CHAPTER 170: CHAPTER 170 - TRUST IS THE STRONGEST ARMOR

At last, Tave had a moment alone with Vanya after Elincia took her leave. And honestly, it brought him a surprising sense of relief, just being away from the heavy presence of that Imperial Knight was enough to let him breathe again.

He turned toward Vanya, who now smiled softly at him.

"Tave, you don’t need to worry," she said gently. "Elincia will stay in this city, even if we don’t manage to find the demons within the two days she gave us."

"Stay here?" Tave raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t she supposed to come with us to Vensalor Island?"

Vanya shook her head slowly. "No. I’ve asked her to remain here, to guard this place until we finish whatever business we have on Vensalor Island. Or... until your part in all this is resolved. She’ll protect the city, and if there’s another attack, she’ll be the first to respond."

"But..." Tave hesitated. "Isn’t sea travel dangerous right now, Vanya? You ran into high-tier monsters just getting here."

Vanya nodded. "Yes. That’s why another Imperial Knight will be dispatched to escort us."

"Another Imperial Knight?" Tave repeated warily.

Please, don’t let it be that one. The strongest Imperial Knight, the one he’d been dreading all this time.

"We need to wait," Vanya explained. "All the Imperial Knights are occupied with their own missions right now. But since this is considered a critical journey, the palace will make sure we reach Vensalor Island safely."

"So... there’s no confirmation yet which Imperial Knight will be sent?"

Vanya gave a small nod in response.

With Elincia staying behind in the city, at the very least, there was a strong assurance that no demons would be foolish enough to attack Deadbay.

Elincia alone could annihilate the entire Dissidia Kingdom if she ever chose to. So yes, her presence was a solid deterrent.

But that wasn’t the real issue for Tave. Not Deadbay City.

Sure, the city might be safe. But what was the point if the rest of the kingdom fell? If the demons succeeded in taking control of the wider Dissidia region?

Because, in truth... Tave wasn’t all that—he paused, frowning at the thought. Yeah, he wasn’t exactly emotionally invested in anyone here.

He thought again... and yes, there was one person who made him hesitate.

"We can bring your sister with us to Vensalor Island. It won’t be a problem." Vanya’s voice broke through his thoughts with startling precision.

Tave lifted his head, eyebrows drawn together. How did she know what he was thinking? The pact didn’t allow them to read each other’s minds... right?

"What? Did you think I could read your mind?"

"No. But you just answered a question I hadn’t even spoken."

"You’re seriously easy to read, you know that, Tave. You wear everything you’re thinking right there on your face."

Tave gave an awkward smile. "I’m not sure if that’s a compliment. Being easy to read means my enemies will have an easier time figuring me out too. And I’m pretty sure that’s the last thing I want."

Vanya shook her head. "No, don’t worry about that. I can say for certain. You’re a master at deception when it matters. You tricked hundreds of demons, led them to their own destruction. That’s not something just anyone could pull off."

"But you said I’m easy to read."

She tilted her head slightly. "Only when it comes to the people you care about. That’s how I knew, there was no way you weren’t thinking about your sister’s safety. So yes, we can bring her along to Vensalor Island."

She let out a gentle sigh, her expression softening.

"And you don’t have to worry. I’ll stake my life on it. Both of you will be safe. I won’t let anything happen to you, or to her, while we’re on Vensalor Island."

Tave gave a slow nod. "Okay... I think it’ll be better if Lily comes with us too."

But then he paused, his mind racing through possibilities again.

"No... it’s safe. I can trust that the Vensalor Kingdom isn’t full of people that are conniving or dangerous. There are still risks, yes. But bringing Lily to Vensalor Island is the right choice."

And then he noticed it. Vanya’s expression, slightly puzzled, watching him silently.

That’s when it hit him. He’d just said all that out loud.

"Sorry..." he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Vanya chuckled softly and replied, "I won’t let you down."

After that, the discussion shifted to what Tave might need for the mission over the next two days.

"Do you think Vellion and Elowen will be enough, Tave?" Vanya asked.

"There aren’t many people I can trust right now," Tave replied. "And bringing Elowen is the right move. She can help relay any information to you if we find something."

Vanya nodded, accepting his reasoning.

Tave continued, listing the supplies he might need. Weapons, support tools, anything that could give them an edge.

"I’ll return here tonight," he said as he stood. "There’s something I need to take care of first."

They stood facing each other, holding each other’s gaze for a quiet moment. Tave hesitated.

Until the princess spoke first. "I need to say... Thank you. Truly. For what you did to get us out of the emergency rift. That only happened because of you."

Tave gave a small nod. He knew exactly how to respond to someone like Vanya, someone who always said exactly what she felt.

"This wouldn’t have been possible without the rest of you either," he said simply. "I just used everyone’s strengths the best I could."

"That..." Vanya replied with a faint smile, "was very honest of you."

"Yes, I’m someone who’s good at using others," he said, half-teasing. "What do you think?"

Vanya’s smile lingered. "I trust you. Don’t push it."

Tave smiled back. "You wouldn’t get the chance to regret it anyway."

She took a breath, then stepped a little closer. "Take care."

Tave stood still for a moment, his eyes locked on hers. "Yes. Sure."

And then, just as he turned to go, her voice came softly behind him. Barely above a whisper.

"Your life... is mine too."

Tave froze.

The words hung in the air, heavier than they sounded. He turned his gaze back to her, and for a heartbeat, everything seemed to stop. Time halted. His thoughts quieted. He knew what he needed to do. But he hesitated.

Until...

Vanya stepped forward and gently pressed her forehead to his chest.

Tave lifted his right hand, resting it lightly on her shoulder. His left arm moved instinctively, wrapping around her back. Holding her close.

And in that simple moment, something inside him settled. This—this was what he needed. What they both needed.

The silence between them wasn’t empty. It was full. Full of calm. Full of quiet understanding. Like a current flowing through his mind, clearing the clutter, the fear, the doubt.

It was like a surge of strength flowing into him. Quiet, invisible, but steady. A force that reminded him he could make it through.

All of it.

The overwhelming challenges that seemed beyond reason.

The impossible paths he had no choice but to walk.

The enemies, the battles, the weight of every step forward.

No matter what stood in his way. He could face it.

Vanya slowly stepped back, and their eyes met again.

"Share your burdens with me, okay?" she said softly, but with conviction. "We’re together."

We’re together?

Tave repeated the words in his mind, letting them echo.

Vanya smiled gently, her voice calm and warm as she spoke:

"Staying cautious and vigilant. That’s wise. But sometimes... We have to know when to take a step back and choose to trust. To let someone else carry the weight with us."

Tave let her words settle in his mind, slowly absorbing their meaning. But beneath the quiet calm, a thought stirred. One he couldn’t voice just yet.

If only Vanya knew...

That the one who brought him into this world was someone he’d spent nearly every day writing about.

Someone who lived and breathed within his stories. Until suddenly, Tave became part of that story himself.

Maybe she deserved to know. Maybe... one day.

He wasn’t sure when or how, but he knew it couldn’t be now. Not yet.

The moment would come. When things were steady, when there was time, when he could truly explain.

He smiled softly, and replied, "Thanks. I’ll be back soon."