Morning arrived quietly over Sakurath.
The sun tried to rise, but thick smoke from countless ruined districts swallowed most of its light. Instead of a bright morning, the realm looked trapped in an endless evening. Pale rays barely pierced the black clouds while distant sounds of hammers echoed through the broken streets.
Tok... Tok... Tok...
People had already begun rebuilding.
Hazel remained asleep on the wooden sofa near the balcony.
She hadn't moved all night
Orion walked over and gently shook her shoulder.
"Sis Hazel..."
No response.
He smiled awkwardly before shaking her a little harder.
"Wake up. Morning's already here."
Hazel slowly opened her eyes.
Her blurry vision focused on the figure standing before her.
For a brief second...
She smiled.
"Eyrx..."
"...You're alive."
Orion blinked.
"Sis..."
"It's Orion."
The smile disappeared.
Reality returned.
Hazel rubbed her eyes and sat upright.
"...Right."
"What happened?"
Orion laughed softly.
"You slept here the whole night."
"Come on."
"Let's eat breakfast first, then tell me today's plan."
Hazel nodded.
After washing her face, the two quietly finished breakfast before stepping outside.
The ruined streets had become crowded again.
Smoke drifted between damaged buildings while merchants opened their broken stalls for another difficult day.
Hazel adjusted the hood over her green hair.
"We need to act like locals."
"If anyone asks..."
"My name is Vale."
"And you're Riven."
Orion nodded.
"I remember."
"But..."
"When are we carrying out the mission?"
Hazel glanced around before answering.
"For the first two days..."
"We explore."
"We learn the city."
"We find a path into the nobles' district."
"Only after understanding everything..."
"...do we move."
"If we rush now, escaping this realm will become impossible."
Orion nodded seriously.
"Understood."
"But..."
"I've never acted as a trader before."
Hazel smiled faintly.
"It's easier than you think."
"Visit antique shops."
"Ask about prices."
"Bargain."
"Act interested."
"And whatever happens..."
She tapped the folded paper inside his pocket.
"Never lose this permit."
"It gets us out of the realm."
"I won't."
They separated for a while to avoid attracting attention.
Hazel wandered through the market naturally, asking merchants about rare antiques, gemstones, herbs, and old relics exactly as experienced traders would.
"How much for this?"
"That's too expensive."
"Can you lower the price?"
"If I buy three, will you give me a discount?"
The merchants argued back and forth while Hazel negotiated with confidence.
She looked exactly like a seasoned trader.
Not a single person became suspicious.
Meanwhile...
Orion walked through another market street.
He copied Hazel's actions.
"How much is this?"
"What if I buy two?"
"Can you lower the price a little?"
His acting wasn't perfect...
But it was believable.
Suddenly—
THUD!
A small wooden bucket crashed against his leg.
A little boy immediately bowed.
"I-I'm sorry!"
"It was too heavy!"
"Please forgive me!"
An older man hurried over.
"I'm terribly sorry."
"He's only a child."
"Please don't be angry."
Orion looked between the frightened father and son.
They were shaking...
As if expecting punishment.
"It's alright."
He smiled gently.
"I'm not angry."
As the child stood, Orion noticed several fresh cuts across the boy's tiny fingers.
Blood slowly dripped down his hand.
He frowned.
"Where are you taking the water?"
The child pointed toward a nearby construction site.
Orion reached for the bucket.
"I'll carry it."
The father immediately stepped back.
"N-No..."
"We'll do it ourselves."
"You're clearly from the upper district."
"If people see us making someone like you work..."
"...the guards might arrest us."
Orion shook his head.
"I'm human.
"Just like you."
He lifted the heavy bucket onto his shoulder.
"Show me the way."
The little boy pointed toward an old hand pump.
After filling the bucket, Orion gently placed his hand on the child's head.
"You should be playing."
"Reading books."
"Not carrying things heavier than yourself."
The child stared at him with wide eyes.
Orion smiled.
"Go."
"I'll handle this."
He carried water for several families.
Then he helped move bricks.
Stacked wood.
Lifted heavy bags.
Whenever he saw children working, he quietly took over their tasks.
One old man watched him in silence before speaking.
"I wish..."
"...everyone had a heart like yours."
Orion wiped sweat from his forehead.
"We're all humans."
"So why do we keep dividing ourselves into lower and upper classes?"
Just then—
Hazel appeared beside him.
She folded her arms.
"What exactly are you doing?"
Orion looked toward the children.
"They're working before they even know what playing means."
"I couldn't ignore them."
Hazel watched him quietly.
"Your heart is pure."
She looked toward the distant skyline.
"But the organization you joined..."
"...doesn't value hearts like yours."
Orion smiled.
"If they don't like it..."
"Then they don't."
"They already stole my life."
"I won't let them steal my kindness too."
He handed another pile of wood to a nearby worker.
"When you help someone..."
"They remember your kindness."
"But if you destroy someone's life..."
"They remember that forever."
"And sometimes..."
"...that's how villains are born."
Hazel remained silent.
Then...
Without saying another word...
She picked up several bricks herself and carried them toward a damaged house.
The workers froze in surprise.
For the next half hour...
Both of them quietly helped rebuild homes.
When they finally stopped, Hazel looked toward Orion.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"I like you."
Orion blinked.
"You do?"
"You speak in a way..."
"...that heals something inside me."
He smiled back.
"This is the first time I've seen you smile like this."
"I'm glad I could."
Hazel looked at the ruined city stretching toward the horizon.
Her smile slowly faded.
"But remember one thing."
"The kinder your heart becomes..."
"...the greater the betrayal you'll eventually face."
She looked directly into Orion's eyes.
"So never lose your kindness..."
"But never lose all of your darkness either."
"A person who only trusts others..."
"...is often the first one to break."
The words lingered between them.
"The kinder your heart becomes... the greater the betrayal you'll eventually face."
Hazel turned away and continued carrying bricks.
Orion quietly followed.
As they worked, his eyes wandered toward an old wooden shop at the corner of the street.
Its roof sagged dangerously. Half the walls were cracked, and the counter looked as though it would collapse with one more customer. Yet an old man still sat behind it, patiently waiting for buyers who rarely came.
Orion stopped walking.
A small idea flashed through his mind.
He walked over with a smile.
"Sir."
The old man looked up.
"Hm?"
"Your shop is falling apart."
"Why haven't you repaired it?"
The old man chuckled bitterly.
"My hands are too old now."
"And repairs need money."
"Both are things I no longer have."
Orion smiled.
"Then don't worry."
"We'll repair it."
Before the old man could refuse, Orion carefully helped him outside and guided him onto a nearby bench.
"There."
"You watch."
Hazel folded her arms.
"What are you planning?"
"You'll see."
Orion bought a few wooden planks, nails, and tools from nearby merchants.
Within minutes, the sound of hammering echoed through the street.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
The broken benches disappeared one by one.
He measured each plank with surprising precision before carving smooth wooden chairs and sturdy tables.
Hazel watched him for a moment before asking,
"Need help?"
Orion looked up and smiled.
"Of course."
Hazel walked into the next street and returned carrying buckets of pink and white paint along with brushes and cleaning supplies.
While Orion rebuilt the furniture, Hazel scrubbed years of dirt from the walls.
Dust rose into the air.
Old paint disappared beneath fresh colors.
She repaired broken shelves, cleaned every corner, and painted delicate cherry blossom patterns along the wooden walls.
The old shop slowly transformed.
Orion built a brand-new counter from polished wood.
Hazel placed flower pots beside the entrance.
When they finished...
The tiny shop looked completely different.
Warm.
Clean.
Welcoming.
The old man's eyes trembled.
He slowly stood and stared at the place that had once been nothing more than ruins.
"I..."
"I've never imagined seeing it like this again."
Tears gathered in his eyes.
Around them, workers stopped rebuilding.
Children stopped playing.
Everyone looked toward the little shop.
For the first time in years...
Something beautiful stood in their district.
A middle-aged woman whispered,
"It reminds me..."
"...of the old Sakurath."
Another man stepped forward.
"If..."
"If you have time..."
"Could you help us too?"
Hazel looked toward Orion.
Orion looked back.
Without saying a word...
Both of them smiled.
That single smile became the beginning.
The next morning...
They repaired another shop.
Then another.
Then another.
Children planted young cherry blossom trees beside broken roads.
Families painted walls together.
Neighbors helped rebuild each other's homes.
Laughter slowly returned to streets that had forgotten its sound.
Whenever nobody was watching, Hazel secretly strengthened damaged foundations with her power.
Orion quietly used controlled bursts of water to clean streets and refill dried wells.
Neither of them claimed credit.
They simply worked alongside everyone else.
One day became two.
Two became four.
Before either of them realized...
Six days had passed.
The once hopeless district now carried small signs of life.
Fresh paint covered broken walls.
Tiny trees lined the streets.
New benches stood outside every shop.
People smiled more often.
Hope had quietly returned.
...
On the sixth night, both of them sat on the rooftop of their inn.
The rebuilt district stretched beneath the moonlight.
Orion broke the silence.
"Tomorrow..."
"...is our last day here."
"And we still haven't completed our mission."
Hazel stared at the distant lights.
"It was already decided."
"What?"
"We came here to kill."
"But instead..."
"...we remembered how to live."
A gentle breeze carried pink petals across the rooftops.
Hazel continued,
"I've gathered enough information."
"The legendary protector of Sakurath died years ago."
"Only the corrupt Elder remains."
"He rules from the Central Floating District."
"I also discovered a hidden route leading there."
Orion frowned.
"So..."
"Robert destroyed this realm after the legendary warrior died?"
Hazel nodded.
"Without its protector..."
"Sakurath slowly fell apart."
"The Elder cared only about preserving his own luxury."
"He abandoned everyone else."
She looked toward the glowing city floating high above them.
"Tomorrow is the election."
"Representatives from every district will gather."
"If the Elder dies during the ceremony..."
"...suspicion will fall upon the opposing political factions."
"It'll give us enough time to escape."
Suddenly—
A translucent panel appeared before Hazel.
Blue light illuminated the rooftop.
Robert's face emerged inside it.
"Hazel."
"I sent you on a mission."
"It's been ten days."
"You still haven't killed one Elder."
"Have you forgotten your assignment?"
Hazel leaned back without the slightest concern.
"Don't tell me when to do my work."
"You ordered me to kill him."
"I'll kill him."
"So stop staring at me."
"Your face ruins my mood."
A vein twitched on Robert's forehead.
"If you weren't still useful..."
"...you'd already know the punishment for speaking to me like this."
Hazel lit a cigarette.
The flame briefly reflected in her green eyes.
"Then it's lucky I'm still useful."
"We'll finish tomorrow."
"Now end the call..."
"...before I smash that panel."
For several seconds...
Robert simply glared at her.
Then the connection disappeared.
The panel shattered into countless blue particles before fading into the night.
Orion stared at Hazel in disbelief.
"You..."
"You talk to the King like that?"
Hazel immediately frowned.
"Don't call him King."
"Call him Robert."
Orion swallowed.
"You know what he could do to you."
Hazel exhaled a thin stream of smoke into the night sky.
"He has never laid a hand on me."
"And he never will."