The water was warm.

  It wasn’t a luxurious bath.

  Not deep. No fragrance.

  But—it was clean.

  And it smelled right.

  Stone. Damp wood. Silence.

  The moment I sank my feet into the water, a breath slipped out of me.

  I lowered myself into the small stone tub, quietly.

  The water reached my knees.

  That was enough.

  For days, I had washed myself in corners, with cold cloths, half-dressed, always rushed.

  Now, at last, I could clean my body in peace.

  Soap behind my ears.

  Pressing my fingers into my arms.

  Feeling that my hair wasn’t a mess anymore.

  Without realizing it, I let out a sigh.

  —I needed this.

  Not peace.

  Not freedom.

  Nothing so grand.

  Just this.

  Taking care of myself, even a little.

  Smelling good.

  Returning to something human.

  —

  When I returned to my room, the light was already lit.

  Beside the futon, a light, thin robe had been neatly folded.

  I dried myself carefully, making sure not to wet the floor.

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  I put on my sleepwear and tied my hair with the ribbon I’d brought from Thiseia.

  And then—for the first time in weeks—I touched my arms.

  Looked at my nails.

  Looked at my hands.

  My hands.

  Not the hands of someone running away.

  Just… my hands.

  I extinguished the lamp and lay down.

  My hair was dry.

  My skin no longer smelled of smoke or mud.

  The room was quiet.

  And I thought—

  —I can sleep like this.

  —

  I don’t know when I fell asleep.

  But when I realized it, I was there.

  A room made of wood.

  Soft light.

  And… a child.

  Ren.

  Younger. Smaller.

  Sitting in front of a hearth.

  He wasn’t crying.

  He wasn’t speaking.

  He was just staring at the firewood, as if waiting for the fire to light itself.

  I wanted to go to him.

  I wanted to cover him with a blanket.

  I wanted to ask why he was alone.

  But the moment I tried to step forward, I understood.

  I wasn’t there.

  I couldn’t touch him.

  I couldn’t speak.

  I could only watch.

  The scene shifted.

  Beld came in.

  Without a word, he placed a blanket over Ren’s shoulders.

  He lit the fire.

  Still, he said nothing.

  Ren didn’t say anything either.

  He only murmured,

  「…You were late today.」

  That voice—so calm, without blame—

  pierced me more deeply than any scream.

  Because I understood.

  I had waited like that, too.

  Many times.

  In large rooms.

  Wearing beautiful clothes.

  And yet—just as alone.

  —

  The vision faded.

  And then—it was different.

  Not a memory.

  A moment.

  Ren as he is now.

  Walking through the forest.

  I was in his arms.

  I could see myself.

  But more than that, I could feel.

  His arms were holding me firmly.

  His steps were steady.

  His breathing calm.

  He wasn’t running.

  He wasn’t fighting.

  He was simply moving forward.

  And for the first time, I felt completely protected.

  Not by walls.

  Not by laws.

  —but by him.

  —

  「Elthariel listens even while you sleep.

  When you do not build walls—

  when you simply are.」

  Those words echoed deep in my chest.

  I see.

  That’s why I was shown this.

  This was what I wanted to see.

  When I closed my eyes and lowered my walls—

  Elthariel showed it to me.

  A wish.

  Something I wanted.

  A feeling I couldn’t admit to myself.

  I placed a hand over my chest.

  Elthariel was still silent.

  But I—

  —I was no longer silent.