The silence did not last long.
As soon as Arthur and Mia appeared at the opening of the corridor, every head turned.
Kidero was the first.
His eyes met Arthur's.
And the reaction was immediate.
— You.
The word came out like a strike.
He stepped forward, still holding the sword wrapped in unstable flames.
Ayame quickly turned her head.
— Kidero—
But he didn't listen.
— I knew it — he snarled. — I knew something was wrong.
Arthur did not answer right away.
He simply observed the scene.
Broken stones.
Deep marks carved into the walls.
And Kazuko.
Still slumped against the rock.
The sword embedded in his body.
Blood slowly ran down the blade.
Mia covered her mouth for a moment — and then rushed to him.
She knelt beside Kazuko and placed her hands over the wound, releasing healing magic in a faint flow, just enough to keep his breathing stable and prevent the situation from worsening.
— He…
Shirō was still standing in a combat stance, as if expecting something to appear again.
It looked as if the battle had ended… that very instant.
As if Arthur and Mia had arrived in the exact moment after it ended.
Kidero continued advancing.
— You were there — he said, pointing the sword at Arthur. — I saw you.
Arthur finally responded.
— You saw a reflection.
— I saw you!
The flames on the sword grew stronger.
— Kazuko is like this because of you!
Arthur frowned.
— You have no proof of that.
— I saw it!
— In a dimensional mirror — Arthur shot back. — One that just shattered.
Silence returned for a moment.
Ayame stepped between them.
— That's enough.
Kidero did not look away.
— Move.
— No — she replied.
Shirō also stepped closer.
— This helps no one right now.
Kidero's gaze was still filled with anger.
But slowly, he stepped back.
Not because he believed Arthur.
But because there was something more urgent.
Kazuko let out a weak groan.
Everyone immediately turned toward him.
Mia kept her hands steady over the wound.
— He's still losing blood.
Arthur approached slowly.
— Did the sword go all the way through?
— Not completely — Mia replied, without taking her eyes off the wound. — But it's stuck.
She spoke quietly, focused.
Something still bothered her.
She glanced quickly at Arthur.
Then at the others.
Then at the corridor they had come from.
— Wait…
Everyone looked at her.
— It looks like you finished fighting just now.
Ayame nodded slowly.
— A few minutes ago.
Mia frowned.
— But… that doesn't make sense.
Arthur had already understood what she meant.
— We walked for quite a while.
She continued.
— We passed a strange lake filled with dolls inside black water… and then we kept walking until we reached here.
Ayame blinked.
Mia looked at Arthur again.
— Arthur… could this be what Sensei told us?
Shirō frowned.
— What?
— That time and space inside Mount Arf don't work properly.
Silence returned.
Ayame took a slow breath.
— Then for you, much more time passed than for us.
Arthur nodded.
— Seems like it.
Kidero crossed his arms.
— That changes nothing.
His tone was still hard.
But now everyone's attention had returned to Kazuko.
Shirō knelt beside him.
— We need to remove the sword.
Mia hesitated.
— If we pull it out now… he could bleed a lot.
Ayame looked at Kidero.
— Your flames.
He understood immediately.
— Cauterize.
Mia nodded.
— I can stabilize him with healing while you do it.
Shirō examined the position of the blade.
— This will hurt.
Ayame answered coldly:
— If we don't do it, he dies.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Everyone knew.
Arthur watched quietly.
Mia kept one hand firmly over Kazuko, feeling his breathing falter in short intervals.
Kidero finally stepped forward.
He grabbed the hilt of the sword.
Flames slowly grew again around the blade.
Mia adjusted her hands over the wound.
— Wait for my signal.
Ayame and Shirō stepped back a little.
The air grew tense.
Kidero tightened his grip.
— When you say it.
Mia took a deep breath.
— Now.
Kidero began to pull.