Kondo slowly opened his eyes and saw Shin and Kim sitting beside him. He blinked a few times before finally realizing something.
"…I can't move my body."
Hearing that, Shin immediately panicked.
"Kondo, try getting up!"
Kondo tried to move, but nothing happened.
"I can't even move my fingers. How am I supposed to stand?"
Then Label spoke in a flat tone.
"Looks like Kondo's body is finally broken."
Kondo shouted back at her.
"Could you please keep your mouth shut?!"
At that moment, Agru stepped forward.
"There's no need to panic. Kondo used far more magical power than his body could handle, which caused his body to go numb. As your magical energy slowly recovers, your body will return to normal as well."
Hearing that, Kondo let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness… I thought…"
"…I was completely done for."
Kondo instantly yelled again.
"Label, seriously, shut up!"
King Rose then called out to him.
"Kondo."
"Y-Yes?"
Resting a hand on his jaw, King Rose asked,
"What exactly was that form you took during the battle?"
There was clear curiosity in his eyes. He wanted to know how Kondo had achieved such a transformation.
But Kondo only looked confused.
"Form? What form?"
Even for him, this was something completely new. He didn't even understand what had happened to him.
King Rose narrowed his eyes slightly. He couldn't tell whether Kondo was genuinely confused or simply hiding the truth. After all, he still remembered Kondo's strange voice while in that form—especially the moment he told him to take Kim away.
"I'm talking about the form you used while fighting Kint."
Kondo tried hard to remember.
"I… can't remember anything. Wait a minute… didn't I get stabbed by a sword? Did that wound heal already?"
Shin looked toward him and replied,
"When I checked your body, there wasn't a single wound there."
Kondo couldn't understand.
"What? There was no wound?"
His thoughts became chaotic.
(But how…? I saw it myself. That sword pierced straight through me… and Kim's crying face… No… then how did the wound disappear on its own?)
Suddenly, Kondo noticed the shirt he was wearing.
"Whose shirt is this? It's definitely not mine."
From the other bed, Kint answered,
"It's mine."
Kondo turned toward him.
"Oh… sorry about that. I don't know who made me wear your shirt."
Kim quietly responded,
"I did. Your old shirt was torn in many places, so I thought I should change it."
Then she lowered her gaze and spoke in a soft, sad voice.
"…Should I not have changed it?"
Seeing her expression, Kondo quickly answered,
"No, it's fine. You did the right thing."
The moment she heard that, Kim's mood visibly brightened.
Right then, a loud growl came from Kondo's stomach.
"…Looks like I'm hungry."
Kim immediately stood up, left the room, and soon returned carrying a plate with four strange-looking fruits along with a knife.
She placed the plate beside Kondo and carefully began cutting the fruits into pieces. Watching this, Kint's attention drifted toward the food as well.
"Can I have one too?"
Kim slowly turned toward him with a cold stare.
Kint immediately got nervous.
"…Actually, never mind."
Without saying anything, Kim tossed one fruit toward him.
"Thank you!"
Kint happily started eating it.
Queen Melonda sighed.
"Kim, you shouldn't treat your brother like that."
Kim looked toward her mother.
"I'm sorry, Mom."
After that, Kim began feeding the sliced fruit to Kondo. Seeing this, Shin also picked up some fruit from the plate and started feeding him too.
After eating, Kondo finally felt a little better.
"What were those fruits? They were really sweet."
Kim smiled slightly.
"They're called Orfal fruits. They really are very sweet."
Kondo then turned toward Shin.
"By the way, Shin… what time is it?"
"We're close to evening already."
Kondo suddenly became anxious.
"What?! Evening already? I need to get home quickly!"
Kint looked at him in disbelief.
"But can you even make it home in your condition?"
Still, Kondo stubbornly held his ground.
"No matter what, I have to go home."
King Rose then spoke calmly.
"Very well. I'll take responsibility for getting you home safely."
Agru immediately stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, please leave that responsibility to me."
King Rose nodded.
"Alright. I trust you completely. Just be careful."
He knew that after the news about the demons, wandering through the forest carelessly at night was dangerous.
Kim listened quietly before suddenly saying,
"I'm coming too."
Hearing that, Queen Melonda looked worried. Going outside after dark wasn't safe.
"No. You shouldn't go out at this hour."
Kim's expression immediately fell.
But then Agru spoke up again.
"Your Majesty, you may leave Princess Kim's safety to me. I'll bring her back without harm."
Queen Melonda still didn't want Kim going outside, but she couldn't ignore the sadness on her daughter's face.
"…Alright. But come back quickly."
The moment she heard that, Kim happily hugged her mother.
Queen Melonda froze in surprise. She never expected Kim to hug her on her own.
Watching all this, Kondo finally asked,
"But… how am I supposed to go? I can't even move."
King Rose smiled slightly.
"You don't need to worry about that. We'll carry you in a palkhi."
Kondo blinked in confusion.
"…A palkhi?"
Kondo looked at the large palkhi in front of him.
Long wooden poles extended from both the front and back so it could be carried easily. In the center was a small wooden chamber, large enough for four or five people to sit comfortably inside.
Shin, Label, and Kim entered first and sat down.
Agru was still holding Kondo carefully in his arms. Unlike before, Agru was now fully prepared for battle, wearing heavy iron armor over his body.
Kondo felt strangely embarrassed.
He never imagined he would end up traveling like this.
Agru gently placed him inside the palkhi. Shin sat on one side, Kim on the other, while Kondo remained in the middle. Label sat across from them.
A moment later, two muscular monsters arrived. One lifted the front pole while the other carried the back. Agru climbed onto his horse, and the palkhi finally began moving.
From behind, King Rose, Queen Melonda, and Kint watched them leave.
Kint raised his hand toward Kondo with a grin.
"Bye!"
The palkhi slowly passed through the village while countless monsters turned to stare at it curiously.
Eventually, they left the village behind.
Night had already begun to fall.
After some time, they reached the edge of the forest, from where Orient City could already be seen in the distance.
By now, Kondo could move his body a little again, though he still felt extremely weak.
Once they fully exited the forest, the palkhi stopped at a quiet place far enough from Orient City so nobody would notice them.
Label stepped outside first.
"Well then, Shin, I'll head back from here."
Shin looked toward Kondo for a moment before a strange feeling rose inside her chest.
"…Actually, tell my mother I'll be staying at Kondo's house tonight."
Label blinked in surprise.
"Seriously?"
Shin quietly leaned closer and whispered,
"I can't trust this girl alone with him. Understand what I mean."
Label stared at her for a second before finally sighing.
"…Do whatever you want. I'll inform your mother."
After waving goodbye, Label left.
Kondo looked toward Shin.
"Shin… are you sure that'll be okay?"
"Don't worry about me."
But inside her mind, Shin thought something entirely different.
(There's no way I'm leaving you alone with this girl.)
Kondo eventually gave up and nodded.
"…Alright. If that's what you want."
Then he turned toward Agru.
"Sir Agru, our carriage should be just a little farther ahead."
Agru nodded silently, and the palkhi began moving once more.
Meanwhile, Vold had been anxiously waiting beside the carriage, pacing back and forth restlessly.
"It's been so long… why hasn't Young Master returned yet? Did something happen to him…?"
Suddenly, Vold noticed a heavily armored monster riding toward him on horseback.
Behind him was the palkhi.
Vold immediately became cautious.
The horse stopped directly in front of him.
Without fear, Vold stared straight into Agru's eyes.
At that moment, Kondo's voice came from inside the palkhi.
"Vold!"
Hearing him, Vold quickly rushed toward the palkhi.
"Young Master! Why are you inside that thing?"
Kondo awkwardly scratched his head.
"…It's a very long story. Let's leave it for now. We're already late getting home."
Vold quietly nodded.
Then Kondo gestured toward Kim.
"And today… we also have a guest with us."
Vold looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he simply stared silently at Kim.
Shin and Kim stepped out of the palkhi first.
Kondo also tried to get down, but because of his weakness, both Shin and Kim had to support him from either side.
Seeing that, Vold became worried.
"Young Master… are you really alright?"
Kondo smiled faintly.
"I'm fine. Just a little weak."
Together, Shin and Kim carefully helped Kondo sit inside the carriage.
Soon, Vold began driving the carriage forward while Agru followed behind on horseback.
Night had completely fallen now.
Kondo quietly stared outside the window at the seven moons glowing in the sky.
Meanwhile, back at home, Miss Lawine was growing increasingly worried.
"It's gotten so late… he should've returned by now."
Sam tried calming her down.
"Relax. He'll be here soon."
But suddenly, Lawine noticed something outside.
She immediately walked toward the door and opened it.
Vold had already arrived with the carriage.
Lawine stepped forward slightly and asked,
"Vold, why did you bring the carriage all the way here? And where's Kondo?"
Sam also looked outside from the doorway.
At that moment, Shin and Kim stepped out of the carriage.
Lawine walked down the stairs toward them and looked curiously at Kim.
"And who is this new girl?"
Shin casually replied,
"She's Kondo's new friend. And Kim, this is Kondo's mother."
Kim looked directly at Lawine.
"Oh… so this is my mother-in-law."
The moment those words came out—
Lawine froze completely.
"…Mother-in-law?"
At the same time, Kondo shouted from inside the carriage.
"Kim! What are you even saying?!"
Hearing Kondo's voice, Lawine hurried toward the carriage door.
The moment she saw him sitting inside, relief appeared on her face—
But then her eyes shifted behind the carriage, where Agru stood beside his horse.
"Agru? What are you doing here?"
Kondo looked confused.
"Mom, you know him?"
Lawine nodded.
"Yes. I've seen him many times with your father."
Sam had already walked outside by then as well. The moment he saw Agru, his face brightened.
"Oh! Agru! What brings you here?"
Agru respectfully bowed his head.
"Mr. Sam, I'm honored you still remember my name."
Sam immediately laughed.
"What are you saying? You're an old friend of ours. By the way, how's King Rose doing?"
Agru hesitated slightly.
"Well… about that…"
Before he could continue, Sam wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"Forget standing outside. Come in first. It's been a long time since we last met."
With that, Sam dragged Agru inside the house.
Meanwhile, Lawine turned back toward Kondo.
"Kondo, why aren't you getting out?"
Kondo looked slightly nervous.
"Uh… well…"
From beside him, Shin answered instead.
"Kondo overused his magical power during fight, so his body isn't moving properly right now."
Lawine stared at Kondo.
Kondo awkwardly laughed and slowly nodded.
The next moment, Lawine gently lifted Kondo into her arms.
As soon as he rested against her, Kondo instantly felt a strange sense of comfort wash over him.
Like he had finally returned to a safe place.
He slowly closed his eyes.
Lawine quietly carried him inside the house while Shin and Kim followed behind.
As she walked, Lawine noticed Kondo had already fallen asleep in her arms.
Seeing that, a small smile appeared on her face.