"I think we should leave him here."
Cyrene's voice was calm.
Cold.
She watched Samael without looking away.
Everyone was gathered inside the old ruined house, sitting in a circle around the unconscious boy.
The atmosphere remained silent.
Heavy.
"I disagree."
Liu was the first to respond.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried firmness.
Elizabeth remained silent.
She merely nodded slightly.
"I don't think abandoning our allies is the right way to escape this place."
Cyrene smiled.
It was a polite smile.
But completely empty.
"How many of mine do you think I've had to leave behind?"
The question made Liu fall silent.
"If I carry him in this condition..."
Cyrene's eyes returned to Samael.
"What am I supposed to tell all those I left behind?"
Liu lowered her head.
She could hear the pain hidden behind those words.
She had no answer.
Elizabeth was the one who spoke.
"That has nothing to do with our situation."
Everyone turned their eyes toward her.
"If you decided to abandon them..."
Her voice remained cold.
"That was your choice."
She held Cyrene's gaze.
"Don't force us to follow the same path."
As cruel as it seemed...
At that moment, her lack of empathy was precisely what allowed Elizabeth to remain rational.
Silence once again dominated the room.
Bel watched Liu in silence.
His black eyes remained fixed on her.
"Why does my chest hurt?"
His hands trembled slightly.
"After that day... this should be impossible."
He clenched his fists.
"I don't feel anything for her anymore."
"Then stay quiet."
He didn't even notice that Vanitas was watching him.
"What a strange guy..."
Vanitas looked away.
His attention shifted to Acheron.
The image of that single strike was still engraved in his memory.
"What an impressive girl..."
A small smile appeared.
"I'm sure the clan would accept her without hesitation."
Acheron remained behind Cyrene.
Her arms were crossed.
Completely indifferent.
The decision belonged to Cyrene.
And whatever it was...
She would support it.
The natives were her only priority.
"She went too far..."
Liu discreetly watched Elizabeth.
Although they had barely spoken...
Those words had been harsh even for her.
Elizabeth let out a small sigh.
"This discussion isn't going anywhere."
Everyone looked at her again.
"So let's make a deal."
Cyrene raised an eyebrow slightly.
Her polite smile returned.
It still looked forced.
"And what would that deal be?"
Elizabeth brushed a strand of black hair away from her face.
Then looked directly into Cyrene's pink eyes.
"Anyone who wants to take care of Samael can stay with me."
She spoke calmly.
"You can continue traveling as another group."
She paused briefly.
"That way..."
"Protecting Samael will no longer be your responsibility."
Cyrene fell into thought.
Her gaze passed over Enkidu.
Then Malenia.
Finally...
Acheron.
A few seconds later, she nodded.
"Fine."
She accepted.
"But who exactly will be staying in your group?"
"Me."
Liu answered immediately.
Everyone looked at her.
She took a deep breath.
"I still don't think I've repaid my debt."
A small smile appeared.
"Besides..."
"He still hasn't finished that story."
Elizabeth smiled faintly.
Vanitas remained indifferent.
"Honestly..."
His gaze fell on Samael.
"In this condition, he's completely useless to me."
His voice was cold.
"I don't intend to protect him."
"I'll repay the favor another day."
That was the only thought he kept to himself.
Bel took a deep breath.
His eyes met Liu's again.
"Why does it hurt so much seeing her wanting to protect him?"
He looked away.
"I'm not doing it either."
Liu blinked in surprise.
She had genuinely believed the two of them were beginning to understand each other.
Before anyone could say anything...
Another voice emerged.
"I will."
Everyone looked at Enkidu.
Even Cyrene seemed surprised.
"You will?"
Enkidu merely shrugged.
"I don't like leaving a job unfinished."
Silence filled the room.
Behind Cyrene...
Acheron's shoulders began to tremble.
She was making an enormous effort not to laugh.
"Cyrene's face..."
"This turned out much better than I expected."
Cyrene remained completely motionless.
Still processing the unexpected betrayal.
Then she let out a long sigh.
The discussion had finally ended.
But the atmosphere remained strange.
Elizabeth stood up.
Her eyes met the blindfold covering Liu's eyes.
"Let's talk."
She pointed toward one of the rooms in the house.
"Alone."
Liu hesitated for a moment.
Then followed her.
Before crossing the doorway, however, she turned toward Cyrene.
"We're not trying to diminish your pain."
Her voice was calm.
"We just don't want to follow the same path."
Cyrene merely watched her leave.
"She's pleasant..."
Her gaze then fell on Elizabeth.
"...quite different from the other one."
Immediately afterward, she turned toward Enkidu.
The two of them still had a long conversation ahead of them.
As soon as they entered the other room, Elizabeth sat down on an old wooden chair.
Liu remained standing.
The two were silent for several seconds.
Elizabeth spoke first.
"Samael invited you to join our cohort."
She began twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.
"I want to know what you think."
Liu took a while to answer.
"Can I really join?"
"Won't things become awkward?"
"What if they find out about my lies?"
She took a deep breath.
"I accept."
Her voice came out softly.
Almost a whisper.
Elizabeth sighed.
"Answer properly."
Liu raised her head.
"Huh?"
"Stop hesitating."
Elizabeth crossed her arms.
"This is America."
"Hesitating is practically the same thing as dying."
Liu straightened her posture.
"I accept."
This time, her answer was firm.
Then she tilted her head slightly.
"But..."
"What exactly do you want to talk about?"
"We aren't even close."
Elizabeth gave her a small smile.
"Yet."
Liu blinked.
"If we're going to form a group..."
"We need to learn how to live with each other."
Elizabeth tilted her head slightly.
"Or would you rather keep this awkward atmosphere?"
Liu grimaced.
"Okay..."
"I'd rather avoid that."
She then looked at Elizabeth curiously.
"So..."
"What are we going to talk about?"
"She's so cold..."
"How can someone so different get along with Samael?"
At the same time...
A completely opposite thought appeared in Elizabeth's mind.
"I'm a little nervous..."
"Will talking normally make her seem less distant?"
Elizabeth took a deep breath.
"First..."
She raised one finger.
"There's a rule."
"What is it?"
"Talking about Samael is forbidden."
Liu blinked several times.
"Why?"
Elizabeth smiled faintly.
"Because if we talk about him..."
She shrugged.
"We'll never get to know each other."
She paused briefly.
"We'll just be..."
"My friend's friend."
Liu remained silent.
Then eventually nodded.
The logic made sense.
"I'll go first."
Elizabeth took a deep breath.
For the first time since Liu had met her...
She looked a little nervous.
"My name is Elizabeth."
"I'm eighteen years old."
"I use a bow and arrows."
She looked away.
"And I like researching random things on the internet."
"Wow..."
"That was easier than I expected."
Liu smiled faintly.
"I'm Liu."
"I use a sword."
"I like books..."
She paused.
"And cooking."
The two remained silent for a few seconds.
Elizabeth spoke again.
"Now..."
She cleared her throat.
"Let's tell each other something embarrassing about ourselves."
Liu's eyes widened.
"Why?"
"Because that's how Sama..."
Elizabeth stopped herself.
Then smiled awkwardly.
"Because I think it brings people closer."
Liu made a small grimace.
"I really don't want to..."
Elizabeth raised a hand.
"Then I'll go first."
She took a deep breath.
Her face began to turn red.
"My embarrassing thing is..."
The more she spoke...
The redder she became.
"I..."
She closed her eyes.
"I'm learning how to tell jokes on internet forums."
...
Liu became completely motionless.
She covered her mouth with her hand.
Her shoulders began to tremble.
"Sorry..."
She tried to hold herself back.
But ended up laughing.
"It's just that..."
She took a deep breath.
"That really doesn't seem like something you'd do."
Elizabeth blinked twice.
"Why doesn't it?"
She genuinely didn't understand.
Then she crossed her arms.
"Since you're laughing..."
She pointed at Liu.
"Then you must know better jokes."
"Me?"
Liu's eyes widened.
She panicked for a few seconds.
Then remembered the only joke she could think of.
She took a deep breath.
Her ears turned bright red.
"What..."
"What did the rain say to the ground?"
Elizabeth gave her a small smile.
"What?"
Liu closed her eyes.
"Get out from under me."
...
Silence filled the room.
"Why did I say that..."
Liu wanted to disappear.
Elizabeth remained motionless.
Then smiled.
"Damn..."
"I thought she was bad at jokes."
The two continued staring at each other for several seconds.
Then, unexpectedly...
They both burst out laughing at the same time.