Eirian blinked in confusion. His body was no longer underwater. He found himself lying on the grass beside the pool, the sky above glowing faintly with the colors of dusk.
"Wasn't I… in the water?" he muttered, sitting up slowly. "How did I end up here? Did my Soulbrand pull me out…?"
He stood up, brushing the dirt from his clothes. His body ached faintly, but what truly growled was his stomach. "I haven't eaten anything in days..."
Clutching his midsection, he walked back toward the pool. But something else caught his attention. The mist. Or rather, the lack of it?
A stray breeze stirred the grass. The air was still too quiet. "Why is there no mist here? It's like… something's watching. Or something's absent."
He narrowed his eyes, glancing around warily. "Is there some kind of secret treasure hidden?"
As he approached the shallower edge of the pool and noticed three fish swimming lazily. An idea formed in his mind.
He quietly unsheathed the blade from his waist, his eyes sharpening. "I don't know how to fish… but maybe this'll work."
Activating his Starflow, he vanished in a flash—reappearing near the fish with a swift, precise slash aimed directly at the water.
The blade struck the surface with a loud splash. Water surged upward, carrying the startled fish out of the pool.
They thrashed helplessly midair, trying to return to the water.
But Eirian moved fast, he reached out and caught them with both hands, landing smoothly back onto the grass.
A triumphant smirk tugged at his lips. "Finally… something good to eat."
He quickly began cleaning the fish by the water's edge, then gathered dry wood nearby. By the time he was done preparing everything, the sun had nearly set—casting warm orange hues across the trees.
He turned toward the distant cave. "Selenia's probably still inside..."
As he neared the entrance, he slowed, he rubbed his cheek subconsciously. "It still stings a little… she really punched me hard this morning."
He sighed. "Hopefully she's calmed down…" Muttering to himself, he stepped inside the cave.
Selenia sat cross-legged on a flat stone, her body surrounded by a faint aura as she cultivated silently. She had changed her clothes—now wearing a clean, dark-red robe that made her appear even more elegant and composed.
When she sensed his presence, she opened her eyes slowly. Her gaze landed on him—then the fish and firewood in his hands.
Her expression flickered. "Where've you been?" she asked, folding her arms. "Wandering around like an fool?"
Eirian blinked at the sudden huff in her tone, but he noticed the faint curiosity in her eyes.
Without replying immediately, he walked to the center of the cave and placed the wood down carefully. Then he unwrapped the fish using a large green leaf.
"I went out to find food," he said simply, arranging the logs. "Our bodies need energy. I caught some fish." But he didn't mention anything about his Soulbrand or the memories—those were his greatest secrets, ones he couldn't share with anyone.
Selenia raised an eyebrow. She thought, "That's… thoughtful of him. He didn't run off to sulk or rage. He hunted. For us."
But she didn't respond right away. Her eyes softened for a brief second, but she looked away as if trying to hide it "Fine."
She sat down near the wall of the cave, silently watching him prepare the bonfire. She tilted her head slightly. "Is he really fine? Or is he just pretending...?"
After a few sparks and patience, the flames took hold. The small fire crackled gently, casting flickering shadows across the cave walls.
Eirian took three smooth sticks, sharpened their tips, and skewered the fish one by one, he placed them carefully over the fire.
The smell of roasting fish soon filled the cave.
Warmth returned—just a little. It made her stomach growl faintly, but she ignored it. "I'm not going to say thank you.." But her gaze lingered on him.
The silence that followed was almost comfortable... Peaceful even if temporary.
When the fish were properly cooked, Eirian carefully placed them on a large leaf and pulled the sticks out one by one. He handed one of the roasted fish to Selenia.
"Eat carefully. It's still hot—let it cool down first," he warned softly.
Selenia reached out to take the fish, but instead of grabbing the leaf, her fingers accidentally brushed against the searing flesh of the fish itself.
"Aah—!" she let out a small cry, quickly pulling her hand back. The burn flared bright red against her pale skin, and faint tears welled in her eyes from the sharp sting.
She stared at her hand, stunned. "I'm a cultivator… Normal fire shouldn't hurt me like this. Then why—?" Her moist gaze flickered toward Eirian, confused and slightly accusing.
Eirian's eyes widened slightly. Then it hit him. "The flame... it wasn't normal fire."
He had used a spark from his Soulless Flame to light the wood—something he had completely forgotten in the moment. A twinge of guilt tightened in his chest. Then without thinking, he reached out and gently took her hand.
"What are you—?!" Selenia flinched, her face flushing. "W-What are you doing!? Let go of my hand, you beast!"
Her voice was sharp with a mix of shock, embarrassment, and suppressed anger. But Eirian ignored her outburst. His brows were furrowed as he examined the red swelling on her skin. "Damn it… it's already swelling. I didn't mean to.."
He quickly reached out mentally. "Little flame, do you know how to heal this? It's my fault—her hand's getting worse."
The voice of the Soulless Flame echoed back inside his mind, annoyingly cheerful. "Oho~ Are you trying to save the damsel in distress? How cliché. What's next, holding her in your arms? So dramatic, Eirian~"
Dark lines formed across his forehead. "Stop your nonsense!" he barked mentally. "Just tell me how to fix it."
The flame grumbled playfully. "Okay, okay! No need to yell—I'm not deaf. It's easy. Just use your Starflow directly through your palm. Since it was only a trace of my spark and not a direct blast, it won't cause damage. Your energy can ease the burn."
Deep inside his subconscious, his Soulbrand watched the scene quietly. Amusement sparkled in her ethereal eyes as she muttered to herself with a soft laugh, "Honestly… the way they bicker and stumble around each other… like a pair of wild cat and stubborn mouse~"
Back in the physical world, Eirian tuned back in—only seconds had passed.
Selenia was glaring at him, visibly uncomfortable. Her hand trembled slightly in his.
Without meeting her gaze, he channeled his Starflow through his fingers and into her burned skin.
A soft, faint-red glow enveloped her hand. The swelling began to recede, slowly but visibly.
Selenia's eyes widened in surprise, feeling the warmth soothe her pain. But instead of gratitude, her expression twisted with a mix of flustered irritation and… something else she refused to name.
Eirian finally looked up, unaware of how red her face had gotten. He opened his mouth, about to say something—CRACK!
A fist slammed into his cheek. He stumbled backward, crashing to the ground and rolling twice across the cave floor.
"Owch! What the hell?!" he coughed, dazed. A flicker of anger sparked in his chest—sharp and rising.
"Did you have to hit so hard?" he muttered under his breath, biting back the urge to snap.
Selenia stood over him, arms crossed, face flushed and furious.
"Next time, ask before grabbing my hand, you idiot!" she snapped, turning away with a huff.
Eirian prodded his throbbing jaw, wincing.
"You're really insane," he muttered under his breath, just low enough to escape notice. "At this rate, no one's ever going to marry you with that temper."
He stole a sideways glance at her, cautious. "That's two punches today… I'll probably need armor by tomorrow."
Selenia's ears twitched slightly, as she heard him muttering. But she didn't say a word. She simply turned her face away, expression unreadable. Whether she was ignoring him or just holding back a retort… he couldn't tell.
He stood up from the ground but still felt pain in his jaw, brushing the dust from his clothes. With a quiet sigh, he stepped forward to retrieve the grilled fish. Now that it had cooled, he channeled a bit of Starflow into it, cleansing any lingering remnants of the Soulless Flame that had seared it.
Taking a few bites, he murmured to himself, "It's not great… but at least it's food. I need something in my body if I'm going to keep moving."
For a brief moment, a memory surfaced before his eyes—he and Selia once lived in a cave like this, sharing a few simple, peaceful days. It was one of his most beautiful memories… but it faded just as quickly as it came. A faint smile touched his lips.
Then he picked up another fish from the leaf and extended it toward her. "Here. Try this one. It won't burn your hands this time."
Selenia hesitated for a moment. Her fingers flexed slightly at the memory of the earlier pain, but eventually, she reached out and took it. To her surprise, there was no heat. It felt warm, pleasantly so but not harmful.
Her brows furrowed. "What happened earlier? Why did it burn me?"
Eirian paused mid-bite. For a moment, he debated whether to tell her the truth about the Soulless Flame. "If I say too much... she might start asking questions I can't answer."
"I don't know," he lied casually, avoiding her gaze. "Might've just been a strange reaction. Doesn't matter now—let's forget it."
And with that, he smoothly changed the subject. "We should rest here for the night. The cave's safe, and we'll start hunting again tomorrow."
Selenia watched him carefully. "He's definitely hiding something. That wasn't normal fire. But why hide it from me? Is he scared I'll find out something about him…?"
But whatever it was, she couldn't read it from his expression. His face was calm. Too calm.
She sighed, deciding not to press further for now. "It's already Day 4," she said, sitting down beside the fire. "We only have three days left before the beast-hunting trial ends."
She glanced at the pouch where the glowing Veinroots—cores extracted from slain beasts, were stored. They emitted a faint hum of condensed essence. "We've already collected thirty-four Veinroots. If we keep this pace, gathering enough before the deadline won't be a problem."
Eirian nodded but didn't say anything. But his gut feelings told him, "Three days left… but I feel like something bigger is coming..."