Lucia waited in the forest outside the camp, concealed in the shadows of a tree trunk at the edge of the uphill ridge where Ian had followed Diana. Though she was well-hidden and kept her presence masked, Ian found her without much difficulty.0

—I thought you'd gotten lost, my friend.0

Yog’s languid whisper echoed in Ian’s mind. By focusing his consciousness, he could sense Lucia’s presence—thanks to the blood terminal inscribed by Yog. While it was uncertain when unexpected side effects might arise, for now, it was proving to be a highly useful piece of dark magic.0

"Sorry for being late, Lucy."0

"You're not very late. We only just arrived, actually. But more importantly—" Lucia, with her usual calm demeanor, added, "What happened? Are they really human?"0

"See for yourself," Ian replied, stepping slightly to the side and gesturing with his head.0

Lucia's gaze shifted behind him. Beyond the forest's shadows, a slender silhouette grew distinct as it approached soundlessly.0

—Oh, it's a fairy.0

It wasn't just the fact that there was a survivor, but also the fairy's overall presence that seemed to captivate her. 0

The fairy had short platinum hair revealing a sharp jawline, pale skin, and a sleek gray-black leather armor that hugged her figure...0