Kana was fast asleep, her body finally surrendering to the exhaustion of the past days, when she heard it again—that voice. It called to her, gentle yet insistent, tugging at her like an invisible thread.

But this time, Kana did not stir. Her brow furrowed slightly, her breathing hitched, but she turned her face deeper into the pillow and forced herself to stay asleep.

She had no intention of answering, no intention of giving in.

The voice whispered again, pleading, coaxing, but she clung to the rhythm of her breath until the sound faded into nothing.

When she woke the next morning, her eyes blinked open slowly. The light filtering through the curtains felt warmer, calmer.

She sat up, stretching her arms over her head, though there was a strange weight still lingering in her chest.

She couldn't name it—only that she felt… odd. Odd, but also well rested in a way she hadn't been in a long time.

Slipping out of bed, Kana straightened herself and made her way downstairs.

The faint sound of quiet conversation greeted her, and soon she spotted Irielle and Lysera waiting in the sitting room. Both looked up at once when Kana entered, and their eyes softened.

"You should still be resting."

Lysera said gently. Her eyes carried concern that was impossible to hide.

Irielle nodded in agreement.

"After everything you've been through, it's reckless to push yourself too soon. Rest is the best thing for you right now."

Kana stopped at the bottom of the steps, her hands clenching at her sides. For a moment she considered their words—then she shook her head firmly.

"No. I'm tired of running away. I'm tired of letting others make choices for me while I sit in the dark. I'm going to confront the person who's been making my life difficult."

She said, her voice steady despite the slight tremor in her chest.

Both Lysera and Irielle stiffened at her declaration, their eyes widening slightly. Kana took a breath, grounding herself, and continued.

"But before I can do that, I need to find the one who helped me. Whoever they are, they saved me more than once, and I can't ignore that anymore."

Lysera frowned deeply, her worry showing plainly now.

"Kana, do you understand how dangerous that is? We don't know what kind of power or trap you might be walking into. It could put you in even greater danger."

Irielle leaned forward, her tone sharper.

"She's right. You can't just decide this on a whim. If you're wrong, the consequences won't just be bad—they'll be irreversible."

Kana's eyes hardened, her heart hammering as she met both of their gazes in turn.

"I'm not deciding this on a whim. I've been thinking about it for a long time. I don't want to be the helpless girl who waits for others to save her anymore"

"I want to know the truth about why I'm here, what my purpose in this world is. If I keep hiding and running, I'll never find out. And I can't stand being in the dark about myself any longer."

Her voice cracked slightly at the end, but the fire in her eyes didn't falter. She wasn't backing down.

The room fell silent for a long moment. Lysera and Irielle exchanged a look over her shoulder, silent communication passing between them.

Both of them saw the unshakable resolve written across Kana's face, and both knew—this wasn't something they could simply argue her out of.

Finally, Irielle exhaled slowly, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"If you feel that strongly… then we don't have much of a choice. We'll help you."

Lysera nodded reluctantly.

"But you need to understand, Kana. We're not agreeing because we think this is safe. We're agreeing because leaving you to face it alone would be worse."

Kana's chest tightened, gratitude welling inside her even as she held herself steady.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Lysera cleared her throat and asked carefully.

"Do you at least have any idea where to begin? Tracking down a person who appeared and vanished in the shadows isn't simple."

Kana looked down at her hands, thoughtful.

"I don't know much. Only that… every time I met them, it was at the temple. Somehow, they're connected to the High Priestess or the temple itself. That's where we should start. As for the one who tried to control me—"

Her voice wavered slightly, but she pressed on.

"All I know is that they're a wolf goddess. Nothing else. But I won't give up just because of that."

Her words hung heavy in the air, and both Lysera and Irielle fell silent again. Lysera shifted uneasily, her brows furrowed, but Irielle's eyes darkened with thought.

Finally, Irielle spoke, her voice low.

"If it's the wolf goddess you want to learn more about… my family might know."

Kana's eyes widened slightly.

"Your family?"

Irielle nodded reluctantly, her expression hard.

"Our teachings have always tied us to the forest. The wolf goddess—she's an old presence, one that doesn't often show herself. But if there are records, or whispers of her history, they'd be within my family grounds. We'd have to go back there and search for answers."

Lysera blinked, clearly startled by the suggestion.

"Back to your family? Are you sure that's wise?"

"No. But Kana's right. If we want answers, we can't keep waiting for them to come to us."

Irielle admitted bluntly. Her eyes flicked to Kana, sharp but protective.

"It'll be dangerous. If we go, there's no guarantee what we'll find. Or who might be waiting for us."

Kana's hands clenched tighter, but her resolve didn't waver.

"Then that's where we'll go. I don't care how dangerous it is. I need to know the truth."

Lysera sighed, shaking her head with a weary smile.

"You're reckless, Kana. But I suppose that's part of what makes you… you."

Irielle's lips curved into the faintest smile, though her eyes remained guarded.

"Then it's settled. We'll head to my family grounds. But you'll need to be ready for whatever we find there."

Kana nodded, determination burning steady in her chest. For the first time, she felt as if she was stepping forward on her own terms—not running, not hiding.

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