While Lily and the others descended into the depths of the castle—drawn by curiosity, necessity, and the faint hope of reward—Kane stood in a place that felt completely disconnected from it all.
The guildmaster's office.
For a brief moment, Kane didn't move.
The world felt… wrong.
Sunlight filtered through the wide window, casting warm golden light across the wooden floor. The faint scent of grilled meat lingered in the air, mixed with the sharp bitterness of alcohol. Papers were neatly stacked on the desk, and a quiet breeze stirred the curtains.
It was peaceful.
Painfully peaceful.
Kane's chest tightened.
Why… am I here?
Then—
It all came rushing back.
The battle.
The puppet.
The overwhelming pressure.
Lily's voice.
The pendant.
His body swayed slightly as the memories slammed into him, and for a second, he thought he might collapse.
Across the room, the guildmaster sat comfortably behind his desk, completely unaware of the storm that had just arrived in his office. He bit into a skewer of meat, chewing slowly, a mug of beer resting lazily in his hand.
Then he looked up.
And everything changed.
"—?!"
The mug froze halfway to his lips.
Kane stood there, pale, disheveled, and clearly drained of all strength.
For a split second, the guildmaster simply stared.
Then—
"BOY! WHAT HAPPENED TO LILY?!"
His voice exploded through the room, loud enough to shake the windows.
Kane flinched, instinctively straightening.
"Sir—" His voice came out rough, strained. "I… I need to go back."
Even as he said it, his legs felt like they might give out beneath him.
"They're in danger."
That was all that mattered.
He turned, already trying to move—already trying to force his body to respond—
But a heavy hand clamped down on his shoulder.
"Hold it."
Kane froze.
The guildmaster's grip was firm, grounding, impossible to ignore.
"And what exactly are you planning to do?" he asked, his voice lower now, sharper.
Kane didn't answer.
He didn't have one.
The guildmaster's eyes scanned him carefully, and his expression darkened almost immediately.
"…You're empty."
Kane's fingers curled slightly.
"Not low on mana. Not tired." The guildmaster narrowed his eyes. "Empty."
Each word landed heavier than the last.
"I guess…" he continued slowly, "…Lily was the one who gave you that pendant."
Kane's gaze dropped to the floor.
Silence.
That alone was answer enough.
The guildmaster let out a long breath through his nose.
"Idiot kids…" he muttered.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then—
"Fine," the guildmaster said, standing up.
Kane looked up.
"I'll go."
The words hit harder than Kane expected.
"But first," the guildmaster added, grabbing his staff, "you're going to tell me everything. Quickly."
Kane spoke.
Not in detail—he didn't have the strength for that—but enough.
Hugo Erikson.
Michael Lotus.
The puppet.
The castle.
The battle.
The danger.
The more he spoke, the more unreal it sounded, even to him.
When he finished, the room fell silent again.
The guildmaster didn't react immediately.
Instead, he stood there, staring slightly downward, as if piecing everything together in his mind.
"…Hugo Erikson…" he muttered.
"…Michael Lotus…"
The names didn't sit right.
What should have been a simple mission had spiraled far beyond what any of them were prepared for.
"…Tch."
He clicked his tongue softly.
"Of course it wouldn't be simple."
He turned toward the door.
"Stay here—"
"I'm coming."
The words came out before Kane could stop himself.
The guildmaster paused.
Kane stepped forward and grabbed his arm.
"I'm coming," he repeated, quieter this time—but firmer.
The guildmaster turned his head slightly, clearly ready to refuse.
But then he saw Kane's face.
And stopped.
There was no hesitation in his eyes.
Only guilt.
Worry.
And something deeper—
Fear.
Not for himself.
For them.
The guildmaster exhaled slowly.
"…You're a pain."
But he didn't pull away.
Instead, he shifted his grip, grabbing Kane by the back of his clothes and lifting him effortlessly.
"Don't slow me down."
Kane didn't resist.
He couldn't.
"Lily won't die from some third-rate dark mage," the guildmaster added, almost casually.
But there was a quiet confidence behind those words.
Then—
"Flight."
Mana surged.
The air around them warped, pressure building in an instant—
And then—
They were gone.
The ground shattered beneath them as they launched into the sky.
Wind roared past them violently, tearing at Kane's clothes and stinging his skin. The world below blurred into streaks of green and brown as they soared forward at terrifying speed.
Kane clenched his fists tightly.
His body felt hollow, fragile—but his mind was racing.
What if we're too late…?
The thought slipped in before he could stop it.
He shut his eyes.
No.
He couldn't think like that.
Lily wasn't weak.
Benson wasn't weak.
None of them were.
But still—
The image of that puppet… that overwhelming presence…
It wouldn't leave his mind.
Please…
His grip tightened further.
Just… be alive.
The castle appeared on the horizon sooner than expected.
Dark.
Silent.
Waiting.
"Which floor?" the guildmaster asked.
Kane forced his eyes open and raised a trembling hand.
"The top… the one with the broken window…"
The guildmaster nodded.
No hesitation.
No slowing down.
He angled downward sharply—
And dove.
CRASH!
Glass exploded inward as they smashed through the window.
The impact echoed through the empty hall.
They landed hard.
Kane stumbled slightly but caught himself, immediately looking around.
His breath caught.
The room was ruined.
Furniture lay shattered across the floor. Deep gouges carved into the walls. Burn marks. Splintered wood.
And blood.
Too much blood.
"…No…"
His voice barely came out.
His heart began to pound.
Where are they…?
The silence felt suffocating.
The guildmaster stood, scanning the room with sharp eyes.
"…Look."
Kane followed his gaze.
A trail.
Blood.
Leading toward the exit.
"They moved," the guildmaster said. "They're not dead."
Kane swallowed.
"…Right."
But his chest still felt tight.
They moved quickly.
Second floor.
Empty.
First floor.
Nothing.
Each step made the silence feel heavier.
"One more level…" Kane muttered.
But his voice lacked conviction.
The guildmaster didn't stop.
"They're alive," he said firmly.
And for some reason—
Kane held onto that hope.
The underground passage was narrow and cold.
Torches flickered weakly along the walls, casting long, distorted shadows that stretched and twisted as they moved.
The air felt different here.
Heavier.
Older.
Their footsteps echoed softly, the sound bouncing off the stone walls in a way that made the space feel even more enclosed.
Strange objects lined the passage—metal tools, glass containers, things Kane couldn't understand.
The guildmaster slowed slightly, glancing at them.
"…This isn't normal."
But Kane barely noticed.
His eyes were fixed on the ground.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Then—
Light.
Faint.
But growing.
Kane's head lifted slowly.
At the end of the passage—
A room.
They stepped inside.
The space opened up into what looked like a research chamber. Tables were cluttered with strange instruments, scattered notes, and objects that hummed faintly with unknown energy.
The air was warmer here.
The guildmaster began scanning the room immediately.
But Kane—
Kane froze.
In the corner—
A group of figures.
Standing.
Moving.
Alive.
His chest tightened sharply.
They're…
He didn't think.
He ran.
His steps were uneven, his body still weak—but he didn't stop.
As he got closer, he could see them clearly now.
Lily.
Benson.
The others.
Talking.
Alive.
Relief hit him so hard it almost hurt.
He slowed.
Stopped.
Just a few steps away.
His hands trembled slightly.
For a moment—
He almost stepped forward.
Almost reached out.
Almost—
—hugged her.
The urge was sudden and overwhelming.
To make sure she was real.
To make sure she was safe.
But—
He stopped himself.
His hands clenched.
…No.
He forced it down.
Instead—
"…So," he said, his voice steadier than he felt, "it seems you're fine."
Lily turned.
"Kane?"
Her eyes widened.
The others followed.
Surprise spread across their faces.
Kane stood there, trying to look composed.
Trying to act normal.
Even as his chest still ached with everything he held back.
Then—
Footsteps.
"Heh…"
The guildmaster stepped forward.
"…I only just got here," he said, his voice lighter now, "but Lily… you really are okay."
There was a faint shimmer in his eyes.
Lily grinned.
"What, you thought something like that could kill me?"
Silence.
Then—
Laughter.
Real laughter.
The tension broke.
Kane let out a quiet breath.
They were safe.