"What?" Nephis's expression didn't change, but a sharp glint flashed in her eyes, her jaw tightening ever so slightly.
Judging from the minute details, the twitch of her fingers, the flicker in her gaze, the contraction of her pupils, the thought in her mind was clear, almost tangible.
It was hostility.
Yet while intuition revealed only that much, a [Spectator] would perceive it differently. There were layers to her emotions, something indescribable woven into the storm of negativity.
A theory flickered to life in my mind.
After the third nightmare, Sunny had been destined to lose his fate and be forgotten.
Later, however, it was revealed that people hadn't truly forgotten him, rather, some force had prevented them from remembering.
Could that same force be acting on her now, against me? But why me in particular?
Then again, I was not… normal. Could it be tied to the nature of the first nightmare my main body had survived?
Meeting Nephis's eyes, I forced myself to end the train of thought. I needed to focus on my current plans—on getting out of this place.
I swept my gaze across the room before speaking.
"Did you not hear me? I said you can't take Cassie." My eyes narrowed as I declared it.
Nephis reacted instantly. Her hand unclenched, motes of light spilling from her palm. She was summoning her weapon.
Her voice, cold as frost, followed.
"Are… you going to stop me?" Her eyes flared with white flames.
"Yes." My answer was firm, without hesitation.
I met her gaze without flinching, staring into the blazing abyss of her eyes.
Nephis had lost all reason.
Runes shimmered to life before me, awaiting my command. I braced for combat.
Just as Nephis, wholly consumed, prepared to charge—
"STOP!"
The shout ripped through the air.
Cassie.
She stood in front of me, her left hand pressed against my chest to hold me back, her right hand outstretched toward Nephis.
"Stop it, both of you!"
I froze. In the next moment, clarity returned to Nephis's gaze. The light of reason flickered back, confusion flashing across her features before her usual stoicism reclaimed them.
My eyes narrowed. I committed every shift to memory, comparing what I saw now to what I had witnessed before.
Cassie turned to me.
"Ivan, please… listen to what I have to say."
…Hm?
She had used my real name, not Adam.
So I was right. Something was happening here, something I couldn't see, couldn't feel.
She spun toward Nephis, her voice rising like a whip.
"Neph! What's gotten into you?! How can you just attack out of nowhere? Can't you see his rejection came from his worry for me?!"
Nephis remained silent. Her expression was unreadable as ever, but the faint twitch in her hand and the slight slump of her shoulders betrayed her. Subtle signs of distress.
Cassie's scolding had struck deep, like needles piercing her stoicism.
Interesting… that was a new side of her. Even in the novel, Nephis rarely revealed such cracks, rarely showing herself vulnerable to another's words.
The one example would be after she came out of the second nightmare, I think?
Before Cassie could turn back to me, I stopped her.
I caught her by the elbow and pulled her closer, locking my gaze onto hers.
She felt it, her breathing grew heavier, uneven, as though the weight of my stare pressed against her chest.
"Cass," I said, my voice low and urgent, "this is too dangerous. I cannot allow you to go. What if—"
"It's my choice," Cassie cut in.
"What?"
"Adam… I—I want to be of use. I don't want to be carried around like some helpless damsel."
Her voice shook, but the conviction behind it was real.
"You, Neph, even Sunny, you're all fighting, struggling to find a way out of this place. And me? I've just been dragged along like a porcelain doll."
Her hands clenched at her sides. "I don't want that!"
"But Cass," I shot back, my voice hard, "there's no guarantee the shard is even where they say it is. For all we know, it could be in the opposite direction!"
"No." Her reply was sharp, final.
"It is there. I know it… because I saw it in my visions."
My eyes widened. The revelation struck like a hammer, and a question burned in my mind, Did the original Cassie ever have a vision about this in the novel?
Tch, I really should have memorised the entire novel, these gaps in knowledge are annoying
My gaze drifted past Cassie, to where Nephis stood with her arms crossed. A faint crease marred her brow, as though she was struggling to recall something.
Beside her, the apparition Adam simply watched, studying her like an artist examining a half-finished painting.
I forced my attention back to Cassie.
Placing both hands on her shoulders, I gripped them firmly.
"Cass, I—no. Why are you doing this? Don't tell me it's just out of goodwill. No amount of goodwill is worth risking your life like this."
"I—" Cassie began, but I cut across her.
"I'm not doubting you. Cassie, I know you. Even though it's only been a few months, I've seen who you are. You're kind, strong, more than anyone gives you credit for. I don't doubt that for a second. But I also know you value your life as much as anyone else does. So why? Why are you pushing yourself this far?"
Cassie faltered. She bit her lip and swallowed hard, once, then again, as though something heavy was lodged in her throat, blocking the words she wanted to say.
My grip on her shoulders tightened.
"You can trust me, Cassie. Just… tell me what you're holding back."
After saying that, I felt something stir on my left hand.
"I made the choice…" she finally answered in a whisper, her eyes now covered in shadow.
With a confused expression, I asked, "Made the choice?"
Cassie turned her head to the left.
She stood facing me, her back to Nephis, so when her gaze shifted, I knew exactly where she was looking.
I followed. My eyes landed on Nephis, who only stared back with a questioning look. Beside her lingered the apparition Adam, grinning as he always did.
I turned back to Cassie. Her head remained angled toward Nephis.
"So you chose her…" My voice carried the weight of understanding.
Her body gave a small jolt, stress, worry or maybe both.
I loosened my grip on her shoulders, then rested a hand gently on her head, brushing my palm over her hair in a soft pat.
Cassie lifted her head. The shadow clouding her expression seemed to lighten.
I offered her a small, reassuring smile. "It must have been a hard choice to make…"
Her lips trembled. She swallowed, then forced out a whisper, barely stronger than a breath. "Y-yes."
"Are you willing to see it through?"
Cassie froze. The silence stretched, heavy and fragile. Her fingers twisted in the fabric of her sleeve, knuckles whitening with hesitation. At last, she gave the smallest of nods.
I closed my eyes for a breath, steadying myself. When I opened them again, I met her gaze with all the conviction I could muster.
"Then I will believe in you to the end," I said, my voice firm but gentle. "So believe in yourself, just as I believe in you."
A loose strand of her blonde hair had fallen across her cheek, catching the faint light. I reached up and tucked it carefully behind her ear, my fingers lingering for a heartbeat against her skin.
"I can't promise the choice you made is the right one," I admitted softly. "But I need you to understand something…"
From the corner of my eye, I caught Adam's apparition wildly waving both arms, his expression practically screaming, hurrying it up. I ignored him.
"No matter what path you choose, I'll be with you," I continued, my voice dropping lower, steadier.
Cassie's lips parted as if to speak, but no sound came out. Her throat worked in a tight swallow.
Her eyes shimmered, caught between relief and disbelief.
Her fingers curled into the hem of her sleeve, twisting it nervously, but despite the fluster in her face, a small, unsteady smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
I let out a quiet breath and turned back toward Nephis. She was waiting.
I walked slowly, stopping just a foot away from her.
Hands on my hips, lips pressed into a thin line, I stood in silence for a moment, weighing the words.
The apparition Adam, surprisingly, remained quiet, content to observe.
At last, I spoke.
"Cassie can go."
This time Nephis's eyes didn't turn feral. She nodded once, sharp and deliberate.
"But—" I stepped closer, voice hardening.
"I'll be going with her."