Later.

  A knock sounded on Shin’s door.

  Silence.

  “Enter.”

  The door opened slowly.

  Zaraf stepped in.

  His face was gloomy.

  Distant.

  As if he wasn’t fully there.

  Shin looked at him with sharpened eyes.

  Before anything could happen, Lusy walked in.

  She immediately noticed the change in the atmosphere.

  “Hello, Zaraf! Long time no see,” Lusy said cheerfully.

  After hearing her voice—

  His fingers loosened.

  His eyes slowly regained focus.

  He looked at them.

  Silence.

  He suddenly couldn’t remember why he was there.

  (Why am I here? … What was I thinking?)

  He hid his confusion and forced himself to act.

  “Hello… ha… ha, yes. It has been a long time,” Zaraf answered, his tone shifting suddenly.

  Shin narrowed his eyes slightly.

  Silence.

  Then he took a breath and stood up.

  “I hope you were not in the middle of something important?” Shin asked.

  Zaraf forced himself to stay steady.

  He looked at him with calm eyes.

  “No… I was just resting lately. So I’m happy to come.”

  His fingers tightened slightly.

  “Zaraf, as you know, I called you here for important business.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Lusy placed her hand gently on Zaraf’s shoulder.

  Zaraf’s eyes softened as he prepared to listen.

  “As you remember, we decided to train the lost reincarnations.

  But lately…

  we are full with students.

  And you — the one who suggested that plan — are staying out of it.

  So I have decided that you will also take students.”

  Zaraf didn’t understand at first.

  He looked at them in confusion.

  “W-what students?”

  Silence.

  He searched their faces.

  Silence.

  Then he understood.

  His eyes widened.

  His heart began to beat heavily.

  “W-what are you saying? … I just finished my basic training. How am I supposed to train someone else?”

  Lusy smiled slightly.

  “Ben has agreed that you are capable of training new students. No — he said you are good with new students.”

  Zaraf paused.

  The words felt heavy.

  His eyes drifted toward the window.

  Responsibility.

  It was something he had to carry now.

  His hand tightened.

  For a brief moment, his eyes darkened.

  Doubt filled them.

  But still—

  He agreed.

  To stand by Ben’s word.

  Shin looked at Zaraf’s face.

  “It is not that hard. Just train some lost kids.”

  Silence.

  Zaraf didn’t say anything.

  He just felt uneasy.

  Then Shin took him to meet his students.

  In the hall—

  Hussen was sitting calmly on a chair, his expression composed.

  Beside him stood Clay — younger, but full of energy.

  He was excitedly waiting for them.

  “Can you stay still for a second?” Hussen asked.

  Clay looked at him.

  “Huh? Aren’t you excited to meet our teacher?”

  Hussen glanced at him with sleepy eyes.

  “There is a difference between reality and legend.”

  Clay frowned slightly, trying to understand.

  He didn’t.

  So he simply kept waiting — excited.

  Hussen remained silent.

  A moment later—

  Shin walked in with Lusy and Zaraf.

  Zaraf’s eyes were down.

  He took a breath.

  Slowly… he looked up at his new students.

  Clay ran toward Zaraf, not fully knowing he was their teacher — only guessing.

  But Hussen suddenly recognized him from their earlier crossing.

  (Wait… is he…? But now he doesn’t look like that…?)

  Zaraf stepped forward to greet them, his posture low, his presence slightly unstable.

  “Hel…lo. I am Zaraf… and I guess I’m your new teacher.”

  Silence.

  Neither of them moved for a moment.

  His voice didn’t carry excitement.

  But Clay didn’t care.

  His own excitement was overwhelming.

  He moved too close.

  Zaraf instinctively took one step back.

  A small pause.

  Clay didn’t notice.

  He began jumping lightly, already preparing for training.

  Lusy smiled at Clay.

  “Wow… what little-kid energy. He’s cute.”

  Shin noticed Zaraf’s behavior—

  but he didn’t think much of it.

  “Hellooo! I’m Clay, and I’m happy to be your student!” Clay said proudly.

  Zaraf turned to Hussen.

  Hussen sighed and introduced himself.

  “I am Hussen.”

  Silence.

  Lusy stepped in between them.

  “So… are you ready to meet Ben? It’s been a while.”

  The name lingered.

  Zaraf froze.

  He didn’t make eye contact.

  His hand trembled slightly.

  A thin layer of sweat formed on his skin — as if he wasn’t ready to face his master.

  A second passed.

  “I think… I should go there… later.”

  His eyes remained down as he answered.

  Lusy’s expression changed.

  She noticed something was different about Zaraf.

  Something had changed.

  But she couldn’t say it out loud.

  After that, Zaraf left with Clay and Hussen — heading toward Zaraf’s world.

  The walk was quiet.

  In his world—

  (I shouldn’t meet Sitara yet… If I go there with students so suddenly… she might get angry.)

  He took them somewhere far to train.

  On the way—

  Zaraf was walking in front.

  Then suddenly—

  He noticed it.

  The wind around him shifted.

  Not naturally.

  With control.

  Cold.

  Heavy.

  For a moment, the air felt alive.

  Then—

  Everything returned to normal.

  Zaraf’s eyes widened.

  His breath became heavy.

  “It was imagination… or real?”

  The wind did not answer.