Noah quietly munched on the loaf of bread, chewing slowly as if stretching the small meal for as long as he could. The dry texture no longer bothered him. After days of eating the same bread in jail, his mouth had grown numb to it. Bale, on the other hand, tore into his portion like a starving animal, swallowing each bite as if afraid someone might take it away.
Bale finished his share in a few bites, grabbed the canteen beside him, and drank with loud, desperate gulps that echoed in the quiet room.
Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he let out a satisfied breath.
"That hit the spot."
They sat on the cold floor in a loose circle, a single lantern placed between them. Its dim light pushed back the darkness just enough to show their faces, leaving the corners of the room swallowed in shadow.
Aren remained by the broken window, scanning the street outside for any sign of pursuit. Iriel sat across from Noah and Bale, her back straight, her eyes fixed on Noah with an unreadable expression that felt heavier than outright hostility.
'Everything about her screams Leon. No wonder the two are siblings.'
Iriel had been watching him ever since their clash in the alley. Noah avoided meeting her eyes directly, stealing quick glances whenever he thought she wasn't looking. The silence stretched on, growing heavier with each passing minute until even breathing felt awkward.
'What do I even say? That I came here to save her? Let alone cooperation, she would not even hear me out… I miss Tirandel.'
For all his eccentric habits, Tirandel had been the one who kept conversations alive during the journey. Without him, the group would have stayed silent most of the time. Even their mission discussions had depended on his ability to pull words out of people.
Bale set the empty canteen down with a soft clink, glanced around the room, and finally decided to break the silence.
"Iriel, it's good to see you again after so long. How have you been? I hope that brat did not cause you too much trouble."
Aren did not turn around, but his shoulders stiffened as if he was barely holding himself back from punching Bale again.
Iriel shook her head once, her expression softening just slightly.
"No. He helped more than you think. I've been managing."
Bale gave a small smile.
"That's good to hear. Oh, right. I almost forgot."
He tilted his head toward Noah.
"This guy will be working with you from now on. He's new, so show him how things work."
Noah nearly choked on the last piece of bread, coughing as he forced it down. When he looked up, he saw that Iriel's eyes had widened slightly, her surprise matching his own.
Iriel did not respond immediately. She studied Noah for several long seconds, her gaze weighing him as if measuring something invisible. When she finally spoke, the mood in the room shifted.
"Do you really trust this man? You have known him for barely a week. For all we know, he could stab us in the back the moment we turn away."
Her words were calm and straightforward, but the meaning behind them was not. Even without raising her voice, her distrust toward Noah was clear.
'So this is how you want to play it.'
Noah had never been good with words. Back at the academy, he usually relied on Arnold to smooth over any arguments in the dorms. Still, he knew how to follow the flow of a conversation once it started.
That alone was enough for him.
Noah brushed the crumbs from his hands and set the remaining bread aside. When he spoke, his voice carried a faint edge of mockery.
"That's a bold thing for you to say."
He wanted to keep his identity hidden for as long as possible. But if he wanted answers about how Iriel escaped the mage and ended up with the Revolutionary Front, he had to push the conversation forward.
Iriel's brows drew together.
"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"
Noah shifted his attention to Bale instead of answering her directly.
"I don't know anything about you. But I'm sure Bale has told you plenty about me. Just like you don't trust me, I don't trust you either. For all I know, you could be the second heir of that House Valcrest."
The words landed heavily in the room, crushing what little calm had remained.
Iriel lowered her gaze, her face hidden behind strands of hair, making it impossible to read her expression.
Bale let out a quiet laugh.
"That's not even funny, Noah. Everyone knows Valcrest only has one heir. That Leon guy."
That was what the public believed. Only those who knew the truth would mention Iriel at all.
'So he really does not know. Then why is she here with them?'
As Noah's thoughts raced, he noticed Aren watching him closely. Unlike Bale, who seemed unaware of Iriel's background, Aren looked tense, as if guarding a secret he did not want exposed.
'Interesting…'
Iriel kept her head lowered, appearing deep in thought. But Noah caught the subtle shift in her posture. Her shoulders tightened, and her stance steadied. She was ready to move the moment he made a wrong step.
Noah forced a small laugh and scratched the back of his head, pretending to ease the tension.
"Sorry. Seems I'm worse at jokes than I thought."
He extended his hand toward her, keeping his expression neutral.
"I'm Noah. You could say Bale recruited me for now. I hope we can work together."
Iriel did not move. She stared at his hand as if it were something dangerous.
After a few seconds, Noah slowly withdrew it.
Beside him, Bale stared at Noah with raised brows, clearly surprised.
"What? You didn't expect me to work for free, did you?"
Bale laughed under his breath, shaking his head.
"Fair enough. Since Iriel still doesn't trust you, why don't you tell us a little about yourself?"
Bale leaned closer so only Noah could hear him.
"Think of it as your official interview."
Noah subtly straightened his back, steadying his breathing before he spoke.
When Bale revealed himself as a member of the Revolutionary Front, Noah had already decided to get closer to him no matter what it took. In a city ruled by hidden factions, the Front was the only force that openly challenged the others.
If Noah wanted the freedom to investigate Iriel's situation, he needed protection from a faction strong enough to shield him. Bale, someone capable of bringing him inside, was an opportunity he could not ignore. Fortunately, Bale also seemed to need more people on his side.
Now he needed his story and intentions to align with the Front's goals. To outsiders, the organization looked like a disorderly crowd of rebels. In reality, it operated with surprising discipline and caution.
Noah had only learned about this structure shortly before arriving in Venis, mostly from Tirandel's explanations. From what he understood, the Front was far more organized than the nobles believed.
This was his only chance to get close to them. With Bale proving far more observant than expected, Noah knew careless lies would only expose him.
Noah finally spoke, his voice steady and deliberate.
"If I'm being honest, there isn't much to my story. I was a trainee knight who got expelled from the Imperial Academy. With nowhere else to go, I ended up coming to Venis."
He lowered his gaze to the lantern between them, watching the flame sway slightly as he continued.
"Of course, I had my reasons for choosing Venis of all places. But I hope you won't pry into my goals, and I won't pry into yours. For now, I'm just a hired sword."
He looked directly at Iriel this time, making sure she understood he was speaking to her.
"It's fine if you don't trust me. Just don't interfere with me, and I won't interfere with you. That should be enough for us to work together."
Everything he said was technically true except for the parts he chose not to mention.
No matter what anyone said, she was still Leon Valcrest's sister. Knowing Leon, Noah doubted she would fall for flattery or empty promises. Speaking plainly was his safest option.
Iriel fell silent, her gaze fixed on the floor as she weighed his words.
Glancing at Noah, she thought. 'He is not lying. But he is not telling everything either. That means he needs us just as much as we need him. Maybe even more.'
She turned to Bale instead of answering Noah directly.
"I don't mind working with him. You're the one in charge, so the decision is yours. Just make sure he stays out of my way."
Before Bale could respond, Noah spoke again.
"That doesn't seem fair, does it? I told you about myself, but I still don't know anything about you."
Iriel glanced at Bale, silently asking whether she should answer.
Bale shrugged, clearly amused by the exchange.
"Alright then. Where should I start?"