Entering Vailor always brought a familiar feeling. The sound of people, the constant movement, the smell of food coming from the stalls, and the distant noise of steel clashing in the forges. It was the kind of routine that, for a moment, made any concern seem smaller.
But not that day.
As we walked through the main streets, I could feel that something was out of place. It wasn't the environment. It was the group.
More specifically… Scarlett.
She walked nearby, but not too close. She talked with Lyannis at times, responded when Elara spoke to her, but there was always that slight delay, as if she thought before every word.
And whenever I looked directly at her, she looked away.
At first, I ignored it. It could have been a coincidence.
After the third time, it stopped feeling natural.
"Are you going straight to the guild?" Lyannis asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes," I replied. "Turn in the mission and collect the reward."
Rai'kanna stretched her arms, letting out a light sigh.
"Finally. That was way too easy."
"You prefer difficult ones," Vespera commented.
"I prefer interesting ones."
Elara smiled slightly.
"Not every mission needs to be life-threatening."
"But it helps not to be boring," Rai'kanna replied.
The conversation continued, light. Natural.
But Liriel didn't participate.
She walked a little behind, quiet. Observing.
Again.
That started to bother me.
When we reached the front of the guild, the movement was bigger than usual. Apparently, other teams had also returned from missions. The place was crowded, voices mixing, hurried footsteps, papers being handed over.
We entered.
I went straight to the counter, handing in the mission documents. The attendant checked them quickly, nodded, and said the reward would be released shortly.
While waiting, I glanced to the side.
Scarlett was a little apart from the group now.
Talking to Lyannis.
But even there, something was different.
She seemed… too careful.
As if she were trying to appear normal.
"You're noticing it too?"
The voice came low, beside me.
Liriel.
I didn't need to ask what she meant.
"Noticing what?" I replied, keeping my tone neutral.
She didn't look away.
"Her."
Direct.
"Scarlett has been acting strange since she met us."
"Could just be mission fatigue."
"No."
Immediate answer.
I sighed, crossing my arms.
"Liriel—"
"She avoids looking at you."
Sharp cut.
I stayed silent for a second.
"You're imagining things."
"I'm not."
She finally looked away, but only to watch Scarlett.
"I pay attention to these things."
I knew.
And that made everything more complicated.
"She freezes when you talk to her," Liriel continued. "Answers too quickly or thinks too much. It's not natural."
"Everyone reacts differently."
"Not like this."
Silence.
I didn't have a direct answer for that.
Because, deep down… I had noticed it too.
But admitting it would only fuel the situation.
"You're jumping to conclusions too early."
"Maybe," she said calmly. "But I doubt it."
Before I could respond, the attendant returned.
"Reward released."
I took the pouch of coins and thanked her. The weight felt right. Fair for the type of mission.
I turned to the group.
"It's done."
Rai'kanna smiled.
"Great. So what do we do now?"
"Head back to the mansion," Elara suggested. "Get some rest."
"I agree," Vespera said.
Lyannis nodded.
Scarlett said nothing.
She just looked at me for a brief second…
And looked away again.
That was enough.
We left the guild and walked through the streets. The path to the mansion wasn't long, but it felt quieter than usual.
Not because of a lack of people.
But because of the atmosphere between us.
Rai'kanna still tried to start conversations. Lyannis responded, keeping things light. Elara joined in when needed. Vespera observed everything around us.
Scarlett remained… controlled.
And Liriel…
Watching every detail.
As we approached the mansion, I slowed my pace slightly. Not enough to be obvious, but enough to walk beside Scarlett.
She noticed.
Her shoulders tensed slightly.
"You said the mission was easy," I began.
"It was."
Quick answer.
"What kind of dungeon was it?"
She hesitated.
Very little.
But she hesitated.
"A small cave. Some common monsters."
"Which ones?"
"Slimes… and some goblins."
Simple answer.
Coherent.
But still…
"I see."
Silence returned.
She didn't add anything.
Neither did I.
After a few seconds, she spoke.
"Do you always take missions like this?"
The question came slightly out of rhythm.
"Depends," I replied. "This one was just to keep moving."
"I see."
She fell silent again.
That wasn't normal.
Scarlett wasn't very talkative, but she wasn't like this either.
Tense.
Restrained.
Almost… nervous.
When we reached the mansion, the gates opened. We entered, finally away from the city's movement.
The environment there was calmer. Familiar.
Safe.
Even so…
Nothing changed.
Scarlett stopped for a moment, looking around. As if she were evaluating the place.
Or perhaps… preparing herself.
"Thanks for letting me come along," she said.
"No need to thank us," Lyannis replied with a smile.
"Yeah."
Rai'kanna agreed.
"It was nothing."
Elara simply nodded.
Vespera remained silent.
Liriel…
Kept watching.
And this time, she didn't even try to hide it.
I noticed.
Scarlett did too.
Their gazes met for a brief second.
And it was enough.
Right there, it became clear.
Liriel didn't just suspect.
She was starting to connect the pieces.
And, judging by the way Scarlett looked away right after…
She knew it.