At the same time, Axel, who had been waiting nearby, stepped closer, both of them helping her sit upright.
Axel's brows were tightly furrowed, concern evident in his eyes.
"Are you alright?" he asked quickly. "Do you need water? How are you feeling?"
The questions came one after another, almost without pause.
Lana blinked, then let out a soft chuckle despite the dryness in her throat.
"I'm fine," she said.
Even as she said it, her voice sounded weak, slightly hoarse, as if it had been scraped raw from enduring too much.
Mr. Crow clicked his tongue lightly, clearly dissatisfied.
"You don't need to take an herb for every breakthrough," he chided, folding his arms. "Skipping it once won't kill you."
Lana shook her head slowly.
"No," she replied, her tone calm but firm. "Ever since I started taking oaths… I realized something."
She lifted her hand slightly, staring at her fingers as if recalling something important.
"At every stage, I gain something… like a hidden reward."
