Unsurprisingly, Leo’s hazel eyes narrowed at me, and a mix of confusion and disbelief was evident in his gaze. “Yeah, it’s fascinating how we aren’t already eaten by one of them,” he replies, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Evelyn agrees with the sarcastic remark, which isn’t unusual given that Evelyn's humour, though often misplaced in severe contexts, makes one question whether to laugh or remain silent. I recall a scene when she was eight and her pet fish, Thomason the Third, died. She was devastated but still joked about his lifeless body, saying something like, "Look at stupid Thomas—after all those times he swam, he finally forgot how to do it and just gave up. I guess he thinks it’s easier to float away from his problems." At that moment, I realised it was her way of coping with negative emotions. She is probably nervous and scared right now, so she resorts to that kind of humour.

Leo, whom I haven’t known for long, seems severe and straightforward, so I didn’t expect that kind of answer from him. But one thing is sure: from what I gathered, his concern isn’t directed towards me but rather at tomorrow's impending mission.

The air is tense as I meet Leo’s gaze, his expression hard as stone. "We're only here to deal with killing those creatures," he says, his voice cold and unwavering. "You shouldn’t admire them or waste your thoughts on them. Just focus on the task at hand." I clench my fists, fighting the urge to shout back. How could he think this way? "But not all of them have to be evil," I shoot back, my heart racing. "They’re living beings, just like us. Not all humans are terrible, so why should they be?"

“Do you even hear yourself? You are now a soldier; your job is to kill those oh-so-fascinating creatures and not to question everything. You are dead as soon as you distinguish one from the other on the battlefield. Remember that.” Before I can say anything, Leo stands up, glares at me, and leaves the cafeteria. Immediately after he leaves, Taila, another member of our group (whom we call Tay), approaches us with a tray in her hand, looking confused about what just happened. “Where is Leo going?” “He just had some stuff to do…” I reply. “Speaking of, I also need to go now. See you later.”