Chapter 405: Back To Duty
Deep within Zone 9, hidden beneath the vibrant city of Veridn, lay an underground chamber constructed during the six months following the war. This chamber hadn’t existed before—it had been built solely for one purpose: to safeguard Liam Hunter as he remained locked in his unyielding coma.
Originally, the idea of keeping him in the Tempest Palace—as before—had been strongly considered. But after the horrifying incident where both Liam and Mabel were abducted from within the very heart of the palace despite its intricate magical barriers and layered defenses, Queen Lucy had made a firm decision. She would not risk it again. Not until the mystery of how the palace’s security had been breached without so much as a flicker of alarm was solved.
Thus, Liam had been moved in secret.
Now he rested in this hidden chamber, on a bed in a room crafted to mirror the very one Queen Lucy had once gifted him in the palace. The walls, the shelves, the minimalistic decor—everything was designed to make it feel familiar, even if Liam couldn’t yet open his eyes to see it.
He lay still, chest rising in steady rhythm, his form ghostly pale. His once short, tousled hair had grown over the months, now stretching to six or seven inches in length. With his long lashes framing closed lids and the softness of his features, any stranger might mistake him for a sleeping girl rather than the warrior he truly was.
A few feet from his bedside, a silent figure stood watch.
Mabel.
She stood against the chamber’s far wall, clad in her full Royal Corps uniform. Her sword was sheathed across her back, the golden etchings on its hilt catching the soft lantern light and gleaming faintly. Her dark hair was pulled into its usual high ponytail, with a few loose strands falling beside her cheeks. A half-mask covered her face from nose downward, leaving only her almond-shaped, hazel-brown eyes visible—eyes locked solely on Liam, yet scanning her surroundings with precise alertness.
Since waking from her coma, Mabel had taken only a single week to reacquaint herself with her newly elevated mystic level. Her recovery had been sharp, controlled, methodical. And once she’d felt confident in her restored abilities, she made her request—directly to Queen Lucy herself.
She wanted to resume her duty.
She wanted to protect Liam again.
Lucy had initially considered denying the request. After all, Mabel had just emerged from a near-death experience. She deserved rest, time to understand the changes within her, time to breathe. But Lucy knew her agent well. Mabel wasn’t asking out of obligation. She was asking because of something deeper—something personal.