Chapter 2

Valen gritted his teeth and glared at me, as if unable to believe I was actually kicking him out.

"Fine! Sera, don't you dare come begging me to crawl back!"

He spun around furiously, heading for the door.

"Wait."

Valen stopped, a smug, mocking smirk playing on his lips, clearly thinking I was about to beg him to stay.

"Leave the coat you’re wearing, and the spatial storage ring on your wrist."

"I paid for all of it. Since you’re chasing pure love, don't take my things with you."

Valen’s face drained of color.

The coat he wore was made of "Crimson Silk," a rare artifact I had spent a whole year tracking down just to soothe his Ascension pain.

And his storage ring was packed with precious materials he had accumulated over the years.

"Sera! Are you insane?"

"Sera! How can you push Valen like this?"

Chloe burst into the room, shielding Valen with her body, her face twisted in righteous indignation.

"Just because you have money doesn't mean you can trample on his dignity!"

"He is so weak right now. Stripping him of his gear is basically sentencing him to death!"

I looked at my so-called best friend, who lived in an apartment I lent her and relied on my handouts every month.

"Chloe, I’m taking my apartment back tomorrow."

"And the $346,000 you owe me—wire it to my account by 8:00 AM tomorrow."

Chloe’s face turned instantly pale, her lips trembling. "Sera... how can you calculate things so coldly with me? Aren't we best friends?"

"Does a best friend form a life-and-death Soul-Bond with her friend's partner while she’s away on a business trip?"

Valen pulled Chloe into his arms, glaring at me. "Don't you dare talk to her like that! I was the one who insisted on the bond. She was willing to risk her life for me, while you only know how to humiliate people with money!"

He sneered, aggressively ripping off the coat and throwing the storage ring onto the floor.

"Let's go, Chloe. We can live perfectly fine without her charity."

Supporting each other, the two walked out of the door.

I massaged my throbbing temples.

The drama of the last few hours, combined with the exhaustion of my long business trip, made my mental energy dip dangerously low.

A strong, warm hand supported my arm.

Leon looked down at me.

A pure, gentle wave of Holy power radiated from his palm.

It flowed through my veins, instantly soothing the sharp pain in my head.

"You shouldn't waste your energy on people like them, my lady."

I looked up at him.

He was exceptionally tall, and his blue eyes were fixed on me with absolute devotion, free of any hidden motives.

Curious, I poked his hard chest plate.

"Weren't you afraid the Inquisition would track you down when you drew your sword just now?"

Leon’s breath hitched, and a faint blush crept up his ears.

"If it is to protect you," he lowered his eyes, his deep voice sounding like a sacred vow, "even if I must face the entire Inquisition, I will not take a single step back."