『Arthur: Well, we're here. 』
『Neizan: Yes, it looks like this is where we'll be staying for now. 』
Meilia stretched her arms above her head with a yawn.
『Meilia: Ahhh, I'm really hungry. 』
『???: Hello, everyone, and good morning.』
Alberto arrived with Miguel, greeting everyone present as the caravans departed, leaving only them in the area.
『Alberto: It's amazing, isn't it? I'm sure none of you have been here before. 』
『Arthur: Mr. Alberto, is this the place where we'll be staying for the next few days? 』
『Alberto: That's right, kid. You're welcome to go inside now. You have my permission to do and request anything you need in there. 』
『Neizan: Aren't you coming with us? 』
Neizan looked at Alberto with curiosity, noticing the seriousness on his face.
『Alberto: I'm afraid not. 』
Alberto gave a calm smile as he shook his head.
『Alberto: I have some things to take care of today. I need to register the participants for tomorrow and go over some details. 』
Neizan nodded slowly, a bit disappointed, while Arthur and Meilia exchanged a look of uncertainty.
『Alberto: And, by the way… 』
Neizan fell silent, waiting to hear what Alberto would say next.
『Alberto: Miss Lina is waiting for you inside. 』
After entering, Neizan arrived in a well-decorated room, with fine details that spoke of careful and elegant taste. He looked around and noticed an open door on the other side of the room. He headed toward it, his steps resonating softly on the wooden floor, until, reaching the threshold of the bedroom, he stopped in his tracks.
From there, he could see a spacious balcony at the far end of the room, with the doors open, letting the warm sunlight gently illuminate the space. A figure stood there, facing away, immersed in the view of the horizon.
『Neizan: Lina. 』
The sunlight shining on her long, dark hair confirmed what he already knew. Even though he hadn't seen her in months, Neizan's heart would recognize that unmistakable figure even in a crowd. His chest tightened with emotion as he realized just how much he had missed her.
When she heard his voice, she seemed to startle slightly before turning toward him. Her eyes, recognizing him, filled with a nostalgic glow, while her cheeks flushed with a faint blush that spoke of the feelings she held for him.
『Lina: «Neizan?» 』
Without waiting any longer, Lina approached him quickly, closing the distance between them with hurried steps. When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around him, sinking into his chest in a warm, tight embrace that made it clear just how much she had longed to see him. Neizan, surprised at first, quickly responded, wrapping his arms around her as well.
『Neizan: I'm glad to see you too. 』
He murmured softly, whispering near her ear as he felt the warmth of her presence.
『Neizan: Are you alright? Did anyone hurt you? 』
Lina gently shook her head, without pulling away from him. The expression on her face reflected relief and a restrained happiness, as her embrace grew tighter, as if she feared he might disappear again.
『Lina: No... they didn't do anything to me. But, where have you been? I was worried. 』
『Neizan: I was a bit busy, but... I'm alright. 』
Lina lowered her gaze, her voice becoming a whisper.
『Lina: ...I'm sorry, Neizan... 』
Neizan looked at her, puzzled.
『Neizan: What's wrong? 』
『Lina: I promised you I wouldn't be a burden anymore... 』
『Neizan: Lina, that doesn't matter now. 』
『Lina: But... 』
Neizan gave her a gentle smile, softly squeezing her shoulder.
『Neizan: What matters is that we're all okay. 』
Lina looked at him, trying to understand.
『Lina: How did you manage to get here? 』
『Neizan: ...It seems they haven't told you anything yet. 』
『Lina: They only told me to wait here if I wanted to see you again. 』
『Neizan: I see... The only reason I'm here now is because they need me for something. I don't know if you've heard about Alberto, but he was the one who allowed me to leave, just like you. 』
『Lina: Yes... I still remember him. I only saw him once, a long time ago, but he came to talk to me and told me you were alright. Do you know what he wants? 』
『Neizan: He wants me to participate in the coliseum games and win. We made a deal: in return, he will release us from the sentence. 』
Lina held her breath, her eyes filled with concern.
『Lina: No... 』
『Neizan: I imagine they didn't tell you anything so you wouldn't worry... 』
『Lina: And why did you agree? You're just putting your life at risk... and it's because of me... 』
Neizan firmly shook his head, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
『Neizan: It's not your fault. Besides, there's no going back now. It's my responsibility to do this. 』
Silence settled between them as Lina lowered her gaze, distressed by what she had just heard.
『Lina: Have you seen Arthur? 』
『Neizan: Yes. I came with him. The problem is that... 』
Lina looked at him with an anxious expression.
『Lina: ...? 』
『Neizan: I'll explain it in a moment. Let's go see him first. 』
They both walked down the hallway toward the exit, where they found Arthur standing with Meilia. As Lina saw the girl beside him, she was left speechless.
『Arthur: Lina... Thank goodness nothing happened to you after all. 』
Lina, unable to look away from Meilia, remained silent, her thoughts and emotions frozen in that moment.
『Neizan: ...Arthur, come, accompany me for a moment. 』
『Arthur: Huh? But if... Ah, well... fine. 』
The two boys entered the room, leaving Lina and Meilia alone in a tense silence. Lina seemed somewhat annoyed, while Meilia looked uncomfortable, trying to avoid her gaze.
『Lina: What are you doing here? 』
『Meilia: Well... they forgave me and let me come. 』
『Lina: Don't be ridiculous. I don't believe Neizan forgave you after what you did to us. 』
『Meilia: Yeah... Well, look at it this way. Apparently, they need me here for something else, right? 』
『Lina: Explain yourself. 』
Lina stood with her arms tense, her gaze clearly reflecting her anger toward her.