Nearby, the young girl, Tammy, looked at her mother anxiously. "Let us just find a corner to sit… even if they do not allow us to stay."
Her voice was soft, uncertain.
Her mother, Diana, shook her head immediately, her expression tense. "No. If we stay outside or fall behind, we will die from the cold."
Tammy hesitated before speaking again, "But… the temperature here feels controlled..."
Diana paused, realizing it as well.
Her expression darkened further.
"If that is true… then it is even worse," she murmured. "Places like this always require something in return. We may not be able to afford it."
Just as their conversation grew heavier, Ivy approached them.
"What is going on here?" she asked calmly.
The moment Diana saw her, clean, composed, and carrying an air of authority, her instincts kicked in immediately.
She pulled Tammy behind her protectively, her body tensing.
"It is like this," Diana began, her voice cautious but firm. "We are here seeking refuge."
