That morning, dew still clung stubbornly to the small leaves along the dirt path leading to the village. The sun had just peeked out from behind the mountains, its warmth shyly brushing the shoulders of two figures walking side by side.
On the left, a plump orange cat walked with a grace far too elegant for an ordinary village cat. On the right, a teenage girl in a slightly worn school uniform, her skirt a few inches above her knees, walked lightly while swinging a cloth bag from her shoulder. Her black hair was tied up carelessly.
"I had the weirdest dream last night," Hana said, gazing at the sky. "Like, there was this old lady flying over rooftops… but she was floating with a broom while singing!"
Mathien only gave her a brief sideways glance. His fat tail occasionally swept the dust on the road.
"You probably ate too much instant noodles before bed," he replied flatly, though he kept pace with Hana without fail.
Hana giggled. "No, seriously, you should've seen it. It was hilarious. Then I chased her, but she suddenly turned into… a fried tofu ball!"
Mathien stopped for a moment, staring at Hana for a long beat.
"I truly pity the state of your mind."
Hana burst out laughing, her joy so bright it made the morning sunlight on her face seem as if it was smiling too. Her skin wasn't as smooth as noble ladies in the kingdom—dull from spending too much time under the sun. But in Mathien's eyes… she was still radiant. Alive. Like a wildflower that grew in harsh soil—yet never stopped blooming.
"Chiro," Hana called without looking at him. "If I pass the exams later, you have to give me a gift."
Mathien flicked his eyes at her. "Since when did you start assigning me tasks?"
"Since now," Hana said casually. "I want you to… turn into a human and be my big brother for a day!"
Mathien's steps faltered for half a second before continuing, indifferent.
"That's absurd."
"Why not? It'd be funny!"
"We don't even look like siblings. You're… so small."
Hana pretended to pout, then nudged him lightly with the tip of her shoe.
They kept walking, and from afar, the school building slowly came into view behind the trees.
"Hey, don't run off when I go to class, okay? During break I'll tell you the rest of the tofu ball dream."
Mathien didn't answer. But in his silence, he kept following her steps—just one stride behind. Close enough to hear Hana's footsteps. Close enough to catch the faint fragrance of flowers and morning sunlight clinging to her.
He didn't know much about humans. But one thing he knew for certain.
Hana was like a flower that bloomed for no reason. And for some reason, he wanted to remain in her shade. As close as possible. For as long as possible.
When the school gate finally came into sight, Hana quickened her pace, her shoes splashing the last traces of morning dew. Mathien, on the other hand, slowed down, stopping a few meters before the fence. Tilting his head, he gazed at the old, pale green school building with fading paint.
"I'm here," Hana said as she turned back, her face bright despite the wrinkles in her uniform. "Wait for me outside, okay? I'll bring you snacks at recess."
Mathien sat beneath the big tree near the gate, his fur catching slants of sunlight. He said nothing, only flicked his tail slightly—the only acknowledgment he offered that morning.
Hana crouched down for a moment, gently patting his head. "Don't disappear, okay? I'll entrust you to this tree."
Mathien gave a small snort. "As if I couldn't take care of myself."
But Hana was already standing, waving her hand. "See you later, Chiro~!"
The girl walked through the gate with a light step. Behind her, other students trickled in, carrying heavy bags and their own morning stories. None of them noticed the plump cat with bright blue eyes watching them from afar, his gaze far keener than it should be for an ordinary animal.
Mathien remained under the tree. The wind blew softly, carrying the smell of damp wood and lingering dew.
Then suddenly… something made his ears twitch.
The air shifted.
Not the temperature. Something subtler. Like invisible threads stretching through the air, slowly creeping toward the school building. A faint gray mist cloaked the gate, thin enough to escape human eyes.
Mathien narrowed his gaze.
That was no ordinary mist. He could feel it—magic. Not white magic. But dark, slick, cold, and pressing. The energy wrapped around the whole building, slipping in through windows, crawling over the walls, seeping into the classrooms, cloaking the students one by one…
But there was one strange thing.
One spot remained untouched.
Hana.
The girl sat at a desk near the window. Sunlight spilled over her hastily tied hair, and though every other student was shrouded in that faint black haze… Hana stayed clear. Pure. Unstained.
Mathien's eyes narrowed further.
"What on earth…"
It wasn't just that Hana was unaffected—the mist seemed to avoid her. As if… afraid. Or perhaps… rejected.
Mathien lowered his head. His fur bristled.
For the first time, his suspicions became real: Hana's energy wasn't just ordinary positivity.
She wasn't a witch.
She was a source of power.
🌸🌸🌸
The midday sky stretched clear with thin clouds drifting lazily. A gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh grass and damp leaves, wrapping the schoolyard in a rare warmth for this changing season.
Hana ran out of her classroom, skipping down the steps lightly but with haste. Her breath came short, though a smile never left her face. She pulled her worn cardigan tighter over her uniform against the cooler wind.
Her destination was obvious—the big tree at the far end of the yard, where Chiro, her beloved fat cat, would surely be dozing peacefully.
"Chiro~!" she called softly, almost a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the noble cat's nap.
And she was right.
Beneath the great old tree with its sturdy trunk rising into the sky, Mathien lay curled in his feline form. His round body nestled comfortably between warm roots bathed in sunlight. His breath rose and fell slowly. His ears twitched slightly at Hana's voice, but he didn't open his eyes. The smell of damp soil and rustling leaves lulled him in a light slumber that was almost like meditation.
But before Hana could reach him—
Thud!
Someone bumped into her shoulder hard enough to knock her back a step. A few books slipped from the stranger's hands, scattering to the ground.
Hana staggered briefly, then quickly crouched down.
"Sorry! I'm so sorry!" she blurted, even though she was the one who had been bumped.
The boy—another student with a worn backpack and a weary face—also crouched. He said little, just gathered his books one by one. His expression was cold, his eyes somewhat hollow. There was something strange in his gaze, but Hana still picked up two books and handed them back with a small smile.
"These are yours, right?"
The boy accepted them with a short nod. No thanks. Just a flat look, then he walked away as if nothing had happened.
Hana sighed softly, brushing the dirt from her skirt and knees as she stood.
"Well… he must be tired."
But from afar, two bright blue eyes observed sharply.
Mathien had opened his eyes at last, narrowing them at the boy's retreating back.
Something was wrong.
He could see it—the faint black haze trailing behind the student. Not powerful, but sinister enough to make the fur on Mathien's neck rise. The dark threads slithered under the boy's skin, sinking in silently.
And yet… when that magic brushed Hana—at the very spot on her shoulder where she had been struck—none of it seeped into her.
It stopped. Deflected. As though Hana's body… rejected it.
Mathien slowly straightened his posture.
His eyes no longer drowsy.
One claw gripped the grass tightly. For the first time since morning, he realized danger was right before his eyes—and the answer might be standing there in the sunlight, wrapped in a shabby cardigan, smiling lightly.
This girl wasn't just an ordinary human.
She was immune to dark magic.
And more than that, the magic itself seemed reluctant to even approach her. Hana strolled back toward him, humming softly.
And in his heart, the prince began to wonder—if the darkness of the world truly descended…
…would this girl be the only light left?
🌸🌸🌸