The meeting didn’t last much longer. Soon enough, everyone was walking out of the meeting hall, and Red looked around the courtyard for Narcha. He couldn’t sense her any longer with his crimson sense.

“Is she not in the sect?” Eiwin approached him and asked with a frown.

Red shook his head. “I can’t sense her.”

The young woman sighed. “She will return eventually. When she does, I will talk to her about what happened and see if I can calm her down.”

Red hesitated. “… I don’t think that will work.”

Eiwin frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

The boy thought about his following words. “Narcha is past getting angry at these matters. I think she has made up her mind to do something reckless.”

Red wasn’t too familiar with the inner-workings of the human mind, but he spent long enough with Narcha to understand how the woman worked and how she processed her emotions. The manner with which she was acting now went against almost everything he knew about her, so Red was certain she made up her mind about something.

Of course, he could also warrant a guess as to what it was.

Eiwin was silent for a long while before nodding. “I will speak to her when she returns. Just make sure to let me know when you sense her.”

The woman didn’t wait for his response and walked away. Red could also feel that beneath Eiwin’s calm exterior, her fluctuation was in a storm, trying to hold back emotions of worry and anxiety.

Red sighed. He wasn’t looking forward to how things were about to develop over these next few days.

…

After visiting his Master Goulth and letting the man know about how the sword performed, Red excused himself back to his room. Although the boy enjoyed putting his skills to the test, the moments he prized the most in his cultivation journey were the quiet meditation sessions where he could think and absorb information about what he had gone through.

He reflected upon his battles. He thought back to that female cultivator’s wondrous fire spells, as well as his elder’s power using the Deep Sea Sword. Such skills and method of fighting were beyond anything Red understood, and the boy felt a strong sense of anticipation to a day where he could wield Spiritual Energy in such a manner too.

Night arrived quickly.

Red was cultivating and meditating deep into the night when he felt it. A fluctuation entering the sect.

It was Narcha.

The boy made to get up before he felt the woman walk straight towards his room.

‘Of course she knows.’

Red walked up to the door and opened it, finding the woman waiting for him with her arms crossed.

She nodded once she saw him. “I need to talk to you.”

Red frowned. “Eiwin told me to tell her when you came back.”

Narcha shook her head. “I will speak with her later. Just follow me.”

The woman didn’t wait for his response and walked away. Red sighed and closed the door behind himself before following her.

She led them towards the training grounds, the same place where Red had once asked her for help in secret for recovering his treasures in the forest. Narcha crossed her arms and leaned back into the fence, looking up at the night sky in thought.

There was a prolonged silence.

“… You’re leaving.” Red said.

“I am.” Narcha nodded with a calm expression.

The boy frowned. “Do the others know?”

“I think they suspect my intentions, but maybe they think that they can still change my mind.” She looked at Red. “What about you? Do you think you can change my mind?”

Red shook his head. “No, and I have no intentions to. If I was in your position, I probably wouldn’t have stayed for this long.”

Narcha smiled. “This is why I wanted to speak with you first, kid. I knew you would understand me. I care for this sect and the people in it, but at the end of the day, I’m still a cultivator.” She closed her eyes with a sigh. “I have things I have to do, things I want to accomplish in my life, and I won’t be able to see them done as long as I remain here. I won’t let myself turn into another old man of this sect.”

Red was reminded of a conversation he had with the different people in the sect. People like Rog, Goulth, and Domeron, who had mastery over their domains but still lamented the fact they couldn’t progress in the path of cultivation due to their talent. They spoke of how they wanted Red and the young members of their sect to achieve more than them and not to be stuck in the same position for their entire lives.

Red had no doubt that if they learned of Narcha’s intentions, they would approve. The same didn’t go for their other companions, however.

“They won’t be happy.” Red said.

Narcha snorted. “Don’t I know? Still, I made up my mind and nothing will convince me otherwise.”

“Where do you intend to go?” he asked.

The woman hesitated. “… To join the war efforts up north.”

Red frowned. “That seems dangerous.”

“It is extremely dangerous.” Narcha nodded. “However, I have asked around, and the kingdom is willing to offer rewards for contributions earned in the war. One of the rewards is a Parting Sea Pill, reserved especially for cultivators who have yet to open their Spiritual Sea.”

‘So that’s what she was doing earlier.’

“I can’t imagine it will be easy to earn something like that.” Red was skeptical.

“Not at all.” She shook her head. “I would basically need to earn enough contributions equivalent to killing a dozen Lesser Ring Realm cultivators.”

“… That sounds impossible.”

“Maybe, but over a couple years, you would be surprised at what you can achieve during a war. It would be cutting close for me, but it’s still achievable.”

“… You’re probably going to die.”

Narcha smiled. “Maybe, but that’s par for the course. Besides, you know better than anyone that to earn something you need to be willing to take on the risks, and I have been too passive for too long.”

Red sighed. “Why are you telling me this?”

She shrugged. “I just felt like talking to someone about it.”

“In that case, I’ll be going back-”

“No, wait!” Narcha put her hand on his shoulder. “… I have something to ask you.”

‘Here it comes.’

Red turned around and stared at her. “What is it?”

She hesitated. “… You see, part of the reason why I feel comfortable going away is because of you, Red. I don’t know where you came from, or what kind of fucked up secrets you are hiding, but I know what you’re capable of and what you’re willing to do to help this sect.”

Red frowned. “I’m not as altruistic as you think I am.”

Narcha scoffed. “Altruistic? You’re probably the most selfish person I know, but what matters is that you have never gone back on your word since you joined this sect. You risked your life to help my friends, and that is all that matters.”

Red had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going. “What do you want from me?”

“I want you to make me a promise.” Narcha said with an intense gaze.

Red sighed and looked up at the waxing moon. “I have made too many promises already.”

The woman smiled. “Then what’s one more on top of it?”

“What do you want?” Red repeated his question.

“I want you to promise me you’ll protect the people of this sect after I’m gone.” Narcha said.

The boy frowned. “They don’t need my protection.”

She shook her head. “You know that’s a lie. If it wasn’t for you, how many times would they have died already? You’re the most resourceful and cunning person in this sect, and I know that at the end of the day, you will always find a way to save us.”

Red shook his head. “You’re giving me too much credit. I got lucky a lot of times, too.”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t change what I said. If someone can pull through for us, I know it is you.”

Red hesitated. “… I can’t protect them from everything out there.”

“I’m not asking you to do the impossible. I’m asking you to do your best.”

“I was already going to do that even if you didn’t ask me.”

Narcha snorted. “Then just think of it as a way to give me peace of mind.”

Red sighed. “I promise I will do my best to protect them.”

She smiled. “Good. I feel more at ease now to do what I have to do.”

With these words, the woman began to walk away.

Red frowned. “Are you going to tell the others?”

“Maybe tomorrow.” the woman said as she returned to her room.

Red was left there alone, feeling the burden of this renewed responsibility the woman had dropped on his back. It was never the difficulty of accomplishing a certain promise that weighed heavy on the boy’s mind. Instead, it was the expectation and trust placed on him that gave him something to worry about.

However, if it was to give Narcha her peace of mind, then this was a burden Red was more than willing to take.

…

Red was woken up by the faint sounds of screaming from the courtyard.

‘She did leave it for the morning.’

He got up with a frown and just as he was about to open his door, someone knocked on it.

“Red!” Allen’s voice came through the other side. “You need to come out quickly!”

Red opened the door and was met with an Allen that seemed on the verge of tears.

“I-It’s Narcha!” The young master stumbled over his words. “She said she’s leaving!”

Red sighed. “Take me to them.”

Allen did as much, but it was not like the boy needed his help to find out where the argument was happening. They walked up to the meeting hall’s entrance, where Eiwin, Rimold, Rog, Domeron, and Goulth were gathered.

They all were carrying different expressions of shock and solemness, but the one that seemed the most stricken of them all was Eiwin. The young woman was looking at the ground with a pale and dazed expression.

The sounds of discussion were ongoing inside the hall.

“So that’s it?! You’re going to leave us when we need you the most?!” Hector’s voice seemed full of rage as he spoke.

“You need me?! You said it yourself! No one below the Spirit Core Realm will be able to make a difference, so what’s the point of me remaining here?!” Narcha was also holding nothing back.

“This is your responsibility! You took an oath! You can’t just leave our sect!”

“That is why I didn’t disappear and instead came to ask for permission!” Narcha said. “Let me go and do what I must! Once I have broken through, I will return!”

There was a silence following these words.

“… Go, then.” Hector said, his anger receding. “But don’t bother returning.”

“What do you…” Narcha sounded shocked.

“If you decide to go, then you will no longer be part of our sect.” the elder said.

Eiwin shuddered once she heard this.

Silence suddenly settled on the courtyard, before the sounds of hurried footsteps came from inside. Narcha opened the door and walked out, being met by the gaze of her companions waiting outside.

The faintest trace of hesitation appeared in her face as she looked over them, but it was quickly replaced by resolve. She began to walk towards the gate.

“Miss Valt!” Eiwin ran after her.

Narcha paused, but didn’t look back. “I’ll be fine, Eiwin. I will write to all of you, but as long as that old man is still alive, then I suppose I have no place here anymore.”

“Narcha, you…” Eiwin's voice quivered.

The warrior continued, her voice full of resolve. “I’m not one for goodbyes, so instead, I will say this: take care all of you. We will meet again some day.”

She didn’t say anything else and walked out of the courtyard, carrying only a pouch and the saber in her back.

“Narcha!” Allen went running after her.

“Don’t bother, kid.” Domeron interjected. “She made up her mind.”

Allen looked back at them with an angry gaze. “Are none of you going to say anything?! Are you just going to let our friend go?!”

None of them responded, and Eiwin seemed too dazed to even absorb his words.

The young master looked over at Red with a pleading gaze. “What about you, Red?! You need to convince her!”

Red shook his head. “There is no convincing her. All you can do now is respect her decision.”

“Screw that!” Allen ran back into the meeting hall. “Hector, you-”

A sudden gust of wind closed all doors and windows of the building before the young master could even step a foot inside. This didn’t stop him, however, as he started to bang on the door with his fists.

“Hector, you coward!” Allen said between his tears. “You can’t just do this! This sect doesn’t belong just to you!”

There was no response from inside.

That day, Allen continued to cry and bang at the door until he almost collapsed from exhaustion. The others all dispersed eventually, too, leaving behind a dazed Eiwin and a grieving Allen to recover.

They all knew that no words could bring those two out of their sorrow other than time.

…

Over the next couple of months, Narcha did as she promised.

She wrote back to the sect, informing them of the developments in the war and how she was adapting. The first clash with the Empire’s armies came almost three months after their formal declaration of war.

The kingdom’s armies did their best to hold on, but they continued to lose ground and suffer defeat after defeat. It all came to a head when Sir Bernard finally took the field, killing all the kingdom’s generals and causing them to suffer a crushing defeat that sent their main army into a rout.

After that, the sect didn’t receive any more news from Narcha, and they didn’t know whether she was dead or alive.

Without hesitation, Eiwin set off in search of her companion, much to Allen’s dismay. Hector didn’t offer any protest to her request, instead giving her the same ultimatum as he gave Narcha.

This wasn’t enough to stop Eiwin.

She set off, and over the next half year kept them informed about her search through letters. This eventually led her to the Great Serpent Canyon, where a lot of the survivors from the battle had fled to escape the Empire’s pursuit.

This was the last letter they received from Eiwin too, as the woman dove into this forbidden land in search of her friend.

After their departure, the sect was never the same again.

Just like that, Red grew and cultivated in peace and quiet on this once bustling courtyard for the next six years.