The corridor leading to the side exit was quieter than the rest of the ship.
Beyond the lowered entrance, an open sky stretched endlessly into the distance. Cold wind drifted faintly inside, carrying with it the scent of unfamiliar land and untouched wilderness.
Lucien and the others reached the exit first.
Then they saw the others approaching from the opposite side of the corridor.
Draven walked at the front.
Calm.
Unhurried.
The slime rested lazily across his shoulder as if completely unaware of the tension gathering around them.
Aldric followed nearby, drink still in hand as always, while the cultist walked beside Lyriana in composed silence.
The moment Lucien saw Draven, he straightened slightly.
"Sir."
His voice was quiet.
"You're here."
Draven didn't answer.
Didn't even slow down.
He simply stopped near the open exit while the cold wind stirred lightly through the dark fabric of his cloak.
Seryna stepped forward slightly.
"We've continued looking after the half-demon like you ordered."
Her tone remained calm and measured.
"She still hasn't woken up yet."
A brief pause followed.
"But she may wake after some time."
Draven listened silently, his expression completely unreadable.
Then Aldric spoke.
"Yeah, about that."
He took another slow drink from the bottle before continuing.
"We can't exactly let you all walk away after knowing too much."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Tharic stiffened.
Lucien's body tensed.
Kaelira's grin disappeared completely.
Even Seryna's eyes sharpened slightly.
Lucien's sister remained still, though her gaze immediately focused on Aldric with quiet calculation.
Aldric noticed every reaction.
"Relax."
His tone remained completely unconcerned.
"If we wanted you dead, you'd already be dead by now."
That did not help.
Not even slightly.
The cultist stepped forward before the tension could worsen further.
"There's no need to worry."
Her voice stayed calm and controlled.
"You won't be harmed."
She briefly glanced toward Draven before looking back at them.
"You're only going to sign something."
A short pause.
"You can think of it as a contract."
Kaelira narrowed her eyes immediately.
The cultist continued.
"As long as you don't speak about what you are not supposed to…"
"…nothing will happen."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Uncertain.
No one moved.
No one trusted it.
Then Aldric's expression darkened slightly.
"What are you all still standing around for?"
His crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dim corridor.
"Line up."
Nobody moved.
A pulse of pressure spread lightly through the corridor.
Not enough to crush them.
More than enough to remind them of the overwhelming gap between them.
Aldric's voice sharpened.
"Immediately."
He took a slow step forward.
"It's not a request."
Another drink.
"It's an order."
His cold gaze swept across all five of them.
"And you don't have a damn choice."
Silence followed his words.
Heavy.
Tight.
No one moved at first.
Then Kaelira laughed softly.
Not nervous.
Not forced.
Just genuinely amused.
"Yeah…"
A small grin returned to her face.
"You can count me out."
Lucien blinked.
Tharic looked toward her immediately.
Seryna's eyes narrowed slightly.
Kaelira stretched her arms lightly behind her head, completely unconcerned by the pressure filling the corridor.
"I'm not leaving."
That only made the silence worse.
Because now everyone was staring at her.
Even Aldric paused for a second.
Kaelira shrugged casually.
"This is way more fun."
Her grin widened.
"And if I leave, where exactly am I supposed to go anyway?"
No one answered.
Because none of them really had one.
Kaelira's eyes drifted briefly toward Draven.
Toward the airship.
Toward everything they had experienced since coming aboard.
"Besides…"
Her tail flicked faintly behind her.
"I kinda like it here."
Lucien stared at her like she had completely lost her mind.
"You're serious?"
Kaelira looked back at him without hesitation.
"Completely."
Tharic let out a quiet breath.
"You can't actually be thinking—"
"I am."
Simple.
Immediate.
Without hesitation.
Seryna remained silent, watching Kaelira carefully now as if trying to determine whether this was recklessness or sincerity.
Lucien's sister finally spoke.
"Staying here is dangerous. I hope you know that."
Her voice remained flat as always.
Kaelira smirked faintly.
"So is everything else."
That killed the argument before it could even begin.
Because none of them could deny it.
Aldric stared at her for another second before snorting quietly.
"She's insane."
It didn't even sound insulting.
If anything, it sounded faintly approving.
The cultist looked genuinely surprised by Kaelira's decision.
And Draven—
Draven simply stood there watching in silence, unreadable as ever.
Meanwhile, the others remained where they were.
Because unlike Kaelira—
they weren't staying.
Aldric scoffed after a moment.
"And who the hell allowed you to decide that by yourself?"
His crimson eyes narrowed faintly.
"This isn't some shelter for homeless people."
He gestured lazily with the bottle in his hand.
"Letting you idiots leave alive is already more generosity than necessary."
Kaelira remained completely unbothered.
Aldric continued.
"So take the contract or whatever…"
"…and get lost."
No hesitation.
No softness.
Just blunt dismissal.
But Kaelira didn't argue.
Didn't smirk.
Didn't respond at all.
Instead—
she moved.
Past Lucien.
Past Tharic.
Straight toward Draven.
The others immediately watched her.
Confused.
Alert.
Kaelira stopped directly in front of him.
Then, slowly, she lowered herself to her knees.
Her bow rested before her.
Her tail became completely still.
The sudden shift in attitude was so abrupt that even Aldric blinked once.
Kaelira kept her head lowered.
"I'm going to stay and serve you, my master."
Her voice was quiet now.
Not playful.
Not mocking.
Serious.
For the first time since any of them had met her.
"If you allow it."
The corridor fell silent again.
Lucien stared at her in disbelief.
Tharic looked completely lost.
Even Seryna's expression shifted slightly.
Because none of them had expected this.
Not from Kaelira.
The cultist watched closely now, openly interested.
And Aldric looked seconds away from calling her insane again.
But Draven simply looked down at her.
Silent.
Still holding the bottle loosely in one hand.
The wind from outside drifted softly through the corridor, stirring the edge of his cloak once more.
Everyone waited for his answer.
But Draven didn't answer.
He simply looked at her in silence.
Unreadable.
Seconds passed.
Then Kaelira apparently decided that silence was enough.
She stood back up immediately.
"Alright then."
A grin spread across her face again.
"I'll take that as a yes."
Lucien stared at her like she had finally gone completely insane.
Tharic opened his mouth slightly—
then slowly closed it again.
Even Seryna looked caught off guard this time.
Kaelira turned slightly, her tail flicking behind her.
"Master."
The word came out naturally.
Smoothly.
Like she had already been calling him that for years.
Aldric's expression twitched instantly.
"You damn brat."
He pointed the bottle toward her.
"Don't move so fast and start putting words in his mouth."
His crimson eyes shifted sharply toward Draven.
"And why the hell are you just standing there?"
A trace of irritation crept into his voice.
"Tell her to get lost."
Kaelira ignored him entirely.
Instead, she stepped even closer to Draven.
"Master."
This time her voice sounded even more cheerful.
Aldric looked seconds away from exploding.
"Are you even listening?!"
The cultist quietly lowered her head, very clearly trying not to react, though the faintest flicker of amusement could still be seen in her eyes.
Lucien's sister remained expressionless, though even she looked uncertain about what exactly was happening anymore.
And through all of it—
Draven finally moved.
Slowly.
His gaze lowered fully onto Kaelira once again.
Then he lifted the bottle.
Took another drink.
And walked past her.
Straight toward the open exit.
No answer.
No rejection.
No acceptance either.
Just silence.
Kaelira blinked once.
Then her grin widened immediately.
"Master accepted me."
Aldric nearly crushed the bottle in his hand.
"HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!"
Kaelira casually pointed toward Draven's back.
"Exactly."
A beat passed.
"Which means he didn't refuse."
Aldric stared at her in complete disbelief.
"That is NOT how that works."
Kaelira looked extremely pleased with herself anyway.
And ahead of them, Draven continued walking toward the outside world as if none of this mattered to him in the slightest.