Henry sat at the familiar wooden table, a small corner in the tavern across from the Estath Cathedral. Two glasses of apple juice sat before him, with an empty chair reserved beside him.

  He gazed silently into his drink, his mind drifting to another realm. Zephyros, in its current state… was more turbulent than ever.

  Rank 5 remained the core fighting strength of any nation. Rank 6 was exceedingly rare, those individuals typically holding key positions within a country. Only major battles usually warranted their appearance.

  As for the Rank 7 demigods, they were nothing short of a heaven-sent blessing. Possessing a demigod was a nation's pride. Upon reaching Rank 7, that individual was no longer merely a warrior but had become a pillar of the country - an existence powerful enough to influence the balance of power between nations.

  The fall of a demigod was not just a loss of manpower… but also a blow to morale, a loss of a symbol, and sometimes the beginning of a nation's decline.

  Zephyros had once steadily climbed to its zenith. During its golden age, the population of the capital, Aerion, reached thirty million. Although the number of Rank 5 and Rank 6 individuals barely exceeded eight hundred, Zephyros boasted five Rank 7 demigods - the highest number among all the nations in Tehra.

  Even the two rival superpowers, Klariz and Loren, only had three demigods each. The smaller nations? Many didn't even possess a single demigod and had to rely on Rank 6 powerhouses to secure their territories.

  Across all of Tehra at that time, only a little over thirty individuals had reached demigod strength, and the three great powers alone held eleven of them. The remaining twenty-plus nations, independent forces, and the Great Religions… combined only accounted for nineteen.

  During the Seventh Epoch, from the years 919 to 924, when all four of Zephyros' Divine Monarchs ascended to demigod status, the nation rapidly transformed from a mid-tier power into the strongest in the world.

  Nations that had once exerted pressure retreated, sending successive peace treaties. Wherever the Zephyros army advanced, the land bowed down. The country doubled in size within a mere five years.

  However, the peak was also the beginning of the descent.

  In the year 925, Aerion held a national mourning when Larsus - the "Sword of Zephyros" - fell in the deadlands of Iskadra. Just three years later, another Divine Monarch - Mathew - disappeared during a mission in the Sarazak Desert.

  The Grand Marshal - the demigod Karatyr, mentor of the Four Divine Monarchs - personally led troops to scour every inch of the Sarazak Desert. But all their efforts yielded no results.

  Losing two pillars in just a few years, Zephyros gradually lost its strategic advantage. Although it still had three demigods - equal to Klariz and Loren - its national strength could not compare.

  The flow of people who had once flocked to Zephyros with hopes of prosperity now began to leave in disappointment. The territories they occupied were too vast, and the military force had not developed sufficiently to control them all.

  The resources pouring in were too great for the nation to absorb effectively. Zephyros needed time to transform its advantages and acquired resources into strength, infrastructure, and national power… But neighboring countries and hostile forces did not give them the opportunity to do so.

  From the position of conqueror, Zephyros gradually became a tempting target for others.

  Amidst this chaotic backdrop, heretical sects began to rise, preaching doctrines of hatred and enticing the populace to turn their backs on the faith of the Angel of Light. Righteous and evil factions sprang up like mushrooms after the rain, gold mixed with dross. People were drawn into bizarre, disorganized activities.

  Therefore, squads like Jacobs', in addition to patrolling, also took on the roles of scouts and dealing with disturbances in the outskirts. Regular troops were frequently deployed to quell unrest. The Investigation Division recruited more people, and the church was equally busy. Zephyros was now a boiling pot, and if the fire beneath it wasn't extinguished, nothing would remain.

  While Henry was lost in thought, two small hands suddenly covered his eyes from behind, accompanied by a sweet voice:

  "Guess who?"

  He smiled, knowing who it was without turning around.

  "A ridiculously adorable girl, with a face as beautiful as a painting, and a body that… just looking at it makes my blood run hot." Henry said, grabbing the hands covering his eyes and teasingly exaggerating.

  "What 'blood running hot'? You're getting more and more smooth-tongued, you know."

  Sophia pulled her hands away, gently sitting down in the chair beside him. He still wouldn't let go, lightly holding one of her hands and kissing the back of it.

  "After everything that's happened, I've realized one thing… if you want to do something, you have to do it now. If you have someone to love, you have to love them more."

  Sophia looked at him, her eyes both surprised and softening.

  "What were you thinking about that you didn't even notice me come right up to you?"

  "Our future."

  Her cheeks flushed slightly. The conversation she'd just had with Archbishop Ralph about their wedding still lingered in her mind. Her voice softened, hesitant.

  "What… what future? What are you planning to do with me?"

  "I just had a private talk with the Captain. We discussed future work."

  "So… it was just about work?"

  Her face fell slightly. Seeing this, Henry burst out laughing.

  "You were so cheerful just now, and now that it's not about romance, your mood dropped? So, what kind of future do you want me to talk about? Moving in together, perhaps?"

  "Who said I want to move in with you? I'm not your wife."

  "Don't need to be a wife, moving in together works just fine."

  "What if you get tired of me later and leave me?"

  "You can get divorced even after getting married, can't you?"

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  "No way! If we're married and you have any wrong intentions, I'll tell Archbishop Ralph. Then, you'll know the Father's wrath."

  "Oh ho, playing the 'powerful father-in-law' card, are we? Trying to set me up for failure?"

  "As long as you're good to me, it's fine. Or… are you really planning to leave me?"

  "How could I dare?"

  "Well… I was just asking. And you're so perceptive, you even guessed I just talked to the Archbishop."

  "You gave it away yourself. Threatening to tell Archbishop Ralph sounds exactly like a daughter tattling on her future son-in-law to her father."

  She giggled, her voice a mix of shyness and playful scolding.

  "You're getting more and more annoying."

  "It's not that I'm good at guessing, it's because the person talking is you… so I understand."

  As he spoke, his eyes scanned her up and down, full of suggestive meaning. Sophia instinctively covered herself, her face flushing crimson.

  "Knowing what someone means is enough, who gave you permission to look at me like that?"

  "Covering up like that is useless. What I've seen is… all stored in my mind. Now I can imagine dozens of Sophias in all sorts of alluring dresses surrounding me. Or…"

  "Or what?"

  "Or no dresses at all."

  "Henry!" Sophia's face was completely red as she repeatedly slapped his arm. "Shameless! You know I'm embarrassed, but you keep teasing me! You clearly want to be punished!"

  "Sounds good."

  Henry grabbed both her hands, pulled her closer, and whispered in her ear, "It's just past seven now. You said 'punished,' right? Shall we go and get punished right now?"

  Sophia was speechless. Even though she knew he was always joking, she could never win against him in these moments. She could only turn away, her face burning, muttering, "This annoying man…"

  The church bells chimed long into the night, marking nine o'clock. Henry and Sophia strolled leisurely along the cobblestone path leading back to the barracks. Her small hand was still in his, held tightly and warmly. It seemed… he didn't want this evening to end yet.

  "It's only nine." Henry said, his voice as soft as the night breeze. "Let's not go back just yet. I want to walk with you a little longer."

  Sophia smiled, her cheeks faintly flushed under the pale yellow streetlights. She lowered her head, murmuring, "Mmm… but let's find somewhere to sit and rest. I don't want to walk anymore right now…"

  They turned down a small path that followed the riverbank and stopped at a patch of soft grass. Along both banks, knee-high luminous stone pillars emitted a gentle, pale blue light, reflecting on the rippling water's surface.

  Sophia leaned her head on Henry's shoulder, her arms looping around his, holding him tightly. Her eyes were half-closed as she quietly enjoyed the cool breeze carrying the scent of wild grass and the fresh, watery mist from the river. The atmosphere was strangely peaceful.

  Henry gently tilted his head to look at her, a smile playing on his lips, his voice tinged with teasing, "I just leveled up and got a raise. I guess I'll have to support you from now on. You eat so much, your salary probably isn't enough, is it?"

  Sophia nestled closer against his chest, her voice soft and coquettish, "Then you have to take responsibility… Don't complain halfway through, okay?"

  Henry chuckled, a mischievous glint suddenly appearing in his eyes. "The Captain just proposed a 'big' thing to us."

  Sophia tilted her head, curious. "What proposal? Don't tell me he's making you vice-captain?"

  Henry shook his head, a sly smile on his lips. "No. It's… after this mission, we're going to be kicked out of the squad."

  "Huh?" Sophia sat up abruptly, her eyes wide. "What do you mean, 'kicked out'? Don't tease me!"

  As she spoke, she mercilessly pinched his cheek.

  "I'm serious!" Henry laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "The Investigation Division wants me to work there. They've already discussed it with the Captain. And for you… the Captain wants you to focus more on your work at the church."

  Sophia was silent for a few seconds. Her face fell slightly, then she gently nodded.

  "Mmm… he's always thinking about everyone."

  "Like an older brother." Henry murmured, his gaze distant.

  A peaceful silence drifted between them. Only the gentle lapping of water and the chirping of insects somewhere in the grass could be heard.

  Henry spoke, his voice tender, "Anyway, this is a good opportunity. After this mission, we should have a celebratory meal to bring good luck to our new jobs."

  "Celebrate how?" Sophia looked up, her eyes bright.

  "Remember last time I promised to take you out on our days off? But all my leave got canceled, so we missed out." Henry frowned. "This time, let's take advantage of our time off and go on a three-day trip somewhere far away."

  "Agreed!" Sophia exclaimed, as radiant as the morning sun. "No more missed dates this time!"

  As they prepared to stand up and return, Sophia took a silver emblem from her pouch, with a softly glowing gem embedded in the center.

  "Here, today I went to the Estath Cathedral to ask for support for the mission. Archbishop Ralph lent me some holy light artifacts. This emblem is very special, keep it safe."

  She carefully pinned the emblem to Henry's chest, then took out a few other items, explaining each one. When she asked Henry if he wanted to keep any more, he simply shook his head.

  "This is enough. You keep the rest. Besides, I also asked Captain Jacobs to prepare a few more things."

  Sophia nodded, carefully putting the remaining artifacts back into her pouch.

  Henry suddenly looked at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

  "Oh, by the way… where's the other emblem?"

  "Here…" Sophia had just produced it when Henry took it, and without a word, pinned it to her left breast.

  "Let me pin it on straight for you."

  His hands seemed clumsy, and after pinning it, he found it was crooked, so he adjusted it back and forth. But his movements were somewhat… sly, deliberately "slipping" off the emblem a few times.

  Sophia's face immediately flushed red, and she swung her hand, hitting his arm repeatedly.

  "That hand! That hand is misbehaving again!"

  "Ouch! I'm really trying to adjust it properly!"

  Laughter echoed in the quiet night, blending with the sound of trickling water. A peaceful, clear night - perhaps one of the last gentle moments… before embarking on a new journey.

  Ragley entered the room at General Zalogr's summons. The sharp eyes of the Chief of the Investigation Division quickly scanned the sternly furnished room before settling on the General's cold face.

  "You summoned me, General?" Ragley spoke first, his tone casual but with an undercurrent of inquiry.

  Zalogr sat upright behind his desk, his piercing gaze fixed on Ragley. "I've just learned that you've brought a soldier named Henry into the investigation team. Wasn't he the one who recently manifested an anomaly?" He cut straight to the chase, without preamble.

  Ragley's lips curled into a slight, sarcastic smile. "I didn't realize that a newly promoted Rank 3 soldier would garner such attention from our great General."

  "There are things you are better off not knowing, Ragley." Zalogr's eyes held a hint of displeasure.

  Ragley shrugged, his expression unfazed. "When we began monitoring him, we inadvertently discovered that someone was already doing so. I'm sure the General is already aware of this."

  "The military has its own concerns. Right now, I want to hear information about your examination of that soldier's memories. What were the results?" Zalogr's fist tightened on the desk.

  Ragley sighed meaningfully. "Not entirely clear, but not overly unusual. However, this is a limitation of memory inspection magic. We can only read memories within a certain timeframe and on specific issues. We cannot read everything. We still need further observation."

  "Using someone with unclear issues is not a good idea, Chief." Zalogr tilted his head, his eyes filled with suspicion.

  Ragley raised an eyebrow, a flash of determination in his eyes. "The Investigation Division is currently in dire need of personnel, and he meets the criteria I set. I feel there are no problems at all. And." he emphasized each word, "what organization is better suited than the Investigation Division to handle anomalies? If this anomaly is a dangerous one, then this is his grave."

  Zalogr stared intently at Ragley, his displeasure evident on his face. "You certainly have a great deal of confidence in your own abilities."

  Ragley stood straight, his expression serious. "I understand my responsibilities clearly, General. The Investigation Division will not allow any threat to endanger Zephyros."