Minamoto stepped forward, his eyes shining with suspicion.
"Can you tell us... what exactly happened here?"
There was silence before Kurul's gaze slowly shifted to Kaito.
The latter froze, feeling his heart sink inside him.
Kurul sighed, his voice trailing off, as if reliving an ancient pain.
"Long ago... the world of Noxar was nothing like the one you see now.
It was a prosperous world, filled with light. All the tribes... all the classes... lived together in peace.
All of this... was thanks to our king.
No king has ruled Noxar as justly as he has. He is the reason we live together without fear or bloodshed."
A fleeting smile crossed his lips, but it quickly faded as his tone shifted.
"But... it didn't last long.
The catastrophe struck.
Peace turned to hell.
The ancient pact was broken, and chaos began.
A few of us survived... The others became lost hybrid monsters... or died."
A heavy silence fell over the place, even their breathing could be heard.
Suddenly, Minamoto shouted,
"Why did you stop? Go on!"
Lian flinched, ran to his nanny and hid behind her.
Korole lowered his head, his voice growing more sorrowful.
"Beyond that... it would be torture even to know."
Minamoto gritted his teeth, then suddenly pounced on Kaito, grabbing him firmly by the neck.
"So... what does this boy have to do with all this?!"
Tsuki's voice rose in anger.
"Minamoto! Enough!"
Taeko was about to stand up to intervene, but Kurul raised his sharp hand, signaling him not to move.
Kurul looked at Minamoto with sharp eyes and said coldly, "And what does it have to do with you... with what's really going on?"
The air trembled between them.
Seconds passed like an eternity... then Minamoto pushed Kaito to the ground and released him.
He stood silent for a moment, then turned sharply and walked out of the house with heavy steps.
The others watched in silence, the air thick with tension, while Kaito sat clutching his neck, his eyes fixed on the ground, as if lost in an abyss of unanswered questions.
After Minamoto left, Tsuki, Hana, and Saya all walked over to Kaito, their faces filled with concern.
"Kaito, are you okay?" Tsuki asked in a tender voice as she knelt beside him.
But Kaito remained silent, his eyes blank, as if he couldn't hear anything.
Even when Saya placed her hand on his shoulder, he didn't seem to react.
Korole approached slowly, his old eyes shining as if they were reading something hidden deep within him.
He leaned down slightly and patted Kaito's head with a light touch.
Suddenly, Kaito's eyes widened.
Something old stirred inside him... a distant memory? Or a long-dormant feeling?
His body trembled for a moment before returning to a calmer state, but he said nothing.
Minamoto reentered, silent this time, and sat far away in a dark corner of the room. He didn't say a word, but his gaze never left Kaito's.
As for little Lian, he shyly approached the girls, but he quickly warmed up to them and to Haeru Shen, who was laughing and trying to imitate the sounds of insects to make him laugh.
Lian's laughter was clear, like a breeze amidst the heavy silence.
Gradually, the atmosphere in the room began to change.
After a long struggle and a lot of blood, everyone felt something they had long lacked... peace of mind.
They all sat together at that moment, closer than ever, as if trying to hold on to this temporary peace before the journey pushed them once again into the unknown.
End of Chapter