The bells of Aurelion faded into the background as the survivors were guided deeper into the city.
Leon walked beside Elena through streets that felt carved out of legend—arched bridges spanning canals of faintly glowing water, murals depicting wars fought centuries ago, and towers crowned with banners bearing sigils he didn't recognize. The air was alive with mana, but unlike the chaos of Earth's first days, this power felt… stable.
Controlled.
Safe.
For now.
A new System message echoed across the city, heard by every relocated soul.
---
[Global Notice – Issued by the Hidden Architect]
[Observation Status: Suspended]
[Reason: Narrative Saturation Achieved]
[Directive: Survive]
---
The words sent a chill through Leon.
Elena stopped walking.
"…That's it?" she whispered. "That thing just tells us to survive and then leaves?"
Leon nodded slowly. "That's how it plays sometimes. When it's bored."
Around them, survivors murmured in confusion and fear. Some felt relief at the absence of scrutiny. Others felt the opposite—like prey abandoned in a forest after the hunter lost interest.
They were led to a large stone building—part barracks, part sanctuary. Inside, attendants in neutral gray robes began assigning rooms, separating people by condition, age, and—quietly—gender.
A woman with silver-threaded sleeves glanced at her tablet of glowing runes.
"Leon. Elena. You will be housed separately."
Elena stiffened.
She opened her mouth, then closed it. Her fingers curled around Leon's sleeve again—tighter than before.
"I want to stay with him," she said.
The attendant frowned. "That is not permitted. Mixed quarters are inappropriate unless—"
Leon cleared his throat. "It's fine," he said quickly. "I'll take a separate room."
Elena turned to him, eyes wide—not angry, just… hurt.
Then something hardened in her gaze.
She looked back at the attendant and said, calmly, clearly:
"He's my husband."
Silence.
Leon's brain shut down completely.
"…What?" he croaked.
The attendant blinked. "Your… husband?"
"Yes," Elena said without hesitation. She slipped her hand into Leon's, her grip steady now. "We were married just before the Convergence. Newlyweds."
Leon stared straight ahead, face heating rapidly, words refusing to form.
The attendant hesitated, scanning Elena's face for deception.
There was fear there. And exhaustion.
But also conviction.
After a long moment, the woman sighed. "Very well. Temporary exception. One room."
She tapped the rune-tablet and gestured down the hall. "Do not cause trouble."
They were ushered into a modest stone chamber—one bed, one window overlooking the city, a faintly glowing crystal lamp.
The door closed.
Leon stood frozen in the center of the room.
"Elena," he finally said, voice strained, "why did you—"
She let go of his hand and exhaled, her shoulders slumping.
"I panicked," she admitted. "Everything keeps changing. People keep disappearing. And when they tried to separate us I just—"
She looked away. "I didn't want to be alone."
Leon rubbed the back of his neck. "…You could've said anything else."
"I know," she said quietly. "But that was the only lie they wouldn't question."
That shut him up.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Leon opened his System interface and initiated a private channel.
---
[Private System Channel Opened]
[Participant: Lucas → Leon]
---
"Leon," Lucas said immediately. "Good. You're alive."
"Yeah," Leon replied. "You too?"
"Unfortunately." Lucas snorted. "I got assigned to a frontier barracks with about forty other guys. Smells like sweat and trauma."
Leon hesitated. "You thought I'd be there too?"
"Of course," Lucas said. "You're male, combat-capable, and a walking problem magnet."
Leon winced.
Lucas continued, "At least Elena's safe in the city. She's… troublesome, but she survives."
Leon glanced at Elena, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, hugging her knees and staring out the window.
"…She's here," Leon said.
There was a pause.
"…What?" Lucas said slowly.
"She's in the same room."
Another pause. Longer.
"Leon," Lucas said carefully, "what did you do?"
"I didn't do anything," Leon protested. "She told them we were married."
The silence on the line was deafening.
"…She what."
Leon groaned. "Lucas—"
"You let her lie like that?" Lucas snapped. "Do you have any idea how dangerous emotional attachments are this early—"
Elena suddenly leaned closer, eyes sharp. "Tell him I heard that."
Leon flinched. "…She heard that."
Lucas sighed deeply. "Of course she did."
Elena crossed her arms. "You're welcome, by the way. He doesn't end up alone."
Lucas muttered something unrepeatable.
"Just… be careful," Lucas said at last, voice quieter. "Both of you. The Architect may not be watching now—but bonds like that? They attract attention."
Leon looked at Elena.
She met his gaze without backing down.
"We'll survive," Leon said. "Together."
Lucas was silent for a moment.
"…Don't make me regret trusting you," he finally said, before cutting the channel.
The room grew quiet again.
Outside, Aurelion glowed under the ancient sun.
Inside, two people sat on opposite sides of a bed—linked by a lie that, somehow, felt more real than the truth.
And neither of them knew what scared them more.