Evening settled quietly over the village as the group began to disperse, each heading toward their own homes under the dimming sky. The day had been long — filled with battle, laughter, and more than one unexpected twist — and now the cool breeze of night carried their weary footsteps forward.
On the narrow path toward the Elder's house, Ralph walked beside Rob, rubbing his shoulder and wincing occasionally from the fading pain of his burns. He glanced sideways with a smirk.
"Still can't believe it, Rob," Ralph said, shaking his head. "Of all people, you? Spying on Elaira while she was bathing? That's bold even for you."
Rob groaned and rubbed his temples. "I wasn't spying! I told you—I went out for some air, walked into the forest to clear my head, and ended up running into three random guys who decided to beat the crap out of me."
Ralph raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Convenient timing."
"I'm serious," Rob snapped. "It wasn't some excuse. They were just… there. I didn't recognize them, and they didn't say a word before swinging. I was already limping back when Elaira showed up."
"Right," Ralph chuckled. "And that just happened to be right after her soak in the spring?"
Rob threw up his hands. "This is hopeless…"
Behind them, the rest of the group walked in pairs or silence, chatting softly about the day, the tournament, or simply enjoying the peaceful descent of night.
But despite the quiet air, one thing was certain — not everything that had happened that day could be explained so easily.
And not everyone in the forest had revealed their faces just yet.
As the night deepened and the village lanterns flickered to life one by one, the group slowly made their way along the worn stone paths, each lost in their own thoughts.
Katsu stretched his arms behind his head and let out a long sigh.
"Man… today felt different," he muttered aloud. "Not like the others."
"You're telling me," Erdan added, walking a few steps behind. "It's like we lived through an entire month in one day."
Felix nodded in agreement. "Between almost dying, the Elder's firestorm, and Rob's 'incident'… I think I'm good on excitement for a week."
Michael chuckled softly. "It really did feel like something shifted today."
Torren gave a tired but sincere nod. "It's not over yet. I feel like we just reached the halfway point of something much bigger."
Zigrane walked a few paces behind the others, fists clenched and shoulders tense. His usually calm expression had twisted into a scowl.
He spoke under his breath, just loud enough for no one to respond, but enough to release the frustration.
"Great… Father's gonna tear into me again. Another night of punishment. More training till I drop…"
Elaira trailed quietly behind them all, arms crossed, her gaze lowered to the path beneath her feet.
Though she kept her face composed, a faint blush lingered on her cheeks — remnants of both irritation and embarrassment. She hadn't said a word since returning to the house.
Her thoughts spun in every direction — the tournament, the mysterious girl with the cards, the spring, Rob's clumsy defense, the way everyone had laughed…
And somewhere between the flickering torches and the crunch of gravel beneath her boots, she whispered to herself:
"…What was today?"
The gentle glow of lanterns lit up the familiar path as the group finally returned to the quiet village. Crickets chirped in the distance, and the wind had settled into a calm breeze as if the forest itself was grateful the chaos had passed.
Most of the group split off toward their homes, exchanging tired nods and mumbled goodnights.
Michael, however, hesitated.
His feet carried him toward a small wooden house on the edge of the village — one with ivy trailing along the porch rail and a windchime softly clinking in the night air. He raised his hand and knocked gently.
A moment later, the door creaked open. Julius stood there, his usual quiet calm in place.
"Michael," he said, offering a small smile. "Come in. You look like you've had a long day."
Michael stepped inside, already feeling the warmth of the fire crackling in the hearth. Julius gestured toward a chair across from him and poured two cups of herbal tea.
"Well?" Julius said as they sat. "Tell me everything."
Michael exhaled, leaned back slightly, and began to speak.
"You won't believe half of it…"
And so, as the rest of the village drifted into quiet rest, two friends sat and spoke long into the night — one sharing, the other listening — as the embers glowed between them, and the weight of the day slowly lifted.