By the time they returned from the dungeon, the sky had already darkened. The city lights flickered to life, casting a warm glow over the streets, but Igna barely noticed. His body was tired, but his mind was still filled with everything that had happened—the fight, the golden path, and his own weakness.
As they walked, Igna slowly drifted toward a different direction.
Toward his small room.
But before he could take another step—
A hand grabbed his wrist.
He turned.
Stela stood there, smiling slightly.
Stela: "Where do you think you're going?"
Igna looked confused.
Igna: "Back… to my room."
May and Maxe stopped walking as well.
May crossed her arms.
May: "Team members stay together."
Igna frowned slightly.
Igna: "I don't think that's necessary…"
Before he could finish—
Stela pulled him closer.
Stela: "Too late."
Maxe smiled softly.
Maxe: "We trust you."
Igna froze for a moment.
That word—
Trust.
It felt strange.
But… warm.
He didn't resist anymore.
After walking for a while, they stopped in front of a large mansion.
Igna blinked.
Surprised.
The building was massive, elegant, and far beyond anything he had ever imagined living in.
Igna: "…This is yours?"
May stepped forward calmly.
May: "Yeah."
They entered.
The inside was even more impressive—spacious halls, clean floors, and a quiet atmosphere that felt completely different from the outside world.
Igna stood there, unsure how to react.
May walked ahead slowly.
Her expression changed slightly.
Softer.
Distant.
May: "My parents were very rich."
She paused for a moment.
May: "They were also strong adventurers."
Silence followed.
Her voice lowered.
May: "I had a friend too… his name was Yash."
Igna listened quietly.
May: "Three years ago… we entered the dungeon."
Her hands tightened slightly.
May: "There was a rampage."
The word felt heavy.
May: "My parents died… fighting."
A brief pause.
Her voice almost broke—
But she controlled it.
May: "And Yash… sacrificed himself to save us."
Silence filled the room.
Maxe lowered her gaze.
Stela looked away slightly.
Igna didn't know what to say.
He could see it—
Even if May looked calm—
Her eyes held pain.
Deep.
Unhealed.
Igna: "I'm… sorry."
May shook her head slightly.
May: "That was a long time ago."
But it didn't feel like it.
Not at all.
After a moment, she continued walking.
May: "After that… the team broke apart."
May: "So I created a new one."
She glanced back slightly.
May: "Dreamers."
Igna followed silently.
They reached the living area.
May turned toward him.
May: "From today… you live here."
Igna froze.
Completely.
Igna: "…What?"
He thought he heard wrong.
Igna: "No… I can't—"
Stela suddenly wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
Stela: "You can."
She smiled playfully.
Stela: "And you will."
Maxe nodded softly.
Maxe: "It's better this way."
Igna looked between them.
Confused.
Overwhelmed.
No one had ever said something like this to him before.
A place.
A home.
Just like that.
He didn't know how to react.
So he stayed silent.
Later that night, they sat together and ate.
The atmosphere had completely changed.
Lighter.
Warmer.
Stela kept teasing him constantly—stealing his food, feeding him randomly, and even patting his head whenever she got the chance.
Igna tried to resist at first.
But slowly—
He stopped.
Not because he couldn't.
But because…
It didn't feel bad.
Maxe laughed softly watching them, while May observed quietly.
For the first time in a long time—
The house felt alive again.
After dinner, they prepared to sleep.
May checked every room one by one, making sure everything was fine.
Then she walked into Maxe's room.
Maxe was already lying down, but her eyes were still open.
A little uneasy.
May sighed softly and lay down beside her.
Pulling her closer.
Maxe relaxed instantly.
Falling asleep peacefully.
In another room—
Igna lay on the bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
Everything felt unreal.
The dungeon.
The team.
This house.
Their words.
Their trust.
He closed his eyes slowly.
His chest felt tight.
But not from pain.
From something else.
Something he had never really felt before.
A quiet warmth.
That night—
For the first time in years—
Igna didn't feel alone.