They moved through the stronghold and headed straight for the private training hall. It had slowly become their place without them saying it out loud.

The moment they stepped in, the door hadn’t even fully closed before..

"You’re back."

Commander Lyra stood ahead of them.

Like she had been waiting.

No surprise there.

Ryn stepped forward first. "Commander."

The rest followed.

"Commander," they greeted almost at the same time.

Lyra waved it off lightly. "Drop that for now."

Her tone wasn’t as sharp as usual.

It was... lighter.

Her eyes moved across them quickly, checking.

One by one.

No injuries worth noting.

No missing faces.

That alone said enough.

"...Good," she said under her breath.

Then her gaze landed on Arthur.

More specifically...

On the cub resting on his shoulder.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"...You brought something back."

Arthur didn’t answer.

Ryn coughed lightly. "It’ll make sense once I explain."

Lyra folded her arms. "Then explain."

Ryn didn’t waste time.

"The dungeon felt normal at first," she began. "But the deeper we went, the more it changed."

Lyra listened, her expression settling back into focus.

"The tainted mana became more visible. Not just traces... but influence."

She nodded slightly. "Mutations?"

"Yes."

Ryn continued, steady. "The black wolves... their numbers increased. More than expected."

Torren added, "And they weren’t moving like before."

Lyra glanced at him. "Explain."

"They adapted," he said. "Still pack hunters, still ambush types... but sharper. Faster to react."

Nox nodded. "It felt like they were learning."

That made Lyra’s gaze sharpen a bit.

Ryn continued, "We pushed deeper and eventually found the source."

He paused slightly.

"...That’s where things changed."

Lyra didn’t interrupt.

"First," Ryn said, "we encountered the boss."

"The black wolf?"

"Yes."

Lyra nodded once. "Expected."

Ryn shook his head slightly. "Not entirely."

That caught her attention.

"There was also a ritual guardian."

That did it.

Lyra’s posture straightened a little. "A ritual guardian... in a wolf dungeon?"

"Yes."

Silence followed for a second.

Then Ryn continued before she could ask.

"And it wasn’t dormant."

Lyra’s eyes narrowed. "Go on."

Ryn exhaled lightly. "The boss wolf... it resisted the tainted mana."

That..

That made Lyra pause.

"...What?"

For the first time, her composure slipped.

Just a little.

Ryn nodded. "We thought the same."

Torren crossed his arms. "Didn’t make sense."

Nox added, "It was clear too. Not guessing."

Lyra looked between them, measuring.

"Explain how."

Ryn shook her head slightly. "We don’t fully understand it."

That didn’t sit well with Lyra, but she let her continue.

"It showed clear resistance. It wasn’t acting like the others."

Arthur stayed quiet, but his hand rested lightly against the cub.

Ryn went on, "But then... it changed."

Lyra’s eyes shifted slightly to the cub again.

"...Because of that?"

Ryn nodded.

"The cub."

Lyra didn’t speak this time.

She waited.

Ryn explained, "The guardian... it targeted the cub."

Nox’s voice came in softer this time. "It was using it."

Lyra’s expression darkened slightly.

Ryn continued, "The boss wolf gave in."

That part needed no extra words.

Lyra understood.

Still, she asked, "It accepted the tainted mana... willingly?"

Arthur finally spoke. "Not willingly."

His voice was calm, but firm.

"It didn’t have a choice."

The room went quiet for a second.

Lyra’s gaze lingered on him, then shifted back.

"...And after that?"

The mood changed.

It was subtle.

But it was there.

Ryn didn’t answer immediately.

So Nox stepped in.

"It fought."

Lyra looked at her.

Nox continued, "It saved us."

Arthur’s grip on the cub tightened slightly.

"It held the guardian back with a surprise attack," she said. "Gave us an opening."

Torren added, quieter this time, "It almost killed the guardian in the process."

Lyra’s brows furrowed. "After it accepted the tainted mana?"

"Yes."

That made it worse.

Or maybe... more impressive.

Nox finished it. "The guardian kept a bit of its consciousness even with the tainted mana. It jumped in to protect the cub... and it died in the process."

Lyra let out a slow breath.

She was putting it together now.

The resistance.

The forced submission.

The final stand.

Her gaze shifted again to the cub.

It had been quiet the whole time.

But now...

Its eyes were slightly wet.

Like it understood.

Lyra noticed.

"...I see."

That was all she said for a moment.

Lyra nodded slowly.

"...Understood."

She didn’t push further.

Didn’t need to.

She had enough.

Still, there was something else.

She looked at Arthur again.

At the cub.

At the faint trace of something... off.

"...The tainted mana," she said. "It’s still there."

Arthur didn’t deny it.

"It’s faint," he said.

"But it’s there."

Lyra’s gaze hardened slightly.

"That’s a problem."

Arthur met her eyes this time.

"I know."

Silence again.

Heavy this time.

Not tense.

Just... real.

Lyra opened her mouth to speak...

But Arthur cut in.

"I want to keep the cub."

No hesitation or softening.

Just straight.

It wasn’t a request.

Everyone felt it.

Torren blinked once. "...Straight to it, huh?"

Nox didn’t say anything, but her eyes flicked between them.

Ryn just watched.

Lyra held Arthur’s gaze.

"...You’re serious."

Arthur nodded. "Yes."

She didn’t answer immediately.

Her eyes moved to the cub again.

Then back to him.

"You understand what you’re asking."

"I do."

"It carries tainted mana."

"I know."

"It’s unstable."

Arthur didn’t look away.

"I said I know."

There was a pause.

Then Lyra stepped closer.

Stopping just a short distance from him.

"...Then give me a reason."

Arthur didn’t rush it.

Didn’t overthink it.

He just answered.

"It didn’t choose this."

Simple.

But it landed.

Lyra’s expression didn’t change.

But she listened.

Arthur continued, "Its mother fought against it."

His voice stayed steady.

"It deserves a chance."

No long speech or dramatics.

Just that.

The room stayed quiet after.

Nox glanced at Lyra.

Torren scratched the back of his head.

"...He’s not wrong."

Ryn didn’t speak, but she didn’t oppose it either.

Lyra looked at all of them.

Then back at Arthur.

"...You’re taking responsibility for it."

Arthur didn’t hesitate. "Yes."