Hansol whispered,"This isn't a rule of the game."
Raditia nodded slowly."It's a human rule."
Kazuhiro stood leaning against the wall, silent.His gaze was fixed on no one—but on the pattern formed by distance, whispers,and half-trusting glances.
"Aoi warned us about this," he said at last."Those who are convinced they are saving others…will stop asking questions."
Raditia turned sharply."Wait," he said."Who are you? Why are you suddenly warning us about something like that?"
Silence fell for a moment.Not because there was no answer,but because the answer had finally decided to come out.
The woman took a short breath."My name is Sira Aoi," she said."And I warned you because I'm suspicious."
"Suspicious of what?" Hansol asked.
Aoi lowered her gaze briefly, then lifted her face again."Suspicious of whether all of this is still a game," she said,"or whether it's not a game at all—but rather we are the ones who have changedfrom being left without boundaries for too long."
The sentence wasn't loud.Yet its impact spread slowly,like a thin crack in glass that is only noticedwhen light finally hits it.
Kazuhiro frowned.He didn't argue.Nor did he agree.
In his mind, one thought kept looping endlessly:Since when did everyone begin drifting apartwithout anyone telling them to?
He couldn't tell when trust had collapsed.Or perhaps—it collapsed too slowly to be noticed.
The hall lights hummed softly.And without anyone announcing anything,