heavy doors of the council chamber closed behind Kaelith.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Lunareth broke the silence.
"Kaelith."
He stopped but did not turn.
"What if Reeve becomes a Demon Lord?" she asked quietly.
"Then… what about Elaryn?"
The question lingered longer than expected.
Kaelith finally spoke, his voice calm—almost distant.
"I don't know."
Lunareth's eyes narrowed slightly.
Kaelith continued,
"Perhaps she no longer wishes to be one."
That was all.
He stepped forward, leaving the chamber, his footsteps echoing once… twice… then fading.
Outside, the air was open and vast.
The training grounds stretched ahead—empty, sunlit, peaceful in a way that felt temporary.
Kaelith walked toward it without hurry.
"Hey."
He stopped again.
Reeve stood a short distance away, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed like he had been waiting on purpose.
"Where are you going?" Reeve asked.
Kaelith answered simply,
"To the ground."
Reeve blinked.
"But I'm going there," he said.
"You should go somewhere else."
Kaelith looked at him.
Paused.
"Alright."
He turned slightly, as if to change direction.
Reeve froze.
"…That's it?"
Kaelith glanced back.
"You told me to."
Reeve clicked his tongue.
"You're too boring. I thought you'd argue with me."
"Just saying 'okay' isn't fun."
Kaelith raised an eyebrow.
Reeve waved a hand.
"Alright, forget that. Let's start again."
He straightened, serious now—too serious.
"Where are you going?"
Kaelith answered again,
"I'm going to the ground."
Reeve immediately pointed.
"But I'm going there."
"You should go."
This time, Kaelith didn't turn away.
"…Why?"
Reeve smirked.
"Because I said so."
Kaelith stared at him for a second.
Then—
"That's not a reason."
"It is for me."
"Then it's a bad one."
"Wow," Reeve said. "You can argue."
Their voices weren't loud.
Not hostile.
Just… alive.
From a distance, Elaryn stood beneath the shadow of a pillar, arms crossed, watching.
She didn't intervene.
She didn't smile either.
But her eyes softened.
Kaelith shook his head slightly.
"You're unreasonable."
Reeve laughed.
"And you're stiff."
There was a brief silence.
Then Kaelith exhaled—and laughed as well.
A short sound.
Unpracticed.
Real.
"Sorry," Kaelith said.
"I misjudged you."
Reeve tilted his head.
"Oh?"
Kaelith met his eyes.
"You're… a good person."
For the first time—
Kaelith smiled.
Not the polite kind.
Not the political kind.
But the kind that appeared only when doubt loosened its grip.
From afar, Elaryn turned away.
The wind moved through the training ground.
And somewhere unseen—
Fate adjusted its footing.