Inside Draven's chambers, soft lantern light bathed the large bed at the center of the room in a warm glow.
Upon it rested two very small figures.
Lucifer and Elenya.
Freshly cleaned.
Wrapped in soft cloth garments after the mess from earlier had finally been dealt with.
Near the edge of the bed, the black cat rubbed itself aggressively against the blankets, clearly trying to dry the last remnants of water from its fur while acting as though the entire ordeal had personally offended it.
Vaelith sat quietly beside the bed, Lucifer resting carefully in her arms as she dried the child's snow-white hair with slow, gentle movements.
Across from her, Draven held Elenya with the same calm silence he carried through everything.
Careful.
Precise.
Neither child cried.
Neither struggled.
The room remained peaceful except for the soft rustle of fabric and the occasional irritated sound from the cat.
After some time, both children were fully dressed.
Vaelith stood first.
She moved toward a nearby table before returning with two small cups filled with faintly glowing liquid.
Draven reached out silently, taking one from her.
Then, together, they carefully began feeding the children.
Slowly.
Patiently.
Vaelith watched Lucifer drink for a moment before speaking quietly.
"After this…"
Her crimson eyes lowered toward the remaining contents of the cup.
"There will only be enough left for two more feedings."
Draven remained silent briefly.
Then he answered calmly,
"As I said earlier…"
His gaze rested on Elenya.
"Once it is finished, do not attempt to solve the problem yourself. Inform me immediately."
Vaelith lowered her head slightly.
"Yes, my lord."
The black cat finally finished drying itself enough to regain some measure of dignity and curled into a tight ball near the children, wearing an exhausted expression that somehow still looked judgmental.
Silence settled peacefully over the room once more.
Far from the control deck.
Far from the core.
Far from the growing instability spreading throughout the ship.
And elsewhere—
inside another quiet room—
a young half-demon girl slowly opened her eyes.
Pink hair spilled messily across her shoulders as she lay still for several long seconds, staring upward in confusion.
The room around her was unfamiliar.
Dimly lit.
Silent.
Slowly, she pushed herself upright.
Her body still felt heavy.
Weak.
Her gaze lowered briefly toward herself before shifting back to the unfamiliar surroundings.
No immediate danger.
No restraints.
No voices.
Only silence.
Carefully, she pushed herself off the bed.
Bare feet touched the cold floor.
Then slowly—
step by cautious step—
she moved toward the door.
Her hand hesitantly rested against it.
The door slid open, revealing the corridor beyond.
A long hallway stretched in both directions.
Dim mana lights glowed softly along the walls.
Empty.
The girl slowly leaned her head farther out, glancing left.
Then right.
No one.
After another second of hesitation, she stepped fully into the corridor. Behind her, the door quietly slid shut.
She stood there silently.
Looking lost.
Somewhere in the distance—
far deeper within the ship—
something pulsed.
A slow vibration traveled faintly through the floor beneath her feet.
The corridor remained still.
Too still.
The soft hum of the ship's mana currents pulsed faintly through the walls and floor like the heartbeat of some slumbering beast hidden within metal and stone.
She hesitated.
Her fingers curled slightly at her sides.
Then her head turned.
Slowly at first—almost as though she wasn't fully aware she was doing it.
But the moment her gaze locked onto a distant point down the corridor…
Something clicked.
Her expression changed.
Not fear.
Not confusion.
Something quieter.
Like recognition without memory.
She took a step.
Then another.
And without hesitation, she began walking.
Faster this time.
Her bare feet moved silently across the illuminated floor while the mana lights above flickered faintly in response to her presence, as though the ship itself had noticed her.
The deeper she went, the stronger the pull became.
Like an invisible thread tightening around her chest.
Ahead—somewhere far beyond the endless corridors and sealed bulkheads—
something was waiting.
---
At the same time, near Draven's chambers—
the door remained still for a brief moment before a soft knock echoed through the room.
Knock.
Knock.
Lyriana's voice followed immediately after.
"Your Highness."
Inside, silence lingered for a second.
Then Draven's calm voice answered without hesitation.
"Come in."
The door slid open.
Lyriana stepped inside with her usual composed efficiency, her sharp eyes already focused, already calculating.
Draven stood near the bed where Lucifer and Elenya rested peacefully, while Vaelith remained nearby in quiet support.
The atmosphere inside the room felt calm—almost unnaturally so compared to the tension spreading through the rest of the ship.
Lyriana wasted no time.
"The pilot's condition is becoming critical," she said flatly. "If we continue at this rate, he will not survive long enough to reach a refueling point."
A brief pause followed.
"There is a proposed solution involving conversion. Turning him into a vampire would stabilize his output and eliminate the need for sleep."
She watched Draven carefully.
"But I came to ask for your thoughts before proceeding."
Draven did not answer immediately.
He adjusted Elenya slightly in his arms with quiet precision before finally speaking.
"Don't."
One word.
Certain.
"Not the pilot. Not anyone else. I need them to remain human so they can continue providing the blood necessary to feed the children."
Lyriana blinked once.
"Understood. Then we will require another solution."
Draven's gaze shifted briefly toward the distant wall, as though his thoughts extended far beyond it.
"I will handle the piloting."
Silence followed.
Even Vaelith looked up slightly at that.
Lyriana's expression remained composed, though something in her eyes sharpened.
"…Your Highness," she said carefully, "do you know how to pilot an airship?"
Draven blinked once.
"Yeah."
A pause.
Then he added, as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world:
"I learned recently."
Lyriana stared at him.
"…Recently."
Another long beat of silence passed.
Her voice lowered slightly.
"If you only learned recently, then that means you have never actually flown one before."
Draven turned his attention back to her.
"Then I will learn properly while doing it."
Silence settled heavily across the room.
Vaelith quietly chose not to comment.
Lyriana's eyes narrowed just slightly.
"That is not reassuring."