Felis stepped through the Guild's entrance, resisting the temptation to detour toward the public bathhouse. He wasn't exactly comfortable in his current state, but there were more pressing matters—like making sure Narissa properly reported what had happened.
Just as they were about to head inside, a familiar voice called out.
"Felis-san?"
Eina, returning from an errand, spotted him. Her gaze naturally drifted to his companion—Narissa, trailing closely behind him.
Her eyes widened. The tattered robe, the dried blood staining the fabric, the absence of any party members—Eina's heart sank.
"Nariss—"
Narissa stood frozen, her lips trembling, but no sound escaped. Her body didn't shake, and she didn't collapse—she simply stood there, as if one wrong move would shatter her completely.
Eina's breath hitched.
Narissa was always refined yet warm, carrying herself with an effortless grace that made her seem untouchable. Sharp-witted, competitive, always ready with a teasing remark. Even when they were children, she had never let herself be seen as weak.
But now…
The woman before her wasn't the Narissa she knew. There was no sharp remark, no knowing glance—only wide, empty eyes and trembling lips. Silent tears rolled down her face, her expression frozen in anguish.
"Narissa—!"
Narissa didn't answer. She only moved when Eina wrapped her arms around her, then, Without a word, she stepped forward and clung to Eina, her fingers digging into her back with a desperate, almost painful force.
Eina barely registered the documents slipping from her grasp. Her arms instinctively wrapped around Narissa, pulling her close.
"I'm here," she murmured, voice shaking. "I'm here, Narissa."
And this time, Narissa didn't tease her for worrying too much. She only clung tighter, as if afraid that Eina, too, would slip away.
Eina held her closer, a soothing hand running through Narissa's hair, whispering reassurances even though she didn't know the full story. But she had a hunch.
Felis, standing awkwardly to the side, glanced at the scattered documents. With a quiet sigh, he crouched down and started picking them up.
'Well… guess I'll just handle this part.'
---
Narissa had fallen asleep.
It wasn't a peaceful rest—her brows occasionally twitched, and her grip on Eina's sleeve never loosened—but exhaustion had finally pulled her under.
Eina sighed, brushing a few strands of hair from Narissa's face. "…She must've been at her limit."
Felis, standing beside them, adjusted the cloak draped over Narissa's shoulders. "Yeah. She held on for this long, but the moment she felt safe, her body just gave out."
Eina exhaled softly, then looked at him. "Help me bring her to the resting quarters."
Without a word, Felis crouched down, slipping an arm beneath Narissa's knees while the other supported her back. With practiced ease, he lifted her into a bridal carry.
She was light—too light.
The weight in his arms wasn't that of a battle-hardened adventurer but of someone who had been worn down, both body and soul. Her head naturally lolled against his chest, her breathing shallow but steady. Even in sleep, her expression was troubled, brows faintly furrowed as if trapped in a nightmare.
Eina watched in silence, her worry evident. She wanted to be the one to support Narissa, to carry her herself, but her rational side knew she couldn't. Instead, she took a deep breath and gave Felis a small nod.
"The resting area for Guild workers isn't far. Follow me."
Felis adjusted his grip slightly, ensuring Narissa was secure, then followed Eina through the Guild. The few staff members they passed gave them curious glances, but no one questioned it. Perhaps they recognized Narissa, or maybe they were simply used to seeing adventurers in worse states.
Soon, they reached a quiet room with a simple bed tucked into the corner. Felis carefully lowered Narissa onto the mattress, adjusting the pillow beneath her head. Her body shifted slightly at the movement, but she remained asleep, exhaustion holding her in place.
Eina exhaled, tension draining from her shoulders as she brushed stray strands of hair from Narissa's face.
"…Thank you, Felis-san," she murmured.
Felis simply shook his head. "She needed help."
Eina glanced at him, her emerald eyes searching his expression before she straightened. There was still more to do—more to understand. And right now, she had questions.
"Let's talk," she said
Felis nodded, following her out of the room.
Eina placed two cups of tea on the table before taking her seat across from Felis. They were in the usual consultation room where she advised him about the dungeon—but this time, her expression was heavier than usual.
"So… tell me everything," she said.
Felis took a sip of his tea before setting the cup down. "I ran into her on the 18th Floor, near a hot spring. She was sitting under a tree—wounded, exhausted, and alone."
Eina's fingers tightened around her cup. "Alone…"
"She hadn't treated her wounds at all," Felis said. "Some had stopped bleeding on their own, but they weren't healed. She was in bad shape, trying to act fine, but… well, I wasn't buying it." He exhaled. "So, I healed her."
Eina blinked. "…You what?"
"I healed her."
Eina stared at him, processing the words. "Felis-san… you have healing magic?"
Felis tilted his head. "Did I forget to mention that?"
"Yes," Eina deadpanned, adjusting her glasses. "You definitely forgot to mention that."
"Well, now you know." He smirked. "It's called Aqua Benedicta. Pretty useful, right?"
Eina pinched the bridge of her nose. "That's not the point. Healing magic is rare—very rare. And you're telling me now? Just casually?"
Felis shrugged. "I didn't think it was that big of a deal."
Eina let out a slow breath. "We'll talk about that later," she muttered, setting the topic aside with visible effort. "For now… what happened after you healed her?"
"She didn't talk much at first, so I didn't push her. I just told her to rest and decide her next steps later." He leaned back. "We camped there for the night. I kept watch while she slept."
Eina's gaze softened. "…She must've felt safe with you."
Felis chuckled. "Maybe. Or maybe she was just too exhausted to care."
A faint smile crossed Eina's lips, but it quickly faded. "…And the 19th Floor?"
Felis' expression remained neutral, but there was a weight behind his words. "I went to the 19th Floor before escorting her back—wanted to familiarize myself with the terrain and the monsters." He leaned back slightly. "There were plenty of battle remnants scattered across the floor, but that's normal in the dungeon." His golden eyes met Eina's. "In the first place, she didn't tell me how it happened. Either she doesn't remember, or it's too painful to recall. I didn't pry."
Eina furrowed her brows, resting her chin against her clasped hands. "That… makes things difficult."
Felis hummed. "Yeah." He tilted his head. "I take it that's not normal?"
She sighed. "Most survivors—if they make it back—can at least give some details. Even if it's fragmented, the Guild can piece together what happened. But if she truly doesn't remember…" Eina's fingers tightened. "Then we might never know how it all unfolded."
Silence lingered between them.
Felis let out a slow breath. "There was something odd, though."
Eina glanced up, attentive.
"When I was on the 19th Floor, I didn't find anything that looked like it belonged to her Familia members." He met her gaze. "No weapons, no armor, no personal effects. If there really was a massacre, there should've been something left behind."
Eina stiffened. "Not a single one?"
He shook his head. "Either someone took them, or…" He trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.
Eina's expression tightened. "Monsters don't take equipment, and scavengers don't usually clear out entire battlefields that quickly." She let out a slow breath, rubbing her temple. "Unless it was a Monster Party…"
"Possible," Felis admitted. "But if that was the case, wouldn't there be more remains? More magic stones, at the very least?"
Eina didn't answer immediately. Her lips pressed into a thin line.
Something wasn't adding up.
Eina sat in silence, her fingers still lightly tapping against the table as she processed everything. Felis let the quiet linger for a moment before speaking again.
"Maybe it's just too painful to remember," he murmured, his tone softer than before. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and watching Eina with a steady gaze. "Give her time to get back on her feet first."
Eina met his eyes, hesitating, but Felis continued before she could argue.
Felis leaned back slightly, his golden eyes holding Eina's gaze. "Maybe it's just too painful to remember. Give her time to get back on her feet first."
His voice was steady, but there was a quiet weight behind it. Then, with a slow breath, he continued, his tone firm yet gentle.
"I know it's your duty to prevent more victims like her, and I get it—you don't want another adventurer to go through this." He paused, watching her expression shift. "But, Eina…"
He lifted a hand, resting it lightly on her head—just for a moment before pulling back. "Not every adventurer's life is your responsibility."
Eina's lips parted slightly, but she didn't speak.
"They chose this life, for whatever reason. And they knew what they were walking into when they stepped into the dungeon. You can guide them, warn them, give them the best advice you have, but in the end, they'll make their own choices."
Felis exhaled, letting his words sink in before finishing, "So don't burden yourself with something you can't control. Just do your job properly and leave the rest to fate."
Eina's fingers curled slightly against the desk, her eyes flickering with something uncertain.
Felis leaned in slightly, his voice dropping lower. "Stop trying to carry every adventurer's life on your shoulders. Right now, someone you do know is struggling. She's right in front of you, and she needs you more than some nameless adventurers who haven't even made mistakes yet."
Eina's breath caught.
Felis leaned back, his gaze softening. "Don't let your sense of responsibility make you lose something precious. Because once it's gone, no matter how much you cry, you won't get it back. So think about it carefully."
Silence settled between them.
Eina looked down, her expression unreadable as she processed his words. A storm of emotions flickered across her face—guilt, doubt, understanding.
For a moment, Felis simply watched her, giving her the space to think.
Then, a slow grin stretched across his face, and he tilted his head. "So? How about it? Am I already sounding like a proper advisor?" He chuckled. "Should I change jobs?"
His sudden shift in tone made Eina blink.
She let out a breath—half-exasperated, half-relieved—and shot him a glare. "Absolutely not."
Felis smirked, crossing his arms. "Aww, and here I thought I had a talent for it."
"You don't."
She sighed, rubbing her temple, but this time, there was no frustration in her expression. Just a quiet sort of ease settling over her.
Felis leaned back in his chair, satisfied. 'Well, that's one less frown on her face. Good enough for now.'
Felis honestly didn't want Eina pressing Narissa about what happened on the 19th floor—at least, not now. Not when her mind was barely holding itself together. It didn't sit well with him.
He remembered seeing it before. In his past life, reporters shoving microphones into the faces of people who had just lost everything. "How do you feel?" Like… what the fuck? How did no one ever just answer, "I feel like I want to punch you in the face"?
The thought alone made his tail lash against the side of the sofa, flicking sharply in irritation.
Felis honestly wanted Eina to leave Narissa alone, at least for now. Not because the truth didn't matter, but because pressing her while she was at her lowest didn't sit well with him.
He had seen it before—back in his past life. Journalists shoving microphones into the faces of people who had just lost someone, asking the same damn question every time: How do you feel?
Like… seriously?
Why did no one ever punch them in the face? That would've been a real answer.
His tail flicked sharply against the sofa, betraying his irritation.
Eina wasn't like that. She wasn't heartless, shoving questions into open wounds just for the sake of answers. But… she was still a Guild worker. And the Guild had a job to do.
He just hoped she'd remember that Narissa was a person before she was a report.
Felis stood up, grabbing his bag filled with magic stones and monster byproducts. The weight wasn't an issue—what bothered him more was the lingering exhaustion and the faint scent of battle clinging to his clothes.
"As much as I'd love to keep entertaining you, Eina-san, I've got better things to do—like taking a bath, getting paid, and handling my own business."
Eina let out a soft sigh, her emerald eyes filled with both gratitude and guilt. "Thank you for saving Narissa. And… sorry for taking up your time."
Felis smiled lightly, adjusting the strap of his bag. "It's fine. Just make sure you remember my advice."
She gave a small nod, Watching as he turned and left the room