The image froze on the final frame.
Then the screen went black.
Stelle blinked. March 7th blinked.
Both of them reached out at the same moment and clicked the mouse like their lives depended on it.
Nothing happened. They clicked again.
Still nothing.
"??????"
"What comes next??"
"Why did it stop??"
"This can't be it! We were right at the most important part!"
The two of them squirmed in their seats, practically ready to dive through the screen and yank the rest of the story out themselves.
"Good, wasn't it?"
A voice came from behind them, laced with quiet amusement.
Stelle and March 7th froze instantly.
They sat perfectly still, like a pair of statues, and slowly, very slowly, turned their heads.
Arthur was standing behind them, arms crossed, the faintest smile on his lips.
He was looking at them with an expression that said he had known exactly what they were up to the entire time.
"C-Captain..." Stelle let out a strained laugh. "When did you get here?"
Around the time you two started talking. Arthur's smile didn't waver.
March 7th's face went scarlet. Stelle's followed right behind.
The two of them looked like thieves caught in the act, fidgeting and avoiding eye contact.
"We were just, you know, taking a quick look," Stelle tried to explain.
"Right! Just a quick look!" March 7th nodded so hard her hair started flying everywhere. "We barely watched any of it! Just a tiny bit!"
Arthur regarded them both for a moment of silence.
Then he laughed.
There was nothing reproachful in it, only something warm.
"Good, wasn't it?" he asked again, this time meaning it.
Stelle and March 7th looked at each other, then nodded in unison.
"So good!"
"Incredibly good!"
March 7th kept nodding. "That Otto! He's terrifying! But also so cool! What is he even after?!"
"What happens next?" Stelle looked at Arthur with pleading eyes. "Arthur, when does the next part come out?"
March 7th fixed him with the same look.
Arthur glanced between their two eager, curious faces and couldn't help smiling.
"Want to know what happens?"
Both of them nodded furiously.
"Well, the rest of the story is..." He drew the pause out deliberately.
Stelle and March 7th held their breath, hanging on his every word.
"A beautiful ending."
"HEY!"
Both of them let out a simultaneous groan of disappointment.
"That's it?!"
"Captain, that's basically nothing!"
Stelle buried her face in her hands. "What do you mean, a beautiful ending? Be specific! Do Kiana and her mom finally recognize each other? Is Otto actually a good guy or a bad one? Who wrote that diary? Why does Kiana get headaches? Why can she recite that phrase?"
March 7th was nodding along to every single question, hard enough to send her hair flying in all directions.
Arthur watched them, and a genuine laugh escaped him.
"Wait for the update," he said, turning and heading back to his seat. "If I tell you now, where's the fun in that?"
Stelle and March 7th exchanged a glance, then sighed in perfect unison.
"Fine..." Stelle slumped. "We'll wait."
March 7th suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Captain! That phrase in the diary, 'Ich liebe dich,' what does it mean?"
Arthur's footsteps paused briefly. He didn't turn around.
"Look it up yourself," he said, his voice gentle.
Stelle and March 7th stared at each other.
"Ich liebe dich..." Stelle murmured the sounds slowly. "What does that mean?"
March 7th pulled out her phone, opened a translation app, and typed in the words phonetically.
A few seconds later, the result appeared.
They both stared at the screen, and neither of them said anything.
"I love you."
As evening fell, the city's lights came on one by one beyond the windows.
In the studio, the day's work had finally come to a close.
Durandal gathered her things and walked over to Arthur.
"Arthur."
Her tone was as precise and composed as ever.
"Tomorrow I'll make up the progress that the people on leave fell behind on today. Bronya's coding sections, and the art tasks for Kiana and Mei, I'll take care of all of it."
Arthur looked up at this relentlessly capable woman and smiled despite himself.
"You don't need to," he said.
Durandal blinked, just slightly.
"The game is in solid shape now. We don't need to push that hard."
Arthur leaned back in his chair, his voice more relaxed than usual. "Everyone worked hard today. Rest up. We can deal with the rest of the progress tomorrow."
Durandal studied him for a moment, as though verifying that he genuinely meant it.
A few seconds later, she gave a small nod.
"Understood. Then I'll take my leave."
She turned and walked out, her steps as steady and measured as always, like a machine that never tired.
Arthur watched her go and gave a small shake of his head.
Dan Heng had also finished packing up. Computer off, desk cleared, everything in its proper place.
"I'm heading out." He nodded to Arthur.
"Take care."
Dan Heng pushed open the door and disappeared down the hallway.
March 7th had already vanished long before.
"Her little sister Nattia got out of school early today," Stelle explained on her behalf. "That kid is completely attached to her. One day apart and she's a mess."
Arthur nodded, understanding.
Stelle stood up, stretching out with a long, exaggerated yawn.
"I've got to go too," she said. "Herta called me in to help out with something. That old woman never stops going on about how someone at my level has no business being her student, but she never hesitates to call when she needs someone."
"Old woman?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.
Stelle grinned. "Herta hates being called that, which is exactly why I do it. It's not like she can actually catch me."
She gave a wave and headed out.
The office was quiet now, just Arthur and the empty desks and darkened screens.
He smiled softly to himself.
Then he stood, switched off the last light, locked the door, and stepped out into the night.