Sylvain lay in the massive master bed for what felt like hours, staring at the ceiling as tears continued to fall. The gentle care Silas had shown him earlier only made the emptiness dull. He finally sat up, heart pounding with a desperate, reckless decision.
"I can't just wait here," he whispered to the empty room, voice hoarse from crying. "Leon is suffering… bleeding… because of me. I have to do something even if it's stupid. Even if Silas kills me for it."
He wiped his face roughly and slipped out of bed. The house was quiet — Silas was still out. Sylvain moved like a shadow, pulling on dark clothes and sneakers. He glanced at his phone. The countdown was still ticking.
2 days, 16hours, 47 minutes.
"I have to try," he muttered. "Father's old house… maybe something was left behind. Maybe the COD 164 file is still there. I have to find it for Leon's sake."
