The dimness enveloped everything, but a soft blue light now radiated from Charles's body, illuminating the path they tread.

The sparks from his electric energy crackled faintly, casting dancing shadows on the rocky walls.

Nora followed behind Charles, her steps slow and cautious.

Though the wound on her back had been healed, she still felt an uncomfortable tingle in her skin.

The blue light Charles emitted was enough to see where she was stepping, and that made her feel a bit calmer.

Being in complete darkness in a cave like this was not something she wanted to relive.

Yet, as she trailed Charles's steps, her mind was elsewhere, caught in a whirlwind of thoughts she couldn't ignore.

'I don't understand any of this…' she thought, frowning as she stared at Charles's back.

At first, when she met him, she'd thought he was just an unlucky guy.

The lightning bolts that seemed to strike him at the oddest moments had felt like pure coincidence.

But now, after seeing him control those blue sparks, heal wounds with a touch, and defeat a giant snake with an electrified punch, it was clear it wasn't just bad luck.

There was something more—something that made her nervous.

Nora had two theories, neither particularly reassuring.

The first, and the one that worried her most, was that Rian might be a mage.

In the Storm Clan, the word "mage" wasn't just a title; it was a death sentence.

The rules were clear: mages were considered demons, selfish and cruel beings who used forbidden powers for their own ends.

If the clan discovered Rian had abilities like these, they wouldn't just investigate him—they'd come for everyone who'd interacted with him. Including her.

Nora swallowed hard, a knot forming in her stomach.

'If anyone finds out about this, I'm done for…' she thought.

The idea of a deep clan investigation made her shudder.

She could picture the elders interrogating her, demanding to know why she hadn't reported Rian the moment she saw his powers.

But at the same time, she couldn't ignore that he'd saved her life twice.

First in the lake, when she nearly drowned, and now with the snake.

If he was a mage, he didn't act like the monsters in the clan's stories.

That led to her second theory, one that sounded crazy even to her: Rian had been born with a natural talent for controlling the lightning element.

Not magic, but a rare gift, something the clan might not understand.

Nora had heard rumors of people with abilities even stranger than explosive fire control, but she'd never seen anything like it in person.

If true, it would explain a lot: the sparks, the way he healed his hand and her back, even his strength against the snake.

'But then, why does he talk to himself?' she thought, frowning again.

That was the biggest hole in her theory.

Rian muttered things when he thought no one was listening, like he was talking to someone invisible.

According to the stories, mages did that—supposedly speaking to spirits or demons that granted them power.

But Rian didn't fit that image.

He wasn't cruel or selfish.

In fact, he was the opposite.

Nora bit her lip, remembering the moment by the lake.

They'd been alone, sitting on the shore, the water glimmering under the moonlight.

Rian had been… different.

Not just because of his strength or abilities, but in how he spoke, how he looked at her.

There was something about him that made her feel at ease, even when she shouldn't.

'Come on, Nora,' she thought, shaking her head. 'Don't be stupid. You can't be into someone who might be a mage. That's asking for trouble.'

But she couldn't deny it.

There was something about Rian that intrigued her.

It wasn't just that he'd saved her life; it was how he acted, like he had nothing to prove yet still went out of his way to help her.

That wasn't something a mage would do, right?

The mages in the stories were cold, manipulative, inhuman.

Rian, on the other hand, was… well, human.

Nora sighed, trying to focus on the path.

Though her back was healed, she felt a deep exhaustion, as if the fight with the snake and the pain of the treatment had drained all her energy.

Suddenly, Charles stopped.

Nora nearly bumped into him, lost in her thoughts.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her tone sharper than intended.

Charles turned to her, his expression serious.

"You look exhausted," he said. "And you're walking like every step's killing you. Let me help."

Before Nora could respond, Charles stepped closer and, with a quick but careful motion, scooped her up in his arms, carrying her like a princess.

"Hey!" Nora exclaimed, her cheeks flushing. "What the hell are you doing, Rian?!"

Charles grinned, adjusting her in his arms to make her more comfortable.

"Why're you complaining?" he said, his tone teasing. "I'm helping you. This way you can rest a bit. It's not like you weigh much."

Nora glared at him, her eyes narrowing, clearly embarrassed.

Her face was red, and not just from the blue light illuminating them.

"I'm not complaining!" she said, crossing her arms to salvage some dignity. "It's just… the last time you carried me, we were in a safe place, and I was half-asleep. This is different. We're in a dark cave full of who-knows-what!"

Charles laughed, resuming his walk with her in his arms.

"Relax," he said. "You don't weigh a thing, and I owe you one. Remember when you carried me while we were running from the snake? This is only fair."

Nora opened her mouth to protest but sighed, giving in.

"Fine," she said, her tone resigned. "But you better not drop me again, Rian. Because if you do, I swear I'll hunt you down to the ends of the earth."

Charles burst out laughing, shaking his head.

"Don't worry," he said. "Now that I consider you a friend, I'm not letting anything happen to you."

Nora raised an eyebrow, repeating the word with a tone that sounded almost offended.

"Friend…?" she said, staring at him in disbelief. "Listen, if you want to be one hundred percent sure I'll take your secret to the grave, don't call me that."

Charles blinked, clearly confused.

"What?" he said, pausing for a moment to look at her. "What's wrong with that? I thought we were friends. I mean, after everything we've been through, aren't we?"

Nora huffed, looking away.

Her cheeks were still red, and she seemed to struggle for the right words.

"It's just… ugh, forget it," she said, crossing her arms again. "Just keep walking, genius. But I'm warning you: if you want me to keep your secret, don't slap the 'friend' label on me so easily. It's… complicated."

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