Albedo let out a low sigh, the weight of her words pressing down on him. "So… do you want to go out?" His voice was soft, almost tentative, as he stepped slowly further inside, still lingering in the doorway.

Dila's eyes shot up, sharp and unwavering. "Stop right there, you big brute!" she barked, her tone edged with both frustration and lingering bitterness.

Albedo's face fell, a shadow of sadness crossing his features. His hand instinctively clutched his chest, as if the sting of her words had cut deeper than he expected. He looked away, jaw tightening, and finally muttered, "Alright… fine."

The room fell into a heavy silence, only the sound of their breathing filling the space, both unsure how to bridge the tension between them.

Albedo's voice wavered, almost breaking as he stuttered, "Ahh… I… I just wanted to… reassure you… my daughter… if you're… okay."

His gaze fell to the floor, guilt weighing heavily on him, shoulders slumped. The words felt insufficient even to himself, but the sincerity in his tone betrayed the depth of his worry and remorse.

Dila's voice cracked as she shouted, "Okyyyy my ass! You almost killed me with your relentless attacks on my golem! I was forced to use all my power just to survive… just to beat you! And in the end… I lost something you'll never understand!"

Her hands waved across her tear-streaked face, shaking with the force of her emotions.

Albedo didn't lift his gaze. His face was heavy with guilt, eyes fixed on the floor, unable to meet hers, feeling every word pierce him like a blade.

Then Albedo's voice was quiet, almost a whisper, "Who… who did you lose? But the cat girl… she's safe, isn't she?"

Dila's brows furrowed sharply, her voice rising with anger and despair, "Lost? I lost everything! My system… my power… everything!"

Albedo listened, his expression tightening with confusion. He didn't understand. The only "system" he knew was the political structure of his kingdom, not whatever Dila was crying about.

Albedo took a careful step closer, his voice soft but firm, "I… I understand."

Dila's head snapped toward him, shouting through her coughing, "I said… stop right there!" Her body shook as she struggled to breathe, a wet drip of saliva escaping her lips.

Albedo's eyes widened in alarm, his worry for her condition flooding his face. He hesitated, unsure how to approach without making her angrier or worsening her fragile state.

Dila's voice cracked with fury, echoing through the room. "Don't you understand what stop right there means? You… you're like an untrained dog that doesn't even understand when you're given a treat! You're one of those dogs that never truly understands!"

Her eyes blazed, fire and frustration intertwining in their icy blue.

Albedo's shoulders slumped. He didn't meet her gaze, his face tight with guilt and helplessness. Slowly, he turned and walked back toward the door, the weight of her words pressing on him with every step.

Albedo's hand tightened around the door handle deforming it a little, his knuckles white as his teeth clenched, the shadow of sorrow darkening his face. "Oky… my daughter… good morning," he whispered quietly to himself, the words heavy with both pain and longing.

Slowly, he stepped outside, the door creaking shut behind him, closing the space between them.

Inside, Dila's voice cut through the quiet. "Good… be gone, you stupid brute."

But even as the words left her lips, Albedo's heart ached, each syllable embedding itself deep within him, a painful reminder of the rift between them.

Dila pressed her hands to her cheeks, her fingers trembling slightly as her mind raced. "What do I do now…?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. Her eyes flickered with worry, glistening as if ready to spill over.

"My… system… my best friend… Nari… is she truly gone?" Her heart thumped painfully in her chest, a hollow ache spreading through her chest.

"And… how… how do I access my skill set now, if she's not here anymore?" Her gaze fell to her hands, as if searching for answers in the empty space between her fingers. Her face was pale, worry etched deep into every line.

Dila's hands shook violently as she clutched at her lap, her breaths coming in short, uneven gasps. "How… how am I supposed to fight back if something inconvenient happens?" she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of panic. "I can't risk it… not like this…"

Her eyes darted around the room as if danger was lurking in every shadow. "And… and how do I access my spatial storage if she's not there? I… I can't use any of my skills… I'm… I'm a sitting duck right now…"

She swallowed hard, her throat dry, her lips trembling. "Surrounded… surrounded by threats… ready to hunt me down…" The words barely escaped as a shiver ran down her spine, her worry wrapping her like a heavy, suffocating cloak.

Dila's gaze locked onto the Archane staff lying on the table. The once-brilliant darkened with a bit goden metal, adorned with orbiting shards and glowing blue core, now looked dull and lifeless. Nothing shimmered. Nothing floated. Nothing pulsed with the magic she had relied on.

Her jaw tightened, teeth gritting as a storm of worry clouded her blue eyes. "No… this… this can't be…" she whispered, her fingers twitching as if reaching toward it could somehow restore its lost power. But it sat there, inert, a mere stick of metal, stripping away any sense of security she had left.

Dila wrapped her hands around the staff, trying to lift it, but the weight pressed down like a mountain. Her arms shook violently, her breath coming in ragged gasps as if the metal itself resisted her touch.

"This… it's… too heavy…" she whispered, panic threading through her words. She forced herself to push, to pull, to claim it, but no matter how much she strained, it wouldn't budge. Her strength, her connection to it—everything felt gone. The staff was hers, yet somehow no longer obeyed her.

Dila's eyes narrowed as she studied the staff, her brow furrowing in thought. "How they even lifted it unbelievable. Maybe… that's why they could lift it so easily," she muttered to herself, her voice tinged with unease. "Its magical power… it's gone. That's why it feels like just a normal piece of metal now."

Her fingers traced the smooth surface, the coldness of it a stark reminder of the loss. Without its power, without her system to guide her, even a staff she once commanded effortlessly had become an immovable burden.

Dila clenched her teeth and forced her legs to move, the weight of exhaustion dragging at every step. She was still in her soft nightgown, the pale fabric loose and flowing around her body, enough to keep her modest even in this state. Her feet shuffled unevenly across the floor, each step unsteady, her body swaying as though it might give out at any moment.

Her eyelids drooped heavily, threatening to close, but she refused to stop. She dragged herself toward the door, one trembling hand brushing against the wall for support, determined to move forward no matter how weak she felt.

Her weak hand gripped the doorknob, fingers trembling as she turned it slowly. The door gave way with a faint creak, pulling inward. On the polished metal surface, faint traces lingered.... the distorted imprint of a hand, one she recognized all too well.

Her heart thudded painfully despite of the pain reliever she swallowed. Her tired blue eyes fixed on the mark, disbelief clouding her expression. "Unbelievable..." she whispered, her voice frail. Her head shook side to side, refusing to accept it, strands of her silver hair falling forward as her body swayed in weariness and denial.

"I can't believe that… Albedo can't even control his strength…" she murmured, her tone a mix of disbelief and quiet sorrow.

She sighed deeply, her breath shaky, then pulled the door wider. The hinges groaned softly as the opening stretched, letting the light spill further in. Her tired eyes scanned the hallway.... side to side.... nothing. Empty. Even the seats lined against the walls were deserted, as if no one had dared linger near this place.

"Hello…" Dila's voice came out weak, almost uncertain, before she added softly, "Nari… please scan this place."

Silence answered her.

Her face turned deadpan, her eyes lowering to the floor. A faint shadow crossed her expression as she whispered, "Right… you're not here with me." Her voice dropped into a fragile murmur, almost breaking, "I'm sorry…"

Dila forced herself forward, each step dragging against the cold floor of the hallway. Her voice came out in a hushed breath, almost to steady herself. "Looks like… I'm on my own. This might be bad… but I have no choice."

Her eyes dimmed, shoulders sinking as she muttered, "I don't know what awaits me on this next journey… but I need to find Fran first. I'll… I'll say sorry… if I really did forcefully let her out of the room I stayed in…"

Her feet carried her slowly, her body swaying weakly from side to side. Her back slumped as though her strength was dripping away with every step, yet still she walked on through the endless hall.