After walking through the city in silence for a while, Caelin gradually slowed his pace.
Noticing it, Alaric slowed as well.
The others quietly continued ahead before eventually stopping to wait for them.
For a while...
Neither of them spoke.
"...Alaric."
Caelin finally broke the silence.
"Hm?"
Alaric looked at him.
Caelin kept his eyes on the road.
"It might sound shameless of me..."
He let out a quiet breath.
"...but can I ask you a favor?"
Alaric studied him for a moment before nodding.
"Go ahead."
Caelin smiled faintly.
"Forget that we were once friends."
His voice remained calm.
"And when we cross blades..."
He finally turned to look at Alaric.
"...don't hold back."
Another silence followed.
Alaric didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he quietly looked at Caelin.
Searching his face.
Trying to understand why he would ask something like that.
Caelin gave a small smile.
He stepped forward and gently patted Alaric's shoulder.
"That's the favor..."
He walked past him.
"...your former best friend is asking."
Alaric remained where he stood.
Watching Caelin's back grow farther away.
"...Can I ask you something?"
Caelin stopped.
For a few seconds...
He didn't move.
Then he slightly turned his head.
No words.
"Why do you always push us away..."
Alaric hesitated.
"...every time we try to get close to you?"
Silence.
The wind quietly passed through the empty street.
Even Elara and the others said nothing.
Caelin stood there.
Motionless.
His lips parted slightly...
But no words came out.
After a long moment...
Alice suddenly grabbed Caelin's arm.
Everyone turned toward her.
"Ah... Caelin, remember our promise about going shopping?"
She forced an awkward smile.
Caelin looked at her in silence.
Without waiting for an answer, she gently pulled him along before waving at the others.
"Sorry, Alaric. Maybe next time. Everyone, get home safely."
She quickly led Caelin away.
The others exchanged awkward glances before giving small waves and watching the two leave.
Only after they had walked a fair distance did Alice finally let go of his arm.
"Uh... Miss Alice, what was that about?" Caelin asked.
"Just keep walking."
She covered her face with both hands.
"I'm dying from embarrassment."
The two continued walking.
After a while, both of them slowed their pace.
"So?"
Caelin looked at her.
Alice let out a small sigh.
"Nothing much."
She scratched the back of her head.
"It just felt... awkward."
"So I tried to lighten the mood."
"I don't understand."
Alice glanced at him.
"You told me I was wrong for making assumptions."
Caelin looked ahead.
"Now I'm trying to tell them the truth..."
"...and you're stopping me again."
Alice sighed and came to a stop.
"At first..."
"...yes."
She met his eyes.
"But things became too complicated to solve just by talking."
Caelin frowned.
"If you tell Alaric what's happening between you and your father..."
She paused for a moment.
"...you'll lose your only chance to escape him."
Caelin stared at her.
"What do you mean?"
Alice lowered her voice.
"Alaric is capable of helping you."
"But if he tries..."
"...he'll become trapped too."
Caelin's brows tightened.
"How do you know I'm trapped?"
Alice looked at him quietly.
"Trust me."
"I know far more than that."
"I just don't want to end up like the others..."
"...so I choose not to say everything."
Caelin remained silent for a moment.
"What do you mean..."
"...Alaric is capable of helping me?"
Alice answered without hesitation.
"By letting him win this tournament."
Caelin froze.
"W-What?"
"Why?"
His voice shook.
"Because your father's attention will shift to Alaric."
She spoke calmly.
"The moment your father sees his value..."
"...the cage around you will slowly loosen."
She looked straight into Caelin's eyes.
"But in exchange..."
"...Alaric will become the tool your father uses to do his dirty work."
Caelin's breathing became uneven.
He covered his ears.
"Stop..."
His voice trembled.
"Please..."
"...stop."
Alice silently watched him.
A moment later, Caelin slowly lowered himself onto a bench beside the roadside.
His head remained lowered.
Neither of them spoke.
Alice quietly walked over to him.
"You may not like it..."
"...but that's the reality you're living in, Caelin."
She turned to leave.
"Right now..."
"...you're not in a position to save someone else."
She paused.
"Perhaps sacrificing one pawn..."
"...to lure your father away..."
"...is the only move you have."
Without another word...
Alice quietly walked away.
On the other side...
Alaric stood there, his mind filled with questions.
Caelin's words continued to replay in his head.
Silence surrounded the group.
"Caelin was so handsome..."
Heidi suddenly blurted out.
Elara immediately turned toward her and grabbed her ear.
"You've been silent this whole time, and that's the first thing you say? Learn to read the atmosphere, dummy."
"Hey! Hey! That hurts! Let go!"
Heidi struggled to free herself while complaining.
Lalanat quietly stepped toward Alaric.
"Alaric... are you okay?"
She leaned forward slightly, tilting her head as she looked into his eyes.
Silence.
For a long moment, Alaric didn't answer.
He slowly took a deep breath...
...then let it out.
"No..."
he murmured.
Lalanat's expression softened.
Alaric lowered his gaze for a moment before looking up again.
"But..."
"It doesn't matter."
A faint smile slowly formed on his face.
Lalanat blinked in surprise.
"Hm?"
"What happened?"
Alaric clenched his fist.
"It's the first time..."
"...Caelin has ever asked me for a favor."
He looked ahead with a quiet smile.
"And I'm going to fulfill it."
Without another word, he walked past everyone.
"Let's head back."
The small grin on his face remained.
Lalanat quietly nodded before following behind him.
The others watched him in silence, wondering why he was smiling after everything that had happened.
No one asked.
Instead, they quietly followed him back toward Elysium.
Meanwhile, Caelin remained seated on the bench, his head lowered.
His thoughts wandered from Arasa...
...to Alaric...
...to his father...
...and finally, to Alice's words.
Silence.
Then, another memory quietly surfaced.
"I hope life's a little kinder to you."
Anna's gentle voice echoed in his mind.
His chest suddenly tightened.
A warm tear rolled down his cheek.
"...Huh?"
Caelin touched his face in confusion.
He quickly wiped it away.
But another tear followed.
Then another.
"No..."
He kept wiping his eyes, yet the tears refused to stop.
As he struggled to hold them back...
A single raindrop landed on the ground before him.
Then another.
Within moments, rain began to pour from the sky.
Caelin slowly lowered his hand.
He no longer tried to stop his tears.
"Ah..."
"This sucks."
He bit down on his teeth as his tears disappeared into the falling rain.
—
The sudden rain caught everyone by surprise.
Alaric and the others hurried back toward Elysium.
By the time they arrived, they quickly scattered to their own rooms to dry themselves.
Meanwhile, Heidi was running through the first-year residence when she noticed Arasa standing beneath an umbrella.
As they were about to pass each other...
"Have you seen Caelin?"
Arasa called out.
Heidi only glanced at him.
Without saying a word, she continued walking.
Arasa watched her leave.
"Hm..."
"What's wrong with everyone lately?"
He simply shrugged before continuing on his way.
Caelin remained sitting in the rain, all on his own.
A sigh echoed nearby.
"I knew it..."
Caelin slowly looked toward the voice.
Alice stood before him, holding an umbrella.
He lowered his gaze again.
"I thought you already left," he said quietly.
"I did."
She held out a spare umbrella.
"And I knew you wouldn't."
Caelin let out a faint laugh.
"You really do know everything... huh?"
He accepted the umbrella.
Slowly, he stood up and began walking away.
"Oi."
"I gave it to you so you could use it..."
"...not just carry it."
Alice called from behind.
Caelin only glanced back.
Without saying a word, he gave a small wave before continuing to walk.
Alice frowned.
Annoyed, she dropped her own umbrella and hurried after him.
She grabbed him by the collar.
"What's wrong with you?"
She asked between heavy breaths.
Caelin stared at her in shock.
"Before, you were willing to fight while walking blindly."
She tightened her grip.
"Now that you've finally seen the path..."
"...why are you freezing?"
Caelin grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away.
"What's the point..."
"...of fighting a losing battle?"
he shouted.
Silence.
The rain continued to fall.
...
**Smack.**
Alice's hand struck his cheek.
Caelin stood frozen, holding the side of his face.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Why are you deciding you've already lost..."
"...before you've even fought?"
Alice shouted.
"If every road leads to defeat..."
"...then make a new one."
"Fight."
"Sacrifice."
"Or strike before your enemy is ready."
Caelin silently looked at her.
"Why..."
"...are you always meddling in my life?"
he muttered.
The rain continued pouring between them.
For a long moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Alice suddenly let out a bitter laugh.
"You want to know?"
She took a slow breath.
"Your father is ruthless enough to kill anyone who stands in his way."
"He's consumed by power..."
"...wealth..."
"...and his own insecurity."
"I know."
Caelin answered quietly.
"I know that, Miss Alice."
He slowly raised his head.
"That's exactly why I'm trapped."
"I can't even get close to my friends..."
"...or live like a normal kid with dreams..."
"...and goals."
His voice trembled.
Tears mixed with the rain running down his face.
Alice watched him in silence.
Seeing him like this only made her expression tighten.
"Your father never wanted you to become close to Alaric."
She hesitated.
"Your father never kept you away from Alaric because he believed friendships were a burden."
She paused.
"It was because the Thandor family controls nearly half of Bane."
"They once came close to taking your grandparents' throne."
"Only a single law prevented your family from losing everything."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"That's why your father would rather have you become Alaric's enemy..."
"...than his friend."
"As long as the Thandor bloodline exists..."
"...Bane will always stand on the edge of division."
Silence.
Caelin stared at her, unable to speak.
Alice slowly walked back toward her umbrella.
Before leaving, she turned around one last time.
"I can only help you so much."
"The choice..."
"...is yours."
Without another word, she quietly walked away.
Caelin remained standing in the rain.
Motionless.
Only after a long while...
...did he slowly begin walking back toward Elysium.
_
As Caelin slowly walked through the rain, his mind became clouded with questions.
Why had his father never told him any of this?
Why did the Thandor family control half of the Nation of Bane?
Was there truly a conflict between the royal family and the Thandors?
"Who's right...?"
"Who's wrong...?"
"And who am I supposed to trust?"
he quietly asked himself.
"Create a path..."
"...Sacrifice who?"
"...Would that even be the right thing to do?"
"...Am I even in a position to do the right thing?"
The rain continued to pour as he walked aimlessly.
"I was hoping for a better day..."
"...but now it feels like my own hope has stabbed me in the back."
—
Inside the residence, Katy and Silvia were having tea together.
"Caelin didn't come back for dinner, did he?"
Katy looked at Silvia.
"Do you think something happened?"
Silvia took a sip of her tea before slowly setting the cup down.
"Maybe he had something to discuss with his father."
"I heard his father is in Valerith."
Just then, Simon hurried downstairs with his hair still a mess, rubbing his stomach.
"Oh, hey Simon."
Katy turned toward him.
"Have you seen Caelin?"
"Hmm..."
"I think he went somewhere with Miss Alice."
"Maybe it was something important."
"I'm not sure."
"They left earlier this afternoon."
he replied before heading toward the bathroom.
"Hmm..."
Katy lazily looked out the window as the rain continued to fall.
Beside her, Silvia quietly stared at the rain.
The sound of it carried her back to the day she saw Caelin silently standing outside the house.
Without realizing it, she quietly murmured,
"I wonder if you're okay..."
"Hm?"
Katy turned toward her.
"Did you say something?"
Silvia suddenly snapped back to reality.
"Ah... no."
"It's nothing."
She quickly stood up and gathered the empty cups.
"I'll go wash these."
"Okay."
"Thank you."
Katy leaned back in her chair as Silvia walked away.
As Silvia entered the kitchen, Katy heard a faint knock coming from outside.
She paused for a moment.
"Did I hear someone knocking..."
"...or was it just the wind?"
she quietly wondered.
She slowly walked toward the door and opened it.
The moment it opened, she froze.
Caelin stood there with his head lowered, completely soaked by the rain.
"Ah... Caelin!"
she called out.
"We were just talking about you."
Caelin didn't reply.
He quietly stepped inside.
As he climbed halfway up the stairs...
His legs suddenly gave out.
Thud.
He collapsed.
"Caelin!"
Katy screamed.
Silvia immediately rushed out of the kitchen.
"What happened?!"
she asked, startled.
"It's Caelin!"
"He suddenly collapsed on the stairs!"
Katy pointed toward him.
Silvia hurried over and knelt beside him.
His body was cold.
His clothes were soaked from the rain.
Even now, he was still holding onto the umbrella.
"Go get Simon."
"We need to carry him to his room."
Silvia quickly instructed.
Katy immediately ran toward the bathroom.
Just as she arrived, Simon stepped out.
"Hm?"
"Do you need the bathroom?"
he asked.
"No!"
"It's Caelin!"
"He collapsed on the stairs!"
"Come quickly!"
Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him along.
The two hurried upstairs.
With Simon's help, they carried Caelin to his room.
After laying him on the bed, Silvia gently touched his forehead.
His body had begun to warm up...
...but his forehead was burning.
"He has a fever."
She looked at Katy.
"Please bring me a wet towel."
Katy quickly ran downstairs.
Simon looked at the unconscious Caelin.
"Hmm..."
"I didn't know Caelin could be this stupid."
"I mean..."
"How do you end up completely soaked while carrying an umbrella?"
Silvia shot him a glance.
Simon awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Right..."
"I'll head to bed."
"Call me if you need anything."
He gave a small wave before leaving the room.
A few moments later, Katy returned with a bucket of water and several wet towels.
"Here..."
She said between heavy breaths.
"Thank you."
Silvia immediately placed one of the wet towels on Caelin's forehead.
Katy looked at him with worry.
"Do you think he'll be okay?"
"He'll be fine."
"Don't worry."
"Go get some sleep."
"I'll stay with him."
Silvia reassured her.
"Are you sure?"
"Don't you need help?"
Katy asked.
Silvia gently shook her head.
"It's okay."
"There's not much we can do now."
"You should get some rest."
Katy slowly nodded.
"Goodnight..."
She quietly left the room, carefully closing the door behind her.
Silence returned.
Silvia looked at Caelin and let out a quiet sigh.
"How do you manage to get sick right before the event..."
Throughout the night, she continued changing the wet towel, replacing the water each time it became warm.
Eventually, Caelin's fever began to ease.
Silvia let out a long breath.
She sat down beside the bed, resting her arms and chin on its edge.
Without realizing it...
She slowly drifted to sleep beside him.