After defusing the tense situation among the resistance members, Iris and Dante barely had a moment to catch their breath before they noticed Lydia stepping out of the backroom where Estelle was being treated. They were busy helping to move the more seriously injured people into the infirmary, but the sight of Lydia made them pause. She gave them a sharp, almost accusatory glance, her eyes slightly red as if she had been crying. This only deepened their worry.

“Once I’ve checked on these people, we need to talk,” Lydia said, her tone brooking no argument. She continued to assist the injured, but Iris and Dante exchanged a look, both feeling the weight of what was about to come. Lydia’s mention that Lily’s condition was stable brought a rush of relief, but it was clear there was more to be discussed—much more.

They worked in silence, Iris’s thoughts heavy as they helped Lydia ensure everyone was settled and as comfortable as possible. The relief of knowing that Estelle’s condition had stabilized was mixed with confusion and dread about what Lydia had discovered. As they finished their tasks, Lydia signaled them to follow her back into the room where Estelle was resting.

Iris could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she walked, a feeling of dread creeping up on her. Dante, though outwardly composed, was clearly just as tense; Iris could see it in the way his shoulders were stiff and his steps were unusually heavy.

As they entered the room, Iris’s breath caught in her throat. Estelle was lying on the cot, still ashen but alive. However, what drew Iris’s immediate attention was the fact that Estelle’s mask had been removed. It was then that she realized what Lydia had likely discovered, and she braced herself for the inevitable confrontation.

Lydia wasted no time. “Did you two already know?” she demanded, her voice a harsh whisper as she glared at them. “Did you know she was Estelle all along? And why didn’t you tell me?”

Iris took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “We... we weren’t sure,” she began, her voice wavering slightly. “We couldn’t verify if she was really Estelle. There was always the possibility that someone might be impersonating her, and we were afraid that an imposter could hurt you, or all of us.”

Dante nodded, his voice low and filled with regret. “We didn’t want to put you at risk, Lydia. And... we weren’t sure how Alaric would react if he found out.”

At the mention of Alaric, Lydia’s expression softened slightly, but her frustration was still evident. She let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through her hair. “You’re right,” she admitted, her voice tinged with resignation. “If Alaric saw her with that face, he’d... well, you know how he’s been since she died. He would have killed her on the spot if he thought it was some kind of cruel trick.”

The words hung in the air, a grim reminder of the man they were dealing with. Alaric’s grief had turned into something dark and dangerous, and any threat to the memory of Estelle was likely to be met with lethal force.

“But you still should have told me,” Lydia continued, her voice regaining some of its sharpness. “I’m not just some bystander here. If she really is Estelle, I deserved to know. I could have helped, I could have—” She broke off, her frustration giving way to something more vulnerable. “I could have done something.”

“We were trying to protect you, Lydia,” Iris said gently. “We didn’t want to drag you into something dangerous until we were sure.”

Lydia huffed, crossing her arms as she looked between them. “Well, you’ve certainly dragged me into it now,” she muttered. “So what’s the plan? Are we going to keep this a secret from Alaric, from everyone?”

Dante shook his head. “We don’t have a clear plan yet. Right now, we’re just trying to keep her safe and figure out what’s going on. If she really is Estelle, and if she’s somehow... crossed over from another world or whatever this is, then we need to be careful about how we handle this.”

Lydia sighed again, but this time it was more of a resigned exhalation. “Fine. But I’m in this now, whether you like it or not. I’ll keep an eye on her, and I’ll do my best to keep this quiet. But you two need to figure out what you’re going to do next. This isn’t something we can keep hidden forever.”

“We know,” Iris replied softly. “Thank you, Lydia. We’ll figure this out. Together.”

Lydia gave them both a long, searching look before nodding. “You’d better,” she said, her tone softening just a little. “Because if you don’t, there’s going to be hell to pay.”

Lydia’s sharp gaze softened slightly as she looked between Iris and Dante, waiting for them to explain further. The tension in the room was palpable, but there was a sense of relief as well—an unspoken understanding that they were all in this together now.

Iris took a deep breath, glancing at Estelle’s unconscious form before turning back to Lydia. “When we first met her,” Iris began, her voice steady but tinged with uncertainty, “Estelle... I mean, Lily... she told us some things that didn’t add up at first. She was confused, and disoriented. At first, we thought it might be some kind of trick, or maybe she had lost her memory. But then she started talking about another world—a world where the regime doesn’t exist, and where she’s been fighting monsters as a Hunter.”

Lydia frowned, her skepticism evident. “A Hunter? The Estelle I knew could barely lift a weapon, let alone fight monsters.”

Dante nodded, his expression serious. “I know it sounds unbelievable, Lydia. Trust me, I’ve been struggling to wrap my head around it too. But the way she fights... it’s not something she could have learned here. And the things she’s told us—about the orphanage, about us—they’re things she shouldn’t know unless she’s really Estelle.”

Lydia crossed her arms, her brow furrowed as she processed the information. “So you’re telling me that in this other world, Estelle is some kind of warrior? And that this regime doesn’t even exist?”

“Exactly,” Iris said, her voice quiet but firm. “It sounds impossible, but it’s the only explanation that makes sense. No one really understands how Essence works—not completely. Who’s to say it can’t bridge worlds or alter reality in ways we can’t comprehend?”

Lydia remained silent for a moment, her mind clearly racing. The idea that the frail, gentle Estelle she had known could be a hardened Hunter in another world was almost too much to believe. But as she looked down at Estelle, her expression softened again. There was a familiarity in the way she breathed, the way her features relaxed in sleep, that tugged at Lydia’s heart.

“I’ve seen strange things in this world,” Lydia finally said, her voice a mix of resignation and determination. “And you’re right—we don’t fully understand Essence. Maybe... maybe this is possible. Maybe she really is our Estelle, just from somewhere else.”

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Iris nodded, relieved that Lydia was starting to accept the possibility. “We don’t have all the answers yet, but we’re going to figure it out. We’re going to keep her safe.”

Dante, who had been quiet during most of the exchange, finally spoke up, his voice low and filled with resolve. “And we’re going to find out why she’s here. If there’s a reason she crossed over, it’s something we need to understand. We can’t just let this go.”

Lydia sighed, a mixture of frustration and acceptance in the sound. “Fine. But you need to be careful. Alaric is already suspicious, and if he finds out she’s here... and that she looks like Estelle...”

“We know,” Iris said, her voice firm with resolve. “We’ll keep this quiet for now. But we’ll also keep searching for answers. There has to be a way to make sense of all this, to understand what’s really going on.”

Lydia nodded slowly, her eyes still filled with a mix of worry and determination. “Alright. We’ll do this together. But you’d better be ready for whatever comes next. Because if this blows up in our faces...”

“We’ll be ready,” Dante interjected, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “We have to be. For her sake.”

As Iris, Dante, and Lydia exchanged a few final words, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, growing louder with each passing second. Before anyone could react, the infirmary door burst open. Finn rushed in, his face flushed with worry and determination.

“Iris! Dante!” Finn’s eyes darted between them, his gaze sharp and questioning. “What happened? I saw the injured group coming in. Where’s Alaric? Where’s Lily?”

The three of them exchanged a brief, uneasy glance before Iris stepped forward, trying to keep her voice calm. “Finn, it’s alright. We’re just—”

But Finn wasn’t having it. He scanned their faces, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the tension in the air, the way they seemed to be guarding something. His gaze shifted to the door of the backroom, the room they had just stepped out of. He knew what that room was for, and his heart sank.

“What’s going on?” Finn demanded, his voice rising with a mix of fear and frustration. “Why were you in there? Who’s hurt?”

Before anyone could answer, Mira quietly stepped into the infirmary, her eyes wide with worry. She had followed Finn, sensing that something was wrong, and now stood just inside the doorway, her small frame trembling slightly.

Iris took a deep breath, knowing there was no point in hiding the truth any longer. “Finn, Mira,” she began gently, “Lily... Lily was hurt during the mission. But she’s stable now, and Lydia’s taken good care of her. She’s going to be okay.”

Finn’s eyes widened, and he took a step back, his mind racing. “Lily? What... what happened? How bad is it?”

Dante, still visibly shaken, stepped forward. “She got hurt protecting me,” he admitted, his voice filled with guilt. “But we got her back in time. She’s strong, Finn. She’ll pull through.”

Mira, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up, her voice trembling. “But... but she’s in the backroom. That’s where the really sick people go.” Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Lydia, silently pleading for reassurance.

Lydia knelt down to Mira’s level, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Listen to me, sweetheart,” she said softly. “Lily’s a fighter, and she’s stable now. I’m doing everything I can to make sure she gets better. I promise.”

Finn clenched his fists, struggling to hold back his emotions. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” he asked, his voice cracking. “We could have helped, or... or at least we should have known.”

Iris stepped closer to Finn, her expression filled with understanding. “We didn’t want to worry you both,” she said gently. “But you deserve to know the truth. Lily’s going to need time to recover, but we’re all here to support her—and each other.”

Mira sniffled, wiping away a tear with the back of her hand. “She’s going to be okay?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dante nodded, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his eyes. “She is. I trust Lydia, and I trust that Lily’s strong enough to pull through this.”

Finn looked between the three of them, his expression conflicted. He wanted to believe them, to trust in their words. Finally, he let out a shaky breath and nodded. “Okay... okay. But I want to see her.”

Lydia smiled faintly, appreciating Finn’s determination. “You’ll see her, but she needs to rest right now. Once she’s awake, I’ll let you know, alright?”

Finn nodded again, his shoulders relaxing slightly. Mira moved closer to him, slipping her hand into his, seeking comfort from her brother.

“Alright,” Iris said softly, her voice filled with both resolve and comfort. “Let’s all stick together. Lily’s going to need us, and we’ll be here for her when she wakes up.”

Finn, still holding Mira’s hand, suddenly frowned. “What about Alaric? Where is he?”

Dante hesitated for a moment, then exchanged a quick look with Iris. “Alaric is still out there,” he admitted, his tone careful. “He’s leading a decoy team to make sure the rest of us made it back safely.”

Mira’s eyes widened in fear, and she clutched Finn’s hand even tighter. “He’s still out there? But... he’s going to come back, right?”

“Yes, he will,” Dante said firmly, his voice carrying a certainty that he hoped would reassure them. “Alaric is one of the best. He knows how to handle himself out there, and he has a good team with him.”

Finn’s frown deepened, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he nodded slowly, trying to absorb the information. “You really think he’ll be okay?” he asked, his voice quieter now, more vulnerable.

Iris stepped closer, placing a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “We all believe in Alaric,” she said gently. “He’s gotten us through tougher situations before. He’s strong, and he knows what he’s doing.”

As she spoke, her eyes flicked briefly to the other injured resistance members resting in the infirmary, conscious of their presence. She had to be careful with her words, not only to protect Lily’s secret but also to maintain the morale of the shelter.

Lydia, who had been observing the exchange quietly, added her own reassurance. “Alaric has been through a lot, but he always finds a way back. He wouldn’t want you to worry—he’d want you to focus on helping each other and keeping things running smoothly here until he returns.”

Mira, still trembling slightly, looked up at Dante with wide, pleading eyes. “You’re sure?”

Dante gave her a small, comforting smile, though his eyes were shadowed with worry. “I’m sure, Mira. Alaric will come back to us. We just have to be patient and trust him.”

The twins seemed somewhat reassured by this, though the tension in the room didn’t completely dissipate. The weight of Alaric’s absence hung heavily on all of them, but they knew that showing too much fear would only worsen the situation—especially with the other injured resistance members listening.

Lydia, sensing the need to shift the focus, spoke up again, her tone firm yet gentle. “Alright, enough of this,” she said, waving a hand toward the door. “You’re all crowding my infirmary, and my patients need their rest. Besides, you’ve got your own responsibilities to take care of. The shelter doesn’t run itself, and we need to keep things calm and steady.”

Iris nodded in agreement, understanding Lydia’s subtle way of ensuring that they all kept their minds occupied. “She’s right,” Iris said, looking at her siblings and Dante. “We need to stay focused.”

Dante, still looking a bit shaken but regaining his composure, gave a short nod. “I’ll check in with the others and see where we’re needed,” he said, his voice more controlled now.

Iris gave Lydia a grateful look before turning to the twins. “Come on, we have things to do. The best way to help right now is to make sure everything is ready when they get back.”

Finn, still looking a bit uncertain, nodded and gently pulled Mira along with him. “Okay. Let’s go, Mira. We’ll make sure everything is in order.”

Mira, though still clearly worried, gave a small, brave nod. “Yeah... let’s help out.”

With that, the group began to disperse, each of them taking a deep breath as they prepared to dive back into their tasks. As they stepped out of the infirmary, Iris couldn’t help but glance back at the door to the back room, where Estelle lay recovering. She forced herself to focus on the immediate needs of the shelter, knowing that staying busy was the best way to keep her mind from spiraling into worry.

As they walked down the corridor, Iris felt a pang of guilt and concern for her siblings. She knew how much they were holding in, especially Finn, who was usually so carefree. She resolved to keep a closer eye on them, making sure they didn’t push themselves too hard under the weight of their worries.