Jetri returned home to find Vya wasn’t haunting the living room sofa like a specter, staring fixedly at him this time.

He exhaled in relief.

Maybe Vya had truly stopped obsessing over his resignation from the squad.

Good.

He slept soundly that night.

Woke up early.

Even though he’d gone to bed late.

Had he slept in, he might’ve stood Violette up.

And possibly run into the other two teammates.

Or… would it be even sadder if he hadn’t met them at all?

Anyway, no matter what—better to leave early and clean.

So Jetri dragged himself out of bed under the still-dark sky.

He let out a long breath.

He had little to pack. Everything could be replaced elsewhere.

He wasn’t stingy in moments like this.

Money was meant to be spent, wasn’t it?

Just as he stepped out of his room fully dressed, Vya emerged from hers too.

She covered her mouth, yawning. She seemed genuinely unbothered by his departure.

She even smiled. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah. Let’s go." Jetri smiled back.

His smile felt light.

The carriage ride out of the capital took time. Inside, Jetri and Vya chatted, eventually drifting to the topic of his house.

"I’ll sell it. I won’t be back here anyway," Jetri said casually.

"Then sell it to me." Vya’s expression flickered but smoothed over instantly.

"Why would you buy it?" Jetri didn’t understand.

"Just… to keep as a memory. It’s where we lived longest during our student days." Vya chuckled lightly.

This small matter hadn’t truly shaken her mood.

She seemed relaxed today—her face, her gestures, all easy.

But that ease lasted only until the carriage reached the capital’s gate.

"Violette." Jetri stepped down and greeted her.

"Hmm. Write to me once you’ve settled," Violette said, smiling. She pulled him into a sudden hug.

Jetri stiffened in surprise, missing the way Vya’s expression darkened behind him.

After a brief pause, he hugged Violette back—but pulled away naturally soon after.

Violette still looked ready to say more when two figures slowly emerged from the shadows.

"Why didn’t you discuss leaving the squad with us, Jetri?"

The golden-haired princess asked.

Beside her, Lilith stood silent, eyes slightly red-rimmed.

The Half-Elf simply stared at Jetri.

He hadn’t expected this.

Victoria seemed composed, but Lilith’s face was pale. Her silky black hair hung visibly damp.

Had she waited here all night?

*But I never said which gate I’d leave from…*

"You didn’t even plan to let us see you off…" Victoria’s voice trembled with sorrow.

"…" Jetri deliberately avoided her gaze—those eyes like a shattered lake.

"The Radiant Star Squad is becoming history. We’d part ways eventually. I’m just leaving first." His tone stayed flat.

Vya’s expression remained unchanged.

"No need to fight. Jetri’s leaving. We might never meet again—let’s say goodbye properly." Vya had prepared herself, yet her smile strained at the edges.

Violette watched, expressionless.

Her instincts whispered: *Jetri won’t be leaving today.*

"Look at me, Jetri! Richard Jetri! Look at me!" Victoria pressed a hand to her chest and grabbed his wrist.

"And then what?" Jetri met her eyes, face blank.

"What do you want to say?" He kept his temper.

He didn’t believe they’d cross paths again, but he saw no point in venting old grievances.

No need.

Better to leave each other with something… kinder.

Victoria found no emotion in his dark eyes.

"I… I…" Her lips trembled.

Watching her struggle, Jetri closed his eyes and sighed.

"Let it go, Princess Victoria. The past—the right, the wrong, the good, the bad—it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s meaningless."

"How is it meaningless? How… can it be meaningless…" Victoria shattered like fragile porcelain. Tears streamed down her face like broken pearls.

Jetri’s chest tightened, but he couldn’t—shouldn’t—move to comfort her.

Not even a little.

Victoria’s feelings were guilt. And he already knew its source.

He might as well play the big-hearted chancellor, forgive her, and be done with it.

After that, it was no longer his concern.

He knew Victoria loved Vya.

Ending things here was best. He wouldn’t play the fool twice.

Jetri turned to Vya.

Vya blinked, then understood. She stepped forward, gently pulling Victoria away to comfort her.

She didn’t notice the flicker of conflict in Victoria’s eyes as she looked at her.

"That’s it then—Lilith, I forgive you too. From now on… *jianghu lu yuan, shan gao shui chang, you yuan zai jian*."

He spoke the last words in Chinese, not the common tongue.

Just as Vya had once shyly recited "*liang qing ruo shi jiu chang shi*"—a line Jetri himself had taught her in quieter times.

Lilith still watched him. Still silent.

Victoria wept too hard to speak.

Jetri didn’t look back at the mess behind him.

He turned and climbed into the carriage.

"Let’s go," he murmured to the driver.

"Your will, sir." The driver bowed his head.

Vya’s expression grew urgent.

But at that exact moment—as the first light broke over the horizon—a frantic cry ripped through the capital’s streets:

"The Demon King’s army has returned! The Demon King is reborn!"

Starting faint. Growing louder.

More voices joined.

The cry swelled into a chorus from every direction.

Especially when a messenger on horseback galloped past Jetri’s carriage, shouting as he charged through the gate.

"What?" Jetri couldn’t believe his ears.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yes, sir. They say the Demon King has returned."

"The Demon King…" Jetri slumped against the seat as if his spine had been ripped out. His eyes went hollow. "…Reborn?"

Outside, the four women’s faces paled.

Grief vanished. Only shock remained.

Inside the carriage, Jetri gritted his teeth. After a heavy pause, he stepped back down.

"Let’s go. Find out what’s happening."

His breath came ragged. His steps heavier than his breath.