The next morning, Ren had intended to take a small break. He wanted to get away from the bustle of the palace and enjoy a simple morning, while visiting Alfred and Bella—the pair of Penal tigers now temporarily housed in the royal stables along with their three cubs.
Ren’s car was parked not far from the horse stables. The area was quiet, a comfortable enough place to serve as a makeshift workshop and a quiet corner for Ren to reflect and tinker with his combat gear. Beneath the shade of a large tree, he opened the back door of his car, which had long been converted into a portable workspace.
His green armor, the key to his victory against Veskar, now lay spread out across a foldable metal table. Deep scratches marred its surface, patches of mithril plating were peeled off, and hairline fractures spidered across the jet stabilizer supports.
"Wake up, daddy’s here," Ren muttered, plugging a data cable into a port just below his collarbone plate.
『Welcome back, Master,』came Ultro’s familiar voice from the interface.
Ren settled into his folding chair, took a deep breath, then nodded. "Scan and show me the damage."
A monitor on the inside of the car door flickered to life. A damage map of the armor appeared, highlighting damaged sections in glowing red, while the intact parts shimmered in cool blue. Ren studied it calmly, noting every detail—more like a mechanic than a hero.
"Just as I thought... the right stabilizer and backup cooling system are completely shot," he whispered, jotting quick notes onto his metallic tablet. "Still, this battle data... it’s priceless."
He gave a faint smile—not because of victory, but because he knew every scar was a lesson learned.
"Ultro, what’s the probability I’ll get roasted alive if I use the armor in its current condition?"
『Based on the last energy release calculations, there is a 62.7% chance, Master.』
Ren clicked his tongue. "Ah, so... only sixty-two percent? Sounds safe enough. Let’s just put it on and jump into a volcano while we’re at it."
『I could plot a course to the nearest volcano, Master. However, I’m uncertain if that falls under your recreational plans.』
Ren chuckled quietly, rubbing his face. "Damn, sometimes I forget who’s more sarcastic between us."
『I merely adapt to your communication style, Master.』
"I’m proud of you." Ren spun his chair around and typed something into the terminal. "Okay, focus. If I replace the accelerator vent with a mithril-bronze alloy layer, would it hold stable?"
『Durability would increase by 14%. However, there is a risk of heat resonance feedback.』
"Heat resonance? Oh, fantastic. The armor might start singing before it explodes."
『Would you like me to install an audio system to accompany your demise, Master? Your favorite song might be a suitable choice.』
"Don’t give me bad ideas, Ultro. We might end up actually building disco armor at this rate."
『I have already archived the design schematics for your unreleased "Disco Armor" project.』
"...Alright, now you’re just being cruel."
Ren stood up, picking up a chunk of mithril from the table. He weighed it in his hand for a moment before grinning.
"Alright. Let’s try something a little crazy."
『Initiating fire-suppression protocols.』
"Exactly what I need."
Ren settled back into his chair, his left arm merging with the Material Transmutation panel. Around him, small machines began to hum, and the blue light of energy streams reflected off the modified metal walls of his mobile workshop. The hiss of metalworking and the crackle of heat became the steady rhythm of a busy afternoon.
The room was silent, save for the soft noise of machinery and Ultro’s occasional sarcastic comments—sounding exactly like an overly honest coworker. And strangely, it was that exact kind of atmosphere that made Ren feel most at ease, as if everything was finally moving according to plan.
But the peace didn’t last long.
Suddenly, a red warning light flared up on the control panel, followed by the sharp beep of a hazard detection alarm. The vehicle’s internal defense systems blinked to life, and Ultro immediately issued a warning.
『Master, high-energy entity detected approaching. Distance... 24 meters and closing fast.』
Ren paused his work, not reacting immediately. Instead, he slowly stood up, pushed open the back door of the car, and stepped outside with a neutral expression.
"Yeah... and here I thought I could finish this project in peace."
The late afternoon sunlight bathed him as he stood on the rocky ground beside his workshop. A gentle breeze tugged lightly at his hair. Before him, two figures emerged from the shadows—one of whom he recognized instantly.
Veskar stood tall beside the princess, his body fully healed. Though his appearance still carried the sheen of a chitinous outer shell and the occasional twitch of his antennae, there was a calmness to his posture now. He was no longer the raging beast who had rampaged across the skies, but rather a knight who had found his way back to himself.
Beside him, the bee princess stood in the form of a young girl. Her delicate wings trembled slightly under the sunlight, and her wide eyes gazed at Ren with pure curiosity. Her face was soft, as if she had never once harbored resentment toward anyone—not even toward the man who had once nearly destroyed her guardian.
『Master!』 Ultro’s voice snapped sharply to life, immediately identifying Veskar from previously stored data.
Ren slowly raised his hand, signaling to calm down.
"It’s alright, Ultro. They’re not here as enemies now."
Veskar stepped forward. His voice was deep but controlled. Then he lowered himself onto one knee, bowing his head low. It wasn’t an act of defeat—it was an act of respect.
"I... offer my apologies," he said hoarsely but firmly. "For the mindless attack while under the slave spell... and for raising my spear against you, foreign knight."
Ren widened his eyes slightly. He hadn’t expected Veskar to go this far. Yet there was no pride in Veskar’s posture—only sincerity and the dignity of a warrior.
"I was just trying to survive. We both know you could’ve killed me if you’d been in your right mind," Ren replied flatly, though his eyes showed that he appreciated the apology.
Veskar slowly lifted his head. "Exactly because you didn’t... I owe you a life debt. And by the code of the hornet knights, such a debt is never left unpaid."
Ren exhaled, resting one hand on his hip. "If you really want to pay me back, don’t show up in the middle of the night and blow up my front gate."
The bee princess giggled softly behind Veskar, covering her small mouth with her hand. Her laughter was clear, and her smile was so sweet that it instantly dissolved the tension in the air.
"He’s serious, you know," she said softly but loud enough for Ren to hear. "Veskar has never bowed his head to anyone but our queen..."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? So I’m the first!?"
The princess nodded innocently, then slowly stepped closer. Her petite figure barely reached Ren’s waist, but her courage was remarkable. Without hesitation, she grabbed onto Ren’s arm and clung to him affectionately.
"And also... I have chosen you," she said quietly, as if stating the most natural thing in the world.
Ren froze instantly. "W-What?!"
Veskar stepped forward, rescuing the moment with a calm tone as if he were explaining the weather. "You were chosen by the princess. Do you remember accepting nectar from her mouth?"
Ren stiffened, his breath catching. "That... Yeah. But don’t tell me—"
Veskar nodded once. "It was part of the marking ritual. A form of bond we use to designate someone as belonging personally to the queen. Much like what happened to me when I became her protector."
Ren went pale. He took half a step back, his shoulders stiffening like a man who just received a military draft notice. "No, no, no... This has to be a joke. I’m just a human!"
But the princess simply smiled brightly, as if she didn’t notice his growing panic at all.
"And," Veskar continued without hesitation, "our kingdom formally invites you to our territory. Our queen wishes to meet you personally to express her gratitude... and possibly bestow upon you an honorary title."
Ren slowly shook his head, his expression collapsing like a man who just found out his electric bill had increased tenfold.
"No way... I haven’t even finished resting from the Elf Kingdom mess, and now... bugs too!?"
He dropped his head beside the car, staring up at the clear blue sky as if hoping a meteor would fall and end everything.
After a while, Ren calmed himself and sat back down in the rear of his car, grabbing a drink from the small rack beside the control panel. The cold liquid refreshed his throat, helping to clear his spinning thoughts. One particular question grew heavier and couldn’t be ignored any longer.
"Veskar..." Ren finally broke the silence. "Was it really that easy... to bind you with a slave spell?"
Veskar, standing not far away, slowly turned his head, meeting Ren’s gaze with a calm yet serious look. "No. It’s not that easy. For ordinary human mages, it’s almost impossible, especially against knights like me who have natural resistance to binding magic."
Ren frowned. "Then how did they pull it off?"
"The commander of the Yordan Kingdom’s Department of Magic... that person is no ordinary mage. His mana capacity is extremely high, and his techniques are intricate and precise. He knew exactly where to strike," Veskar said heavily, clear disdain in his voice.
Ren leaned back, absorbing the answer. "I thought he was captured. Isn’t he supposed to be in the dungeon with King Yordan?"
Veskar slowly shook his head. "No. There’s no trace of him here."
Ren was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"We—especially me—have the natural ability to mark a target. It’s similar to how we track nectar in fields. We can sense the unique energy signature of individuals, even if they disguise themselves. And as of now... I sense nothing of him anywhere in this kingdom."
Ren fell silent, his brow furrowing deeply. "So you’re saying... he escaped?"
"Yes. Most likely, he left the area as soon as the battle started, after ensuring the control spell on me was fully active. That’s why I couldn’t resist it no matter how hard I tried."
Ren rubbed his temples slowly, unease rising again in his chest. "In that case... this whole war was strange from the beginning. Their moves weren’t like a normal invasion. It was too... calculated."
He stared out the car window, where the sun was starting to dip toward the western horizon. "I guess... I need to talk to Elaria. I want to know... if there was anything suspicious about that mage, or maybe even about the human kingdoms themselves."
Veskar simply nodded, offering no further comment. But from the look in his eyes, Ren understood—they were standing in the middle of a conspiracy deeper than any of them had realized.