Chapter 271: Suprise

For nearly half an hour, the room echoed with Mina’s cries. It wasn’t the loud wail that had erupted when Sage first woke up, but rather a steady rhythm of sobs, waves rising and falling, crashing anew whenever she thought she had calmed down.

She curled tightly against Sage’s chest, as if fearing that loosening her grip even slightly would send him back into slumber, disappearing from her sight. Her small fingers clutched his shirt stubbornly while her face pressed against him, shoulders shaking intermittently as fresh sobs broke free.

Sage did nothing but hold her close and speak softly, repeating simple reassurances: he was fine, he was awake, and he wasn’t going anywhere.

Boren stood nearby like a statue frozen in time; his eyes were red-rimmed with tears still clinging at the corners. He smiled foolishly every time Sage made even a hint of sarcasm, as if those jabs were proof that everything had returned to normal.

Gradually, Mina’s cries subsided. The loud sobs transformed into quiet hiccups and then soft sniffling. Though she remained nestled against Sage’s chest, her breathing began to stabilize bit by bit.

Her face was a mess, tears and snot smeared across it, her cute little nose red and swollen from crying so hard, the rims of her golden eyes flushed and damp.

When she finally lifted her head slightly, traces of tears still clung stubbornly to her lashes as she gazed at Sage, searching for confirmation that he was truly awake not just some cruel figment of her imagination meant to comfort her.

Sage exhaled slowly; he had been holding his breath for what felt like an eternity. His body felt weak, as if every bone had been replaced with something hollow but his arms held Mina firmly and steadily.

He gently stroked her long golden hair with slow movements, hoping that this simple action could soothe her completely. Feeling the warmth of her small body against his chest made the reality sink in fully, he was alive, and she was still here.

Once he confirmed that Mina had truly stopped crying, Sage turned his gaze toward Boren who stood there like an oversized child unsure of what to do next after surviving a tragedy.

Boren’s cheeks were wet; he had wiped his nose too many times on the back of his sleeve. His usual confidence seemed entirely deflated.

Sage rolled his eyes and said dryly, “Why are you still crying? You’re a ass grown man, stop acting like a little girl.”

Boren blinked in surprise before quickly wiping his face again as if caught in wrongdoing.

He let out an embarrassed laugh despite the lingering emotion thickening his voice. “Well… it seems our shameless Guildmaster is back,” he replied while shaking his head in an effort to compose himself.

“I was worried you’d wake up as some serious old man, that would’ve been disastrous.”

Sage let out a weak snort, but even that small gesture reminded him of the strain in his chest. “Serious and wise? With you around? That’s impossible.”

Boren chuckled again, this time more genuinely. The tension in his shoulders began to ease. The past month had been a heavy burden; he had taken on responsibilities he never imagined he would face so soon.

He had stood before nobles, negotiated with adversaries, overseen reconstruction efforts, calmed anxious Adventurers, and maintained an image of stability while feeling anything but stable inside. Now, seeing Sage awake and hearing his familiar sarcasm brought a sense of relief.

Sage studied him for a moment before softening slightly. “How’s the Guild?” he asked quietly.

It was a simple question, but it carried significant weight, Boren felt that deeply.

He stepped closer to the bed, folding his arms loosely. “The Guild is doing well,” he replied steadily. “In fact, it’s better than before. The reconstruction is complete; all damaged areas have been restored. The Adventurer District is fully operational again, quest boards are back to normal, merchant contracts have resumed, and registration numbers have risen since the attack.”

He paused deliberately here. Boren could have delved into detailed reports about finances, noble interference, council pressures, and internal adjustments, but he noticed the faint exhaustion lingering in Sage’s eyes. This wasn’t the time to overwhelm him with numbers and strategies.

Sage caught on too; he nodded slowly as a faint grin spread across his pale face. “Good,” he said simply. “That’s good.”

He shifted slightly against the pillows and winced at the stiffness in his muscles. Mina tightened her grip again as if afraid that movement might signal something worse.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Sage murmured softly to her before turning back to Boren. “How are the Adventurers? Any unrest?”

“None,” Boren replied quickly. “If anything, morale has improved dramatically. They were angry after the attack; that anger has transformed into determination. They’ve been training harder and taking on more missions, they want to prove themselves.”

Sage’s grin widened just a bit more. “Sounds like them.”

After a brief pause, he asked, “What about Valeria?”

Boren’s expression brightened at that mention. “She’s doing great, stronger than ever! She’s been overseeing training sessions and external patrols; no one dares cause trouble when she’s around.”

Sage nodded with satisfaction. “And Lyana?”

“Still calm yet terrifying in her own way,” Boren chuckled lightly. “She managed internal logistics like nothing happened, kept everyone organized.”

Sage let out a soft breath of approval before asking about Gregor.

At this point, Boren hesitated slightly before responding cautiously: “Gregor… hasn’t returned yet,” he admitted. “We don’t know where he is or how he’s doing at all.”

Sage’s expression turned thoughtful. “Well… I didn’t expect him to still be holding on like this. Looks like I need to find him and talk some sense into him.”

The room fell into a brief, peaceful silence once more. Mina had calmed completely, her head resting against Sage’s chest as she listened intently to the conversation with wide eyes. She didn’t speak, but every movement of Sage’s face was carefully noted, as if she were memorizing it.

After a moment, Boren’s face suddenly brightened with excitement.

“Oh!” he exclaimed, snapping his fingers lightly. “I should tell the others! They’re going to lose their minds when they find out you’re awake, especially Lyana. And Valeria will pretend not to care, but she’ll definitely smile.”

He immediately turned toward the door, his large frame already in motion.

“Wait.”

Sage’s voice halted him mid-step.

Boren froze and turned back, confusion etched on his face. “Huh?”

With a slight smirk, Sage replied, “No need to tell them.”

Boren blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“I intend to surprise them,” Sage said simply.

Boren stared at him as if trying to grasp the logic behind that statement. “Surprise them? Boss, you’ve been in a coma for a month.”

“Yes,” Sage replied calmly. “Which makes the surprise even better.”

Boren scratched his head, bewilderment clear on his face. “But… shouldn’t we at least inform Lyana? Or Valeria? They’ve been worried sick.”

Sage’s gaze softened slightly. “They’ve carried enough weight already. Let them have one good shock.”

Boren opened his mouth to argue again but then closed it slowly. He studied Sage carefully and nodded in understanding; he knew more than he let on. If word spread too quickly, the entire Guild would swarm this room within minutes, adventurers gathering outside while nobles might catch wind of it sooner than expected. Keeping things quiet for now would allow Sage time to recover properly and give them control over how the news was shared.

“Alright,” Boren finally agreed. “We’ll keep it under wraps.”

He turned back toward the door but paused again. “Then I’ll get back to work,” he added thoughtfully. “If I stick around too long, people will start suspecting something’s up.”

Sage gave a faint nod in response. “Good idea, act normal.”

Boren puffed out his chest slightly with feigned confidence. “I always act normal!”

Sage raised an eyebrow skeptically. “That’s debatable.”

Boren chuckled sheepishly. “Fine! I’ll act as normal as possible.”

He moved toward the door, his steps steady yet lighter than they had been in weeks. His hefty frame jiggled slightly with each stride, but there was a newfound bounce in his step that had been absent for far too long. As he reached the door, he placed his hand on the handle and glanced back one last time.

For a fleeting moment, his expression softened. He didn’t say anything grand; he simply looked at Sage, nodded once, and offered a smile.

Then he opened the door and stepped outside, closing it gently behind him.

The room fell silent once more.

Sage lingered by the door for a moment longer before shifting his gaze downward. Mina was still watching him. Her large golden eyes were wide and unblinking, her face still slightly flushed from crying, her nose pink.

But now there was no fear in her expression, only something deeper, something that held a thousand unspoken questions.

Sage smiled faintly at her.

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