Precious Dragon Jade

Roxy did not like owing favors, not even to Cain.

"But Cain, you have to let me treat you next time."

Roxy smiled faintly at Cain as she spoke, popped the remaining cream cake into her mouth, covered her cheeks, and wore an adorable, blissfully intoxicated expression.

The next day, in the inn's backyard.

"Phew... Cain, let's call today's training here."

Zoldat panted heavily as he lay spread-eagled in the snow. Looking up at Cain, who was smiling faintly by the inn entrance as he slowly put away his wooden sword, he waved his hand helplessly.

"Let's train again tomorrow. I'm... I'm exhausted..."

"Mm. Your Battle Aura has already started to gain an edge. Shouldn't you strike while the iron is hot?"

Cain folded his arms and looked expectantly at the stubborn rock before them, which now bore a faint crack.

Zoldat definitely had talent for the Sword God Style. He just always gave up halfway through training. Otherwise, he would not still only be a Sword Saint.

"Look, my wooden sword broke, but I still couldn't cut through that rock."

Zoldat waved the wooden sword, broken into two pieces, at Cain.

"Then get another one and keep training."

Cain folded his arms and curled his lip. Back at the Sword God's Holy Land, he trained with the sword by the month. This was nothing.

Are you a demon...? I've trained my Battle Aura for more than three hours and broken five wooden swords...

Zoldat's eye twitched violently. He understood now: Cain was either on his way to practice swordsmanship or on his way to practice magic every day. He was a mage among berserkers.

"Seriously, no wonder you're as strong as a monster. Is there nothing in that head of yours besides training? How did things go with Roxy? Did you prepare a gift for your teacher?"

Cain had been about to frown and lecture Zoldat about how he could not slack off in Battle Aura training, but his face instantly reddened at those words. He scratched his cheek and avoided Zoldat's expectant gaze.

"I-I gave her something... I gave my teacher the Dragon Jade we got from the S-rank Dungeon last time as a return gift."

Zoldat, who had just stood up, nodded slightly, then froze. His eye twitched as he looked at Cain.

"What jade did you say?!"

"Dragon Jade. What about it?!"

Good grief... It really was Dragon Jade! He really gave it away...

Zoldat covered his forehead and let out a heavy sigh. As expected, Cain was young.

A Dragon Jade was an incredibly rare magic item dropped only by S-rank elite dragon clan leaders at the Dragon King level. Cain had not even let him look at it properly after obtaining it, and now he had simply given it to Roxy?!

"You... don't tell me you really fell for Roxy..."

Zoldat covered his forehead, sighed, and looked at Cain helplessly.

Cain's face reddened as he pursed his lips.

"Roxy is my teacher... We only have a teacher-student relationship..."

Seeing Cain's embarrassed look, Zoldat smiled helplessly and waved a hand.

"Fine, fine, I won't listen to your excuses. But as the captain, I have to remind you of something."

Zoldat's expression turned slightly serious as he raised one finger.

"A Dragon Jade is no ordinary item. It's an incredibly rare magic item. Most people could spend their whole lives as adventurers without ever seeing one."

"To be honest, even a useless Dragon Jade could sell for enough money to let someone live extravagantly for the rest of their life. You really are generous..."

Zoldat looked at Cain, who was scratching his cheek with an awkward expression, and sighed with a hint of envy.

Although Cain had defeated that Super S-rank dungeon guardian, and the adventuring party had also received plenty of Asura Gold Coins, it still felt a little unfair to the captain that Cain had so casually given away something so precious.

After all, that was a Dragon Jade—the core of a powerful dragon clan's strength, an ultra-rare magic item possessed only by monsters at the Dragon King level. There might not even be more than a few on the entire continent.

Of course, Zoldat knew he had no right to make that decision for Cain.

"So, you had it appraised, right? What special ability does the Dragon Jade have?"

Zoldat folded his arms and looked at Cain with a faintly aggrieved expression.

"Mm. It doesn't have any particularly special abilities."

"Is that so? Then that's not too bad." Zoldat sighed in relief, feeling a little more balanced.

"It can just summon a monster around the level of a Flamebone Dragon Guard as a bodyguard. I thought it would be suitable for protecting Teacher Roxy."

Zoldat's eye twitched violently, and his face went blank with shock.

Are those even human words...?

That's what you call no special ability?! An A-rank elite dungeon BOSS as a bodyguard? Damn it, this isn't some ordinary Dragon Jade!

"Get it back!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"I said get it back! Idiot! Do you know how much that thing is worth?"

Cain frowned slightly, grabbed Zoldat by the collar, and pulled him closer, anger blazing in his eyes.

"Hey, it belongs to Teacher Roxy now. You want me to ask for it back? What do you mean by that?!"

"Idiot! Don't you know the value of that thing? Even if you're the Sword God, you could use it. A monster with elite BOSS-level combat power would be valuable support."

"So what?!"

"That thing could sell for enough money to let an entire large adventuring party live carefree for the rest of their lives without doing anything! Don't be so young and foolish, will you? Money is important!"

"I already said it belongs to Teacher Roxy now!"

"That's why I'm saying you're an idiot!" Zoldat gritted his teeth and looked at the furious Cain.

"Though this may sound selfish, Roxy might only be the first woman you've liked, Cain. People are emotional. You might like a second woman, or a third, later in life. Learn to be a little selfish too. Aren't you afraid Roxy might sell the Dragon Jade and leave you?"

"Teacher Roxy isn't that kind of person! She even used her own reward money to cover the cost of my Magic Armor! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll tear your mouth apart!"

Seeing Cain's serious, dark expression, Zoldat swallowed and sighed, waving a hand.

"Sorry. I went too far just now. But can you listen to one thing I have to say?"

Cain released Zoldat's collar with an angry expression and folded his arms.

"What exactly are you trying to say? Seriously, if you try to drive a wedge between my teacher and me again, I won't let you off."

Zoldat sighed, covered his forehead, and looked seriously at Cain.

"Liking someone and taking responsibility are two different things. Besides, Cain, you'll leave Roxy someday, won't you? I heard the two of you made a promise, but I need to tell you that promises cannot always be fulfilled. All sorts of circumstances in life can interfere, because we live in reality, not a fairy tale..."

Cain folded his arms and pursed his lips.

"What does that have to do with me giving Teacher Roxy the Dragon Jade?"

Zoldat sighed and looked at Cain with both helplessness and pity.

"That's why I say you're young. I can tell Roxy is a good girl, and she likes you now, but time can change a person."

Zoldat slowly raised one finger, his gaze at Cain turning serious.