As the glow of the Emberfruit's power faded, Marik and Amel exchanged a smile, their faces lit with excitement as they looked at their Beasts.The incredible strength they'd gained from the fruit was clear — even if they couldn't see the notifications like John could, they could feel the change through their soul connection.It was af it their Beasts stood taller even in their small form, their gazes sharper and radiating the strength that now thrummed within their body.But not long after, the happy feeling began to settle and their smiles softened, a shadow of sadness flickering in their eyes.They both glanced toward the door where Irene had left, and John noticed the weight of the moment in their expressions.Their friend couldn't share in this experience. The bond they celebrated was something she could only observe from the sidelines. She don't even present here to watch the process.It was a reminder of what she didn't have — a Beast pf her own, and the companionship and power that came with it.John watched the two of them closely, struck by their unspoken empathy for Irene."You three seem closer than I thought before," he said, breaking the silence.Amel nodded, a fond smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah. Irene is... she's like a sister to me.""Really?" John asked, surprised. "That close, huh?"Marik nodded, looking off thoughtfully. "We've been through a lot together, the three of us."John's curiosity grew. "How did you all meet?"Amel paused, then her face softened with a memory."It was... not the best time for either of us." She let out a small laugh, her voice quiet as she continued. "I had just started working as a healer in a tiny town, really just enough to get by. One day, three drunk guy thought he could harass me. They almost did, actually."But Irene showed up, out of nowhere. She took them down, didn't even hesitate, then turned to me and said, 'You ever thought about becoming an adventurer?'"John raised his brows, picturing Irene in that fierce moment. "She invited you to join her, just like that?"Amel nodded, her expression both wistful and grateful."Yeah. It was strange, but... she didn't just see me as a healer. Maybe at first she just need a healer but then she said that she saw something in me I didn't even see in myself."My family... they'd died in the war when I was small, and I was just trying to survive, but I'd always dreamed of doing more. Irene gave me the courage to actually go for it."John listened to Amel's story, piecing together an image of her life before Irene entered it.He could tell by the way she spoke that Amel's past hadn't been easy. She'd lost her family, survived in the shadow of war, and clung to the dream of adventure without knowing if she'd ever be brave enough to pursue it.Meeting Irene had been the turning point for her, giving her not only the courage to chase that dream but also a place to belong.He remembered the gleam in her eyes when they'd been in the dungeon, the way she seemed so alive despite the risks. This team and this life had given her something to hold onto.John turned his gaze to Marik "What about you?"Marik hesitated, his expression growing dark as he considered how to begin. After a moment, he spoke."I was... a soldier, since a young age. My whole life was war and learning to kill. Even after I left, it was like I couldn't get away from it. I became a mercenary then found my Beast along the way, but... I mostly just took on more jobs to kill than to protect."Marik's eyes drifted to his turtle, the steady, loyal creature that had followed him through the darkest parts of his journey."I know he wasn't at peace with it either, with all the things I did. But we went along with it, fighting beside men who were hard and vicious, the kind that seemed to know nothing else than violence."He paused, his gaze fixed on some distant point."Somewhere in the middle of that life, I realized that what I was doing wasn't right. It didn't feel right. Then Irene came along. I don't know how but she saw right through me, saw that I was... lost."So she asked me to join her team." He glanced over at Amel, his eyes softening. "She'd already found Amel by then, so we had a healer. It looked like the start of a decent team. Even though I knew that being an adventurer didn't promise a steady life or good pay, I accepted her offer."John smiled, a warmth spreading through him as he realized just how solid the foundation of this team truly was. He'd sensed there was something different about Irene, something inherently good and selfless. Now, hearing Amel and Marik's stories, he felt sure of it.Then a thought crossed his mind. He glanced at both of them, hesitating for a moment before asking, "And what about her? Is it true that she's really an illegitimate child?"Amel and Marik exchanged a glance, each reading the confirmation in the other's eyes. Amel nodded solemnly."Yes," Amel said. "She's the illegitimate daughter of a noble family. She left her home to become an adventurer to prove her worth and build something of her own." Her voice grew even gentler. "Her mother's still there, back in that house, waiting for her return."The story struck John unexpectedly. Irene, with her steady smile and quiet strength, had her own struggles, a past that wasn't any simpler than those of her companions.She'd made the difficult choice to walk away, to build her life on her own terms — yet there was always something holding her back, a tie that bound her to the family she left behind.John felt a heaviness settle over him."No life is easy here", he thought.This world might look grand and thrilling on the surface, but beneath the adventure and the magic it held burdens as real as any other. Human with their life struggles.---