Before dawn, the sky was still gray. Halden Owen stood with his back against the wall, eyes open. He couldn't sleep. He had no desire to sleep. The habit of reaching for his waist appeared several times during the night. Each time, he grasped at empty air and was struck by reality. His sword was gone. Vincent Lila was still sleeping. He could hear her steady breathing. Outside, sentries from the Iron Fang Company passed by at regular intervals. Footsteps approaching, receding. Approaching again. As the eastern sky gradually brightened, the sound of hoofbeats began echoing from the edge of the settlement. One horse, two horses, three horses—and more. Halden Owen slowly rose to his feet. "Lila" Lila rubbed her eyes and sat up. In that instant, she looked out the window and froze. At the entrance to Toluca, mounted soldiers were lined up. Uniforms of uniform silver-gray armor. Knights of the Brenheim Kingdom. Counting them, there were at least thirty. The man at the front was in his mid-forties, tall, with a sun-darkened face marked by deep wrinkles. The gold shoulder insignia of a knight commander reflected the morning light. Calvin—Halden Owen knew that name. Twenty years ago, when Calvin was still in his teens, Owen had drilled the fundamentals of swordsmanship into him. The moment Calvin saw Halden Owen, his expression nearly crumbled. He barely held it together. "...Teacher" His voice trembled. In his hand was a folded document. "[cold] Halden Owen. I have brought a royal order for your detention." Residents gathered in the square. From behind buildings, they watched with frightened eyes. The mercenaries of the Iron Fang Company emerged as well, standing with solemn expressions—all of them under Markel Sergi's influence. Calvin unfolded the document. Its contents stated that Halden Owen had made contact with rebel forces in Granveld and was plotting armed action against the kingdom. The date, location, names of witnesses—specific information was included, making it appear authentic. Halden Owen understood. This was Sergi's work. Lila rushed forward. "[angry] Wait! The teacher has done nothing!" She stood in front of the knights. Her aqua hair was disheveled. Her golden eyes burned with anger. The next moment, three of Sergi's subordinates grabbed Lila's arms. She had no time to resist. They threw her down—Lila's body crashed against the red earth ground. A heavy thud echoed. "[scared] Lila!" Gaya, watching from the office window, cried out. The voice of the seventy-year-old woman tore through the morning air. But Lila couldn't hear it. The mercenaries stood like a wall. Lila lifted her face from the ground. Her knees were stained with red earth. She was crying. Crying, she reached out her hand. "[crying] Teacher...!" Halden Owen looked toward Lila. Just for a moment. Then he quietly extended both hands forward. "Calvin" "Yes" "My sword was taken last night. I will not resist." Calvin's jaw trembled slightly. Iron chains wrapped around Halden Owen's wrists. Clink, clink—the sound of metal echoed through the settlement. --- Markel Sergi stepped forward. She took out a handkerchief and held it to her eyes. Her voice shook. "[sad] Knight Commander... we were only trying to live in peace." Calvin's brows furrowed. "This old man appeared suddenly one night. And he began making secret contact with the mercenaries—threatening the residents, trying to force them to obey." The surrounding mercenaries nodded solemnly. Calvin looked toward the residents. "Is this story true?" he asked. No one answered. Fear kept their voices silent. That silence seemed like affirmation. Halden Owen opened his mouth. "[serious] It is true that I left the capital without permission. I acknowledge that." Calvin closed his eyes. "[serious] ...Is there any evidence?" Halden Owen said nothing. There was no evidence. He could not defend himself. Leaving the capital without permission was fact, his sword had been taken, and only those under the enemy's influence were here. Calvin bowed his head. Deep, deep. "[sad] Teacher... I am sorry." At that moment, a brown goat wandered slowly into the square from a side path of the settlement. The same stray goat that had butted Lila in Episode 4. The goat approached Sergi's feet and, without hesitation, bit her. Sergi's brow twitched for just an instant. Her tearful expression twisted for the briefest moment. Only one child among the residents let out a small laugh. Sergi's sharp gaze turned toward the child. The child immediately looked down. When that brief laughter faded, the square grew heavy again. Lila was still pinned to the ground, reaching toward Halden Owen. A knight stood between them. "[cold] I will take you to the capital." --- In one corner of Toluca's office, there was a hastily constructed makeshift cell. It was a crude room with wind blowing through gaps in the boards. The stone of the outer wall was exposed, and the floor was packed red earth. There were no windows. The light disappeared when evening came. Halden Owen was placed there, still chained. He had no sword. He didn't know where Lila was. He didn't know what state Gaya was in. At dusk, footsteps sounded beyond the bars. Markel Sergi came. She brought no subordinates. She came alone and crouched in front of the bars, lowering her gaze to match Halden Owen's height. "[cold] Thank you for coming, old swordsman." Her voice was devoid of warmth. "A hero who saved the continent fifty years ago, now bound in chains, believed by no one. Quite ironic, isn't it?" Halden Owen looked beyond the bars. He didn't answer. "[whispers] The times no longer need you." Her voice was a whisper. It entered directly into his ears. "Detained as a traitor by your own disciple, locked in a cell in the wasteland—your journey ends here." Sergi stood up. The sound of a key, then she walked down the corridor. Her footsteps faded. Eventually, they were gone. Halden Owen stared beyond the bars for a while. His wife Elis had died a year ago. Since then, he had never understood why he continued to swing his sword. He had left the capital thinking he would die in one final true battle. To fall as a swordsman. That was the only wish that remained. But now, even that sword was gone. His freedom was gone. Chained by his own disciple, locked in an enemy's cell. Everything he had built over seventy years had crumbled in a single night. Heat gathered in his eyes. Tears traced down his cheeks. Halden Owen had never shown tears in front of others before. But now, in the dark cell, with no one watching, tears fell quietly, steadily. --- Midnight came. Footsteps approached from outside the cell. Not the sound of a guard change. Lighter footsteps, those of a young person. A young soldier with a lamp appeared in front of the bars. Probably in his early twenties. He had a thin jaw and large eyes. He wore the uniform of the Brenheim Kingdom's knight company. "[whispers] ...Halden Owen." His voice was low. "My name is Talus. I am under Knight Commander Calvin." Calvin's disciple. Which meant this young man was Halden Owen's grand-disciple. "I came during the guard change. I thought... there's no way the teacher could be a traitor." Halden Owen looked at Talus's face. He was trembling. He had come despite his fear. "I read the secret document. The abandoned village of Cassa was named as a location for contact with the rebel forces." "Cassa" "Yes. But—" Talus lowered his voice further. "I passed through Cassa last week on a northern patrol mission. On the exact date mentioned in the document." Halden Owen moved. "Was there any suspicious gathering on that day?" "Nothing. The village remained a ruin, not a soul in sight. The date and location in the document—they don't match." Halden Owen began to think. There was a contradiction in the document Sergi had written. On the day the gathering at Cassa was supposed to have occurred, Talus had passed through and found nothing. If his testimony could be presented—there was a possibility Calvin would act. Talus was about to say something when both their gazes turned in the same direction at once. At the base of the bars. On the red earth floor, something lay. A short sword. It was the one Lila had dropped when she was seized. It lay just barely within reach beyond the bars. Talus stood without saying anything. He would leave before the guards returned. He disappeared down the corridor with his lamp, footsteps silent. Halden Owen approached the bars. The chain pulled taut. He knelt and extended his arm. He pushed his fingers through the gap in the bars. It was within reach. His fingertips touched the hilt of the short sword. In that moment, something returned. The tears had already dried. A quiet flame ignited in his eyes. The night wind blowing through the gaps in the boards brushed his cheek. It was cold. But now, that coldness was not unwelcome. There was testimony. There was contradiction. There was a tool. He was not finished here yet.