After they returned to the castle, they were quickly greeted by Ran, Miki, and Su, though they all looked a bit worn out.

"Aruto doesn't seem to feel very comfortable with just us," Su murmured through a yawn.

"He cried and screamed so much... I'll be so glad when we can have a normal night's sleep again."

Yoru furrowed his brow and tilted his head in curiosity. "There are three of you; couldn't you take turns?"

"We did… but each of us was overwhelmed, and we tried to support each other…" sighed Miki as she rubbed her eyes, shadowed with exhaustion. Her gaze briefly rested on Yoru, a slight blush coloring her cheeks, before she looked at the group.

Amu nodded reassuringly. "I'm sorry Aruto gave you so much trouble. Let's go inside first, and I'll tell you everything."

Amu took her son from Su and went inside with the others. Once there, the three maids set food and drink on the table, and as they ate, Amu finally recounted everything that had happened.

"That situation with Ikuto sounds terrifying…" Su looked at Amu with concern, feeling as if she had almost lost her. "They're probably getting into people's heads and learning everything they need to seem trustworthy," Miki mused aloud, taking a bite of her cake—she was already on dessert. "How are we going to find out where the next spirit is?" she sighed, not particularly eager to search through hundreds more books, though that was probably what it would come to.

Amu stared at Aruto in silence for a while until she felt a tear slide down her cheek. Tadase, sitting beside her, gently brushed her tears away with the edge of his hand. "He looks a lot like him, doesn't he?" he said softly, also glancing down at the small child for a moment.

"We'll get him back, Amu, don't worry." Though she said nothing, he could imagine that Aruto's face reminded her of Ikuto and made her miss him even more.

The little boy looked up at his mother with wide eyes, his mouth starting to turn downward as he sensed her sadness. Tadase noticed immediately and sighed. He didn't want Aruto to think that his mother's sadness was because of him. "Let me take him, okay?" he said softly to Amu, taking the boy into his arms with a warm smile.

Tadase began telling a story: "Once upon a time, there was a brave knight who traveled through the kingdom with his best friend, a great dragon. Together, they had many thrilling adventures and protected the villagers from danger."

Aruto gazed up at Tadase with wide, curious eyes, as if trying to imagine the scene. Tadase continued, "One day, they discovered a mysterious castle guarded by an evil wizard. The knight knew they had to save the villagers!"

Amu watched as a smile lit up Aruto's face while Tadase told his tale. It was a magical moment that chased away the darkness of her worries for a little while.

"The knight leapt onto the dragon's back, and together, they soared into the sky!" Tadase said with enthusiasm. Aruto cooed and murmured happily, as if he himself were flying.

"And when they reached the castle, they fought bravely against the wizard and saved the kingdom. In the end, they were the greatest heroes, and everyone celebrated their friendship!" Tadase concluded with a broad grin.

Aruto beamed at Tadase, stretching his little hands toward his face. Tadase leaned down, allowing the child to touch him.

The pink-haired maid smiled softly but sighed inwardly. Depending on how long it took them to free Ikuto, Aruto might initially not see him as his father since he spent so much more time with Tadase and Nagi.

"I'll be diving back into the books over the next few days. I'll also look after Aruto, so you all can rest a bit," Amu apologized to her friends, bowing her head. "I'm sorry to put so much on you all."

"We're happy to help you."

The lilac-haired man sighed at the somber mood and suddenly began to tickle Amu, who was seated on his other side. Desperately, the pink-haired girl tried to defend herself, but she was unsuccessful, and her laughter filled the room and echoed down the hallways. "Stop it, Nagi!" she managed to gasp between fits of laughter, tears in her eyes, but he didn't let up, as though he was determined to tickle away all her sadness.

"We're all here for you; you're not alone—don't forget that." To Amu, it felt like an eternity before he finally stopped tickling her and spoke. "I'm not sure I want to drag you all into this any deeper."

"You don't get a say in this, so shut up and stop moping." Nagi shrugged and grinned cheekily.

In the days that followed, they quickly settled into a routine. Amu and her three friends searched through every book they could find, while Nagi and Tadase took turns caring for Aruto. They'd made this decision since Aruto spent almost all of his time around women when they weren't there, and they thought it would be good for him to have at least a sort of father figure.

Yoru and Miki usually searched together, which meant they got to spend a little more time with each other. "Love kind of scares me…" murmured the blue-haired man with a sigh, causing Miki's heart to sink. "Why's that?"

Had she done something wrong? But they'd barely spoken or been in contact since Ikuto left.

"When I look at those four, I see more pain than joy."

"But… that's not the norm. When so many people love the same person and have hopes, it naturally gets more complicated…" she replied in a calm voice.

"Isn't it the norm? Who guarantees me that? I have no idea about love; who's to say that if I fall in love, the girl won't have feelings for multiple men?" His ears drooped toward the ground, clearly displeased by the thought. He didn't want to go through the same suffering as his master.

"Well, at least I only like one… And that won't change…" Miki murmured softly, fidgeting with her fingers, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Amu only loved Tadase at first… And no one understood that," his gaze remained fixed on the book he was flipping through.

"Why are you even thinking about this? Did you meet someone?" During their dance, she had felt he might have had some interest in her, but perhaps she had only imagined it, as his doubts didn't match what had happened between them.

Yoru frowned, looking at her with confusion. "No."

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before turning around to hide her reddening face. She looked down, nervously playing with her fingers. "For my part, I only have feelings for you. I'm sure the girl who's troubling you feels the same way. Amu's case is rare and unusual."

The blue-haired boy's tail shot straight up, fur bristling, and his ears perked up sharply with a slight blush on the tips. His cheeks flushed as well, and he touched the cheek she had just kissed, stunned. He swallowed nervously, unsure of how to respond. His words had been more general, and there really wasn't a specific girl… well, except maybe her.

"There isn't a girl troubling me… Not exactly…" he stammered, struggling to find the right words. "I just need more time to understand myself in that way," he hoped this answer wouldn't hurt her.

Miki turned back around and nodded with a gentle smile. "I'm sure you'll figure it out." She wasn't sure what to make of his response. Was there someone or not? Someone besides her? She sighed, thinking it was probably someone else. After all, what would he see in her? Her expression clouded briefly before she continued searching through the books for clues.

Yoru sighed. He had hurt or disappointed her, exactly what he hadn't wanted to do. "I don't know much about love or anything… But… If… then it would be you… Okay?" he muttered reluctantly, flipping through another book. "I just need to learn if I even have those feelings…" His cheeks were flushed red again.

At the sound of a small thud next to him, he startled and looked at her with concern, noticing that she had dropped her book. He blinked in confusion, tilting his head as his ears twitched curiously. The blue-haired girl felt her heart race, suddenly feeling very nervous.

"R… Really…?"

Yoru turned red again. "Yeah…"

"That… that would make me very happy. But I'll, of course, wait until you're certain." Their eyes met, and they both smiled.

"Why does he have to have so many books? How am I ever supposed to find all the information about the spirits?" Amu groaned, rubbing her eyes. They had been searching for days, and she was growing impatient; the trials and finding the spirits would also take time, and she didn't want to waste so much time just looking for clues. She made a familiar gesture, summoning Undine. "Can't you give me a hint?" she sighed, sitting down in a chair. She couldn't even be sure there was a book here that mentioned Sylph.

Undine sighed but took pity on her, causing one book to briefly glow. Amu quickly grabbed it before she could forget which one it was.

"Thank you," she smiled warmly at the water spirit, who nodded and vanished again.

Opening the book, she quickly flipped through it and soon found the entry she had been hoping for: information about Sylph. She gathered the others and read the passage aloud, just as she had done with Undine's.

"Sylph, the ancient guardian of the wind, dwells in the high mountains of the North, where the winds whisper colder, and the silence on the peaks rests like a long-forgotten legend. Only there, in the isolated purity of eternal snow, where sky and earth merge in whiteness, can her presence be sensed—hidden in the quiet dance of the wind among the rocks and cliffs.

It is said that Sylph reveals herself to those whose hearts are in harmony with the melodies of the air, who see the wind not as a path but as a soul. Those who enter her domain listen to the old song of the sky, resting in the winds since time began, carrying the breath of the world."

"So now we have to go North. I'd rather avoid that entirely," Tadase sighed, clearly unhappy with this revelation. He had little desire to meet the harpies.

"We should prepare well. Getting there will take a long time, and it's going to be very cold in the high mountains. You should train your resistance to the cold. Cold water should work. But until I'm certain you can endure the cold, I'm not letting you go alone if it comes to that again." Nagi crossed his arms, making his stance clear. There was no room for discussion in his expression.

"Are you my father or something?" Amu muttered quietly, pouting. She wanted to set out as soon as possible. Nagi grabbed her wrist and raised an eyebrow. "No, but you're welcome to try getting away." He grinned confidently. He might often go along with her wishes, but when it came to her safety, he made no compromises.

Amu's expression grew more serious, hoping to surprise him as she suddenly pulled sharply away. But he stood firm, not budging an inch, his grip unchanged. She twisted and turned her wrist, pulling in all directions, but she had no chance of freeing herself until he effortlessly pressed her against a wall, pinning both her wrists above her head with just one hand. He was close, her heart was racing, and she looked away, blushing. At the same time, she felt defeated, as he had completely overpowered her.

"Fine… I'll do whatever you want…" Her gaze met his once more, and although she was disappointed, she still managed to smile, knowing he was only concerned for her well-being.

The purple-haired one leaned in unconsciously, his eyes drawn to her lips for a few seconds before he lightly shook his head, took a deep breath, and pulled back. "Life is hard." He crossed his arms, sighed, and sat down on one of the sofas.

"Do you think this is any easier for me?" She would have kissed him if he hadn't pulled away. Really, she needed space from both of them; being together all the time left no chance for her feelings to subside even a little. Her yearning only made everything harder. She longed for Ikuto, yet he wasn't there, which left her craving closeness in general.

"I'll come up with a few potions to help with the cold. Amu, or the rest of you, can use them if it gets too cold. They should keep you warm." Su tried to change the topic, as otherwise, the three of them would only feel worse, and the whole mood would collapse. Besides, she genuinely had the idea for the potions and thought it would be helpful.

"Maybe I should go alone. I think some distance would be good for all of us. I have Undine with me too, so I'd manage just fine." Tadase and Nagi exchanged glances and sighed. "Do you really think you'd stop loving us after just a few days, or even weeks, of being apart? Are your feelings so weak?" The former prince didn't want to make her feel guilty, but the thought that it might be that easy for her hurt.

"No… of course not, but it would be a start."

Tadase paused for a few moments in his own silence, swallowing hard as his heart grew as heavy as stone, seeming to sink into an endless abyss. "Then I'll go." He didn't have any belongings in this castle anyway, so he could simply get up and leave.

"Again? What's wrong with you?" Nagi shook his head in disbelief, though he understood him all too well. Hearing from Amu directly that she wanted to lose her love for them shattered both of their hearts into a thousand pieces. Of course, the painful truth had been painfully clear to them all along, yet having it laid out so plainly hurt all the more.

"Take care of her, and make sure that idiot gets freed soon," he added, referring to Ikuto, though he meant it without malice or any grudge.

Gathering all his strength to hide his pain, he walked up to Amu. After a few moments of eye contact, he gently kissed her forehead. He noticed the tears welling up in her eyes but still left the castle without looking back.

The girl fought the urge to sob, wiping away her silent tears. Su sighed sadly. This was exactly the kind of scene she'd wanted to prevent; why did Amu have to shatter the chance for peace with her words? It was so quiet that they could hear their own breathing, and no one dared to break the grieving silence.

"Are you going to bring him back? Because if I try to get him back, it won't change anything." It was Nagi who broke the silence first, his voice calm yet cold. "Or would you rather have me follow him?"

The girl who had stolen so many hearts fell silent, uncertain and filled with inner torment. She didn't want Nagi to go. She didn't even want Tadase to leave. Yet her thoughts echoed in her head, like a faint, lonely voice feeding her lies: /It would be better this way.../ Perhaps if she wasn't constantly around them, she could manage to overcome these feelings. Perhaps she could finally belong solely to Ikuto. /But it's all just a lie.../

"I'm sorry, but I won't make this as easy for you as he did," Nagi began, his voice growing stronger, filled with pain and determination. "Say it. Tell me to leave." His hands gripped her shoulders, not gently but insistently, as if he could force the words out of her through his touch. "Say it!" His voice was urgent, filled with a hurt hope. He shook her, and she felt the despair behind each of his words. But she lowered her head, kept her gaze down, and let her shoulders slump, unable to look him in the eyes.

"Amu! Say it!" His voice nearly broke, turning into a trembling shout as he gripped her even tighter, shaking her harder.

"I can't!" Her voice was barely a choked whisper that broke into a desperate cry. She lifted her head, her eyes filled with tears that hung like heavy pearls, seeking his gaze, full of pain and the suffering she could no longer contain. "I can't say something like that... I can't go on without you, or Tadase... and especially not without Ikuto!" The words burst out of her, each one a scream that filled the room and laid her soul bare. "It would be so much easier if we could just... just not have conta-"

"Liar!" Nagi cut her off, and Amu felt her throat tighten. She looked at him, his eyes filled with a fury she had never seen in him before. The Nagi she knew felt so distant in that moment.

"If you're really convinced, then say it!" His voice was hard and unyielding. "Send me away, and I'll go."

A deep silence settled over them. Amu was unable to respond; her words remained unspoken. Ran and Su exchanged glances, the same despair and sadness reflected in their eyes that hung heavy in the air. Miki unconsciously clung to Yoru's arm, who stood nearby. The air was thick with sorrow, love, and a pain that gnawed at each of their souls.

Nagi finally broke the silence, his voice cold and resolute. "Either you say it, or I won't leave you any choice." Flames began to appear around him, flickering like a living shield that grew stronger and hotter with every second. Amu stared at him, her eyes wide, and instinctively backed away, the heat feeling unbearable, seeping into every fiber of her being. But suddenly, Ikuto's words echoed through her mind, memories of his warnings that she'd never spoken aloud. But Nagi couldn't possibly know that she knew, so what was he trying to achieve?

"What are you doing, Nagi? Are you threatening her now? Do you seriously want to hurt her?" Yoru took a step forward, ready to intervene, but Nagi didn't respond.

A deep, bitter "Tsk" was all that came from his lips as the flames continued to grow. Of course, he would never hurt her. And yet, he let the flames thicken around him, now painfully licking at his skin. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the burning pain that felt like a scorching dagger piercing his flesh. The additional pain was unnecessary; the magic alone was enough. But in his eyes, Amu knew nothing of the cost his magic brought, so he had to make his intentions visibly clear.

"Stop it!" She reached out a trembling hand toward him, only to pull it back immediately as the all-consuming fire touched her. The pain on her skin was nothing compared to the pain tearing her heart apart. "What do you want to hear from me?!" Her voice was a desperate whimper, her face streaked with tears. She cried bitterly, desperately trying to extinguish his fire with her water, but every drop evaporated immediately, disappearing as soon as it touched the flames.

"Send me away; that's what you want so badly," he replied coolly, but his words struck her harder than any fire ever could.

"Nagi, please! Stop!" She sobbed, her voice breaking under the weight of her helplessness. "I can heal the burns, but the other… the other is irreversible!!" She pleaded with him, desperately trying to penetrate his resolve. For a brief moment, he seemed to hesitate; the magic weakened, as though her words had reached him for a moment. But then he shook his head, as if to shake off all her pleas, and intensified his magic, the fire blazing more fiercely than before.

"I don't understand this, why are you doing this?" Her voice trembled and broke under the agony spreading within her. She could no longer look at him; the heat was too strong, penetrating her skin, which gradually felt like it was burning. Noticing this, he took a few steps further away from her.

"I can't say it because I don't want it!" she shouted, desperate and crying. "I don't want you to leave, I don't want to be separated from you! I'd miss you terribly!" Her words were almost a sob, her gaze full of despair and fear directed at him. How much damage had already been done? Was it already too late? What did he want to hear? Did she really have to send him away? But wouldn't he just keep going if she did? The helplessness gnawed at her, tearing new wounds into her heart.

"My life is in ruins, don't you understand that?" Her voice sounded weak, broken under the weight of her sorrow, yet she called out loudly enough to assert herself against his flames. "Before that stupid accident, everything was fine… I was so happy, and no one had to suffer..." She spoke the words like a condemnation of herself, each word dripping with regret and pain. "Even at the beginning, here in this world, it was only me suffering a little from Tadase's lack of love, but that was okay… I had hope." She gasped for breath, desperately trying to suppress the tears and the trembling in her voice to focus on an answer that might satisfy him—a response that might calm the fire.

"I will never be completely happy again… I want to choose Ikuto, I love him so much, especially now that I have my memories back… but I also love both of you so deeply." She fought back the tears, but her voice grew more fragile, more desperate. "I long so much for your closeness, but I can't… I mustn't. I don't want to make Ikuto suffer even more… we belong together… but why… why can't my heart understand that?" She cast a tortured glance at the ground as her voice broke again, every tone soaked in a pain so deep it seemed endless. "Why can't I stick to my own words?" The despair consumed her, each breath a struggle against the overwhelming weight of her feelings. "I was the one who arrogantly declared that there was only Ikuto for me..."

"I'm trying with all my might to live up to that statement, I'm trying to convince myself that if we're just separated… yes, then my feelings will surely fade. It just needs time, yes… just a little time." She paused, looking desperately at the ground, each thought a hopeless search for stability. "But that's nothing more than a lie… these feelings go too deep… they will never fully wither… never… and that terrifies me."

The heat around her continued to rise, and she was desperate. "What on earth do you want to hear from me?" Her fists clenched, her nails digging into her palms as if she could somehow trade the physical pain for the inner torment.

"Go! If that's what you want so badly, then go!" she finally screamed, her voice hoarse and trembling, barely more than an exhausted whisper. "And… and… don't come back..." Her eyes were red and swollen as she looked at him with a hollow gaze that even a child wouldn't take seriously—there was no truth in these words, only pure, painful despair. She had said it, but why… why didn't he stop? Why did his magic only grow stronger?

Each of her words felt to him like a knife stabbing his heart. In normal moments, she had always been so confident and determined, so he had never doubted that she fully stood behind her decision for Ikuto. She had always sounded so convinced, so resolute—as if her path was clear and her heart unwavering. But now, in this moment, he recognized the deep pain she carried within her, the incessant turmoil that made her voice tremble and her mask crumble. It hit him unexpectedly, how extreme and overwhelming her feelings truly were.

He stared silently at the ground, as if an unstoppable storm raged within him, while the heat continued to grow around them. His lips trembled in a bitter, half-desperate smile as he silently fought to regain control over the unleashed flames. But his magic slipped away from him—the flames fed on his determination and seemed relentlessly intent on carrying out his innermost feelings. "I… I'm sorry, Amu… I can't do anything anymore..."

Slowly, almost as if in a nightmare, he began to widen the distance between them, while the heat became like an invisible wall separating them from each other.

"What do you mean by that? I told you, didn't I?! What more do you want from me?!" Her voice was a desperate scream, echoing in the burning silence as she collapsed to her knees, exhausted. Tears streamed down her cheeks, which she futilely tried to wipe away, struggling against the growing pain. "Do you want to force me to leave Ikuto, to choose only you? You know yourself he would never accept that..." She shook her head, unable to comprehend. This wasn't the Nagi she knew. "Oh, of course, I'm stupid. You can keep playing this game, making me hold Ikuto back myself..." Her bitter laugh was empty and broken. Had he been deceiving her all along?

"Of course not..." His voice trembled with suppressed pain, as if the mere thought that she believed he was capable of such a thing nearly destroyed him. "I can't control it anymore... I'm sorry..." Flames licked over his skin, gradually forcing him to his knees as the relentless pain burned into his consciousness. But he held on, though his strength was slowly failing him. He had forgotten his own oath, to never use his magic with unstable emotions again. He knew whenever he did, it went wild.

Amu looked at him as if this were a cruel, inescapable nightmare. She sat motionless, like a broken shell of herself, her eyes empty and lifeless. "This... is a joke... right? Of course, you can control it..." Her voice was barely a whisper, weak and lost in the raging fire. But as he remained silent and turned his gaze away from her, something changed in her expression. "Just as you forced me to do this, I'll force you to stop. You want to play toxic relationship? Fine."

Slowly, she stood up and began to close the distance that had grown between them.

"What are you talking about? What are you going to do?.. Amu... I mean it, I really can't do anything anymore..." Panic flickered in his eyes as he tried to back away from her, but the pain forced him to stay on the ground. Every fiber of his body was burning in unbearable agony.

Her gaze remained cold and empty as she came closer. Finally, she stepped into the circle of fire, and the pain engulfed her like a raging storm. A scream filled with agony escaped her, raw and uncontrolled, as those around her cried out in horror, calling her name.

"Are you completely insane, girl? Stop it!" Yoru ran towards them, but the heat of the flames kept him back before he could reach her. "Damn it..." Panic and despair were reflected in his eyes. How would he explain this to Ikuto? /He's going to lose it.../

"Please... stop..." Amu's words were barely audible, and within seconds, her body finally gave out. She collapsed into Nagi's arms as the flames wrapped around them both, while he desperately tried to shield her. He struggled to regain control, but the magic pulled him further into the abyss. Finally, he, too, lost consciousness, his arms tightly wrapped around her, trying to protect her with all he had.

"This is horrible!" Ran wept uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. "Miki, do something!!"

Miki was trembling, her cheeks also wet with tears. "I'm trying! My water evaporates before it even gets near the flames!" Her voice was hysterical with desperation. She kept casting her spells over and over again during the whole scene, but the heat was so immense that it didn't even reach nagi.

Yoru stared silently into the flames, his ears drooping, a painful thought piercing through him: "Is he going to take us all with him...? Would it be better to die here and now?" The emptiness in his eyes reflected his burned-out hope. "If Ikuto finds out... he'll be the next to lose control."

Su was frozen in complete shock, staring silently at what was happening. Any hope burned away in the fierce, unrestrained flames that threatened to consume everything around them. Only now did Aruto's bitter cries slice through her thoughts like a painful cut. He had been asleep in a cradle, but of course, the oppressive heat and deafening noise eventually woke him.

The image of his desperate face, calling for his mother, tightened her throat. She couldn't go to him… not now. The terrible truth left her paralyzed, and though his cries echoed through the air, she was unable to take a single step toward him. Her legs felt like lead as the horrifying reality of the scene held her captive. She was trapped in a sea of fear and helplessness, a silent witness to the disaster unfolding before her eyes.

Suddenly, the entire room was flooded with blinding light, and after a loud explosion, everything was filled with water. In the center of the room, where the fire still raged and fought for control, waves of water relentlessly clashed with the fire at a furious pace until it was finally extinguished, releasing the trapped ones and causing them to collapse to the ground.

"Incredible, how stubborn these flames are." The water slowly receded, and Undine appeared before Amu and Nagi. They were both severely injured.

"Foolish children." She shook her head, her gaze fixed on Amu. "Was I too hasty in sealing the pact?" she sighed. No, she understood Amu's nature well; through her questions, she had formed a clear picture of her. Although this action was reckless and thoughtless, it was her usual selfless nature that led her to take such self-destructive actions to save Nagi.

"They'll still die…" Yoru, soaked from head to toe, spoke in a monotonous and hopeless voice. "They're too severely injured..."

"Are you entirely ignorant of the world's knowledge, young one? Do you not know the most important property of water?"

"No healing magic in the world could work such a miracle..." his voice remained the same. Like the other three, he was traumatized. The screams were horrible, witnessing it was horrible, and the smell was horrible.

Undine wrinkled her nose. "I am the mother of water, the source of your water magic. They are still alive, so everything else is just a pebble on a long path." She took a deep breath and excused his behavior, understanding that everyone present had just witnessed something unspeakably dreadful. She held her hand over them, and a warm blue light slowly enveloped both of them, gradually healing their wounds.

"Despite this, intervening at such a boundary between life and death also takes a toll on me. I will not be reachable for some time. Convey that message. Furthermore, the two of them will be unresponsive for at least two weeks, so be aware of this and don't worry. And bring the other boy back. She needs to focus on her mission and is simply not ready to let go." With these words, Undine vanished, leaving the survivors in a terrible silence, for even Aruto had stopped crying.

"I...I'll go look for him then…" Though the worst was averted, this experience would change their lives forever, that much was certain. It would take time to recover, and his voice reflected that.

"Should I come with you?" Miki whimpered, brokenly looking at him. "No, go back and rest... all of you... I'll take care of things later." Before leaving the castle, he at least placed the two of them on a sofa; he couldn't leave them lying on the floor.

As he prowled through the forest in his cat form, which was much more agile, the entire scene replayed in his mind. He sighed. "Irreversible? What did she mean by that?"

He focused on the air, trying to catch Tadase's scent. It didn't take long before he found him leaning against a large rock in a clearing.

"Didn't think you'd actually go that far away."

The blond looked at the cat before him and immediately noticed that Yoru was entirely different. He frowned. "What do you want?"

"To bring you back."

"She didn't stop me, that speaks for itself."

"She couldn't."

Yoru's answers were short, cold, and emotionless. Tadase looked into the small cat eyes and noticed the missing spark. Something must have happened. "I can't go back... It took enough effort just to leave… She's right, if we're constantly around her, it won't get any easier for anyone."

Yoru just sat in front of him, signaling that he wouldn't leave without him.

"Why didn't she come herself?"

"Not possible."

The blond shook his head. Yoru seemed like a lifeless puppet.

"But she can send you? That doesn't make sense," he rolled his eyes. He had had little time for himself in the last few weeks, so he used whatever time he had alone for thinking. He had concluded that it would also be wiser for him to stay away from Amu. Did he believe he'd ever lose his feelings for her? No. But it was the only choice he had.

"Not Amu... Undine..." Yoru simply didn't have the energy for normal conversation. He was just as affected as the three maids but had to at least try to stay strong.

"What's wrong with you?" He lifted Yoru by the scruff, hoping for a reaction, but the cat just took it. Rubbing his nose bridge, he finally stood up, prompting Yoru to take a few steps forward, turning to see if Tadase followed him before continuing.

Back at the castle, Tadase was overwhelmed with different emotions. The entire entrance hall, where they usually gathered due to the sofas, was soaking wet. A strange, overpowering smell that made him retch lingered in the air. The three maids were huddled on the floor, and Amu and Nagi were asleep on the sofas.

Yoru sighed. "I told you to go to sleep. I'll take care of this..." He walked over to them, helped them up, and gently nudged them toward the stairs. "Aruto..." Su whispered weakly. "I'll handle it. I've watched Miki do it plenty of times."

Su nodded silently, and the three left the hall with lowered gazes.

"What is going on with all of you..."

"Not tonight. Take her to bed and change her clothes," he indicated Amu while he lifted Nagi himself.

Tadase wanted to refuse; he felt he no longer had the right to see Amu that way. But the atmosphere was oppressive, and he realized Yoru was in no mood to talk or argue. When he lifted her, he noticed that terrible smell came from her—and from Nagi, though he didn't get close to him. Since the flames were magical, they only searched for and tore into flesh, leaving the clothing untouched but still imbued with the smell of burnt flesh.

The next day dawned, and Tadase quickly learned that Amu and Nagi were not just sleeping—they weren't waking up. Still, no one would give him an explanation. His worry nearly drove him mad. He insisted that Yoru needed rest as well and took it upon himself to care for Aruto. The castle felt like a ghostly place, and that didn't change in the days that followed. No one left their rooms, and Tadase was alone most of the time.

As the days continued to pass, he finally gave up asking for an explanation. The castle, once filled with life, remained silent and cold. Yoru and the others only ate the bare minimum and barely spoke at all. They were all just shadows of their former selves. The blond sighed sadly. Would Amu and Nagi ever wake up again? What had happened while he was gone?

"Can't you tell me what happened, little man?" he asked, gently poking Aruto's nose with a soft smile.