Vieras, 15 of Zaneris, Year 577 of the Elythera calendar

  The radiant sun so typical of Umbrana season, softly lit Sora’s room on that summer morning. It was already 7:00, and light slipped easily through the curtains, washing over the white sheets and the drowsy face of the little boy.

  Sora hovered between waking and sleep; his body and mind had already grown used to rising whenever natural light peeked through his window. While he lay there, still wrapped in that warm sense of comfort, he thought to himself:

  Umbrana season… what a name, considering this is when the sun hits the hardest… I’m guessing it’s because the weather’s unstable this time of year. Because even with all the sun, we’ve had some pretty rainy days.

  Right then, breaking the hush of early morning, three soft, familiar knocks sounded at his door.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  By now, that sound was the usual start to his day: it was always Tsukari or Aeris who came to wake him. This time, it was his mother. Lately she’d been spending more time at home, something Sora didn’t mind in the least, though it secretly worried him. He’d noticed she moved more slowly, sighed more often, looked more tired. Still, he preferred not to say anything, so he wouldn’t worry her or make her pretend everything was fine. Sora clearly knew something was going on.

  Tsukari opened the door slowly with her familiar warm, mischievous smile. She walked to the edge of the bed, where her son was still pretending to be fast asleep. Sora kept perfectly still, tucked up to his nose, even holding his breath to sell the act.

  “Well now… looks like Sora is still sleeping,” his mother murmured with feigned surprise, folding her arms with playful menace. “In that case, he won’t mind if… I pick him up like when he was two and carry him to the bath in my arms,” she said in an overdramatic tone, leaning in with arms outstretched as if she truly meant to hoist him up.

  Panic!

  Sora bolted upright, eyes wide, hair a mess and pajama top half buttoned, and blurted:

  “No, no, no! I’m awake! I’m up, Mother! You don’t have to carry me!”

  Tsukari let out a charming laugh, one hand over her mouth as she watched her son flail like a frightened chick.

  “That’s what I thought,” she said sweetly. “Go on, get ready. Breakfast is almost done, and I’m not letting you let it get cold again, young knight.”

  Sora huffed, equal parts embarrassed and amused, while his mother left the room still chuckling under her breath.

  Hair still messy and feet dragging, Sora shuffled out of his room like every morning. He rubbed his eyes as he headed for the stairs down to the dining room.

  “Sora!” Tsukari’s voice rang up from below. “I forgot to help you change out of your pajamas!”

  Sora froze. He looked down and sure enough, he still had his pajamas on. He was so used to his mother or Aeris dressing him that his mind had just assumed it was done. A shiver of embarrassment ran through him, and he hurried back up the stairs after his mother, who was already returning to his room with an amused smile.

  Inside, Tsukari stepped in to help as usual, but when she bent to take a shirt from the peg, her body wavered. She lost her balance for an instant and brought a hand to her mouth, sitting down slowly on the bed, her face pale.

  “Ugh… I think I wore myself out a bit more than usual…”

  Sora rushed to her at once, worry written all over his face.

  “Are you alright, Mother? Does anything hurt?”

  She shook her head gently, trying to calm him.

  “I’m fine, just a little dizzy… Maybe it’s the heat. I was going to call Aeris to help you, but”

  “Don’t worry, Mom!” Sora cut in, decisive. “I can change by myself!”

  Tsukari raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at her lips.

  “I want to see that.”

  With a tiny spark of childish pride shining in his eyes, Sora grabbed his change of clothes the very set he’d needed help with so many times. Focusing with care, he started dressing himself: shirt first, then pants, finally fastening the little buttons without any help. Tsukari watched, eyes wide in surprise, as if witnessing her little boy take one more step toward independence.

  It was the first time she’d seen him finish without putting his shirt on backwards or getting a leg stuck in his pants.

  When he was done, Sora looked up with a proud smile.

  “See? I can do it on my own, Mother.”

  Moved to her core, Tsukari nodded silently and ruffled his hair fondly messing it up even more.

  “You did perfectly, my son.”

  As he headed downstairs toward the dining room, Sora couldn’t shake what he’d just seen. That sudden weakness in his mother… that unexpected dizziness. Is she really okay? Was it just a passing spell, or is there something more she’s not telling me? His mind drifted through questions and guesses, but he forced himself to rein them in. Don’t let it show. Don’t worry anyone else… don’t break the day’s harmony.

  The moment he reached the dining room, those thoughts vanished at once at the sound of a familiar laugh that warmed his chest. A bright, playful voice he knew by heart.

  “Nanami!?” Sora blurted, surprised but happy.

  Nanami, already seated at the table beside Tsukari, looked over with a mischievous smile and fired off a tease without hesitation:

  “So the sleepyhead wandering around the house in pajamas finally woke up?”

  Sora froze in place. His face went cherry-red as his eyes flew wide. He stammered a few useless syllables, scrambling to justify the unjustifiable.

  “I-I… I didn’t know you were already here…! And… I didn’t notice…!”

  While he tried to recover with a little verbal flailing, he darted a look at Nanami and then at his mother, grasping for a conversational lifeline.

  “R-Right! So… what’s Nanami doing here so early?”

  Tsukari, wearing her usual gentle smile, answered for her.

  “Liora dropped her off this morning. She and Kael offered to help your father with preparations for the harvest festival, and they’re quite busy.”

  She paused a beat, then added in a fond tone,

  “I asked Liora to leave Nanami in our care as a thanks for all their help. So today, you’ll have her with you bright and early.”

  Sora nodded as he took his seat, cheeks still warm. The embarrassment clung to his face, but his heart felt much lighter. Nanami was here, and her laughter filled the house with an effortless charm… and for now, that was enough to keep the clouds at bay in his mind.

  Breakfast passed in easy chatter and laughter, the air steeped in a special warmth. Having Nanami at the table from the start was a delightful novelty. Her teasing, Tsukari’s smiles, and the little comments they traded gave the sense of one of those days that lodges itself in your memory for reasons you only understand later.

  For a moment, the worry Sora felt for his mother tucked itself into a drawer in his mind locked away by the simple presence of the people he loved.

  When they finished eating, Tsukari excused herself with a serene smile and went about her business, leaving the three of them in the dining room. Aeris spoke first, gathering a few plates as she looked at the kids with her usual sweetness.

  “If you want, we can save lessons for after lunch,” she said lightly. “I’ve got a few chores this morning, so we won’t be able to start quite so early.”

  Sora and Nanami nodded almost in unison, matching her with understanding smiles. It was unusual for Aeris not to get them started right away, but neither of them complained. If anything, it was a chance to enjoy some free time.

  Nanami turned to Sora, waiting for a suggestion but when she looked at him, she noticed something odd. He seemed distracted, his gaze a little far away. She didn’t know why, but he looked lost in thought, as if part of him were somewhere else.

  Pursing her lips with a mischievous idea in mind, Nanami slipped silently from her chair and crept up behind him, setting one hand on his shoulder while the other snuck in to tickle his neck.

  “Hyaaa!” Sora yelped, almost tumbling out of his chair from surprise, dragged completely out of his thoughts.

  “Wake up, daydreamer!” Nanami laughed, while Sora regained his composure with a faint blush and a grin.

  “Hey!” he shot back with a short laugh, returning the tickle just as quickly. “That was cheating!”

  “You started it with the pajama thing,” she retorted with a teasing face.

  After that playful exchange, Sora settled back into his seat and asked,

  “What do you want to do today, Nanami?”

  She didn’t take long to answer, eyes sparkling with that familiar spark.

  “How about we go up to your room? We can play with your toys, or we could draw something… like the time we drew the whitecrest tree!”

  It was true, sometimes when Nanami visited, they spent hours between games and drawings in his room, lost in their own little world of fantasy.

  Sora nodded, delighted.

  “Let’s go, then!”

  And so the two went upstairs together, laughing and nudging each other with the easy trust and affection only best friends know.

  Golden sunlight poured through the window of Sora’s room, warming the little wooden desk and the chest where he kept his things. The air inside felt cozy, a light summer breeze making the curtains sway. Sitting on one of the floor mats, Nanami peered curiously into the toy chest. With an eager gesture she pulled out a couple of sheets of pergalino, that soft linen-fiber paper people in Elythera used for both writing and drawing.

  “Sora, look,” she said, turning to him with a sparkling smile. “Let’s draw something! It’s been days since we did an ‘adventure game.’

  She handed him a sheet and a well-worn stick of charcoal. Sora accepted them gladly and sat across from her. He knew he wasn’t exactly good at drawing, but he enjoyed these moments more than anything.

  While he began sketching dubious shapes a figure that looked like a swordsman but could also have been a caped tree, Nanami was already fully absorbed in her work. Her expression shifted as she drew: lips pursed, eyes narrowed, little murmurs of focus slipping out. Her hand moved with certainty, as if every line knew exactly where it needed to go.

  Nanami drew like the stories lived inside her. On her page, a scene was already taking shape: a party of adventurers facing down a fantastical creature, a dark forest in the background, and the silhouette of a full moon. The clarity of detail was startling for a girl her age.

  Sora, meanwhile, looked at his own drawing… a ruined castle, a hero, and a creature with five legs (though it was supposed to have four). He chuckled silently at how clumsy it looked.

  “Hey, this isn’t fair…” he said with a resigned little grin. “You draw way too well! I can’t compete, you always win…”

  Nanami lifted her sheet, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Of course! I’m a talented artist and you… you make swordsmen with bug faces,” she laughed, not mocking, just amused. “But they’re cute! They make me laugh, but I like them.”

  Sora folded his arms, feigning indignation, then shot back playfully,

  “Pfft! But you’re the one cheating… you draw as well as Aeris cooks, no contest. All I’ve got is imagination!”

  “And you cheat at reading!” she fired back, sticking out her tongue. “You can already read whole books and you play dumb so I won’t feel bad!” She puffed her cheeks and pointed an accusing finger.

  Sora froze for a second. He knew he couldn’t deny that, not to her. He let out a nervous laugh and lowered his gaze a little.

  “I don’t want you to get discouraged… you’re really working hard, and I… I dunno, I don’t want you to feel bad if you see me getting ahead.”

  She looked at him in silence, surprised by how honest he was. Then her expression softened and her smile returned, warmer this time. Gently, she leaned in and gave his forehead a tiny tap with her finger.

  “Dummy… thank you,” she said tenderly.

  A comfortable silence fell, the kind that only happens between two people who truly understand each other.

  “Alright, alright,” Sora cut in with a little laugh. “Let’s keep the story going. My caped bug-hero just entered the enchanted castle. Your turn!”

  “Perfect! Mine’s waiting in the throne room… but it’s a trap. The floor is full of monsters disguised as stones. I’ll draw it!”

  And so they dove into their little game, the one Sora had dreamed up months ago, inspired by hazy memories of his past life. He didn’t remember all the details of those tabletop games he’d loved back then, but he’d managed to recreate something similar reshaped for the world he lived in now.

  They took turns narrating mini-adventures and sketching them with either clumsy or masterful drawings. Where one lacked skill, the other filled in with imagination. Sheets of pergalino began to pile up around them, as if they were writing their own parallel story, just for the two of them.

  Outside, the sun drifted slowly across the Zaneris sky, and inside that room, Sora and Nanami shared a little universe only they understood. A space where past, present, and fantasy blended together in strokes of charcoal and the laughter of childhood.

  The morning passed in drawings, giggles, and imagined adventures until Sora’s stomach let out a small growl that made Nanami laugh. Soon, the scent of something cooking from the kitchen confirmed lunchtime was close. That day, however, Aeris decided to serve a bit earlier than usual, at 12:00. Both kids were surprised when she called them down so soon.

  “So early?” Sora asked, peeking his head over the stairs.

  “I’ve got a lot to do today, so we’re moving everything up a bit,” Aeris replied from the dining room as she finished setting the table.

  Nanami scampered after Sora, cheerful as always, but he kept a faintly distant air about him, barely noticeable. Something hadn’t sat right with him since early morning.

  At the table, the two kids settled into their usual seats, and lunch began as always: jokes traded between bites and the classic, ridiculous comparisons between the drawings they’d made that morning.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  But one thing didn’t go unnoticed.

  Tsukari’s chair was empty.

  Sora caught it at once, and instead of just sitting and waiting, he watched Aeris carefully prepare a tray, placing generous portions and making sure everything was just right. The tray could only be for his mother. Without saying much, Aeris took it delicately and headed upstairs.

  Nanami, who usually asked questions whenever something felt off, turned to Aeris while she was still on the steps.

  “Is Lady Tsukari not eating with us today?” she asked curiously, tilting her head a little.

  Aeris paused for a moment without turning back.

  “She’s resting, that’s all,” she answered softly, evasively. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  Sora narrowed his eyes. That answer isn’t enough. The way she said it, how she avoided details, the brief gesture he’d barely caught from the stairs… it was obvious Aeris knew more than she was saying.

  He stayed quiet, fingers tightening around his fork without meaning to.

  Nanami said nothing more, but the way she lowered her gaze said she knew something was wrong, too.

  Lunch went on without Tsukari, and although Aeris returned to the table a little later with her usual gentle smile, the atmosphere wasn’t the same. Sora tried to play it off to keep things light so Nanami wouldn’t worry but a small shadow of unease had lodged itself in his chest… and it didn’t seem eager to leave anytime soon.

  After lunch, Aeris cleared the table in a way Sora could only describe as quick but restrained as if she didn’t want to look hurried, yet still wanted to finish as soon as possible. Her movements were precise, almost automatic, and though her face kept a kind smile, her eyes weren’t as calm as usual.

  Sora noticed. Nanami did too, though she said nothing.

  Instead of her usual bright tone or a playful gesture to lift the kids’ spirits, Aeris addressed them with a voice both firm and gentle.

  “Let’s head to the backyard. It’s time for your reading lesson.”

  It wasn’t a question. There was none of the usual lilt that invited play or suggested they could do something else if they preferred. This time, it was a direct instruction, one both children accepted without objection.

  “Yeah, let’s go,” Sora replied, throwing a fleeting glance toward the stairs as if he were hoping to hear something from the upper floor.

  Nanami stood without complaint, and the two of them followed Aeris down the hall and out to the backyard.

  Everything was set up as always: the old tea table by now so familiar to the three of them with cushions neatly placed, pergalino sheets ready, books opened to the proper page, even the quills already inked. Aeris, meticulous as ever… but today, even that meticulousness seemed to be hiding a purpose.

  The Umbrana sun lit the backyard′s edges with a fierce brightness, casting long, crisp chair-shadows across the pale stone floor. A light breeze stirred the flowers along the planters, filling the air with a sweet scent that would normally relax anyone.

  But Sora was uneasy.

  He took his seat, and Nanami settled beside him. Aeris stood across from them, as usual, and without preamble began to go over the day’s sentences and vocabulary in a measured voice.

  And so, between letters, phrases, and soft corrections, the lesson began… but Sora’s heart wasn’t entirely there.

  During the reading lesson, right as they were working through some mid-level sentences, Sora heard a sound he wasn’t expecting: the front gate of the estate opening. He blinked, curious, and glanced toward the house. Footsteps. Not just one set. He recognized his father’s stride instantly, strong, steady… but the other was different. Lighter, though not as light as Aeris’s or his mother’s.

  Who could that be…? Sora leaned ever so slightly, trying to listen better. Aeris caught him at once, as if she knew exactly what was running through his head.

  “Sora. Focus,” she said, gentle but firm, tapping the line in front of him.

  He straightened up at once, almost mechanically.

  Right… he sighed inwardly. She’s definitely not going to let me go see who just arrived…

  Two hours slipped by. Between words, sentences, readings aloud, and the occasional laugh, time flowed like water. Aeris was more patient than usual, sweeter, even, in how she corrected Nanami, which made Sora notice that despite her calm, she seemed to be carrying something extra. Maybe she was worried about his mother too… or about that mysterious visitor.

  At last, after a short passage read together, Aeris closed her notebook with a soft clack, letting it mark the end of the session.

  “That’s all for today. You’re both doing very well,” she said with a smile that radiated pride.

  Nanami, who’d been fidgeting for a while, hopped off her chair like an invisible spark had nudged her.

  Sora smiled. He knew that look. It was playtime.

  Before standing, though, he glanced at Aeris for approval. She answered with a calm look, the kind that said without words I’m watching, but I trust you. She gave a small nod, and Sora understood.

  Aeris rose fully, smoothed the skirt of her dress, and turned to the children.

  “Sora, Nanami,” she said in a warm tone, “I need to run a few errands in town. Be good while I’m gone, all right? And most importantly…” her eyes lingered on Sora “don’t bother Lady Tsukari while she’s resting.”

  “Yes, Aeris,” they answered almost in unison, like they’d practiced it.

  The young maid smiled, wearing that I know exactly what you’re going to do expression and with a small wave, slipped out through the garden door.

  The silence lasted barely a second.

  Sora and Nanami traded a look and as if an invisible signal had passed between them, their eyes sparkled with mischief.

  “You know exactly what I’m thinking, right?” Nanami whispered, a playful smile on her lips.

  “I do, I do…” Sora answered, holding back a laugh.

  They both knew exactly what time it was.

  Once they were certain Aeris had truly left, Sora and Nanami shared one last conspiratorial glance. They didn’t say a word, they didn’t need to. Both knew exactly where they were headed.

  Like a sacred ritual, they tiptoed to the spot only they knew: a hidden gap along the back wall of the estate, concealed behind weathered planks and thick moss. It was their portal, their doorway into another world where it was just the two of them… no rules, no worries, no watching eyes.

  With small hands already skilled from practice, they eased the planks aside as always, careful not to damage anything so they could leave it exactly as they’d found it. They’d learned to keep off the main path, well aware of that first time an ill-timed giggle almost gave them away. They had no intention of repeating that close call. Not today.

  They slipped between trees and brush that no longer felt intimidating. The way to the Whitecrest Tree had become part of them, almost like an extension of their bond.

  And there it was at last.

  Majestic. Luminous… eternal.

  The Whitecrest Tree stood atop the hill, ringed by a gentle breeze and the distant song of birds. Its white-pink petals drifted through the air like summer snow, wrapping the place in a dreamlike hush.

  Sora and Nanami didn’t take long to lie back on the cool grass in the small clearing around the trunk. That was the next step in their ritual: watch the sky, find shapes in the clouds, spin stories, play at being adventurers. Sometimes they laughed. Sometimes they just fell quiet. But they never got bored.

  “That cloud looks like a sleeping wyvern…” Nanami murmured, voice dreamy, pointing up at the sky.

  “I think it looks more like Aeris when she’s eyeing us, suspicious we did something,” Sora shot back with a teasing grin.

  Both of them burst out laughing, rolling in the grass as if there wasn’t a single worry in the world.

  More than a hideout, that place had become a symbol. A safe place. Just theirs.

  And though they didn’t know it yet, the Whitecrest Tree was witnessing the birth of a bond that time would only make stronger.

  They lingered a few more minutes, lying on the grass that ringed the Whitecrest Tree. The sky seemed to move slowly, as if time didn’t follow the world’s rules up here. The leaves danced in the wind, and Sora’s thoughts drifted far away, tangled up in the image of his mother swaying on her feet that morning.

  Nanami knew him well enough to tell when something wasn’t right. She turned her head gently toward him, watched him in silence for a few seconds… then, without a word, she slid her hand into his. Fingers intertwined, she raised their hands to the sky and asked in a soft but steady voice:

  “Sora… are you okay? You’ve seemed somewhere else today.”

  Sora kept his eyes on the clouds, hesitating over how much to tell her. But he knew he could trust her. He always could. He drew a slow breath and answered:

  “It’s about Mom… This morning, when she was about to help me change, she suddenly got dizzy. She had to sit on the bed and called for Aeris because she didn’t feel well. She says she’s just tired… but I don’t know. Something doesn’t add up.”

  Nanami didn’t answer right away. She lowered their hands and turned to face him, meeting his eyes. She didn’t fully grasp the weight of what he was saying, but her heart urged her to comfort him.

  “Lady Tsukari is strong, Sora,” she said with absolute conviction. “She always looks so gentle and calm… but I can tell, she’s like my mom. She can handle anything. And she’s not alone. She’s got Lord Alvaron, who’s really strong and smart, just like my dad. And she has you, too.”

  Sora blinked. Those words, so simple and full of warmth, seemed to cradle his heart. He didn’t know if it was exactly what he needed to hear, but something inside him loosened. He smiled faintly, worry softening into ease.

  “Thanks, Nanami… really.” He gave her hand a light squeeze. “I think I needed to hear that from someone.”

  She smiled too, satisfied. Then she scooted a little closer and murmured,

  “Besides, I’m here as well. If something worries you, you can tell me, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  They stayed there in silence. Beneath the Whitecrest Tree, with petals falling like drifting dreams and their hearts a little calmer, they sealed yet another moment to treasure from their childhood.

  Time under the Whitecrest Tree always seemed to flow at a different pace, as if the tree itself kept a spell that held the clock’s hands still. But the sky, relentless, began to tint with orange and rose, announcing the end of the afternoon. Nanami, still sprawled on the grass with her arms outstretched, let out a long, contented sigh.

  “Sora…” she said, eyes on the sky. “If I could live inside a moment, I think it would be one like this.”

  Sora watched her with a faint smile. He felt it too. There was something special about that secret nook, the way the wind whispered through the Whitecrest blossoms, the way the rustle of leaves accompanied their talks as if the tree were listening.

  “Yeah…” he answered, not taking his eyes off the sky. “It’s like everything bad stays outside when we’re here.”

  They lingered a while longer without needing to speak. Only the wind, the shifting leaves, and the far-off calls of forest birds kept them company. Eventually, as if the outside world had tugged them back, they sat up and shared a conspiratorial look.

  “I think it’s time to head back,” Sora said, lacking any real enthusiasm.

  “Mhm… And we’re coming again tomorrow, right?”

  “Of course,” he replied firmly, extending his pinky with a small smile.

  Nanami narrowed her eyes playfully and hooked her pinky with his.

  “Then… approved by the Sacred Seal of Explorer Nanami!”

  They both laughed, brushed the grass from their clothes, and started the walk home. They’d memorized every step off the main path, where the leaves crunched and which branches to avoid to keep quiet. When they reached the opening in the wall, Sora crouched down and began setting the planks back with meticulous care.

  “Yeah… there… one more to the left,” he muttered, adjusting each plank like a delicate puzzle piece.

  “Sora, you’re way too meticulous,” Nanami said, hands on her hips.

  “And you’re way too careless,” he shot back without looking at her, fully focused.

  Both of them let out a low laugh before slipping back into the gardens. This time, instead of heading straight for the back patio, they stopped in a shaded corner and started kicking a ball around. The hollow thumps of their steps and the soft bounce of the ball mingled with their laughter and the cool air of late afternoon.

  A few minutes later, one of the maids approached with a tray. It wasn’t Aeris. Her walk was more formal, her gestures more measured, but she still greeted them politely as she handed over their snack: two cups of milk with honey and a few cinnamon cookies.

  “Thank you,” they chimed in unison.

  The maid nodded and left without looking back. Once she’d gone, Nanami shrugged.

  “Not bad, right?”

  Sora took a sip and nodded.

  “Not bad… but it’s missing something.” He raised the cup with mock solemnity. “It’s missing Aeris’s touch!”

  “Exactly!” Nanami laughed.

  They ate at an easy pace, sitting on the grass. When she finished, Nanami lay back, tilting her head toward the sky.

  “You know?” she said softly. “I like this place… but what I like most is being with you, Sora.”

  Sora flushed a little and turned his head away.

  “You’re weird sometimes, you know that?”

  “I know,” she answered with a mischievous giggle.

  And just like that, trying to catch every last ray of the day, they started playing again. The ball rolled, flew, and bounced between their laughter as the sky slowly began to darken.

  Night would soon fall and with it, the time to say goodbye.

  The sky had already deepened fully into indigo when Liora came to pick up her daughter. Nanami, as always, said her goodbyes with boundless energy. But this time, before leaving, she slipped close to Sora and whispered in his ear:

  “Everything’s going to be okay, Sora.”

  She looked at him with those eyes full of earnest determination, as if her words alone could scatter any worry. Then, without giving him time to answer, she flashed a brilliant smile and chirped:

  “See you tomorrow!”

  Sora couldn’t help smiling back. Nanami’s energy was contagious, a balm that soothed any lingering unease.

  “See you tomorrow, Nanami!”

  The door closed behind her, and the home settled into quiet again. After a while, with the warm glow of magestone lamps softening the edges of the rooms and dinner served, everyone gathered at the table. For the first time in days, Alvaron, Tsukari, Aeris, and Sora shared a meal together. The air felt warm… yet a little heavy, as if something still unspoken hovered there between them.

  The conversation stayed light, like always, remarks about the food, little stories from the day, a few easy laughs. But Sora noticed… the way his father occasionally avoided meeting his eyes, and how Tsukari was quieter than usual.

  When they finished, and Aeris began clearing the table, Tsukari gently stopped her with a hand on her forearm. Sora looked up, intrigued.

  Alvaron settled back in his chair, laced his fingers together on the tabletop, and looked seriously at both Sora and Aeris.

  “We have something important to tell you,” he said, his voice firm yet warm.

  Silence fell at once. Even the distant sounds of night seemed to fade. Aeris stood frozen mid-motion, and Sora felt his heart give a small jump as they both waited for the next words.

  At that moment, Alvaron began to speak, his steady, calm voice filling the room as the magestone sconces flickered softly on the walls.

  “Earlier this afternoon, Healer Ilvar came by to examine your mother,” Alvaron began, pausing a moment as he looked straight at Sora. “And he gave us some important news.”

  Sora swallowed hard. The uneasy feeling that had shadowed him all day began to stir with new intensity. Aeris, still standing with the tray in her hands, tilted her head slightly waiting as well.

  “After examining her for a while,” Alvaron continued, “he discovered why Tsukari has been feeling this way lately…”

  Sora’s hands pressed against his knees.

  “Your mother is pregnant.”

  Silence, just for a heartbeat, as if time itself had stopped. Sora’s expression changed completely, and before he could even form words, Tsukari leaned toward him with a shining smile and eyes brimming with emotion.

  “You’re going to have a little brother or a little sister!”

  Sora’s mind took a few seconds to catch up. The news washed away his earlier fears in a single, relieving wave, yet his face still showed pure, unfiltered shock.

  “W-wait… I’m going to have a little brother or sister?!”

  That honest, unexpected reaction drew a soft laugh from Tsukari, while Alvaron let out a warm, rough chuckle. Even Aeris who had been holding her breath all that time couldn’t help but smile tenderly as she finally set the tray down on the table.

  Sora’s surprise, so childlike and genuine, burst like a little firework in the quiet of the dining room. The air that had felt heavy moments ago now filled with warmth. A new heartbeat had begun to echo through their home.

  Once the announcement was made and every doubt dispelled, dinner ended with light laughter and scattered remarks. Even so, Sora’s heart was still spinning. It was a lot to process all at once.

  Later, after the usual bath, something he’d grown so used to that he barely paid it any mind, Sora changed into his pajamas by himself without a second thought. Then he took his mother’s hand, and the two of them walked together toward his room, in silence.

  Once they were in his room, Tsukari tucked him in with that same loving care as always. She hadn’t skipped a single night since that nightmare months ago. This time, before starting the bedtime story, she lay down beside him, resting a gentle hand over his small chest.

  “Aren’t you excited to have someone else to share the house with?” she asked softly, fingers combing his hair with tender strokes.

  Sora fell quiet for a moment. He didn’t quite know what to feel. It was so sudden… so unexpected. But he didn’t want to worry her, not now, so he forced a smile and answered in a cheerful tone:

  “Yeah… I guess I am.”

  Tsukari gave him a look overflowing with love, as if she understood more than he was letting on.

  “You’re a good boy, Sora. I’m sure you’ll take wonderful care of your little brother… or sister,” she whispered, leaning in to place a kiss on his forehead. “I’m so happy it’s you who’s in our lives.”

  With that, and a calm smile, she began that night’s story, one of the many woven from the mysterious past of her adventuring days. As the minutes passed, Tsukari’s voice softened to a hush, until the tale ended and she said goodnight with one last gentle kiss on his cheek.

  When the door closed and Sora was alone in the dim of his room, lit only by a faint lightstone in the corner, his thoughts crowded in. Surprise, doubt, and a hazy pressure in his chest. His heart was pounding. Something unsettled him… and it wasn’t just about the present.

  Curled a little deeper under the covers as he mulled over everything revealed that night, the lightstone’s glow cast soft shadows along the walls. And beneath that calm, a worry stirred from some hidden corner of his mind, one that rose up, unbidden.

  With his mother’s announcement, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from drifting backward. Not to a happy memory, but to a far-off, slightly bitter echo. In his previous life, Adriel had had an older sister.

  They’d never gotten along. Not even as kids. Arguments came constantly, over the pettiest things, and as they grew, the emotional distance hardened into an unscalable wall. There was no affection. No understanding. Only reproaches, awkward silences, and cold looks. In time, each chose their own path without looking back, with that quiet certainty that they didn’t need each other.

  Adriel didn’t miss her. Not even once.

  Remembering that now, on the very day he’d learned he would have a new little brother… or sister tightened his chest. What if it happened again? What if, no matter how much he wanted to do better, he simply couldn’t? What if fate decided to repeat that story…?

  That whirlwind of thoughts weighed on his soul… until something anchored him. A memory from just a few hours earlier.

  Lying on the grass beneath the clear sky by the Whitecrest tree, Nanami’s voice had sounded soft, innocent, and certain, right as she’d gently taken his hand:

  “Everything’s going to be okay, Sora.”

  Those words had cut deeper than he’d realized at the time. He recalled them with perfect clarity, as if hearing them for the first time.

  Without thinking, his hand lifted in the dim room, recreating that simple, comforting gesture. He closed his eyes and, for a moment, he could still feel the warmth of Nanami’s small palm there with him.

  A faint smile traced his lips.

  Maybe… this time could be different. Maybe this time he wouldn’t have to carry his doubts or shadows alone.

  A faint smile traced his lips.

  And just before surrendering fully to sleep, Sora opened his eyes for an instant, staring at the ceiling with quiet resolve. In his mind, a simple but powerful promise formed with absolute clarity.

  I’m not Adriel… and this time, I’ll be the big brother. I’ll do it far better than I did back then.

  And so, with his heart a little lighter and a new light kindling within, Sora finally fell into a deep sleep.

  A new heartbeat began to set the course of his story.