A few seconds passed as Addai savored Mine's almost-vanished warmth in his arms. The hug just couldn't be prolonged because the circumstances they were in weren't the most appropriate.

Holding Mine, who had already given up resisting the hug, Addai sat with him and observed his face. Mine, who looked back at Addai confused, had reddish spots on the corner of his eyes, but nothing out of what was expected. The color of his skin gradually returned to its usual peach. However, there were still certain spots with residual lavender, which highlighted the shiny marks on his body. Addai sighed, with a hint of relief.

"It's so good seeing you're back," Addai fondly smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Mine's ear.

Mine's cheeks and ears became dusted with a warm shade of red. "What happened?" He asked, ignoring the lingering sensation of Addai's fingers on his ear.

Addai instinctively placed a hand on Mine's back, his pupils shrinking as he looked around. "I'll tell you later. We're not safe yet," he said and waved the free hand.

A dark mist surrounded the duo with positive animosity, tickling Mine's hair. The fog condensed into a large shape as if it were a shadow. With a whistle from Addai, the shadow emitted a low, acidic growl before abruptly bursting into the darkness, and a cacophony of shrill sounds resounded.

Addai stood up, holding Mine's hand. The exit was still open, but Eden's Garden seemed to deteriorate after mixing with fragments of the Wishing Well. This meant that Agarath's illusion abilities had finally dissipated, and both realities he had forged—the Wishing Well and Eden's Garden—were overlapping. The puppets were one less problem, however, Eyeless demons still existed in the corridors of the Wishing Well.

"It wasn't enough..." Addai muttered, his jaw clenched.

"What wasn't enough?" Mine asked, his guard up and the cloak behind him hardened again.

"I tried buying some time so the Consort could contact a man called… Rito? I guess? But it seems something happened," Addai explained, tightening the grip on Mine's hand.

Uncle? This specific information thundered in Mine's brain. Why…? Why my uncle…?

A sharp headache crossed Mine's head, causing him to groan. Flashes from what happened while he was in a trance flooded his mind, overlapping information over information. He staggered, feeling his vision turn oddly bright as if a flashlight was directed at his eyes, but Addai's voice made this "light" fade.

"You're too tender," Addai cupped Mine's cheeks, examining his face. "Hang on until we meet this Rito," he worried.

"What's my uncle doing here?" Mine worried as well, the peach color of his skin being overlapped by the lavender once again. "How do you know about my uncle?"

"Wait, is he your uncle?" Addai looked at Mine, confused and with slightly frowned eyebrows. Ayo… I read the Consort's mind," Addai clicked his tongue, praying not to be punished by God after such an invasive and sneaky method. "Let's get the hell out of here before the eyeless demons approach further. This place gives me goosebumps," he shivered.

As the shrill noises approached, Addai quickly carried Mine in his arms, barely giving his friend time to process another piece of information amid that ocean of shocking discoveries. There was only time for Mine's cheeks to flush, half embarrassment, half anger. Even the lavender coloration receded again.

As soon as they walked through the door to Agarath's room, Addai and Mine felt an abnormal wind blow. It was like they were… outside the mansion…?

Addai blinked and looked back, confused. Indeed, they were outside the mansion! Mine and Addai looked at each other, increasingly confused. At the very least, they should have been back in the Host's quarters, or rather, Agarath's, and then they could walk through the mansion's corridors until they reached the front door and wait in the front gardens. However... everything no longer made sense and, finally, they both gave up trying to connect the pieces of that confusing puzzle.

Addai put Mine down and Mine instinctively held his hand.

Despite being outside the mansion, they found no one. There were just the two of them.

"I give up trying to understand this shit," Addai cursed under his breath.

"Me too," Mine nodded.

"It seems my efforts were fruitful then," someone on the right side of the duo chuckled deeply. Their guards raised immediately. 

Addai was ready to charge an attack when Mine turned, but Mine swiftly covered his field of view with his hardened cloak. Mine looked at the voice's source and his eyes brightened at the person. It was a tall man with grayish-green hair with some white highlights. His serene and even jovial countenance gave a certain calm. It was none other than Rito!

"Oh, hold on, I'm no threat!" Rito showed his empty hands.

Mine's guard fell the same way it had risen. A wide smile immediately appeared with a hint of genuine relief. Still, he didn't release Addai's hand. Instead, he dragged his (very alert) friend towards this man in extravagant robes. Addai looked like a cat with bristling fur that, even though he growled, he was still being dragged towards the source of the growls.

"Uncle Rito!!" Mine beamed, contrasting with Addai's oppressive presence beside him.

"Oh, I see your friend is a bit spicy about me," Rito chuckled at the thin pupils of Addai's. "Nice to meet you, Lilith's-"

"Addai," Addai cut. "Just Addai is enough. Don't put that woman's name above mine," he growled.

"A sore spot, I see… my apologies," Rito acknowledged with a nod. "Shall you two follow me? I bet you need to find your friends. They're out there because… well, it's a mess here," he softly chuckled.

Mine opened wide beaming, looking at his uncle as the man started walking. Mine's feet followed his uncle naturally, dragging his friend alongside him. He didn't want to look back at the mansion, nor pay attention to how the front garden was destroyed.

All Mine wanted was to look forward, and if he needed to look back, it would be where Addai was. 

As they walked, Mine noticed Rito's hands clasped behind him. Rito portrayed such behavior in two situations: when he was pondering or when he needed to have a serious talk with someone. Mine pretended not to see that, thinking it was because of him. However, he didn't need to dwell too much on it because Rito ended up talking.

"Mr. Addai, I need to talk to you later," Rito said, not looking at the boys following him from behind.

Addai blinked, confused. "Why, Mr.?"

"I need to check a certain someone's… imprinting on my dear nephew," Rito glanced at Addai, bearing a soft smile. However, that smile wasn't all gentleness. Addai slowly stood behind a confused Mine, trying to hide himself.

"Eh? Why are you hiding? Which imprint? What's going on?" Mine asked, looking at Addai hiding behind him. “You dumbass!! Quit hiding and answer me already!! You're embarrassing me!!” He started arguing with Addai, who didn’t protest and only kept hiding from Rito.

"It's nothing for you to worry about, sweetie," Rito chuckled. As for your friend... well... I hope his ears can endure enough.