Dawn broke through the night, and with it, the fog receded back into the forest.
The village clearing was a graveyard; blood splattered across the ground, and the corpses of goblins were already beginning to rot.
Kass sat leaning against a hut, exhausted, with Sera resting on his lap.
"There aren't any real wounds on you, Sera. Just get some rest… and maybe clean up the blood," Sheila said softly after checking her for injuries.
She glanced at Kass and gave a small nod — part gratitude, part silent plea to keep an eye on the girl.
Sera was still trembling, her eyes empty after what she'd witnessed happen to Chloe.
Half the survivors were barely standing. Professor Marcus and the Clerics moved from one body to another, trying to patch up the wounded.
A total of 16 were either dragged into the fog or dead, Jason among them. Even with everything the healers tried, Jason's abdominal wound refused to close, and he eventually bled to death.
Now, they all understood the truth: the punishment for the highest vote was death.
Most of those who remained were injured. Terrace had lost a leg, the result of being too slow to reach one of the huts when the goblins came. The obese man now lay pale and unconscious, another burden for the dwindling group.
As Kass tried to rest, a sudden commotion broke out, then a fight.
Rai grabbed John by the collar and punched him square in the face. "You fucker! While you were hiding inside the hut, we were fucking dying out here!"
John's head snapped back. Blood filled his mouth, and he spat it straight onto Rai's face before swinging back.
The hit connected with a sickening crack, spraying spit and blood.
"Ahh, fuck—" Rai stumbled and crashed to the ground.
John snarled, "Why the hell are you punching me for that?! I didn't tell any of you not to hide! And I wasn't the only one!"
He jabbed a finger toward two girls sitting nearby, their faces pale with guilt. They'd been hiding in the huts too.
"If you're gonna hit me, then punch them too, you fucking simp! 'Show-off Rai' — you were useless for half the fight with your Aether dried up anyway."
"That's enough!" Professor Marcus barked, his voice cutting through the tension. "We've lost enough for one night. If you idiots start killing each other now, the Shinobi won't even need to lift a damn finger."
Rai wiped the blood from his lip, glaring at John. "I'm pretty sure he's one of them. Why else would he hide when he could've stayed in the center and used his bow?"
John's expression hardened, but he stayed quiet as the others turned their eyes on him — some filled with anger, others with disgust.
"Believe whatever the fuck you want," he finally said. "If I were a Shinobi, I'd have killed you all during the fight instead of hiding."
He brushed past them and walked off toward the stream outside the village.
Kass stayed where he was, silent, his hand gently stroking Sera's hair to comfort her.
"Kass…" Sera whispered against his chest.
"I'm a Kosho," she said suddenly.
Kass's hand froze mid-motion. His eyes narrowed. "What?"
"The role I was assigned… it's called 'Kosho' – the prince's attendant. I don't know who the prince is." She leaned closer, her face just inches from his, eyes locked on his. "Are you the Shogun's heir? The prince?"
Kass was stunned. Of all people, he hadn't expected Sera to spill something like that so carelessly. She was smart, smarter than most, and knew when to hold her tongue.
He couldn't tell if it was a slip born of panic or a calculated move. But unfortunately, he wasn't the prince.
He was searching for his own heir — the princess. The scenario mentioned the Shogun and his two heirs, and it was now clear they were a prince and a princess.
He needed to uncover the identities of the Shinobi, the Shogun, the prince, and the princess. Especially the princess, his ability to swap positions with her was too good to just sit there collecting dust.
Kass took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He met Sera's eyes and said quietly, "I'm not the prince. And can I really believe you're telling the truth?"
Sera held his gaze and nodded. "How else would I know that role even exists? I won't ask about your role… you can tell me when you trust me. Either way, I trust you enough."
Her eyes were swollen from crying, but her voice was steady, determined.
Kass hesitated. Part of him felt guilty for keeping secrets after she'd just opened up to him. But it was too risky. He trusted Sera, but not enough to hand his life over.
After a long pause, he finally said, "I… I got the role of 'Hatamoto'–the princess's bodyguard." His voice was tight, like it cost him everything to say it.
Sera's eyes widened. "You mean the same role as Jason?"
Kass shook his head. "No. From the message we saw, he was the bodyguard of the Shogun. I'm the one assigned to the princess."
His voice softened. "I wish you were the princess, Sera. Maybe then… things would be easier."
It was a half-truth wrapped in a lie. He'd only changed the role names to keep her from discovering the truth about his ability and its restriction.
Sera's breath came slow and deep as she stared at him.
Then, without warning, she leaned in, her lips brushing against his. The kiss was soft at first, almost trembling, then grew hungry — her hands slid up around his neck, holding him close as if he might vanish.
Kass froze for a heartbeat before his hands found her waist, pulling her in.
The world outside faded away. It was their first kiss, clumsy at first, then growing heated as their tongues explored each other's warmth.
When they finally parted, a thin thread of saliva still connected them, glinting faintly in the dawn light.
"Haa... haa... Kass," she whispered, her lips flushed and eyes hazy. "When we make it out of here alive... let's do more than just a kiss."
Kass chuckled, the corner of his lips curling. "Maybe we can take one of the huts for ourselves. Don't you think it's poetic? Our first time in an abandoned village, surrounded by a forest that's trying to kill us."
Sera laughed, her forehead bumping against his. "You're a pervert, you know that?"
He kissed the side of her neck, his breath warm on her skin. "No," he murmured against her pulse, "just a gentleman who books a whole hut in advance."
Her soft giggles echoed faintly, until a sharp, angry voice shattered the fragile warmth.
"You… you two! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Damian stood nearby, his face twisted with jealousy and hurt. His fists clenched, his voice cracking as he shouted, "You think this is the time for that?! Sera... how could you—"
He didn't finish. The look in his eyes said it all — rage, heartbreak, and that bitter sting of watching the girl he liked in another man's arms.
Kass and Sera both paused, turning toward Damian, who stood trembling with anger nearby.
Sera's eyes turned cold. "Can you get lost, Damian? Why do you care what we do? We fought and survived. It's only fair if we want to relax a little."
Damian's lips quivered, her words cutting deeper than any wound. She was his first love, he'd truly believed he had a chance.
"You think you're the only ones who fought?!" Damian shouted, his voice cracking.
"While you were—"
He stopped, the words dying on his tongue as Sera's cold stare hit him. The fire in his chest turned to ashes. "I… I'm sorry," he muttered before turning and walking away.
Kass sighed. "You didn't have to be that harsh, Sera. I think the guy genuinely liked you," he said gently.
"I know," she replied, glancing back at him. "But that doesn't mean I have to like him back. I love you, and only you, Kass."
She leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before standing.
Kass watched as she walked toward the center of the clearing where the others sat, their faces showing varied emotions.
"Where are you going, Sera?!" Kass called, a bad feeling twisting in his gut.
She stopped but didn't turn around. "Do you trust me, Kass?"
His lips twitched. "If I didn't, why would I share my secret?"
"Then trust me a little more. I'll try to end this scenario before the next vote," she said, finally glancing back at him. Her eyes burned with a calm resolve.
Kass held her gaze in silence before nodding slowly.
He didn't know what she was up to — maybe trying to get everyone to reveal their roles.
At least he was sure she wouldn't expose their secret unless she managed to get everyone else's roles first. And even then, Hatamoto wasn't his real role anyway.
He only hoped no one else had the same role, or she would realize he had lied. If that happened, he might have to reveal his role as Kosho.
Then she could suspect he had an ability similar to hers. Like him, hers likely allowed her to swap positions with the prince, and if the prince died, she would die too.
Kass stayed quiet, leaning against the hut, watching as Sera stood in the center like she was about to address an audience. He couldn't help but smirk, curious to see what his wifey had in store.