After Nott had returned from scouting for a safe room, the cohort moved immediately.

Nott took the lead without hesitation, his heavy steps muted against the stone floor, while Steven carried Silva over his shoulder to support her weight.

’She’s surprisingly heavy,’ he thought, shifting her slightly for balance.

But thanks to his increased stats, he barely felt the strain at all.

After a short stretch of uneasy walking, they came upon a small wooden door. It was half-dilapidated, its surface riddled with holes and splintered gaps, wood peeling and cracked with age. The openings were large enough that anything passing by, especially a Blood Burst, could easily peer through.

At that realization, the cohort froze outside the door, hesitation gripping them for a brief but tense moment.

Nott, however, was completely unbothered.

He reached out and gently pushed the door open, careful not to cause further damage to its fragile frame. The hinges creaked softly, protesting the movement, and then, one after the other the group entered.

They stepped into a lowly lit room, dim and suffocating. It looked like a place meant to house slaves once upon a time, bare stone walls, a faint stench of dampness, and nothing remotely fancy or comforting.

"This will be suitable for the night. Thank you, Nott," Shawn said, offering his gratitude to the Grey Knight.

Nott didn’t respond.

He merely stared ahead for a moment, silent and unmoving, before walking to the corner of the room closest to the door. There, he sat down, one knee raised, his posture rigid yet relaxed enough to suggest vigilance rather than rest.

He stayed there on guard.

Steven walked toward the farthest end of the room where a small bed rested against the wall. It was old and dilapidated, parts of its frame broken or missing, yet it still looked serviceable enough for resting.

Carefully, Steven placed Silva onto the bed.

Once she was settled, he sat down on the floor beside it, leaning his back against the cold stone wall. He exhaled slowly, finally allowing some of the tension to drain from his body.

Shawn soon joined them, walking over and dropping down beside Steven. He leaned back as well, his armor grinding against the wall as he shifted and struggled to find a comfortable position.

When he finally did, the room fell silent.

No one spoke.

Nothing happened within the group for what felt like hours, only the faint sounds of breathing and the distant, ominous quiet of the realm beyond the door.

Eventually, Silva broke the silence.

"Your knight... where did you get him from?" she asked, genuine curiosity lacing her voice.

Steven lingered for a moment before replying.

"It was a gift," he said at last. "From my Sponsor. To protect and guide me."

{Sponsor gasps in disbelief! You liar}

’Well, part of it isn’t a lie, so shut it!’

"That’s very much amazing," Silva replied with a faint smile.

"Yeah! You should’ve seen how Nott killed that Blood Burst," Shawn added eagerly. "It was totally badass! I wish I had a knight to protect and guide me."

Steven arched his gaze toward Shawn.

’Don’t go getting ideas of stealing him!’

"—Still," Silva interjected, catching their attention.

"Compared to Shadow Eaters, he’s nothing more than a Dreadling Rank," she continued calmly. "The only thing that must’ve kept him alive all this while should be his ability to fight so well."

Steven didn’t disagree.

So far, Nott had saved him through nothing but pure skill, experience, and terrifying efficiency in combat.

"I wonder what his story is," Silva finished, her eyes trailing toward Nott.

The Grey Knight sat in the corner, head slumped slightly, one hand resting on his raised knee as though he were asleep.

"Sorry, but he doesn’t talk," Steven cut in before her imagination could blossom further. "Hasn’t said a word since I got him."

Silva sighed softly.

"I guess it might be a test of time..."

Steven bit his lip slightly at her words.

He badly wanted to use Astral Chat, to read her conversation with her Sponsor and uncover the reason behind her interest in Nott. But now wasn’t the right time. She could sense him reading her.

’I’ll have to bypass whatever sight she possesses soon... I need to stay one step ahead of her,’ he thought.

"And you, Silva," Shawn said suddenly, leaning forward with interest. "How’s the realm been for you? I know you’ve faced a few Blood Bursts, but can I hear your story?"

He scratched his head awkwardly.

"I just like hearing about people’s experiences. It’s not like I’m trying to find out more about you or anything."

Silva nodded far faster than Steven expected.

’She probably read his thoughts...’ Steven noted. ’But I can’t prove that yet. She isn’t using any skills on me. I need to know her full capability of Fate perception, just in case the same situation as Drake arises.’

"Well," Silva began, "I appeared in a large hall with about three others. Many would think that was luck, but—"

"Let me tell a more interesting story instead," Steven interrupted, cutting into her words and stealing the attention of the room.

Silva didn’t react. Her expression remained blunt and unreadable.

Shawn, however, looked confused. This was the first time Steven had ever willingly offered to share information. He was usually evasive, avoiding conversations whenever possible.

"If that’s fine with you?" Steven asked, turning his gaze toward Silva.

She hesitated briefly, then nodded in acceptance.

With deliberate hesitation, Steven snapped his fingers.

Nott immediately rose from his seat and walked toward the group, stopping opposite Steven before sitting down. The Grey Knight opened his palm, and from it formed several small grey stones that floated into the air.

They glowed softly, illuminating the room and ushering away the darkness.

"Tonight," Steven said with a grin, "we’ll share the story of how I entered the First Realm... up to this point!"

He pointed at Nott.

Instantly, the Grey Knight summoned a stone tablet. On its surface appeared an illustration of Steven plummeting down from the heavens.

The scene stunned both Silva and Shawn.

Not only because Steven had fallen from the sky, but because of how detailed the drawing was. The colors, the shading, the sheer precision of the illustration...

It was out of this world. Truly magnificent.

Steven explained how he had spawned in midair and fallen from an incredible height, surviving only because of Nott’s timely intervention.

Shawn was utterly baffled.

Silva, however, stared at Nott and Steven with doubt etched into her eyes.

The story felt too unbelievable from the very beginning.

Still, she remained silent.

When Steven revealed that the entire kingdom was floating above layers of thick clouds, it shocked them even further.

It sounded absurd, yet knowing the nature of the realm, it wasn’t impossible.

Then Steven dramatically waved his hands as he described the Horrids.

Nott switched the tablet’s display, showing Steven and himself battling against a flock of Disaster Tablet Shadow Eaters.

At that moment, Silva’s expression changed.

Her eyes narrowed, suspicion blooming.

There was no way the story could be entirely true.

Two beings surviving a battle against a flock of Disasters? Even for a group of Awakened, the chances were near zero.

’It has to be a farce.’

Steven did exaggerate certain parts, but most of it was the truth.

And he told it for a reason.

He noticed Silva’s gaze linger on him.

{Ding!}

{Fate skill has been used on you: Truth Seeker!}

{Fateless skill has taken effect! You have blocked all effects of the skill}

{As a punishment for the user’s constant attempts to read your stats, you have gained access to see a few of hers}

Steven’s face paled.

’Whoa... I only expected it to block the skill.’

Then his grin widened internally.

’Jackpot.’

Stretching his arms into the air, he feigned exhaustion.

"I’m a bit sleepy, guys. Maybe we can continue some other time."

Shawn’s lips trembled in desperation.

"But it was just getting good!"

Steven winked at him.

"A good story needs suspense. Life wouldn’t be life if we got everything we wanted the moment we wanted it."

Shawn grumbled but didn’t voice his complaints.

Silva merely nodded. Though she hid it well, frustration simmered beneath the surface from failing to read Steven yet again. She lay down properly on the bed and turned her back to him.

Nott returned to his post and dismissed the glowing stones back into his space.

The room fell into darkness once more.

No one could see much, only the faint outlines of bodies in the gloom.

While the others tried to rest, Steven focused entirely on his system, a frenzied grin stretching across his face.

"I won’t make the same mistake I did with Drake... not with you," he whispered inwardly.

"Arrogant clan princess."

{Fate}

[Future Sight... Duration: Unknown]

[Truth Seeker... Duration: Unknown]

[Death Magnet... Duration: Unknown]

[Battle Sense... Duration: Unknown]

"Now I know your capabilities," Steven muttered silently.

"Let’s see who gets the last laugh."

{Your Sponsor worries about your mental health}