Behind Shane, Kiel's fist slowly clenched.
His eyes stayed fixed on Anaya.
She was smiling… peaceful… like she belonged there.
Ulon noticed immediately.
He grinned like a hyena that had just found free entertainment.
"Boss," he said loudly, nudging Klaus with his elbow, "looks like someone here is about to cry."
Kiel stiffened.
"I'm not."
Ulon leaned closer, studying his face with exaggerated seriousness.
"Oh no, you are," he said. "This is tragic. Truly tragic."
He placed a hand over his chest.
"You didn't even say hello, and now you're already saying goodbye."
Kiel glared at him. "Shut up."
Klaus chuckled lazily and stretched his shoulders.
"Not all goodbyes are forever, kid," he said in a calm voice. "Train hard. Grow stronger."
He tilted his head slightly.
"And if your feelings are still the same after a few years…"
He shrugged.
"Then come back here."
Ulon blinked.
"Well, look at that," he said. "Did the slouch just give life advice?"
Klaus yawned. "Miracles happen."
Shane raised a hand, stopping the conversation.
"That's enough teasing."
He looked toward the settlement.
"Stay here. Daiowon and I will speak with their leader."
"Copy, boss," Ulon said with a lazy salute.
As Shane walked away with Daiowon, Klaus suddenly reached into his storage ring.
He pulled out a small bracelet. It was Anaya's bracelet.
He casually held it out to Kiel, "You can return this."
Kiel blinked. "Why me?"
Maddy immediately smacked the back of his head.
"Idiot," she said. "Slouch is giving you a chance to talk to her."
Kiel's eyes widened.
"Really?"
Klaus slowly pulled the bracelet back.
"On second thought, I changed my mind."
Kiel panicked instantly.
"No! I'll do it!"
He quickly grabbed the bracelet from Klaus' hand.
Then, before anyone could say anything else, he ran toward Anaya.
Maddy stared at his back.
"What a moron," she muttered. "Running into a battlefield without a weapon."
Petra looked worried, "…Will he be fine?"
Klaus crossed his arms, "Not at all."
He watched Kiel wobble across the clearing.
"At worst, he might run back here crying."
Shalotte blinked nervously. "Really?"
Klaus nodded calmly, "Innocent hearts are fragile things."
He tilted his head.
"He'll be lucky if he manages to say three words."
Ulon grinned, "You can't deny it, though." He leaned against a crystal.
"This will be entertaining."
Klaus smirked, "Indeed."
Ahead of them, Kiel slowed down.
Halfway to Anaya, he suddenly looked back at his team.
His expression screamed regret, but it was too late to retreat.
Anaya had already noticed him.
Her smile widened when she saw him approaching.
Kiel forced his legs forward.
Each step felt heavier than the last. His knees trembled slightly, and his hand tightened around the bracelet behind his back.
Then Anaya greeted him.
"Hello there," she said warmly. "Shouldn't you be on a mission right now?"
Kiel froze.
Instinctively, he looked back at his team.
Klaus and the others immediately looked away as if they had no interest at all in what was happening.
Ulon was staring at the sky.
Petra was examining a rock.
Even Maddy crossed her arms and looked elsewhere.
Only Shalotte forgot to act.
He stared directly at Kiel.
Then panicked and quickly turned around.
Kiel swallowed hard.
When he looked back at Anaya, his brain completely stopped working.
Without saying a word…
He extended his hand.
The bracelet rested awkwardly on his palm.
Anaya blinked in confusion.
"Oh?"
She gently took the bracelet.
"Thank you. But why are you returning it? I haven't paid yet."
The moment she accepted it—
Kiel turned around and walked away quickly.
No explanation, no goodbye, nothing.
Back with the group, Ulon kept his head turned away as if he was deeply interested in a glowing blue crystal beside him.
Still, he couldn't help asking.
"So?" he said casually.
"How did it go?"
Klaus let out a long sigh.
"Failed."
He paused for dramatic effect, then added calmly,
"Miserably."
Ulon slowly turned his head, eyebrows rising.
"Well… at least he said hello, right?"
Klaus glanced at him.
"He didn't say anything."
Ulon blinked.
Then his eyes widened in genuine shock.
"…That was worse than I imagined."
Maddy groaned and rubbed her temple.
"That knucklehead seriously needs education."
Ulon shrugged, "I can't blame him. The kid barely talks to women."
Maddy turned sharply.
"Excuse me?"
She pointed at herself, then at Petra.
"Aren't we women?"
Ulon looked at Maddy.
Then at timid Petra.
Then back to Maddy again.
"…Passable, I think."
Petra's eyes widened.
Maddy's eyebrow twitched violently.
Before she could kick him, Ulon quickly pointed forward.
"Oh, look, here comes the hero."
Kiel was walking back toward them.
Slowly.
His shoulders looked heavy, and his face was red like he had just survived a public execution.
Ulon crossed his arms and shook his head dramatically.
"You did worse than expected, kid."
Kiel stopped in front of them and lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
Klaus shrugged lazily.
"Don't apologize to us."
He tilted his head toward the settlement.
"Say it to yourself."
His voice became softer.
"It might take years before you see her again."
Ulon continued the sentence with a grin.
"Or never."
Kiel's shoulders sank even lower.
Seeing his face, Petra looked a little worried.
Ulon noticed and quickly clapped Kiel on the back.
"Hey, don't look like the world ended."
He waved his hand carelessly.
"Life's just a ride."
"People come and go."
He shrugged.
"You just keep moving."
For a moment, the group fell quiet.
Then footsteps approached.
Shane and Daiope were walking toward them.
Klaus noticed something immediately.
Daiope's expression had changed slightly.
It was subtle—almost impossible to notice—but something is bothering the Quartzman.
Klaus narrowed his eyes slightly.
Something happened.
Ulon, however, was the first to speak.
"So how did it go, boss?" he asked loudly. "Did you say a better goodbye than Kiel?"
Shane looked at Kiel.
"So… he already talked to the girl?"
Ulon snorted.
"I wouldn't call it a conversation."
"He ran away before he could speak."
Shane's lips twitched slightly, almost like he was holding back a smile.
"Well," he said calmly, "he'll have plenty of time to talk to her."
Maddy frowned, "What do you mean, boss?"
Shane looked at the group, "They're coming with us."
Everyone blinked.
"We'll wait for them at the entrance of the sanctuary," Shane continued.
Kiel froze.
"…Wait."
His head slowly turned toward the settlement.
"You mean—"
Shane nodded.
"Yes."