Back at the halls, Baek Dae-Won and Raphael walked in silence. Their footsteps echoed against the walls, steady and slow. The quiet between them wasn't uncomfortable, just filled with things left unsaid. Raphael, blindfolded as always, moved beside him with calm precision, ears twitching at the slightest sound.
Time passed like that, unhurried.
Eventually, Baek Dae-Won turned left down a narrow corridor. Raphael followed without needing to ask.
They entered a small, dusty library. The air smelled like paper and time. Shelves loomed around them, weighed down by books that hadn't been touched in years.
Raphael paused, his head tilted slightly. "I thought we were supposed to meet him somewhere else," he said quietly.
"We are," Baek Dae-Won replied, voice calm, unreadable.
He approached a shelf tucked close to the far wall, ran his fingers along the spines, then stopped at a red book. He pulled it halfway out. A soft click broke the stillness. The shelf split cleanly down the middle, revealing a spiral staircase lit by faint blue crystals embedded into the walls.
Baek Dae-Won didn't hesitate. "Be careful," he said, glancing back at Raphael.
Raphael frowned. "Why?"
"It might get dangerous."
Raphael let out a slow breath, his voice edged with dry sarcasm. "Of course it will." He stepped onto the stairs behind him.
As soon as he did, the shelf behind them shut with a quiet thud, sealing them in. The crystal lights along the stairs pulsed slightly, like they had a life of their own.
"Coming," Baek Dae-Won said from a few steps below.
Raphael didn't answer right away. His jaw tightened. Then he kept moving.
The deeper they went, the more sounds began to drift upward.
"I said give me one potion, Elias. Just one. Is that so hard?" a girl's voice rang out, sharp and fast.
"No, Kaya. It's not hard. It's reckless. That formula will destabilize the golem's core," a boy replied, his voice clipped, controlled.
"Oh please," Kaya snapped. "You're always overthinking it. That's why it takes you forever to do anything."
"I'm overthinking it because I actually want to keep this place intact."
There was a loud clatter, like something metal had hit the floor.
"Help! Someone, help! Nooooxxx!" the boy yelled, the tension cracking in his voice.
"Stop calling Nox!" Kaya shouted back. "Just give me the potion and no one gets hurt!"
At the bottom, they stepped into a cluttered chamber dimly lit by flickering lanterns. The room was a mess of books, tools, broken gears, and loose scrolls. In the middle of it all, Kaya, her electric-blue hair wild and eyes sharp like fire, had Elias pinned to the floor. He clutched a green potion bottle close to his chest, fingers locked tight.
"Kaya, get off!" Elias struggled, voice strained. "You're going to break it!"
"Then give it to me!" Kaya snapped, her tone sharp and relentless. "You're wasting time!"
"I'm protecting the lab, you maniac!" he shouted back.
The bottle slipped. Time seemed to pause for a second. Then it hit the floor and shattered.
Green liquid hissed as it hit stone, steam curling upward. Both of them froze.
Raphael leaned slightly toward Baek Dae-Won. "This normal?"
Baek Dae-Won gave a faint nod. "More than I'd like."
Elias shoved Kaya off and scrambled up, his face twisted in frustration. "That potion took forever. It was stable. It was finished."
Kaya stood and brushed herself off without looking at him. "Forever? That was ten minutes of stirring and muttering. You've got more anyway."
"That's exactly why I didn't give it to you. I knew you'd waste it!"
Elias was about to go on, but Baek Dae-Won cleared his throat softly.
Both of them stopped and turned.
"Hello, Kaya. Elias," he said, his voice steady and low.
Kaya's face lit up instantly. "Baek Dae-Won!" She bounced forward and threw her arms around him with no hesitation. "What brings you to my sanctuary?"
Elias crossed his arms and muttered under his breath. "Sanctuary. Right."
"I wasn't talking to you," Kaya snapped without looking back.
Baek Dae-Won stepped out of the hug and straightened his coat. "I brought someone to meet Old Man Wǔ." He nodded once in Raphael's direction.
Kaya's eyes caught on Raphael, her expression changing in a flash. She lit up with a mischievous grin. "Ooooh. And who's this?" She started circling him like she was inspecting a shiny new weapon. "Where are you from? What do you do? Can you see through that blindfold? Wait. What's your name?"
"Kaya," Baek Dae-Won said, just loud enough.
She stopped in place and laughed. "Okay, okay. I got excited." She offered her hand with a grin. "I'm Kaya. You?"
"…Raphael," he replied, voice cool, unreadable.
Elias gave a lazy wave from the side. "Hi. Elias."
Raphael gave him a short nod, saying nothing.
Baek Dae-Won looked around. "Where's Old Man Wǔ?"
"Busy," Elias answered quickly.
Kaya snorted. "He's arguing with the golem again. I'll show you. You'll love it. He throws tools when he's mad." She turned and strode ahead.
Elias groaned and followed. "You know he hates being interrupted."
"Then keep up and don't talk so much, E.L.I.A.S." Kaya dragged out his name like it was a joke.
Raphael glanced at the still-smoking remains of the potion on the floor. He gave a quiet shake of his head and followed them in.
Kaya bumped her elbow into Baek Dae-Won's arm. "So. How's the weapon? Still got that shine?"
"Functional," he replied without looking at her.
Kaya scoffed. "Come on. That's boring. I want flames. Sparks. Drama."
Elias muttered, not quite under his breath, "It's not even that good."
Kaya whirled on him. "And what do you know, coward?"
"I'm not a coward," Elias shot back, his voice suddenly sharp. "That's why I didn't give you the potion."
Kaya smirked. "You think that stops me? I always get what I want."
Up ahead, a voice boomed through the walls.
"Bad! Why you no work? Move, stupid rock! You turn now…yes, yes, turn! Ai-yah! Failure! You waste my time!"
Kaya burst into laughter. "Oh, yep. He's in full meltdown."
Elias groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "This is going to be a disaster. We should wait. Or turn around."
"No," Baek Dae-Won said quietly, already walking.
They entered the workshop, a cavernous space filled with layered chaos. Tables groaned under piles of half-assembled weapons, twisted wires, glowing potions, and metal parts. Strange sparks drifted in the air, and tools buzzed with residual energy. In the center of it all, a hulking stone golem stumbled around clumsily, each movement shaking the floor beneath them.
An old dwarf stood planted before it, short and stocky with a long silver beard that twitched with every word. His robes were stained and patched. Face flushed red, he pointed a thick wood at the golem with trembling fury.
"Why you so stupid, ah?! I say move right! Not fall left! Turn! Like this!" He stomped in a circle, mimicking the move with a limp.
A sleek black panther beastkin zipped around the golem, making sharp gestures with its paws, dodging the golem's erratic swings like it was routine.
"You shame my name!" the dwarf roared. "Wǔ Zhìyuàn is master of forge! And you? You big stupid stone with no brain!"
The air around them pulsed with his anger. Sparks flew from the nearby table, something clicked too loudly, and the golem knocked over a bucket of shimmering liquid.
Kaya nearly doubled over, her laugh full and unapologetic. "This is the best thing I've seen all week."
Elias looked like he was mentally calculating how to disappear without drawing attention. "This is... not ideal. He's never going to listen in this mood."
Baek Dae-Won stepped forward, quiet but steady. His expression didn't change, but he scanned the room once, taking it all in.
Raphael, standing beside him, kept his posture neutral. He tilted his head slightly, tracking the sound with calm focus.