The room remained silent.
Moonlight poured through the open balcony, painting silver patterns across the floor.
The mysterious girl sat casually on the railing, her long blonde hair dancing in the night wind. The pale moonlight illuminated her face, making her blue eyes glow like gemstones.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then the girl smiled.
She jumped down from the railing and landed inside the room as lightly as a feather.
Eyrx's eyes widened.
"You!"
He immediately pointed at her.
"Nick! She's the girl who stole my pendant!"
Nick's gaze sharpened.
"So you're the gown girl."
The girl calmly reached into her bag and pulled out the pendant.
"Here."
She tossed it toward Eyrx.
Eyrx caught it instantly.
"My pendant!"
Relief flooded his face.
The girl crossed her arms.
"I didn't steal it."
Eyrx stared at her.
"You had it."
"It accidentally mixed with my things."
"That's not stealing."
Eyrx opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
A few seconds later he muttered,
"Still suspicious."
The girl rolled her eyes.
"My name is Vaeryn."
Eyrx blinked.
"What?"
"Vaeryn."
"Vaerchin?"
The girl frowned.
"No."
"Vaeryn."
"Vaeryik?"
"No!"
Eyrx scratched his head.
"Whatever."
Nick sighed.
The conversation was already giving him a headache.
He looked at the pendant.
"It's precious to us."
Vaeryn nodded.
"I know."
"It allows you to travel between realms."
The atmosphere changed immediately.
Nick's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
Vaeryn's smile faded.
For the first time, she seemed hesitant.
"I..."
She looked toward the moon outside.
"I'm from the Second Realm."
Both Eyrx and Nick froze.
"The Second Realm?" Nick repeated.
Vaeryn nodded.
"I came to this dimension searching for peace."
A bitter smile appeared on her face.
"But peace doesn't seem interested in meeting me."
Nick remained silent for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"Most people don't return valuable items after finding them."
Vaeryn dragged a chair closer and sat down.
"That's because most people aren't me."
She leaned back.
"I returned it for two reasons."
Eyrx immediately hugged the pendant against his chest.
His expression looked like someone who had just reunited with a long-lost treasure.
Vaeryn pointed at him.
"First, he helped me."
Eyrx looked up.
"Huh?"
"You stepped in when those idiots were causing trouble."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"I don't forget people who help me."
Eyrx looked at the pendant again.
"Thank God you came back."
"I've had this since I was five."
Vaeryn watched him for a few seconds.
Then she stood up.
"Anyway."
"It's late."
"Good night."
She headed toward the balcony.
Nick suddenly frowned.
"Wait."
"You said there were two reasons."
Vaeryn paused.
A mysterious smile appeared on her lips.
"I did."
"But the second reason is a secret."
Before either of them could ask another question, she stepped onto the railing.
Then jumped.
Nick rushed to the balcony immediately.
"Hey!"
He looked down.
Nothing.
No body.
No footprints.
No sign of anyone.
The area below was completely empty.
Nick stared into the darkness.
Then slowly returned to the room.
"She's strange."
Eyrx barely heard him.
He was still staring at the pendant.
His precious pendant.
His beloved pendant.
His irreplaceable pendant.
Nick watched him for several seconds.
Then—
THUMP!
His fist landed directly on Eyrx's head.
"Ouch!"
Eyrx grabbed his head.
"What was that for?!"
Nick ignored him.
Then, unexpectedly, he placed a hand on Eyrx's head and ruffled his hair.
Eyrx stared at him in disbelief.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm not a pet."
Nick immediately removed his hand.
"Unfortunately."
"You're not mature enough to be one."
Eyrx grabbed a pillow and threw it.
Nick dodged without even looking.
Eventually the room grew quiet.
Darven remained asleep.
Eyrx finally lay down and drifted into sleep.
Only Nick remained awake.
The moon continued shining through the window.
Minutes passed.
Then hours.
Nick sat on the edge of his bed, lost in thought.
Suddenly his eyes widened.
"Wait."
He remembered their conversation.
His gaze moved toward the balcony.
"'I'm from the Second Realm.'"
The words echoed in his mind.
Nick slowly stood.
A serious expression appeared on his face.
"She's not from this world."
A long silence followed.
Then he rubbed his forehead in frustration.
"We let someone from another realm walk away..."
Outside, the night remained calm.
But for some reason, Nick felt that Vaeryn's appearance would change far more than just one night.
Morning sunlight streamed through the castle windows.
Eyrx slowly opened his eyes.
For the first time in days, his body felt lighter.
Across the room, Nick was already awake.
Darven sat on the edge of his bed.
"You two wait here," Darven said. "I'll make breakfast."
Nick immediately frowned.
"You need rest."
Darven waved his hand.
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not," Eyrx said while standing. "You look like you'll collapse if the wind blows too hard."
Darven rolled his eyes.
"Thanks."
"Me and Nick can make breakfast."
Nick turned toward him.
"We absolutely cannot."
Eyrx thought for a moment.
"That's true."
Darven laughed quietly.
Before anyone could continue—
The door suddenly opened.
Everyone turned.
A familiar blonde-haired girl stood there.
Eyrx blinked.
"You."
Vaeryn raised a hand.
"Good morning."
"Didn't you leave?" Eyrx asked.
"I did."
"And now I'm back."
Nick narrowed his eyes.
"Why?"
Vaeryn smiled.
For now, I live here."
Silence.
Eyrx pointed at himself.
"With us?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I'll explain later."
She turned around.
"Now come eat breakfast before it gets cold."
Nick stepped forward.
"Who decided you're the senior here?"
Vaeryn looked at him.
"I did."
Nick stared.
Vaeryn stared back.
Neither moved.
Eyrx quietly stepped away.
"Let's go before they start fighting."
The group headed downstairs.
Darven walked beside Nick.
For a brief moment, his eyes drifted toward a corner of the hallway.
A dark shadow stood there.
Watching.
Darven's breathing became heavier.
Nick immediately noticed.
He gently tapped Darven's shoulder.
"Focus."
Darven blinked.
The shadow disappeared.
Nick quickly changed the subject.
"Did you know this girl stole Eyrx's pendant and returned it herself?"
Vaeryn stopped walking.
"I did not steal it."
Darven looked at her curiously.
"Who is she?"
"See?" Vaeryn pointed at Nick. "The old guy keeps spreading lies."
Eyrx sighed.
"He isn't old."
Nick looked offended.
"Thank you."
"You're just grumpy."
Nick looked even more offended.
Vaeryn laughed.
"Now that sounds accurate."
They eventually reached the dining room.
The table was filled with food.
Fresh bread.
Eggs.
Fruit.
Hot tea.
Everyone sat down.
Nick and Darven immediately started eating.
Eyrx picked up a piece of bread.
Then sniffed it.
Vaeryn stared at him.
"What are you doing?"
Eyrx continued inspecting it.
"Checking for poison."
Vaeryn's eye twitched.
"If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't use poison."
"I'd do it myself."
Eyrx slowly put the bread down.
"That's not comforting."
Nick put down his cup.
"Enough."
"You said you were staying."
"Now explain."
Vaeryn leaned back in her chair.
"For someone who looks half asleep, you're very suspicious."
"Answer the question."
For the first time, her playful smile faded.
She looked toward the window.
"I'm from the Second Realm."
"You already told us that."
"This time, listen until the end."
The room became quiet.
Vaeryn folded her hands together.
"I belong to a trader group."
Eyrx looked up.
"Trader group?"
Vaeryn nodded.
"We travel between realms and dimensions."
"We collect rare items, information, books, artifacts, and sell them through auctions."
Nick's expression changed slightly.
He knew such organizations existed.
They were rare.
And powerful.
"There were twenty-seven of us," Vaeryn continued.
"My younger brother traveled with me too."
"For two weeks we stayed on Earth gathering items."
Her smile disappeared.
"Then one day they left."
Eyrx frowned.
"They abandoned you?"
"I was reading in a library."
"When I came back..."
"They were gone."
A brief silence filled the room.
"I waited."
"A day."
"A week."
"Then another."
"Five weeks passed."
"No one returned."
Darven finally spoke.
"So you're stranded here."
Vaeryn nodded.
"Exactly."
"My group has the realm keys."
"I don't."
"So right now..."
She pointed toward Eyrx's pendant.
"You three are my only way home."
Nick stared at her for a moment.
Trying to determine whether she was lying.
He couldn't find anything suspicious.
Finally he spoke.
"So your plan is to wait until we travel?"
"Yes."
"We'll leave in two years," Nick said.
Vaeryn's face froze.
"Two years?"
"Yes."
"That's ridiculous."
"Take your complaint to fate.
Nick remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"You can stay here."
Vaeryn's expression relaxed slightly.
"But..."
Nick's voice turned cold.
"If you try to fool us, spy on us, or bring trouble to this castle..."
"Don't expect mercy."
The room became quiet.
Vaeryn met his gaze without backing down.
"Fair enough."
Eyrx crossed his arms.
"You are pretty bold, lady."
Vaeryn raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"If you betray us, we won't take you to the Second Realm."
Nick nodded.
"Agreed."
Darven nodded as well.
"Agreed."
Vaeryn stared at all three of them.
Then sighed.
"Why do I feel like I'm the only normal person here?"
"Huh?" Nick, Eyrx, and Darven spoke at the same time.
Vaeryn pointed directly at Eyrx.
"Him especially."
Eyrx immediately pointed at himself.
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"When I first saw you in the hospital, I thought you were some mature and mysterious guy." Nick said.
Vaeryn suddenly looked interested.
Darven tried not to laugh.
Nick continued dramatically.
"Then I watched you run into danger without thinking."
"Cause trouble every five minutes."
"Nearly die."
"Lose your precious pendant."
"And then spend half an hour hugging it after getting it back."
Darven burst out laughing.
Even Nick struggled to hide a smile.
Nock placed a hand on her forehead
"My disappointment is immeasurable."
Eyrx looked offended.
"Hey."
"I wasn't always like this."
Vaeryn crossed her arms.
"Oh?"
Eyrx's smile slowly faded.
For the first time, his voice became quieter.
"After everything happened..."
"I lost a lot."
The room became silent.
"But when Nick told me Grace was alive..."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"It felt like my life started moving again."
His fingers unconsciously touched the pendant around his neck.
"And I want to see Hazel too."
Nick looked toward him.
Eyrx stared out the window.
"I still don't believe she's evil."
"Not completely."
"She never did anything bad to me."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The morning breeze entered through the open window.
Then Vaeryn suddenly stood up.
"Well."
"That's enough emotional conversation for today."
She pointed at Eyrx.
"You."
"Training."
Eyrx groaned.
"Can we eat first?"
"No."
"Can I rest first?"
"No."
"Can I at least complain first?"
"No."
Nick stood up.
"I like her already."
After breakfast, the group headed outside.
Training soon began.
Darven practiced sword forms nearby.
Nick sat beneath a tree, watching.
Eyrx trained with wooden weapons.
Vaeryn sat on a stone bench.
For a while she silently observed.
Then she stood.
"Why don't you use your powers?"
Nick looked up.
"What?"
"Eyrx awakened something powerful yesterday."
She pointed toward him.
"And he clearly can't control it."
Eyrx stopped training
Nick crossed his arms.
"I can control mine."
Vaeryn nodded.
"I noticed."
Then she pointed at Darven.
"And him?"
"Normal human," Nick replied.
"No power."
Vaeryn thought for a moment.
Then looked back at Eyrx.
"So the problem is him."
"Hey!" Eyrx protested.
She ignored him.
"If his power is unstable, why are you teaching him normal combat first?"
Nick remained silent.
Vaeryn continued.
"Power should be trained too."
Nick stared at her.
"You speak like someone experienced."
Vaeryn smiled.
"Maybe."
She walked toward Eyrx.
The wind moved her blonde hair.
Blue eyes fixed on him.
Then she casually announced,
"I can teach him."
Nick laughed.
"No."
Vaeryn folded her arms.
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
Vaeryn pointed at Eyrx.
"I can help him control that power in three days."
Silence.
Even Darven stopped training.
Nick stared at her.
Then laughed again.
"I spent five years learning to control my power."
"Five years."
"And you're saying you can teach him in three days?"
Vaeryn nodded confidently.
"Exactly."
Eyrx looked between them.
"Should I be worried?"
"Very," Nick replied instantly.
Vaeryn grinned.
"Trust me."
For some reason...
That sentence made Nick trust her even less.