In the Land of the Flame, in the south-central part of this country, protected by dense forests and mountains, lies the hidden village of Valeria. The sun was setting behind the hills, casting a golden light over the rooftops. The streets were silent, stirred only by the wind's breath and the distant song of birds.
At the edge of the village, on a deserted training ground, a young girl of about eleven had a round, delicate, almost childlike face, with fair, smooth skin, slightly flushed on her cheeks and around her sky-blue eyes. She also had silver hair cut just above her shoulders, with a straight fringe framing her face. She was training alone, striking a tree.
Her movements were precise but hesitant, as if she were trying to prove something to herself. The cold, cutting words of her father during their morning clan trainings came back to her mind:
<< Yukihana, this clan will never forgive weakness. Every mistake, every hesitation, every breath makes you unworthy and useless to bear the name "Shirogane." >>
Her movements grew faster and faster despite her short breath and her pounding heart.
She continued to strike until she collapsed to the ground, her hands gripping the tree, sweat running from her temple down to the soil. She had seen Asahi train despite the mocking of others; he never let himself be defeated. She wanted to have the same determination and mental strength, but she knew better than anyone where her weakness lay, and that would not change. Knowing the problem was never enough to solve it.
She got up and continued striking the tree. Her palms were full of scrapes, but she did not stop. After an hour, night had fallen, so she picked up her empty water bottle and headed back to the village. As she walked home, whenever her eyes met those of the other villagers, she immediately looked down, focusing on her steps, until she reached the Shirogane estate.
When she stood in front of the gate, the guards opened it to let her in, but no one greeted her to show respect. Despite being the eldest daughter of the clan leader, she was treated like a pariah. She entered, her gaze fixed on the ground. Her room was located at the very end of the estate. As she walked down the corridor, she passed the training hall. She saw her younger brother and her father training. She heard her father compliment the boy, but his voice carried no warmth, as if the compliment were more a statement than praise. But complimenting her, even once, he had never done. After all, he saw her as a failure and a disgrace.
She looked away and went to her room. It was a small room, furnished with the bare essentials and a shower. Since the clan leader, Ryuji Shirogane, had openly treated her as weak, he had placed all his hopes on her younger brother Kyo, saying he was worth far more than a failure like his elder sister, who she herself was.
Since that public training, Yukihana had become invisible. All the servants and guards avoided her or openly despised her. So, when she realized their treatment toward her, every time she tried to speak to them, they either looked away or answered without hiding their contempt. She stopped talking to them. If she needed something, she always managed to get it herself.
She sat on her bed, unwrapped the bandages, cleaned her injured hands, and gritted her teeth at every sting. The pain, she could endure; she was used to it. It was the silence all around her that she could no longer bear.
She lay down on her bed, her eyes slowly closing, and she sank into a deep sleep where her worst nightmares returned to remind her of what a failure she was, where everyone looked at her with contempt and disappointment. Every time, she wished she could shrink away and disappear. But even these dreams reflected her reality, and she could not escape it.