The mist did not fade.
It parted.
As if something within it decided the moment had come.
Two figures emerged.
The first was a girl.
Her steps were calm, unhurried, long dark hair moving with a rhythm untouched by the battlefield's aftermath. Her presence pressed subtly against the air—not aggressively, but undeniably.
Behind her walked a boy.
His clothing was simple, fitted for movement, without ornament or excess. No pockets. No decoration. One hand rested naturally on the hilt of a sword at his side, fingers loose—yet ready. His posture alone spoke of someone who did not need to display power.
He carried it.
"Elaryn," the Fairy King said.
Then his gaze shifted.
"…Kaelith."
A smile appeared on the king's face.
Not welcoming.
Not hostile.
A smile reserved for those who stood on the same tier.
"We should speak inside," the king said.
Elaryn nodded once.
Kaelith said nothing.
He merely turned and walked toward the castle, his hand never leaving the sword.
Reeve followed without thinking.
Two steps.
Then—
"That's far enough," the Fairy King said quietly.
Reeve stopped.
Lunareth looked back at him. Her lips parted slightly, as if to speak—then closed again.
Yuzora avoided his eyes.
The gates sealed shut.
Reeve was left behind.
The open grounds behind the castle were vast and silent.
Stone pathways cut through short grass, untouched by mana lamps or fairy light. Above, the sky of Sylvarin stretched endlessly—indifferent and calm.
Reeve exhaled and looked up.
"So even here," he murmured, "there are places humans don't belong."
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Measured.
He didn't turn.
"I thought you'd be angry," a woman's voice said behind him.
Reeve glanced over his shoulder.
Elaryn stood there.
Up close, her presence felt… distant.
Not cold.
Not hostile.
But as if she existed slightly out of alignment with the world.
"I'm here because I'm not allowed inside," Reeve said plainly.
Elaryn's lips curved faintly.
"Because of Kaelith, I'm here too," she said.
"The king asked me to stay outside. Kaelith… didn't even care whether I followed or not."
She stepped beside him, looking up at the sky as he had been.
Reeve studied her silently.
Then asked, "Why did you come here in the first place?"
Elaryn didn't answer immediately.
"Where Kaelith goes," she said at last, "I follow."
Not devotion.
Not loyalty.
Fact.
Reeve nodded slightly. "That explains enough."
Elaryn turned toward him.
Her eyes were sharp now—observing, measuring.
"You're different," she said. "You walk forward when others freeze. You didn't hesitate when those creatures died."
"They were already dead," Reeve replied. "Just being used."
Elaryn smiled faintly.
"Yes," she said. "That's exactly why you scare people like us."
Reeve frowned. "Us?"
She didn't answer that.
Instead, she stepped back and gestured outward—to the open land beyond the castle walls.
"Don't follow Kaelith," Elaryn said calmly.
"And don't follow kings either."
She looked directly at him now.
"Walk your own path," she continued. "That's the only way you'll survive what's coming."
Reeve met her gaze.
"I don't follow," he said. "I observe."
Elaryn laughed softly.
"That's worse," she replied.
She turned and began walking away.
After a few steps, she paused—but didn't look back.
"When the sky starts falling," she said, "remember this moment."
Then she was gone.
Not vanished.
Simply… no longer there.
The air felt lighter.
Too light.
Inside Reeve's mind—
[System Notification]
Unknown entity detected.
Threat classification failed.
Threat level: Unmeasurable.
Entity existence partially outside predictive parameters.
A pause.
Then—
Recommendation: Do not antagonize.
Additional note: Observation advised.
Entity interest detected.
Probability of future interference: High.
Reeve closed his eyes briefly.
"…Great," he murmured.
"So now even the system is nervous."
Above him, the sky remained calm.
But somewhere far beyond Sylvarin—
Something had noticed him walking his own path