For the Half-Elf’s gesture of baring her neck like awaiting execution, Jetri merely shook his head.

“Never mind. Tampering with memories is dangerous. At least for now, I can’t guarantee it’ll go perfectly without issues.”

The Half-Elf opened her eyes. “Is that so…”

No surprise flickered in her gaze. No delight either.

Wind and sand swirled again, whipping the Half-Elf’s long hair and Jetri’s sage robes. His robe rustled loudly.

She swept stray strands from her forehead behind her ear, then turned once more toward the distant gloomy forest.

Jetri felt something off. Though Lilith was naturally quiet, this wasn’t her usual thoughtful silence.

It was indifference.

Indifference toward nearly everything.

“What are you looking at?” Jetri asked a pointless question.

But his purpose wasn’t just to fill silence.

“The Demon Realm,” Lilith replied flatly.

“What’s so fascinating? Haven’t five years there been enough?” Jetri followed her gaze into the distance.

Within sight, yellow sandstorms rolled. Yet at the horizon’s edge stretched an endless forest.

Though the woods radiated an ominous gloom, it was still a forest.

Jetri wasn’t great at geography. His limited knowledge insisted such terrain shouldn’t exist naturally.

Unless someone had deliberately planted a forest atop the desert.

But as far as he knew, even the mightiest Elven Archdruids couldn’t cultivate an entire woodland.

Only legendary gods might wield such power.

Jetri rarely dwelled on such thoughts. Overthinking trapped people in dead ends.

So he glanced away after a moment.

“Richard…” The Half-Elf’s eyes grew distant. Her gaze seemed to drift far away, her voice turning remote.

Her voice was gritty like the swirling sand—yet smoother than its harshness.

“Hmm.” Jetri responded.

He couldn’t decipher Lilith’s thoughts. Nor Victoria’s.

So when they grew sentimental, he stayed quiet and listened.

Lilith’s state struck Jetri as deeply unprofessional.

After all, their four-person team relied on each member: Victoria’s blessings and healing, Lilith’s assassinations and intelligence-gathering, Vya’s frontline combat prowess—wait.

Jetri suddenly spotted a blind spot.

The team would collapse without any of them… except without him. Without Jetri, it could still function.

Huh… By that logic, I’m practically the most useless one here…

But Jetri shrugged it off quickly.

Once you accept your own weakness? You become invincible!

Lilith slightly turned her head to look back at Jetri.

The Sage was, as usual, lost in thought.

The Half-Elf had grown accustomed to his habit.

Even when it sometimes bordered on disrespect.

Yet a strangely masochistic thought crossed her mind: Jetri wasn’t this rude to just anyone.

At banquets, his manners never offended even the most fastidious old nobles.

A skill Lilith herself lacked—despite being born nobility, even a princess.

“Victoria started calling you that suddenly. Something must’ve happened between you two.”

Jetri snapped back to attention.

“Well… if I had to say, I guess so. Had too much to drink last night.” He sighed at the memory.

He didn’t realize how that vague phrasing would ignite Lilith’s imagination.

“Did you sleep with her?” The Half-Elf asked bluntly.

Jetri froze.

He saw the storm gathering in her expression.

“Why would you think that? I told you I was drunk. Human men can’t perform when wasted.” His first reaction was irritation.

But it vanished in a flash.

Lilith was unprofessional. He couldn’t afford to be.

Yet that fleeting flicker of annoyance escaped the notice of a natural-born hunter.

A Level 93 Stalker’s eyes missed nothing.

If she could track Chelsey’s movements, catching Jetri’s glance was effortless.

Especially when his brow furrowed unconsciously despite his explanation.

Though he smoothed his forehead instantly, his displeasure had already shown.

“I—I didn’t mean it like that…” Lilith stammered an apology, flustered.

“What did you mean, then?” Jetri’s irritation came and went swiftly.

Honestly, he’d grown used to the Half-Elf’s temperament.

So why had his patience with her thinned lately?

Jetri couldn’t figure it out.

He decided to lay it bare.

“Lilith, if you have issues with me, just say them outright, okay?” He tried to sound sincere.

His terrible acting only deepened her panic.

“No, no…” She denied hastily. “I meant—I was trying to say…”

Jetri waited silently.

“I meant…” She hesitated.

The tall Half-Elf, barely shorter than him, fidgeted awkwardly.

“I’m… a little upset…” She kept glancing at Jetri, her eyes darting. “About you and Victoria… getting close… or something…”

Ah. Now Jetri understood.

Jealousy.

“You…” Jetri rubbed his temples. He suddenly felt grateful neither Victoria nor Lilith had accepted his proposals back then.

Were they always this troublesome?

Or were girls just inherently complicated?

Or was love itself this messy?

“Lilith, have you ever been in love?” Jetri asked abruptly.

The Half-Elf shook her head, confused. Then, as if struck by a thought, she blurted urgently, “I—I’ve never liked anyone before!”

Understood.

Completely understood.

“Lilith, Lilith, listen,” Jetri placed his hands on the flustered Half-Elf’s shoulders. “Can we save this personal talk for after we get back?”

Truthfully, Jetri had a bad feeling about this mission. Things felt off. He didn’t want to dig deeper, but he wasn’t blind.

That last Demon King’s death had felt too convenient. Still, being alive and heading home was enough for him.

“I…” The Half-Elf suddenly locked eyes with Jetri. “You smell like Victoria.”

“Of course I do. We’re teammates. If you’re jealous, pick a better time and place. And frankly—neither you nor Victoria should be dwelling on this nonsense.” Jetri sighed.

“No—it’s not that… If you hadn’t spent all night with Victoria, you wouldn’t smell so strongly of…” Her voice trailed off. The Half-Elf watched the Sage’s expression nervously.

Jetri was speechless.

Why are you tiptoeing around this?

It’s making me look like the villain here…