Kana woke up the next morning expecting to feel better.

She didn't.

Even after sleeping through the entire day before, her body felt heavier than stone, every muscle sluggish, her head hazy as if wrapped in thick fog.

She dragged herself out of bed anyway, willing her legs to carry her through the motions.

By the time dinner rolled around, her exhaustion had worsened.

Sitting at the long dining table, Kana struggled to hold her spoon steady. Her eyelids drooped, the steam from the warm meal blurring her already unfocused vision.

She barely heard Irielle chatting about patrol schedules, barely registered Lysera sipping her tea across the table.

Then, without warning, her forehead tilted forward—

Thud!

Her head almost landed straight in the bowl. She caught herself at the last second, fingers gripping the table's edge, her chest rising and falling as she tried to steady her breathing.

"Kana?"

Irielle's voice cut sharply through the haze. Her brows furrowed, ears twitching slightly in alarm as she leaned forward.

"What's going on? Are you sick?"

Lysera's gaze, calm but edged with concern, locked onto her as well.

"You've been acting strange since we came back. Are you sure nothing happened?"

Kana swallowed hard, forcing herself to straighten up. She didn't want them to worry. She couldn't let them worry—not after everything that happened with Seraphine.

"I'm fine. Just… tired. That's all."

She said softly, forcing a small smile onto her lips.

Her words didn't convince them. Not one bit.

Lysera's fingers tapped lightly against her cup, her sharp eyes studying Kana's pale complexion and unfocused gaze. Irielle frowned openly, her tail swishing in restless agitation.

But neither pressed her further.

Dinner carried on in silence, though Kana could feel the weight of their stares on her with every bite she forced down. The food tasted like nothing.

That night, when it came time to sleep, Kana sat on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest.

Her room was dim, the warm orange glow of the lantern painting faint shadows across the walls. Outside, the wind rustled the leaves, carrying with it a faint chill that seeped through the cracks in the window.

Her hand clutched the blanket tightly, nails digging into the fabric.

She didn't want to close her eyes.

Not after… that dream.

The silver-haired woman. The golden eyes. The seductive promise whispered against her ear.

Even thinking about it made her chest tighten. She wasn't ready to face it again.

The door creaked softly, and Irielle's head peeked in.

"You're still awake?"

Irielle asked, stepping inside with an arched brow.

Kana nodded silently.

Irielle leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.

"You look like you're fighting sleep like it's your sworn enemy. Should I get you something to knock you out?" she teased lightly, her tone carrying a playful lilt.

Kana hesitated for a moment, then lowered her gaze.

"…Could you?"

The joking expression on Irielle's face faltered.

"…Kana?"

Kana's voice was quiet but steady.

"I… don't want to dream tonight."

Silence fell between them.

Irielle stared at her for a moment, realizing immediately this wasn't something small. Her mind wandered back to Seraphine, to the blood, to the look on Kana's face when everything fell apart.

She exhaled softly and nodded. "Alright. Give me a minute."

A short while later, Irielle returned

with a small bottle of pills, placing them in Kana's palm.

"These are strong enough to drop even a beast. Take one. It'll put you out fast."

She said, her voice gentle but serious.

Kana stared at the pill for a moment before nodding, swallowing it without hesitation.

Within minutes, her body sank into the mattress, her consciousness slipping away without resistance.

Finally… no dreams.

But while Kana slept deeply, the night was far from peaceful for the two who cared for her most.

Down the hall, Irielle sat across from Lysera in the quiet lounge, the two illuminated by the soft glow of a single hanging lantern.

"She's not okay. And don't try to say she is."

Irielle said bluntly, resting her chin on her hand.

Lysera closed her eyes briefly, fingers interlaced on her lap.

"…I know."

Irielle leaned forward, frustration flickering across her face.

"Then what do we do? If we leave her alone like this, she's going to break."

Lysera didn't answer immediately, her mind deep in thought.

The weight of responsibility sat heavily on her shoulders, and yet, beneath that, there was something deeper—something personal she didn't voice.

Finally, she spoke, her tone quiet but firm.

"We stay close. One of us should be with her at all times. She's… fragile right now. Too much has happened, too fast."

Irielle leaned back, arms crossed tightly.

"…So we babysit her?"

Lysera opened her eyes, sharp and unwavering.

"We protect her."

There was no room for argument in her voice.

Irielle fell silent for a moment, then sighed, shoulders slumping slightly.

"Fine. But if she keeps bottling this up, we're going to need to do more than just watch her."

Lysera nodded in agreement.

From that night on, they silently decided—Kana wasn't going to face this alone. Not anymore.

Morning came too quickly.

The sun filtered gently through the curtains, spilling soft light across Kana's room.

Irielle yawned as she pushed the door open, ready to wake Kana and drag her down for breakfast before she could claim she wasn't hungry again.

But as her eyes fell on the bed…

Her expression froze.

"…Lysera."

She called, her voice sharp.

Lysera arrived almost immediately, stepping into the room with quiet precision. Her gaze followed Irielle's, and then her lips pressed into a thin line.

The bed was empty.

Panic surged through both of them instantly.

"She wouldn't…She wouldn't just leave, right?"

Irielle whispered, her ears flattening against her head.

Lysera didn't waste time answering.

"Search the house. Now."

They tore through the mansion, calling Kana's name, checking every room, every hallway, every possible place she could've gone.

Nothing.

The air grew heavier with each passing second, unease twisting into dread.

It wasn't until Lysera spotted a faint movement outside through the window that her sharp eyes finally caught something.

A small figure, lying curled up on a wooden bench just beyond the garden walls.

"Found her."

Lysera said immediately, already moving.

They rushed outside, boots crunching softly against the stone path until they reached her.

Kana was there, sound asleep on the bench, her chest rising and falling steadily, her face peaceful and relaxed.

Completely unaware of where she was—or how she'd gotten there.

Irielle crouched down beside her, brushing a few strands of hair away from her face with trembling fingers. Relief flooded her expression, but it was quickly swallowed by deeper worry.

"She doesn't even realize she left…"

She murmured softly.

Lysera's gaze hardened slightly, her hand resting on the edge of the bench.

"…This isn't normal."

Both of them stayed silent after that, the weight of unspoken thoughts heavy between them.

Kana slept soundly, blissfully unaware of the panic she'd caused.

But to Lysera and Irielle, this was no longer just exhaustion.

Something was happening to her.

And neither of them knew how to stop it.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.