Arianna was tired. Just so tired. Using her full pattern in a dungeon where the mana density was this high had supercharged her more than ever. It had been an incredible feeling. Like she was burning from the inside out, and if she wasn't careful, she'd burn herself and everyone else down too. But it had also felt so good. Intoxicating, powerful, as if she could take on anything the dungeon or this apocalypse threw at her.

Now she was completely spent. Every movement hurt. They'd made camp right beside the dragonling's corpse, and immediately, Cassis had carried her to her sleeping bag inside her tent. Everyone was too exhausted to search for the treasure tonight. They just needed to rest. They didn't even want her on guard duty this time.

She sighed. It was unfair.

She'd wanted to fight differently, to do more than just heal. But as ordered, she had focused entirely on keeping everyone alive. And she had. But deep down, she knew she could have prevented some of the worst injuries if she'd been able to fight like she did with her usual team, or even just with Cassis alone. This whole dungeon had felt… limiting. But she had followed the party leader's orders, unwilling to risk someone dying because she'd confused the formation.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Cassis came into the tent.

He looked rough, and not from the battle. Something was wrong.

She tried to sit up, but her muscles protested. Cassis immediately came over and sat beside her on the sleeping bag next to hers.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked quietly.

Irritation flared. "You dumped me in here as soon as Bryce said we'd make camp, then went out to have a discussion with everyone. How exactly am I supposed to sleep when I know you're talking about important things without me?"

Her tone was sharper than usual, exhaustion and frustration sharpening her voice.

Cassis winced, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "Sorry. I didn't think about… I didn't think. I just saw you collapse and wanted you to rest. But there were still things that needed to be discussed, so I put you here while I handled everything else."

Arianna glared, but her anger faded at the honesty in his apology. At least he understood how irritating that had been.

"So, what's the plan?" she asked after a pause.

He leaned back slightly. "We voted to stay the night here. We'll do guard rotations, and tomorrow we'll check the other rooms. The treasure should be there."

There was a strange look in his eyes when he said that, as if he wanted to find the treasure, yet dreaded it at the same time.

She finally voiced her suspicion. "Have you been here before?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, too casually. But she saw the twitch in his fingers.

"Back then… you've been to this dungeon before. What's the treasure?"

Cassis sighed, the fight leaving his shoulders. "I was here once before, but it had already evolved back then. I have no idea what the treasure will be for it being just an E-rank dungeon."

Arianna narrowed her eyes, still suspicious, though she couldn't quite name what was bothering her. Something didn't add up. But before she could press further, he lay down beside her, threading his fingers through hers.

He brought her hand to his lips, kissed the back of it gently, and smiled. "You did really well back there."

He met her gaze, eyes soft. "But I'm really curious how our team would've done if you'd fought alongside me. I'm too used to having you on the frontlines."

Arianna's heart skipped. Then she broke into a grin. "We'll fight others together."

It was a promise.

She loved healing, she truly did, but she wasn't someone who could just stand back and do nothing until someone got hurt. She'd always rather keep people from getting hurt in the first place.

The next morning, every muscle and even her mana stream protested as Arianna got up with a groan. On the positive side, she could get up without help. Still, she felt weak all over.

It might be best to spend the day searching for treasure and then leave the dungeon tomorrow. In her current state, she'd only be a burden if they ran into another fight.

Cassis was watching her but wisely didn't offer to help. He did, however, ask quietly, "Are you sure you're okay? This seems worse than usual."

She tried to shrug but hissed in pain before she could complete the movement. "It's the mana density here," she muttered. "It made the overload stronger, and the recovery harder."

Cassis nodded, still visibly concerned. "Can you keep the worst of it to yourself? I don't want anyone to know just how bad of a shape you're in after what you did."

Arianna sighed. There it was again, his paranoia. But she understood.

After meeting Keith, she didn't trust him either. He had that slimy aura about him, and the way he'd looked at her had made her feel like prey facing a predator. She couldn't describe it any other way. How was that man Faith's father? He was nothing like her.

She'd never gotten that feeling from Bryce. Which was exactly why she hadn't been able to go through with Cassis's original plan. She'd healed Bryce, even though he'd been on death's door and she'd been nearly wiped out herself, because he'd thrown himself in front of those spikes for Faith without hesitation. He was honourable.

Cassis had to have seen that, too. He hadn't said anything about her healing Bryce… but she had to ask.

"Are you mad?"

He looked confused. Of course he did, so she clarified, "About Bryce. About why I used the full pattern."

Realisation dawned in his eyes. He sighed. "A bit. But also… no. I knew you'd have a hard time with the plan."

He reached out and cupped her cheek. "I don't want you to carry that kind of burden. And… I've grown to respect the man. He's so different from that time. I don't know what happened, but maybe you're right. Maybe we can change things."

Arianna grinned. "Of course I'm right."

Cassis laughed. "Of course."

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Then Arianna's tone turned serious again. "I'm much more wary of Keith. I'll try not to show how bad I'm off. I don't want him to know about any of my weaknesses."

Cassis's eyes darkened at the mention of Keith, and he nodded emphatically. Neither of them doubted that whatever happened here would be reported back to that man.

Together, they stepped outside to greet their team.

"Good morning!" Zara called when she saw them.

Faith immediately came up to them. "Morning. Are you alright?"

Arianna smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, just mana-depleted from all that healing yesterday." Then, noticing everyone's worried glances, she added teasingly, "Seriously, though, why did you guys get hurt so much? Being your cleric is a full-time job."

The others laughed with her, easing the tension.

Bryce clapped his hands. "We're all good now. Let's explore the treasure room."

They made their way to the opposite side of the cavern, where a short tunnel awaited them. It opened into another chamber, this one even larger than the one where they'd fought the dragonling.

And it was full of gold and glittering objects.

"Wow!" Arianna didn't know who said it first, but she couldn't agree more. Gold bars, ancient coins, decorative weapons plated in gold, sparkling jewels… everything gleamed in the soft light coming from the red pulsing veins in the stone around them.

In the centre of the room stood a pedestal, and on top of it, a golden statue. A cat, mid-grooming, rendered with lifelike precision.

So, even dragons were cat lovers?

Beside her, Cassis let out a quiet breath that sounded like relief, but when she looked at him, there was disappointment in his eyes. Before she could ask, he and the others approached the statue.

As soon as they were close, a system message appeared:

[Congratulations! You have found the treasure of the mountain: The Cleansing Cat! You may now leave the dungeon.]

Curious, Arianna stepped closer to read the system's description:

[Statue of the Cleansing Cat: Within a 10 km radius of this statue, no animal will mutate into a monster. They may instead evolve toward sentience.]

That seemed… actually useful.

"That's great," Bryce said, pleased. "We've had problems with mutated animals near some of the larger food farms."

There was no question that the statue would go to the government. Arianna and Cassis were lucky they'd been allowed to participate in the raid at all; their strength had earned them that much.

Still, Arianna couldn't wait to leave the dungeon. Once outside, she'd finally evolve to E-rank. Her new classes would surely open more advanced paths.

But first, they needed to get out.

"Let's look around a bit more," Bryce said, his voice rasping from fatigue. "Maybe we'll find some smaller treasures to take back. The gold alone would make for great material."

Cassis nodded. "Let's split up and search the room. Arianna and I'll take that side." He pointed toward a glittering pile of gemstones.

Bryce narrowed his eyes. "Don't try to take anything."

Cassis smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Arianna wasn't sure why he said it so confidently, but followed him anyway. They walked through heaps of sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds, light reflecting everywhere.

"Why wouldn't we take some of this?" Arianna asked.

He smirked. "Try it."

She picked up a beautiful sapphire and tried to store it in her inventory.

A system message appeared:

[Error: This is not your designated reward. Cannot be taken out of the dungeon.]

"Oh." She looked up at Cassis.

"Yeah," he said. "Same as last time. Some things can be taken out, but not through the inventory. We'd have to carry them, and that means everyone will see exactly what we take."

Arianna sighed. Of course, it would've been too good to be true. Looking around at all the wealth, she couldn't help but think about how much good it could do for their community. But she shrugged.

"Then let's try to find something we can take. Every little bit helps."

Cassis nodded, and together they sifted through piles of jewels and treasure. Nothing could be removed from the dungeon.

They moved to a mountain of ancient coins next, testing each one in vain.

The gold piles were so high they couldn't even see their teammates anymore.

Arianna was sifting through the coins when she finally found an armband that the system allowed to be taken out. She smiled, just as Cassis hissed quietly behind her.

"Why is this here?"

She turned.

He was holding a golden wishing lamp.

Arianna looked at it curiously. She turned toward Cassis, ready to ask if they could bring it out, but the words died in her throat. His face had gone pale, horrified.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly, reaching for his hand that held the lamp. "Cassis, what's wr—"

Before she could finish, a shockwave of mana rippled out from the lamp. Arianna's eyes widened as the world around her froze. Nothing moved, not even the red, pulsing veins crawling along the stone walls. The light wasn't glinting anymore, and she couldn't hear the faint conversations of her teammates anymore.

"What…?" she whispered.

"Hello," said a deep voice behind her.

Arianna spun around with a startled shout. A giant stood there, red-skinned, towering two heads above her. Aside from his size and colour, he looked human, wearing loose harem trousers and golden armbands, bare-chested and smiling with unsettling confidence.

Even though she felt no danger from him, her body moved on instinct. She stepped back, bumping into Cassis. He reacted instantly, pulling her behind him and drawing his sword.

"Who are you?" Cassis demanded.

The man laughed, though something sharp glinted in his eyes when they met Cassis's. Then he looked back at Arianna and swept into a mocking bow.

"Zaman. At your service, open for all kinds of wishes."

When he turned to Cassis again, his smile twisted. "You shouldn't talk like that to the one who fulfilled your wish."

Cassis went utterly still.

"What… do you mean?" he managed to ask.

Zaman chuckled. "Did you really think a lamp could turn back time on its own? No, that was me."

The sword in Cassis's hand trembled.

Zaman's gaze softened as he looked back at Arianna. "Hello, beautiful. It's nice to officially meet you."

Arianna blinked, confused. "Officially?"

"When I granted his wish, I caught a glimpse of you," Zaman said. "But there wasn't time for pleasantries."

Her heartbeat quickened. "Does that mean…?"

"Yes," he said with a grin. "I'm the one who brought you here, all because of his wish. Though I must say, I didn't expect you to still be with him. After a wish like that…"

"Stop!" Cassis shouted.

Arianna flinched. Cassis was trembling, his breathing ragged.

Zaman's smile vanished. "Do not tell me what to do," he said quietly. Then he snapped his fingers.

Another wave of mana rolled through the room, and Cassis froze.

"Cassis!" Arianna ran to him, grabbing his arm. He didn't move. His skin was warm, solid, but lifeless. Then she noticed his eyes. They were still moving, following her.

Anger surged through her. "What did you do to him?"

Zaman shrugged, amused again. "Nothing serious. He's frozen in time, like the rest of this room. Well, almost. He can still hear us. The others can't."

Arianna trembled. Just what kind of being was this?

Seeing her fear, Zaman sighed. "Don't worry. I won't harm you, or him."

She hesitated. "Okay… then what do you want from me?" Since she was the only person not frozen, he clearly wanted something from her.

He grinned. "Smart girl. I like that."

He began pacing slowly. "There are things I can't say, but I'll explain what I can. I'm a genie, from another world. I was trapped in this lamp… for reasons. Cursed to grant one hundred wishes before I'm freed." His expression flickered, like he was testing what words he could speak.

"That man," he gestured toward Cassis, "made the ninety-ninth wish."

Arianna frowned. "Ninety-ninth?"

Zaman nodded. "Yes. This lamp is the reward for clearing the dungeon that evolved to S-rank. I've been stuck here, waiting, again. But who would've guessed he would come back at this point… and with you."

For a moment, a softness entered his gaze. Then he closed his eyes, and when they opened again, his face was carefully blank.

"We're connected because of that wish," he said. "That's why I can manipulate time here. The System allows it."

"So… can we make a wish now?" Arianna asked.

He shook his head sadly. "No. Each person gets only one."

"But I never made a wish!"

"No," he said gently, "but you were part of one. That counts."

She frowned, confused. "Part of one? How? I thought Cassis just… turned back time. And for some reason, I got here?"

Zaman's eyes softened with pity. "So you don't know." His gaze flicked to Cassis, and fury flashed across his face before he forced his expression neutral again.

Arianna's stomach twisted. "Don't know what?"

Zaman looked her dead in the eyes. "His wish was for you to suffer the same as him. That's why you're here, in this world, at this time. To share his suffering."

"Eh?"

The word left her lips before she could think. Her thoughts froze, the meaning refusing to sink in. Cassis's wish… was for her to suffer?

Zaman clicked his tongue. "Seems my time's up."

He pried the lamp from Cassis's frozen hand and pressed it into Arianna's. She took it numbly.

"I have a feeling that if I stick with you, I'll reach my hundredth wish faster," he said softly. "Put it in your inventory, it'll come in handy."

Then, with a swirl of smoke, he vanished.

Time lurched back into motion. The veins in the walls pulsed again, voices echoing faintly through the chamber, as if nothing had happened.

Thoughts tumbled through Arianna's head. It couldn't be true. Cassis wouldn't … no, he wouldn't hurt her, would he?

Cassis turned toward her, his sword lowered, his expression full of pain and pleading.

"Ari…" he whispered.

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