Morning arrived, and the entire caravan buzzed with activity as people prepared to depart. Even after a night full of battle, everyone moved quickly. Exhaustion was visible, but they could not delay their client. Supplies were packed, tents folded, wheels checked, and guards reorganized for the day’s march.

  Helena was awake as well, sitting among everyone while eating breakfast. She looked perfectly relaxed, even cheerful, as if last night’s massacre had been nothing more than light exercise.

  Rob, sitting close to her, spoke with deep sincerity.

  "Miss Helena, I cannot thank you enough for saving us from disaster. If not for you, most of us would never have been able to see today’s sunrise. I am truly in your debt."

  Helena had food stuffed in her mouth, so she simply nodded. Rob did not mind. He looked relieved just to see her respond.

  Then he remembered something.

  "If I remember correctly, you are also heading to the capital city, Grant?"

  Helena nodded again while chewing.

  Rob continued, "Actually, we are also returning to the capital. If you like, would you care to join us? Either as part of the escort group or with my group. And naturally, I will pay you handsomely."

  Helena paused. Her chewing slowed.

  She thought for a moment. She wanted to see a big, crowded city again, and traveling with a group sounded comfortable. The capital would not run away, and her destination had not changed. Her speed would be slower, but she did not mind being late.

  She swallowed and replied,

  "Yes, I would love to join you. But can you tell me how many days it will take to reach the capital?"

  Rob answered, "I believe we will arrive in nine to ten days, as long as we do not run into trouble."

  He then looked toward Jinn.

  "You will not mind if Miss Helena joins us, right?"

  Jinn laughed loudly.

  "Mind? How could I mind Helena joining us? If anyone dares to complain, I will make sure they understand things clearly."

  Then he turned to Helena with a more serious expression.

  "Most of our nights will be spent outdoors. Only one night will be inside a town. Are you alright with that?"

  Helena answered without hesitation.

  "It is fine. I have a lot of experience sleeping in the open. I actually love it."

  "Good," Jinn said. "Then Miss Helena will be joining us as an escort."

  But something seemed to occur to him. His tone shifted slightly.

  "One more thing, Miss Helena. Will you be able to take orders from me? You are strong, extremely strong. And I do not mean to criticize, but strong people tend to be prideful. Some refuse to take commands from someone weaker than them. If that is the case, you can join Mr. Rob’s group instead and just help during emergencies."

  Rob nodded, agreeing with Jinn’s caution.

  Helena shook her head.

  "No. I am fine being part of the escort group. I do not mind taking orders from you."

  Jinn smiled widely.

  "Then it is settled. Miss Helena will officially be part of the escort team."

  The three of them confirmed their decision.

  Not far away, however, Laysandra and the two girls who had shared a tent with Helena last night were eavesdropping. Their faces had slowly drained of color. They vividly remembered the terrifying experience of being trapped by Night Grappler Helena.

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  More than ten nights traveling together.

  Laysandra slowly turned to the other girl with trembling lips.

  "Today… today is your turn to sleep beside her."

  ---

  The caravan moved forward at a steady, moderate speed. Wagons creaked softly, carriages rolled in smooth rhythm, and the escorts kept watch on all sides. Helena, riding her chopper, was positioned slightly ahead of the caravan along with the outriders on horseback. At first, the horses had been scared of the chopper’s sound, but after hours of exposure, they finally grew used to it.

  More than five hours had passed since their journey began. Warm sunlight fell across the plains, and the breeze brushing against Helena’s face made her yawn lazily. Riding her chopper at this painfully slow pace was real torture. She could outrun the whole caravan in seconds, but for now, she had to crawl with everyone else.

  For some reason, Jeji, who was supposed to be in the rear group, was riding beside them instead. He kept turning his head, staring at the chopper as if it were some legendary relic.

  Helena sighed. She was bored. Utterly, completely bored.

  Her chopper was running at barely thirty to thirty five, a speed she would have laughed at during her old days. She even wondered why she had not woken up at all during the Night Wolf attack. Were the wolves too weak to trigger her instinct? Or had decades of peaceful sleep on Earth dulled her alertness?

  Helena muttered to herself, "Am I rusty now? In my heyday, not even a mosquito could buzz near me. My alertness used to be perfect."

  She sighed again. "Whatever."

  But she needed to do something about this boring situation. Should she join the non fighters and ride in a wagon? No, she had already agreed to work as an escort. And even if she did switch, she would feel even more restless.

  Her eyes drifted again to the chopper’s speed meter. Still crawling.

  Jinn, riding beside her, chuckled and asked, "Are you bored?"

  Helena gave him a flat, tired look. "Yes. I am."

  Jinn laughed loudly. "Escort work is exactly like this. Honestly, I do not know if it is good or bad. Sometimes it is boring enough to make you sleep, and sometimes it is full of action. We are adventurers. We want excitement, but we also want a safe journey. It is a tough job."

  Helena yawned. "Yes. It is."

  She glanced behind her, then narrowed her eyes.

  "Why are you trying to avoid me?"

  Jinn blinked in confusion. "Trying to avoid you? Me?"

  Helena shook her head. "Not you. Him."

  She pointed her thumb behind her toward Krome, who rode slightly behind the chopper.

  Krome jerked so hard he almost fell off his horse.

  "Oh sh—"

  He barely regained his balance.

  Jinn stared, confused. Krome’s expression made everything clear. He had indeed been avoiding Helena since last night.

  Krome swallowed. He knew he could not hide from her. He had splashed her with a water spell while she was sleeping, and the look she gave him afterward nearly stopped his heart. Avoiding her had been pure survival instinct.

  But now he was caught.

  He urged his horse forward until he was beside Helena’s chopper. His smile was stiff and awkward.

  "Haha… no, no, Miss Helena. I was not avoiding you."

  Helena stared directly at him. "I know you were avoiding me since last night. I can tell."

  Krome’s throat tightened. Jinn looked between them, still unaware of the water incident.

  Helena sighed softly.

  "I am sorry."

  Krome froze. "Huh?"

  Why was she apologizing? Last night she had demanded an apology from him. Why was the situation reversed?

  Helena said gently, "I am apologizing for being angry at you. It was not your fault. I have trouble waking up once I fall asleep. You were trying to save everyone. So I want to apologize for getting angry unreasonably."

  Krome’s mind collapsed.

  Is she joking?

  I almost had a heart attack last night.

  I aged ten years.

  My soul nearly left my body.

  But he could not say any of that. And if he refused her apology, what if she got angry again?

  He forced a strained smile.

  "No, no, Miss Helena. You do not need to apologize. It was also my fault for waking you that way. Anyone would get angry if cold water hit them while sleeping."

  Helena reached into her storage ring and pulled out a pair of shining daggers. She held them toward Krome.

  "Here. Take these."

  Krome stared. As a dagger specialist, he recognized quality immediately. His own weapons were good, but these were far better. Beautifully shaped. Strange design, but clearly deadly.

  "I cannot accept them," he said quickly.

  Helena frowned slightly.

  "Just take them. Do not make me say it again. Use them however you like. I made them myself."

  Krome hesitated and looked at Jinn.

  Jinn gave a small nod, signaling him to accept.

  Krome leaned sideways and took the daggers carefully. When he turned them, sunlight refracted across the blades, creating rainbow colored glints.

  "They are… pretty," he whispered.

  Helena nodded. "Take care of them."

  The daggers were not artifacts, nor made by her craftsman friend. They were crafted by Helena herself with her matter manipulation ability. She could not create true artifacts without the proper awakened trait, but she could shape and form weapons of incredible quality. It was another kind of crafting for her.

  Krome tried to hide it, but he was as happy as a child with new toys.

  ---

  The second night on the road settled quietly over the camp. Helena was outside eating dinner with a few adventurers, but inside her tent, a tense negotiation was underway.

  Laysandra, Clara, and Sasha sat in a small circle. Their expressions were serious, far more serious than the topic deserved.

  Because the topic was:

  Who would sleep beside Helena tonight.

  The tent was not big enough for everyone to avoid her entirely. One person had to sleep next to Helena. And that person would become the sacrifice.

  Laysandra looked at Sasha with a grave expression.

  "Tonight, you are sleeping beside her."

  Sasha blinked hard. "W… why me?"

  Laysandra crossed her arms.

  "Because yesterday, Clara and I already had our turns wrestling with her."

  Clara shivered at the memory.

  The night before, after the wolf attack, Laysandra had switched sleeping spots with Clara. Clara had not understood at first. A few hours later, she learned the truth.

  She had woken up trapped in Helena’s arms like a prisoner wrapped by a giant, affectionate serpent.

  And she had not dared to wake Helena. Not after seeing the chaos Helena unleashed on the battlefield.

  Clara turned pale thinking about it.

  "She did not let me go until sunrise. I thought my spine would snap."

  Sasha looked horrified.

  "I do not want to die like that. What if she squeezes me to death?"

  But Laysandra only smiled softly.

  "No. She will not. I am completely sure."

  Both Clara and Sasha looked at her in confusion.

  Laysandra looked down at her hands. She remembered Helena muttering in her sleep, soft and aching.

  "Hana… why do you not sleep with Mom… Hana…"

  Laysandra took a slow breath.

  Helena is not hugging us randomly. She is dreaming about someone. A girl named Hana. She must miss her daughter. That kind of embrace comes from a mother’s longing. She will not hurt someone she thinks of as a child.

  She did not explain all of this.

  Instead she said again, gently but firmly,

  "She will not hurt you. I promise."

  Sasha swallowed hard.

  "Why does that somehow make me even more scared?"

  Clara nodded quickly. "Yes, same."

  The three girls exchanged suffering glances.

  Outside, Helena sneezed lightly, unaware of the emotional war being fought over who would become her next body pillow.

  Author Note -

  Ten Chapters in. Thank you for your time, patience, and for giving this story a chance.

  The current release schedule is one chapter every two days. If that changes, I will inform you in advance at the end of a chapter.

  Thanks again for reading.