Confission

Soon after leaving the clearing, we followed an ancient, broken stone road, nearly swallowed by vegetation. The silence was suffocating, broken only by the sound of our footsteps and the rustling of the wind. Clementine led the way, but even she looked uncomfortable.

"Make no mistake, this road was once used by merchants and explorers. Today… only fools or the damned pass this way," Clementine said .

Halfway there, a thick fog formed around them. Out of nowhere, figures appeared, running through the trees. They were mist beasts, feline creatures with white eyes and poisoned claws.

Windy erected stone walls to block the onslaught.

Ryn transformed into a beast with sharp fangs and attacked from the flank.

I ( Araya ) used Poison Slime to slow down the creatures' movements.

Yukiko reluctantly cast small beams of light to disperse the mist, revealing the number of enemies.

Margarida  controlled her breathing, holding a short sword to defend Windy .

In the end, we defeated the beasts, but Clementine warned:

"They don't usually hunt this close to the road. Something in the demon territory is disturbing them," Clementine said .

Further on, we found a stream that ran across the path. The water looked clear, but Frederica , using her Total Rating, shouted:

"Don't touch that! It's poison!" Frederica shouted .

We discovered nearby animal corpses, all blackened. We had to improvise: Ryn used Transform to transform into a robust beast and carry each one to the other bank, while I created a barrier of hardened slime to prevent splashes.

As night approached, we heard human voices. Argarill soldiers were there, apparently on patrol. They seemed suspicious of our presence.

Kalea activated her stealth to go unnoticed and lead us down a side path.

Ayano kept her hand on her bow, ready to fire if we were discovered.

Frederica almost gave everything away when she tripped, but Margarida caught her.

We managed to pass without a fight, but it was clear that the human kingdoms did not intend to allow us entry into demonic territory.

Exhausted, as night fell, we saw the end of the road: broken columns, toppled demonic statues, and a black stone arch marking the edge of demonic territory. The wind there smelled of sulfur and blood, and even Clementine fell silent, simply pointing:

“Beyond this arch… there is no turning back,” Clementine said .

The group set up a simple camp, with a meager fire, little food, and rarely meeting eyes. The black arch of demonic territory loomed just a few feet away, like a menacing shadow watching every breath.

No one said it out loud, but everyone knew: once that limit was crossed, there would be no going back.

Margarida stared into the fire, but her body trembled slightly.

Frederica bit her lips, trying to maintain a mask of coldness, but her lost gaze betrayed anxiety.

Windy forced a smile, feigning confidence, but her leg wouldn't stop bouncing.

Ayano sharpened her arrows in silence, her eyes alert, as if expecting enemies to appear at any moment.

Clementine , the only one relatively calm, remained vigilant, as if carrying a burden only she understood.

I, Araya , pretended to sleep, but my heart was beating too fast for that. The fire crackled, and each crack sounded like a sentence.

For the second time that night, I felt someone watching me. When I opened my eyes, I noticed Yukiko sitting not far away, her eyes reflecting the flames of the fire. She looked tired, but there was an insistent glow in them.

"You can't sleep either, can you, Araya ?" Yukiko whispered , not looking directly at me.

I nodded, rising slowly so as not to wake the others. Yukiko made a discreet gesture, beckoning me over. We walked beyond the camp's rocks, where the sound of the wind would drown out any words.

The moon illuminated the black arch, and our silhouettes were projected onto the dry ground. Yukiko stopped, crossed her arms, and took a deep breath. I stood a few steps behind, trying to guess what she meant.

— Araya … I needed to talk to you, just the two of us. Before we cross that border. — Yukiko said .

Her voice sounded firm, but also heavy, as if something was about to collapse.

The cold border wind blew against my face as I looked at Yukiko , who remained silent with teary eyes. I broke the silence:

— What do you want from me, Yukiko ? — I asked

She took a deep breath and her voice was shaky:

— I want to apologize, Araya . — she said

By reflex, my mouth responded before I even thought:

— Apologies? I owe you mine too... — I said.

It was then that her tears flowed. Yukiko sobbed, trying to speak between pauses.

— I thought that in this world I could be a better person... but I carried the same cowardice with me. — said Yukiko .

I looked up in surprise. She lifted her head and blurted out the truth she had never told:

"I lied about my death... I said I tripped on the stairs looking for a dress to go to a party. The truth is, I got a call from my father saying my grandmother had died. I ran out, desperate to get to the hospital. I tripped, fell... and died. When I woke up, I was already here. I quickly realized what had happened," Yukiko said, crying.

My chest tightened. Her sadness seemed to pierce my very skin.

Yukiko wiped her eyes, trying to regain her composure.

"My teacher taught me so many lessons, so many skills... and I haven't put any of them into practice yet. But now I want... I want to do something different," Yukiko said.

She came closer, her face still wet with tears, and said with a sincerity that left me speechless:

— I want to give my body to you, Araya . — Yukiko said.

My heart raced. I was speechless for a few seconds.

“Are you sure about what you’re saying?” I asked, unable to hide my astonishment.

She nodded, her gaze resolute yet soft.

— Yes. It's my choice. — Yukiko replied.

The moon was witness as our lips met. There was no rush, just the need to seal that confession with something beyond words.

 

That night, between the cold of the border and the warmth of our bodies, we were neither heroes nor fugitives, just two people trying to heal from our own scars.

The sky was beginning to lighten, tinting the trees with orange hues. The campfire had already died down, leaving only embers. The exhausted group gathered around, slowly waking. The silence was still heavy, but now it was a silence of expectation; everyone knew that, upon crossing this border, their lives would change forever.

Araya stood up, took a deep breath, and looked at each of them. His expression was firm, but there was also nervousness in his eyes.

— I have an important announcement to make, — I said.

Everyone stared at him intently. Margarida  arched an eyebrow, Ayano crossed her arms in mock disdain, and Yukiko flinched slightly, surprised by his serious tone.

Araya let out a small smile, but kept his tone direct:

— Margarida … Ayano … Yukiko … I want to ask you three out. — I said.

Margarida's eyes widened, her mouth falling open in a mixture of shock and indignation.

Ayano laughed, but it was nervous, trying to hide the blush on her face.

Yukiko , in turn, put her hands to her mouth, not believing what she had just heard.

The silence that followed was deafening, and the tension seemed to have grown even greater than before they had faced demonic territory.

Margarida was the first to react. Her eyes flashed with fury and embarrassment.

"Are you crazy, Araya ? Asking me out, in front of everyone, on top of that?" said Margarida.

Inside, however, she felt something different. Margarida carried the weight of her father's rejection and the recent public humiliation. Part of her longed for someone who would truly accept her—and Araya , despite their mutual betrayals, always stood up to her as an equal. This elicited an involuntary respect.

After a few seconds of silence, the former princess sighed and turned her face away, blushing:

— I should hate you… but I accept. Just don't think you'll dominate me so easily. — Margarida accepted.

Ayano burst out laughing.

— You 've got to be kidding me, Araya . Asking me out with those two? — Ayano

But when the laughter died down, her eyes betrayed insecurity . She had always used her body and irony as weapons, but deep down she feared she would never be truly valued as a person. Araya 's request sounded genuine , piercing through her masks .

Ayano looked away, biting her lower lip.

- You He's an idiot ... but a brave one. Okay , I accept. But if you cheat on me, I'll cut your throat myself. — Ayano accepted.

Yukiko remained silent for a moment longer. Her heart pounded, remembering the night before and the tears she'd shed before him. Araya 's request gave her hope, as if she'd finally found a place to belong.

She pressed her hands against her chest, took a deep breath, and said in a trembling voice:

— I… I accept too. But know, Araya , that for me this is not a game. I want to believe that you are serious.

The three women, each with their own ghosts and conflicting feelings, ended up accepting.

Araya looked at them with a confident smile, but inside he knew: having three hearts connected to him was both a strength and a burden.

The sun finally rose, and with it the weight of a new promise hung over the group.

Ryn's eyes widened and she scratched the back of her neck, trying to hide her shock.

“You really don’t waste time, Araya …” he said with a half smile, but there was a hint of concern.

Deep down, Ryn wondered how much this could generate internal conflict during the journey. But he also knew Araya was firm when it came to making decisions.

Kalea put her hand to her mouth in surprise. Her eyes flickered between Margarida , Ayano , and Yukiko .

"This is crazy... but if they all accepted it, who am I to question it?" he muttered.

She, however, was anxious about the future. A multiple relationship within the group could either lead to unity or disaster.

Frederica clenched her fists and bit her lower lip, unable to hide her jealousy.

—You really love humiliating me, don't you, Araya …? — he said coldly.

Her gaze, however, betrayed envy, especially when her eyes fell on Margarida.

Windy burst out laughing, breaking the tension.

"So that's it? Our 'leader' has become a heartthrob?" he said jokingly.

Inside, however, the 12-year-old girl was already calculating how this new bond could influence the group's dynamics — and especially that of Margarida, her friend.

Clementine crossed her arms, watching silently. After a few seconds, she spoke calmly:

"It can strengthen bonds... or destroy them. But if you've chosen this path, you'd better be prepared to deal with all the consequences," Clementine said .

His words hung like a warning.

The camp, once tense because of the demonic territory ahead, now seethed with far more complex human emotions: love, jealousy, hope, and fear.

Araya took a deep breath, aware that he not only carried the weight of the war against kings and demons, but now also the fate of three women who had trusted him in an unexpected way.

The sun rose slowly, dyeing the sky gold and crimson. The trees along the border cast long shadows, and the air carried a biting chill mixed with the scent of damp earth. The group awoke in silence, still processing both the previous night's revelation and Araya 's bold confession .

Margarida  fixed her hair impatiently, Yukiko kept her eyes lowered, and Ayano feigned indifference, but her persistent blush betrayed that she hadn't forgotten. Frederica watched Margarida 's every move, as if seeking solace in her presence. Windy yawned loudly, trying to release the tension, while Ryn and Kalea checked the equipment. Clementine , meanwhile, stared intently at the black arch of the demonic realm, as if she could sense every pulse of energy emanating from it.

“The time has come,” Clementine said , breaking the silence.

"Once you cross that line, there's no turning back. Get ready," Clementine continued .

Ryn checked her weapons, Kalea adjusted her hood, and Windy clenched her fists, trying to contain her anxiety. Yukiko , still reeling from the previous night's confession, held her staff tightly, as if it were her courage. Margarida  glanced at Araya , irritated but also visibly uneasy.

Araya , in the center of the group, looked up. His expression was firm, despite everything he carried on his shoulders.

"From here on, we are no longer just survivors or fugitives. We are a group with a clear destiny: to break the seal and face the truth that awaits us," I said.

There was absolute silence for a few seconds, until Clementine gave the command:

— Let's go.

One by one, everyone stepped forward. Their boots landed on the dark earth of demonic territory, and the sensation was immediate; the air seemed heavier, charged with energy, and a shiver ran down each of their spines.

The group had left behind not only the human border, but also the last guarantees of safety. Now, all that remained was the fragile trust between them… and Araya 's determination .