After hearing Ezekiel utter her name, something inside Viola softened.
It was small, almost fragile, but undeniably there—a quiet bloom of relief and happiness spreading through her chest.
For a moment, the fear, the anger, the suffocating tension from earlier all loosened their grip.
He knew.
Even without seeing her face, even without proof, he still knew it was her.
Ezekiel slowly turned around, and the moment his eyes landed on her, the tightness in his expression eased.
The cold vigilance that had lingered there faded, replaced by something far gentler, something that only ever appeared when he looked at her.
Relief.
The familiar warmth she always carried with her reached him again, wrapping around him like something safe. It grounded him, pulled him fully out of whatever illusion he had just escaped.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
They simply stood there, facing each other, caught in an awkward silence that felt heavier than it should have been.
There were too many things left unsaid, too many questions hovering between them, yet neither seemed ready to reach for them.
Viola was the first to break.
"How did you know it was me"
Her voice was softer than usual, almost hesitant.
Ezekiel didn't answer right away.
His gaze lingered on her, as if confirming once more that she was truly there, truly herself. Only after a brief pause did he finally respond.
"I can just tell"
It wasn't a detailed explanation, nor did it try to be.
But it was enough.
Viola held his gaze for a second longer before looking away slightly. She didn't press him for more, didn't try to dig deeper into what he meant.
So instead, she shifted the conversation.
"We're done here. I already found the treasure… we should head back"
Ezekiel's brows lifted slightly.
"You did"
"hmm…"
Viola gave a small nod, clearly not wanting to elaborate.
She expected him to question her, to ask how, where, or when she managed to find it. That would have been normal.
But he didn't.
He simply accepted it.
"…?"
A flicker of confusion crossed her face, but she didn't say anything.
They began walking, side by side, the quiet returning between them. Their footsteps echoed faintly against the ground, blending with the lingering stillness of the place.
Ezekiel remained silent.
Not a single question or doubt.
After a while, Viola couldn't help herself.
"Ezekiel… you don't want to ask how I got it"
"No need"
His answer came without hesitation.
He said it as if there was nothing to question at all, as if her words alone were enough for him.
And that was his decision.
He wouldn't ask and wouldn't pry.
He would wait until she chose to tell him on her own.
Until then, he would trust her.
—
By the time they arrived home, the sky had already begun to brighten.
Morning had come.
The quiet of dawn greeted them as they stepped inside, but the scene waiting for them was far from peaceful.
Elizabeth was sprawled across the couch, fast asleep.
The television was still on, its screen flickering with the last moments of whatever drama she had been watching.
Empty wrappers and half-finished food were scattered around her, creating a mess that made the entire living room look like it had been abandoned mid-chaos.
Viola stopped in her tracks.
Her fingers rose to her temples as she let out a slow breath, already feeling a headache creeping in.
She had told Elizabeth clearly the day before.
They would be gone for a while.
She needed to behave.
Be responsible.
There was more than enough food left for her, everything prepared so she wouldn't have to struggle.
And yet—
This.
Viola stared at the mess, her irritation bubbling up.
She wanted to get angry.
"Ugh… my head…"
A quiet groan slipped past her lips.
It really did feel like she was dealing with a spoiled, mischievous child.
"You should rest," Ezekiel said calmly from behind her. "I'll handle this"
Viola hesitated.
Part of her wanted to argue, to say she could take care of it herself. But she already knew how that would go. Ezekiel would insist, and she didn't have the energy to fight him on something like this.
So, in the end, she gave in.
"…Alright"
Without another word, she turned and headed upstairs.
The moment she disappeared from view, Ezekiel got to work.
He began cleaning the scattered mess, moving quietly but efficiently, restoring order to the living room.
Once everything was in place, he walked over to the couch and lightly nudged Elizabeth awake.
"Hey"
"Ahh Damn you, emperor!"
Elizabeth jolted upright, shouting at the top of her lungs.
It was clear she was still half inside the drama she had been watching, her expression filled with exaggerated frustration as if she had just been personally betrayed by a fictional character.
A second later, reality caught up to her.
She blinked, looking around.
Morning light.
A clean living room.
And—
Ezekiel.
"Oh, you're back—"
She cut herself off abruptly.
"…!"
Her nose twitched slightly.
She leaned forward a bit, sniffing the air.
A strange expression formed on her face, something between confusion and unease.
Ezekiel frowned.
"What"
Elizabeth didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she narrowed her eyes slightly, as if trying to confirm something.
"Hey… did you two run into a snake"
Ezekiel blinked.
"No. I don't think so"
"What about Viola Did she see one"
"…I don't know"
That answer only seemed to deepen the crease between Elizabeth's brows.
"Where is she"
"She's upstairs alreadg resting"
Elizabeth glanced toward the staircase.
For a moment, it looked like she was about to rush up immediately, her curiosity clearly getting the better of her. But she stopped herself halfway, her expression shifting into something more restrained.
Viola was tired.
Even she could tell that.
Clicking her tongue softly, Elizabeth leaned back against the couch instead, though the unease in her eyes didn't disappear.
"...Fine. I'll wait"
But the restlessness remained.
And whatever she had sensed—
It hadn't left her mind.