The soft hum of magical equipment echoed faintly through the rebuilt lab. Beakers bubbled quietly, and newly repaired arcane sigils glowed dimly across the floor. But amidst the sterile calm, a sense of warmth lingered.
Shin stepped into the lab and paused at the doorway.
Inside, he found the members of Silver Star already present. Rein offered a respectful nod.
"Shin," Rein said. "Good to see you. We stopped by to check on Shuri. She hasn't been herself lately... but today feels different. She's focused."
"Back to her usual self, honestly," Silvyi added with a faint smile.
"She didn't even say hi," Elin huffed, arms crossed as she watched the alchemist. "She's been reading and scribbling since we got here. Didn't even blink."
"She's in a zone," Silvyi added, observing from the side with her usual cool elegance. "We were debating if we should poke her with a wand."
"Or just knock something over," Lysa grinned. "That always works."
Faren smirked faintly. "I bet she didn't even hear us come in."
Shin walked toward the desk. "Shuri-san".
With a deep breath, Elin stepped forward and raised her voice cheerfully. "Shuri-tan~! You have a visitor!"
Shuri blinked and looked up, eyes wide as if waking from a trance. "Wha—wait. When did you all get here?"
Everyone let out a collective sigh, with Elin giggling softly.
"We've been here a while," Rein said, amused. "But you looked like you were unraveling the world's secrets, so we gave you space."
"I… may have gotten absorbed," Shuri muttered.
Shin stepped closer. "Do you have the report?"
Shuri nodded and turned toward the freezing chamber. "Yes. I was just finalizing it."
She opened the chamber and carefully pulled out the glowing vial of green liquid. Elin and Faren moved closer to observe, curiosity in their eyes.
Shuri began. "This substance was definitely created through a mix of alchemy and dark magic. Its effect is potent—beyond anything conventional."
Silvyi raised an eyebrow. "In what way?"
"It functions as an extreme suppressant. It numbs all sensation—pain, emotion, even thought processes. The victims remain conscious but lose all will. They see, but they don't respond."
Rein's expression turned grim. "So the captives were being turned into… husks."
Shin nodded. "Darius's deciphered documents back that up. They were trying to erase emotion to create obedient, fearless soldiers."
Lysa clenched her fists. "That's inhuman…"
"That explains why the infirmary's packed," Lysa muttered, brows furrowed. "I saw it. The healers were desperate."
Faren's eyes narrowed. "How long would someone last in that state before their mind breaks entirely?"
"We don't know," Shuri replied. "But I believe I can develop a counteragent… if I can study some of the afflicted people firsthand."
Shin nodded slowly. "I'll speak with the medical head. It won't be easy, but I'll push for access. If it's approved, I'll come pick you up this evening."
Shuri blinked, a bit flustered. "You… you don't have to go out of your way. I can walk."
Shin simply replied, "It's safer this way." Then with a short nod, he turned to leave. "See you later."
She looked down, slightly flustered, but nodded. "Alright… thank you."
As Shin turned and made his way to the door, the room was quiet—until it closed behind him.
Then Lysa turned, grinning. "He really trusts you, huh?"
Elin clapped her hands together softly. "He was so gentle with his words too. You're important to him."
"I-It's just work," Shuri insisted, avoiding their gazes.
Silvyi gave a rare chuckle. "Of course. Nothing says professional like personally escorting you in the evening."
Faren added dryly, "And here I thought Shin didn't have time for anything personal."
Rein, smiling faintly, folded his arms. "Well, if anyone's earned his respect, it's Shuri."
Shuri buried herself in her notes again. "I'm going to freeze this room if you keep talking."
They laughed quietly, the tension lifted for a moment—just enough before the next storm.
Scene 2: Office of the Guildmaster
The soft rustle of parchment and occasional clink of ceramic mugs were the only sounds in the dimly lit guildmaster's office. The table before Darius and Vel was covered in old, yellowed scrolls, faded reports, and royal records—some written in archaic shorthand.
Darius was focused, eyes narrowing behind his glasses as he flipped through another tome. Vel, however, leaned lazily against his chair, flipping a pen between his fingers, his eyes half on the document and half staring out the window.
"You're not even reading," Darius muttered, not looking up.
"I'm… thinking," Vel replied vaguely. "Reading through centuries of political nonsense isn't as fun as people think."
Darius rolled his eyes and turned another page—then stopped. His eyes lit up.
"Wait—this… this is it," he said, sitting up straighter. "Vel, look at this!"
Vel raised an eyebrow and finally leaned in, curiosity piqued.
At that moment, the door opened and Shin entered, calm and composed as always. He gave both men a brief nod.
Vel smiled. "Perfect timing. We found something important—actually, Darius did. I was just here for moral support."
Darius shot him a glance. "Very moral of you. Anyway… Shin, listen to this."
He tapped a specific document, pulling it closer. "There was a mage—an alchemist by structure, but his power was rooted in dark magic. He used magic to alter bodily functions, suppress pain, and… experiment on unwilling human subjects. This was over fifty years ago."
Shin's brow furrowed. "I've never heard of anyone like that."
"You wouldn't," Darius replied. "He was erased from most public records after being executed by the Crown. He used to be a professor at the Royal Academy, but his experiments crossed too many lines—even for war mages."
Vel frowned. "Executed, huh… And you think someone's using his techniques now?"
Darius nodded. "If not him—then someone who studied under him. A student, perhaps. It lines up. The methods match what Shuri discovered."
Shin glanced at Vel. "Do you remember anything from that time? Maybe a rumor, or a name?"
Vel tapped the edge of the desk with his knuckles, eyes narrowing in thought. After a moment, he shook his head.
"No… nothing specific. Fifty years ago, I was still wandering. I spent four decades moving between continents, chasing dungeons, slaying monsters, and getting into trouble. I only returned to this country when I… had to settle down."
Shin raised an eyebrow. "Had to?"
Vel smirked. "Another story for another time."
Darius glanced between them. "So… you're saying you might have completely missed this entire era?"
"Probably," Vel replied. "Back then, I didn't care about academies or political scandals. I cared about ancient ruins and dragon bones."
Darius sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "And how old are you again?"
Vel shrugged. "Two hundred and something? I lost count after my hundred and ninety-fifth birthday. Elves live long. Get over it."
Shin exhaled, pacing for a moment before speaking again. "This masked group—they're building on old dark knowledge. Which means if we dig deeper, there must be a trail. People, places… maybe even old labs."
Vel nodded, his expression sharpening. "We need to find a connection. A name, a location… anything that'll lead us to them. They've hidden well so far—but they'll have left something behind."
The room fell silent for a moment, all three staring at the documents, their thoughts aligned.