That morning, sunlight had completely filled the room. The sound of birds chirping outside the window—peaceful, contrasting with the unease still enveloping Alice and Rina.
Knock knock knock.
A gentle knock on the door.
"Alice? I'm coming in, okay?"
Selena slowly opened the door, her head appearing first with a warm smile. She entered and closed the door behind her.
"Alice, how are you feeling today?"
Alice sat on the edge of the bed, her hand still holding Rina's hand.
"I'm... fine."
Her voice wasn't fully convincing, but Selena didn't press her.
Selena turned to Rina, her smile widening.
"May I know your name?"
"I'm Rina." Her voice was soft but clear.
"A beautiful name." Selena sat in a chair near the bed.
Rina returned with a small smile—there was still worry in her eyes, but Selena's friendly manner made her slightly calmer.
Selena took a deep breath—as if preparing herself to convey something important.
"Alice, I just got news from Miss Novy that Miss Elina will now often be at the kingdom."
Alice furrowed her brow.
"Why is that?"
"The kingdom officials have passed away." Selena's voice dropped, becoming more serious.
"Now Miss Elina must also manage the kingdom."
Alice's eyes widened. Her heart pounded—whether from shock or something else.
"You mean officials Parli and Miss Zenya have passed away?"
"Official Parli has passed away," Selena explained.
"Miss Zenya was successfully saved by Miss Elina."
A moment of silence.
"And that... became very shocking news throughout the kingdom."
Alice fell silent, processing that information. Parli... the man who held them hostage, who hurt Rina... was dead. She should feel relieved, but something felt off.
"Were there any other people also at that place?"
Selena shook her head.
"There were none."
None—which meant Han had either already left, or...
Rina gripped Alice's hand tighter. Her small fingers trembled slightly, but she tried to stay strong.
"Tomorrow Miss Elina will come here to tell the orphanage children about her busyness at the kingdom going forward," Selena continued.
Alice nodded slowly.
"Alright... I'll also tell what I know later."
Silence again enveloped the room—heavy, filled with unspoken worries.
Then Selena, with her characteristic mischievous smile, gently pinched Alice's stomach.
"Don't keep being gloomy..." she said in a forced cheerful tone.
"You're already being waited for by Varesa at the dining table. Let's go!"
Alice smiled—her first genuine smile that day. She stood and invited Rina.
"Come on, Rina. Let's have breakfast first."
---
Noon approaching evening. The sun began shifting westward, casting long shadows in the orphanage garden.
Alice and Rina sat on a wooden bench under a large tree. A gentle breeze made the leaves sway, creating a soothing soft rustle.
"Don't worry, Rina." Alice stroked the back of Rina's hand with her fingers.
"We already know your brother will definitely be fine."
"Yes..." Rina stared into the distance.
"Maybe now brother is cooking... alone."
Her voice trembled slightly on the last word.
"I... I have to find brother."
Alice turned to face Rina, her hands holding those small shoulders gently but firmly.
"Wait, Rina. The situation now is still unstable. Outside the orphanage indeed looks safe, but to be cautious we shouldn't go out yet."
She pointed toward the distant forest.
"There might still be remnants of monster rampage because of last night's lightning."
Rina fell silent, then nodded slowly.
"Rampage and despair..."
Her eyes looked empty, as if seeing something far away—or something from the past.
"I remember that incident again."
Alice tilted her head.
"When your brother, Han, was attacked by someone in the forest?"
"Yes..."
---
Flashback – Forest Night
The campfire still blazed, but now wilder—as if joining the anger with the situation happening.
The man attacking Han moved with desperate madness. Each swing of his sword was filled with raw uncontrolled rage.
"YOU!" he screamed, voice hoarse with emotion. "Were you sent here to kill me too?!"
Tears mixed with blood and sweat on his face.
"All of you... YOU KILLED ALL THE HOPE I HAD!"
Clang!
Han parried the sword with his ice sword, fire sparks thrown between them.
"I don't understand what you mean," Han said with a voice remaining calm despite fighting.
He used the flat side of his sword to push the man back—defending, not wanting to hurt more than necessary.
The man fell, but stood back up. Wounds on his body—on his arm, leg, chest—should have made an ordinary person collapse. Yet he still stood, still moved, filled with nearly insane determination.
Steel sword met ice sword again. Their fight created a rhythm—metal against ice, despair against control.
Han moved with the precision of a trained fighter. Each parry calculated, each dodge minimal, each counterattack measured.
With a quick movement, Han found an opening and knocked him down again.
However then—
Everything changed.
Dark aura began billowing from the man's body. Dense, suffocating, like living smoke. His eyes that were previously filled with despair now became—empty. Hollow. As if something else was taking over.
Darkness enveloped his sword—transforming steel into something darker, more evil.
Han flinched seeing that change. His expression changed—from wary to truly focused.
WHOOSH!
The man shot like a shadow—merging with the darkness around them. He appeared behind Han, his sword slashing with inhuman speed.
Clang!
Han barely blocked the attack—his ice sword formed just in time.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their sword fight created a deadly symphony. Faster and faster, more intense. Sparks of fire and ice flew in all directions.
Han saw an opening—kicked the man in the chest, making him jerk backward.
But the man didn't fall.
Instead, with increasingly thick darkness aura, he created—
Shadows.
Copies of himself, made of pure darkness. Equally real, equally dangerous.
Both attacked simultaneously—coordinated, flanking Han from two sides.
Han's eyes narrowed.
Fire appeared on his ice sword—a contradiction that should be impossible, but somehow could happen. Orange flames danced along the ice blade.
He spun, one strong and wide slash.
WHOOSH.
Fire and ice penetrated both opponents at once. The man was knocked back, while his shadow copy disappeared in black smoke puffs.
But Han didn't stop.
He raised his hand—water droplets appeared in the air, spinning, high-pressured.
Tick-tick-tick-tick!
A barrage of water balls rained down at bullet speed. The man tried to dodge and parry with his sword, but there were too many. Several hit his body—leaving bruises and slash wounds.
Then—
Han swung his sword forward.
FWOOOM!
A large fire burst exploded forward... a fire wall that hit the man's body with crushing force.
CRASH!
He was flung, crashing into a tree trunk with a hard impact that made his body go limp.
Silence.
The man lay there, nearly unconscious. His vision blurred, sight trembling.
He saw a figure walking closer—silhouetted by fire still burning behind.
"Am I... very weak?" he thought in his heart. "No... that person is too strong."
He stared at his own hand—trembling, covered in blood and burn wounds.
"Yuzuha..." he whispered with a voice barely audible. "Sena..."
Then darkness swallowed him.
---
The Next Morning
Sunlight penetrated the leaf gaps, warm and gentle.
The man's eyes opened slowly. He was briefly confused—thinking he would still feel pain, or perhaps death.
But—
He felt something. Looked down.
His wounds had closed. Not completely healed, but enough to stop bleeding and prevent infection.
Then he saw them.
A little girl sat near the campfire. And the person he fought last night—now cooking something over the fire.
He flinched, his body reflexively alert. His eyes searched for his sword.
None.
There was only a wooden branch near him. He grabbed it, held it tight though his hand trembled.
"Calm down," Han said softly. "Rest first."
His voice was calm, without threat.
He fell silent, then slowly realized something.
"Why did you... heal me?"
Han finally turned, staring straight into his eyes.
"A misunderstanding occurred that shouldn't have. We're not from the kingdom."
He pointed to himself, then to Rina.
"I'm Han. And this is my sister, Rina."
Silent for a moment.
"It seems you have a story to tell. What's your name?"
He stared at them closely. There was no hostility in both their eyes—only concern.
He slowly lowered the branch.
"I'm... Tsubasa."
---
And then he told everything.
About Kurokami Village—a small peaceful village, where everyone knew each other.
About that day—when monsters came, or at least he thought so.
About residents who transformed—horrifying transformation, their humanity vanished replaced by savagery.
About Hero Ranga—who should have saved them, but instead—
About Yuzuha and Sena, two friends he couldn't save.
His voice trembled many times throughout the story. Han and Rina just listened in silence, but their expressions showed deep empathy.
Rina's eyes welled up. Han's jaw hardened, holding back his anger hearing that.
---
Some time later, after they ate and Tsubasa's wounds were stable enough, he went to find water at the nearest river.
Han and Rina sat under a large tree. Sunlight penetrating the leaves created dancing patterns on the ground. A gentle breeze brought peace contrasting with last night's chaos.
Rina leaned on Han's shoulder, her head fitting perfectly on her brother's arm. A position so familiar to them.
Comfortable silence enveloped.
Then Rina whispered, almost inaudible.
"Brother..."
Han turned slightly.
"Hm?"
"If I'm not around, brother don't do anything strange, okay? Promise."
Han looked at her puzzled, but there was worry behind his voice.
"Eh, what are you talking about? We're always together."
Rina was silent briefly.
"But if someday... if something happens and I can't be beside brother..."
"Rina." Han hugged her shoulder tighter. "There's no 'if'. We'll always be together."
Rina lifted her face, smiled though her eyes were teary.
"Brother always says that."
"Because it's true." Han gently stroked her head.
Rina smiled, then leaned back.
Han fell silent, staring at the sky between the leaves. He raised his pinky.
"Pinky promise. Like before."
Rina laughed softly, hooking her pinky.
"Pinky promise. Whoever breaks it, a thousand breads enter the mouth."
They both laughed softly—a simple moment that felt eternal.
Approaching footsteps were heard. Tsubasa returned with a full water container.
Han and Rina released the pinky link, but the warmth still remained.
Then Han walked briefly with Tsubasa at the forest edge, leaving Rina who fell asleep at the camp.
"Tsubasa," Han said, staring at the sky between tree branches.
"I also don't like the treatment of people like that."
He turned, his gaze calm but firm.
"I will erase all threats that could endanger my sister. By any means."
Tsubasa stared at Han for a long time. No longer as an enemy—but as someone who understood the sense of loss.
"I..." he finally said. "Let me come with you, Master Han."
Han was shocked.
"Eh? Why call me that? No need, we..."
"BROTHER!"
Rina's voice from the camp direction cut off Han's sentence.
"Are we leaving now?"
Han smiled gently.
"Yes! Let's get ready first!"
Back to the Present
Alice slowly stroked Rina's head, her fingers playing in that fine hair.
"So your brother is indeed strong, huh."
She paused briefly, thinking.
"But strange... I couldn't feel his power when we first met."
Rina smiled slightly.
They sat in warm silence, watching the sun slowly descend. The sky changed from blue to orange, then to light purple.
Wherever Han was now.
Was he safe? Was he also searching for Rina like Rina who kept longing for him?
"Brother will definitely come home," Rina whispered to the dusk. "He always comes home."
Alice hugged her tighter.
"Yes. He will definitely come home."
And they waited—while the sun slowly sank on the horizon, leaving a promise of tomorrow.
TO BE CONTINUED...