Crimson helped me sit on a stump; I held myself on it with my body still trembling as I took deep breaths to regain my composure, trying to steady my nerves.

"I believe this is yours, Snowflake," Crimson said, handing me my dagger, carefully wrapped in a cloth. I appreciated the care, though it seemed excessive.

"Ah, thanks," I said. "Where... did you find it?" I asked, remembering how I lost it.

"It was on the ground," she replied.

"Was there something else along with it?" Like, my arm?

"No. Was there supposed to be something else?"

"No, no... Thank you, really," I said, finally grabbing it.

I stared at my dagger in my grip, feeling complete. Yet, my mind drifted off once again. "Hey, Crimson..." I murmured, raising my head to face her.

Crimson, however, also seemed lost in introspection, her eyes fixated on my dagger. "Crimson...?" I called again.

"Hm...?" She snapped to attention. "Yes? What is it, Snowflake?"

"I've been looking at the corpses around," Caligo suddenly spoke, his steps crunching numerous leaves as he approached Crimson, "to see if I could do something. But they're all dead. I can't do anything..."

"Don't worry about them," Crimson shook off. "Nobody cares about Reapers' lives anyway."

"How do you know they're Reapers?" I asked her.

"They're the only ones who would go around in such cloaks. I had my chances to know them," she nonchalantly explained.

"But why were the Reapers here?" Caligo asked, his eyes shifting between us and Jerald.

Jerald, his arms folded, shrugged.

"Who knows," Crimson commented. "But it's really not important. We're here to do our job, not investigate."

Caligo, however, didn't seem convinced by her words, and kept glancing at me.

"We still have to do something about them," Jerald pointed out. "Someone must be worried; their families could be searching for them."

"Leave that to Leonard," Crimson shrugged off, before looking at me in the eyes. "Although, could you two gather their pieces so it would make it easier for him? Place them in one of the wagons."

Jerald gestured for Caligo to follow, and they proceeded. Now I was alone with Crimson, and I was glad; she must've noticed I wanted to speak with her.

"Well, Snowflake. I'll leave you rest for a bit. I'll go check on them and ensure they'll be alright."

Or not.

"Wait, Crimson!" I stood up, reaching for her wrist as she was already about to leave.

She turned towards me, meeting my gaze with wide eyes, as if I'd surprised her. "What is it?"

Naturally, talking with her was not my priority in this moment, but I felt like my mind was getting flooded by myriad of questions, and I aimed to bring some clarity and order to the chaos. Perhaps, I gave this too many thoughts, or maybe, too little, but one problem at a time...

"Huh, well..." Yet, for some reason... I stammered. "I..."

"What's wrong?" She tilted her head, and not even for a second did I let go of her wrist.

I took a breath I wasn't aware I needed before averting my gaze. "Um, well... a-are you sure?"

No, that's not it. What am I saying?

"Hm? You mean about the Reapers?" she asked. "Well, I am a bit curious, but I guess what happened is: they tried to fight you and lost, no? I'm more intrigued by the dungeon than dead men."

I violently shook my head to regain my composure, letting go of my grip. "No... no Crimson, that's not what I wanted to say," I sighed, looking in her eyes once again. "I've been trying to talk to you for two weeks now. I thought about it constantly, about... about what we talked about; about us. And I still hadn't had the chance! Are you avoiding me?"

"Avoiding you?" She looked at me in disbelief before stepping closer, gently caressing my cheek as she tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "That would be such a mistake on my part, now, wouldn't it?" she whispered in a soft voice, while her eyes turned tender.

"Then..."

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"I'm listening," she reassured, her hands now on my shoulders. "I've been waiting for you, actually. I've been busy coordinating the members. So, what's your answer?"

It took me a moment, our eyes constantly locked on each other as my breath loosened. "I want to try... this 'couple' thing." As I spoke, her expression became even softer, and her smile reassured. "But on one condition," I continued.

"What's the condition?"

"I've already told you that I want to feel what my mother felt. So... I want to take this seriously. And I remember what you said at the celebration. If we become a couple, you're not allowed to see other girls, Crimson."

"Oh? So I was right," she said with a smug smile. "You really are the jealous type."

"You're mine just as much as I am yours."

"I couldn't agree more," she murmured, letting her hands slide from my shoulders to my waist, drawing me closer. "So, it's official?"

A question that made me waver, for a moment. I could feel my heart pounding as I gazed into her eyes. This was really it... The thought of a serious commitment, in a way, terrified me. Yet, at the same time... it seemed exciting, and I looked forward to it.

"I... just one more thing," I said.

"What else?"

"I would like to keep this a secret."

"Hm? Fine by me," she said, shrugging. "But you must've realized I tend to flaunt my possessions, Snowflake. You're making quite the demand here. However... I will do my best to follow your request. So, is there something else?"

A brief moment of silence followed, filled with nothing but the gentle breeze of the wind and the sound of my heartbeat. "No... nothing else," I finally said, setting myself free from deep thoughts.

She leaned in, her eyes narrowing. "Then, allow me..."

I closed my eyes and, slowly, the space between us shrank until there was nothing left. At first, her lips brushed mine tentatively, until it grew more confident, causing me to give in completely.

It felt so simple... and I couldn't tell why, but that kiss brought a relief I was not expecting, calming all my senses. I pulled away, leaning my head over her shoulder as I caught my breath.

She wrapped her arms around me, holding me close. "Snowflake?" she called, her voice sounding confused. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes..." I nodded, raising my head to look into her eyes once again. "I guess I just missed your... stupid, bitchy lips."

She scoffed. "Well, it seems you're in a good mood."

"And..." I gently leaned in, approaching her neck. "Did you put on perfume?"

"Hm? No, I'm just sweaty."

"Ah... never mind," I said, stepping back with a shake of my head.

She chuckled. "Well, sugar. If everything's fine, I'll go check on the others, okay?"

"I'm sugar now?" I asked, raising my brow.

She grinned, letting out a muffled laugh. "You dislike it?"

"No... not really," I replied. "Though, I think I prefer snowflake."

With that, Crimson stole a glance at me, and headed towards the others. I took a deep breath.

"Okay..." I murmured to myself. "One problem is solved... Now Crimson and I are officially a couple."

A concept that sounded alarming, a giant red flag. Yet, at the same time... strangely reassuring.

I looked at my hands, now more questions were flooding my mind. "How am I still alive...? And how did the Reapers die?" I asked myself, glancing at the demon. "Wait... the demon!"

"Wait, Crimson!" I shouted at her, trying to capture her attention.

She glanced at me, halting in her steps. "What is it?" she asked with wide eyes. I had shouted too abruptly...

"Um... you can sense my mana, right?" I asked.

"Huh, yes. You're quite overflowing right now. Why?"

"Do you sense... something else in the area, right now?" I asked, my demon standing beside me.

She tilted her head. "No...?"

"Ah, okay... Just curiosity, sorry. You can go," I said as I waved at her.

She looked at me with a puzzled and suspiciously concerned expression before going back to her steps. Surely, she must've understood something was going on with me...

"So the demon right now is... just in my mind," I pondered, staring at it. "I don't get it, but good; I won't have to explain it. This is just like the first time..."

I walked around in circles, stepping on fallen leaves, their satisfying crunch soothing my tension. "No... it's slightly different," I realized, recalling the first time as my eyes widened. "The first time Joey was there with me... and the dragon was dead upon my awakening because he defeated it. And..."

I quickly took my codex in hand, opening it and reading its content. "A new spell..."

Just like the first time, a new spell appeared on my codex, looking like another name as well.

I turned my head to the sky, letting my arms feel light as I took a deep breath before expelling out all the air that had built in my lungs. "Why am I so complicated...?"

- - - - - - -

In my life so far, I hadn't had many chances to encounter Reapers. Yet, at the same time, I once had the opportunity to enjoy a conversation with one of them, which I accepted.

The people I've met in my journey thus far are not sharply divided between good and evil. It's not all black and white; there are many shades of gray between the lines. And I understood this exactly after the meeting with that Reaper.

Most of them are nothing more but victims of circumstances. Even so, they're not to be underestimated; they're extremely strong. Perhaps, they're strong precisely because that was the only way they could survive, adapting to the harsh circumstances.

I'm just a healer, but... I do believe to be strong enough to take one of them were I forced into a duel. However... seven of them?

No... there's no way I could possibly succeed in such a feat. In fact, I would have difficulty facing even one, especially if I'm unaware of their presence; a technique rather indulged by them.

So what happened that was so catastrophic seven of them lost their lives? And only that girl was left alive...

Why would they even target her? What's there to gain? Were they aiming to get inside the dungeon and steal the rewards? Argenta spotted them, after all... So, in a way, it makes sense they'd try to get rid of her if that's the reason, no?

I don't know, but I would like to know. Glancing at Jerald, it seems he's curious, too; but his main focus is probably to finish the task, and he doesn't look like he wants to go against Crimson, who seems to favor that girl. It also seems like that girl and Jerald don't get along...

And as a new member, I don't really want to raise questions...

"Caligo, monsters are approaching!" Jerald shouted at me, snapping me to attention.

I twisted, taking two candles from my bag, throwing them in the direction of the charging monster. "Kindle."

A spell that can be used both to heal and to destroy. In the case of my special candles, it ignites them so fiercely and intensely, they explode. And that's how one of the monster met its grave.

"Even more are coming, watch out, Jerald!"

Still, being part of this guild really seems interesting, and that girl as well...

I wish you could be here too, Rossana. I wonder what you'd think about it...