Slowly, the boy helped Ethan to his feet.
When Ethan raised his head, Raiden was standing before him.
Ethan spoke first.
"I’m sorry... I made all of you suffer without even realizing it."
Raiden shook his head.
"There’s a lot I want to say to you. But Moon summed it all up with that slap. Honestly, I’d like to punch you as hard as I can right now... but I’m afraid I might kill you by accident. So I’ll postpone it until you’re strong enough to survive it."
He smiled faintly.
"Remember this, Ethan. Your life doesn’t belong to you alone. There are people who would break down crying if you left them again."
Those words stirred something deep inside him.
Ethan nodded repeatedly, his composure wavering.
Seeing that, Raiden continued more softly.
"If you want to apologize... do it properly when we’re all together again. In front of Moon and Alicia. Especially Moon. She fought like hell for you."
At the mention of Moon, Ethan sighed.
"I think she hates me even more now."
"Really?" Raiden replied.
"From where I was standing... I think it’s the exact opposite."
The three of them gradually moved past what had happened and made their way out of the headquarters.
After completing a few formal procedures with the clan knights, Ethan left alongside Raiden and Chai, returning to the main street of Ashvarn.
By the time they stepped outside, evening had already fallen.
Time had passed with frightening speed amidst everything that had happened.
They hadn’t even felt it slipping away.
"It’s been... quite the day."
All of that chaos... had unfolded on his very first day in Ashvarn.
And Ethan felt utterly drained because of it.
At this point, he wanted nothing more than a proper meal and the quickest possible escape into sleep.
Raiden and Chai shared the same thought, so without delay, they led him toward their residence .. the place where both Ethan and Raiden had lived.
To reach it, the three of them crossed a considerable distance until they finally arrived.
It stood at the outskirts of the city.
A vast, tranquil expanse surrounded by plants and flowers .. black blossoms that had grown under the influence of the eternal eclipse.
Ethan paused for a few seconds, staring at the place.
It resembled a military facility... yet far more beautiful, almost like an ancient academy preserved from another era.
"This," Raiden said with a faint smile, "is the Hunters’ Paradise. Our home."
He led Ethan inside.
The place was large and spacious, equipped with everything one might need.
Training grounds. Educational buildings. Administrative offices.
And beyond all of that... the hunters’ residences.
Constructed in the same Victorian architectural style that dominated Ashvarn.
There were two massive residential buildings .. so large they resembled fallen aristocratic mansions.
Around them, numerous male and female hunters moved back and forth, occasionally passing Ethan and the others.
Whenever they did, they greeted them respectfully .. especially Raiden, who returned their greetings in kind.
"The building on the right belongs to the female hunters," Raiden explained, pointing. "The one on the left is ours."
He gestured for Ethan and Chai to follow him toward the left structure.
"We have everything we need here. Including a dining hall that operates all day. We can get a decent meal there."
At those words, Ethan let out a breath of relief.
"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I’m starving."
"Of course you are," Raiden replied with a grin. "We haven’t eaten since returning from the hunt."
They entered.
The interior was just as beautiful as the exterior.
It looked immaculate .. untouched by time.
The walls were black, adorned with gold ornamentation.
White ceilings stretched overhead, chandeliers hanging from them, illuminating every corner.
Ethan couldn’t hide his admiration, which caught little Chai’s attention.
"The Elders place great importance on us hunters," Chai explained. "They’ve never been stingy with us. They’ve kept the Hunters’ Paradise shining since the day it was founded."
"That’s honestly impressive... But do we all live here?"
"Every hunter has the right to stay here if they have nowhere else to go," Chai answered. "Each one gets a private room."
He continued quietly.
"You and big brother Raiden live here. Unlike me... I’ll have to leave soon."
Ethan turned toward the shorter boy.
"You don’t live here too?"
Chai shook his head.
"I live with my mother. She waits for me after every hunt. I can’t leave her alone for long..."
Ethan nodded slowly.
It seemed the hunters’ residence housed people like him and Raiden .. those who had lost everything... who had no one left.
"Moon and Alicia live on the other side," Chai added.
"Alicia was allowed to bring her younger brother in since she’s a hunter. He’ll probably join officially soon."
"And Moon?" Ethan asked.
"Moon lost her parents long ago. She refused to stay with her grandfather. She prefers it here."
Chai’s explanation made Ethan realize something.
The boy beside him was the only one who didn’t truly belong here.
He had only come for a meal before returning home.
After walking for a few minutes, the three of them reached the hunters’ dining hall.
It was wide and bustling .. filled with tables and hunters alike.
The atmosphere was lively, almost like a military barracks overflowing with soldiers.
They ate together .. some smiling, others visibly burdened.
"The happy ones are hunters like us who just came back," Raiden murmured. "The gloomy ones... their hunt is about to begin."
Every month, each squad was required to hunt.
Every time, they risked their lives inside the cursed domain.
The life of a hunter was harsh.
Forced to fight... knowing death could claim them at any moment.
In a way, Ethan began to understand Alicia’s resentment toward the hunter’s title .. her longing for an ordinary life.
They joined the queue, picking up rectangular iron trays and waiting their turn.
"I guess this is what university students go through..." Ethan muttered lightly, chuckling.
Raiden turned around from the front of the line.
"Did you say something?"
"No~ Nothing at all."
They continued forward until they reached the person distributing food.
An elderly woman stood there, her belly protruding enough to make her look pregnant .. though she was simply overweight.
The moment she saw Raiden, her face lit up.
"Oh my god... you children are finally back."
Raiden grinned widely.
"Yes! We’re alive... but we’re starving, ma’am!" Raiden shouted, and the elderly woman burst into a warm laughter.
"And I have the solution to your problem ! Come .. eat as much as you like!"
With swift, practiced movements, the old woman piled their trays high with a variety of dishes.
A complete meal .. plenty of meat, some rice... a little salad, more meat, a few eggs... and a great deal more meat.
Ethan’s tray was so full the meat nearly spilled over the edges, prompting him to stare at the old woman in disbelief.
"Excuse me... am I really supposed to eat all of this?"
"Of course you are! You’re far too skinny, Ethan. You need to eat properly if you want to become a real man," she declared, slapping Raiden’s shoulder.
"Just like my dear Raiden here .. he always finishes his plate and never leaves a single scrap behind. Unlike the two of you."
She clearly meant Chai as well.
The boy turned his head away shyly, evidently not very good at handling this woman’s overwhelming enthusiasm.
Ethan nodded hesitantly, then glanced at Raiden’s plate.
It was a mountain of grilled ribs—so much that he could probably devour an entire sheep at this rate.
Yet the giant of a man looked more than capable of finishing it alone.