The festival still illuminated the distant city long after the sun had disappeared beyond the mountains.
From the window of the quiet house, Grace stood silently, gazing at the full moon hanging above the endless sky. The colorful lights rising from the city reflected faintly in her mind eyes.
Behind her, Emily sat at a wooden table, carefully mixing several strange liquids inside small glass bottles.
Tiny sparks danced as the chemicals reacted.
Grace spoke without turning around.
"They're still not home."
Emily glanced at her before returning to her work.
"What happened?"
"You look tense."
Grace remained silent for a moment.
"...Kael and Larissa."
"They should've returned by now."
Emily smiled faintly.
"They aren't children."
"And both of them know how to fight."
"They'll be fine."
Grace looked toward the glowing city.
"Why is it so bright tonight?"
Emily carefully poured another liquid into the bottle.
"Didn't you hear?"
"The Grand Traders' Caravan arrived."
"The entire city is celebrating."
"There are performances, rare artifacts, food from different realms..."
She chuckled.
"You really missed a lot."
Grace sighed quietly.
"...I regret not going."
Emily laughed.
"I told you."
"It would've been fun."
A sudden hiss escaped from the glass bottle.
Grace quickly turned.
"Careful!"
"You'll burn your hand."
Emily calmly moved the bottle away.
"I know what I'm doing."
At that moment...
The front door opened.
Laughter echoed through the house.
Larissa and Kael stepped inside carrying several shopping bags.
They were still smiling after spending the entire day together.
Grace watched them from across the room.
Something inside her tightened.
Emily noticed the look in Grace's eyes but said nothing.
Larissa smiled brightly.
"We're back!"
Emily folded her arms.
"You came just as the fun was ending."
Kael stretched lazily.
"We've been walking all day."
Larissa looked toward him with a teasing smile.
"Mostly because someone kept staring at the casino."
Kael immediately defended himself.
"But..."
"I didn't go inside."
Emily laughed.
"I already know why."
"Larissa kept you under control."
Kael sighed dramatically.
"She always does."
Larissa opened one of the bags.
"Oh!"
"I almost forgot."
She handed Emily a wrapped package.
"This is food from the Sixth Realm."
"You asked us to bring something delicious."
Emily's eyes lit up.
"You actually remembered."
"For a moment..."
"I thought Kael would've forgotten."
Kael pointed at Larissa.
"I would've."
"But she remembered."
Larissa smiled warmly.
"How could I forget?"
She reached into another bag before turning toward Grace.
"I brought something for you too."
She carefully placed an elegant sword on the table.
Its silver blade shimmered beneath the lantern light.
"I thought it might help during your training."
Grace looked at the sword for several seconds.
"I don't need it."
Larissa smiled gently.
"Maybe not today."
"But one day you will."
After a brief silence...
Grace picked it up.
"...Thanks."
Without another word...
She carried the sword upstairs and quietly closed the bedroom door behind her.
Kael let out a long yawn.
"I've had enough walking for one day."
"I'm going to sleep."
He disappeared upstairs.
Soon...
Only Emily and Larissa remained in the living room.
Emily watched Larissa for a long moment before speaking.
"I hope..."
"My decision doesn't end up destroying your life."
Larissa looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
Emily lowered her voice.
"Be careful."
"Especially with your relationship with Kael."
Larissa smiled confidently.
"I trust him completely."
Emily slowly shook her head.
"I'm not worried about Kael."
"I'm worried about someone else."
Larissa frowned.
"...Who?"
Emily looked toward the staircase where Grace had disappeared.
"Grace."
"I think..."
"She's beginning to feel jealous."
Larissa remained silent before softly laughing.
"I don't think so."
"She's still new."
"She just needs time."
"We still don't understand her."
"And she doesnet understand us."
Emily sighed quietly.
"I hope you're right."
Larissa gently squeezed her shoulder.
"Come on."
"Enjoy your food before it gets cold."
Emily smiled.
"You already ate?"
Larissa nodded.
"Kael and I had dinner in the city."
"You enjoy it."
She slowly walked outside.
The cool night breeze greeted her beneath the moonlight.
Behind her...
Emily quietly watched the closed staircase.
A strange feeling settled deep inside her heart.
For reasons she couldn't explain...
She felt as though something precious was slowly beginning to fall apart.
Night had grown quiet.
A cool breeze drifted through the mountains, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth.
Larissa sat alone on a wooden chair outside the house, a warm cup of coffee resting between her hands. Her eyes weren't fixed on the cup...
They were lost somewhere beyond the distant mountains beneath the silver moon.
The old beggar's words echoed inside her mind.
"Your kindness is real... but your fate is cruel."
Then another voice followed.
Emily's.
"Be careful of your relationship."
Larissa let out a quiet sigh.
"I wonder..."
"What were they trying to tell me?"
Behind the window...
Grace silently watched her.
Her fingers tightened against the wooden frame.
"...Why do I hate you?"
She whispered the question to herself.
"Maybe..."
"Because you came from our enemy's organization."
"Or maybe..."
"I just don't want you near my mother."
Suddenly...
Larissa turned her head.
Grace's heart skipped a beat.
She immediately stepped away from the window before Larissa could notice.
The night quietly passed.
---
The next morning...
Nothing seemed different.
Emily once again buried herself in strange experiments, colorful liquids bubbling inside glass bottles.
Outside...
Grace and Kael stood on the familiar training ground with wooden swords in their hands.
The morning mist still covered the mountains.
Kael raised his sword.
"Ready?"
Grace nodded.
"I'm ready."
Clang!
Their swords collided.
Again.
Again.
And again.
Kael suddenly accelerated.
His movements became several times faster than before.
Grace barely managed to follow.
Her crimson aura instinctively wrapped around her body.
Kael swung downward with full strength.
Grace raised her sword.
Clang!
Creak...
A sharp cracking sound echoed across the field.
Kael blinked.
"...My sword?"
The wooden blade split cleanly into two pieces before falling onto the grass.
Grace stared in disbelief.
Then a bright smile spread across her face.
"This is my first victory!"
Kael looked at the broken weapon before laughing helplessly.
"You only won because my sword broke."
Grace crossed her arms proudly.
"A win is still a win."
She sat down on the grass, breathing heavily.
After catching her breath, she looked toward Kael.
"I've wanted to ask you something."
Kael picked up the broken pieces of his sword.
"What is it?"
Grace hesitated.
"...Why do people hate my mother?"
Kael's smile slowly disappeared.
He sat beside her.
"The reason..."
"...is complicated."
Grace remained silent.
Kael looked toward the distant mountains.
"People believe Isabella-sensei broke the greatest law of this realm."
Grace frowned.
"So what?"
"If she broke a rule..."
"Why does everyone care?"
Kael slowly shook his head.
"It wasn't just her rule."
"It was a law created for every realm."
Silence settled between them.
After several moments...
Kael began speaking.
"Long before you were born..."
"A great war consumed all twelve realms."
"Every realm united against a single enemy."
"...Robert."
Grace quietly listened.
"There were countless powerful clans."
"But among all of them..."
"Twelve warriors stood above everyone else.
"The Legendary Guardians."
"Each protected one realm."
He smiled faintly.
"Your mother..."
"Was one of them."
Grace's eyes widened.
Kael continued.
"The battle lasted for years."
"Many Legendary Guardians died."
"The survivors managed to weaken Robert..."
"...but they couldn't kill him."
"When the war finally ended..."
"The Guardians gathered together."
"They decided the realms could never survive another war like that."
"So they divided the world into twelve independent realms."
"Travel between realms became forbidden."
"Only Traders..."
"...and the chosen Savior of each realm..."
"Could freely cross the boundaries."
Grace quietly nodded.
"I've heard about Traders..."
"But what happened afterward?"
Kael looked toward the sky.
"Your mother possessed one of the rarest abilities among the Guardians."
"She created a barrier powerful enough to protect an entire realm."
"For many years..."
"It kept Robert away."
"But..."
"Its power slowly began to fade.
His expression darkened.
"At the same time..."
"Larissa's father..."
"A man secretly working under Robert..."
"Managed to infiltrate this realm."
"He weakened the barrier even further."
"Robert used that opportunity."
"Explosions destroyed villages."
"Entire districts disappeared overnight."
"Isabella-sensei fought to protect everyone..."
"...but she couldn't restore the barrier alone."
Grace lowered her head.
"What happened then?"
"The Elders claimed there was only one solution."
"They believed an ancient ritual could restore the barrier."
"They insisted Isabella marry someone chosen by tradition."
Grace narrowed her eyes.
"...Did she agree?"
Kael smiled faintly.
"Not exactly."
"She chose someone herself."
"Your father."
"Rokan."
"They married despite knowing it violated the ancient laws."
"The Elders called it betrayal."
"The civilians called it selfishness."
"The ceremony never even finished."
Grace looked up.
"...Why?"
Kael' voice became quieter.
"The wedding was attacked."
"Explosions covered the entire sanctuary."
"Your father protected Isabella and escaped."
"They fled to Earth."
"An elderly woman escaped with them..."
"Along with two children..."
"And another family."
"For five years..."
"They lived there."
"Eventually..."
"Isabella returned to this realm."
"She spent the rest of her life protecting the people who hated her."
Kael's gaze slowly lowered.
"...Until the day she died."
Silence followed.
Only the mountain wind could be heard.
Grace spoke so softly that even the wind almost carried her words away.
"After they married..."
"...did the barrier recover?"
Kael nodded.
"Yes."
"The Elders declared it a miracle."
"They claimed Isabella's sacrifice saved the realm."
"But many civilians refused to believe it."
"They blamed every tragedy on her."
"They hated her..."
"...until the very end."
Grace didn't answer.
She quietly stared into the distance.
Her eyes slowly narrowed.
As if countless thoughts were beginning to connect...
One by one.