Levi hesitated.
The woman’s offer was difficult to refuse.
All she wanted in exchange was a story.
Normally, Levi kept his past locked away.
He rarely spoke about his childhood or his parents.
But information about the Vanguard was worth more than gold.
After a brief moment of thought, he nodded.
“…Alright.”
The old woman smiled.
“I had a feeling you’d say yes.”
The moment the words left her mouth…
The world around them disappeared.
The forest.
The wind.
The trees.
Everything faded into pure white.
Levi instinctively reached for the dagger on his belt.
When he looked around again, he found himself standing inside an endless white room.
There were no walls.
No ceiling.
No doors.
Only a single wooden table.
Two elegant chairs.
A tea set rested neatly in the center.
The old woman slowly walked toward one of the chairs.
As she did…
Her appearance began to change.
The wrinkles faded.
Her gray hair turned long, smooth, and vibrant.
Her tired eyes became bright with life.
Within seconds…
The frail old woman had transformed into a breathtaking young woman.
She wore an elegant white dress trimmed with gold, giving her an almost divine presence.
Levi stared silently.
Even after everything he had seen in the Dryland…
This surprised him.
She smiled as though his reaction amused her.
“Please.”
“Sit.”
Levi cautiously pulled out the chair and sat across from her.
For a moment…
Neither of them spoke.
The woman simply studied him.
There was admiration in her eyes.
Almost as though she had been waiting a very long time to meet him.
Finally, she smiled.
“You’re a handsome young man.”
“So…”
“What has your life been like?”
Levi tilted his head.
She answered without hesitation.
“Everything.”
Levi chuckled quietly.
“That might take a while.”
“I have time.”
“So do you.”
He let out a small sigh.
“Then I suppose I’ll start from the beginning.”
For the first time in years…
Levi spoke openly about his childhood.
He told her about growing up with loving parents.
The happy memories he still held onto.
Then…
His expression slowly darkened.
He spoke about the day they disappeared.
How everything changed overnight.
How he suddenly became responsible for protecting his sisters.
How he learned to survive.
How loneliness slowly became normal.
He didn’t realize it…
But as he spoke…
Feelings he had buried for years slowly surfaced.
Grief.
Fear.
Regret.
Hope.
The woman never interrupted.
She simply listened.
Unlike most people…
She wasn’t interested in his strength.
She was interested in him.
When Levi finally finished, he stopped around the age of ten.
The room became quiet.
He leaned back in his chair.
“…Your turn.”
The woman laughed softly.
“How stingy.”
Levi smiled for the first time since entering the room.
“One shouldn’t be greedy.”
She nodded.
“Fair enough.”
She folded her hands together.
“I enjoyed your story.”
“It was far more interesting than I expected.”
Levi raised an eyebrow.
“I thought you said you already knew about me.”
“I know many things.”
“But hearing someone tell their own story…”
“…is very different.”
She tilted her head.
“Now.”
Levi didn’t waste the opportunity.
“First…”
“What are you actually allowed to tell me?”
She answered immediately.
“I cannot tell you about the past.”
“I cannot tell you about the future.”
“I cannot interfere with fate.”
Levi thought carefully.
“So…”
“Does that include Command Posts?”
She nodded.
“I can tell you specific things.”
“The locations of unclaimed Command Posts.”
“Details about Command Posts without owners.”
“The locations of missing land.”
“And certain rules.”
“But once someone becomes the owner…”
“My answers become… limited.”
Levi slowly nodded.
“So…”
“You can’t tell me anything about the Vanguard.”
“Correct.”
She smiled.
“But…”
“I can tell you about its previous owners.”
Levi looked surprised.
“There were previous owners?”
“Of course.”
“Every Command Post has a history.”
She paused.
Then smiled knowingly.
“But…”
“That isn’t what you truly want to ask me.”
Levi looked down at the table.
“…No.”
He finally admitted it.
“I’m worried about my friend.”
“Carter.”
“Ever since he obtained the Vanguard…”
“He’s been acting differently.”
“I feel like I’m the only one who’s noticed.”
He looked back up at her.
“I’m not sure what he’s hiding.”
The woman remained silent for several moments.
Then she asked one simple question.
“Is that…”
“…a hypothetical question?”
Levi froze.
Then slowly smiled.
He finally understood.
She wasn’t refusing to answer.
She was telling him how to ask.