Her head snapped between them.“…You both said that.”Her eyes narrowed slightly.Then slowly—She turned to Norka.“…You knew?”Norka met her gaze calmly.“Yes.”Karpeta’s breath caught.“…You knew this whole time?”“Yes.”A step back.Karpeta looked between them again.Shock.Real shock.“…The ‘secret place’…” she muttered. “…was the human world?”Silence.“…Wait.” Her voice sharpened. “…All this time… all the stories… the warnings… everything you’ve kept from me…”Ethan shifted uncomfortably. “…It’s complicated.”Karpeta blinked. “…Complicated? Complicated?! You brought me along to something you couldn’t tell me about? Something you knew I didn’t understand?”Norka’s expression remained calm, almost too calm. “…We couldn’t. Not until now.”Karpeta’s hands curled into fists. “…Couldn’t? Because?”“Because you wouldn’t have understood,” Ethan said quietly. “…Not fully. Not without seeing it for yourself.”She whipped her gaze to him. “…Not understood? Ethan, I’m not a child!”“I know

There it was.Out loud.Ethan didn’t look away.“…Yeah.”Her breathing hitched.“You’re actually—”“Yes.”“…And you lied to me.”That one hit harder.For a moment, Karpeta froze, her mind spinning faster than her heart. Betrayal knotted inside her chest, sharp and sudden. She had trusted him—so easily, almost foolishly—and now that trust felt like it had been yanked away from her. The weight of every shared day, every conversation, every small moment together pressed down on her.Ethan hesitated, caught in the storm of her gaze.“…I didn’t tell you.”“That’s the same thing!” Her voice rose, more than she intended, trembling on the edge between anger and disbelief.A few distant heads turned, but she didn’t notice. She couldn’t. Her thoughts were racing, spiraling, each one louder than the last.All this time… everything… I was walking around with a human and didn’t even know?The words burned in her mind. Shock, confusion, disbelief—all tangled together. And beneath it all… something

Meanwhile, Ethan guided Norka and Karpeta down a narrow, quiet street, the hum of the city fading behind them. “Don’t release your aura,” he said in a low voice. “Not even a hint.” Norka’s eyes flicked toward him, understanding immediately. “This world… it has its own watchers?” Ethan gave a slight nod, his gaze scanning the rooftops and alleyways as if he could already see them. “And they’re more organized than anything in the demon realm. Patient. Precise. Dangerous.” He pulled a small device from his pocket—a phone, ordinary at first glance but heavily modified. With practiced efficiency, he tapped out a single encrypted message. I’m back. Situation complicated. Need immediate cover. The reply came almost instantly: Location? Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he considered the risk, then he sent coordinates. ⸻ Ten minutes later, a sleek black vehicle rolled silently to a stop at the curb. The doors opened without a sound, and a young woman stepped out. Her attire was d

Night had fallen like a velvet curtain over the city, the streets quiet, the lamps flickering weakly in the wind. Ethan, Karpeta, and Norka had finally settled into a small, inconspicuous safehouse Elsa had arranged. The windows were shuttered, reinforced with wards and charms that pulsed faintly in the dark—barely perceptible to the naked eye.Ethan sat by the table, running his fingers over the phone, double-checking signals, scanning for any anomalies.“They’re close,” he murmured, his jaw tight.Karpeta leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, eyes narrowing. “You mean… really close?”Ethan didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he let silence stretch. The faintest hum of electricity from a nearby transformer filled the air, and the creak of the old building seemed unnaturally loud.Norka, seated on the edge of the bed, spoke finally, her voice calm but sharp. “They’ve found us. I can feel it. Whoever it is… they’re not amateurs.”Ethan’s eyes flicked to the street outside the wind

Karpeta didn’t slow down until she reached the room. The moment the door shut behind her— She let out a sharp breath. “…Unbelievable.” Norka, who had been sitting calmly a moment ago, looked up immediately. “…What happened?” Karpeta paced once. Twice. Hands running through her hair. “That woman—” Norka’s eyes narrowed slightly. “…The human?” “Yes, the human,” Karpeta snapped. “Elsa.” A pause. Norka straightened. “…What did she do?” Karpeta turned to her, frustration written all over her face. “I walked in and they were—” She stopped. Her jaw tightened. “They were hugging.” Norka blinked once. Then slowly— “…Hugging.” “Yes.” A beat. “Closely.” That was enough. Norka’s expression shifted. Cold. Dangerously so. “And?” Karpeta crossed her arms, trying to look composed. But failing. “She looked at me like I was some intruder.” Norka’s eyes darkened. “…Excuse me?” “And then she told me I should’ve knocked.” The room seemed to drop a few degrees. “She w