On the outskirts of the camp, where the noise of the main group faded into quiet, Ray Adams perched on a jagged rock. His shirt hung open and loose, revealing a jagged gash on his arm, its edges raw and crusted with dried blood. His face was set in a mask of quiet determination as he poured ale over the wound, the liquid hissing against his torn skin and making him wince. His free hand gripped the rock beneath him, his knuckles whitening as he braced against the sting.

“Still pains, huh?” came Nio’s familiar voice, light and teasing. He stood leaning against a nearby rock, a smirk tugging at his lips. He had always been the joker of their group, and even now, his tone was more amusement than concern.

Ray shot him a sharp sideways glare. “What do you think?” he bit out through gritted teeth.

“Well,” Nio said with a casual shrug, his grin widening, “at least you’re not screaming like last time. I’d call that progress.”

“Keep running that mouth, and I’ll pour the rest of this ale down your throat,” Ray muttered, though there was the faintest trace of a smile tugging at his lips despite the pain.

Nio chuckled, his attempt to lighten the mood seemingly working. He was about to toss out another quip when the sound of soft footsteps approached. Both men instinctively looked up, their conversation dying on their lips.

A woman knight stood before them, her presence striking enough to render them momentarily speechless. There was something about her—a quiet awkwardness in her posture, her hands clutching a shimmering vial of high-grade healing potion. Her beauty was arresting, almost ethereal, like she didn’t belong in the rough, grimy surroundings of the camp.

Even Nio, usually quick to snap out of awkward silences, found himself uncharacteristically quiet. The woman stepped closer, holding out the potion toward Ray, her movements precise yet hesitant.

“For you,” she said softly. Her voice was calm, but there was a trace of discomfort in her tone, like she wasn’t entirely at ease.

Ray blinked, his gaze darting from her face to the potion she offered. “Uh… thanks?” he said, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he accepted the vial.

The knight nodded, her expression unreadable. For a brief moment, her eyes flicked toward Nio before returning to Ray. The weight of her presence lingered, heavy and unnerving, as though she carried an aura neither man could put into words.

The silence grew, stretching longer than felt natural. Then, the faint sound of boots crunching on gravel broke through the tension. Both men glanced toward the source: Johnas approached with three junior clerics and a small group of silver knights hauling crates filled with low-grade healing potions.

The woman stiffened, her eyes darting toward the group. Without a word, she turned and walked away, her silver cloak catching the dim light as it swept behind her. In seconds, she disappeared into the deeper shadows of the camp.

“Who was that?” Nio murmured, narrowing his eyes as if trying to puzzle her out.

“Don’t ask me,” Ray said, still clutching the high-grade potion as though it might vanish if he let it go.

Meanwhile, the clerics and knights spread out, tending to the injured mercenaries with healing spells and distributing the low-grade potions from their crates. The earlier resentment among the mercenaries toward the knights seemed to dissolve as the healing spells eased their pain and the potions brought much-needed relief. Grateful faces replaced wary ones as even the most skeptical accepted the aid.

Ray, however, slipped the high-grade potion into his pouch, recognizing its rarity and worth compared to the more common potions being handed out.

Johnas, now standing in the center of the group, raised his voice to address the mercenaries. He recounted the events of earlier in the day—how the clerics had faced resistance and how Alicia Roman, the expedition’s leader, had intervened on their behalf. As his words settled over the crowd, a murmur of approval rippled through the mercenaries.

“Alicia Roman, huh?” one mercenary said, his tone filled with admiration. “Didn’t think someone with her rank would bother standing up for us.”

“She’s more than just a noble,” another added, his voice brimming with respect. “She’s a leader. A real one.”

The camp’s mood shifted, lightening as the mercenaries expressed their gratitude. The unity Alicia’s actions had inspired gave them a rare moment of camaraderie, a reprieve from the hardships they faced together.

As night descended, the camp fell into a quieter rhythm. Patrols were assigned, and the injured mercenaries were granted a much-needed break from their duties. The air grew heavier, the flickering torchlight casting long, wavering shadows across the rocky walls. The only sounds that pierced the stillness were the occasional murmur of voices and the distant drip of water, creating an eerie, almost unsettling atmosphere that made even the most hardened of the group uneasy.

Nio, ever restless and full of curiosity, found his mind swirling with questions about the mysterious woman knight he had encountered earlier. As he walked the quiet path assigned to him, his thoughts kept returning to her—why had she approached Ray in such an awkward way and then left so quickly when the others showed up? And why did her presence unsettle him so much, a man who was usually unbothered by anything?

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His curiosity got the better of him, and using his patrol as a cover, Nio strayed from his designated route. His boots crunched softly on the rocky ground as he moved closer to the area where the female knights had set up camp. The faint glow of distant torches lit the edges of the camp, casting shadows on the makeshift tents and figures moving around in the darkness.

Nio’s eyes darted over the area, trying to catch a glimpse of the woman. His heartbeat quickened, though he couldn’t tell whether it was from the excitement of sneaking around or the lingering unease her presence had caused him. Just as he thought he saw a familiar silhouette, he froze at the sudden sound of footsteps.

A tall woman knight stepped into his path, her posture straight and commanding. Her sharp eyes scanned him up and down, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, her voice cold and suspicious.

Caught off guard, Nio stammered, trying to come up with a convincing excuse. “Oh, uh…” His mind raced as he realized how suspicious his presence must look.

The knight raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by his hesitation. “Stay out of this area,” she warned, her voice unwavering. “You don’t want to get labeled as a creep, do you?”

The words hit him like a slap. Nio’s face flushed with embarrassment. “I wasn’t— I mean, I didn’t—” he tried to explain, but her stern gaze silenced him instantly.

“Save it,” she snapped. “Get back to your post before I report you.”

With his pride bruised, Nio muttered an apology, avoiding her gaze as he quickly turned to leave. The walk back to his assigned route was slow, irritation and embarrassment mixing in his chest.

“Creep,” he muttered to himself, rolling his eyes as he replayed the encounter. “What kind of patrol officer gets called a creep on his first round?”

Yet, despite the humiliation, his mind couldn’t shake the curiosity about the woman knight. The way she had made him feel—unsettled and even a little intimidated—lingered in his thoughts. There was something about her presence, the awkwardness in her movements, the strange aura that surrounded her. It didn’t sit right with him, but Nio decided not to press further.

He sighed, leaning against his spear as he scanned the dark perimeter of the camp. The cavern stretched endlessly into the shadows, its silence broken only by the faint echo of dripping water.

“Better leave it alone,” he muttered to himself, trying to let go of the nagging questions. But even as he told himself to forget her, a small unease settled in his chest, like an itch he couldn’t scratch.

The next morning, as the camp began to stir and the smell of breakfast wafted through the air, Nio and Ray sat together near a small campfire, their meal consisting of stale bread and dried meat. Ray chewed absentmindedly, his eyes half-closed in a vain attempt to shake off the fatigue of the previous day.

Nio leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “Ray,” he said suddenly, breaking the silence. His tone was unusually serious, catching Ray’s attention. “Come closer. I need to tell you something.”

Ray arched an eyebrow, leaning in reluctantly. “What now?”

“This morning,” Nio began, glancing around to ensure no one else was listening, “I went to the female knights’ camp area.”

Ray immediately froze mid-bite, his expression shifting from curiosity to a mixture of worry and incredulity. “You what?” he hissed, his voice barely above a whisper. “Are you out of your mind? What if you’d gotten caught? Do you have any idea—”

Nio raised a hand to cut him off, looking both exasperated and slightly amused. “Relax, will you? I didn’t get caught—at least not this time.”

Ray’s eyes narrowed, his brows furrowing deeply. He leaned back slightly, scrutinizing Nio’s face. “This time?” he repeated slowly, his tone laced with both mockery and genuine concern. “What do you mean this time? Don’t tell me you’ve been—”

“Anyway!” Nio interrupted, his voice a little too loud and hurried as he waved off Ray’s question. His demeanor shifted slightly, an almost imperceptible pause in his words, as if he was recalling something unpleasant. “That’s not the point. Just listen to me.”

Ray gave him a skeptical look but motioned for him to continue.

“I saw her again,” Nio said, lowering his voice even further. “The woman knight from yesterday. She was… well, she was talking to herself.”

Ray blinked, confused. “Talking to herself? Like out loud?”

“Yeah,” Nio said, nodding emphatically. “Not mumbling or anything—it was like she was having a full-on conversation. But there was no one else there. Just her.”

Ray stared at him for a moment, then leaned back, smirking as if the tension had deflated. “So what you’re saying is, she’s crazy?” he said, the corners of his mouth quirking into a grin. “Or maybe you’re just imagining things because you were sneaking around where you shouldn’t have been.”

“I’m serious!” Nio snapped, his face flushing slightly with annoyance. “It wasn’t normal. She gave off this… strange vibe. I don’t know how to explain it, but something isn’t right about her.”

Ray shook his head, clearly entertained by Nio’s rare display of nervousness. “You’re telling me you sneaked into the female knights’ area this morning—and now you want me to believe she’s what? Possessed? Crazy? Maybe you’re the one seeing things.”

“Just stay away from her, alright?” Nio said, ignoring the jab and leaning forward to emphasize his point.

Ray raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “Alright, alright. I’ll stay away from her if it makes you feel better. But, seriously, don’t you think we should tell someone about this? Maybe Alicia Roman, or one of the other knights?”

Nio snorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Oh sure, let’s tell the captain that I was wandering around the female knights’ camp this morning. That will go over real well.”

Ray gave him a disgusted look, clearly reveling in the opportunity to tease him. “Good point,” he said, laughing. “I guess we’ll just keep this little adventure between us, huh?”

“Exactly,” Nio grumbled, his irritation barely masking his embarrassment. “And for the record, don’t make this a habit.”

“Of course not,” Ray replied, grinning as he popped the last of his dried meat into his mouth. His tone, however, suggested that he was far from convinced.

The two fell into a companionable silence. Their banter trailed off as they finished their meager breakfast, their usual lighthearted camaraderie bringing a brief respite from the tension of their surroundings. But even as the camp stirred to life and preparations for the day began, both men couldn’t shake the lingering unease. The memory of the mysterious knight—and the unsettling scene Nio had described—hung in the air between them, unspoken but undeniably present.