Fujimoto in Mimeria.

Everyone had returned to base, except for me, Fujimoto , who remained missing.

The atmosphere was stifling.

Nobody said a single word.

The silence was heavy, the kind that comes after a loss... or a defeat.

Yuuki walked ahead, her gaze vacant.

Right behind them, Aioze came with a cold expression, his hands clenched into fists.

Filna walked with her head down, each step slower than the last, as if she carried the weight of all sins on her shoulders.

"Mr. Aioze , breakfast is ready." Sakori noticed the somber atmosphere and tried to break the silence.

"Thank you, Sakori . But before that... we'll have a meeting," Aioze replied in a cold voice.

All the base members who were nearby felt the chill in the air.

They understood, something was terribly wrong.

Aioze and the group entered the meeting room.

The chairs creaked in the silence as everyone took their seats.

Suddenly, Aioze slammed his fist on the table, the sound echoing like thunder.

"Do you have any idea what you've done, Filna ?!" she shouted , her anger barely contained.

The air seemed to disappear from the room.

Filna kept her gaze steady, despite the tears in her eyes.

"I did what I thought was right," he replied .

Yumi , her sister, jumped up.

Alisiya 's mother destroyed our father! She played with our mother's body! And Alisiya herself turned us into puppets with that cursed seal, forcing us to kill innocent people!" she screamed , trembling with hatred.

"To liberate is not the same as to forgive!" Filna retorted, her voice trembling but firm.

She turned her face toward Hiroshi and looked at him with pure contempt.

"I just couldn't let you put her back next to a man who violated her body, just because he promised to 'guarantee victory' for you," he said . Filna spoke with a firm voice.

"Now that this disgusting guy has managed to take Alisiya out of the picture for a while... what do you plan to do with him?" she asked , staring at Aioze .

The silence that followed was unbearable.

No one could even breathe properly.

Filna 's eyes burned with indignation, Yumi 's with fury.

Lysandra crossed her arms, staring at Aioze .

"She has a point... even if the method was wrong," he murmured .

Yuuki turned around abruptly.

"So you're going to defend her too, Lysandra ?" Yuuki asked.

"I only said that she didn't lie," he replied coldly.

Aioze took a deep breath, trying to contain his anger.

"Hiroshi is a necessary evil. He gave us the chance to capture Alisiya , and you destroyed that, Filna ," she said . Aioze .

Filna slammed her palm on the table.

"What did I destroy?! Your honor? Or the illusion that this war can be won by monsters fighting monsters?!" he shouted . Filna .

For a moment, no one answered.

The distant sound of the desert wind seemed to be the only thing filling the air.

"You've always been naive, Filna . The real world doesn't have room for fair justice," Yumi whispered, her eyes welling with tears.

Filna looked away, taking a deep breath.

"Then maybe the world needs to change," he retorted . FILNA .

Aioze stood up and walked to the window of the meeting room.

"For now... Fujimoto remains missing. And Alisiya is free somewhere. The chaos is only beginning," he said . Aioze .

The group remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts, guilt, fear, anger.

And outside, the morning wind cut through the air of the Mercenaries of Good's base, as if the whole world were holding its breath before the next storm.

Aioze then looked at Hiroshi, then turned his gaze back to Lysandra .

His tone of voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt.

"Commander Lysandra , can you guarantee that your boyfriend won't do anything wrong?" Aioze asked.

Lysandra maintained a serious expression.

"Leader Aioze , I guarantee my boyfriend won't cause any trouble," Lysandra replied.

Aioze remained silent for a few seconds.

"I'll take your word for it. But even so, Hiroshi will be closely watched, by you and Gerald," he ordered . Aioze .

Gerald crossed his arms.

"You can leave it to me, sir. I will carry out your order," said Gerald.

Aioze nodded.

"Furthermore, I will form five pairs to search for clues about Fujimoto in the Dicarik forest ," he said . Aioze .

Everyone agreed.

The leader then began to list the pairs.

"The pairings will be: Yuuki and Filna , Lysandra and Yumi , Gerald and Shouta , Himeno and Koharu , Max and Hiroshi," he announced . Aioze .

There was a brief silence.

— (Damn it… of all people, I have to end up with Max. I wanted at least a hot girl to relieve the boredom.) — Hiroshi sighed, annoyed, and thought to himself.

Aioze then ended the meeting with a firm gesture.

"Meeting adjourned," he announced . Aioze .

The commanders stood up and headed for the mess hall. The smell of coffee and warm bread filled the air, but the atmosphere was still heavy; no one had forgotten that Fujimoto was still missing.

Meanwhile, in the city of Mimeria ...

I watched the small, simple room where I was staying. Serika 's daughters were playing, sitting on the floor, laughing with dolls made of fabric.

The woman was standing in the doorway, looking pensive, as if something was troubling her.

" Serika , what time do you think is best for me to escape from here without being seen?" I called .

"At night. The streets are almost deserted and security is weaker." She looked at me, surprised, and answered in a low voice.

I agreed.

— I understand. Then it's best to wait until then. — I said.

Serika observed me for a moment, with a look that was a mixture of curiosity and concern.

" Fujinomiya , can I ask you a favor?" he asked . Serika .

"Sure, go ahead," I replied.

She moved a little closer.

"I usually pay a neighbor to watch my daughters when I go to work. Today... could you watch them for me?" Serika said.

She smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of them," I said.

Serika seemed relieved. But before leaving, she leaned close to me.

"I work nights... as a prostitute. But please, don't tell the girls. They're too young to understand. And they don't know that their father and I are divorced," Serika whispered close to my ear.

I remained silent for a few seconds, surprised.

"You can trust me, I won't tell anyone ," I said seriously.

She smiled, a sad smile.

— Thank you, really. — Serika said gratefully.

I watched as she walked away, adjusting her scarf in her hair and picking up a worn coat from the chair. Her daughters, distracted, didn't even notice her leaving.

"Now it's my turn to protect someone... no matter how simple it may be. I can't make the same mistakes as before."

When the door closed, I sat down near the children. They were laughing and playing with a skinny cat that had come in through the window.

For a moment, everything seemed calm, as if the world outside, with its wars and monsters, didn't exist.

But the thought that I would have to flee that very night weighed on me like a cruel reminder.

"I need to get out of here before the Blue Dragons find out who I am."

I looked out the window. The city seemed peaceful, but something told me that this calm wouldn't last.

The day went by quickly.

Serika 's daughters — two energetic girls who seemed oblivious to the weight of the world outside.

We played a guessing game with pebbles, and for a few moments, I forgot everything: Hiroshi, the desert, the pain.

But the peace did not last long.

A violent crash echoed through the house. The doors shook.

The girls looked at each other, terrified.

— (That noise...) — I thought, my heart racing.

A gruff voice came from outside:

— Open up! This is the Blue Dragons patrol!

My blood ran cold.

The older girl ran up to me, her voice trembling.

— Girl, hide! Quick!

— What...? — I wondered.

She pointed to a large chest in the corner of the room.

— Inside! Hurry up!

Without hesitation, I climbed into the trunk and carefully closed the lid, trying not to make any noise.

Inside, the air was stuffy and dusty.

My heart was beating so fast I was afraid I'd be heard outside.

I heard the front door being opened.

"Where is Serika ?" asked one of the men, his voice gruff.

The girl replied, trying to sound natural:

My mother left for work, sir.

"And what about the woman she rescued yesterday?" His tone grew even harsher.

"She... she ran away," the girl replied .

My whole body trembled.

Suddenly, a piercing pain shot through my chest.

"Damn... my Hidden Observatory ability... it detects lies — and punishes me for it..."

The pain burned as if something was piercing my body from the inside. I bit my fist to keep from screaming.

" I need to endure... if I make any sound, they will die because of me..."

The men's footsteps echoed through the house.

"Are you sure about this?" asked the soldier from the Blue Dragons, approaching the girls.

" Y- yes, sir..." the younger one replied, stammering.

The man was silent for a moment. The sound of the metal of his armor scraping against the floor.

My body trembled inside the trunk, and I was sweating profusely.

Finally, the man sighed.

If you know anything, let us know. We're looking for this woman. We need to interrogate her.

The sound of the boots walking away made me breathe for the first time in minutes.

The door closed. Silence returned.

I heard the older girl's soft voice:

— You can leave, young lady. They've gone.

The trunk lid opened. The afternoon light flooded my eyes.

I left there breathless, covered in sweat and dust.

"Thank you ... I thought they were going to find out everything," she said , her voice still trembling.

The girl smiled, despite the fear still on her face.

Mom always helps those in need... so we help too.

I felt a lump in my throat.

"How can two children be so pure in such a cruel world?"

— (I'm going to get you and your mother out of this hell, no matter what it costs.) — I looked at them and swore silently.

Meanwhile, at the base of the Mercenaries of Good...

Yuuki stood up from his chair and saluted Aioze .

"Mr. Aioze , the teams are ready. Let's go out now to look for Fujimoto ," he said . Yuuki .

Aioze nodded firmly.

"Alright. Go in pairs, as planned. If you find any trace, report it immediately," he ordered . Aioze .

The pairs left the base one by one, walking towards Dicarik 's forest .

The morning wind blew strongly, lifting dry leaves and dust, as if even nature felt the weight of that quest.

Lysandra adjusted her hair before leaving, glancing at Hiroshi.

"Don't do anything stupid while we're apart, okay?" he said . Lysandra .

Hiroshi gave a crooked smile.

"Don't worry... I know how to behave," Hiroshi replied .

"That's precisely what worries me," Gerald muttered under his breath.

The groups dispersed among the trees, and the base grew silent.

The sound of footsteps faded into the distance, leaving only the wind and uncertainty in the air.