The excitement about the potential rewards couldn't blind Liam when people he cared about showed concerning details.
Mitchell looked fine, already in his dutiful stance. His Senior Brother and Sister showed evident curiosity about Liam, despite trying their best to hide it.
Maxwell was also fine, wearing his noble, authoritative stance. Even among fellow rooting experts, he stood out, possessing the unmistakable demeanor of a leader.
Instead, Joel was closer to Liam in terms of appearance. He had lowered the upper part of his robe's left side, showing multiple bruises and a fist-sized burn on his chest.
Joel's short black hair was also disheveled and a bit dirty, and traces of exhaustion afflicted his warrior-like, intense expression. Those days had been tough on him, and Liam inevitably felt guilty.
