CHAPTER 7
[AT THE FOSTER HOME…]
It was already late.
By now, everyone in the foster home should have been fast asleep—everyone except the Six. That was precisely why the faint movement in the hallway unsettled them. Someone had been wandering around for the past hour.
Who could it be?
The thought passed silently between them as they listened to the presence lingering just beyond their door.
Earlier, following their discussion about the parcel and Big Sis Evelyn, Orion had been assigned a specific role. He was maintaining a high-perception radius—a ten-meter field extending from their room into the hallway beyond. Within that space, he could sense presence, movement, intent, bloodlust, scents, subtle sounds, and even minute vibrations, granting him full 360-degree threat awareness.
He remained constantly alert for anyone attempting to intrude—or worse, eavesdrop.
So when something crossed into his range, he knew instantly.
Orion subtly alerted the others.
Someone was approaching the door.
A quiet sound followed—the faint twist of the doorknob. The door shifted, opening just enough to reveal a sliver of the hallway as the unexpected visitor decided to let themselves in uninvited.
The Six reacted immediately.
Seeing the door crack open sent them scrambling—not in panic, but with practiced efficiency. Anything suspicious was hidden away in seconds. The goal was simple: make it look like nothing more than a group of boys killing time in their room, indulging in harmless activities.
No rituals. No secrets.
Just normalcy.
The door opened wider.
The visitor stepped inside, smiling softly as their eyes swept across the room.
Orion sat near the corner, legs crossed in the Half-Lotus position, eyes closed in quiet meditation. Across from him, Corvus and Cygnus lay flat on their stomachs, deeply engaged in a game of chess. On the top bunk, Norma was completely absorbed in a thick history book—unsurprising, given his dedication to reading. Nearby, Draco and Lupus were locked in an intense arm-wrestling match, neither sparing the doorway more than a passing glance.
The scene was flawless.
"H-hello…?"
A soft voice broke the silence.
"You guys are still awake?"
The Six froze for half a second.
"…Whaaat?! Haru?!"
Standing in the doorway was a fourteen-year-old girl named Haru—one of the eighteen orphaned children living at the foster home.
She was gentle by nature, with a soft presence and warm smiles that easily put others at ease. Frail in build, she struggled with physical training and often sat on the sidelines, quietly watching the others—especially the Six. Despite her limitations, she admired them deeply. She had always wished she could be as strong as they were, but her body simply couldn't endure it.
So she watched.
And hoped.
The Six exchanged quick glances.
They had been expecting one of the four maids—perhaps doing a routine check—or, worse, Big Sis Evelyn herself. All that frantic effort to appear natural… only for it to be Haru.
Of all people.
The tension in the room eased, just slightly—but not completely.
[Norma]— "Wh—what are you doing here, Haru? It's way past your bedtime."
He closed his book, abandoning the act.
[Orion] —(to Haru)"Yeah, it's pretty late. You're gonna get in trouble if Big Sis or the others find out."
He dropped the meditative pose once he realized it was her.
[Haru]— (softly) "Oh… I—I was just… checking up on you guys. That's all."
Even after living together for years, the Six carried an intimidating presence when they gathered in one room. Most of the other kids still felt uneasy around them. Haru—and a few others—had grown used to it over time, but even now, standing before all six at once made her nervous.
Being a secret admirer didn't help.
She fidgeted slightly, clearly flustered, doing her best not to embarrass herself.
[Lupus]— (to Haru)"…You could at least knock before coming in. What if we weren't dressed?"
[Haru]— (sheepish)"I—I'm sorry…"
Her face flushed as she bowed her head apologetically.
Orion leaned toward Lupus and whispered.
[Orion]— (quietly, reproachful)"C'mon, Lu. You didn't have to say it like that. Look at her—now she feels bad just for coming to say hi."
[Norma]— (to Haru, suspicious)"Why come check on us this late when you should be asleep? Did someone send you?"
[Orion]—"Not you too…!"
[Haru] (quickly, flustered)"N-no! That's not it! I wasn't sent by anyone!"
She waved her hands in panic, trying to dispel the suspicion.
"I just… thought I'd say hi. I know it's late, but I saw your fight with Big Sis today and I just—well…"
She hesitated, cheeks reddening.
"You were all amazing. Especially you, Lupus."
Orion slid closer to Lupus and nudged him with his elbow.
[Orion]— (grinning) "Hey, hey… looks like you've got a fan."
[Draco]—"Hey! What about me? I took the first strike when everyone else was too scared—which is why I got knocked out first. But where was Lupus, huh?"
He scoffed.
"Hiding in the back, waiting for everyone else to move before showing off. If you ask me, that's cowardly."
[Lupus]— (smug) "It's called strategy. You'd know that if God hadn't run out of brains when He got to you."
[Draco]— (matching the grin)"Oh, I see. Then I'll be sure to inform you whenever we need a storage facility. That empty space in your skull should do nicely."
Haru burst into giggles at their exchange.
[Haru]— (laughing) "You two have really great chemistry. I'm kind of jealous."
[Lupus]—"Wha—no way! Don't lump me together with this dust-and-ashes-for-brains."
He pointed at Draco.
[Draco]— "You know, sometimes you remind me of something I used to flush back in the day when I had the runs. Just looking at your face brings back memories."
He stroked his chin, reminiscing with a smug expression.
Orion stared at him, stunned.
[Orion]—"Whoa—easy there, Draco. That came out of nowhere."
[Inner Monologue — Orion]
I actually feel bad for Lu… wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that.
[Lupus]— (smirking)"So you had that in your arsenal? Better watch your back—wolves are always hungry."
[Draco]— (smirks back) "Don't get me wrong, Lupus. Wolves are powerful. But… what happens when they face a dragon?"
[Norma]— (cutting in)"Alright, that's enough. Break it up."
He sighed.
"You two are always competing. You're both highly skilled—Haru even said so—and whether you like it or not, you share a bond."
He glanced at Haru.
"She came all this way just to say hello. The least we can do is behave."
[Lupus]— (exhaling)"…You're right. I'll try to be the mature one next time."
[Inner Monologue — Lupus]
If that's even possible with him around.
[Draco]—"And that's exactly why we have Norma—to keep us level-headed."
He shot a sideways glance at Lupus.
"Unlike some people… hmph."
Corvus let out a tired sigh, releasing the chess pieces from his hands.
[Corvus]— (stretching) "Let's call it a night. I'm heading to bed."
[Cygnus]— "Yeah… same here."
[Haru]—"Wait—b-but I haven't even—"
[Norma]— (gently but firmly)"Corvus is right. It's getting really late."
He turned to Haru with an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, Haru. Maybe you can visit us another time—just not this late, okay?"
[Haru]— (hesitating)"B-but I—"
She was cut off before she could finish.
Orion stepped forward.
[Orion]—"Don't worry, Haru. You can come see us anytime—we'd love the company."
He smiled reassuringly.
"Say… how about I walk you back to your room?"
[Haru]—"Ah… o-okay!"
Orion gently took her hand and escorted her out, disappearing down the hallway.
One by one, the others began settling in, preparing for sleep. The foster home gradually fell quiet again.
But the night wasn't over yet.
After Orion returned from walking Haru back safely, the Six gathered once more—this time at Draco's insistence. His expression was serious.
He had a proposal.
Draco suggested that they move forward with the ritual—fully, as the Six Vessels.
Immediately, objections were raised.
Some of them argued that they still lacked crucial answers. Too many pieces fit together too neatly. Coincidences piled on coincidences until they no longer felt random. Big Sis Evelyn, in particular, stood out as a high-priority suspect. They believed it would be wiser to gather more information and keep a close watch on her.
Draco, however, remained firm.
Lupus hadn't shared the same suspicions throughout their discussions, often dismissing their concerns as circumstantial. And that, Draco argued, was precisely why the ritual should be performed.
"If it fails," he reasoned, "then Lupus was right. Everything was just coincidence."
But if it succeeded…
Then their suspicions would be confirmed.
Everything would fall into place.
And if necessary, they would confront Big Sis Evelyn together and demand the truth.
It took time—but eventually, one by one, the others agreed.
What surprised them most was Lupus.
He accepted without protest.
The plan benefited everyone.
They had only one chance to perform the ritual, according to the guide. One attempt to prove whether everything that had happened was a setup from the very beginning.
The location was already decided.
An old abandoned building in the woods, not far from the foster home—a place the Six had long used as a secret meeting spot. Now, it would serve a far greater purpose.
Norma confirmed that they met nearly all the ritual's requirements. Everything was accounted for… except one thing.
Corvus pointed it out—the final requirement, written in cryptic Latin. Its meaning remained unclear.
Still, after much deliberation, they chose to take the risk.
The ritual was scheduled for the day after tomorrow.
Tomorrow would be spent preparing—quietly gathering the necessary items, making final arrangements, and ensuring no one suspected a thing.
With that, the gathering ended.
The Six returned to their beds, the weight of their decision pressing heavily on their minds. Doubt lingered. Questions echoed endlessly.
What if it failed?
What if something went wrong?
What if there was no turning back?
It felt rushed.
A dangerous undertaking—without a contingency plan.
And yet… it was already set in motion.