“Didn’t expect the backlash to hit that hard...”

Pandora forced a light smile, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere.

“Lucky you caught me.”

Aurora didn’t reply.

Her body was trembling. Barely perceptibly, but it was there.

It wasn’t the trembling of fear in battle. It was the trembling of someone who had almost experienced something terrible.

She slowly, stiffly released her arms from around Pandora. As if she needed to confirm the person she was holding was truly unharmed before she dared to let go.

The atmosphere went blank for a moment.

Only the afternoon breeze moaned through the broken railing.

Aurora seemed to suddenly realize something. That face, always carved with composure, showed a rare flicker of panic and awkwardness.

She quickly let go, stepping back half a pace, her voice coming out stilted and unnatural.

“My Lady, are you... are you alright?”

“Oh—I brought healing potions, I have healing potions with me, do you need one?”

She was already rummaging through her pack as she spoke, her movements rushed and clumsy, as if the busyness could paper over her momentary lapse.

Pandora watched her, and despite everything, the corner of her pale mouth curved.

It was a faint smile. But it was genuinely relaxed.

There she was. The Aurora she knew.

The last taut string inside her finally loosened.

“Don’t worry, I already used the Amber Mixture.”

Pandora shook her head softly, stilling Aurora’s hands.

“Just now was... well. The injuries are already improving. I just lost a lot of blood, plus the burden of a Third-Rank potion. It’ll take some time.”

Aurora’s hands paused. Her expression didn’t ease.

She understood what it meant for a Second-Rank body to force down a Third-Rank potion. The backlash alone was brutal.

It was gambling with your life.

And what kind of situation would drive My Lady to take a Third-Rank potion in the first place?

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

A deep, quiet guilt stirred in Aurora’s eyes.

“By the way, Aurora. You've reached the Second Rank by now, haven’t you?”

To break the heavy silence, Pandora changed the subject.

“Yes, My Lady.”

The redirect worked. Aurora straightened immediately, her answer crisp and certain. Worrying over what she couldn’t change was pointless. If My Lady didn’t want to say more, she had her reasons.

“Your growth...”

Pandora looked at the young knightess, her gaze soft.

“Has been faster than I imagined.”

She meant it.

The last time she’d seen Aurora at the Ascension Road, she’d wanted to say it then, but the situation hadn’t allowed it.

The Corpse-Red Mist had given Aurora a near-perfect foundation, yes. But to resist the side effects of those infection injections and break through to the Second Rank in so short a time—the sweat and effort behind that had to have far exceeded anything ordinary.

Of that, Pandora had no doubt.

But faced with the praise, Aurora didn’t look as happy as Pandora expected.

She didn’t light up with that smile of someone who’d finally been recognized.

She just smiled. Slightly strained.

Her deep eyes stayed fixed on Pandora.

Complex.

There was the familiar reverence, the unwavering admiration for the person she called “My Lady.”

But there was more. Hidden in the very depths of her pupils.

Something Pandora couldn’t fully read in that moment. Something fervent and restrained. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

The cold rooftop wind howled through, dragging Pandora’s thoughts back to earth.

“Alright. We need to go.”

Pandora braced against the railing and pushed herself to her feet, her gaze drifting to the distant ruins swallowed by darkness.

“I killed Wilbur. My partner handled the loose ends downstairs—you probably noticed on your way up, and she did it cleanly. But traces are never guaranteed to disappear entirely.”

“We need to plan for the worst.”

Pandora’s tone turned serious.

It wasn’t just stealth that had let her slip out of Aldrich’s grip time and again. It was this habit. Always assuming the worst outcome. Always preparing an exit before she walked in.

This time was no different.

“I've been living in Tsukimidaira, but I can’t go back there for now.”

“Aurora, I need your help finding somewhere safe to rest and recover.”

Pandora said it plainly.

And to Aurora, that directness was exactly what she needed to hear.

She needed to be needed.

That feeling of being relied upon steadied the heart that had been suspended in worry since the moment Pandora reached out.

Aurora set aside every stray thought and focused.

A few seconds later, her eyes brightened slightly, as if something had come to her.

“My Lady, I... I have an idea.”

“I’m currently staying on a street near Eden. There is... a powerful Third-Rank from Eden providing shelter there. I know the area well. The environment is safe.”

Aurora lifted her gaze. Her tone carried a barely-there trace of hope as she asked carefully:

“Would My Lady consider... staying with me for a few days?”

Pandora looked at her. Her expression was measured, unhurried.

A place inside the protective range of a powerful figure. Provided by someone she trusted absolutely. Until she and Elsa had fully recovered, that was genuinely a solid option.

As for the identity of “Ember”—she’d been too active lately. It was time for that name to go quiet for a while.

“Alright.”

Pandora nodded.

“I’ll be in your care, Aurora.”

Aurora visibly exhaled. Some weight left her shoulders.

She gave a formal knight’s salute.

“This is what your knight is here for.”

Decision made, Pandora held up a hand, gesturing for Aurora to wait a moment.

She reached into the small pouch at her waist with a pale, trembling hand.

And drew out two vials.

They were unlike any ordinary potion.

The tubes themselves were a dull, leaden gray. No crystalline clarity. No luminous color.

The liquid inside was dim and unassuming, as if someone had stirred dust and ash into water—but across that matte gray surface, a faint metallic sheen shifted and moved.

Aurora’s gaze fell on the two vials. Surprise crossed her face.

She recognized them instantly. Their unusual appearance made them unmistakable.

These were potions.

Corpse-Kin Tokens.