Still shocked by the revelation, Vale lingered for a moment, questioning how Ayla could possibly be from the Fourth Barrier.
But before he could pursue the train of his questions, the girl spoke once more.
"...We were having dinner. My father had just hunted a dormant monster when the roof of our home collapsed… that thing must've smelled the food. First, my father… then my mother. Both died before my eyes. Then, me—that's how I ended up in the first trial."
Ayla's words were heavy, and the usual light-hearted conversation turned still. Dark expressions painted their faces as they listened to her story.
The group remained in complete silence for a while, the weight of her words hanging in the air. Time seemed to stretch as they all lingered, deep in thought.
It wasn't until a sudden noise outside the shelter that the silence was broken.
