After that event, we returned together with the two kids.
There, we met up with Captain William and his wife, Aurelia.
"Lieutenant!" Aurelia greeted us, her face filled with worry.
"He needs some rest, but he'll be fine," Geralt said as he carried Nathan, who looked completely exhausted from the fight.
Then, a fleet of chariots arrived from the capital, accompanied by hundreds of knights.
Leading them was the military commander of the Imperial Knights and Warriors.
Darious Valehart. Known for his fierce battle style, he wore full plate armor and swore loyalty to only one person. Not even King Lionel could command him—he followed the orders of his general alone.
As he approached, I could feel his intense gaze fixed on us.
But before he could even speak—
"William, take your son and wife to the medical facility, now."
William and Aurelia hurried off immediately. I could feel the atmosphere shifting, growing heavier, as Geralt stepped forward to greet the commander.
"The King's niece is safe," Geralt said, placing the girl on one of the chariots. The commander simply stood there, silently watching.
"The King wants to see the Lone Wolf," Darious said flatly. "You need to come with us."
He's ordering Geralt! What in the world is happening?
As I looked at them, their eyes locked—spirits clashing silently. One wrong move, and a battle could erupt.
Then another voice spoke, deep and powerful.
"You can follow us if you wish. You don't need to force yourself to come with us… Geralt Ashen."
A spirit so overwhelming it felt as though it could drown me.
A man clad in golden and red armor appeared before us, a radiant scarlet cape flowing behind him, and a massive greatsword strapped to his back. There was no doubt—this man could only be…
Sigris Grimclaw.
"Geralt Ashen," the man greeted.
"General," Geralt replied.
These two…
"You still have that cold look in your eyes, brother," the general smirked, commenting on Geralt's icy gaze.
I didn't know what to do. In front of me stood two monsters waiting to unleash—
one, the cold-blooded hunter known as the Lone Wolf, Geralt Ashen…
and the other, the man worshiped by countless followers, the Uncrowned King, the fearless warrior, Sigris Grimclaw—the only man said to be King Lionel's equal.
Cold sweat trickled down my neck.
"Why are you here? You even brought your loyal followers with you," Geralt said, looking at Darious with a mocking grin.
"The King ordered us to bring Aileen with us," Darious replied, his tone sharp with irritation.
"Thought you only followed orders from him," Geralt shot back, pointing at Sigris, still mocking the commander.
"Come on now, you still need to report to the King," Sigris responded coolly.
"I'll just follow you. You brought too many men just to escort one girl. You'll only attract enemies. I will just watch from a distance to make sure the princess was safe," Geralt said.
"Let's go, Lieutenant!" he ordered.
"Finally," I sighed before leaving. Those two are off the charts.
We followed William and his family to the medical facilities. There, we found Nathan—finally awake. I didn't hesitate to ask the kid right away.
"Nathan, are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm fine now, Lieutenant," he answered, though I could sense his discomfort.
"I know this must be hard, but are you ready to tell me what happened?" I asked again, trying to fill in the missing pieces.
As he explained the events of the battle and what happened to the missing children, I could feel his frustration and pain.
Those missing children were already dead—devoured by a monstrous human named Borris Grizzlehog, a Gamma-level wizard with an animal spirit of a pig. He devoured his victims like a feast. That gluttonous monster was also connected to the one we've been looking for—Roderick Grimwood—whom Borris mentioned as being even stronger than himself.
As we know, Roderick is the leader of the terrorist group now known as the Vikings. He seems to be trying to get the attention of the Imperial Kingdom for reasons still unknown.
For now, we can't confirm whether Roderick and Borris are connected to Premo, or if they were the ones backing Premo during his attack on the school.
There are still missing pieces in this case, but at least through this incident, we've confirmed the existence of Roderick and his group, the Vikings.
We just need to uncover their true goal before we can make our next move.
After consoling Nathan, I left and went directly to Geralt.
I explained everything Nathan had told me, along with what we'd managed to piece together so far.
"Due to the massive destruction of the cave and dungeon, we couldn't find any evidence at the scene," I reported to Geralt.
"Everything we have now points to one person—Roderick Grimwood. This man is our dead end," he replied grimly.
But one question still lingered in my mind. To clear my thoughts, I asked him,
"You see, I still don't understand how this happened. And I want to hear it from you."
"What is it?" he asked.
"How was Nathan able to fight a Gamma-level threat? That's what puzzles me."
"Me too, Lieutenant. I don't know either. Even though I trained him, I still can't figure out how he managed it. But I can feel something powerful inside him—something no one understands, not even me. That's why I need to stay close to him, to find out what he really is. The world is changing, Lieutenant. One wrong move, and it could lead to the destruction of us all."
Those words struck me deeply. There are still many unknowns in this world. But we exist not only to protect it—but to understand how it works.
Finally, I returned to my office — a simple tent serving as a post. From the outside, it looked ordinary, nothing remarkable, no one would ever think this was the office of a Lieutenant Colonel of the Night Watch Patrol.
I stepped inside. Dust filled the air, papers lay scattered everywhere, and on the far wall stood a board covered in notes and photographs, each connected by threads like a spider's web of clues. Every string led to the center — an unfamiliar photo I could only assume was Roderick Grimwood.
"This place is a mess."
I sat on the chair facing the puzzle board, staring at it, trying to make sense of the chaos.
One photo of Premo was linked by a red string in the middle. Then I took another thread, tying it to a new name on the board — Borris Grizzlehog — and connected it toward Roderick.
"If this is all really connected, then Roderick is truly our man."
I leaned forward, tapping a pen against my head, deep in thought.
Nathan's POV
I woke up in my bed as on any other day. I didn't rise right away; instead, I let the sunlight kiss my face through the open window. The wind whispered a silent thought as I lay staring at the ceiling, drowning in my own mind.
A few weeks had passed since my fight with Borris. My room, once full of life and clutter, now felt empty. Sleep had become a stranger. Every time I closed my eyes, memories flashed sharp and bright — his voice echoing in my head, his words burning like coals.
"I can't believe there's someone so utterly vile… that pig." I muttered in frustration, crushing the pillow beneath my head.
I stood, facing the open window. I slipped on my shoes, pulled a cloak over my shoulders, ready to leap out — but before I could, there came a knock.
"Nathan!" my mother called. "Are you awake? Your friends are here."
I heard faint murmurs behind the door.
I sat back on the bed, pretending to have just woken. "Yes, Mom," I replied, voice groggy for effect. "Please, let them in."
I already knew it was Mika and Luis.
The door creaked open. Mika stepped in first, worry softening her face. Her eyes were dim, sleepless. She moved slowly — her hands slightly swollen, her gaze meeting mine with quiet concern.
Luis followed, his eyes shifting. He wouldn't quite look at me, though I could feel his unease. His hands were shoved into his pockets, but I noticed the scratches along his palms — signs of sword practice.
They both sat on the chairs across from me.
"Nathan, are you okay?" Mika asked, her voice trembling.
Before I could answer, Luis leaned forward, his tone fierce and protective.
"This will be the last time you make Mika worry. Do you understand?" His eyes burned with resolve.
"I'm sorry," I said, my voice low. "I know you're both worried about me."
Luis's aura felt different—he was changing. His eyes glowed faintly, like green emeralds catching the light. His white-silver hair had grown longer, a little unkempt, as though he hadn't had time to trim or tame it. My mana had grown stronger over time through training, and with my recent battle experience, my instincts told me—something inside him was stirring.
"Please don't worry about me. I'm fine, really," I assured them again, hoping to ease their concern. Then I asked softly, "But what about you two? Are you both alright?"
Mika's cheeks flushed red. She turned her gaze toward the door, avoiding my eyes as she stammered, "I—I'm fine, of course." Then, as usual, she tugged at Luis's ear and added, "You should be asking this guy."
Luis brushed her hand away, swift but gentle. "I'm fine," he said plainly—his voice flat, almost empty.
"I know I've been gone for quite a while," I began, "but I had to train—seriously train—to grow stronger. Not just for myself, but for you, for my family."
I paused, searching for the right words. "Since Premo attacked our school, we haven't had a real chance to talk. I hid something from you. I couldn't tell you that I'd already awakened my animal spirit at such a young age. I thought… maybe you wouldn't understand. I know I lied, but it was to protect us."
I rose from my bed and walked toward them. Mika's body tensed, and Luis's eyes locked on mine.
"After Geralt took me away, I realized how much I missed you both. It's you two—and my family—that keep me going. You've helped me more than you know."
I paused again, letting the words settle in the air. Then, turning to the window, I let the wind brush through my hair as I continued.
"I don't know how to explain it, but something inside me feels like destiny—etched into my soul. This is the path I've chosen. I'm going to become a Pro-Hunter. And I'll protect you, no matter what, even if it means crossing to the farthest side of the world. It means I'll be away… but remember, I'm doing this for all of us."
After the fight with Borris, and the case involving the Vikings and Roderick, I knew—anything could happen.
I took a deep breath and met their eyes. Luis's gaze was clouded with worry, while Mika's remained fixed on the floor, still listening.
"Recently, the King's niece was kidnapped—of all the children. Which means anyone could be in danger. I can't let that happen to you. Even now, there are still threats from terrorists in the kingdom. We're working to stop them."
Luis suddenly spoke, breaking his silence. He stood sharply and stepped toward me.
"Shut up! What are you even talking about? You're just a kid—a goddamn kid, Nathan! Leave the adults' problems to the adults!"
He shouted, fists clenched, eyes burning. He grabbed my shirt, crushing the fabric in his trembling hands.
I didn't resist. His anger came from worry—that much I knew.
"All these things… you don't know how much we've worried about you. Your parents too—especially your mom! You don't know how they argue about you every night. Your dad, praying outside the house to whatever gods he believes in, just for you to come back safe. And Mika—she can barely sleep, crying on her bed night after night, thinking of you!"
I froze. His words hit harder than any blow. I hadn't known any of that.
And for a moment, I couldn't speak at all.