Ryne turned back, his steps quick as he made his way to the counter.
Nera's eyes softened the moment she saw him. A flicker of sadness crossed her face — she already knew what had happened in the weapons room. Another failure.
"Ryne… did something happen?" she asked, her voice gentle but laced with worry.
"No…" Ryne hesitated, then continued in a quieter but firmer tone. "Do you know where I can find a blacksmith in this city? Sorry to bother you, Miss Nera."
Nera blinked, clearly surprised. This wasn't the usual Ryne who left the training room slumped in defeat. There was a new resolve in his posture.
"You… want to find a blacksmith?"
Ryne nodded. Nera studied him for a moment, then bent down to retrieve something from the lower shelf. The familiar motion triggered a wave of déjà vu in Ryne.
"You need help, Miss Nera?" he asked softly, feeling guilty for making her do extra work.
Nera straightened up calmly and placed a folded map on the counter. She pointed to a marked location outside the city.
"Here — this is the city of Tallion, right next to the dungeon. Entry usually requires at least Rank D+. But…"
She reached under the counter again and slid a small card toward him. It looked like an ID at first glance, but it was clearly an entry pass.
"You can have this."
Ryne's hand hovered over the pass. The offer felt like too much kindness. He stayed silent, tension visible in his shoulders.
Nera noticed and smiled softly. "Remember yesterday, Sir Ryne?"
The words instantly pulled Ryne's mind back to the crowded marketplace from yesterday.
A dangerous presence had filled the air as a member of Guild Snake approached an elderly woman clutching her hard-earned coins. The ranker's eyes were cold, his intent clear. The crowd froze, no one daring to step in.
Before the man could snatch the money, Ryne moved instinctively.
"Don't you have any mercy for elderly people!?" he shouted, planting himself firmly between the bully and the old woman.
"Mind your own business," the Guild Snake sneered. "Move aside — or this ends badly for you."
"So, you want to get hurt?" Ryne warned, his stance steady despite the obvious gap in strength.
"Viper Strikes!"
The attacker lunged. Ryne dodged with desperate precision, using only his arms and sharp spatial awareness to shield the woman. Blows landed, opening shallow cuts along his shoulders and arms. Blood dripped to the ground, yet his eyes remained calm and focused.
"Young man!" the elderly woman cried out, her voice trembling with fear and gratitude.
Chaos erupted in the marketplace, but Ryne never wavered. After a tense exchange, the Guild Snake clicked his tongue.
"Tch! Let's get out of here, boys. We'll be seeing each other again soon."
The moment the bullies retreated, Ryne's legs gave out. He collapsed forward, exhausted. The elderly woman caught him gently, letting his head rest in her lap.
Nera had rushed through the crowd moments later. "Grandmother!"
She knelt beside them, tears in her eyes as she grabbed her grandmother's hand. "I've already told you… you don't need to work anymore."
The old woman murmured worriedly, gently stroking Ryne's hair. "This young man… he protected me like it was life or death."
Ryne lay there, breathing heavily, a faint smile forming despite the pain and exhaustion. The warmth of their care grounded him in a way he hadn't felt in years.
Later that same evening, Ryne slowly regained consciousness in an unfamiliar room. The first thing he noticed was the soft bed beneath him and the unfamiliar ceiling. This wasn't his usual cramped quarters. Bandages wrapped tightly around his head and arms, and a dull ache pulsed through his body.
He shifted slightly. The movement caught the attention of the girl sitting by the window. Nera turned quickly, her eyes filled with concern as she stood up and approached the bed.
"You're awake," she said softly, her voice gentle. "Are you hurting anywhere? The cuts were deeper than they looked. Please don't move too suddenly."
Ryne blinked, still disoriented, his gaze meeting hers. For the first time, someone who once dismissed him as weak was looking at him with genuine worry instead of pity or disdain.
Back in the present (the next day at the training center) Nera's expression softened further as the memory lingered.
"My grandmother told me everything," she said quietly. "The one who saved her yesterday… was you, Ryne. You protected her when no one else would. I… I used to think you were just one of the weakest Awakeners. I didn't like you much before. But after hearing what you did…"
She paused, then pushed the entry pass closer to him.
"Please take it. It's the least I can do."
Ryne stared at the pass for a long moment, then finally accepted it with a small nod. "Thank you, miss Nera."