The three looked at John, puzzled.
"Strange gems? What is that?" they asked in unison.
John leaned in and said, "Listen carefully—I overheard my father discussing gems hidden in secret caves near the Lifeline."
They exchanged glances, hardly surprised. Moner dismissed the notion. "So what if there are gems? Gems aren't expensive in our kingdom; even if we found a lot, it wouldn't matter much." He paused. "I don't understand what you mean by 'strange gems.' What do you mean, exactly?"
John clarified, "These gems are said to be found in caves near the Lifeline. I heard that a single one is worth 50,000 silver coins."
The twins were taken aback, but Sifor scoffed arrogantly. "I don't need gems. I plan to become a state soldier and earn far more than any gem you might dream of finding. Have people like you ever discovered such treasures, Moner?"
An angry spark lit in Moner's eyes before he controlled his temper. "Have people like you ever succeeded as state soldiers? You aren't even fit to be a house servant."
John interjected, "Enough with this pointless argument. There's no use fighting. Moner, I'm telling the truth—these gems are real."
Sifor smirked, challenging, "Come on, Moner. Let's make it a competition. Each of us has a goal, and whoever fails to achieve it is the loser."
Moner grinned. "You fool. As if I could ever lose to you!"
Novamelle sighed. "Why do you two turn into idiots every time you're together? Let's head home, Moner—we're getting late."
Before they could leave, John added, "Wait! I don't know all the details. The test is highly secret, but I heard it's extremely tough. I even know a merchant named Nero whose son died during the test three years ago."
Novamelle and Moner exchanged a knowing look. "We know that merchant—we've sold him some of our catches before," they said.
Soon after, everyone returned home. As they walked away, Moner shouted, "Don't die, you idiot, or I'll kill you myself!"
Sifor retorted with enthusiasm, "Me? Lose? Who do you think I am, Moner? Haha! Soon you'll see me as a successful soldier. I'll do whatever it takes to win. Isn't that your way?"
Moner smiled condescendingly. "Exactly. I overcome every obstacle to get what I want. One day, I'll even be your king, you fool!"
Sifor laughed. "You'd make a great king… of the jungle!"
At sunset, Moner and Novamelle returned home but didn't enter the house right away. Instead, they walked to their older brother Kyle's grave. Their father, Venis, and mother, Nana, visited the grave daily. Venis would sit there in deep thought, burdened with guilt. The twins sensed that he blamed himself for Kyle's illness. If even a brilliant medicinal expert like him couldn't cure it, then what kind of disease was it?
Moner suspected that only illnesses caused by crossing the Lifeline were incurable, yet their father never mentioned Kyle crossing it. That inconsistency made him uneasy—a thought he shared with Novamelle, who also found it strange.
Their father wept quietly while their mother offered gentle comfort. They lingered for an hour before heading home, as light snow began falling and the weather turned colder.
Inside, their mother called out, "Dinner is ready—come eat!"
At the dinner table, an unexpected conversation arose. Novamelle brought up the caves rumored to hold valuable gems.
"We're thinking of going there, Mom and Dad. What do you say?" she asked.
Their father paused, then replied calmly, "What gems?"
Moner's excitement bubbled over. "Gems worth 50,000 silver coins each! Think of it—a fortune that could support us for months!"
He began dreaming aloud about renovating their small, worn-down cottage, which always felt colder in winter since Kyle's death.
Interrupting his reverie, their father cautioned, "I don't recommend going to those caves. They might be dangerous. I haven't seen them myself, so if you go, be very careful."
Undeterred, the twins exclaimed, "We'll go tomorrow!"
As the snowfall intensified, their father's voice grew emotional. "Kyle was a kind soul who loved helping others. He had a close friend named Ghost—a determined man like you, Moner—always striving to achieve his goals."
Moner asked, "Really? Where is he now?"
With sadness, their father replied, "I don't think he cares anymore. He left after Kyle died and never returned. Forget about him, Moner."
Moner frowned. "What kind of person forgets his closest friend so soon?"
Later that night, Novamelle stood outside, mesmerized by the falling snow. Suddenly, she felt an eerie presence—as if someone were watching from the dense trees near the town center. Glancing around, she saw nothing.
When Moner came out and noticed her tension, he asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
She hesitated, then murmured, "I thought I saw someone watching us… it's strange."
Moner shrugged and smiled. "As if anyone would bother spying on us."
He then glanced up at the falling snow, pondering whether they should postpone tomorrow's cave expedition if the weather worsened.
Their mother called from inside, "Come in, or you'll catch a cold!"
"Alright, Mom!" they replied, and the family soon went to sleep.
Before dawn, Moner awoke in shock. Although he saw nothing, he could hear faint cries, anger, and a voice blaming him: "This is all your fault."
Startled, Novamelle awoke. "Is something wrong, Moner?"
He tried to dismiss it. "No, just nightmares. Don't worry."
Yet, leaning against the wall, tears streamed unexpectedly down his face. He lay there awake for an hour, unsure if it was just a dream or something more, before drifting back to sleep.
Morning came with a cloudy, cold sky. Noticing Moner's pallor, Novamelle asked, "Did something happen that I don't know about?"
He replied quietly, "I just didn't sleep well. We can still go."
By midday, despite the icy wind, the twins set out toward the cliffs. After a long search, they discovered a small entrance leading into a cave—located about two miles to the left of their usual descent point. With cautious excitement, they marked the spot.
Inside, the cave was vast and split into two tunnels. They agreed to split up to search for the legendary gems—but with utmost caution.
"Be careful!" Novamelle warned.
"You too. If anything happens, return immediately," Moner instructed.
The cave was dimly lit as they made their way, lanterns in hand. Moments later, Moner heard a piercing scream—Novamelle's voice echoed through the darkness.
Heart pounding, he rushed toward the second tunnel and froze at the sight before him. On the cold stone floor lay her extinguished lantern, and Novamelle was nowhere to be seen.
Beside the lantern loomed a massive, monstrous bear—at least five times the size of a normal one. It seemed to have just emerged from hibernation, radiating raw aggression.
In a flash, the bear leaped onto the rocks near the cave's entrance, sealing off the only exit.
In that heart-stopping moment, Moner realized—with terror—that his own end was near.