The four of them sat at the small wooden table. A quiet stillness settled across the room—no birds outside, no wind through the windows. Just the low, slow sound of the kettle cooling.
Lia clutched her hands in her lap, her face down.
Then, softly—her voice broke the silence.
"B-Big brother…" she said, her voice trembling. "Please… don't leave me again."
Leo looked at her, his heart tightening.
"Every time you go… it's always to some dangerous place. You always fight scary people. You always come back hurt. P-Please… this time, we don't need to do anything, right? We can just stay here. You don't have to go…"
Lyra lowered her gaze, and her mother Niya folded her hands but remained silent. They both understood—this was a moment between siblings.
But Leo didn't speak. Not at first.
He looked down at his hands resting on the table. Scarred. Burned. Marked by battle and choices he couldn't take back. His mind was quiet—then painfully loud.
"She's right. I can't even argue. I've been on the edge of death more times than I can count. I fight. I survive. But at what cost? And now I'm going alone into a foreign empire… no allies, no guarantees, just danger."
He sighed deeply, then spoke—his voice low and steady.
"…You're right, Lia."
She looked up, startled.
"I don't have anything to defend myself with this time. No excuse. No promise that everything will be safe. I don't know what's waiting in that empire… maybe war. Maybe betrayal. Maybe death."
He paused, then looked directly into her eyes.
"But still… I have to go."
Lia's eyes widened, tears gathering again—but Leo reached out and gently took her hand.
"Because this world… it's not kind. It's not fair. And the people we love—they keep getting hurt. You, Lyra, mom, Niya… Even this village is only safe because people are out there making sure it stays that way."
He closed his eyes, voice tightening with quiet pain.
"If I stayed every time you cried, I'd be happy for a moment. But what if one day the danger comes here—and I'm not strong enough to stop it?"
He opened his eyes again—clear, firm.
"I don't want to keep surviving. I want to be strong enough to protect."
Then his voice softened.
"You said we don't need to do anything this time… but Lia, if I do nothing now, then everything we've fought for will fall apart later."
He squeezed her hand gently.
"I'm not leaving you behind, Lia. I'm just walking ahead—so that one day, you won't have to cry when someone goes."
Lia's lips quivered. Her shoulders shook. And then—
She lunged into his chest, hugging him tighter than ever before.
"…Just promise me," she whispered, "you'll come back."
Leo smiled as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I promise. I always find my way back home."
Lyra stood silently, eyes filled with unspoken emotion. Niya smiled softly, though tears lined the corners of her eyes. They both came forward and joined the hug.
For that one moment… nothing else in the world mattered.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
Someone was at the door.
Leo stood up, brushing his shirt, and walked toward the door. He opened it.
Standing outside was Lili, arms crossed, her usual sly grin already forming—but the moment she peeked over his shoulder and saw the scene inside—Niya dabbing her eyes, Lyra quietly sniffling, and Lia still clinging to Leo—her grin grew wider.
She didn't say her usual "hello."
Instead, in a dramatically loud and accusatory voice, she pointed at Leo.
"YOU! What did you do to my little girls, you soulless demon!?"
Leo blinked. "…What?"
Lili put her hands on her hips and strutted past him into the room, giving an over-the-top performance as if she were the prosecutor in a royal courtroom.
"Look at them!" she cried. "All teary-eyed! Brokenhearted! Wounded souls! Clearly—clearly caused by one shady boy named Leo the Heartbreaker, also known as the emotionless goblin prince!"
Leo, deadpan: "Goblin prince…?"
Lili leaned toward him with a finger to his chest. "I should've known! You've been casting Illusion Spells of Love and Guilt, haven't you?! Poor Lia! Poor Lyra! Even Niya-san isn't safe!"
Leo narrowed his eyes. "What the hell are you even talking about, you damn witch?"
She gasped and stepped back dramatically. "Ah! So he confesses! See?! You all heard that, right?! He literally called me a witch!"
Leo threw his arms up. "You are a witch!"
"Objection!" she shouted, pointing at him like a ridiculous lawyer. "Your sister can't see your true nature because she's under your charm magic! Admit it! You've hexed her with your... brotherly demon aura!"
"Brotherly demon aura!?" Leo snapped. "What kind of messed-up spell list are you reading from!?"
Lia, still wiping her eyes, suddenly giggled.
Lyra tried not to smile. Niya chuckled behind her sleeve.
Lili leaned in with a sly grin. "See? I knew I'd get them smiling again. You're welcome."
Leo sighed and muttered under his breath, "…Crazy witch."
Lili crossed her arms proudly. "Damn right."
Scene fades to laughter, soft smiles, and the warmth of family finally settling again.
Everyone had settled down again around the wooden table. The warm light from the lanterns above gave the room a soft glow. Leo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, and looked at Lili.
"So… what happened, Lili?"
Lili, now calm and less dramatic than earlier, rested her chin on her palm. "First thing—about that cave. I'll need a bit of time. When you head to the Empire, I'll stay here and keep checking things out. Alright?"
Leo nodded. "Alright. Sounds good."
Then, with a flick of her wrist, Lili stood and raised her hand toward Leo. A strange hum of energy filled the air, and fwsssh—a full-face mask appeared in her hand, materializing out of thin air.
"Here," she said, handing it to Leo.
Leo took the mask and blinked. It was pure white, smooth and flawless. The eye sockets were cut out but outlined with sleek black lines—minimal, yet strangely elegant.
"…What's this for?" he asked.
Lili smirked. "Well, no matter where you go now—even all the way into the Empire—we can talk through telepathy using this mask. I made it on the way here. Just popped into my genius brain."
She winked, clearly proud of herself.
"It'd be a waste of time and magic if you had to teleport back here every time, right?"
Leo nodded, admiring the craftsmanship. "…Thanks, Lili."
She twirled a finger in the air. "That's not all. The mask can detect power surges—like when someone's about to attack or cast magic. Pretty useful. Oh, and it has other abilities too…"
She leaned in closer with a mischievous smile.
"…But I won't spoil the surprises. You'll figure those out on your own."
Leo looked at the mask again, raising a brow. "So now I can hide my face too."
Lili grinned. "Exactly. Oh, and it also suppresses your aura. Makes you less noticeable to people tracking power signatures. But…" she paused, tilting her head, "…your hair might still be a problem."
Leo blinked. "My hair?"
She nodded. "Yeah, silver hair tends to stand out just a bit, you know? Glows under the moonlight. Very dramatic."
At that moment, Lyra stood up from her seat.
"I have an idea for that." Her voice was soft, but confident.
Leo glanced at her, curious. "…Then shall we start it?"
Lyra smiled gently, her eyes gleaming.
"Let's."
Lyra was sitting quietly behind Leo, her small fingers delicately brushing through his long red hair. Lia watched curiously from the side, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Leo gave a nervous chuckle and looked over his shoulder.
"Umm… Lyra? Please… just don't cut them in a weird way, alright?"
Lyra puffed her cheeks and pouted.
"Come on, trust me a little! I'm not that reckless."
From the corner, Lili grinned with mischief dancing in her eyes.
"Oh, just chop them all off already! Make him bald. I always wondered what a shiny-headed Leo would look like."
"Hey!!" Leo snapped, glaring at her with wide eyes.
Niya chuckled softly and scolded playfully.
"Lili, don't tease him too much. You'll make him cry."
Lili put a hand to her heart, mock-offended.
"Me? I would never!"
Lyra stood up with purpose, walked over to the cupboard, and retrieved a pair of scissors. The shiny silver blades glinted under the lantern light.
"Alright," she said, marching back. "Let's begin."
Leo's eyes widened as she suddenly started snipping away at different strands.
"Wait, wait—what are you doing?! You're not even measuring anything!"
"Freestyle!" Lyra replied cheerfully.
Lili leaned back in her chair.
"Oh, this is getting good. Let's go, chop-chop!"
Leo gripped the edge of the chair like it was a life raft. "Nooo, this isn't a performance!"
Even Niya began to sweat a little.
"Umm… Lyra, dear, maybe slow down a little—"
But it was too late. Snip. Snip. Snip.
Lia couldn't stop giggling.
"He looks like a fluffy potato!"
Leo groaned and just closed his eyes, surrendering to fate.
Minutes passed. Then… silence.
Leo cautiously peeked one eye open. Lyra stood proudly in front of him, scissors in one hand, a satisfied smile on her face.
"There. All done."
Leo blinked. "…What did you do to me?"
"See for yourself." Lyra stepped aside with a dramatic bow.
Leo raised his hand and summoned a small sphere of water, using it as a mirror. His reflection rippled into view—and his jaw dropped.
His once long, flowing red hair was now completely transformed. It was shorter, choppier—yet oddly stylish. A few strands fell onto his forehead in a natural fringe, some messily framed the sides of his face near his ears, and in the back, a thin, long strand remained—like a subtle rat tail, trailing just past his shoulders.
It was messy. Wild. Untamed. But…
It was uniquely him.
Leo blinked at his reflection, then slowly turned to Lyra.
"…You didn't mess it up."
Lyra put her hands on her hips, proud.
"Told you. You look cool now."
Lia clapped. "You look like a wild prince now, Onii-chan!"
Lili shrugged. "Ehh. You look less annoying now, I'll give her that."
Leo sighed, shoulders relaxing.
"…Thanks, Lyra."
Lyra just smiled.
"Anytime."