Parallel Memory

After clearing the 29th floor, I made my way back to the clearing where Lilith had been watching everything unfold. The battle was over. The harpies, once proud and dominant in their territory, now lay defeated, their icy feathers scattered like ash in the wind. The air still smelled of mana and frost.

Lilith stood a few paces from the edge of the clearing, her hair catching the faint breeze that blew down from the higher cliffs. Her eyes met mine, but there was no usual spark of wonder or admiration—just a soft smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

"I think that was enough for a demonstration," I said with a smirk, wiping blood from the side of my mouth. I had gone all out for that one. If I didn’t get at least a word of praise, I’d seriously be offended.

She nodded slowly, that smile still lingering. But she didn’t speak. No congratulations. No snarky retort. Nothing.

I sighed inwardly.

It wasn’t hard to guess what she was thinking. Now that I’d proven myself, now that I’d made it clear I could handle everything on my own, it must’ve seemed like I was trying to push her away. That wasn’t the intention. But... maybe it had ended up that way.

We walked back to the cave in silence. The moonlight filtered down through the tree canopy, tracing soft silver lines across the forest floor. The tension between us was thick. Not angry—just... sad.

That night, we said nothing. She lay quietly on her side of the fire, and I sat against the wall, unable to sleep. I kept glancing at her, wanting to say something, anything—but every word I thought of felt like it would only make things worse.

Morning came like a blade. It cut cleanly through the quiet, announcing the inevitable.

"I’m leaving," she said simply, her voice low.

I nodded. "I know."

She didn’t need to say why. Her father—the Devil King—was still locked away. If there was even a chance to free him, she had to take it.