It was morning, but the atmosphere between Haruki and Lanling was icy enough to rival the coldest winter.
Lanling sighed, but the sound quickly turned into a sneer. "What am I saying? That man is dead."
He turned sharply to Haruki, his expression more serious than when he scolded recruits older than himself.
"If you want my help, you're going to do everything I tell you. When I say jump, you jump. No hesitation. Understood?"
His commanding tone was cold and firm, but the barrier Lanling had stubbornly maintained between them over the past few days seemed to have vanished. The shift gave Haruki a sense of security, and the anxiety that had gripped him earlier became easier to control.
"I understand. If you say it, I'll do it."
Haruki responded immediately, and for the first time since Lanling had met him, the usual cheerfulness in his voice was gone—replaced by a steady earnestness.
Lanling was startled.
