Morning light spilled through the inn's windows, soft and golden, the kind that usually made the start of a day feel a little gentler. For a moment, it was quiet. For a moment, I almost thought maybe yesterday's mess had just been a bad dream.
"...I'm leaving the party. For a while."
Elsa's low voice sliced through the calm like a knife.
We'd been halfway through breakfast, spoons clinking against bowls, the smell of bread and broth hanging in the air. All of it stopped at once. Even the surface of my soup quivered, the ripples loud in the silence that swallowed us.
"W-wait, what are you talking about, Elsa?!" I shot upright, nearly knocking over my chair. My words tumbled out too fast, desperate, but Elsa kept her eyes down. Her fists were clenched so hard on her lap her knuckles had turned pale. From behind her straight back, I could feel both hesitation and an iron sort of resolve leaking out.
"...I loved this party. Fighting together, laughing together... it meant everything. But before I knew it, all I could think about was you, Leon. And I hated myself for it." Her voice shook, and the sound twisted tight around my chest until I forgot how to breathe. Tick, tick, tick—the clock on the wall was the only one brave enough to keep speaking.
"And Cain... Cecilia... Lilis... if I stay, I'll only make things collapse."
Her words were quiet, but heavy. Cain just stared at her, no snide remark this time, no icy wall—just something raw flickering on her usually steady face. Cecilia lowered her eyes, letting out a sigh that seemed too calm for what she must have been feeling. "Perhaps... this is a trial from the gods after all."
"H-hey, hold on a second!" Lilis nearly tripped over her own chair as she jumped up, waving her arms around. "You can't just say that and walk off! It'll get super awkward for everyone! We're the strongest party—ending it here over this? That's just stupid!"
"...I know," Elsa whispered, her voice trembling but her eyes steady now. "That's why I need to leave. Just for a while. I have to face myself."
"Face yourself?" I asked, my throat dry. She nodded, slow but certain.
"This app brought us together, but... is that really right? Who do I actually want to fight beside?" Her gaze slid toward me for a breath, then away again. "I need distance. I need time."
I stood, placing a hand on her shoulder, almost afraid it would shatter under my touch. "Elsa, don't. You don't have to do this. We're comrades. Even if things change, we can still fight together—"
She pressed my hand back, gentle but firm. "...I'm sorry, Leon. I've already decided."
That's when it happened.
My app chimed.
[Notification: This event is working as intended.]
On the glowing screen, the cutesy mascot character beamed, lifting its tiny magic wand as glittering star-dust spilled into the air like a stage performance. Its fluffy ears twitched twice, pink ribbon bobbing like it was dancing along, and it chirped in a cheerful voice, "Don't worry! Everything's fine—it's all by design!"
The little fluffball waved both hands like a cheerleader, bounced a step forward, then finished with a polite bow, fur swaying with the movement. It looked adorable. And absolutely terrifying.
"...Huh?" I croaked.
Over my shoulder, Lilis peeked at the screen and instantly burst out laughing. "No way—wait—'by design'?! What does that even mean?!"
Cain's brow tightened as her eyes narrowed on the app. "...So the situation we're in... is because of its influence?"
"That can't be..." Elsa whispered, stunned, staring like the floor had just crumbled under her feet. "From the start... this was all decided?"
Cecilia's voice dropped soft, almost bitter. "If so, then it isn't fate. It's manipulation."
"Yeah, like I've been saying," Lilis muttered, folding her arms with a mischievous grin creeping back. "The devs are pulling strings. Totally rigged."
I couldn't speak. My throat was dry, my head ringing. Were all our fights, our bonds, our stupid arguments... were they just scripted? A scenario forced on us?
Before I could form the words, Elsa turned, her steps already heading for the door. "I'm going to look into this. On my own."
"What?" My voice cracked.
"If I'm away from the party, maybe I'll see something new. Maybe I'll find out the truth." She glanced back only once, eyes set with that same quiet resolve. "If I learn anything... I'll come back to you."
Then she was gone, her footsteps fading into the hall.
I stood frozen, my fists tight, the door still swinging in her wake.
"...Leon, are you alright?" Cecilia's voice brushed at me, soft, careful, but I could only exhale, long and bitter.
"This is... really 'by design'?" The words burned. My chest ached with the anger that this app, this ridiculous thing, had toyed with us, with everything we built.
"Then let's dig deeper," Lilis said, serious now as her fingers tapped across her own screen. "We never bothered to question it, but there's gotta be something off. A weak spot. A clue."
Cain gave a sharp nod. "She's right. The app's sway has gone too far. We've let it control us. That has to end."
"...Whether we can bring Elsa back or not, the truth must be uncovered." Cecilia's voice was calm, but her eyes gleamed with the same determination stirring in me.
I sucked in a deep breath, then let it out slow. "Yeah. No more leaning on this app. From here on, we fight for ourselves."
And just like that, suspicion and resolve bound together inside us. The first step toward tearing away the curtain the devs had hidden behind. The first step to finding out if any of what we had was truly ours.