The light came slowly.
Soft rays filtered through the tall royal windows, stretching across the infirmary floor and climbing the edges of each bed like quiet hands trying not to disturb the wounded.
The air was still.
But not peaceful.
It carried something heavier now—
Silence filled with thought.
Takemi sat at the edge of his bed.
He hadn't slept much.
Not because of pain.
But because every time he closed his eyes—
He saw it again.
The moment he couldn't reach her.
"…Damn it…"
A faint rustle broke the silence.
"…Ugh…"
Rauk.
His massive body shifted slightly, bandages tightening around his arms and torso as he forced himself upright.
"…Feels like I got hit by a mountain…"
Takemi let out a breath.
"…You kind of did."
Rauk gave a weak chuckle.
"…Yeah… sounds about right…"
But the humor didn't last.
His expression slowly changed.
The memory returned.
The tap.
The effortless force.
"…I didn't even see it…"
His voice dropped.
"…Didn't even react…"
Rauk clenched his fist.
"…What kind of frontline am I… if I can't even hold for a second…"
Silence.
Takemi didn't interrupt.
Because he understood.
Rauk looked up.
Serious.
Focused.
"…Takemi."
"…I'm not strong enough."
No pride.
No excuses.
Just truth.
"…If we fight something like that again…"
A pause.
"…I won't be able to protect anyone."
Takemi met his gaze.
"…So what are you going to do?"
Rauk exhaled slowly.
"…Fix it."
A faint grin returned—
But this time—
It wasn't careless.
"…I'm heading out."
Takemi frowned slightly.
"…Now?"
"…Not far. Just outside the capital."
He rolled his shoulder slightly, ignoring the pain.
"…Five days."
A pause.
"…I'll come back stronger."
Takemi stared at him for a moment.
Then nodded.
"…Don't die."
Rauk smirked.
"…You too."
Rauk stood.
Slow.
Heavy.
But steady.
He walked past the beds—
Pausing briefly.
At Lira.
Then Elira.
"…Next time…"
He muttered quietly.
"…I'll be there."
And with that—
He left.
The room felt larger now.
Quieter.
Heavier.
"…Where…"
Lira's voice.
Soft.
Uncertain.
Her eyes opened slowly.
Confusion first.
Then—
Fear.
Her breathing quickened slightly.
"…No…"
She sat up abruptly—
"…No, not again—"
Takemi stepped forward immediately.
"…Lira."
She froze.
Her eyes focused.
Recognized him.
"…We're… alive…"
Her voice trembled.
"…We're alive…"
"…Why…"
A faint voice.
Elira.
Her eyes opened slowly.
But unlike Lira—
She didn't move.
She just stared at the ceiling.
"…Why are we still alive…"
Silence filled the space between them.
Then—
Lira spoke.
"…We shouldn't be."
Takemi frowned.
"…What?"
She looked at her hands.
"…I froze."
Her voice shook.
"…I got trapped… again…"
Her fingers tightened.
"…All that training… all that control…"
"…And it didn't matter."
"…It never does."
Elira's voice was quieter.
Colder.
"…Not when it matters."
Takemi turned to her.
"…That's not true."
She slowly turned her head.
Her eyes—
Tired.
"…I couldn't even stand."
A pause.
"…I couldn't even breathe."
Her hand trembled slightly.
"…What kind of healer… breaks first?"
Lira let out a weak laugh.
"…Maybe… we're not meant for this…"
Takemi's expression hardened.
"…Don't say that."
"…Why not?"
Lira looked up.
Her eyes—
Frustrated.
"…We almost died."
"…We would have died… if it wanted to."
"…I don't want to feel that again…"
Elira whispered.
"…That fear…"
Her breathing grew uneven.
"…That… helplessness…"
A pause.
"…I thought I left that behind…"
He didn't raise his voice.
Didn't argue immediately.
He walked closer.
Then stopped.
"…You think I didn't feel that?"
They both looked at him.
"…I saw it too."
His voice lowered.
"…I knew I couldn't win."
A pause.
"…But I still stood there."
"…Why?" Lira asked.
Not angrily.
But genuinely.
"…Because you were behind me."
Silence.
"…Because Rauk was there."
"…Because we were there."
"…We didn't lose because we're weak."
Takemi continued.
"…We lost because we're not ready."
A pause.
"…That's different."
Lira's brows tightened.
"…That still means we're not enough."
"…Yet."
Takemi said immediately.
"…What if we never are…"
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Takemi stepped closer.
"…Then we get as close as we can."
A pause.
"…And we don't run."
"…Because if we walk away now…"
His voice hardened slightly.
"…That thing doesn't stop existing."
Silence.
"…It just finds someone else."
That hit.
Hard.
"…You're scared."
Takemi said.
"…Good."
"…That means you understand what's at stake."
A pause.
"…So don't run from it."
The room fell silent again.
But this time—
It wasn't empty.
Lira looked at her hands again.
Not shaking as much.
Elira closed her eyes.
Not in fear—
But in thought.
And Takemi—
Stood there.
Not as someone strong enough to win—
But as someone who refused to walk away.