"Don"t worry, both Zinya and I know a lot about it." Kamila held Lith"s hand, moved by his words. Usually, healers had G.o.d complex. Hearing him admitting his own limits was proof of how seriously Lith was considering the matter.

"The real problem will be convincing her to get treated and how to deal with her husband."

"I can a.s.sure you the latter will not be an issue." Lith had a psycho killer smile that gave Kamila the creeps and forced Solus to step in.

"You are Lith Verhen now, not Derek McCoy. You have no known reason for a personal vendetta against that kind of man. You are scaring Kamila out of her wits." She thought.

Lith snapped out of his b.l.o.o.d.y daydreams and noticed his girlfriend"s distress. He took a deep breath and wore his best mask for the occasion.

"Sorry, I got carried away. Still, dealing with a dirtbag is easy, but if the patient doesn"t want to be treated, there"s nothing I can do." He said.

Kamila sighed in relief. He was back to be the person she knew and loved. She even felt flattered for him taking her sister"s situation personally.

"I know. That"s why I want you two to meet. Maybe Zinya will change her mind if she knows that her Healer doesn"t think of her as just a number on his personal record. Are you free tomorrow morning?" She asked.

"For you, I"m free the whole day."

"I wish. I"m in the middle of a bad case, I had to beg my supervisor just to get a few hours leave. Once we are done with Zinya, I have to rush back to work and we will not see each other before dinner." Kamila"s shoulders slouched.

She had long since dreamed of becoming a Royal Constable, yet between the training and the fieldwork, she was already missing her job as an army handler. The pay was average and the work repet.i.tive, but at least it usually left her quite a bit of free time.

"Then go to bed, you need some rest. I"ll join you as soon as I"m done with the kitchen and a long, cold shower." Lith said while plates and cutlery floated in mid air to be cleaned by a mix of soap, water, and darkness magic.

"Thank you very much. You have no idea how much freeing my sister from that monster"s clutches means to me." She said while hugging him tightly from behind.

"I know it all too well." Lith could feel his rage trying to manifest outside his mind, but he kept it at bay and said:

"There"s no jury in the world that would convict me if I pounced on you now. It would be a clear case of self defence."

"Pervert." Kamila chuckled as she gave him a good night kiss before disappearing in the bedroom. She really did feel very tired, but the worst thing was that things had already changed.

"Whatever I do, I"m afraid that Lith might think that I"m bribing him with s.e.x or sweet talk. G.o.ds, I"m so happy he agreed to help us, yet I"m so scared about how things will turn out." Kamila"s stomach was churning out of stress.

Meanwhile, Lith took a very cold shower to calm his nerves. The idea of facing a man who resembled his first father made his blood turn into magma.

"You did well not suggesting her to kill this Fallmug guy. I think it would have scared her to death. Remember that a lot of people have a problem with your switch personality." Solus thought before asking:

"Why are you taking so long with the shower?"

"To give Kamila the time to think and me an excuse to think she is already asleep. This is not how I pictured my first date with her after my return. This is d.a.m.n awkward." Lith thought.

Lith was regretting both his earlier attempt at seducing her and his stupid s.e.x jokes, but back then he had no idea Zinya"s situation was that bad. He thought it was just an unhappy marriage.

"Tomorrow I"ll need your help to not level the neighborhood."

"Don"t worry, we"ll deal with this problem like we always do. Together." Solus thought.

***

The following day, city of Xylita

Lith and Kamila reached the Sarta Household in a matter of minutes after walking through the city Warp Gate. His flight spell brought them quickly to their destination. Xylita wasn"t located in the Kellar region nor the Distar Marquisate, so Lith had no authority as a Ranger nor as a Baron there. It was the reason he was wearing the deep green robe that identified him as a Great Mage.

Power was something that even the most stupid people respected.

"You have no idea how much I"d like you to go full Othre on them, but I can"t afford to play hero. Whatever we do, it will be Zinya to pay the consequences." Kamila said after looking at Lith"s stern face.

He was wearing the same expression he had while fighting Thrud"s meat puppets and even though it was addressed against her, his bloodl.u.s.t was almost tangible.

"Don"t worry. I came here to visit a patient and kick a.s.s. And I"m all out of patients." Lith replied making her laugh.

Kamila stepped forward and knocked on the door. It was her problem, so it was up to her to face it.

Vylna, the housemaid and current mistress of the master of the house, was surprised seeing Kamila come back so soon. Her expression turned into a smug grin as she prepared to repeat to Kamila her master"s words.

Then, she went pale and chocked on her rehea.r.s.ed speech, leaving Kamila flabbergasted.

"I"m back to see Lady Sarta." Kamila said while wondering why the housemaid stood there with both her eyes and mouth wide open.

She had no way to know that a huge ma.s.s of spirit magic was slithering around the housemaid, making it hard for her even to breathe. The pure and unbridled killing intent it was imbued with made the experience utterly terrifying.

Lith"s eyes returned to normal when Kamila turned around to check on him.

During that short moment of respite, Vylna"s survival instinct took the wheel.

"Please, come in. Lady Sarta is in the tea room, like always." She handed to Kamila her master key.

"Thanks. You don"t need to accompany us. I know the way." Kamila walked double time, eager to check on her sister. Yet Lith remained behind, never averting his eyes from the maid"s even when the door suddenly closed behind him by itself.

"I usually don"t prey on the weak. It"s cruel and pointless since you have nothing I want. Yet if you stand in my path, if you do anything to harm those close to me, I will end you." Lith raised his hand slowly as if he was about to grab her throat.

Vylna was paralyzed by fear, almost suffocating due to the mana that pressed on her from every side.

"Feel free to eavesdrop or call your master. Becoming a Great Mage means receiving a Royal Pardon. All I need is a good reason to use mine." Those words sent a hot liquid trickling along Vylna"s legs.

It wet her shoes before forming a stain on the carpet.