The Falling Pendant and Larod's Gaze

Nam put the book back on the shelf. There were no clues. Just as he was about to take a step, the pendant in his pocket slipped out and fell to the ground.

The sharp clinking sound echoed through the room.

Nam barely glanced at it, unconcerned, and placed it on the table. But Larod's eyes flickered toward it—his gaze lingered, sharp and calculating, as if he was trying to understand something.

Reina's Determination and Nam's Exhaustion

Reina walked toward the bookshelf, running her fingers across the dusty covers. The books were old, incomplete—antiques that had long lost their purpose.

She turned to Nam. "If we break the mirror, will we be free?" Her voice was steady, filled with determination.

Nam slowly sat down on the floor. His exhaustion was obvious. His hands trembled slightly, sweat beading on his forehead. His breathing was uneven.

He rested a hand on his head, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "And if we break it and we're still trapped?" His voice was quiet but firm.

Reina hesitated. "You're right..."

Nam looked around. Brutus isn't here... But why isn't Luth worried?

Luth stood up from the chair and reached for the mirror.

That instant, it felt like lightning struck both Nam and Larod at the same time.

Larod grabbed Luth's arm and slammed him to the ground. Nam lunged forward, catching the mirror before it could shatter. His arm hit the edge, but right now, the mirror was the bigger concern.

He held onto both his arm and the mirror, pulling them into a corner.

Larod walked up to him.

Luth lay on the floor, screaming in pain. His bones had snapped—his arm was in particularly bad shape. But his screams weren't filled with hatred, only agony.

Reina swiftly unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Nam and Larod.

For the first time, she looked directly into Nam's eyes.

White sclera, pitch-black irises... No human could have eyes like this.

A shiver ran through her. A drop of sweat rolled down her cheek, but she didn't lower her sword.

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"Come on! How much longer are we going to play this game?" Larod's voice was steady, his tone sharp like an order. "We all know how we got here, don't we, Reina?"

Reina took a step back.

Luth's screams had quieted, but the pain was still there, echoing in the air.

Sweat glistened on Reina's forehead.

"A role? Do I look like I'm acting right now?!"

Nam finally spoke. "If you're not acting, then you should know the secret code, right, Reina?"

She froze. Her mind scrambled for an answer.

"Come on, Reina. If there was a code, you would've figured it out already, wouldn't you? But the truth is—there never was one."

Larod raised a hand toward her.

Nam continued. "Reina and Luth being here in the first place was already suspicious."

They took turns speaking, their words flowing seamlessly.

"They went in the same direction as that masked man. But he never returned."

"If he didn't return, that means he was fighting someone. That means the area turned into a battlefield, making it nearly impossible to leave."

Nam kept going. "So if reaching this place was that difficult, then how did you two get here in just three minutes—without even a second of delay?"

Larod smirked. "That should've taken at least twenty minutes, Reina."

Reina stood frozen.

Luth got up.

They didn't move—just stood there.

Until—

"You've gotten rusty."

They spoke at the same time.

Nam stiffened slightly. Larod, however, remained calm, as if he had seen this before.

And then—

They vanished.

Nam collapsed to the floor. "For a second, I really thought we were going to die."

Larod was still standing.

Nam stood up, brushing off his pants. "Now that I think about it… where's the dog?"

Larod, still staring at the spot where the two had disappeared, replied. "Dog? I don't remember encountering a dog. But if you have proof, I'll admit that part of my memory has been erased."

Nam's eyes widened. His breathing turned ragged. Sweat dripped from his face.

"T-That's impossible!"

Larod turned to him, unimpressed. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or just keep acting like a lunatic?" His tone was mocking.

Nam grabbed the mirror and started heading toward the exit.

"Nam?"

He didn't respond.

"Hey, Nam! Wait for me, you idiot!"

Larod followed him out of the underground.

"Hey! What's going on in that head of yours? If you give me a logical explanation, I'll believe you. But right now, you're just acting crazy!"

Nam finally turned around.

"Larod, you saw the paintings in the palace, didn't you?"

A realization struck Larod like lightning.

"Then we need to find Reina and Luth, don't we? After all, each pillar had two names on it."

Nam kept walking. He could last about two more hours before hunger and exhaustion caught up with him.

"Yes, and I'm not going to ask how you knew their names."

Nam's voice was cold—so was his expression. But his tone carried an unmistakable threat.

Larod hesitated slightly. "Good. That makes things easier."

They began searching for Reina and Luth.

Selinor's Desperation

Selinor stepped into a collapsed house.

He tore a piece of his clothing and wrapped it around his injured arm.

There was nothing around to disinfect the wound.

His only option was to trust the others.

Reina and Luth's Struggle

Reina and Luth trudged forward, shielding their noses with their arms.

The air was thick with smoke. The ground was uneven.

Luth found it hard to move, but not impossible.

"How do you know Nam?" he asked, struggling to see through the smoke.

"I don't. We're just working together to get out of here."

Luth was naturally social—he could get along with anyone.

But in this situation, making friends seemed impossible.

The smoke thinned as they moved forward.

And then—

Two figures stood before them.

Nam and Larod.

Larod smirked. "Told you they'd be here."

Nam scratched his head. "Yeah, yeah. You were right."