We returned to the mansion in silence.
It wasn't a heavy silence. It was the kind of silence that comes after something that needed to happen. As if everyone was still organizing their own thoughts.
Rai'kanna walked beside me, too close. Elara came right behind. Vespera watched the streets with automatic attention. Liriel looked at me from time to time, as if she wanted to make sure I was still there.
When we passed through the gate, I felt the weight of the day finally fall onto my shoulders.
I was tired.
Tired in a good way.
We entered. The lights in the main hall were still on. No one spoke for a few seconds. Each of them took their usual place, but there was something different in the air.
Rai'kanna was the first to break the silence.
"I really was going to attack her."
"I know."
"It wasn't a threat."
"I know."
She took a deep breath and looked away.
Elara crossed her arms.
"It was a stupid joke."
"It was," I replied.
Vespera rested her hands on the table.
"But she spoke seriously afterward."
I nodded.
"She did."
Liriel pulled out a chair and sat down.
"I didn't expect that."
Neither did I.
I went to the window. The street was empty. The night calm. For the first time in many days, nothing urgent was waiting for me. No training. No decisions. No pressure.
Just the now.
"They noticed before I did," I said.
"The presences?" Elara asked.
"No. What she meant."
Rai'kanna tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
"Scarlet didn't want anything in return. She just wanted to make sure she wouldn't be forgotten."
The hall went quiet.
Vespera was the one who spoke:
"Strong people tend to leave."
"I don't intend to leave."
"Not now," she added.
I didn't argue.
Because she was right.
I sat in the closest chair.
"She watched my training from start to finish. Saw every mistake. Every flaw. Every improvement. I think, in a way, she's afraid of what I'm going to become."
Liriel rested her chin on her hand.
"Or afraid of where you might end up."
Rai'kanna looked at me firmly.
"You're not going anywhere alone."
I smiled lightly.
"I know."
The atmosphere finally started to relax.
Elara went to the kitchen to get water. Vespera leaned against the wall. Liriel spun the chair slowly. Rai'kanna stayed close, as if still ready to react to something that had already passed.
A few minutes later, we heard light knocks on the door.
Everyone looked at the same time.
I already knew who it was.
I opened it.
Scarlet was outside, still in the red dress, but with her usual posture.
"I knew you'd still be awake."
"Come in."
She entered without ceremony, as if she were already part of the house.
She looked around.
"Tense atmosphere still?"
"A little," Liriel replied.
Scarlet sighed.
"I overdid it."
"You did," Elara confirmed.
Scarlet approached the table.
"I just came so this wouldn't end like that."
No one said anything.
She looked at me.
"What I said was serious."
"I know."
"Friendship."
"I promised."
She nodded, satisfied.
Then she looked at the others.
"And no, I don't intend anything beyond that."
Rai'kanna narrowed her eyes.
"Good."
Scarlet gave a short smile.
"You're all too scary for any alternative plans."
That broke the rest of the tension.
Vespera let out a slight nasal laugh.
Elara shook her head.
Liriel uncrossed her arms.
Scarlet pulled out a chair and sat.
"I wanted to close this properly."
We stayed in comfortable silence for a few seconds.
She rested her elbows on the table.
"Tomorrow morning I'll schedule the final test."
"Where?" I asked.
"The hill north of the city."
I nodded.
"Alright."
Scarlet looked at me attentively.
"You've changed a lot in these two months."
"You too."
She shook her head.
"No. I just observed. The one who changed was you."
It wasn't an empty compliment. It was an observation.
"I needed to change."
"And you did."
Silence returned, but this time light.
Scarlet stood up.
"There. Now, really."
She went to the door.
Before leaving, she turned her head.
"Rest. Tomorrow it really ends."
She left.
I closed the door slowly.
When I returned to the hall, the four were watching me.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Nothing," Rai'kanna replied. "It's just… really over."
I understood.
That cycle of training, tension, evolution, jealousy, challenges… had ended there.
We went upstairs to the room.
This time, almost no one spoke. Each took their place on the bed as usual. The family routine returned, but with a different feeling.
I lay down staring at the ceiling.
Fatigue came quickly.
Before sleeping, I thought about what Scarlet said.
Strong people tend to leave.
Maybe it was true.
But I wasn't thinking about going anywhere.
I was only thinking about tomorrow.
The final test.
And what would come after.
I closed my eyes.
For the first time in a long while, I slept with no weight on my mind.
The training had ended.
And something new was about to begin.