Chapter 17: The Confession No One Saw Coming

Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The Confession No One Saw Coming The morning after Hana’s arrival was like a wound no one wanted to look at. No new threats. No attacks. No bloodshed. Just silence. And suspicion. Kai hadn’t spoken since she left. The others tried to pretend they weren’t shaken. But every word was shorter. Every glance lasted too long. And when they packed up camp to move again, no one walked beside him. [System Update: Party Trust Sync – Compromised] Active Affection: 3 Passive Distrust: 2 Hidden: 1 Someone received a message last night. It wasn’t you. Kai paused mid-step, blinking at the notification. He turned slowly, scanning the others. But the system didn’t say who. And that made it worse. That Night – Campfire Again The group sat around a low-burning flame in an abandoned mountain shrine. No one made food. No one laughed. Even Virela wasn’t smiling. Kai couldn’t stand it anymore. "I know one of you got a message from Hana," he said, voice flat. The others stiffened. Yulia looked surprised. Elira narrowed her eyes. Virela tilted her head. Lira... said nothing. But her hand dropped subtly to the pouch on her belt. "I’m not accusing anyone," Kai continued. "But if she’s reaching out, I need to know what she’s saying. What she knows." "She’s a manipulator," Elira said quickly. "She’s trying to control the board." "And maybe someone here is helping her," Kai replied. Silence. Then— "I got the message," Yulia said suddenly. All eyes turned to her. Kai blinked. "You?" She nodded, slowly pulling a small crystal from her pocket. "It came encoded in a divine sequence, hidden in the mana field she left behind. I... broke it." [System Alert: Truth Confirmed – Yulia Astrem Received Contact from Hana Kuriyama] Status: Message Archived Emotional Motive: Honest Disclosure Relationship Status: Trust +5 "I was going to tell you," Yulia said quietly. "I just didn’t know how." Kai swallowed. "What did she say?" Yulia hesitated. Then activated the crystal. A voice echoed softly through the shrine — Hana’s voice, but subdued, tired. "Yulia Astrem. You don’t know me, but I know you." "I’ve seen your reports. Your patterns. Your simulations." "And I know what you’re afraid to say: Kai Veyron will lose control." "When that time comes... you will have to choose. Logic, or love." "If you choose logic—come find me. I will not lie to you." The message ended. No one spoke. Elira broke the silence. "Are we just going to pretend that wasn’t a blatant recruitment pitch?" Kai looked at Yulia. "Is she right?" Yulia didn’t answer right away. Then— "I don’t know," she said. "But I do know I won’t abandon you without proof." That was as close to a vow as she would give. Kai nodded, but inside... He felt the ground cracking beneath his feet. That night, while the others slept, he walked to the cliffside beyond the shrine. Staring at the stars. Wondering how many pieces of himself were still left. "Thought I’d find you here," a voice said behind him. It was Lira. She stepped beside him, arms crossed, gaze calm but unreadable. "For the record," she said, "it wasn’t me." "I know," Kai replied. "Do you?" He turned. "Lira—" She cut him off. "I need to say this before things get worse." He blinked. "What?" She didn’t look at him. Didn’t even blink. "I’ve thought about killing you." Kai tensed. "But I’ve thought about saving you more." That stunned him into silence. Lira’s voice was quieter now. "I’ve watched every move you made. Every stupid stumble. Every lucky dodge. Every impossible win. And I keep trying to understand how someone like you keeps surviving." He laughed once, bitterly. "Bad writing?" She shook her head. "It’s because you make people want to protect you. Even when they know they shouldn’t." Kai stared at her. Then she turned to face him, fully — and took a step closer. "And I hate that." He opened his mouth. But she leaned in. Close. Closer. Whispered: "But I want you to know... I won’t let you break alone." Then she kissed him. [System Alert: Lira Relationship Updated] Affection: Exposed Loyalty: In Conflict Instinct: Protect New Status: The Knife at Your Back... and Your Side When she pulled away, she didn’t wait for his answer. Just said: "Don’t trust me, Kai. Not completely. Not yet." And vanished into the trees. Back at camp, someone else was already awake. Virela sat cross-legged, hands glowing over a scrying bowl. Inside, a reflection shimmered — and Hana’s face appeared. "She confessed," Virela whispered. Hana smiled faintly. "Good. Now we can begin."