Seeing these phenomena, Ronald and the other servants stood in front of me to protect me from any mishap. However, I ordered them to stay still because I wanted to see her awaken. There, surrounded by different colored dragons, she looked even more beautiful than usual. Her oval face and pink hair gave her a unique beauty, like a sage in meditation. I was mesmerized by her.
Soon, the awakening reached its peak. With a bang, a golden light shot out from her and pierced through the roof of the training hall. I was sure this pillar of light could be seen from a long distance. Her awakening would surely create a huge stir in the city.
The pillar of light became stable but did not fade away. It was as if Lina was connecting to the heavens, challenging its might while awakening. Suddenly, a dragon's roar echoed around us. The roar was majestic, neither too loud nor too soft. It inspired a sense of awe that made one want to kneel. With her roar, the pillar of light faded, and the phenomena around her vanished as if nothing had occurred.
She still looked healthy, though there was a hint of tiredness in her body. When she opened her eyes, her gaze was indifferent, as if I were just a speck of dust to her. I noticed something in her expression; she seemed different, unrecognizable as my Lina.
Thinking this made my heart race. I kept my eyes on her. Then, suddenly, she fainted, unable to bear the energy her body held. Not wanting her to fall, I ran to her and supported her. She lay on my lap, unconscious.
I didn't want to wake her, so I picked her up and carried her. I told Ronald, "Prepare a room for her."
After saying this, I looked at her face. With her eyes closed, she looked very cute. I didn't know what had happened earlier during the awakening, but I vowed to figure it out sooner or later.
Life had given me another chance by allowing us to meet again. I wasn't going to waste it. As I walked while carrying her, I stumbled upon an awakening stone at the entrance of the training hall. I kicked it out of the way, but I didn't understand why my head started to hurt afterward. It was a stinging pain, like someone waking me from deep sleep.
Ignoring the pain, I walked with urgency, knowing that the commotion from her awakening would attract unwanted attention. Soon, I heard a sound, something banging against metal. Without my command, Ronald came to my side. He said, "Master, some people are trying to enter our mansion. They demand that we release Miss Lina, claiming you have kidnapped her. They are trying to force their way in, but our guards have stopped them."
Upon hearing this, I commanded him to prevent their entry until I returned. I wasted no time and took Lina to the room that had been prepared for her. This room had everything she needed, including a life support system, along with a doctor and nurse on standby to monitor her situation.
As I laid her on the soft bed, I gently tucked her hair behind her ear, which had fallen across her face. Looking closely at her stirred a strong urge to kiss her, but I resisted. Instead, I softly hummed her favorite song in her ear.
"When night has come,
And the land is gone,
And the moon is the only light,
I want you, darling, to stand by me."
As I hummed this song, I walked out of the room toward the mansion entrance, still finding comfort in the melody.
"Darling, darling, stand by me,
Just as long as you stay,
Stand by me,
I want you to stand by me,
Just as long as you stay,
Stand by me."
I didn't know why, but humming this song made me emotional. It was almost as if I were a lovesick teenager. I pushed those feelings aside and focused on the situation as I exited the mansion.
Once outside, I walked toward the entrance of my estate. I saw the large gate was broken, and the emergency gates, which usually stayed hidden, had become the main entrance.
My guards were trying to stop some intruders. Seeing this, I said sharply, "Everyone stop now. If our guest wants to enter, let them through."
I didn't know why, but intruders spoiled my mood. At that moment, I should have been caring for Lina while she was unconscious, but the intruders changed everything, souring my mood. Instead of looking like a lovesick boy, I felt more like an angry grump learning that his home was going to be demolished by the government.
Hearing my order, everyone supporting the gate looked back at me. After some thought, one of them, the captain of the security team, said, "Master, I don't think that's wise. These intruders are suspected to have malicious intent."
Considering his words, I asked, "Did you notify the police, the administration, and request backup from our other facilities?"
He responded proudly, "Yes, sir. I immediately sent a report to the authorities with video footage of the intruders trying to break into the mansion. I also messaged our mercenary group and some friendly forces for backup."
I nodded as he briefed me on the situation. While we were talking, Ronald approached me with a phone. He said, "Master, your reinforcements are on the way. They should arrive in one or two minutes."
However, it had not been a minute when I heard banging sounds from the emergency gate. Analyzing the situation, I instructed Ronald, "Go get weapons from the armory and arm every man we have. Get the Martial master-grade weapons."
He hesitated and said, "Master, those weapons are illegal to use in the city. They are military-grade, and if authorities find us with them, we could be in serious trouble."
In response, I said, "Ronald, this situation is different. We need to use everything we have. According to Imperial law section 3, every person has the right to defend their legal territory against intruders, even if it means using deadly force. So do as I say; I'll handle the authorities."
He understood after hearing my words, then commanded through his communication device. Soon, a dozen guards arrived with heavy crates. Upon opening them, they took out high-tech-looking guns with dark metallic bodies and muzzles. These were indeed military-grade weapons banned in this city. Properly used, they could take down a Martial master.
Regarding how I obtained them, my company manufactures these weapons, and I possessed even more dangerous ones in my mansion. However, taking those out would be overkill and make it hard to explain to the authorities why I had them. Still, if it came to that, I could easily destroy half the city if I wanted to.