Oriana had made her decision. There was no surprise there. Of course she would stay with Orion. No one knew him better than she did, and no doubt she had her reasons. Her loyalty wasn't blind.
Tave had his reasons too.
In truth, he had finally agreed with the idea of splitting the team, at least for now. It wasn't about trust. It was about control, about minimizing risk. He didn't feel safe putting his life in the hands of people he barely knew.
The only ones he had any real grasp of were Lily, Oriana, and Orion, but for entirely different reasons. Lily, he knew through the lingering memories of the old Tave. Memories that came with emotion, with warmth, with a sense of belonging.
But Oriana and Orion? He knew them because he had written them. They were characters from a story he created. Personalities he had shaped. Flaws he had designed. That gave him an edge, however small. And in a Rift like this, that edge might be the only thing that kept him alive.
Oriana was still watching him. Waiting.
So were the others.
And the silence spoke louder than anything.
Two children of the City Lord, and neither could win the trust of their team. The truth was painfully clear: it wasn't Oriana they feared.
It was Orion.
The arrogance. The volatility. The violence still hanging in the air from moments ago.
And so, Tave nodded once.
He stepped forward, quietly, and passed by Lily without a word. He walked until he stood beside Oriana. She didn't react outwardly, but her eyes followed him. Her posture shifted just slightly.
Behind him, Lily hesitated. Then, wordless, she followed, and came to stand beside him once again.
"I choose Lady Oriana's side," Tave said calmly. "So I'll follow the path she sets."
Across the clearing, Elias gave a faint smile. He turned his gaze toward Lily, and the unspoken request hung in the air: half of the cores.
Without resistance, Lily reached into her storage and pulled out the glowing monster cores they had recovered. With a smooth motion, she tossed them to the opposing group. One of the members caught them mid-air before tucking them away.
Elias gave a small, respectful bow toward Oriana and the others.
"Thank you for your fairness, Lady Oriana," he said. "I hope we can work together during the boss phase. Once this mess has been resolved."
Orion said nothing. But the rage smoldered visibly beneath his skin.
Then, without another word, Elias and his three companions turned their backs and began to walk away, disappearing deeper into the Rift's scorched terrain.
The team had been split!
"I'll kill them all," Orion muttered, the first words he spoke since the others left.
Oriana, her posture already rigid with tension, spun on her heel to face him. "You! How long are you going to cling to this idiotic pride and stubbornness?!"
"How dare you call me idiotic, Oriana?!" Orion barked. "You know how talented I am!"
"You are talented," she snapped, "but all you know is how to fight. You never use your brain properly."
"I have a brain," Orion growled, stepping forward. "Which is exactly why I wanted to kill that garbage before you interfered. Now you've let him walk away. I won't let that happen again."
"And that's how you ended up murdering one of our own team members?"
"That ridiculous accusation again?" Orion's eyes flared. "How dare you accuse me of spilling the blood of a useless worm? He wasn't even worth my time!"
Tave and Lily stood a few steps back, silent observers as the two children of the city lord erupted into a shouting match. Their voices clashed like steel, cutting into each other, louder, sharper. Neither willing to step down until one broke the rhythm.
And then, suddenly, they both turned.
Their gazes landed squarely on Tave and Lily.
"Why did you join our side?" Oriana and Orion demanded at the exact same time.
Tave blinked.
Oh, now you remember we're here.
"That should be my question," Orion added. "I'm the squad leader."
"Shut up!" Oriana hissed at him instantly.
Tave looked between them and sighed, already regretting this entire expedition.
If nothing else, Tave knew one thing: this situation had to be used to his advantage.
Orion and Oriana weren't just strong, they were influential. That much, he understood. Aligning himself with them, at least for now, increased his odds of surviving the Rift. Especially if he played this right. Knew when to show deference, when to speak, when to stay in the background, and most importantly… when to flatter.
This was survival. Not pride.
And survival demanded strategy.
Lily spoke first.
"Lord Orion. Lady Oriana," she said with a respectful dip of her head. "Forgive me. I only made my choice because my brother did. I… honestly don't know what really happened back there. But if I had to choose a side, I at least want to be with my brother."
Oriana sighed at Lily's response. "You've only made yourself sound like you chose the same path for the exact same reason I did."
Orion scoffed. "Tch. Like I needed either of you. I can finish this Rift alone if I have to."
"Can you just shut up for one moment?" Oriana snapped. "You've tested my patience more than enough today, Orion."
Then she turned toward Tave, her eyes narrowing slightly. Calculating. Curious.
"What about you?" she asked.
Tave took a breath.
He could feel the heat of the moment. His thoughts spun like cogs under pressure, mapping every potential outcome, every possible power dynamic. How to position himself. How to survive. How to win, if winning was even possible here.
And then, with deliberate calm, he answered.
"Lady Oriana," he began, voice even, eyes steady.
"Forgive me," Tave began, his tone composed but respectful. "I may be a beginner, but I've tried to assess the team as best I can."
He paused for just a moment, eyes scanning the group before continuing.
"With what I've seen, I believe Lord Orion brings immense damage output. He's capable of functioning not only as a frontline melee fighter, but also as a form of defender. His power allows him to strike hard while still sustaining himself. Almost like a built-in self-healing function."
He didn't glance toward Orion, but caught the man's reaction regardless. A brief flick of the head as Orion turned away, offering nothing in response.
"And Lily, my sister, can support us with debuffs and her water elemental affinity. She can help to optimize the overwhelming fire damage of Lord Orion's attacks, softening monsters' resistance and enhancing the team's overall output."
From the corner of his eye, Tave noticed Oriana's brows lift.
"You've got a decent eye for analysis," she said, a little surprised.
Tave dipped into a short, polite bow. "To complete the formation, I'll stay within my scout role. I can map the terrain, keep an eye on threats, and provide early warnings when needed. And you, Lady Oriana, with your magic sword style, can bridge both physical combat and elemental casting with ease. It rounds the team perfectly."
This time, he didn't miss it, the subtle shift in her expression.
That hardened tension in her eyes softened, if only slightly.
That's all it took?A single round of sincere praise?
He hadn't expected her to react this easily.
But he wasn't done yet.
"One more thing, Lady Oriana," Tave added, his voice dipping slightly, steady and sincere. "Your decision to split the team, despite the tension. It was the right call. Smart. The best choice for a situation like this."
It wasn't flattery. It was honest.
And it landed exactly where it needed to.
Oriana blinked once, her posture shifting just a hair. A nod. Then, almost against her will. A faint smile pulled at the corner of her lips.
"Well… obviously," she muttered, eyes darting to the side. "I am capable of making rational decisions, you know."
Then she paused, crossed her arms, tight.
"But seriously, don't make a habit of it," she added, voice quickening, cheeks just barely flushing. "Complimenting me like that. It's annoying. I don't like being… flattered. Or whatever that was."
There it was.
Classic.
Finally, her tsundere side showed up in full!
"Ahem," Oriana cleared her throat, the sharp edge in her voice returning. "Now we should focus on finding a place to rest and recover."
Without waiting for a response, she spun on her heel and marched away, chin high, clearly trying to reclaim her usual composure.
She made it a few steps.
Then stopped.
Turned.
And let out a sharp breath as she realized her sword was still lying on the ground.
Wordless, she retraced her steps, snatched up the weapon with a swift motion, and resumed walking. This time without a glance back.
Lily turned slowly to Tave, her expression uncertain, like she was still processing whatever strange exchange had just happened.
Tave simply raised his eyebrows and gave a faint, knowing smile. "Come on," he said. "Let's follow Lady Oriana's orders."