He turned his head, his eyes fixed dead on Serie's face, which was so close to his. The image from the dream—her head separated from her body—ground viciously against his heart again, bringing a suffocating, searing pain.
He had considered hiding it. Bearing it all alone. Strangling every possibility in its cradle before it could grow.
But if his concealnt led to a mont of carelessness from Serie, allowing that future to beco reality...
Rhodes would never forgive himself.
So, without much hesitation, he decided to let Serie know everything. She had to maintain the highest level of vigilance.
Rhodes could not bear even a sliver of risk of losing her.
"Serie—" Rhodes's voice was hoarse. He let go of Org, allowing the Holy Sword to fall onto the carpet with a clatter. His hands seized Serie's slender shoulders. His gaze was unprecedentedly serious, filled with pleading. "Look at ! Listen to carefully! This is not a joke!"
Speaking as fast and clearly as possible, he recounted everything he had seen through the fragnts of the future shown by Org without reservation: the threat of the Demon King, the tragic civil war of humanity, and—the cruelest scene of all.
Serie listened quietly until the end. The drowsiness and languor on her face faded rapidly, replaced by contemplation.
When she heard the part about herself, she was very surprised, but she showed no fear. Instead, she revealed a look of intrigue.
"I died? And in a state where I couldn't resist at all?" Her tone carried a confusion born of her absolute strength. "Among all currently known existences, I cannot think of anyone capable of doing that. Unless..."
She paused slightly, seemingly deducing a possibility. "Unless I was in an extrely special state—completely defenseless, consciousness scattered, or mana utterly exhausted. Otherwise, it is difficult for to imagine anyone defeating ."
"Of course, if it were you, that would be a different story. You certainly have the strength to kill ."
Serie ended with a small joke.
Rhodes was strong. Stronger than anyone else in the world.
This was sothing even Serie had to admit. If it were him, he could indeed kill her as depicted in that future.
"How could I possibly do sothing like that!?" Rhodes's voice was loud, almost a roar.
"..."
"...I was just joking." Serie pouted her small lips, feeling a little aggrieved.
She had only wanted to crack a joke to lighten the heavy atmosphere seeing how tense he was, but she hadn't expected him to yell at her.
How infuriating.
But since Rhodes was so anxious, it seed he truly didn't want her to make such hypotheses. She wouldn't make that kind of joke next ti.
Serie decided silently in her heart.
"In short, I would absolutely never do such a thing." Rhodes's voice trembled slightly with fear. "The future you... looked very sad. And you were stroking your lower abdon..."
He struggled to recall the details of the scene that had broken his heart. "In that state, your whole being might have been focused on sothing else. That might be—might be exactly when you are most vulnerable, most easily taken advantage of."
The terrifying contrast between that maternal smile bathed in holy light and the destruction that followed made him break out in cold sweat every ti he recalled it.
Gritting his teeth, he sternly warned her in a tone bordering on paranoia and command: "Promise , Serie!"
"From now on, at all tis—even inside this tower, even by my side—you must not let your guard down in the slightest."
"The highest-level magic shields and full-spectrum detection magic must be active at all tis! Do you hear ? This is not a negotiation!"
Serie looked at the fear and worry in his eyes, bordering on collapse, and fell silent for a mont.
Logically, she still felt Rhodes's request was sowhat absurd, even unrealistic.
This was the core of the Royal Capital of Ersten, the Magic Association tower with countless layers of defensive systems she had personally arranged. How could there be an existence capable of breaking through all defenses and threatening her life?
But the unprecedented tension on Rhodes's face and those compelling eyes forced her to suppress all logical rebuttals.
A feeling of being cherished spread in her heart.
"...Alright." She finally nodded. "I will keep the highest-level defensive and detection magic active at all tis."
Maintaining these two spells constantly would be no small drain on Serie, but if it could put this man at ease, it was enough.
At worst, she would just drink mana recovery potions like water.
Thinking of that bitter taste made Serie frown, but for his sake, even the bitterest thing couldn't outweigh his concern right now.
However, Rhodes seed to feel this was far from enough.
His gaze swept to the weapon rack in the corner of the room. There lay another Holy Sword—the Holy Right Sword Athos, possessing the world's strongest defensive magic.
"Take that with you too." Rhodes pointed at Athos, his tone allowing no refusal. "From today on, you must carry Athos on your person. At all tis, in all places!"
Serie's brows knit together completely.
She wasn't a warrior. Walking around with a Holy Sword hanging from her waist every day? What kind of look was that?
"Rhodes, I feel that is unnecessary—" she tried to comfort him.
"No!" Rhodes interrupted her sharply, his emotions becoming agitated again. "Either you promise to carry Athos at all tis, or—I go to the North right now! I will find that Demon King directly! Even if we perish together, I will completely eliminate any possibility!"
Serie looked at this man, driven to paranoia and even madness by a dream of the future. She saw the flas burning in his eyes, fueled by the fear of losing her. All her objections vanished into silence.
She looked at him quietly for a mont, then suddenly sighed softly. Extending her cool, soft fingers, she touched his furrowed brow, as if trying to smooth away his imnse anxiety.
"I understand." Serie's voice was infused with a reassuring strength. "I will carry Athos. Is that alright? Calm down first, Rhodes. I am right here by your side. I am not going anywhere!"
Receiving her solemn promise, Rhodes's taut nerves finally relaxed a fraction.
But the fear and urgency from that future were firmly branded deep in his soul, impossible to dispel.
He pulled Serie fiercely into his arms, hugging her with such force that the elf felt a little pain.
But it seed only through this near-painful contact could he confirm her real existence, could he draw warmth away from that cold future.
The night was still long, but Rhodes knew he had to act. At all costs, he would investigate, prevent, and fight, until that possibility was strangled in its cradle.
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