Dorothy held Isa, watching their reluctant faces, feeling a bit bewildered.

"What's wrong? Why would I leave you?"

"After tomorrow's assessment, Elder won't be our instructor anymore," Isa mumbled, her voice muffled and pitiful. "We might never see each other again..."

Dorothy hugged her tighter, finally understanding their worry.

Once the assessment ended, she'd no longer be their instructor. To Celia and the others, their bond would fade away.

Warmth spread through her chest. She looked up at Celia and Aurora, asking softly, "Do you want me to stay?"

"Mm!" Isa nodded firmly, pulling back to stare at her with wide, hopeful eyes.

Her small hands clenched her pink skirt hem. She felt terribly nervous, dreading a disappointing reply.

Aurora seemed to catch Dorothy's meaning. Her lips curled into a smile, golden eyes brightening with delight.

Celia bit her lip, cheeks flushing slightly. She hid her hands behind her back, hesitating to speak her true feelings.

But when Elder Silverflower blinked at her in confusion, Celia fidgeted and whispered, "Mm."

Before her words faded, Dorothy tilted her head and chuckled lightly. "Then I'll stay."

"Huh?"

"Really?!" Isa's eyes lit up instantly, sadness melting into pure joy.

She wiped tears from her eyes, locking gazes with Dorothy, needing to hear it again.

"Of course it's true."

Relieved, Isa hugged Dorothy tightly, kissed her cheek, then giggled and skipped back to Aurora's side.

Dorothy touched the damp spot on her cheek, smiling fondly.

"Even if I'm not your instructor, I'm still your senior. How could I leave you?"

She'd never planned to abandon Celia and the others. After all, she was Celia's mother—how could she walk away again?

Months together had also made Isa and Aurora dear to her, another reason to stay.

"But... what if we leave Vedona someday?" Isa stole a glance at her, knowing this wish might be too greedy.

When Elder Silverflower said "stay," it likely meant until they left Vedona. After that, they'd never see her again.

How could the Silver Blossom Sword Maiden follow them? They were just juniors she taught—nowhere near important enough.

Pouting, Isa braced for disappointment. Instead, Dorothy replied, "Then I'll leave with you."

Isa froze. Even Celia couldn't believe her ears.

"Elder Silverflower, is... is that really okay? Won't it trouble you?" Celia asked carefully, fearing a change of heart.

Dorothy just smiled. "How could it trouble me? I'm alone now. Teaching juniors fulfills my duty as a former Hero."

"Yay!" Isa pumped her fist, celebrating. Celia and Aurora exchanged glances, joy shining in their eyes.

Beneath the joy, they felt a pang of heartache. From fame to solitude, Elder Silverflower's path must have been far rougher than they imagined.

"Tomorrow, we'll definitely pass the assessment!"

"Good luck!"

Shaking off gloom, Celia finally felt a hint of nervousness about the coming Hero assessment.

They couldn't fail—not for themselves, but for Elder Silverflower too.

...

Time flew. The day of the Hero assessment arrived.

The venue was the guild's magic-constructed training ground. Outside, curious Heroes crowded the perimeter. Inside, three Aspirant Heroes battled a third-tier Bull Demon.

Their strength paled against the demon's. The shield-bearer, even with teammates' magic buffs, wobbled under its charge.

The sword-wielder struck the demon repeatedly, but only left shallow cuts—no real damage.

After ten minutes, the Bull Demon charged again. Its horns shattered the magic shield, sending the shield-bearer flying.

The exposed teammate stood frozen in its path.

Snorting hot breath, the demon scraped its hooves, then lunged!

"Danger!" the sword-wielder yelled, too late to help. The targeted Hero shut her eyes, bracing for impact.

Guild President Sharin appeared instantly. With one hand, she gripped the demon's horn, halting it dead.

"Assessment failed. Try again next time. You need more training."

Her rescue saved a life but sealed their failure.

Sighing, the three Heroes trudged away dejectedly. They'd wait another year for the next chance.

Onlookers murmured among themselves.

"They did well. If that girl had been braver, they might've turned it around."

"Honestly, even now, I can't guarantee beating a third-tier demon. I got lucky passing mine."

"Yeah, I heard Celia's team faces a fourth-tier demon. Terrifying."

"Back then, we struggled with third-tiers. Their talent... tsk."

This year's assessment drew a massive crowd. Nearly every Hero in Vedona attended—except those on missions or out of town.

Even President Sharin came. She never showed up for these before.

Adjusting her gold-rimmed glasses, Sharin sat elegantly on a bench, legs crossed. Her eyes stayed fixed on the training ground's entrance.

She wouldn't have come if not for Vedona's most famous team taking the test today—her brightest new Heroes.

The other onlookers shared her anticipation.