Ivana blinked at Raphael, her wide eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and uncertainty. After a brief pause, she gave a small nod.
"O-okay… I won't."
"Hehe, that's the spirit!" Raphael laughed, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin. His smile widened, radiating optimism.
"Let's do our best from now on—together!"
Ivana managed a shy smile in return. Despite the ominous situation surrounding them, Raphael's warmth made her feel just a little more at ease.
Meanwhile, Kret sat silently nearby, munching on his bread as he listened in on their conversation. His eyes casually scanned the surroundings—until a boy approached.
The child was a pitiful sight: bloodstained clothes, messy hair, and trembling limbs. He smiled awkwardly at Kret, his voice shaky.
"H-hello, mister…"
Kret's eyes narrowed. His relaxed demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by sharp focus.
"Who's this bastard…?" he thought, sitting upright.
"Hm? You're the kid who said your entire room was… slaughtered, right?" Kret asked, his voice blunt.
The boy nodded quickly. "Y-yes!" he stammered.
"Judging by his look… He's no noble. Probably doesn't have a shred of training. Useless, maybe," Kret thought, unimpressed.
"What do you want?" he asked curtly.
The boy hesitated, then bowed his head low.
"Y-yesterday you said you were a Holy Knight… I've never seen one before, but you looked strong. So… please!" His voice cracked as he dropped to his knees. "Please teach me swordsmanship!"
Several people turned their heads at the outburst, though many ignored it entirely.
Kret raised an eyebrow. "He's kneeling?"
A slow smirk formed on his lips.
"Sure," Kret said with amusement, "I'll teach you."
"R-really?! Thank you, sir!" the boy exclaimed, tears of relief in his eyes.
"A disciple shouldn't kneel. Stand up." Kret smiled, his tone softening just slightly.
"What's your name, boy?"
"H-Han!" the boy replied.
"I see. From now on, you're my disciple."
The two grasped hands firmly, sealing their sudden bond with a handshake.
Around them, the tension softened into murmurs and hushed chatter—until the mysterious voice echoed again, silencing the crowd.
"Please prepare yourselves for the second game. Our next challenge will be called… The Maze of Reflection."
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Second challenge…?"
"Fuck, how long are we supposed to stay here?"
"Maze of Reflection? What are we, stuck in a hall of mirrors now?"
"Hey, that actually doesn't sound too bad."
"Haha, maybe we'll just stare at ourselves until we go crazy."
Near the back of the group, Emery leaned onto Art's shoulder lazily, a playful smirk on her lips.
"Hey, Art… what do you think the challenge will be?" she asked, her voice teasing.
"Don't know," Art replied bluntly, his expression unreadable.
"Come on," Emery nudged him with her elbow. "You've got to be thinking something…"
Art sighed, finally offering a guess. "Probably a maze with mirrors or glass… maybe something that shows guilt. Our past. Something that reflects who we are."
Emery's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Ooooh, sounds heavy. You sure you're not scared? You've killed a lot of people, haven't you?"
"That's true…" Art admitted, eyes narrowing slightly. "But I'm pretty sure I've gone numb to it."
"Numb, huh? But weren't you moaning last time when I sucked you off?" Emery teased, her grin widening.
Art's cheeks twitched. "Stop that," he muttered coldly.
Meanwhile, not far from them, Ivana approached Kret, who was leaning against a white wall with his arms crossed and eyes half-lidded.
"Um… Mister Kret…" she said softly.
He cracked an eye open. "Hm?"
"Wh-what do you think this challenge will be?" she asked, fidgeting slightly.
"It's probably just a maze," Kret replied casually. "Though… if it turns out to be something more, stay close to me."
"O-okay…" Ivana murmured, feeling a small sense of comfort.
Just then, Raphael popped up, waving enthusiastically.
"Oh! Hey, Ivana!"
"O-oh hey, Raphael…" she replied, slightly startled by his sudden appearance.
"You ready for the challenge?" he grinned brightly. "Don't worry, I'll protect you! Just stay close to me!"
"O-okay, I will…" Ivana answered, her gaze shifting between the two.
"Maybe I should just make Mister Kret and Raphael stay close together…" she thought nervously. "That way, I won't be alone if something bad happens…"