Chapter 81

• Celeste’s POV
• “Thank you…” The words slipped out softly, almost a whisper, but they carried everything I felt in that moment—gratitude for his kindness, for the rare, unforced reassurance that I didn’t need to apologize. In a world that had demanded endless contrition, this simple acknowledgment felt like a small reclamation of my own dignity.
• I didn’t linger. To avoid bringing any more trouble to the shop, I left as soon as I could, slipping into the shadows of Moonviel City. I didn’t know who was orchestrating these attacks against me, though I knew they would not stop; there would be more moves, more pressure, and I had to survive. Life didn’t wait for me to feel safe, and survival meant I had to find work.