Nym knocked gently on the black wooden door and waited. Either Gina or her grandmother would answer—at least, that's what Gina had told him. She had once mentioned she lived with her grandmother and even shared the location, saying he could come see her whenever he wanted. Or… not really.
("My lord, why are you wasting time? Let's go somewhere and kill something. I'm bored.")
"Patience is a virtue, Ira." He chuckled. "Just wait a little longer. Soon enough we'll be swimming in blood and chaos. Still, yeah… this is kinda boring."
The door creaked open.
And from it… came a bear?
No—it was a woman bundled in layers of fur and hide, hunched over and trembling from the cold.
"What do you want, boy?" she asked harshly, not giving Nym a chance to speak.
"Ah—pardon me, madam," Nym cleared his throat. "I've come by order of Commander Flora. I have something to say to Gina."
"Oh, Flora… that damn imp. I don't know how she's still alive, but fine—come inside, boy. It's far too cold out here, though it's always been like this."
She shivered at her own words and led him into a small, simple home. Modest, yes—but with enough comfort to make it feel warm. Not grand by any means, but to Nym, it felt like a palace.
"Come now, boy, don't be shy. Sit by the fire and warm yourself up. Though you already look like a ghost… your hair's even whiter than mine."
She grabbed his shoulder and shoved him down onto a soft chair.
"Thank you, madam… but may I ask, where's Gina?"
"Don't worry, don't worry. She'll come on her own if she wants. Now, do you want something to drink?"
"Tea would be great," Nym replied without a hint of politeness.
"You're straightforward. Gina's lucky to have you. Though, no one really gets to choose their partner in this city."
What the hell do these old people keep muttering about? Nym thought to himself.
But the old woman wasn't deaf… nor as old as she looked.
"You best watch your tongue, boy."
"Grandma, who's visiting?"
Gina's voice came from behind her grandmother, drowsy and yawning, her eyes narrowing with faint curiosity as she caught sight of the visitor.
The moment she saw him, a subtle shiver ran down her spine—though she made sure Nym wouldn't notice it.
"Hello, Gina," Nym said gently. "I came because… well, I have something to say. And a few other things too."
He paused, eyes drifting across her freckled face, her tousled chestnut hair, her small frame… and smiled, deeper than he had before.
"Alright you two, talk about whatever nonsense you want. I'm off to sleep. But listen here, boy—if you do anything stupid to my granddaughter, I'll turn you into a woman."
Nym's whole body tensed at the woman's chilling threat.
"Understood… grandmother."
He motioned to the chair across from him, and Gina, following the gesture, sat down silently.
She took the lead.
"So… what brings you here, Nym? From what I heard, you've become a full Binder. Shouldn't you be sleeping or training instead of wasting your free time visiting me?"
"Well… how do I put this?"
He looked away for a moment, then back at her.
"I came to apologize. For what happened in the city storehouse. I… I had a burst of anger and grief."
He exhaled slowly at those last two words.
"I'm really sorry, Gina. For what I did. I know it must've shaken you—maybe even frightened you. At first, I thought it was fine. That we all go through fear, through shock. But it's different when that fear comes not from a monster, but from a friend."
He clenched his fists.
"It wasn't your fault. You just happened to be there… and ended up carrying the weight of my rage."
Gina's expression softened. The frown vanished. Her eyes gleamed faintly.
"You don't need me to accept your apology," she said. "But thank you for it."
"And there's something else," Nym continued. "I came to check on you. To see how you're doing… I heard your year-end trial is in a few hours. I just wanted to be sure you're ready for it. Mentally, at least. Your skill? I won't pretend I can judge that."
He paused.
"And lastly… I wanted to tell you: I'm going to the Trembling Forest. With the next campaign. I want you and Lester to pass the test—so we can go together. I know it's selfish, but… that's who I am."
He gave a small laugh, self-mocking and a bit vulnerable.
"So… what do you say?"
A single tear slipped down Gina's cheek and fell to the floor.
"I accept your apology. But you'll have to work harder if you want to truly earn my forgiveness," she said with a smirk. "As for the test? I passed it in my mind days ago. But…"
She hesitated, then spoke more quietly.
"…The Trembling Forest? You must really have gone mad lately. Tell me… was it my mother who convinced you?"
"Yes. Commander Flora said it was to gain strength and experience. But more than that… it was my decision."
Gina stared at him for a moment, then nodded.
"If she said so, I'll go. But I'm not making any promises about Lester."
Nym stood, then offered his hand.
Gina followed him…
…but what she did next left him frozen.
She grabbed his hand with both of hers and pulled him into a warm embrace—an embrace that seemed to melt the frost that had long covered his heart. For the first time in ages, he felt warmth in his blood.
("That's beautiful, isn't it, my lord? Watching you grow… finding love. It truly makes me happy.")
—Ira
("…Yes, Ira?")
("Please… shut up. Let me enjoy this.")