As Kaiser and Milo stepped into the hospital room, Kaiser immediately recognized its sterile white walls, smooth tiled floors, and bright lighting, as it was nearly identical to the room he had woken up in. But there was one key difference: this one was far more spacious, with four beds neatly arranged along the walls, each occupied by a patient.

  His sharp eyes scanned over them one by one. The first was a woman with long dark hair, her face calm in unconsciousness. She looked mostly fine, showing no visible wounds or distress, but she hadn’t woken up yet.

  The second was a familiar face, Ivan, the boy who had fought alongside him and Milo during the mission. Unlike the woman, he was clearly injured. Bandages wrapped tightly around his arms and torso, and faint scars from cuts and bruises peeked through. He wasn’t unconscious, just deep in sleep, likely from exhaustion.

  For a brief moment, Kaiser thought about how battered Ivan was. He had been beyond useful, sure, but compared to the kind of damage Kaiser had taken… well, it was no contest. His mind briefly drifted to when he himself had been pierced trough the chest, the moment he grabbed that cursed sword, the raw explosion of power that had erupted from the cage.

  He exhaled sharply, shaking the memory away. No point in lingering on it.

  Instead, he moved on to the third bed. Lying there was a young girl, maybe around sixteen. Her face was peaceful in unconsciousness, her chest rising and falling in slow, steady breaths. Her short blonde hair was slightly messy, strands falling over her forehead. But what caught Kaiser’s attention most were her ears, which were animal-like, perched atop her head, covered in soft fur.

  For a split second, he blinked.

  His gaze flickered to Milo, expecting some sort of reaction, but the old man didn’t even spare her a second glance. In fact, he looked completely unfazed.

  Kaiser thought back to Glunko, the giant talking frog-man with a beard. He had met him only once, but that had been more than enough to convince Kaiser that the world was a lot weirder than he had originally thought. If a frog could walk around in a robe and smoke a pipe like some kind of scholar, then a girl with animal ears probably wasn’t that strange.

  Still, the sight was surprising enough that he made a mental note of it before finally moving on to the last bed.

  And then, his expression softened.

  There she was.

  Aria.

  Her pink hair rested gently over the pillow, her body still and peaceful. She looked untouched, as if she hadn’t been through the horrors of an auction, as if she hadn’t almost been sold like an object.

  Kaiser took a deep breath, feeling something warm and unfamiliar stir in his chest. Relief. He spotted a chair nearby, pulled it close, and sat beside her bed. He let himself relax, if only slightly.

  Milo, standing behind him, finally spoke. “The slaves at the auction are unconscious because of a drug,” he explained casually, as if reading off a report. “It’s called the Breath of Lyla. Pretty common stuff.”

  Kaiser didn’t look away from Aria, but he narrowed his eyes. “A drug?”

  Milo nodded. “Yeah. It’s mainly used for long-distance travel. If you can’t afford the Drillex or teleportation, you take this stuff and sleep through the journey instead. Makes the trip feel like it never even happened.”

  Kaiser’s grip on Aria’s blanket tightened. “So the Right Fist drugged them before the auction?”

  Milo sighed. “Of course they did. They didn’t want the merchandise hurting itself before it was sold.”

  Kaiser’s jaw clenched, his knuckles turning white. “How long before she wakes up?” he asked, his voice low.

  Milo scratched his beard. “Depends. Average person sleeps for about six hours. Could be as short as three, could last up to twelve. Just depends on the body.” But a faint, raspy whisper of a girl finished his statement.

  “Better sooner than later…” A female voice was heard. Kaiser’s head snapped toward Aria, his body instantly tensing.

  Milo, just as caught off guard, blinked in shock before leaning forward slightly, watching as the pink-haired girl’s fingers twitched against the sheets. Her eyelids fluttered open, and they were dazed and unfocused, but awake.

  For a brief moment, Kaiser just stared at her, his brain catching up with the moment. Then, something warm and deeply unfamiliar spread through his chest. His lips curled up slightly, almost instinctively. With a rare softness, he muttered, “You’re awake, little spider.”

  Aria’s half-lidded eyes slowly moved toward him, her hazy mind clearly struggling to adjust. But despite the exhaustion weighing her down, a small, relieved smile appeared on her face. Kaiser reached out, taking her hand in his own. “It’s all gonna be alright,” he assured her. His grip was firm and steady, like a promise.

  Aria’s fingers weakly curled around his. “Thank you,” she whispered. Her voice, though hoarse from sleep, carried something gratitude, relief, and a silent understanding of just how much he had done for her. She didn’t need to say more. It was all there, in her eyes.

  Kaiser, for once, didn’t have some sharp remark or teasing comment. He just held onto her hand, grounding her, letting her know she was safe. Then, a deep voice interrupted.

  “I’m sorry.”

  Both Kaiser and Aria turned to see Milo standing behind them, his expression uncharacteristically solemn. His head was bowed slightly, a rare gesture of regret. “I should’ve stopped her,” he said quietly. “That white-haired girl—I fought her, but she got away with you. I let that happen.”

  Aria’s fingers unconsciously tightened around Kaiser’s. She was silent for a moment, then shook her head weakly. “You couldn’t have known,” she murmured. “I should’ve been more cautious. I—”

  “No.” Milo cut her off, his tone firm but not unkind. “That was my job. I was supposed to make sure something like that didn’t happen. And I failed.”

  The room was quiet for a few moments. Kaiser glanced at Milo, then back at Aria. He had known the old man for only a short while, but even he could tell that guilt wasn’t something Milo carried lightly.

  Aria, despite her obvious exhaustion, looked at Milo with a tired but understanding expression. “I bet you tried your best,” she said. “And… I’m still here. That’s what matters, right?”

  Milo let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his head. “Doesn’t change the fact that I let it happen in the first place.”

  Kaiser snorted. “Then make up for it by being better next time.”

  Milo raised an eyebrow. “That simple, huh?”

  Kaiser smirked. “Yeah. That simple.”

  There was a short silence between the group, but it was interrupted by a soft cough filled the room. It was faint, but enough to make all three of them turn toward the source.

  The girl in the next bed stirred slightly, her breathing growing more audible. Then, another cough, this one stronger. Her body tensed before her eyes fluttered open, revealing a pair of tired, green irises.

  Kaiser, Aria, and Milo watched in silence as the girl’s gaze moved sluggishly across the room, trying to make sense of where she was. Then, her eyes landed on her brother, still unconscious in the bed beside her. Her lips parted slightly, as if wanting to speak, but no words came out yet.

  Milo stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. “Easy there, kid. You just woke up. Don’t try to sit up too fast.”

  The girl slowly turned her head toward him, blinking in confusion.

  Milo pulled up a chair, lowering himself into it with a tired grunt. “Alright, kid. You’re in Orlogolog, you’re safe, and your brother’s right next to you. Take a second, breathe, and when you’re ready, we can talk.”

  Mia’s green eyes remained fixed on Ivan, a crease forming between her brows as she studied him. Her breathing was shallow, uncertain, and for a moment, it seemed like she hadn’t even registered anyone else in the room. Her fingers flexed slightly, reaching toward her brother, but hesitated just before making contact. “…He’s okay, right?” she finally asked, her voice hoarse and fragile.

  Before anyone could answer, Kaiser felt a shift beside him as Aria pulled her hand from his grasp. He blinked, watching as she suddenly threw the blankets off herself and, despite still looking half-asleep, jumped out of bed.

  Well, jumped was a generous word. It was more of a wobbly stumble, and the second her feet hit the ground, she swayed like a newborn deer. Kaiser instinctively reached out to grab her, but she was already determined, arms out slightly to balance herself as she took a slow, uncertain step forward. Then another. She looked like a drunk penguin trying to cross a frozen lake.

  Kaiser sighed. “Aria, sit down before you fall over and crack your skull.”

  Aria shot him a determined look before wobbling her way toward Mia’s bedside, stopping just close enough to place a gentle hand on the girl’s blanket. “I’m Aria,” she said, breathless but grinning. Mia finally peeled her gaze away from her brother and blinked up at the pink-haired girl, processing her words.

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  Then, with the same concern still weighing on her, she glanced at Milo. “Is my brother alright?”

  The old commander let out a sharp bark of laughter, shaking his head. “Kid, out of everyone in this room, he’s probably the one who got off the easiest.”

  Mia’s lips parted slightly, her shoulders sagging in relief. “Really?”

  Milo smirked. “You’re lookin’ at a room full of people who’ve been tossed around like rag dolls in the past twenty-four hours. Your brother just took a couple of cuts and bruises.”

  Mia let out a breath, finally looking at Ivan with something less than sheer panic. Then, her eyes flickered back to Milo, properly taking him in. “…Wait.” Her brows furrowed slightly as she studied his features. “You’re… you’re the city watch commander, aren’t you?”

  Milo cocked his head. “That’s me.”

  Mia’s expression brightened. “Oh! I have heard about you before! You’re Old Man Milo!”

  Kaiser’s head snapped toward Milo so fast it was a miracle he didn’t get whiplash. “Old Man Milo?”

  Aria muffled a giggle while Milo groaned, rubbing his temples. “Oh, hell.”

  Mia blinked. “You don’t like the name?”

  Kaiser grinned, leaning forward with obvious interest. “Oh no, I think it’s fantastic.”

  Milo shot him a glare. “Shut it.”

  Mia, oblivious to the brewing war between them, continued with a cheerful tone. “People say you’re one of the kindest commanders the city’s ever had. That you spend a lot of your own money buying food for poor families.”

  Milo scratched his beard, grumbling. “Not that much.”

  Mia shook her head, smiling warmly. “You’ve helped us a lot, actually. There were times when my brother and I barely had enough to get by, but we always had something to eat because of you.”

  Aria’s expression softened. “That’s wonderful.”

  Mia was still smiling, but she soon after looked at Kaiser and Aria with curiosity. “I know Old Man Milo, but I’ve never heard of either of you before.”

  Aria’s face twitched. Her left eye gave a small, irritated tic, her lips pursing as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I already introduced myself,” she muttered, puffing out her cheeks like a pouting child.

  Mia blinked, tilting her head innocently. “You did?”

  “Yes,” Aria huffed. “Right when I waddled over here like an idiot.”

  Kaiser, who had been quietly observing, smirked. “I mean… you did kind of look like a newborn deer trying to walk for the first time. Maybe she just didn’t take you seriously.” Aria shot him a glare sharp enough to cut steel, but Kaiser only grinned wider.

  Mia, meanwhile, giggled. “Well, now I do remember! Sorry, Aria, I didn’t mean to ignore you.” Aria held her glare for a moment longer, then exhaled in dramatic exasperation, throwing her hands in the air. “Fine. Whatever. I’ll do it again.” She straightened her back and placed a hand on her chest, looking as dignified as possible despite still being in a hospital gown. “I am Aria.”

  Mia, despite the tension, smiled warmly. “Nice to meet you, Aria! Where are you from?”

  “…Woodrift,” she said, her voice firm.

  Mia’s smile faltered slightly. “Oh...”

  Aria didn’t stop. “I came to Arkhold after Kaiser rescued me. We only came here to find something to eat.” The simplicity of the statement sent a hush over the room. Mia’s brows knit together, sympathy creeping into her expression.

  Milo exhaled through his nose, arms crossing over his chest. His posture shifted slightly, a telltale sign that he was thinking hard about something. “Wait… Woodrift.” He spoke slowly, his voice laced with something unreadable. “That’s the village that got wiped out by the spider invasion, right?”

  The glow in Aria’s eyes dimmed. Her fingers twitched at her sides, tightening slightly into fists. “No,” she said, voice quieter but sharp. “The knights of the Northern Liberatorium destroyed my village. The spiders were the ones protecting me.”

  The air in the room grew still as Mia stiffened, her eyes widening slightly, while Milo pressed his lips into a firm line, fingers curling over his forearm in thought. Kaiser, watching Aria’s posture carefully, noticed the way her body tensed, as if she had said more than she meant to. Gently, he placed a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to explain.” Aria stiffened, and then laughed.

  A laugh that didn’t belong to her, but she forced it anyway. “Ah… yeah. Maybe I shouldn’t be saying all that.”

  Kaiser glanced at Mia, who still looked unsettled, then straightened his posture slightly. “Well, I suppose I should introduce myself properly. I’m Kaiser Dios, and I’m Aria’s companion.”

  Mia blinked, nodding slowly as she processed that. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kaiser! Are you from Woodrift too?” Kaiser opened his mouth to respond, but his eyes glowed green.

  “No,” he said, without thinking. “I am the Supreme Military Commander of the Kingdom of Nebrosa, and a proud resident of the city of Cordova.”

  Silence…

  Absolute silence followed. Kaiser’s heart stopped as his own words rang in his ears, and for a second, he swore he had misheard himself. His mouth snapped shut, breath catching in his throat. ‘What?’ That wasn’t what he meant to say.

  A bead of sweat trailed down the side of his neck as he tried to recover, he opened his mouth again, this time to correct himself. “I— I mean, I—” He swallowed. “I’m from Woodrift.” His eyes glowed again.

  “…I am the Supreme Military Commander of the Kingdom of Nebrosa.”

  Kaiser went rigid. It was as if something had reached inside his mouth and ripped the truth out of him before he even had the chance to think. He shut his lips quickly, heart thundering in his chest. Aria, on the other hand, did the exact opposite.

  “WHAT?!” she shrieked, grabbing his arm with both hands. “You’re a Supreme Military Commander?!”

  Kaiser stiffened. “I—”

  Aria gasped dramatically. “IS THAT WHY YOU’RE SO TALL?! AND WHY YOUR POSTURE IS SO GRAND?! AND WHY YOUR FACE IS SO PRETTY?!”

  Kaiser stared at her blankly. “What the hell does my face have to do with—”

  “I KNEW IT!” Aria cried, practically bouncing on her feet. “YOU’RE SOME BIG, FANCY WARLORD, AREN’T YOU?!”

  Mia, equally excited, clapped her hands together. “A Supreme Military Commander… that sounds so important!” She straightened up and suddenly saluted him. “Sir Kaiser, it’s an honor to meet you!”

  Kaiser opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again—only to sigh, utterly defeated. Meanwhile, Milo was the only one not swept up in the excitement. No. His reaction was different. His body had gone still, brows furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line. Unlike Aria and Mia, he didn’t laugh, didn’t joke, didn’t question it. He simply stared at Kaiser, watching him closely.

  And then, without another word, he turned on his heel and made for the door. Kaiser immediately noticed. “Milo?”

  “I need to check something,” Milo said, his voice low. Then, without another word, he stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

  Kaiser’s eyes flickered as he caught the subtle shift in Mia’s expression, her posture tensed, her fingers curled against the blanket on her lap, and most telling of all, the way she averted her gaze when he met her eyes.

  He let out a quiet sigh through his nose and gently tugged Aria back toward her bed. “You should rest,” he said, his tone softer than usual but firm.

  Aria looked up at him with a furrowed brow, clearly confused by his sudden insistence, but as she turned her gaze back to Mia, something clicked in her mind. Kaiser wasn’t just worried about her; he was trying to defuse the tension in the room.

  Still, she wasn’t about to just go along with it blindly. “Kaiser,” she whispered as he helped her sit down, her voice careful and probing. “Did you feel it too?”

  Kaiser kept his expression neutral, but his grip on her shoulder tightened ever so slightly. “I—” He hesitated. “I didn’t want to say any of that,” he admitted in a hushed voice, like speaking it aloud would make the reality of it worse. “It just came out.”

  Aria stared at him, her lips pressing together as she thought back to the moment Mia had asked where he was from. His entire demeanor had shifted. His words were spoken with confidence, yet the second he finished speaking, he looked like a man who had just revealed a secret he wasn’t even aware of.

  And his eyes…

  “They looked just like hers,” Aria whispered. “When you were speaking, your eyes had that same glow.”

  Kaiser’s head turned sharply toward her, his brows drawing together in intrigue. He mulled over the idea, letting it roll through his mind like a stone in a tumbler, slowly smoothing out the jagged edges.

  If what Aria was saying was true, and he had no real reason to doubt her, then that meant Mia was the cause. She had somehow forced the truth out of them. He cast a glance toward the girl, who still looked shaken, her small hands clutching at the blanket like it was a shield. She didn’t seem dangerous. Hell, she barely looked like she understood what was happening herself.

  “She’s too young,” Kaiser murmured, more to himself than anyone else. “Too tired. If she really has an ability like that, she wouldn’t be able to use it so effortlessly.”

  Aria, however, didn’t look convinced. She pulled her knees up to her chest, her fingers twitching slightly as she rested her chin atop them. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I feel weird, Kaiser. Like I was forced to tell you the truth, and I couldn’t stop it.”

  Kaiser ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. “That’s probably why Milo left so quickly,” he mused. “If he realized he couldn’t lie, even by accident, he’d want to get out of here before saying something he’d regret.”

  Aria nodded, though she still seemed lost in thought. The pieces were there, but they weren’t quite fitting together yet. Before either of them could dwell on it further, the door to the room creaked open.

  Milo returned, his presence heavier than before, as if he had spent the past few minutes walking through his own thoughts and didn’t like where they had taken him.

  Following close behind him was a man dressed in pristine white, his coat flowing slightly as he walked with a measured pace. His expression was calm, unreadable, but there was a sharpness in his eyes that suggested he missed nothing.

  Kaiser straightened instinctively, his military instincts kicking in despite himself, while Aria remained curled up on the bed, watching the new arrival with quiet curiosity.

  The doctor glanced at each of them in turn before finally speaking. “Good afternoon,” he greeted, his voice professional yet not unkind. “I’m Dr. Atherton. I’ll be overseeing your recovery.”

  Mia shifted where she sat, still curled beside her unconscious brother, and finally spoke up, though her voice was quieter than before. “I’m sorry if I seemed… weird before.” She glanced at Kaiser, her fingers curling against her palms. “It’s just… when you were talking, I felt something. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was like there was something else there. Like I was seeing something I shouldn’t be seeing.”

  Kaiser and Aria exchanged a glance. Kaiser wasn’t sure how to respond at first. He wasn’t even sure if Mia herself knew what she was doing. But one thing was clear, she wasn’t in full control of it.

  “Sometimes people have abilities they don’t fully understand,” he said carefully. “Maybe that’s what’s happening here.” Mia nodded slowly, though her uncertainty didn’t fade completely.

  Dr. Atherton cleared his throat, his sharp gaze flickering between them all. “I understand you’ve been through quite a lot. I assure you, my only concern is making sure you all recover properly.”

  Milo stepped forward, rubbing a hand over his face before speaking. “We appreciate the help, Doctor.” He then turned his attention to the others, his expression softening. “And for what it’s worth… I’m sorry if I ran out on you all like that. I just—” He shook his head. “That’s not something I’ve ever experienced before.”

  Kaiser smirked slightly. “What, being honest?”

  Milo let out a gruff chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood, kid.”

  Mia, however, wasn’t amused. She shot Kaiser a glare. “Don’t tease him,” she huffed. “Milo’s a good man.”

  Kaiser let out a short chuckle and leaned back against the wall. “You’re not wrong. Though, whatever this ability is, it’s got some weight to it.” He looked at Mia again, his eyes more serious now. “You should be careful with it.”

  Mia swallowed, her hands tightening around the blanket in her lap. “I… I will.”

  Finally, Dr. Atherton took a step back, adjusting his sleeves. “I’ll give you all some time to rest. By the tests we have done, nothing as of now is wrong with any of you, except the depleted energy” he said, his tone signaling that he wouldn’t be lingering any longer. “If you need anything, just call for one of the nurses and they shall be with you in less then a minute.” With that, he turned and exited the room, his footsteps fading down the hall.

  Milo let out a long breath and rolled his shoulders. “I should check on the rest of the watch,” he muttered. He then nodded to Mia. “Stay with your brother. He’ll wake up soon enough.”

  She nodded, offering him a small, grateful smile.

  As Milo stepped out, Kaiser glanced at Aria, who had gone oddly quiet. “You alright?” he asked.

  Aria hummed, tilting her head slightly. “I’m just thinking,” she murmured. “About everything.”

  Kaiser smirked slightly. “Try not to think too hard. You’re supposed to be resting.”

  Aria shot him a playful glare before sighing and letting herself relax against the bed. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll rest.”

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