The giant knight statue loomed above them.
The fire crackled at its base.
Warmth spread slowly through the chamber, pushing back the ruin's unnatural cold.
Luna handed out stored food from the relic container Lior carried.
Simple meals.
Bread.
Dried grain cakes.
Preserved stew warmed over flame.
No one complained.
After what happened—
Food felt different.
Clara sat closer to the fire than usual.
"I'm not hungry," she muttered.
"Eat anyway," Yura said softly.
Adrian ate quietly, staring into the flames.
Shura chewed slowly, unusually silent.
One of the other students finally spoke.
"…I feel scared now."
Another nodded.
"Me too."
The atmosphere shifted.
It wasn't excitement anymore.
It was reality.
Shura looked up.
"No need to worry. Lior's with us."
Luna nodded gently.
"I agree."
Adrian's head lifted.
His eyes weren't joking anymore.
"That's the problem."
Everyone looked at him.
He stood slowly.
"You think this is a cool adventure?"
His voice was sharp.
"Do you know how soldiers fight every day?"
Silence.
"They wake up knowing they might not come back."
His fists tightened.
"And you're shocked because something watched you?"
The anger in his tone wasn't loud—
But it was real.
Raw.
For the first time.
Lior's voice cut through the air.
Cold.
"Then shall we return to Ossuarium?"
The words hit like ice.
Adrian stiffened.
Shura stood immediately.
"No."
He stepped forward.
"For my mistake, don't blame everyone."
Luna rose as well.
Gently.
"He isn't punishing you."
She looked at the group.
"He wants you to understand what this place is."
Adrian exhaled sharply but said nothing more.
One student muttered under their breath—
"What kind of person are you, Shura? Can't you even control your Viora?"
Another added nervously,
"Who told you to try? You don't even know how."
The fire popped loudly.
Lior stood.
The shift in the air was immediate.
Serious.
Measured.
"It is not his fault."
His voice was steady.
"Perhaps he went somewhere most of you cannot even reach."
Silence fell instantly.
Eyes lowered.
No one responded.
Lior scanned the group.
"If even one of you wishes to return, we end the expedition."
The students hesitated.
Fear was visible.
But so was pride.
Finally—
Clara shook her head.
"No."
Another student followed.
"We want to learn."
Yura nodded once.
"Yes."
Adrian didn't speak.
But he didn't look away either.
Lior gave a small nod.
"Good."
He sat back down.
"Then eat. And sleep."
He looked toward the statue's shadow.
"Our real exploration begins tomorrow."
Watch Duty
Luna crossed her arms.
"You need to sleep too, Lior. You haven't rested since we left."
"I will manage."
Shura and Adrian spoke at the same time.
"Nah, we'll watch."
They froze.
Looked at each other.
Adrian scowled.
"Don't copy me."
"I didn't."
"You did."
Luna sighed softly.
"Fine. First rotation. Short."
Lior didn't argue.
But he didn't lie down either.
He simply leaned against one pillar.
Eyes half-closed.
Listening.
Good.
Firelight — The One They Forgot
Most of the students had fallen asleep.
The fire burned low.
The giant knight's shadow stretched across the chamber, blade still pointed forward.
Shura and Adrian sat across from each other.
For once—
No arguing.
Just firelight.
Adrian suddenly spoke.
"…We haven't talked to her."
Shura blinked.
"…Who?"
Adrian stared at him.
Shura froze.
"Oh."
They both slowly turned their heads.
Yura was lying a few meters away, cloak wrapped around her, eyes closed.
Too still.
Shura scratched his cheek.
"…When was the last time we actually talked to her?"
Adrian counted mentally.
"…Before the eastern ridge."
"That was days ago."
Silence.
Shura stood abruptly.
Adrian grabbed his sleeve.
"What are you doing?"
"Fixing it."
"You're going to wake her up?"
"Yes."
"That's stupid."
"Probably."
Shura crouched beside Yura anyway.
"…Yura."
No response.
Adrian leaned in too.
"…Yura."
Her eyes opened slowly.
Calm.
She had been awake.
For a while.
Shura immediately started talking too fast.
"Okay first of all don't misunderstand anything and second we weren't ignoring you and third I almost died but that wasn't on purpose and fourth—"
Adrian shoved his shoulder.
"Stop panicking."
Yura blinked at both of them.
"…Why are you whisper-shouting?"
Shura pointed accusingly at Adrian.
"He said we forgot you."
"I did not say forgot."
"You implied."
Yura pushed herself up slowly, sitting.
The firelight reflected in her eyes.
"I wasn't keeping score," she said quietly.
That somehow made it worse.
Adrian looked uncomfortable.
"We've just been… distracted."
"With being idiots," Shura added.
Yura looked at him.
For a second—
Her composure cracked.
Just slightly.
"You collapsed."
Her voice wasn't angry.
It wasn't teasing.
It was tight.
"You didn't answer."
Shura's grin faded.
Adrian didn't speak this time.
Yura continued, softer now.
"You always argue loudly. You always act fearless."
Her hands tightened around her cloak.
"And then suddenly you weren't there."
The words trembled.
Barely.
"But enough."
Shura felt something heavy settle in his chest.
Adrian looked away, jaw tight.
Shura lowered his voice.
"…I'm sorry."
Adrian followed.
"…Yeah."
Yura blinked quickly.
She looked down.
"You're both stupid."
"Agreed," they answered at the same time.
A tiny, broken laugh escaped her.
And that was when they saw it—
Shura immediately panicked again.
"Don't cry. Please don't cry. I can fight monsters but not that."
Adrian nodded seriously.
"This is outside my skill set."
Yura wiped her eyes quickly.
"I'm not crying."
"You are," Shura said gently.
"I'm not."
Adrian added, "You definitely are."
She glared at both of them.
"…I hate you."
"Fair," Shura said.
A beat.
Then she exhaled slowly.
"You don't have to protect me from everything," she said quietly.
Shura frowned.
"We're not."
"You are."
Adrian crossed his arms.
"We protect everyone."
"That's not the same."
Silence.
Fire crackling.
Stone breathing.
Yura looked between them.
"If you're going to climb higher… don't leave me behind without saying anything."
That hit harder than any monster.
Shura leaned back slightly.
"…Then walk with us."
Adrian nodded once.
Shura raised a hand.
"I'll try."
Yura studied them.
Then—
She reached forward and flicked both their foreheads lightly.
"Idiot."
"Rude," Shura muttered.
Adrian rubbed his forehead.
"…That hurt."
"It was intentional."
For the first time that night—
They all laughed properly.
Just real.
Behind them—
The giant knight statue remained unmoving.
Blade still pointed.
Presence still watching.
But the tension in the chamber had shifted.
Tomorrow—
It would test them again.
But tonight—
They had already passed something quieter.
And far more important.