With the second trial of the Aether Knight Exam concluding earlier than expected, a 10-day rest period was announced for all participants. This break allowed time for the special awarding ceremony and ensured that the third trial could be thoroughly prepared. For Mixarnt, however, the rest was much needed—he had been unconscious for three days following his intense battle with Kalavan.
In his quarters, Mixarnt lay peacefully on his bed, his injuries fully healed thanks to Saint General Isolde’s expert care. Isolde, her beauty and kindness radiating as always, had examined him one last time before leaving. "Hmmm. It’s been three days, but he hasn’t woken up yet. His injuries are all healed, though. I guess exhausting his mana and the emotional toll of the fight took a lot out of him. He’ll probably wake up in a few more days—or even today, hopefully," Isolde said, her voice gentle and reassuring.
Elara, a Ruby-rank healer from the Adventurers Guild, nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Saint Isolde," she said, bowing slightly. Elara had been tasked with looking after Mixarnt while he recovered, and she took her duty seriously.
As Isolde left, Elara sighed and looked down at Mixarnt fondly. "Seriously, your girlfriends in the guild are worried about you too," she said with a giggle, thinking of Jenna, Nessa, Kara, Misa, and Poppy. The five girls had been desperate to visit Mixarnt, but Elara had firmly turned them away, insisting that he needed rest. She also knew that Moonlight wanted some alone time with Mixarnt, and she didn’t want to spoil that.
Just then, Moonlight entered the room, her crimson eyes and silver ponytail as mesmerizing as ever. "Oh, Elara, you’re here," Moonlight said with a warm smile.
Elara returned the smile. "Hey, Moon. Looks like the guild master allowed you to have a break."
Moonlight giggled softly. "Oh yes. There are a lot of people registering as adventurers after Mixarnt won the match. The guild is busy, but the guild master happily took over the receptionist task to welcome the newbies. Though I saw that the newbies were disappointed when I left," she said, her tone playful.
Elara laughed awkwardly, knowing full well that many of those new adventurers had joined the guild just to catch a glimpse of Moonlight. "Glad to hear, haha... Anyways, Saint Isolde said Mixarnt is doing fine. I’ll leave him to you. I’ll return to the guild and help out," Elara said, excusing herself and leaving Moonlight alone with the sleeping Mixarnt.
As the door closed, Moonlight sat beside Mixarnt, her gaze soft and affectionate. She gently placed his head on her lap, stroking his hair fondly. "Hrmmrhmm... Moon... I won’t let them take you... hrmm..." Mixarnt muttered in his sleep, a small smile on his face.
Moonlight’s heart swelled with warmth, and she couldn’t help but giggle. "Yes... You did save me," she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude and fondness. She continued to stroke his hair, her touch gentle and soothing.
For Moonlight, these quiet moments with Mixarnt were precious. He had fought so hard, not just for himself but for her, and she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of admiration and affection for him. As she sat there, watching over him, she vowed to herself that she would always be there for him, just as he had been for her.
The room was filled with a peaceful silence, broken only by Mixarnt’s soft breathing and the occasional murmur in his sleep. Moonlight smiled, her heart light and full of hope. No matter what challenges lay ahead, she knew that with Mixarnt by her side, they could face anything together.
