, he drove his sword tip directly into the pavement, hands resting on the hilt's edge as Leo stood behind, massaging his palm.

In an instant, sudden goosebumps surged through his body, filling him with relief. He wasn't happy about their predicament, but it lifted something within him.

He smirked. "Finally, they are attacking," he muttered.

However, his expression immediately darkened as he tilted his head upward. The persistent feeling of being spied upon had finally lifted. The absence made him question himself—had it all been his own craving for conflict, or was something out there merely waiting for the right moment?

Still, his expression instantly shifted toward the forest's range as the danger detection finally intensified. Euphoria began to fill him as a devilish smile spread across his face, his heartbeat quickening with anticipation. 

Yet his smile began to fade the moment they came into view—hundreds of smallish blue humanoid creatures, each roughly three apples in height.

Both Raiden and Leo were confused as they watched the creatures yelling in their own tongue and charging toward them.

"Are those Smurfs?" Raiden asked, confused.