I woke up earlier than usual.
Not because of noise.
Not because of a dream.
But because something felt wrong.
The room was quiet, the kind of quiet that presses against your ears. Even Rath and Eylo were resting without a sound, their breaths steady, too steady. My instincts, sharpened by weeks of nonstop battles, refused to let me ignore it.
I stared at the ceiling for a long moment before speaking.
"Arcit."
Arcit's voice responded instantly, calm and mechanical as always.
"How can I help you today?"
"Yesterday," I said slowly, choosing my words, "I felt envy, jealousy, hatred… and killing intent coming from Mart. Was that preparation, or was it real?"
There was a pause. A fraction of a second longer than usual.
"The individual Mart truly possessed those emotions."
My fingers curled slightly against the sheets.
"…Did my sister feel them?"
"Yes. Your sister felt them," Arcit replied. "And she also sensed that you felt them."
"I see."
So it wasn't just me. That made it worse.
"Do you know why he feels this way?" I asked.
"I do not have a solid answer."
I exhaled slowly. Envy was one thing. Resentment was understandable.
But killing intent?
Arcit continued, almost casually, "You can obtain such data yourself using a technique branched from Spiritual Awareness: Spiritual Appraisal."
"Spiritual Appraisal?" I repeated. "Explain."
"It allows you to read the full chain of a person's true emotions."
"…That's useful."
"It also allows you to detect lies."
That earned a faint, humorless smile.
"By the way," I added, "where's my reward for completing those hellish missions?"
"You exceeded expectations," Arcit replied.
"Your reward will be delivered in two hours."
"Then I'm taking this week off," I decided. "I'll discuss this with Iris and my siblings."
Arcit issued a notice.
"Although Iris is trustworthy and no hatred-based emotional signals toward you have been detected, it is advisable for a chosen one such as yourself to know her true feelings."
"True feelings my ass," I muttered. "I'm not interrogating her."
"You may keep Spiritual Awareness active at all times," Arcit added. "It consumes no mana or stamina."
"…Great."
"You may also summon members of your party: Iris of the Silver Claws, Eylo, and Rath."
"I can summon Iris?" I frowned. "That's new."
"You may either summon her directly or send a summoning invitation."
"…Invitation."
Then I narrowed my eyes.
"By the way, when did you become capable of hearing my thoughts?"
"Since the Telapathy skill was unlocked," Arcit answered. "I can now perceive your thoughts directly."
"…And none of what I say can be read through my Spiritual Awareness?"
"The probability of that occurring is ∞% impossible."
"∞%?" I scoffed. "My math teacher never mentioned that one."
"Proceeding with the invitation."
A faint ripple of mana spread through the room.
Moments later, there was a knock.
Iris entered, posture straight, expression composed.
"You summoned me, Lord Raidan?"
I groaned.
"I told you not to act like a servant," I said flatly. "And you never mentioned the system had anything to do with this."
"The system said it would be an efficient way to stay connected," Iris replied. "And it grants shared experience beyond a normal party."
Through Spiritual Awareness, I could feel it.
She was telling the truth.
But there was something else beneath it. Something unspoken.
"Enough," I said. "Listen carefully."
She straightened.
"Both of us are taking this week off."
Iris "W-what? Why?"
"We'll say we're exhausted from the last quests."
I paused, then continued.
"Second, we're leaving Clover. And the guild."
Her eyes widened. "Why?"
I switched to Telapathy.
~From now on, we discuss important matters like this. Out loud, we keep things simple.~
She nodded slightly.
~We'll cooperate as strangers between guilds. You don't need to act. I'm the target.~
Her response came instantly.
~Target? Who's targeting you?~
~I don't know who exactly. But yesterday, when we returned, I sensed killing intent not just from Mart, but also from Henro and the others. Elilia sensed it too.~
Her breathing slowed.
~You don't need to stay. For your own safety, leave the guild.~
There was no hesitation in her reply.
~I'm going with you.~
~What? Why? You understand I'm being hunted?~
~So? You've never done anything without reason. I trust you.~
I fell silent.
"…Fine," I said aloud. "Let's go."
As we left the room, we ran into Mart and his parents, Ashia and Allond.
Through awareness alone, I could feel it.
Shock. Anger. Suspicion.
~They shouldn't know we're aware,~ Iris sent.
~We don't know who's involved. Act normal,~ I replied.
Mart stepped forward. "Wait. Don't ignore us. What was she doing in your room?"
"Why are you angry?" I asked coldly. "Is she your girlfriend or something? It's none of your business."
Iris crossed her arms. "I came to ask him about taking a week off. That's all."
Mart's voice sharpened. "With him?!"
"Are you stupid?" I snapped. "Who said she's going with me?"
"Even if I were," Iris added, eyes narrowed, "it's not your concern."
His silence screamed everything.
Later, after informing everyone we were taking time off, the truth settled in my chest like stone.
Mart hated me because:
I was a prince.
I was stronger.
And Iris stood beside me.
My siblings listened carefully as we explained everything. They agreed immediately.
That night, Arcit delivered the reward.
Weapons.
Shiftron armor.
A mask.
A new skill: Revyn.
Everything clicked into place.
When Mart confronted us again outside the palace when we were giving our bye to our parents , screaming accusations, I'd had enough.
Iris "you started pissing me off"
"It's impressive how you turn every moment worse just by being in it."
I moved.
One punch.
Clean. Fast. Final.
"Don't mistake kindness for equality," I said quietly. "That was my error."
Iris didn't flinch.
the next day we shopped first, moving through the crowded streets. Stalls were packed with clothes, boots, potions, and weird little trinkets. Everything smelled like food and spices and sunlight hitting the fabrics just right. Iris kept stopping at every stand, poking and picking things up, looking like she was picking out treasures for a quest. I just followed, trying not to get caught in her whirlwind of curiosity, but secretly enjoying how focused she looked.
After that, we found a small ramen shop tucked away in an alley. Steam was everywhere, carrying the smell of garlic and broth. We squeezed into a corner, bowls of noodles steaming in front of us. And then—challenge accepted—we decided to have a ramen eating contest. Slurping noodles, scooping broth, stacking toppings, laughing so hard that some noodles flew out of our bowls, we tried to one-up each other. Countless rounds later, we literally lost track of how many bowls we had eaten. Eris threw her chopsticks down dramatically, I slammed mine in reply, and we finally just called it a draw—10-10. Totally ridiculous, totally fun.
Then we wandered a bit more, joking about who was actually the winner, skipping over puddles leftover from a morning rain, the sun warm on our backs. It felt like no one else existed for a while—just me and Eris, shopping, eating, and laughing, forgetting about quests, monsters, and all the crap waiting for us at the guild.
Then prepared our self for countering the assisation.
The next day, the ambush came.
The moment we stepped into the deepest part of the forest, the air changed.
The mana density spiked unnaturally, thick and heavy, pressing against the skin. The trees grew twisted, rootscrawling above ground like grasping claws. The sounds of normal forest life vanished, replaced by distant growls and the scraping of claws against stone.
Iris slowed beside me.
~using Telepathy~
"They're here. All of them."
Before I could reply, the attack came.
A massive shockwave tore through the forest as Allond slammed his weapon into the ground, shattering earth and sending debris flying. At the same time, Ashia's magic detonated from the treeline, compressed elemental energy exploding inward to trap us.
Mart appeared last.
His eyes were hollow.
Not rage anymore.
Not jealousy.
Just a single, broken command repeating in his mind.
Kill them.
Around us, twenty assassins revealed themselves, perfectly positioned, their presence masked until the last second. At the same time, the forest erupted.
More than thirty high-level monsters surged toward the battlefield, drawn by the chaos. Claws, fangs, wings, and roars filled the air.
Iris clicked her tongue.
~using Telepathy~
"So they planned to let monsters finish us even if they failed."
~using Telepathy~
"Exactly."
Allond charged first, his strike tearing through two monsters as if they were paper, aimed straight for us. Ashia followed with layered elemental spells, sealing escape routes. The assassins moved in coordination, blades coated in poison, timing their strikes with the monsters' attacks.
I stepped forward.
~using Telepathy~
"Now."
At the same instant, Mist Stride activated.
The world blurred.
Our bodies dissolved into drifting mist, reappearing between attacks, slipping through gaps no normal movement could reach. Monsters struck where we had been. Assassin blades passed through afterimages.
Iris activated Limit Break, her aura erupting violently, forcing back monsters and assassins alike. Her bond mark flared bright red, power surging through her strikes.
~using Telepathy~
"Bond Skill: Revyn."
The air screamed.
Our bond resonated, mana syncing perfectly. A massive wave of destructive force exploded outward, tearing through monsters and scattering assassins. The forest floor cracked, trees collapsing under the pressure.
Allond and Ashia resisted, but even they were forced back.
Mart screamed, charging blindly, ignoring monsters ripping at his sides.
I didn't look at him.
Mist Stride surged again.
We ran.
Not seconds.
Not minutes.
Miles.
Behind us, the battlefield collapsed completely. Monsters overran the area, blood and destruction erasing all traces of us. Our presence vanished entirely.
No mana signature.
No bond trace.
Nothing.
To them, we were dead.
Far away, deep within another region of the forest, we stopped.
Using Shiftron, my armor shifted. Colors darkened. Shapes changed. Cloaks formed, designed for mobility and survival. It features a red and black color scheme with bold gold accents, including intricate shoulder armor and layered garments that suggest both protection and prestige. A long red cape flows behind, adding regal flair. The swirling flames in each hand hint at magical or elemental power, reinforcing the character's commanding presence. The overall design is ornate, battle-ready, and steeped in mysticism. while Iris armor blends elegance and combat readiness. She wears a white top with puffed sleeves, cinched at the waist by a pink and black corset-like belt. Flowing over this is a long, ornate coat in pink and black, detailed with intricate designs that suggest status or affiliation.
White pants and a confident pose add to her commanding presence, while the long weapon slung over her shoulder hints at her strength and skill. The overall look is stylish, bold, and perfect for a fantasy heroine in an urban setting.
We changed our hair to reddish-brown, and allowed the will marks to remain visible.
No longer princes.
No longer known adventurers.
We entered a hidden cave, deep and narrow.
Arcit and Arcitia formed an invisible barrier, bending light, sound, and presence itself. Even monsters passing directly outside could not sense us.
Inside the cave, silence returned.
We were alive.
And the world believed otherwise.
Tomorrow, a new path would begin.