Leo splashed over to Akira and Oliver, interrupting them in the middle of their 'conversation'.

  “Hey, you guys are looking super serious!” He said with an exaggerated grin, completely oblivious to the heavy atmosphere between Akira and Oliver. He shoved some water in both their direction, narrowly missing Oliver as it splashed around his feet. “What’s going on over here? Are you two plotting world domination or something?”

  Akira felt his jaw tighten. He wasn’t sure whether to be irritated or relieved that Leo had interrupted. The weight of Oliver’s presence still lingered in the air like a thick fog. But Leo, with his usual carefree energy, pulled him back to the surface of normality, and for a brief moment, Akira was reminded of how different the two of them were.

  Oliver didn’t even flinch at the interruption. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze never leaving Akira’s face as if weighing something in his mind.

  “Nothing so dramatic, Leonidas.” Oliver replied, his tone still calm but with an underlying sharpness. “Just… making sure Akira’s not about to faint from the heat, that’s all.”

  The man let out a loud, boisterous laugh, clearly unfazed by the tension in the air. “Pfft, Akira? Fainting?" In Leo’s head an image appeared, one of Akira falling like a wet noodle in the pool due to the heat. “Man, that would be something!”

  Akira clenched his fist, he was doing everything he could in order to stop himself from scolding Leo and hitting him over the head. Learn to read the room, dumbass. He whispered softly in his heart. He wasn’t angry, just inconvenienced by his antics.

  Oliver let out a quiet breath, something between a sigh and an exhale of amusement. His sharp blue eyes flicked away from Akira for the first time since the conversation started, shifting toward Leo instead. “Well, I’ll leave the two of you to enjoy your time, tomorrow is a pretty full day since we’re taking you out to tour around the inner city and see how this place works. But Leo, you should really shave that stubble off, it doesn’t suit you”

  Truth was since Leo had tanned skin, his light brown stubble was only slightly darker in color than his face and looked a little awkward. Though he was still handsome and manly looking, much more than Akira could ever hope to.

  Leo blinked in surprise, running a hand over his chin. “Huh? You think so? I was going for a rugged, adventurer kind of look.” He grinned, flexing one arm dramatically. “You know, like a man who's seen things, been through tough battles and came out victorious with honor and pride!”

  “More like someone who forgot to wash his face.” Oliver cut in smoothly, standing up from his crouched position, steam swirling around him. His tone was casual, but there was an unmistakable finality in it.

  Leo huffed, clearly pretending to be wounded. “Wow, Oliver. Brutal.” He turned toward Akira. “What do you think, buddy? Do I rock the stubble, or should I shave it?”

  Akira gave him a flat stare. “It’s barely visible, might as well.”

  Leo gasped in mock offense, clutching his chest as if Akira had just stabbed him in mock despair. “How dare you, Akira! I was going to let it grow into a full, majestic beard!”

  Oliver let out a quiet chuckle. “Then you’d better hope you survive long enough to see that happen.” His words were calm, but there was a sharpness beneath them, a reminder of the reality they all faced.

  The moment lingered for just a second too long. “Get some rest when you’re done here.” With that, he stepped away, disappearing into the mist of the bathhouse, his presence leaving a lingering weight in the air.

  Waving at him as he walked away, Leo smiled. “Will do! You too!”

  Akira didn’t bother looking at Oliver as the man left.

  “Hey Akira, Isn’t it exciting! We’ll get to see the actual city! I was getting sick of being cooped up in the barracks.”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  “We’ve only been here for two days, you’re exaggerating.” Akira added flatly.

  Splashing some more water in Akira’s direction, Leo put on an exaggerated pout. “Two days is a long time when there’s a whole unknown world out there! Don’t you wanna see how this place actually works?”

  The warm water soaked Akira’s face, yet he didn’t react, letting it soak into his skin.

  He leaned back against the smooth stone edge of the bath, letting the heat breathe into his skin as he considered Leo’s words. The idea of seeing the inner city did interest him, not because of any excitement, but because it meant understanding Verdant Haven better.

  Knowing its layout, its people, its rules.

  Most importantly, its weaknesses.

  Leo, oblivious to the calculated thoughts running through Akira’s head, leaned back beside him with a content sigh. “Man, I hope there’s good food in the city. The rations in the barracks aren’t bad, but I could go for something better, you know? Like a huge roast or a steak.”

  “And how do you plan to pay for it? Do you even know how the currency system works here? What they use to exchange goods. The rates? The values? Anything?” The boy sighed as he didn’t even bother glancing at Leo.

  Dumbfounded, he just blinked at Akira’s barrage of questions, his brow furrowing slightly before he shrugged. “Well, uh… no, not really. But that’s what tomorrow is for, right? Figuring all that stuff out.” He grinned. “Besides, I’m sure I can charm my way into a free meal somehow.”

  Akira let out an internal sigh. He’s an idiot, no, he may be an idiot but in terms of fighting and intuition… He’s a monster. If we find each other at the start of the First Trial his power will definitely increase my chances of survival by a lot, but I also can’t risk him getting too far ahead. Damn it, do I kill him?

  The choice weighed heavily on him, even if Leo got too strong there was no reason he would betray or harm Akira, but the possibility was there. After Ekhis, Akira’s trust became frail like a string holding a boulder and he would do anything to survive or increase his chances of survival in the future, including killing if necessary.

  But even so he wasn’t a cold hearted murderer.

  He was simply scared of death, as is everyone else.

  In this world there is nobody that is not afraid of dying.

  People may those who put up fonts of courage but they all weep and regret when time comes.

  Stoicism, bravery and happiness, it all shatters in the face of death’s breath, dread overcomes even those who may believe that they have prepared for it.

  In the end, nobody can escape it, all they can do is cower and pretend until it finally reaches them.

  Akira let out a slow breath, watching the ripples in the water as if they held the answer to his tangled thoughts. Kill him or not? Leo was annoying, persistent, and entirely too trusting for his own good. But he wasn’t an enemy. At least, not yet.

  But that was the problem, wasn’t it? People didn’t start as enemies. They became that.

  Hate is not something that exists out of thin air, it’s something that grows and flourishes with time.

  “Hey, Akira…” There was an awkward silence before the man continued. “During the First Trial, will you tell me the truth? You know, about your Trait or why you pretend to act weak and stuff.”

  Akira stiffened. The warm water that had seeped into his muscles, relaxing him, suddenly felt suffocating.

  He turned his head slightly, just enough to catch the edge of Leo’s expression. The usual lightheartedness was still there, but there was something else too.

  “…That depends.” He murmured, his voice steady but devoid of commitment.

  Leo blinked. “Depends on what?”

  Akira finally turned his gaze back to him, meeting Leo’s eyes. “Depends on whether I think you need to know.” His tone was flat, giving nothing away.

  Leo studied him for a long moment. The easy grin on his face had faded, replaced by something quieter. Not disappointment, not anger, just understanding.

  And that made it worse.

  “Yeah, I figured you’d say something like that.” Leo sighed, stretching his arms behind his head as he leaned back against the bath’s edge.

  The silence between them stretched, filled only by the distant murmurs of other Hatchlings and the occasional splash of water.

  The weight of Leo’s question still lingered between them, like steam that refused to dissipate. Akira kept his expression neutral, his silver eyes unreadable as he turned his gaze away.

  He didn’t like how easily Leo could read him, how effortlessly he could poke at the parts Akira wanted to keep hidden.

  Akira stood up, the water droplets rolling off his body, the steam fluctuating around him.

  Without another word he headed to the clothing storing compartments before putting on his tunic and leaving for the barracks.

  Leo simply sat in the warm water before letting out a soft smile as he looked at the ceiling. “We’re friends… Right, buddy?”