Early that morning, Lena arrived at her flower shop well before dawn.

The storefront bloomed with vibrant pink blossoms. Morning dew, cradling the golden light of sunrise, dripped from petal tips to soak the earth below.

Inside, wooden display cases held constellations of flowers, their perfume—a rich blend of soil and petals—filling the air.

"Elisa," Lena said after settling arrangements, "I’ll be busy lately and can’t tend the shop often. I’m leaving it in your hands." She shouldered her bag, ready to leave. Becoming Celia’s squad instructor meant no daytime hours for flowers, so she’d appointed a temporary manager.

"Don’t worry, Manager!" Elisa, the new deputy—a lively woman in her twenties known for her diligence—beamed. Everyone trusted her. "I’ll keep everything perfect while you’re gone!"

But then Elisa darted forward, clinging to Lena’s arm with a gossip-hungry grin. "Though... what *is* this important task? A love affair?"

No wonder she wondered. Lena’s beauty drew customers who bought flowers just for a glimpse of her. Bold suitors persisted despite constant rejections.

Lena tapped Elisa’s forehead lightly. "Put those love-struck fantasies away. It’s just work—nothing to do with romance."

"Ah? But Manager, you’re stunning! So many men chase you—even a Hero confessed his feelings!" Elisa tilted her head, confused. "If it were me, I’d say yes instantly. We ordinary folk fade fast. Without magic to preserve us, we’ll wither before we find someone."

Magic divided humanity: the gifted lived long and ageless; the rest merely aged and died. Born without it, Elisa held no resentment—only bewilderment. Why wouldn’t Lena, blessed with such beauty, marry a Hero for security? Heroes were untouchable giants to commoners like her.

"That’s a concern for girls your age," Lena replied, slipping her arm free. She headed for the door. This time, Elisa froze, eyes wide.

"Wait—does that mean you’re *married*?"

"Tend the shop well," Lena called back without turning, pausing briefly at the threshold. "If sales drop before I return, I’ll cut everyone’s wages." Then she vanished outside.

"Manager, wait!" Elisa rushed to the door—but Lena was already gone.

Had she imagined it? Or did the manager’s retreating figure carry a hint of flight, as if Elisa had struck a hidden truth?

Nearby, another clerk arranging blooms murmured, "Someone that beautiful? She must be married. Her kids are probably teenagers."

"Why’s she never mentioned them?"

"Her private life. None of our business."

Anna, Elisa’s friend wearing a butterfly hairpin, snipped a potted plant’s leaves. "But... what kind of man *could* win her heart? Suitors fail constantly—even Heroes get rejected."

Elisa’s eyes sparkled with certainty. "First, he must be powerful. Second, *dominant*! Manager’s too passive in love. Only someone forceful could make her see her own feelings!" She clasped her flushed cheeks. "I can picture it—him pinning her against a wall, her struggling but unable to escape, finally yielding with a blush to his unreasonable demands..."

A dreamy sigh escaped her. "I’m so jealous..."

---

Elsewhere, Lena shed her ordinary guise. Swathed in a black robe, the Silver Blossom Sword Maiden strode into the Heroes Guild. Celia’s trio awaited her.

"Instructor," they greeted. Dorothy led them to an empty second-floor room reserved for Aspirant Hero training.

"Quick! Let’s hunt monsters!" Isa rubbed her hands eagerly before even sitting. Dorothy merely smiled.

"Today’s theory class."

"Ah?" Isa’s spirits plummeted. She slumped into a chair, whispering hopefully, "We... already know this stuff."

"Oh? Then name the major monster classifications and their traits."

Isa’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly under Dorothy’s sharp gaze. Finally, she snapped upright, back rigid, ready to listen.

Dorothy nodded, satisfied. "Theory isn’t just about magic. Monster lore saves lives. Most Heroes die to beasts—not Demon Kings."

Heroes were meant to slay the Demon King and free humanity from the Demon Race’s shadow. Yet few ever reached demon territory. Instead, rampaging monsters became their true nemesis. For Celia’s squad, the upcoming Hero trial would pit them against a third-tier monster—far beyond their current second-tier strength. Six months remained to prepare.

As Dorothy lectured, Isa’s head began nodding like a pecking chick. A rap on the table made her stand—but even upright, her eyes fluttered shut.

Just as Dorothy sighed in exasperation, dark clouds gathered ominously above Vedona. In the distance, space shattered like a mirror.

Dorothy strode to the window. From the rift, a pair of colossal scorpion claws wreathed in demonic energy emerged.