Varkesh never exaggerated Noah’s actions, nor did he attempt to lessen the responsibility carried by his own party.

As the story continued, Varkesh gradually found himself paying less attention to the memories themselves and more attention to the people listening.

Paul visibly relaxed when Varkesh described Noah attempting to avoid a fight.

Amara’s eyes sparkled with a strange sense of worship.

Even Ishii released a breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding.

The three of them looked almost relieved.

Relieved that the Noah they remembered still existed somewhere beneath everything he had become.

That reaction alone told Varkesh something important.

Whatever relationship they shared with Noah, it wasn’t built upon fear.

Unfortunately, not everyone reacted the same way.

Bailey’s expression gradually became harder to read.

Every time Varkesh explained another attempt Noah made to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, she seemed to grow increasingly irritable.

At first, Varkesh believed she simply found the story difficult to accept.

Yet the longer he watched her, the less certain he became.

It almost looked...

Disappointing.

As though she had expected something else. Or perhaps wanted something else.

Even Alicia, who had remained mostly silent throughout the discussion, frowned ever so slightly at Bailey’s reactions.

Jasmine was the only one who was more focused on Varkesh. Her brows were twitching almost the entire time.

Something didn’t sit right with her, yet she was trying her hardest not to show.

That was the moment Varkesh realized he had made a mistake.

He had let himself be taken by their story, believing they all stood on the same side.

However, they stood divided all this time.

The realization quietly extinguished the hope that had begun growing inside him.

These people weren’t nearly as close to Noah as he first imagined.

If they couldn’t even agree on the kind of person Noah was, then how could they possibly convince him to release Gwen?

From that moment onward, Varkesh became considerably more careful.

When the story eventually reached Gwen’s transformation, he deliberately stopped short of revealing everything.

He spoke about her becoming a monster.

He spoke about his intention to return for her once he became strong enough.

He even admitted that the demon had allowed him to leave in the hope that the city would eventually send stronger people into the forest.

But he never once mentioned that he was allowed inside their den. Nor did he reveal the truth behind the mission Noah had given him.

His eyes shifted before they steadied with acceptance to just do what he was already planning to do.

If he made himself useful, perhaps Noah, that demon, would treat him with the same sincerity and trust as he does with the others.

That way, Gwen could still achieve her dreams. And he could be there right by her side.

—

That small glint, which came and went, went unnoticed by the others.

However, Paul picked up on it. It was a look he recognized, as if he were looking into a mirror.

It was the look of someone who had already made a decision they intended to carry alone.

The look of someone who had accepted whatever price they would eventually have to pay.

If protecting the people precious to him required sacrificing his own future, then he would do it without hesitation.

He had proven that multiple times. And he had shown that he would even become a monster to ensure that everyone else survived.

The room gradually fell silent again.

No one seemed particularly eager to continue speaking.

The questions they arrived with had already been answered, and whether those answers were enough to settle their disagreement was no longer something Varkesh could help with.

Paul quietly noticed the way the tigerkin’s gaze had begun drifting elsewhere.

Varkesh’s thoughts were no longer with them.

Whatever he had decided for himself, they had no reason to pry. Even if they did, Paul didn’t believe that the tigerkin would share it.

"I think... we got what we came for," Paul spoke up before the silence went on for too long.

"I don’t think that we’re done." The warm moment was disrupted by Bailey’s voice as she hurried to say what was on her mind.

"Something still doesn’t make sense."

"If Noah truly wanted to be left alone, then why send you back?"

The more she thought about everything Varkesh had told them, the more it reminded her of the shopping mall.

Back then, Noah didn’t have to let Fenrir turn those people into those things that led to Paul becoming infected.

He chose to let the beast do it purposely as he "defended" himself. And then everyone else suffered the consequences afterward.

Now it is happening again. But this time, an entire city was liable to suffer.

The pattern was becoming increasingly difficult for Bailey to ignore.

"There has to be something we’re missing."

"There has to be a reason he wanted you to come back."

"He had to know exactly what would happen once you returned."

"He had to know the guild would eventually send more people."

"So why?"

"Why deliberately create another battle?"

Her brows gradually drew together. Her attention remained fixated on Varkesh.

When the tiger couldn’t meet her gaze. She knew that he was hiding more.

"I don’t think you’ve told us everything."

Varkesh didn’t answer. It would seem as though she was close to the truth. But he didn’t know what the truth was.

For all he knows, Noah was indeed an evil monster setting a trap to kill people, using the act of defending himself as the spring.

Or he could be doing it to set an example to prevent anyone else from ever having thoughts about attacking him ever again.

Before Bailey could press any further, a large hand quietly settled upon her shoulder.

She immediately knew who it belonged to.

"We didn’t come here... to make an enemy."

Paul’s voice was as heavy as it was calm.

"We’re asking him to tell us things... he has no reason to trust us with."

Bailey turned toward him. It widened her eyes, betraying her emotions. Her expression was closely similar to shock, but to Paul, all he saw was someone anxious from fear.

"You’re really willing to leave like this?"

"I am." Paul met her eyes without looking away. His response was made without a second thought.

She searched his expression for even the slightest hesitation, only to see a man who was resolute with his choice.

It reminded her why she was arguing so desperately in the first place.

She wasn’t trying to protect the city.

She was trying to protect him.

Ever since Noah promised that one day he would return for Paul, that promise had lingered inside her mind.

Every second of every day was spent dreading that forsaken day. Her dreams were held hostage by the day Paul would be taken from her.

And just like Ailetta, he would look at her with those same cold, unattached eyes.

She couldn’t lose Paul, too.

Paul understood her fears.

That was precisely why he couldn’t allow them to decide what to do next while standing inside another person’s room, demanding answers that Varkesh had every right to keep for himself.

"We have to show sincerity..."

He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"...if we expect to receive it in return."

"For now..."

His eyes briefly shifted toward Varkesh, giving him a slight nod.

"...we’re done."

Bailey wanted to argue. The words had already reached the back of her throat.

Then she noticed everyone else.

None of them looked frustrated that she wanted more answers. If anything...

They pitied her.

That realization quietly stole the strength from her voice.

Her shoulders slowly slumped before she finally looked away. Their gaze hurt her in more ways than one.

It made her feel as if she didn’t belong. And at the same time, it made her realize that no one else had a problem with Noah taking Paul away.

Maybe it was because of those thoughts that she instinctively reached to hold onto the fabric of Paul’s shirt, but ended up clasping around the robust hair around his arm instead.

"...O-okay...." Instead of acceptance, the confirmation sounded rather defeated.

Bailey’s earlier outburst made it difficult to rekindle the somewhat friendly connection they had established.

It was only when Paul apologized for Bailey’s insensitive questions and for leading her out the door that the tension gradually lifted.

Only then did Ishii step forward before lowering himself into a respectful bow.

"Mr. Varkesh, thank you for hearing us out and accommodating our selfish request."

"I know today couldn’t have been easy for you."

"And for all its worth..."

A faint smile appeared across the young man’s face as he straightened himself.

"I’m glad that someone like you was able to live."

Ishii never realized how deeply those words struck the beastkin.

Varkesh’s eyes went wide as he stood there with the most blank gaze.

After just being questioned earlier that day about why he was the one who survived.

And then those who directly told him that he should’ve been the one who died...

The young man standing before him, a complete stranger, was the only one who was happy that he was alive.

Even when he met Gwen after becoming a monster, not even she had told him that...

Varkesh slowly lowered his head as he held back the tears of both joy and solitude.

If he could’ve met humans like this one, he felt that his view of the world may have been different.