The door closed behind Scarlett with a sharp sound.
The silence that remained was not normal. It didn't bring calm. It was heavy, dense, as if the air had become harder to breathe.
I was still in the outside area when I heard footsteps coming from inside the mansion.
I didn't need to look to know who it was.
"She left."
Lyannis' voice came first.
Calm, but different from usual.
"Yes," I replied.
More footsteps.
Heavier.
Rai'kanna.
Then lighter, controlled ones.
Elara.
Vespera made no sound.
And Liriel…
I felt her before I heard her.
When I turned, they were all there.
None of them seemed willing to ignore what had happened.
"So," Rai'kanna began, crossing her arms. "Are we going to pretend that was normal?"
"It wasn't anything," I said.
Simple answer.
Automatic.
Wrong.
Liriel took a step forward.
"It was."
She didn't raise her voice.
But it was firm.
"She doesn't act like that for no reason."
"Everyone reacts differently."
"Stop deflecting."
Direct.
No room.
Silence fell again.
But now, shorter.
Because this wasn't going to drag on.
"You know her better than we do," Liriel continued. "And she wasn't just nervous."
I didn't respond.
Rai'kanna tilted her head.
"She freezes when you talk. Avoids eye contact. Accepts an invitation she would normally refuse."
"That proves nothing."
"It proves there's something there," Rai'kanna replied.
Elara didn't interrupt this time.
She was waiting too.
Lyannis looked at me carefully.
Vespera, leaning farther back, watched in silence.
And Liriel…
Didn't look away.
"So say it," she said.
Two words.
Simple.
Heavy.
"Say what?"
"Why she's like that with you."
I took a deep breath.
Held my posture.
"I don't know."
A lie.
Weak.
And no one believed it.
Rai'kanna let out a short laugh.
"You can lie better than that."
"I'm not lying."
"You are," she replied immediately.
Liriel said nothing.
But her gaze tightened slightly.
"You think we don't notice?" she asked.
"Notice what?"
"That you're choosing what to say."
Silence.
She continued.
"You don't hesitate like that when you really don't know."
That hit directly.
I held her gaze.
But didn't answer.
Lyannis spoke this time.
"Takumi… if something's going on, we need to know."
Her tone was different.
Softer.
But serious.
"Especially if it involves the group," Elara added.
I ran a hand over my face for a second.
Thinking.
Not about the answer.
But about how much it was worth holding it back.
Because at that point…
It was already clear.
They weren't going to stop.
And I also knew.
If I kept denying it…
It would get worse.
"It's nothing important," I said.
Last attempt.
Wrong again.
Liriel took another step forward.
Now closer.
"Then look at me and say that again."
I looked.
She held it.
Without looking away.
No visible pressure.
But total.
"It's nothing important," I repeated.
Silence.
One second.
Two.
Three.
"Lie."
One word.
No raised tone.
But final.
Rai'kanna uncrossed her arms.
"There. Done."
Elara closed her eyes for a moment.
Lyannis looked away, as if she already expected it.
Vespera remained silent.
But attentive.
I took a deep breath.
This time longer.
Heavier.
No more.
"Fine."
The word came out low.
But clear.
All of them paid attention.
"There was a time."
Immediate silence.
No one interrupted.
"Before today."
I kept my gaze forward.
Not avoiding.
"I was with her."
Nothing more.
Direct.
No detours.
No extra explanation.
The impact was immediate.
Rai'kanna let out a short laugh.
Without humor.
"That's it?"
"Rai'kanna…" Lyannis murmured.
"No, let me get this straight," she continued. "You were with her… and thought that wasn't relevant?"
I didn't answer.
Because there was no good answer.
Elara spoke.
"When?"
"Before she left for the last missions."
"So it wasn't recent," Lyannis said.
"No."
Silence.
Short.
But tense.
Liriel was still staring at me.
But now, different.
"She's not like this just because of that," she said.
It wasn't a question.
"No."
Direct admission.
"Then there's more."
"No."
Quick answer.
"That's enough."
Silence.
Rai'kanna ran a hand through her hair, walking a few steps.
"You really thought this wouldn't cause a problem?"
"It wasn't supposed to."
"But it did."
"Yes."
Simple answer.
No defense.
No justification.
Lyannis sighed.
"Why didn't you say it before?"
"Because it didn't matter."
"It did," Elara replied.
Calm.
But firm.
"It changes the group dynamic."
"It doesn't."
"It does," she repeated.
Vespera spoke for the first time.
"Undeclared connections always change behavior."
I didn't argue.
Because it was true.
Liriel finally looked away.
But she didn't seem calmer.
"So that's it," she said.
"That's it."
"You were with her… and now she's acting like this."
"Yes."
Silence.
But now…
Different.
It was no longer doubt.
It was processing.
Rai'kanna stopped walking.
Looked at me.
"You complicate things for no reason."
"Maybe."
"No. Definitely."
Lyannis crossed her arms, thoughtful.
"That explains a lot."
Elara nodded slightly.
"But it doesn't solve it."
"No," I agreed.
Vespera returned to silence.
Liriel took a deep breath.
Slower.
"Next time… say it sooner."
It wasn't a request.
It was a warning.
"Okay."
Simple answer.
And enough.
The group didn't say anything for a few seconds.
The weight was still there.
But now…
At least it had a shape.
The truth had been spoken.
And with that…
The problem stopped being invisible.
And became something real.
Something everyone would now have to deal with.