Seiya looked utterly bewildered, unsure how to react to the situation now that he realized he might be living under the same roof not only with Kirasaki, but also with Akari, who would serve as a maid.
His gaze shifted to Kirasaki, who was still busy enjoying Akari's cooking, when he was suddenly startled by the girl approaching him directly.
Akari immediately grabbed both of Seiya's arms and clasped them tightly. "From now on, please take care of me~ Young Master Seiya~!"
"Y-You don't need to address me so formally! Just Seiya is fine." Seiya declined being called 'young master.'
"Ehh... But Miss Kirasaki told me that I would be your personal maid forever, starting from now."
Seiya had never heard this information before, so he stared in confusion at Kirasaki, who chuckled softly.
"You remember the reason I left you alone for a whole week, don't you?" said Kirasaki, who had just finished her grilled meat.
"Master said you were going to handle some important business in the Kingdom of Legenia."
Kirasaki nodded. "Perhaps this is the first time I'm telling you this important information so suddenly."
"But this is for the good of everyone here. I am a descendant of the Shimatsu."
Seiya's expression turned to shock instantly, causing him to step back several paces, not expecting that Kirasaki was one of the descendants of a Legend known to be extremely powerful, terrifying, and famous among all Legends.
Kirasaki smiled seeing Seiya display such a shocked reaction. "Although you never asked about my surname all this time, I didn't need to tell you."
"Shimatsu Kirasaki is my name, and you could say my business in the Kingdom of Legenia was to speak with one of my siblings, Shimatsu Sirius."
Surprise after surprise kept hitting Seiya like coordinated punches, leaving him needing time to process it all at once.
"Don't be afraid or even suspicious of me. I won't follow the same path as him." Kirasaki sipped her tea.
Path...
That word began to linger in Seiya's mind as he suddenly managed to withstand all those shocking revelations upon hearing it.
What did Kirasaki mean by 'the same path as him'?
That question arose until it was answered by Kirasaki's next words: "All important people in the Kingdom, such as nobles, have their own personal servants."
"Since Sirius and I are siblings, I also get a maid."
"Initially, I wasn't interested, but when I saw Akari, I chose her so she wouldn't fall into anyone else's hands."
Kirasaki immediately stopped her words before discussing something sensitive to Akari and Seiya, who were still only 10 years old.
Essentially, she wanted to say that Kirasaki didn't want Akari to fall into the wrong hands where she might be treated poorly.
"Since I now have a student who is sometimes careless and likes to complain about my cooking, I'm giving Akari to you."
"She's skilled at cooking and housework. Plus, she has exactly the same hobby as you—studying and reading."
Seiya was surprised to hear this and immediately shook his head. "N-No, I don't need a maid or anything like that..."
"S-Seiya doesn't want me...?" Akari put on a pitiful expression.
"No! It's not like that!" Seiya immediately panicked, realizing he had just said something insensitive.
"I think it would be better if we just had a friendship... not a master and servant relationship." He explained while scratching his cheek, which wasn't itchy, out of awkwardness.
Akari shook her head. "I've been assigned to be a maid. That means I can't quit."
"Just accept it, my student."
"Think of her as your closest friend who will give you extra care."
Kirasaki raised her finger. "She can also be your training partner in magic, you know."
"Akari also wants to be able to use magic, even though she's already studied a lot about it."
Seiya fell silent. Whether he liked it or not, he had to accept it, especially when he saw Akari's innocent face full of curiosity as she looked at him pleadingly again.
"I promise I won't disappoint you, Young Master Seiya."
"Hahhh... Fine, as long as you just call me by my name." Seiya accepted her as his personal maid.
Akari's eyes sparkled instantly, and she nodded. "Alright, Seiya! Once again, please take care of me!"
Today, Seiya truly received several pieces of important information, and somehow he felt wary of Kirasaki, especially after learning she was a Shimatsu descendant.
A lineage famous for their characteristic trait of massacring anything related to their struggles and goals.
That evening, they enjoyed dinner together. For the first time, Seiya experienced a different sensation in his mouth.
The food prepared by Akari tasted like it was on a completely different level compared to Kirasaki, who always gave him burnt and bland food.
Akari watched as Seiya ate her cooking very quickly until he handed her the empty plate. "Please, seconds!"
"Of course, Seiya." Akari took the empty plate.
That night, Seiya's nutrition and protein needs were fully met, including Kirasaki's, so they didn't have to worry about nutritional intake from unpalatable food anymore.
After dinner, Seiya saw Akari, who had fallen asleep first on her own bed, positioned right next to his. He hadn't expected to sleep in the same room as her.
Seeing Akari sleeping contentedly made Seiya feel relieved now because he could speak with Kirasaki privately.
...
...
That night, a gentle breeze blew softly in the backyard.
Kirasaki and Seiya stood facing each other several meters apart.
"Tonight's training will be a bit different," said Kirasaki while stretching her arms.
"I want to see how far your combat abilities have developed."
Seiya nodded and took a ready stance. "Yes, Master."
"But before that," Kirasaki suddenly put on a serious expression.
"There are some important things you need to know about me and the Shimatsu family."
Seiya lowered his combat stance, sensing a different aura from Kirasaki.
"The Shimatsu family is indeed famous as one of the strongest Legend bloodlines," Kirasaki began while walking in circles around Seiya.
"But our reputation was built on blood and massacre."
"Massacre?" Seiya furrowed his brow.
"Yes. Especially those carried out by my brother, Sirius." Kirasaki stopped walking.
"He has a simple philosophy... you could say it's the current policy where only the strong have the right to live."
"Legends he considers weak, lazy, or useless, he massacres without mercy."
Seiya's hands unconsciously clenched into fists. "And how many victims were there?"
"Hundreds. Maybe thousands." Kirasaki's answer sounded flat, but there was a tone of regret in it.
"Sirius doesn't care whether they have families, children, or dreams. To him, weakness is a sin that must be punished by death."
Seiya felt anger beginning to surge in his chest. "Then why are you telling me this now?!"
Without waiting for an answer, Seiya immediately launched a hard punch toward Kirasaki's face.
Kirasaki parried easily but didn't retreat at all. "Because there's something more important you need to know."
"WHAT?!" Seiya continued to unleash brutal combinations of punches and kicks.
"Are you the same as him?! Are you also a murderer?!"
"Your parents," Kirasaki parried every attack while continuing to speak calmly.
"Were killed by Sirius."
Seiya's movements stopped instantly. The world seemed to stop spinning.
"W-what?"
"Your father and mother were strong and kind-hearted Legends."
"They helped many people, protected the weak." Kirasaki lowered her hands.
"But to Sirius, that kindness was weakness."
"NO!" Seiya attacked again more fiercely. Tears began to flow down his cheeks.
"MASTER IS LYING!"
His kick hit Kirasaki's stomach, but his teacher was only pushed back slightly.
"I'm not lying, Seiya." Kirasaki looked at her student with regret-filled eyes.
"I even witnessed that murder."
"WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HIM?!" Seiya jumped high and launched a spinning kick toward Kirasaki's head.
"Because I don't have higher authority than him." Kirasaki caught Seiya's leg and lowered it gently.
Seiya fell to his knees, his hands hitting the ground in frustration. "Why... why did Master take me as a student if you knew all this?!"
"Because I don't want you to be killed by Sirius, especially after seeing you chosen as the Origin bearer since then!"
"I also want to atone for his sins by protecting you! By making you stronger than anyone, including Sirius!"
"And Akari..." Kirasaki continued.
"She also has a fate not much different from yours."
"Akari was sold by her own parents," Kirasaki said with a bitter tone.
"They needed money to pay off debts, so they sold their very young daughter to the kingdom."
"She was supposed to become the maid of an old nobleman known to be... rough with his servants."
"Especially the beautiful ones like Akari." Kirasaki looked at the girl with protective eyes.
"I couldn't let that happen."
"So I took her," Kirasaki stood and extended her hand to Seiya.
"Just like I took you. Both of you are innocent children who have to bear the consequences of the world's cruelty."
"Will you now depend on revenge?" Kirasaki extended her hand to help Seiya stand.
"Or do you want to become the hope you always spoke to me about—helping and saving everyone?"
Seiya remained silent until he began to remember his childhood, which had indeed become so faded because he didn't remember much.
But he remembered his parents' words that he was promised to be a Legend who would carry everyone's hope.
Hope that he would give to everyone despite being born as a poor and weak Legend.
He immediately remembered his parents' departure when they were taken away by several soldiers, leaving him alone in a shelter.
Seiya immediately grasped Kirasaki's hand. "Master, I... I will become stronger."
"Stronger than Sirius. Stronger than anyone who dares to hurt innocent people."
"And I will protect Akari," Seiya reached for the girl's hand.
"Not as a servant, but as... as a friend. As family."
"We both don't have biological families."
"But that doesn't mean we have to be alone. We can become family for each other."
"I promise to be kind to Akari. We will protect each other, help each other, and support each other."
"I... I don't want you to fall into revenge, especially doing the same things as Sirius."
Kirasaki smiled hearing his words. From her sharp golden eyes that had started with revenge, it changed to calmness from the desire to give hope.
She could now see why Seiya was chosen to become the Origin Legend, especially the Origin of Light.
He was like a light that would continue to illuminate everyone with his hope...
Without ever dimming...
"That's what I hoped for."
"You are a better future."
"A future that won't repeat the mistakes of previous generations."
That night, under the gentle moonlight, two people wounded by the past began a new chapter in their lives.
As a family that protects and supports each other, they prepared to face the challenges ahead.
And for the first time in a long time, Seiya felt he wasn't alone in his life's journey.