Chapter 31: It Hadn’t Been A Bad Outcome

After pulling back the tent flap, the cold hit Adam’s face like a slap. His body wasn’t ready to move yet… but staying lying down was worse.

He had barely taken a few steps when a doctor stepped in his way.

“Young Master! What are you doing up? Your body is in very bad shape.”

Adam raised his hand slightly, not to reassure him… but to stop him talking. The pain in his ribs throbbed with every breath. But it was easier to ignore it than to admit it.

“Don’t worry. Where’s Lucas?”

The doctor hesitated. That was the first thing Adam noticed.

“Lucas and the knights… they’re in the temporary white tent.”

Adam held her gaze for a few more seconds before walking past her, feeling the pain with every step.

As he moved forward with the rain echoing in his ears, he glanced sideways at Asterin in armor and an ancient dress made of old blue fabric underneath, floating nearby, and soon their eyes met.

Asterin crossed her arms and let out a small sigh.

“You were too reckless. Why did you do it?”

Adam looked to the side where soldiers were moving back and forth with wounded people… or carrying weapons, and replied:

“Who knows? Maybe I felt like a hero at the time, or maybe my perception of mana decided to make me braver.”

“To think that your own body almost killed you…”

Asterin shook her head slightly and looked directly at him with those golden eyes, adding:

“However, you defended your people; if you had given up, even for just a second, many lives would have been lost. Good job, Master.”

“…”

He fell silent, staring at Asterin’s smile. Adam let out a slight exhale through his nose.

He had almost died, but he had made it through; that was all that mattered, wasn’t it?

The wind blew his hair back, and for a moment, he could see the city clearly. Soldiers moving. Civilians helping. The wounded are being carried away. No one is screaming. No one is running.

They were still alive.

A smile spread across his lips… and twisted when the pain reminded him how close he had come to failing.

“I see…”

He hadn’t won.

He had only arrived in time.

This time.

…

A few minutes later, Adam pulled back the tent flap and stepped inside.

The air inside was thick, heavy with the metallic smell of blood and dampness. The knights surrounded the central table where the map of Arkham was covered in red lines.

When they saw him, the murmuring ceased.

Adam felt the pain in his ribs throb with every breath. He straightened his back anyway.

Lucas approached immediately. Too quickly.

There was concern on his face. Poorly concealed.

“Young Master, what are you doing here? You should be resting.”

Adam held his gaze a second longer than necessary.

If he stayed still, maybe the dizziness would pass.

“I’m fine.”

He wasn’t.

But he couldn’t afford to be.

He approached the table with measured steps. Each movement was a silent negotiation with his own body.

The map was marked with red circles on the damaged walls. Black lines traced the monsters’ advance, like infected veins spreading through the city.

Adam rested his fingers on the edge of the table.

“Situation.”

Lucas looked at the map as his expression hardened.

“Young master, we have managed to resist the tide of monsters… but we have suffered several casualties, mostly soldiers.”

He pointed to a part of the map, and Adam focused his attention on it.

“This area was the most affected; the guards in charge were found dead from sword cuts, allowing the monsters to wreak even more havoc.”

“So the guards were killed by infiltrators from the kingdom of Aragon,” Adam added, his eyes taking on a dark gleam.

Lucas nodded and continued, pointing to another part of the map of Arkham.

“In this area, thanks to Alaric’s quick intervention, it didn’t escalate, so it was easy to defend… and this was the area where I was, so there was no significant damage or casualties. Now we have to clean up. The worst part is over.”

Adam scanned the map and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

If this was only the beginning…

Then they hadn’t survived.

They had been measured.

Adam let out a long sigh as he tried to ignore the pain coursing through his body. His gaze swept over the faces of the knights awaiting his orders.

After thinking for a moment, he spoke:

“Although the situation has stabilized, we cannot let our guard down. Go and provide support to finish off all the remaining monsters.”

He paused briefly to take a breath and added:

“And stay alert. Remember that those rats from the kingdom of Aragon are out there.”

“Yes, young master!”

Adam looked at the knights’ faces, full of determination, and smiled slightly.

The pain returned with a vengeance.

He couldn’t take much more. He could feel the wounds tightening under his armor, as if they were about to open up again.

…

While Adam recovered from the serious injuries caused by the Rank III Silver Wolf, reports began to arrive at the mansion, one after another.

The situation in the city was gradually stabilizing.

The last packs were being eliminated.

They also found the infiltrators from the Kingdom of Aragon.

They had committed suicide.

Adam squeezed the report lightly between his fingers.

Damn bastards.

Not being able to interrogate them was annoying… but at least the immediate threat had been contained.

They had overcome the crisis.

Without Zephyr.

And although he didn’t ask for it, the credit fell on him. His orders had been clear. Precise.

Adam put that report aside and picked up the next one.

The Mana Dragon Lotus herbs had survived the rains. Only five herbs were lost.

Five.

That wasn’t a real loss.

Good. With that, we can expand cultivation next week.

He continued reviewing the reports.

The destruction in Arkham had been limited. The bodies of the Rank I and II monsters—and a few Rank III ones—were being collected.

Cores. Materials. Resources.

A considerable gain.

Adam leaned back against the seat.

Despite the cost… it hadn’t been a bad outcome.

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