Monster Harem In The Tower-Chapter 255: Before The Truth

Nathan entered the hospital, walking toward the room where David was being treated. When he opened the door, he felt a bit awkward.

Ah, damn... looks like I just interrupted their moment, he muttered in his head.

David reflexively sat up on his bed, while Fiona smiled and greeted Nathan.

Not long after, Validia arrived carrying a small plastic bag.

"David, are you still planning to go on the expedition inside the tower?" Nathan asked.

"Of course. It’s my duty... but I’m a little worried after that attack from the strange monsters that came out of the portal yesterday. Do you know anything about that?" David asked suspiciously.

Nathan couldn’t dodge the question, remembering he was the one who told David to be on alert even before the monsters emerged from the portal.

David smiled, raising a hand as if to calm Nathan. "Let’s talk about that later. For now... I want to tell you something strange."

Nathan and Fiona looked at him.

David continued, "There was a woman—rabbit ears, a mask—who saved me and Fiona. She moved fast, precise... almost unreal."

Nathan immediately recognized who he meant. Domina.

But he kept his expression flat and pretended not to know anything.

"That’s... interesting information," Nathan said, acting clueless.

Fiona suddenly chimed in, "She was wearing a hoodie I sold at the Hunter Trade Center. From the LadyFio Shop. I swear it was the same design."

David and Fiona kept trying to make sense of it, while Nathan stayed quiet.

He already knew the truth—he was the one who bought that hoodie for Domina in the first place.

Validia, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly stiffened. She felt a presence approaching.

A moment later, the door slid open.

Ulrich walked in.

"I came to see it for myself," the old man said calmly. "The repair ability you possess... an ability that can heal living beings."

Nathan and Fiona stepped aside instinctively, giving the two space.

Ulrich’s sharp eyes landed on Validia—who was still using the alias Lilia to hide her real identity.

Validia stepped forward silently. Her expression grew calm—almost empty—while she placed her hand over David’s bandaged side.

Ulrich watched every movement with the eyes of a craftsman dissecting a miracle.

A faint glow appeared around Validia’s palm.

She exhaled slowly, as if entering a deep, disciplined focus.

To everyone else, it looked like she was activating some rare healing skill.

But Nathan knew better.

She wasn’t using any formal technique.

No spell.

No system skill.

Validia was simply controlling mana—pure, raw, and terrifyingly precise.

Her mana seeped into David’s body like threads searching for broken pieces.

Muscle fibers tightened. Bruises shrank. Internal bleeding faded.

David felt warmth spreading through him. "This... this is incredible."

Ulrich leaned in, whispering with barely contained excitement, "So this is the rumored Repair—capable of restoring living tissue... astonishing."

Validia didn’t respond. Her eyes stayed half-lidded, her breathing steady, her mana shaping itself like invisible hands stitching everything flawlessly.

Nathan stood at the side, arms crossed, silently watching.

He could see it clearly.

She wasn’t repairing.

She was redefining what mana manipulation was capable of.

And the others still had no idea.

Ulrich let out a long breath, almost a laugh of disbelief.

"Incredible... absolutely incredible. To think such finesse exists outside the archives."

Validia quietly stepped back, letting the glow around her hand fade. She didn’t need applause.

David rotated his shoulder, touching the spot that had been injured.

The pain was gone—completely.

Fiona’s face lit up instantly. "David! You’re okay!"

Her relief was genuine... until Ulrich spoke again.

"Well," the old man said with a satisfied nod, "with this level of recovery, you can join the next expedition alongside the S-rank hunters."

Fiona’s smile vanished on the spot.

She didn’t say anything—couldn’t.

David had a duty, and she had no authority to argue it. But her eyes told the truth: she didn’t want him thrown into danger again. Not so soon. Maybe not at all.

Nathan noticed it immediately.

The way her fingers tightened.

The way she forced herself to stay quiet.

The way her eyes flicked toward David with a mix of fear and resignation.

She knows what S-rank expeditions mean, Nathan thought.

And she hates it... but she’ll swallow it.

David, oblivious, simply nodded at Ulrich with a determined smile.

Nathan kept his reaction internal, but he understood Fiona’s fear more clearly than she realized.

Ulrich adjusted his coat and turned toward the door.

"I’ll take my leave. This evening, all of you will gather at the Guild office. From there, we depart."

Before the old hunter could step out, Nathan spoke up. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"I’m still worried," Nathan said plainly. "If those strange portals appear again, we could be blindsided. Yesterday’s monsters weren’t normal."

Ulrich didn’t flinch.

He answered with a confidence that almost felt careless.

"I’ve already gathered every strong hunter available in the city. If another anomaly happens, they’ll handle it. Only a few S-ranks will join the expedition—your group included."

Nathan didn’t show it outwardly, but the reply annoyed him.

He knew Ulrich was underestimating the threat.

Validia quietly clenched her fist.

Humans... their ego is ridiculous, she thought.

Those creatures yesterday were barely pets in Learth. And they nearly died fighting them.

Nobody heard her, but the irritation in her eyes said enough.

Fiona still looked upset, her emotions slipping past her usually cheerful mask.

"So David just stays quiet and lets himself be dragged into danger again?" she muttered under her breath, unable to help it.

David chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair gently.

"Don’t be silly," he said with that reckless optimism. "It won’t take long. I’ll be back before you know it."

Fiona pressed her lips, unconvinced.

Nathan watched the exchange.

He understood the subtext clearly:

David wanted to protect her by acting strong.

Fiona wanted to protect him by pretending she wasn’t scared.

And both were terrible at hiding it.

Nathan exhaled through his nose, rubbing his temples.

I swear, I’m not built for watching relationship drama, he muttered internally.

But I can’t judge them either... I used to be way more clueless than David about this crap.

Just as he was about to step back and let the two finish their little moment, David suddenly turned to him.

"Nathan," he said, voice flat. "What are you hiding?"

Nathan froze for half a second.

David wasn’t smiling now.

He wasn’t playing around.

"You knew something about those monsters yesterday, didn’t you?"

His tone sharpened. "About the portal? Tell me."

Nathan instinctively tried to deflect.

"Even if I did, it wouldn’t matter. If Ulrich found out, he’d just get even more arrogant and make worse decisions."

David didn’t blink.

"Don’t worry about Ulrich."

Then David lifted the pillow beside him.

Underneath it lay the crushed remains of a small listening device.

Broken wires. Smashed casing. Silent.

David smirked slightly, jaw tight.

"I already ended that problem. Nobody’s listening."

He looked Nathan dead in the eyes.

"I want all of this to end. So stop dodging me, Nathan."

Nathan slowly let out a breath... then smirked.

"So you’re ready for the truth?"

David didn’t look away. Fiona held her breath.

The room went quiet.

Validia shifted her gaze toward Nathan, her expression unreadable.

Whatever he chooses to do... it doesn’t matter, she thought.

As long as I can stay by his side... and we can buy yogurt later.

She folded her arms, waiting—completely calm, as if the truth of the world or the collapse of humanity meant nothing compared to spending time with Nathan and that stupid yogurt drink.

Nathan stepped closer to David’s bed.

"Fine," he said. "If you want the truth—then listen carefully."