The garden was still. Only the faint hiss of cooling mana lingered in the air, curling through the shattered hedges and scorched patches of dirt.
Noel sank onto the grass, his breath steadying as the night pressed around him. Revenant Fang rested beside him, its black surface still faintly warm, reflecting the moon's pale light.
Across from him, Noir lay curled up in her small form, tail twitching gently, her violet eyes watching him closely.
'You should rest, Dad,' she murmured, her voice soft inside his mind.
Noel exhaled, gaze fixed on the dark sky above. "I'll rest when I know what's really happening here."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The chaos from minutes earlier felt unreal now—just the quiet hum of the night and the faint rustle of leaves moving in the wind. Noir's breathing slowed until it matched his own rhythm, and after a while, she shifted closer, resting her head against his leg.
