The silence that followed was heavier than the battle itself. Cruella remained seated on the cracked concrete, one hand pressed against her bruised cheek and leaning forward to soothe her bruised stomach. Her sword lay several meters away, forgotten.
Dillian slowly helped her to her feet.
"Can you stand?"
She nodded weakly before immediately hiding behind him, tears welling in her eyes.
"I... I don’t know why she attacked me...I..."
Her voice trembled just enough to sound convincing. To anyone who hadn’t witnessed the shove...She would have looked like the victim.
Silver watched the performance without the slightest change in expression.
’Still acting even now.’
He had seen enough of the original novel to understand exactly what kind of person Cruella truly was. She wasn’t the type to seek revenge through strength. She sought sympathy, validation, and control.
She carefully cultivated an image of innocence until everyone else willingly defended her. That was why she had survived so long in the novel even without being the strongest in the harem. It was because people believed her.
Silver’s eyes briefly met Maya’s, then Selene’s and finally Iris’. None of them looked convinced, not anymore.
The moment Ravenna had accused Cruella and Silver had calmly confirmed it, a seed of doubt had been planted.
’Good.’
Silver looked away. He wasn’t interested in humiliating Cruella, not directly. That would only force Dillian to defend her more fiercely.
No... the best way to deal with someone like her was much simpler. A narcissist depended on admiration, trust, and maintaining the image of being kind and innocent. If that image slowly crumbled... She would do the rest herself.
She would become desperate; desperate people made mistakes, and every mistake would make the people around her question her just a little more. It was far more effective than openly making an enemy of Dillian.
Silver had no intention of driving a wedge between himself and Dillian. His problem was only with Cruella.
Dillian finally looked toward Silver.
"...Are we finished?"
Silver shrugged.
"That depends."
He glanced toward Ravenna. She simply sheathed her sword.
"I’m done, for now."
Cruella flinched at those last two words. Silver nodded once before looking back at Dillian.
"Then let’s move on."
Dillian visibly relaxed. He had been worried the confrontation would continue. He turned toward the others.
"Everyone, check your injuries. I’ll examine Thomas one last time."
Nobody objected. Maya quietly began replacing the magazine in her rifle. Selene sat against a nearby wall while wrapping a bandage around her forearm. Iris rolled her shoulder several times before retrieving her spear.
Only Cruella remained standing awkwardly beside Dillian. No one approached her or comforted her. The difference was subtle, yet impossible to ignore.
Normally Maya would have asked whether she was alright, Selene would have offered first aid, and Iris would have cracked a joke to lighten the mood. Instead... they busied themselves elsewhere.
Cruella noticed, and Silver noticed her noticing.
’It’s already beginning.’
She was no longer standing at the center of the group. Whether consciously or not, the others had taken a step away from her. That single step mattered more than any argument.
Silver walked toward the tiger’s corpse. The massive body remained exactly where it had fallen. The opening in its chest had already begun closing slightly despite its death. Its vitality had truly been abnormal.
He nudged the carcass lightly with his boot.
"Nothing else inside."
Dillian joined him.
"...The core?"
Silver answered without hesitation.
"I’ve already secured it."
Dillian nodded.
"I figured."
Silver looked directly at everyone present.
"The Tier Four Fire Core belongs to Ravenna and me."
Nobody spoke. He continued calmly.
"We contributed the most to killing it." He paused for a moment before adding, "And after what happened... I’m considering it compensation."
His eyes briefly shifted toward Cruella.
"...For attempted murder."
The words echoed through the ruined hallway. Cruella’s face turned pale.
"I..."
She immediately looked toward Dillian.
"I didn’t..."
Silver simply raised a hand.
"I’m not interested in hearing excuses. I saw it and so did Ravenna. That’s enough for me."
Silence followed. Finally, Silver folded his arms.
"If anyone believes the core should belong to someone else..." He looked around the room. "...You’re welcome to challenge me for it."
Nobody moved. Silver was now the only Rank Two contractor present. More importantly, everyone had just watched him deliver the attack that killed the mutated tiger.
Even Dillian remained silent; not because he feared Silver but because he knew Silver’s claim wasn’t unreasonable. Without Silver, the entire group would likely have died. The core was earned.
After several long seconds, Dillian finally sighed.
"...No one is fighting over it. The core is yours."
Silver nodded.
"Good."
The matter ended there. Cruella lowered her head, her fists clenching tightly; no one had argued on her behalf, not even Dillian, and it was starting to irk her.
Dillian had comforted her and supported her, but he hadn’t defended her accusation. That silence stung more than Ravenna’s sword. Silver noticed the tiny tremble in her shoulders.
’She’s beginning to realize it. Her words don’t carry the same weight anymore.’
He wasn’t celebrating. This wasn’t victory; it was simply the natural consequence of her own actions. Trust, once cracked, rarely returned to what it had been.
Before anyone could speak again, hurried footsteps echoed from farther down the corridor. The surviving guard came running toward them, breathing heavily.
"Captain!"
He looked toward Dillian before glancing nervously at Silver and the others.
"I found something."
Everyone immediately became alert again.
"What is it?" Dillian asked.
The guard, James, pointed toward the far end of the hallway.
"Behind one of the collapsed storage rooms, there was a hidden elevator shaft. I think..." He swallowed. "...It leads underground."
The atmosphere instantly changed. All thoughts of the earlier confrontation disappeared. Everyone looked toward one another. A hidden passage beneath the research station. Perhaps it was the place described in the journals, or perhaps something even older awaited them below.