At breakfast in Capricia, Sora returns to the table with a frantic Royo, who announces that Aeri is missing after supposedly heading to the washroom. Euyn admits he never actually saw Aeri go in, and Royo’s anger flares as he insists protecting her is his responsibility. Mikail stays cool, warns Royo with a sharp look to mind his tone, and tells Royo to go search.

Left at the table with Mikail, Euyn, and Tiyung, Sora is unsettled that the others treat Aeri’s disappearance as a minor inconvenience. Tiyung offers to help Sora look, and his concern feels genuine enough to complicate what Sora believes about him, especially given Mikail’s earlier comment about how people are trapped by birth and expectation.

Aeri suddenly reappears, lighthearted and unapologetic, and the men react as if she merely wandered. When Euyn mentions that Royo is furious, Aeri leaves to fetch him and returns a few minutes later with a red-faced Royo, making it clear they argued. Sora observes that Royo’s devotion to Aeri goes beyond professional obligation, even as Aeri behaves as though nothing happened.

Sora presses Aeri on where she went, and Aeri gives an overly bubbly explanation about exploring the “cute” town and promises it will not happen again. Although the men accept the excuse, Sora recognizes the sound of a woman lying and decides to pretend she is convinced while privately resolving to uncover what Aeri is hiding.

After breakfast, Sora accompanies Aeri to the washroom and tests her with a quiet offer: “Your secret is safe with me.” Aeri feigns innocence and asks what secret, but Sora catches a tell and leaves without pushing further, concluding that secrets can create bonds only when the other person knows they can also be used as leverage.