The sky was painted in a burnt orange hue. The sun was slowly sinking beneath the horizon, leaving behind deep crimson streaks that stretched across the sea like smears of blood. Gentle waves lapped against the shore, reflecting the resplendent sunset— a breathtaking beauty, yet cruelly cold in its radiance.

  The harbor remained bustling as usual, but the noise seemed subdued. Today was not considered an auspicious day for docking, according to seafarers' beliefs. Even so, ships large and small lined up, and sailors unloaded cargo in silence. The hoarse cries of crows echoed in the sky, blending with the heavy tones of sailor songs drifting from taverns along the streets.

  Raizen and Meredith walked along the stone-paved path leading away from the docks. They said nothing. Only the sound of their heavy footsteps echoed against the cold, unfeeling stones.

  Raizen walked ahead, his posture rigid and tense, irritation subtly laced in his movements. His shirt billowed in the sea breeze, clinging to his stiff shoulders as if restraining something he refused to let loose.

  Meredith followed behind, her steps slow and unsteady, as if her legs were losing their strength. The coat Raizen had tossed to her remained clutched tightly in her hands, though the frigid sea wind coiled around her body.

  Yet, she made no move to put it on. Not because she wasn’t cold— but because she felt nothing at all. Everything seemed like a shattered dream.

  The letter was still there, tucked inside her pocket, but its words had already carved themselves into every crevice of her mind. Meredith dared not take it out again, dared not unfold it for another read. Because she was afraid— afraid that if she read it once more, she would no longer be able to hold back her tears.

  In the distance, glass lanterns along the streets flickered to life, lit by the night patrol guards. Their flames were feeble, wavering against the darkness slowly descending over the town.

  Raizen suddenly halted. He turned to look at Meredith.

  "Where exactly do you plan on going?"

  Meredith stopped in her tracks. She didn’t know. She had no answer. She just wanted to walk— to keep walking until her legs gave out and her mind was too exhausted to think about anything at all.

  Raizen studied her for a moment, then frowned.

  "Inn," he stated bluntly. "Go back."

  Meredith didn’t move.

  Raizen sighed. He ran a hand through his long, disheveled black hair, muttering something under his breath in frustration. Eventually, he simply turned and walked on without waiting. Meredith quietly followed.

  The streets grew emptier as they left the harbor behind. Winding roads stretched between old brick buildings, where golden light spilled from windows, casting elongated streaks upon the lifeless stones. The night air carried the scent of salt, damp wood, and the rich aroma of food wafting from small eateries along the way.

  Raizen slowed his pace. He didn’t turn around, but he knew Meredith was still trailing behind.

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  She wasn’t crying. She wasn’t screaming. Just an eerie, suffocating silence enveloped her frail figure.

  He didn’t like this. Raizen hated seeing people cry, but he hated it even more when they showed nothing at all.

  "Are you going to stay like this forever?" His voice cut through the quiet, gruff and unceremonious as always.

  Meredith lifted her gaze, her empty eyes meeting his.

  Raizen’s frown deepened. "Hmph. So silence is your answer?"

  Meredith blinked. She didn’t know what to say.

  Raizen scoffed. He reached out, grabbed the collar of her shirt, and yanked her toward him. She flinched but did not resist.

  He stared at her, his deep red eyes reflecting the flickering lantern flames. He was waiting— for something, anything. Anger. Despair. A reaction. But Meredith just stood there, looking at him, fragile like a candle about to be snuffed out.

  Raizen cursed in Dark Elvish. He let go of her.

  "Forget it."

  Meredith blinked. Raizen turned away, resuming his pace. She didn’t know what else to do. In the end, she simply followed.

  By now, the streets were nearly deserted. Their footsteps echoed against the stone pavement, merging with the icy winds that whistled through narrow alleys. The harbor had grown eerily quiet. Drunken men lay slumped outside taverns, while dim oil lamps flickered in distant windows— faint, wavering flames in the dead of night.

  Meredith and Raizen continued walking. Not in haste, not idly— just letting their legs carry them forward through the winding streets. No words were exchanged. None were needed.

  Meredith’s inn was tucked away in a narrow alley. From the outside, it was unremarkable— a three-story wooden house, its roof tiles stained with salt, its wooden walls weathered and peeling. The sign above the entrance was so worn that the letters were barely legible, swaying slightly in the night breeze.

  But inside, it was different. Small, yet warm. A modest fireplace still glowed faintly in the corner of the common room, casting a gentle orange light. Wooden shelves lined the walls, filled with old books, their spines worn from repeated readings. A few small potted plants sat by the window, their leaves trembling each time the wind seeped through the cracks. It wasn’t luxurious, but there was something unmistakably… human about this place.

  Unlike the other run-down inns near the docks, filled with nothing but transient travelers looking for a temporary bed, this place bore the marks of someone who had lived here.

  Raizen stopped at the entrance, arms crossed, his gaze settling on the highest attic window. His expression was unreadable, but his voice was low, cold as the draft sneaking through the wooden planks.

  "Lock my room," he muttered, not bothering to look back. "And stop taking in guests."

  Meredith had just stepped inside, still standing near the fireplace, her expression somewhat dazed. She blinked, looking at him.

  "Where are you going?"

  Raizen didn’t answer. He simply raised a hand toward her— a lazy, impatient gesture.

  "Coat."

  Meredith remained still, her hands tightening around the fabric. She didn’t give it to him right away but just stared at him.

  "Where are you going?" she repeated, softer this time. As if hoping for reassurance.

  Raizen cast her a brief glance— sharp, unreadable, offering no response. He remained motionless, his outstretched hand unwavering. He wasn’t going to answer.

  Meredith pressed her lips together, uncertainty flickering between frustration and hesitation in her eyes. Finally, she loosened her grip on the coat, her shoulders sinking slightly as she handed it to him.

  Raizen snatched it without a word. He threw it over his shoulder carelessly, then turned and stepped out the door.

  "Raizen."

  He didn’t stop.

  Meredith clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms as she took a hesitant step forward.

  "Where are you going?"

  Still, no answer.

  Only his shadow slowly disappeared into the night, as if he had never been there to begin with.