The night settled over Delwig like a tired sigh.
The streets were quieter now—only the humming sounds of mana lamps and the distant chatter of patrols and their footsteps echoed through the corridors as Damien, Arielle, and Lyone walked toward their assigned quarters.
The tension from the earlier debrief still clung to them, heavy and unspoken, but exhaustion dulled its edge.
The moment Arielle stepped inside, she exhaled, shoulders slumping. "Finally," she muttered, pulling the pins from her hair. "I can't feel my legs."
Lyone dropped his pack with a grunt and stretched, the joints in his arms popping audibly. "I can't feel anything except hunger. Please tell me we have food."
Damien closed the door behind them, letting his mana sense ripple through the air—habit more than need. The quiet hum of the city's barrier pulsed distantly beyond the walls, reassuringly stable. Nothing felt off. For now.
