The morning sun cast a gentle, golden light through the paper windows of the small farmhouse, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the still air. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, the world outside was quiet. The only sounds were the distant cry of a sea bird and the soft rustle of leaves in the tropical breeze, a peaceful melody that had become their new normal.

  “Are you sure you’re ready to work?”

  Yukari’s voice, soft with a lingering concern, cut through the silence. She leaned against the bedroom doorframe, arms crossed, her silver eyes carefully watching Raito. He wasn’t just walking; he was testing himself, circling the small room, hopping from one foot to the other. His once-bandaged legs, now free of their wrappings, moved with a confident, easy grace.

  “Yep, all healed,” he declared, stopping to give her a wide, reassuring smile and a firm thumbs-up. “See? Good as new.”

  “Don’t force yourself,” she cautioned, though a small smile played on her own lips.

  “I’m not,” he insisted, walking over and gently taking her hands in his. “Besides, the vegetables will be rotten if we don’t tend to them soon.” A familiar, playful glint returned to his eyes.

  Yukari let out a small, relieved sigh. “Our confrontation with Takayama… I can’t believe it’s already been a week.” The memory was a chaotic, dizzying blur—her time as an assassin, the terror of their capture, the crushing despair in that cold, dark cell, and then… the miracle.

  Her gaze drifted down to the simple silver ring on her finger, the sakura-shaped diamond glittering in the morning light. It felt warm against her skin, a constant, comforting presence.

  “So, what’s the deal with that, anyway?” Raito asked, his gaze following hers. “Did it really become a Core?”

  “I think so,” she replied, her voice a mixture of awe and uncertainty. She held up her hand, turning it in the light. “I’m not sure myself, but the way I use it, the feeling… it’s a Core.”

  “So weird…” he murmured. “Any side effects?”

  “Not that I know of. See?” With a playful twirl of her finger, a handful of perfectly formed ice cubes materialized out of thin air, tumbling onto her open palm with a soft clink.

  “Stop, stop!” Raito quickly caught her hand, his own wrapping around her fingers. “Are you trying to flood the house? I get it.” His expression turned serious, his voice dropping to a concerned whisper. “What about the dizziness? The headache, the exhaustion? The things people always complain about?”

  “Gone,” she said, a genuine, radiant smile spreading across her face. “Nothing. Just like you, perfectly healthy. It’s as if this one doesn’t have any penalty.”

  “Okay, that’s broken,” Raito stated, his eyes wide. “Something like this… it’s one of a kind. Someone might get jealous and try to attack you for it. You should be careful when you use it.”

  “I know, I will.” Her gaze drifted back to the ring. “This one is indeed a mystery.” She looked up at him, a thoughtful, almost whimsical light in her silver eyes. “Maybe the god Silas decided to give us this miracle?”

  “Why do you think that?” Raito asked, his brow furrowed.

  “Well…” She began to explain, her voice taking on the tone of a scholar reciting an ancient text. “Based on the ‘Tale of Calvenoor,’ Cores are a portion of the god Silas’s power, a gift to his children. So maybe… maybe Silas gave us his blessing.”

  “That… sounds impossible,” he said, the skepticism clear in his voice.

  “I’m just trying to make sense of this, you idiot,” Yukari pouted.

  “Okay, okay, calm down.” He let go of her hand, a fond smile on his face. “Let’s just check the field. Are you coming?” he asked, opening the backdoor to the warm, earthy smell of their small farm.

  “No,” she said, her expression shifting as she remembered her own plans. “I’m going with Mr. Akira today. I have to make up for the lies I told.”

  Raito’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a flicker of concern. “You’re telling the truth this time, right? You’re not going to be forced into anything?”

  “No… Don’t worry. I promise,” she said, her voice soft and full of an unwavering honesty. She stepped closer and, rising to her toes, planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. “I won’t lie to you again.”

  “Have fun then,” he said, his smile returning, warm and full of a trust that had been broken and reforged. “Be safe.”

  “I will.”

  Yukari left through the front door, her steps light and purposeful. Raito watched her go for a moment, then turned and walked out into the bright morning sun, the simple work of their new life waiting for him.

  Few hours later, Raito emerged from their backyard, a large burlap sack slung over his shoulder, filled to the brim with carrots and potatoes. Phew, just barely rotten, he thought, a wave of relief washing over him as he began the walk to the Kumatou village marketplace. The true miracle is that the veggies stayed safe without us tending to them for a week. Did Grandpa Sun Yoon come by?

  A familiar, pessimistic thought crept into his mind. I hope our usual customers don’t forget about me.

  But as he set his sack down at his usual spot, a warm voice called out. "Oh, is that you, young Raito?"

  He looked up to see the elderly woman who ran the vegetable stall next to his, her face crinkling into a relieved smile. Soon, others began to notice him. A young mother waved, a group of local hunters nodded in greeting.

  "We were wondering where you went!" the mother called out, approaching his stall. "My kids wouldn't eat anyone else's carrots."

  A warmth spread through Raito’s chest, a feeling of belonging that was still so wonderfully unfamiliar. "Sorry for the absence," he said, a genuine grin spreading across his face. "We... had a small family emergency. But we're back now!"

  The small crowd of his regular customers quickly gathered, their friendly faces a welcome sight. That day, Raito sold every last vegetable he had, the heavy sack replaced by a satisfyingly heavy pouch of coins, and a heart that felt a little less like a runaway's.

  As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Raito sat on an overturned crate, counting his earnings for the third time.

  “Nine… ten… eleven… twelve hundred Cal,” he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. Tears pricked at his eyes. “I never thought I would see this much money from my own hard work.” He looked up at the twilight sky. “Thank you, Silas.”

  Just as he was about to pack up, his gaze caught an odd scene. A girl was stumbling down the path, swaying from left to right. She had long, silver hair, and a pair of white, crane-like feathers peeked out from behind her ears. Strapped to her back was a large, oddly shaped wooden instrument he didn’t recognize.

  “Hey, miss, are you alright?” he called out, his concern overriding his exhaustion as he quickly stood.

  She stopped, her breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps. “Huff… huff…”

  “Do you need medical assistance?” Raito asked gently.

  The girl’s stormy grey eyes fluttered, and then she collapsed, her body slumping to the cobblestones.

  “Miss? Miss!” Raito knelt beside her, gently shaking her shoulder, but she was unconscious. He looked around; the few remaining vendors were already packing up, their faces etched with a wary concern. To them, a stranger falling unconscious in the middle of the road was a bad omen.

  “Where is Isao? Anyone seen him?” Raito shouted, his frustration growing.

  “He went to the other island this morning,” a passerby called back.

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  “Why?” Raito groaned, ruffling his hair.

  “Don’t know, he just left.”

  “Arggghhh… Why does he disappear when we need him the most?” He looked down at the unconscious girl, then back at the empty, darkening path and let out a long sigh.

  Yukari will hate me for this, he thought, a humorless smile on his face. With a grunt, he carefully lifted the girl onto his back, her strange instrument bumping awkwardly against him. He began the slow walk back to his farmhouse, his quiet life once again interrupted by a stranger in need.

  ***

  The farmhouse door swung open with a soft creak. “Oh, welcome back, Raito,” Yukari called from inside. “You won’t believe the size of the deer I saw today during the… who is that?”

  She stopped mid-sentence, her cheerful expression vanishing as she saw the unconscious girl slung over Raito’s back.

  “He-hey,” Raito said awkwardly, carefully setting the girl down on their couch. “This might look problematic. However, I think she needs help.”

  “You better explain. And quick,” Yukari said, her voice a low, dangerous growl as she crossed her arms. “Or else I’ll make you into a snowcone.”

  “Wait, wait!” Raito held up his hands in surrender. “I really don’t know who she is. She appeared in the marketplace and just collapsed. I swear.”

  “And your first reaction is to bring her here?” Yukari’s anger was building. “What if she’s dangerous?”

  “It worked with you, didn’t it?” he joked.

  Yukari’s face flushed a deep red. “That… that was different! That was ages ago, and also, I was not unconscious!”

  Just then, the girl on the couch stirred, a soft moan escaping her lips.

  “Look, she’s waking up,” Raito said, his voice a desperate plea. “Can you at least help her? Remember? ‘Good gestures to outweigh the bad decisions.’”

  Yukari let out a long, frustrated sigh. “Fine.” She uncrossed her arms and moved to the girl’s side. “Hey, can you hear me?”

  The girl’s eyelids fluttered. “Who are you? Do you know where this is?” Yukari asked, her tone still sharp.

  The girl’s blue eyes opened wide. She saw Yukari and Raito staring down at her and shrieked, scrambling to the far corner of the couch. “Where am I? Who are you two?”

  “That is our question, miss,” Raito said gently.

  “This guy with the dumb face here,” Yukari began, pointing a thumb at Raito, “saw you collapsed and brought you here for some reason. Do you remember any of that?”

  “Rude,” Raito commented under his breath.

  The girl gasped, her eyes darting around the small, unfamiliar room. “Where am I?”

  “Kumatou village,” Yukari stated simply.

  “That means… I arrived.” The girl’s panic seemed to drain away, replaced by a desperate hope. She grasped Yukari’s hand. “Please, help me.”

  “Slow down,” Yukari said, pulling her hand back. “Tell me who you are first. And why you collapsed.”

  Before the girl could answer, her stomach let out a long, loud growl.

  Raito let out a knowing laugh. “Yeah, this definitely feels familiar. Let’s continue this over dinner.”

  The three of them sat around the small wooden table, a single lantern casting a warm, flickering light. A large pot of Raito’s stew sat in the center, its fragrant steam a comforting presence. The silver-haired girl was eating with a ravenous hunger, asking for a second and then a third bowl.

  “She has more of an appetite than you,” Raito whispered to Yukari.

  Yukari elbowed him sharply before scooping another portion into the girl’s bowl. “So, miss,” she began, her tone a little more gentle, “can you tell us your name?”

  The girl swallowed. “My name is Imai Rara.”

  “Then, Miss Rara,” Yukari continued, “you said you ‘arrived,’ and that you need help. Can you tell us more?”

  “Yes, please,” Rara pleaded. “I need to find a rebel group, the ones who stopped Takayama’s army in a single night. I heard rumors that they have a base here in Kumatou. I need to find them.”

  Yukari and Raito exchanged a silent, weary look. Should we tell her? Raito whispered.

  I don’t know, Yukari whispered back. I just want some peace and quiet.

  “And why do you need to meet them?” Yukari finally asked.

  “I… I want to end the war,” Rara said, her gaze resolute.

  “Then are you with the Imagawa or Izumi?”

  “No, I am not! Please, believe me,” Rara insisted. “I really want to end this petty war. All three sides have taken too many lives. We… we are tired. If the rumor is true, then we need that power, a helping hand, to stop the war.”

  Her words were full of a raw, honest conviction.

  “Who is ‘we,’ Miss Rara?” Raito asked gently.

  “The rebel group I am a part of,” she explained.

  There are other rebel groups? Raito mouthed to Yukari.

  This is the first I’ve heard of it, she mouthed back. But… she’s not lying.

  “Then how come we never heard of a fourth force in play?” Yukari asked, her suspicion returning.

  “That’s because…” Rara’s voice cracked, and tears began to well in her eyes. “Because we are weak. In numbers and in strength. Everything we’ve done—sabotage, thievery—it barely made a difference. Some of us have even quit. We are at our wits’ end.” She bowed her head, her shoulders shaking with sobs. “Please, help me find this source of strength.”

  Yukari ruffled Raito’s hair, a silent question passing between them. What should we do?

  She seems sincere, he whispered.

  I know. Even I feel bad, Yukari sighed, then made her decision. Let’s help her.

  You serious?

  Good gestures, right? she whispered, a tired smile on her face. At least let me meet this rebel group, maybe something will happen.

  “For a former general, you’re really bad at planning,” Raito teased.

  “Hey! It’s not my fault,” Yukari shot back. “It’s Master Lihua’s fault all her plans ended with ‘hit harder.’”

  “Like mother, like daughter,” Raito commented.

  Yukari pinched his cheek. “What does that mean?”

  Their bickering was interrupted by a clear, bright laugh from Rara. She looked up, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s just… it’s been so long since I’ve seen people so genuine, so happy with each other.”

  The two runaways, embarrassed, just laughed awkwardly.

  “Oh, where are my manners,” Rara said, her despair replaced by a newfound warmth. “As a thank you, let me sing for you. A song of gratitude.”

  She stood and took her instrument from the couch. It had a long, slender neck and a square, skin-covered body with three strings. She sat down, her posture changing as a quiet, focused energy radiated from her.

  She strummed, and then she sang.

  Her voice, powerful and beautiful, filled the farmhouse with a melody of lost homes, quiet sorrows, and a single, unwavering flicker of hope. It was a song that soothed the hearts of Yukari and Raito, a reminder of their own long journey.

  As the final note faded, the two runaways were left speechless. They could only clap, their applause echoing in the small room.

  “That was amazing, Miss Rara,” they said in unison.

  This time, it was Rara’s turn to be embarrassed, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “We’ll help you,” Yukari said, her voice soft but firm.

  Rara’s eyes filled with hope. She grasped Yukari’s hand. “You will? Thank you, thank you!” she cried, a tear of joy rolling down her cheek.

  “Yup, she will help,” Raito added.

  “Oh? You’re not coming along?” Yukari asked, turning to him.

  “No, sorry,” he said, his smile faltering as he looked down at his hands. “I’m a dead weight, remember?” The words Min Eun had used still echoed in his mind. “But don’t worry. I’ll come eventually.”

  “Somehow, I know you will,” she replied, a confident smile on her face. “Just don’t take too long. I might solve the problem before you get there.”

  “I’m sorry, miss…” Rara began.

  “Oh, we haven’t told you our names, sorry about that” Yukari said. “I am Yukari Mei.”

  “And I’m Raito. Just Raito.” He paused, striking a dramatic pose. “And together, we’re—”

  An ice cube smacked him squarely on the forehead. “We are definitely not doing whatever you think you are doing,” Yukari stated flatly as raito is holding his forehead.

  “Yukari Mei… Raito…” Rara repeated, her expression confused. “What do you mean by ‘coming with me’?”

  “That…, it’s just that,” Yukari said proudly. “I am the person you are looking for.”

  “Huh?”

  “Yep, stopping Takayama’s army? All her,” Raito added with pride.

  “Huh? Huh?” Rara’s confusion only grew. “But I heard it was an army of strong people that stopped them.”

  “Nope, all her. Alone. You should have seen it, she was as scary as a fallen.” Raito said reverently.

  “Wha…” Rara didn’t know whether to believe them.

  “Just let me come with you to your base, and I’ll show you. I promise,” Yukari said with unwavering confidence.

  “Well…. Since you two saved me… I’ll try to believe,” Rara replied, still skeptical.

  “Good. Tomorrow morning, we’ll go. Tonight, you need to rest,” Yukari said.

  Rara nodded, then scanned the small farmhouse. “May I ask where I will sleep?”

  “The bedroom, of course,” Yukari said proudly.

  “But there is only one bedroom.”

  “Yup.”

  “Are you two married?” Rara asked with innocent curiosity.

  “Not yet,” Raito replied.

  “Then have you been sleeping together… in the same bed?” she asked, a faint blush on her cheeks.

  “Yep,” the two said in unison, completely unfazed.

  “Isn’t that… weird?” Rara asked quietly. “For two people who aren’t married to sleep together?”

  Crack.

  It was the sound of a glass of reality shattering in the minds of the two runaways. Yukari immediately stood up, grabbed Raito by the wrist, and dragged him into the kitchen.

  “She’s right, isn’t she?” Yukari asked in a panicked whisper, her face crimson.

  “Yes,” Raito whispered back, just as flushed. “Since when did we do it? And how did we think this is normal?”

  “I… I don’t know,” Yukari stammered. “We’ve been sleeping in the same bed for so long, I just thought it was normal.”

  “It has to be Jinlun.”

  “It must be,” Raito agreed.

  “Okay, let’s retrace our steps,” Yukari said urgently. “We sleep in the same bed here, in Hanyuun.”

  “Yes.”

  “Same bed on the ship and in Bob’s caravan tent.”

  “Correct.”

  “Moulang… okay, we had separate rooms there.”

  “Though you still occasionally came to my room,” Raito added.

  “So then it must be Jinlun,” Yukari gasped, her eyes wide with horrified realization. “It was the bed I bought for you. That was the start of it all.”

  Raito remembered the ridiculously expensive, hundred thousand cal bed, the start of her taking naps in his apartment, which escalated to her sneaking in the bed so often that they ended up thinking it was simply… normal.

  “NO!!!!!” they both screamed in unison, their voices echoing through the small farmhouse, leaving Rara more confused than ever at the dinner table, completely alone.