"Ahh… it's a good thing we got to go first," Reid sighed, rubbing a towel through his damp hair. Steam curled lazily around them, the faint scent of lavender and cedarwood clinging to the air. "You know, this place isn't so bad."
The manor's bathhouse was surprisingly extravagant—arched ceilings of marble, warm stone floors, and a massive rectangular pool fed by gently cascading water channels. Small lanterns floated along the surface, casting ripples of golden light across the mist.
"Yeah," Sosuke muttered, his eyes distant. "It's not. Just… a strange change of pace."
Reid glanced over. "What do you mean?"
Sosuke walked toward the lockers, where neatly folded linen clothes waited inside. "I've been fighting day and night for two years. That's all I've known. Constant survival."
"Oh… I didn't know that," Reid said, the towel slipping from his hands.
"It's okay," Sosuke replied, pulling the shirt from the shelf. "I think I've moved past it. Mostly. But the nightmares don't go away."
Reid hesitated, then spoke gently. "I heard about the prison. We didn't know until after you escaped. By the time we found out, you were already gone. I'm sorry, Sosuke—we never got the chance to help."
Sosuke's hand paused on the locker door. His jaw tensed. "They treated me like I didn't matter. Like I was disposable." He slammed the door shut with a loud clang.
"I would've gone without hesitation if I'd known," Reid said, his voice low. "We all would have."
Sosuke breathed out, his anger softening. "I know. It's not your fault." He turned, forcing a small smile. "Let's just forget about it."
A silence hung between them, warm and heavy with unspoken thoughts. Then Reid looked over, more serious now.
"Can I ask you something?"
Sosuke nodded. "Go ahead."
Reid's eyes flicked to the pale scar under Sosuke's closed right eye. "That scar… how'd you get it?"
Sosuke froze. His fingers brushed the mark, and for a moment he looked years older. "Julius."
"You fought him?" Reid's voice spiked. "Sosuke, are you insane? Why would you go after him alone? I want to break his face as much as anyone, but you could've died."
"I know, alright?" Sosuke snapped. "I know it was a mistake." His shoulders slumped. He exhaled again, slower this time. "I just… don't know how to move past any of it."
He began changing into the linen shirt, quite filling the space again.
"I'll try to understand," Reid said, turning slightly. "But you're not the only one carrying things."
Sosuke looked up. "What do you mean?"
Reid hesitated. Then: "Don't tell Lyra I said anything, but… we had an older sister. Cara. She was ten years older, and Lyra looked up to her like she hung the stars. She served in the Westoria Mana Corps. Strong. Brave. Stubborn as hell. But she didn't make it back from a mission."
"I'm sorry," Sosuke said softly, buttoning his shirt.
"She didn't care that I couldn't use magic," Reid continued. "She always made sure I was okay. Protected me when Lyra got too intense. When she died, I couldn't stop crying. I was just a kid—eleven, maybe. But Lyra? She held it together. Stronger than I've ever seen her."
His voice trembled. He cleared his throat, looking away. "I know what it's like to lose someone who kept you grounded. And sometimes… yeah, sometimes I want to hurt the bastard responsible. But I know it wouldn't fix anything."
Sosuke stared at him, then shook his head in disbelief. "I'm surprised. That's… really mature of you."
Reid gave a tired smile. "Don't get used to it."
Then he added, quieter now: "But if you want—when the time comes—I'll be there. To help you take down Silas."
Sosuke's gaze snapped to him. "Silas? That's who… killed Ryoma?"
Reid nodded solemnly. "Yeah. It was him."
Sosuke looked down at his hands. "I didn't know."
"How about we just try to have some fun for the rest of the day?" Reid said, flashing a crooked grin. His hand clapped onto Sosuke's shoulder—solid, warm, real.
"You've got an entire luxury manor practically to yourself," Reid added. "You shouldn't be standing around feeling miserable. You should be chasing every bit of happiness you can find. That's how I live."
Sosuke blinked. The words hit harder than he expected. A soft breath escaped him—half a sigh, half a laugh.
"You're smarter than you act."
"I… am?" Reid's eyebrows climbed. "Thanks. I hadn't realized."
Sosuke shook his head, still smiling faintly.
"It's a lot nicer having company. I'm glad you guys came."
⸻
The courtyard opened before them like something pulled from an old storybook.
Thick stone walls rose around the edges, their surfaces swallowed by climbing ivy and clusters of bright, thornless roses. Sunlight spilled across the cobblestone paths, tracing gold onto patches of wildflowers—flashes of red, blue, violet swaying in the lazy breeze.
In the center, a wide marble fountain commanded attention. Water soared upward in a spinning column before crashing back into a deep, shimmering pool. Tiny rainbows curved over the mist whenever the light caught it just right. Marble benches ringed the fountain like silent sentinels, worn smooth by time.
Farther out, old oaks loomed with thick gnarled trunks and heavy branches drooping with age. Beneath them, the ground dipped into cool, shaded hollows where the air smelled damp and earthy.
Sosuke stepped forward, the warm stone underfoot a sharp contrast to the cool air brushing his face.
"It's about time you showed up," Reid called out, shading his eyes as they emerged into the courtyard. He stood beside the fountain, hair still damp, sleeves rolled sloppily to the elbows. "You really took your sweet time in there, huh?"
"You guys took forever too!" Lyra snapped back, arms crossed tightly against her chest. Her damp hair clung to her forehead, wild and stubborn as always. "It's only fair I got my time too."
"At least you're clean now," Reid teased.
Lyra shot him a glare sharp enough to cut stone. "Say that again and you're getting tossed in the fountain."
Before the argument could spark, Klein rose from a bench with a dramatic stretch. His jacket shifted with the motion, flashing the glint of a silver chain tucked underneath.
"Enough bickering. You ready for the grand tour or what?"
Sosuke shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded.
"Lead the way."
Reid threw an arm lazily over Lyra's shoulder. She elbowed him in the ribs without even looking. Reid stumbled sideways, laughing.
Klein spun on his heel and started down one of the cobblestone paths, whistling tunelessly. They fell into step behind him.
⸻
"First stop—this little paradise is called the Silver Garden," Klein said, sweeping his hand wide like a showman. "Banquets, ceremonies, dances you'll regret attending… all happen right here."
They passed under a low arch choked with wild vines, the stones worn down by time and countless feet. Glass windows loomed to their right, throwing jagged reflections of the courtyard's light.
"That's the East Wing over there," Klein said, tapping the wall lightly. "Guest rooms, private balconies, all the luxury you could want. Sosuke, yours has the best view of the gardens—figured you earned it."
Sosuke raised a hand lazily, acknowledging the comment without words.
"Past that—" Klein jerked a thumb down a dark hallway. "—we've got the library. Three whole floors of ancient books, dusty spells, old maps… boring unless you're desperate."
"History's not boring!" Reid chimed in.
"You can barely read half the stuff in there," Lyra muttered under her breath.
"I can too!" Reid barked back, voice bouncing off the stone walls.
Klein ignored them and kept walking.
They cut through another stone archway, stepping into a long, gleaming hall. Velvet runners lined the floor, crushed under the heels of those who walked before them. Massive chandeliers hung like frozen galaxies overhead, glittering with hundreds of tiny crystal stars. Portraits of grim-faced nobles lined the crimson walls, their eyes following the group's every move.
"That's the Main Hall," Klein said, pointing upward toward the split staircase. "Council Chambers up there. Offices too. If you're lucky, you'll never get dragged up those stairs."
Reid leaned close to Lyra, voice low.
"Bet you get summoned first."
Lyra's fist cracked into his shoulder before he could even dodge.
Klein pushed open a heavy wooden door, and a wave of mouth-watering scents rushed over them—fresh bread, roasted meats, sweet butter melting into baked fruit.
"Kitchen's that way," he said. "Cook's a demon with a knife and a sharper tongue. Don't steal anything unless you're ready to lose a hand."
Reid whistled low, backing away slightly from the smell as if the cook might materialize out of the shadows.
They exited back into the courtyard just as the sun dipped lower. Shadows stretched across the stones, long and lazy. The light caught the fountain again, the mist glowing orange and pink like spilled fire.
Klein clapped his hands once. "And that's the basics. Any questions, complaints, existential crises, save 'em for Isabelle."
⸻
"Yes, sir!" Reid snapped a playful salute, grin wide enough to split his face.
Lyra rolled her eyes, grabbed him by the arm, and yanked him toward the doors.
"Come on, idiot," she said. Reid stumbled but shook her off, walking alongside with a half-hearted glare.
As they made their way inside, Lyra glanced back at Sosuke. Her expression softened, just a little.
"You okay?" she asked, voice low enough that only he could hear. "You've barely said anything."
Sosuke stared ahead, the manor's shadowed halls swallowing the light.
"It's nothing," he muttered. "Just… thinking about stuff."
"Thinking or worrying?" Lyra arched a brow.
"You know," she said, "you can only be helped if you actually let yourself be."
"I need to figure things out on my own," Sosuke said. His voice was steadier than he felt.
Lyra snorted. "Oh yeah? That's stupid."
Sosuke blinked.
"If you're left alone to fix everything," she continued, "you just end up walking circles inside your own head. Breaking yourself over and over. Trust me, I know." She looked away for a moment, the hard edge in her voice betraying something raw beneath.
"Sometimes, you really do need to lean on someone else."
Sosuke hesitated. Rin's voice echoed in his mind.
At the time, he thought she was just trying to push him toward strength. But now… he wasn't so sure. Maybe she said it because she believed in him. Or maybe it was because she didn't want to carry the burden.
"Maybe you're right," he said quietly.
Lyra smiled—small, almost unnoticeable. But it was real.
"We're heading out in the morning," she added. "Didn't bring much with us. Actually planned to leave tonight, but… well." She jerked a thumb toward the windows, where darkness already pressed thick against the glass.
"Not happening now."
A weight lifted from Sosuke's chest, lighter than he wanted to admit.
"I'm glad," he said. "I'd rather not be alone tonight."
They walked together, the manor's long hallway stretching out before them.
Reid suddenly yawned so hard it looked like his jaw might snap off.
"Forget this, I'm crashing," he said, waving lazily. Without waiting for a reply, he veered down another hallway and disappeared into a guest room.
"What was that about?" Sosuke asked, puzzled.
Lyra just sighed, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it. You should get some sleep too. Make up for what you missed last night."
Sosuke frowned.
"How'd you—?"
"You wear it all over your face," Lyra said, tapping her own cheek for emphasis.
"Usually, you've got this… fire. Tonight it's like the flame's barely flickering." She patted his back once, firm but kind.
"Get some rest. You need it more than you know."
"Yeah… goodnight," Sosuke said, voice rougher than he intended.
Lyra smiled again—gentler this time—and walked off without another word.
Sosuke rubbed his face, feeling the exhaustion catch up all at once. He reached for his doorknob—
"Going to bed already?" a voice asked.
He flinched so hard he nearly dropped the handle.
"Can you please stop sneaking up on me?" he hissed, clutching his chest.
Isabelle stood a few feet away, arms crossed tight against her chest like a shield. She shifted, uneasy, then turned her face away from him.
"I just…" Her voice dropped to a murmur. "I just wanted to wish you a good sleep, that's all."
Sosuke raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"Oh? Caring for me now?"
Isabelle huffed, her body stiffening like she wanted to punch him—then, strangely, she relaxed.
"Y-yeah," she mumbled. "I have to… after all."
Sosuke's smirk widened into a real grin.
"What's with that sudden change?" he teased.
"Not gonna call me names? Hit me? Glare at me like I murdered your cat?"
Isabelle fidgeted, fingers twisting in the hem of her sleeve.
"I was just… nervous before," she admitted, cheeks flushing pink.
"I'm actually a huge fan of yours," she said, almost too fast to catch. "When I found out I'd be working with you, I was… happy. Really happy. But when I finally saw you, I just froze up. I didn't want you thinking I was… weak or annoying…"
Sosuke's grin faded, replaced by something warmer.
"Isabelle…" he said.
She spun on her heel, cheeks blazing even brighter.
"I told you not to use my first name!" she barked, voice cracking halfway through.
Sosuke chuckled under his breath.
"I'm glad you're here," he said softly. "I'm looking forward to having you by my side, Isabelle."
She peeked over her shoulder, eyes wide with surprise. Slowly, a shy, genuine grin broke across her face.
"Really?" she asked, voice lighter.
"I'm… happy to hear that."
⸻
Later, Sosuke sat on the edge of his bed, the weight of the day pressing down on him. The moonlight spilled through the tall windows, pale and cold.
He opened the drawer beside him and pulled out Gabriel's letter. The paper felt oddly heavy in his hands.
Unfolding it carefully, he read the neat, flowing script:
"I hope you'll be there for my speech on Sunday morning at 10. I wanted to speak to you about certain things afterwards." — Gabriel
Sosuke leaned back, eyes tracing the ceiling in the half-darkness.
"Tomorrow, huh," he muttered.
He tossed the letter onto the nightstand, pulled the covers over himself, and sank into the mattress with a long breath.
Maybe he would go.