The marsh wind was thick with moisture.
It carried a faint mineral scent, something between wet stone and salt, and it clung to the skin long after the purple Mirelens had turned back. Their forms slipped soundlessly into the reeds, webbed limbs vanishing beneath dark water as if they had never been there at all.
Only one remained.
She stood still for a long moment, tail coiled loosely behind her, eyes adjusting to the dimming light. The white of her scales caught the fading sun—not bright, not radiant, but muted, like bone polished by time.
Haruto realized then how quiet the world had become.
No splashing. No chanting. No farewell words.
Just her.
The heroes exchanged uncertain glances.
"So…" Souta said slowly, resting his spear against his shoulder, "she's… staying with us?"
The Mirelen inclined her head once.
"Yes."
Her voice was soft, steady, and carried a tone that didn't ask permission.
They made camp near the edge of the marsh, close enough that mist curled around their boots but far enough to avoid sinking ground. As the fire crackled, the Mirelen seated herself with a controlled grace, folding her tail beside her rather than behind.
That was when Yui finally spoke.
"Um… can I ask something?"
The Mirelen turned her head slightly. Four eyes focused—not all at once. The upper pair, larger and reflective, settled on Yui. The lower pair, smaller and darker, flickered briefly toward the surrounding shadows before relaxing.
"You may," she said.
Yui swallowed. "Your… eyes. Why four?"
The Mirelen didn't seem offended.
"The upper pair is for color and detail," she replied. "The lower pair is for darkness. Marsh nights are not kind to those who see only one world."
Mio leaned forward, curiosity replacing caution.
"So… night vision?"
"Yes."
Naoki muttered under his breath, "That's… unfair."
The Mirelen's lips curved faintly—not quite a smile.
Mio tilted her head next.
"And… your neck. Those white scales."
The firelight reflected softly off them. Unlike armor, they weren't layered across her body—only around her throat, forming a protective ring.
"Protection," the Mirelen said simply. "For the lathos."
"The… what?" Kenta asked.
She reached up, fingers brushing the side of her neck. Thin slits lay hidden between the scales.
"Breathing organs. We draw mana-rich moisture from the air and water through them."
Haruto stiffened slightly. "You don't… have a nose."
"No," she agreed calmly. "We do not require one."
The heroes exchanged looks again. Not fear. Just awe.
Yui hesitated, then gestured toward the Mirelen's tail.
"There's… something there. Like a clear pouch?"
The Mirelen glanced down.
"An oil gland."
Silence.
"Oil?" Akira repeated.
"Yes. Excess mana becomes unstable if retained. We release it into a special oil. It is later reabsorbed or refined."
"…That sounds dangerous," Takumi said.
"It is," she replied without drama. "That is why most of us do not survive long without discipline."
The words landed heavier than she intended.
Shun cleared his throat, trying to lighten the mood.
"So… uh… what about magic affinities?"
The Mirelen looked at him fully now.
"Mirelens possess naturally dense mana cores," she said. "Our affinities are strong. Comparable to yours."
Haruto blinked. "Comparable?"
"Yes. But our bodies are adapted for it."
She gestured vaguely toward Shun's arm, still wrapped from their last fight.
"Yours are not."
No arrogance. Just fact.
Naoki exhaled slowly. "So… in a fight…"
"A trained Mirelen surpasses a human knight," she finished. "That is not an insult. It is evolution."
The fire popped loudly, punctuating the sentence.
Yui shifted closer, voice quieter now.
"What about healing?"
The Mirelen's gaze sharpened—not defensive, but precise.
"Only white Mirelens can heal."
Everyone froze.
"It is not a spell," she continued. "Nor a blessing. It is a biological function. Mana circulates, stabilizes, repairs."
Mio's breath caught. "So humans can't—"
"No," she said gently. "Humans endure."
The distinction mattered.
For a while, no one spoke.
Mist drifted between them. Frogs croaked somewhere deep in the marsh.
Finally, Haruto broke the silence.
"…Why did you come with us?"
The Mirelen looked at the fire. Then at the heroes.
"Because you do not yet understand this world," she said.
"And because you will be wounded again."
Her lower eyes flickered toward the darkness beyond the camp.
"And next time, endurance will not be enough."
She settled in, tail curling closer, white scales at her neck glinting faintly.
That night, for the first time since arriving in Leorthus, the heroes realized something unsettling—
They were no longer the most unnatural beings in the camp.
And somehow, that made the world feel more real.