"Damn it, their bodies are absolutely revolting. Bitter as hell. And now, those stupid memories are spinning in my head again," Zhang Xuan muttered in frustration. "I need to filter out only the memories that actually matter."
He let out a long sigh and brushed off the dust and battle debris from his disheveled, shoulder-length hair.
In that very spot, the coffee beans that had been scattered moments earlier had now vanished without a trace. The only thing left was a blonde-haired girl lying on the ground—not unconscious, but motionless. Her eyes were wide open, focused intently on the battle that had just occurred.
Her body trembled, her legs frozen in place. The magical seal that had kept her mouth shut slowly dissipated, released directly by Zhang Xuan.
"Monster… you're a monster!" the girl—Princess Lyria—cried out, her voice shaking with fear.
Zhang Xuan stared at her blankly. "Is that how you thank someone who saved your life, Princess Lyria?"
"How do you know my name?" Lyria asked, eyes wide in shock and confusion. The middle-aged man standing before her seemed to recognize her far too well.
"Only the blind wouldn't know who you are, Princess," he said calmly.
Zhang Xuan sighed again, deeper this time—as if burdened by a weariness he had carried for far too long. "Why does everything keep getting more complicated? Can't I just live in peace? I'm only a humble coffee brewer."
He raised one hand. From his fingertips emerged a black, smoky net—thick, sticky, like the mist of a haunted night. It swiftly wrapped around the princess's head, forming a swirling mass of dark magic.
"I'm sorry, Princess. This will be our first and last meeting. Don't ever try to find me again."
With precise control, Zhang Xuan began modifying Lyria's memories. Every event that had just transpired—the battle, the words exchanged, even his own face—was erased from her consciousness, as if it had never existed.
The black net enveloped her entire body, activating a teleportation spell woven into the strands. In the blink of an eye, Lyria vanished from Zhang Xuan's sight—reappearing safely in her private chamber within the palace.
Zhang Xuan stood still, gazing up at the gray sky hanging over the ruins.
"At least the threat is gone... unless they return."