The dining hall was nothing like the one downstairs.
Smaller.
Quieter.
Warmer.
The table was set neatly, filled with food Tamura had never seen in his life. Fresh meats, steaming vegetables, soft bread, rich sauces—everything laid out in perfect order.
For a moment—
He just stood there.
Staring.
His mouth watered.
"…You gonna stand there all night?" Mugen said, already pulling out a chair. "Or are you gonna eat?"
That was all it took.
Tamura sat down quickly.
And started eating.
Fast.
Plate after plate, barely stopping to breathe as he devoured everything within reach. Meat, bread, anything he could grab—gone within seconds.
Mugen watched him for half a second.
Then shrugged.
"…Alright, bet."
And joined him.
The two of them tore through the food like they hadn't eaten in days.
Which, for Tamura—
Wasn't far from the truth.
"Hey—!"
Freya's voice cut through the room.
"Slow down!"
Neither of them listened.
"Where are your manners?!" she snapped, standing slightly. "You're not animals—eat properly!"
Mugen didn't even look up. "Relax. It's just food."
Tamura kept going.
Freya exhaled sharply, rubbing her temple. "…Unbelievable."
Across the table, Aylin sat quietly.
She hadn't touched much of her food.
Just small bites.
Careful.
Her eyes moved between them, watching in silence as they ate.
Observing.
Always observing.
The room settled again after a while.
The sound of plates scraping.
Breathing.
Chewing.
For a moment—
It almost felt normal.
Then Tamura stopped.
His hand lowered slowly.
The hunger faded.
And something else replaced it.
His expression hardened.
"…Freya."
Her name came out quieter than expected.
But it cut through the room.
Freya paused.
"…What is it?" she asked, though her voice had already shifted.
Tamura looked at her directly.
"Where's Tasheen?"
Silence.
Instant.
Heavy.
Aylin's hand froze mid-motion.
Mugen's chewing slowed.
Freya didn't respond.
Her gaze dropped slightly.
The glass in her hand tightened.
A faint cracking sound spread along its surface.
"…Freya?" Tamura pressed.
Aylin's eyes widened slightly, flicking toward Tamura—
Then away.
Quickly.
Like she didn't want to be part of it.
Like she already knew.
"Drop it," Mugen muttered.
Tamura didn't even look at him.
"Where is he?" he asked again, louder this time.
Freya's grip tightened further.
The glass cracked again.
"…I said drop it," Mugen repeated, his tone sharper now.
Tamura's eyes snapped toward him.
"No."
The word came out firm.
For once—
Unyielding.
"He was here," Tamura said, his voice rising. "He was fine. What happened to him?!"
"Nothing you need to worry about," Mugen shot back.
"That's not an answer!"
The tension snapped.
Tamura pushed himself up from his seat, his hands pressing against the table.
"I asked you a question!"
"And I told you to drop it!" Mugen snapped back, standing now as well.
The room felt smaller.
Tighter.
Like the air itself was closing in.
"Where is he?!" Tamura demanded.
Freya's hand clenched.
The glass shattered.
The sharp sound cut through everything.
Silence followed.
Her head lowered, strands of hair falling slightly over her face.
"…He's gone," she said quietly.
Tamura froze.
"…What?"
Freya's voice trembled—just slightly.
"They took him."
Aylin looked away completely now, her posture stiff.
Tamura's eyes narrowed.
"…Who?"
Freya didn't answer right away.
Her hands tightened against the table.
"They marked him first," she said. "A crest. On his neck."
Her voice dropped further.
"He screamed."
The room felt colder.
"He wouldn't stop."
Tamura's breathing slowed.
"They said it meant he was ready," Freya continued. "Then they took him away."
"…Where?" Tamura asked.
No answer.
Freya shook her head slightly.
"We don't know."
Silence filled the space again.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Real.
Tamura stood there, unmoving.
His thoughts began to spiral again.
The crest.
The pain.
Being taken.
His jaw tightened.
"…What the hell is going on here…?"
No one answered.
Because they didn't know.
Or maybe—
They were too afraid to say it out loud.
The bathhouse was massive.
Tamura stood at the entrance for a moment, just staring.
Steam rose in slow waves from the surface of the water, filling the room with a soft haze. The stone beneath his feet was warm, the air thick but calming in a way he wasn't used to.
The water itself stretched wide across the room, clear and still, reflecting the dim lantern light above.
Tamura had never seen anything like it.
"…You gonna stand there all night again?" Mugen's voice came from behind him.
Tamura didn't respond.
"…It's big," he muttered quietly.
Mugen snorted.
"Yeah. It's a bath."
Before Tamura could react—
A towel smacked into his face.
"Clean yourself," Mugen said flatly. "You smell like a corpse."
Tamura pulled the towel down slowly.
Then—
He was shoved.
Hard.
He stumbled forward and dropped straight into the water.
A loud splash echoed through the room.
Tamura resurfaced quickly, water dripping from his hair as he looked up.
Mugen stood at the edge, already stepping in.
"…You did that on purpose," Tamura said.
"Yeah," Mugen replied simply.
Tamura stared at him for a second.
Then splashed water straight at his face.
Mugen blinked.
Then grinned.
"Oh, that's how it is?"
He kicked water back.
And just like that—
It turned into a fight.
Water splashed violently as the two of them lunged at each other, slipping and crashing through the bath. Tamura moved fast, trying to grab him, while Mugen ducked and shoved him back under the surface.
For a while—
It was nothing but chaos.
Noise.
Movement.
Energy.
Then—
It slowed.
The splashing grew weaker.
The movements less aggressive.
Until eventually—
They stopped.
Tamura leaned back against the edge of the bath, his breathing steadying as the warm water settled around him. His body, tense for so long, finally began to loosen.
Mugen sat across from him, resting his arms along the edge, staring up at the ceiling.
Silence.
Not uncomfortable.
Just… quiet.
"…I hate this place," Mugen said after a while.
Tamura glanced at him.
"I hate her," Mugen added. "Vayra. All of them. The whole Mourncrest family."
There was no humor in his voice this time.
No teasing.
Just truth.
"They think they own us," he continued. "Like we're tools. Or pets."
Tamura looked down at the water.
"…They do."
Mugen scoffed.
"Not for long."
Tamura's eyes lifted slightly.
"I'm leaving," Mugen said. "Before they decide I'm 'ready' like Tasheen."
The word lingered.
Tamura's expression darkened slightly.
"I'm not staying here long enough to find out what that crest really means."
Silence followed.
The water shifted gently around them.
"…Where will you go?" Tamura asked.
Mugen shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. Anywhere but here."
Tamura shook his head slightly.
"That's not enough."
Mugen glanced at him.
Tamura's hands tightened slightly beneath the water.
"I want to leave too," he said. "But not just for me."
His voice lowered.
"I want to take them with me."
Mugen frowned.
"…Who?"
"My siblings."
The word felt heavier than anything else he had said.
"All of them."
Mugen stared at him for a moment.
Then let out a quiet breath.
"…That's stupid."
Tamura didn't react.
"There's too many," Mugen continued. "You can't save all of them."
Tamura's gaze didn't waver.
"I can try."
Mugen shook his head.
"…You're gonna get yourself killed thinking like that."
"Maybe."
The answer came without hesitation.
Mugen went quiet.
For a second—
He almost looked annoyed.
Then he looked away.
"…I'm not saving anyone," he muttered. "I'm just getting out."
Tamura didn't argue.
But the difference between them settled in the air.
One wanted to escape.
The other wanted to change everything.
Two different paths.
Same starting point.
Mugen exhaled slowly.
"…Either way," he said, "we're not getting out of here like this."
Tamura nodded slightly.
His body still ached.
But beneath that—
Something stronger was growing.
"…We need to get stronger," he said.
Mugen glanced at him again.
Then smirked faintly.
"Yeah," he said. "That part we agree on."
The water settled.
The room grew quiet once more.
But this time—
It felt different.
Not like before.
Not empty.
Not tense.
Something had changed.
Between them.
Not trust.
Not yet.
But something close.
And for the first time—
Tamura didn't feel alone in it.
"It looks like we're in this together... for now."