Confusion

As the night deepened, the camp slowly fell into a much-needed rest. After the day of destressing and relaxing, sleep came easier—though a lingering unease still hung in the air, far weaker than before. The Gloomtaurs, exhausted beyond measure, embraced the rare moment of peace, and one by one, they faded into slumber.

But not everyone went to sleep.

Two figures moved through the quiet camp, their steps light as they approached Ophelia's cart. Tridra and Alexandra.

When they stepped inside, they found Ophelia seated comfortably on her couch, idly fiddling with a smooth, rune-carved stone in her hands. The faint glow of the runes cast an eerie light over her fingers, illuminating the sharp focus in her silver eyes.

Alexandra crossed her arms, cocking an eyebrow. "You called? You told me earlier that you wanted to be alone tonight."

Unlike Alexandra, Tridra was nowhere near as composed. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, glancing rapidly between the two taller women, a light blush creeping up her face. Her hands clenched slightly at her sides, as if unsure what to do with them.

Ophelia didn't acknowledge the nervous energy radiating off Tridra—at least, not yet. She simply rolled the stone between her fingers before finally speaking.

"I trust you two the most."

She reached behind the couch, retrieving a worn leather sack. When she pulled it open, the contents shimmered slightly in the dim light.

Dozens of the same rune-covered stones. At least fifty.

"...Tomorrow, all of these need to be placed throughout the forest," she continued smoothly, her voice calm, unwavering. "You can toss them wherever you see fit, but each one must be at least a mile apart. Be discrete about it. Make sure no one knows what you're doing."

Tridra let out a small sigh, her shoulders visibly relaxed. She had been overthinking it and letting her thoughts run completely rampant.

But Ophelia caught the subtle shift in her expression.

"Disappointed, honey?"

Tridra stiffened. The blush on her face deepened.

Alexandra's eyebrow twitched, glancing back and forth between the two women before saying, "So, I guess you two are also a thing, huh?"

Her voice carried an edge—something between discontent and mild annoyance—but before Tridra could say anything, Alexandra stepped forward and casually sat beside Ophelia on the couch. Without hesitation, she clung onto the silver-haired woman's arm and nuzzled against her.

Tridra, meanwhile, stood awkwardly apart from them, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her cloak.

Ophelia watched the dynamic unfold with amusement before finally speaking up. "Tell Alexandra what you've been meaning to say."

Alexandra's eyebrow twitched again. A flicker of irritation surfaced in her expression before she turned her gaze toward Tridra, half-expecting some kind of argument or complaint.

Instead, Tridra's entire face flushed bright red.

She swallowed hard. "I—I love you."

Silence.

Then, as if forcing the words past some invisible barrier, she quickly added, "I have loved you for a while now… a-and I know it's greedy, but I also love Ophelia."

Alexandra blinked.

Then she blinked again.

Her grip on Ophelia's arm slackened as her mind tried to process what she just heard. She turned to Tridra. Then to Ophelia. Then back to Tridra. Then to Ophelia again.

Her brain had completely shut down.

"Sorry... but... can I wait to give you an answer for that?"

Her voice wasn't harsh, but it carried genuine confusion.

Tridra's expression faltered for the briefest moment—just a flicker of something in her eyes before she steeled herself and gave a sharp nod. Without another word, she quickly turned and exited the cart, shutting the door behind her.

The silence that followed was heavy.

Alexandra let out a slow breath, then turned toward Ophelia, her expression still caught between bafflement and disbelief.

"What the hell?" she muttered. "She likes both of us?"

Ophelia chuckled lightly, reclining further into the couch. "Surprised?"

"Absolutely." Alexandra huffed. "I thought I'd have to fight her over you, but… she also likes me…? What…? I just can't… huh…?"

Ophelia chuckled again before reaching for the lamp beside the couch. With a swift flick, she turned it off, plunging the cart into darkness.

Before Alexandra could continue questioning the absurdity of the situation, Ophelia gently pulled her down, guiding her into a comfortable position. Alexandra barely had time to protest before she felt Ophelia spooning her from behind, her grip firm but relaxed.

"You really did not notice, huh?" Ophelia murmured against the shell of her ear.

"Y—Yeah… I guess… but I also thought you didn't want any company tonight…" Alexandra muttered, still dazed.

Ophelia chuckled softly once more. "Think of this as compensation for surprising you. Sorry, baby," She muttered softly kissing the back of her neck.

Slipping an arm under Alexandra's shirt, Ophelia's fingers rested against the toned muscles of her stomach. The warmth of the touch, combined with the exhaustion of the day, was enough to finally quiet Alexandra's scattered thoughts.

Within moments, they drifted into sleep.

…

The next morning, the caravan set out once more, their journey continuing under the watchful protection of the Gloomtaurs who moved alongside them. Though tension still lingered from the past few days, there was a growing sense of ease among the travelers, if only due to the sheer exhaustion of living on edge for so long.

Amidst it all, Alexandra and Tridra moved discreetly, fulfilling Ophelia's orders from the previous night. The rune-carved stones were placed strategically throughout the forest, each one scattered no less than a mile apart, just as instructed. They never drew attention to their actions, slipping the stones from their pouches and tossing them into concealed spots between the thick undergrowth or into hollowed-out trees whenever no one was looking.

As they worked, Alexandra had plenty of time to think.

Her mind kept circling back to what had happened the night before—the way Tridra had blurted out her feelings, the way her brain had practically shut down trying to process it, and the way Ophelia had seemed entirely unsurprised by the whole thing. 

She still wasn't sure how to feel about it. It wasn't that she disliked Tridra. Far from it. She respected her. But love? That was something she hadn't even remotely considered, let alone something that involved Ophelia in the mix as well.

She shook the thoughts away, focusing instead on the task at hand. There were more pressing matters to deal with.

By midday, the caravan successfully exited the inner circle of the Cragstone Outpost. The passage had been smooth, with any major trouble along the way being handled by the Gloomtaurs. But as they reached the opposite side of the middle circle, something changed.

Several Gloomtaur scouts rushed back to the group, their expressions grim as they approached Mabbel. Quiet murmurs passed between them before Mabbel stiffened, nodding sharply and making her way toward Ophelia's cart without hesitation.

Inside, Ophelia lounged in her seat, staring up at the ceiling while lazily twirling another one of her rune-stones between her fingers as Mabbel entered.

"Lady Ophelia," Mabbel said, keeping her voice steady despite the urgency in her tone. "The scouts have reported a bandit outpost not too far from our path."

Ophelia didn't even glance up from the stone. "The Chained Droplet?"

"Yes, the scouts saw dark elves so it is safe to assume that. Not enough numbers to be a major force, but they're close enough to be a threat."

Ophelia hummed in thought, finally setting the stone down and meeting Mabbel's gaze. "And where exactly is this outpost?"

"Roughly an hour's distance through the trees," Mabbel replied. "Not far from the main route."

A pause. Then, Ophelia smiled slightly.

"Mabbel, have some of your Gloomtaurs lead a small force to the bandit outpost," she instructed. "They won't be able to raid it directly, but they can guide some of my people to handle the situation."

Mabbel's fingers twitched slightly at the wording. She already knew the Gloomtaurs couldn't touch the bandit base but the way Ophelia phrased it made it clear she knew much more than Mabbel had anticipated. Something that she didn't dare to question.

Instead, she gave a quick nod. "Understood."

She immediately turned on her heel, exiting the cart without another word. As soon as she stepped out, she relayed the orders without hesitation, her voice firm as she selected a trusted group.

Five Gloomtaurs—warriors she had absolute faith in.

Four Holy Knights from Ophelia's forces, one of whom was Alexandra.

And finally, Tridra, who was placed with the Holy Knights, bringing Ophelia's numbers up to five.

A group of ten in total.

As the small party prepared to depart, the caravan settled in for a temporary rest. Those remaining behind took the time to eat, sharpen weapons, or simply regain their strength. Meanwhile, the ten chosen warriors dashed into the forest, their movements swift, cutting down the time to arrive there exponentially.

Even as they ran, Alexandra and Tridra continued their mission, dropping the rune-stones every mile. But the air between them was thick, their movements stiff with lingering awkwardness from the night before. Neither of them spoke. Not once. Not a single word passed between them as they moved.

It was only when they reached the outskirts of the bandit outpost that the group slowed, their footsteps becoming more cautious.

…

(Alexandra POV)

I crouched low in the underbrush, my eyes sweeping across the bandit outpost, taking in every single detail. The walls, made to blend seamlessly with the forest, stretched high, their wooden structures reinforced with layers of natural camouflage. Elevated platforms connected to the trees, forming watchtowers where dark elven bandits paced, their sharp eyes scanning the area.

I turned my gaze to the Gloomtaurs beside us. Their expressions were grim as they exhaled through their noses, arms crossed as they observed the Holy Knights and Tridra. There was no mistaking the reluctance in their stance. They clearly despised the idea of helping us, but their orders had come directly from their leader. They had no choice. So, for now, they simply watched.

One of the Holy Knights, a man wielding a longsword, turned his attention to Tridra. "Is sneaking in within your capabilities?" he asked.

Tridra gave a silent nod before closing her eyes. A beat passed. Then she opened them, and violet energy shimmered through her irises, spreading outward like ripples in water. It washed over her entire form, and before my very eyes, her body began to shift.

Her figure stretched taller, limbs elongating as her muscles subtly adjusted. Her features sharpened, her skin taking on the dusky complexion of a dark elf, and by the time the shift was complete, she had become a male dark elf.

The Gloomtaurs tensed visibly, their bodies stiffening as they witnessed the change. Tridra had taken on the exact likeness of the bandits within the outpost. Even her clothing morphed, roughening into a more rugged, worn-down appearance, complete with scars streaking across her face and neck, giving her the seasoned look of a battle-hardened rogue.

Without another word, Tridra set off, emerging from the treeline and heading straight for the entrance of the bandit camp.

Atop the wall, one of the patrolling dark elves caught sight of her immediately. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. However, we trusted in her ability to disguise herself, so we didn't worry too much, until…

In a flash, he pulled up a rigid bow crafted from winding tree roots, nocking an arrow and drawing it back in one fluid motion.

I moved before my mind even registered the action.

Holy Power surged through my body, and in an instant, the lion mantle flared to life behind me. My legs propelled me forward with unnatural speed, the world blurring around me as my hand shot out—

SNAP.

I caught the arrow mere inches from Tridra's face, stopping it in midair just before it could land its mark.

The moment my fingers closed around the shaft, Tridra's illusion shattered. The magic dissolved in an instant, her form snapping back to normal as if reality had rejected the deception entirely.

There was no time to react. The Holy Knights burst from the shadows, charging forward with weapons drawn.

Tridra was the first to strike. She dashed ahead, slicing open the throats of the two guards stationed by the gate before they could even scream. Blood sprayed into the air as their bodies crumpled lifelessly to the ground.

I wasted no time. My longsword gleamed as I swung it downward with all my strength—

BOOM.

The wooden gate splintered into oblivion, torn apart under the sheer force of my strike. And just like that, we were in.

The moment we stepped foot inside, alarms rang out.

From above, dark elven archers scrambled, their twisted wooden bows drawing back in unison. 

I didn't even turn to look. With a single backward swing, I raised my blade above my shoulder—

CLANG. CLANG. CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

Five arrows shattered against the golden glow of my weapon, disintegrating upon impact.

Finally, I turned my gaze toward the archers. Their faces had gone deathly pale.

I was just about to go after them when—

FWIP. FWIP. FWIP.

Three throwing knives whizzed past me, embedding themselves into the wooden walls next to the guards. The dark elves flinched before they noticed—none of the blades had hit them.

A moment passed.

Then—

BOOOOOOM.

The knives exploded, engulfing the wall in flames and sending the guards flying backward.

I turned my head just in time to see Tridra smirking. "Ophelia taught me some useful stuff… although I need to work on my aim more."

What followed was pure carnage.

We stormed through the camp, cutting down every single bandit in sight. Humans, dark elves, even the beasts they had tamed—none were spared. The Holy Knights sustained a few injuries, but nothing their regenerative abilities couldn't handle. The battle was swift, brutal, and decisive.

And soon, it was over.

The camp was cleared, and only one remained.

Their leader.

A dark elf clad in now-broken black armor, his long black hair matted with blood and dirt. He squirmed and fought against my grip, but he was far too weak after the beating he had taken. Dragging him by the hair, I pulled him through the dirt, his struggles growing weaker with every passing second.

Finally, I tossed him into the middle of the campgrounds, his battered form landing in a heap.

I turned to the others. "Let's bring him back. He'll have useful information."

Everyone nodded in agreement. One of the Holy Knights stepped forward and, without a word, delivered a sharp punch to the back of the dark elf's head. He went limp instantly. The knight hoisted him onto his shoulder as if he weighed nothing.

As we prepared to leave, Tridra suddenly ran up beside me, a wide grin plastered on her face. She seemed much more confident than usual. Probably because of the adrenaline.

"Thank you for saving me," She said.

"Y-Yeah… sure…" I weakly replied.

Tridra's grin only widened. "Don't be so bashful. You're smiling right now."

I blinked, then instinctively covered my mouth with my hand. "You're seeing things..."

She only laughed, her smile growing even brighter.