Revision: Cain -> Caina
Ever since Elsa left, our party felt like it had a hollow carved into it. The air hung heavier, conversations thinner, even the clink of spoons against bowls felt off somehow, like it knew someone was missing.
"...So what do we do now?"
Lilis was the one who finally broke the silence. Her voice wasn't its usual sing-song teasing—it was low, serious, with none of her trademark grin.
"For now, we should think about keeping the party running without Elsa," Caina said. She tried to sound cool and logical as always, but there was an edge underneath, irritation bleeding through. Her arms were crossed, and I caught the faint tremor at the tips of her fingers.
"But fighting without a warrior at the front line will be difficult. How do you propose we manage?" she pressed.
"That's not something we can decide so easily," Cecilia countered softly. Her words floated gentle, but the weight behind them was undeniable. "It was Elsa who allowed us to come this far~desuwa. Without her steady courage, without her calm in the heat of battle, there are many dangers we never would have survived." Her voice carried both deep respect and quiet pain.
"...Elsa said she needed time to think. But, I believe she'll come back," Lilis murmured, almost to herself.
"She'll... come back?" I repeated, unsure if I was trying to convince her or myself.
Lilis only shrugged, the corner of her lips twitching. "Well, she couldn't exactly hide it. She was overflowing with feelings for you, Leon. There's no way she can just walk off forever."
"...Maybe so," Cecilia said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "But until then, our priority is figuring out how we move forward as a party~desuwa."
I exhaled hard. Without Elsa, should we really keep going? A front line fighter couldn't be replaced so quickly, but forcing someone new in felt wrong.
—"I can only swing my sword, but you can leave the front to me."
Her words came back like a whisper in my skull.
Elsa, who always shielded us without a hint of hesitation. Who never once flinched, no matter how rough the fight. On our very first dungeon dive together, when our spells and arrows didn't land in time, she jumped right in, blade raised, taking the hit herself. "You're too reckless," I'd told her, and she'd just laughed a little, saying, "That's what warriors are for."
She was serious, awkward, sometimes stubborn, but above all she was the kind of warrior who put her comrades first. Without her... could we really move on?
I glanced down at my Smart Ring, thumb hesitating above the projection controls. The app could guide us, right? I should use it. And yet, something inside me stalled. Still, we needed to do something.
The moment I tapped it open—
[Error: Cannot connect to server.]
"...Huh?"
I tried again. Same error.
"Wait. The app's not working."
Lilis leaned over my shoulder, squinting at the screen. "No way. Let me check mine." She tapped hers open, but the same message flashed.
"Everyone, test yours," I said quickly.
Cecilia and Caina both tried. Their faces tightened as identical errors blinked across their rings.
"This doesn't make sense. I've never heard of the app just... crashing." Cain's frown deepened, her voice lowering. "If I had to guess... something happened server-side."
"But the timing is too suspicious for a simple glitch," Cecilia added, arms folding across her chest, her eyes clouding. "Elsa leaves, and just as we start thinking about filling the gap, this happens?"
"Feels like the devs are hiding something." Lilis' tone was sharper now, her grin gone.
Her words shut all of us up.
"...Are we just dancing in the palm of their hand?" I muttered. The doubt that had been gnawing at me now swelled toward certainty.
"Let's check with the other adventurers," Lilis suggested quickly. "If it's just us, then it's really bad. If it's everyone... then at least we'll know."
We scattered through the Guild, pulling aside a few people.
"Matching Adventure? Huh. I don't use it much. But yeah, mine wouldn't open earlier either."
"It's installed on my Smart Ring too. Same problem—I thought it was just my signal."
"I heard some weird rumors lately. People said the app was acting strange..."
The more we asked, the clearer it became. It wasn't just us. No one knew the details, but the problem was spreading.
"Something's definitely happening," Cecilia said, her tone grave. "Either the developers restricted us deliberately... or something worse."
"A random bug wouldn't hit right now, of all times," Lilis said, arms crossed tight, her brow furrowed as she chewed on the thought.
My chest twisted as I remembered the cutesy mascot message: "This is by design."
(Was this app ever fair from the start?)
"...Anyway, we need to organize what we know," I said, trying to gather the mess back into some shape. "If the app stays down, we need to plan for that. What's our next move?"
"Then it's both. We continue information gathering while preparing for reorganization," Cecilia replied steadily.
"Or," Lilis grinned, a spark of her old self flashing through, "we dig into the devs. Come on, doesn't this scream conspiracy?"
Caina actually nodded. "She might be right. Blind obedience will only make us weaker. It's time to peel back the curtain."
We weren't just users anymore. Somewhere along the way, we'd crossed that line.
That's when I noticed the crowd by the Guild's bulletin board. Voices buzzed sharp, unsettled.
"What's going on...?"
We pushed through, eyes landing on a new notice freshly tacked up.
[Important: Regarding the temporary suspension of 'Matching Adventure.']
"...Suspension?" I read aloud, the word heavy on my tongue.
"What the hell does that mean?" Lilis asked, her eyes wide as she stared at the parchment.
The truth was out in the open now. The app was broken, and everyone knew it.
And still, none of us could guess. This was just the beginning.
Notes:
• Cain - Calm, brilliant mage — the group's strategist and analyst. Uses lightning magic with precise, logical focus. Slender, silver hair, calm blue eyes. Reminder: Stoic thinker and precision spellcaster.
• Elsa - Proud red-haired warrior — once a frontline fighter, deeply trusts (and loves) Leon. Masters raw strength and combat. Tall, long crimson hair, fierce golden eyes. Reminder: Fierce protector, sharper after her return.
• Lilis - Agile rogue/thief — Leon's close friend and playful teaser. Strikes fast with twin daggers and vanishes into stealth. Petite, light-blonde hair, mischievous green eyes. Reminder: Playful trickster hiding sharp instincts.
• Cecilia - Gentle yet firm healer (v1c11) — Leon's emotional support and moral anchor. Wields holy healing and purification magic. Graceful, golden hair, violet eyes. Reminder: Kind priestess with hidden resolve.