The rain poured down relentlessly, soaking Charles and Nora's tunics as they trudged through the muddy terrain of the Storm Clan.

Charles carried Nora piggyback, her arms around his neck and his left hand firmly holding her legs to keep her from slipping.

In his right hand, the black sword emitted a golden glow that lit the path, though its radiance was starting to draw more attention than Charles wanted.

They'd climbed the mountain, crossed the forest, and finally reached the clan's village, but now they were nearing an area Charles recognized all too well: the spot where he'd had an unpleasant run-in with the clan's guards a few hours ago.

The last thing he needed was another confrontation, especially with Nora on his back and a talking sword that wouldn't stop butting into his thoughts.

Charles frowned, eyeing the sword's golden light.

'Tone down that glow,' he thought, addressing the sword in his mind. 'I don't want the whole clan staring at us.'

The sword let out a sound like a huff but complied.

The golden glow faded, leaving the blade a dull black that barely reflected the light of the few torches lining the path.

Now, under the rain and darkness, Charles and Nora were just two drenched figures moving through the village.

But luck wasn't on their side.

After a few more steps, two guards emerged from the shadows, blocking their way.

Their cloaks were soaked, and their expressions mixed suspicion with irritation.

"Hey, you!" said the first, a tall man Charles recognized instantly.

It was the same guard he'd clashed with earlier.

"What are you doing wandering around at this hour? And what's with that sword? I don't remember you having one before."

Charles stayed calm, but the sword seized the chance to chime in.

"Ha!" it said in his mind, its tone mocking. "Look at these guys, itching for a fight. With me, you could have them on the ground in two seconds, human. Come on, show them who's boss!"

Charles clicked his tongue mentally, trying to ignore it.

'Chill out,' he thought firmly. 'I'm not fighting them. I don't need more trouble.'

Before he could respond to the guards, Nora, who had been quiet until now, shifted slightly on his back.

Charles felt her grip loosen, and when he glanced back, he realized she'd fallen asleep, exhausted from the climb. But the guards' raised voices woke her, and she lifted her head with a groan.

"What's with all this noise?" Nora said, her tone more annoyed than tired. "We're coming back to the clan after a mission. Can you keep it down? Some of us are trying to rest, you know."

The guard raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.

"A mission?" he said with a touch of sarcasm. "Didn't you say you were out getting ice cream or something?"

Nora huffed, adjusting herself on Charles's back.

"Ice cream?" she said dryly. "We also handled a mission, genius. Now, if you don't mind, let us through."

The guards exchanged a glance, clearly skeptical.

The younger one, with a less hostile expression, seemed ready to let them pass, but the other wasn't convinced.

"A mission, huh?" he said, eyeing Charles up and down. "You're the kid who caused trouble last time, aren't you? I don't like your attitude, and now you show up with a weird sword. Something's off here."

Charles clenched his teeth, tempted to snap back but knowing it would only make things worse.

Before he could speak, Nora jumped in again, her tone more authoritative this time.

"Listen," she said, straightening up on Charles's back. "I'm a Master-rank clan member, and he's with me. If you've got a problem, report it. But let us pass right now."

Nora's rank seemed to work. The younger guard stepped back, and though the other still eyed them suspiciously, he finally moved aside.

"Fine…" he growled. "But this is going in the report. Don't think you're off the hook so easily."

Nora shrugged, still on Charles's back.

"Do what you gotta do," she said, her tone making it clear she didn't care. "Come on, Rian, let's go."

Charles nodded, relieved the encounter didn't escalate.

As they walked away, the guards watched in silence.

The younger one tapped his companion's shoulder and muttered something, gesturing toward Nora.

Charles couldn't help but notice that Nora's tunic was torn at the back, exposing her skin.

Plus, his left hand, holding her legs, was dangerously close to her backside.

The guard muttered something in response, and Charles caught the words "couple" and "how brazen" before they were too far to hear more.

The sword, of course, couldn't resist commenting.

"Ha!" it said in his mind, indignant. "Those humans are so rude! We should've taught them a lesson. A couple of swings, and they'd learn some respect. Why'd you let them get away with that?"

Charles sighed, tired of the sword's impulsive ideas.

'Not everything's solved by fighting,' he thought. 'Things don't work like that here. If I beat them up, I'll just draw more attention, and that's the last thing I want right now.'

The sword made a tongue-clicking sound, clearly annoyed.

"Why not?" it said. "Scared of those guards? With me, you'd be unstoppable! I don't get why you make it so complicated."

Charles ignored it, focusing on the path.

As they moved forward, he glanced back at Nora, who was awake but clearly exhausted.

"Thanks for getting me out of that," he said softly. "If you hadn't spoken up, they'd probably still be grilling me."

Nora smiled, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"No problem," she said, her tone relaxed. "Those guys just want to feel important. But, hey, now that I think about it… what are you gonna do with that sword? It's not exactly subtle."

Charles frowned, looking at the sword in his hand.

She was right.

A glowing, talking sword that could apparently turn human wasn't something he could carry around without raising suspicion.

"I don't know," he admitted. "It's not like I can just shove it in a closet and forget about it. Got any ideas?"

Nora laughed, though the sound was faint from exhaustion.

"Easy," she said. "Ask Lira for help. She can report the sword as something you found while exploring around the clan. They'll register it as yours, and no one will ask questions. It's a simple process."

Charles raised an eyebrow, surprised by how straightforward the solution sounded.

"Really?" he said. "It's that easy? They won't dig into where it came from?"

Nora shrugged, or tried to, from her position on his back.

"Probably not," she said. "The clan's got bigger things to worry about than a sword. Just make sure you don't do anything stupid with it."

The sword, eavesdropping, let out an indignant sound.

"Hey!" it exclaimed in Charles's mind. "I'm not just some object! And I don't like you making plans to hide me. I'm an ego sword, not some cheap dagger!"

Charles rolled his eyes mentally.

'Calm down,' he thought. 'I'm not hiding you. But you need to cooperate and not do weird stuff in public, got it?'

The sword grumbled but didn't reply.

Charles kept walking, noticing the surroundings becoming more familiar.

The lights of the clan's buildings started appearing through the rain, and the path grew brighter.

Some clan members passing by gave them curious looks, likely due to their disheveled state: soaked, with torn, muddy tunics.

Others just ignored them, busy with their own affairs.

Finally, they reached an area Charles recognized instantly: the dining hall, a place where he'd had more than one run-in in the past.

Memories of confrontations and hostile stares flashed through his mind, but he pushed them aside.

He didn't have the energy to dwell on that now.

Nora, seeming to regain some energy, spoke again.

"Good job, Rian," she said, her tone almost playful. "You're a top-notch ride. I enjoyed the trip, you know. I think you deserve a reward."

Charles frowned, confused.

"Reward?" he said, turning his head to look at her. "What are you talking about?"

Nora laughed and, with a slow movement, slid off his back, landing carefully on the ground. Her legs wobbled a bit, but she managed to stand.

Then, with a mischievous smile, she said:

"How about I help you with a bath? After everything you've done today, I think you've earned it."

Charles blinked, caught off guard.

His face warmed slightly, and a knot formed in his stomach.

"A bath?" he said, his tone more nervous than he intended. "No, thanks. I've got… other stuff to do."

Nora crossed her arms, clearly amused by his reaction.

"Come on, Rian," she said, stepping closer. "Don't be shy. You've been carrying me all day, facing all sorts of things, and even sliced open a wall with that weird sword. The least I can do is return the favor."

Charles swallowed, feeling the situation getting more awkward than he'd expected.

"Really, I'm fine," he said, taking a step back. "Besides, you need rest too. You're not exactly in shape to be offering favors."

Nora fell silent, glaring at him with mock annoyance.

The sword, listening in, couldn't resist chiming in.

"Ha!" it said in Charles's mind, its tone teasing. "This human's fun. Why're you getting so nervous? Don't want a bath with her?"

Charles groaned mentally, but in his distraction, he didn't notice Nora grabbing his wrist firmly, starting to drag him along.

"Follow me," she said with a grin.

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