Arc 2: Five Days Before Dawn
The next morning...
Arata calmly awakened in the bed of his new room.
As he stretched and sat on the edge of the mattress, he found the same two figures from the previous night standing right beside him, watching him with their arms crossed.
— Hey, you two! Let me ask... Are you really sisters? — Arata started a conversation, scratching the back of his neck.
— Hey, don't look at us with that stupid face, Atara-kun — Sumire grumbled, narrowing her pink eyes.
— What exactly did you turn my name into? — Arata asked, confused.
— Yes, we are twin sisters — Loiry, the white-haired one, answered gently to ease the tension. — I'm Loiry Tsumurugi, and she's Sumire Tsumurugi.
— Damn, you two have a pretty cool surname! — Arata praised, impressed.
— Now, enough talking — Sumire cut in, turning her back.
The two left the room in sync, returning to their morning duties. Curious to explore his new surroundings, Arata put on his sports jacket and followed right behind them, walking leisurely through the property's enormous corridors.
The place gave off a pleasant, rustic scent of polished wood.
As he passed through a large carved oak door, he stopped miles before taking his next step.
He backed up two centimeters and stared at the shiny doorknob.
"Could this be Emma's room?" he wondered, his heart beating a little faster.
Driven by curiosity, he grabbed the doorknob and turned it, pushing the door open all at once.
To his surprise, what appeared before his eyes was not an ordinary room, but a monumental library, whose bookshelves rose until they disappeared from sight into the vaulted ceiling.
At the center of the library, sitting on a small wooden stool, was a little girl with golden hair perfectly tied into two pigtails. Her body was extremely small, resembling that of a child only a few years old.
She closed the book in her hands with a sharp snap and fixed her very light aqua-green eyes on the intruder.
— Hey, little girl! — Arata exclaimed, approaching with a wide smile. — What are you doing lost in this library? You're so cute, huh?
Without thinking twice, Arata extended his hand and began stroking the girl's golden hair.
She abruptly dodged, her face twisting into an expression of pure indignation.
— What an incredible lack of common sense... — the girl hissed, her voice echoing with an authority that did not match her size.
— You invade my private library, don't bother introducing yourself, and then start acting as though you know me intimately.
I would say that you're a complete insolent fool.
She silently observed Arata for a few seconds.
Her eyes eventually became fixed on the single white streak contrasting with his dark hair.
It was... beautiful.
Different from anything she had ever seen.
Lia immediately looked away, as though she had made a mistake by thinking that.
— What a... strange streak. You insolent boy.
— Hey, don't insult other people's hair, partner! You're not going to tell me your name, Miss Cutie? — Arata insisted, ignoring the warning.
He brought both hands to her cheeks and began gently squeezing them.
The girl's irritation reached its peak.
— My name is Luisa, but everyone calls me Lia — she declared, her eyes flashing. — Now that you know my name, get out of here!
In an instant reflex, Lia concentrated an enormous amount of strange mana around her body and fired a concentrated blast of spiritual energy directly at Arata's chest.
The impact was so violent that it launched him straight out of the library, sending him through an open window in the corridor.
Arata plummeted from a considerable height, landing on his back in a bush filled with grass and thorns in the garden.
The impact of the fall, combined with the small scratches, caused him to immediately pass out.
Minutes later, Arata opened his eyes again, dizzy.
He found himself back in the bed of his room in the mansion. This time, the environment was filled with Emma's familiar and comforting perfume.
When he looked to the side, he saw the young blonde sitting on a velvet chair, watching him with a worried expression.
— Are you okay, Arata? — Emma asked, approaching to examine his face. — I used Buck's healing magic to close the minor cuts caused by the fall and the thorns.
— Ah... Thank you very much, Emma... — Arata murmured, massaging his temples. — But now I have a very serious question... Who the hell is this Lia person?
— Ah, Lia... She's an old friend of Joseph who lives here in the mansion — Emma explained, letting out a soft sigh.
— To be more precise, she resides in the Library of Knowledge, which is that huge wing you invaded.
She basically lives in there and refuses to leave, no matter what we do to convince her.
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— Her attack was bizarre... That blast of energy seemed... not human, you know? — Arata commented, remembering the impact.
— And it wasn't human — Emma nodded. — Lia is a Spirit.
She possesses the innate ability of Spirits to fire spiritual blasts, which utilize a unique type of mana that only Spirits can manifest.
Buck can do something similar because he is half Spirit.
— I understand... But she seemed extremely young to me to possess that much power.
— Buck once told me that she's already around 400 years old — Emma revealed with a sideways smile.
— So I guess appearances really are deceiving in this world, Arata.
— They really are... She looks exactly like a little child.
— That's because pure Spirits don't suffer from biological aging.
They manifest a specific appearance after evolving from their incomplete spirit form.
Once they acquire their physical form, they retain that same form for the rest of their lives.
It's the same case with Buck; he was born as that small dark-blue dragon and will remain that way forever. He didn't have an incomplete stage because he is a hybrid specifically between a Spirit and a Dragon of the extinct Wyvern race.
— Damn... They can alter their own physical forms if they want to, right?
— Buck possesses that shapeshifting ability, but as for Lia, I genuinely can't say.
Emma pondered, standing up from the chair.
— But let's put this conversation about the nature of Spirits aside for now.
— How about we take a walk through the garden? — Arata suggested excitedly, jumping out of bed.
— I feel like stretching my muscles and doing some exercises!
— All right, let's go then, Arata — Emma agreed.
— Let's go!!!
A few minutes later, the two found themselves in the vast backyard of Joseph's mansion.
The air outside was fresh, carrying the characteristic scent of green leaves and freshly cut grass.
Meanwhile...
A small figure remained standing in the hallway, in front of the door to the Library of Knowledge.
Lia.
She had left the library for a few moments, but did not seem interested in joining the two.
Instead...
She stopped in front of one of the large windows in the hallway.
Through the glass, she could see the mansion's garden.
Outside...
Arata looked around in amazement; the garden was surrounded by tall trees and featured a large tool shed in the center, positioned right beside a leisure area equipped with marble tables and luxurious parasols.
— This place is colossal! It doesn't even look like an ordinary backyard because it's so huge.
It's more like an open field! — Arata commented, beginning to flex his legs and stretch his arms.
— What are you doing, Arata? — Emma asked, tilting her head to the side curiously.
— This is a typical warm-up from my homeland. We call it stretching.
Want to try it with me? — he offered, finishing the movements and beginning to make small jumps in place.
— Hmm... All right, I'll try — Emma gave in, approaching him.
With some hesitation, the young blonde began imitating Arata's dynamic movements.
Within a few minutes, the two were performing a coordinated calisthenics routine in the middle of the lawn.
— Hey, Emma! Let's raise our hands into the air and shout really loudly! — Arata commanded excitedly.
The two raised their arms toward the clear sky and exclaimed together:
— Hooray!
At that exact millisecond, the crystal of Emma's secondary necklace glowed.
Buck emerged in his small blue dragon form and raised his little paws into the air with the same enthusiasm.
— Hooray! Hooray! Good morning, Ma! — the little dragon shouted, hovering in the air.
— Good morning, Buck! — Emma replied, extending her arm so the creature could gently land on her shoulder.
On the other side of the window...
Lia remained motionless.
Her aqua-green eyes followed every movement of the little dragon.
She watched as Buck flew over to Emma.
She watched as he landed on her shoulder.
And then...
Emma smiled.
Lia's fingers lightly tightened around the fabric of her sleeve.
Her gaze remained fixed on the two.
For a few seconds...
There was no expression on her face.
Then...
She looked away.
— ...
Lia slowly closed the curtain.
— I would say I have nothing to do here.
She turned around.
And began walking back toward the library.
But before disappearing down the hallway...
She stopped.
Lia looked at the window once more.
Outside, Buck remained beside Emma.
She continued watching them for a few more seconds.
Then she finally left.
Back in the garden...
— I'm sorry about what happened last night, Ma... — Buck murmured, lowering his scaly ears with a guilty expression.
— You must have gone through an awful ordeal because I didn't have enough energy to remain materialized for longer...
— It was nothing, Buck. Arata and the Holy Knight Kauã Alves managed to protect me in time — she reassured him with a smile.
The little dragon flapped his wings and flew until he stopped right in front of the boy.
— Thank you so much, Arata! Thanks to the intervention of both of you, my Ma is safe and sound today.
— Ah, but I'm going to want a reward for that, Mr. Buck! — Arata joked, crossing his arms.
— Really? And what would it be? — the little dragon asked curiously.
— I want the right to hug you and pet you whenever I want during the day!
— Arata declared. Without giving the Spirit time to react, he pulled him into a warm hug and began scratching the top of his head.
— Ah...! I love a good petting! — Buck instantly gave in, relaxing in the young man's arms.
— Seriously? Your reward is just that, Arata? — Emma asked, watching the scene with her arms crossed.
— Exactly. That's enough for me.
— Arata... — Emma whispered to herself, shaking her head slightly. — You're a very strange boy...
— What did you say, Emma?
— Nothing, forget it... — she brushed it off while the boy continued pampering the little reptile.
Suddenly, the silhouettes of Loiry and Sumire appeared at the entrance to the backyard, walking toward the group with measured steps.
— Good morning, Loiry and Sumire. Did something happen? — Emma asked, straightening her posture.
— Miss Emma, we came only to inform you that Mr. Joseph has just returned from his business trip — Loiry announced with a formal bow.
— I understand. In that case, let's go inside — Emma decided.
— See you later, Arata! — Buck said goodbye, dematerializing in the air and returning inside the crystal around the young woman's neck.
— No! My supply of cuddles just went away! — Arata lamented dramatically.
— Come on, Arata, move — Emma called, indicating the entrance to the mansion.
— Let's go, then.
The group entered the residence once again.
As they walked through the luxurious corridors, the scent of grass from the garden was replaced by a much more sophisticated and clean aroma of expensive products.
As they turned toward the main wing, Arata encountered a singular figure approaching.
He was an extremely tall man, standing approximately 1.89 meters tall, with a slender build and excessively pale skin. His hair was a vibrant cyan, long and straight, falling slightly below his shoulders.
His clothing was eccentric: he wore a miniature black top hat tilted on his head and a long dark cloak with a raised high collar, whose inner lining displayed a vivid blood-red color.
Underneath, he wore a tight-fitting jacket and pants combining shades of pink, lilac, and dark purple, covered in points and asymmetrical stitching that directly resembled the classic clothing of medieval jesters.
On his feet, he wore long black-and-red high-top boots, ending in slightly upward-curved points.
Without thinking twice, Arata approached and began giving the man friendly pats on the back, flashing a wide smile.
— Damn! So you guys hired a professional clown to entertain the mansion's residents?! That's pretty unique! Hey, clown, tell us a good joke!
Emma's face immediately went pale beside him.
— Hey... Arata... That isn't a clown...
The cyan-haired man stopped walking. He turned his cold and haughty gaze toward the boy, maintaining an impeccable posture.
— I am Joseph — the nobleman declared in a measured and firm voice. — The rightful owner of this mansion, do you hear me? Arata Ryusei.
— I'm sorry!! Please forgive me, sir! — Arata stammered, desperately bowing his body in apology.
— It was nothing... Forget about it — Joseph replied without changing his tone. — Just accompany me to the meeting hall.
A short while later, everyone was gathered in the property's large meeting hall. Arata and Emma were properly seated around the enormous solid-wood table, while Joseph occupied the central head of the table.
At his right stood Loiry; on his left, Sumire maintained the same formal posture.
With graceful movements, Loiry served generous plates of steaming and aromatic food to Joseph, Emma, and Arata.
— Thank you very much! — Arata said, already picking up his utensils.
Joseph raised a crystal glass filled with a dark liquid, took a measured sip of wine, and cleared his throat.
— Splendid... Did you know, Arata Ryusei, that the vineyards on my properties produce the finest wines in this entire region?
— No, I had no idea! — Arata replied before chewing on a piece of meat. — But tell me something, this gigantic mansion is located in which province or state of Karakiri exactly?
— We are located in the provinces of a state within our nation called Karramagi — Joseph explained politely. — From here to the capital of Karakiri, the journey takes approximately ten hours by ordinary carriage.
— Got it! Pretty cool — Arata commented. He put another generous portion of food into his mouth and, speaking with his mouth full, exclaimed: — Damn! Who prepared this amazing feast here?!
— Loiry's culinary talents are indeed magnificent, don't you agree? — Joseph commented, indicating the twin on his right.
— I prepared it myself — Loiry confirmed with a slight bow. — I am officially responsible for managing the kitchen of this mansion.
— Wow, miss, your food is insanely good! I think I finally understand the dynamic between you two — Arata deduced, pointing at the twins.
— You're a ten-out-of-ten cook and must be kind of bad at the other household chores, while your sister Sumire handles all the cleaning and organizing, right?
Loiry blinked, maintaining a neutral expression.
— My sister is indeed excellent at cleaning.
— However, I am not bad at the other tasks. I am fully capable of cooking, cleaning, organizing the house, or performing any other domestic activity assigned to me.
Arata froze with his utensils in midair, looking from Loiry to Sumire with a completely dumbfounded expression.
— Then... What the hell is your sister for in this house?!
Before an argument could begin, Joseph wiped his lips with a silk handkerchief and resumed speaking, bringing everyone's attention back to the table.
— I was informed that you played a crucial role in helping Emma recover her necklace, Arata.
— Ah, that's right! It was a hell of a lot of work — the young man nodded.
— That object possesses immeasurable value to her, as it is the last physical memento of her deceased parents, who were high-ranking nobles within the nobility of Karakiri — Joseph revealed, his expression serious.
— You not only recovered the jewelry, but also protected it from Yumi's clutches.
It is extremely rare for someone to survive a direct confrontation with the Stripper Assassin... Therefore, this entire household extends its sincerest gratitude to you.
— It was nothing, hehe! — Arata bragged, scratching his nose, flattered.
— Thank you very much, Arata-kun... — Emma added, staring directly at him with her large violet eyes.
— Well, since everyone is so grateful... I definitely deserve a reward worthy of the occasion, don't you think? — Arata suggested, leaning forward over the table with a cunning smile.
— Very well. What do you desire? — Joseph asked, showing openness. — Within my means and capabilities, we can provide you with whatever you want.
Arata puffed out his chest, fixed his gaze on the owner of the house, and declared with conviction:
— I want... A job! I want to work here at this mansion!
The sudden, confused silence that settled over the meeting hall was broken only by Sumire's loud and awkward sneeze in the background.
End of Chapter 21
Continued in Chapter 22...