Everything here looks expensive. Clean. Untouched.

Too far from the life they know.

Tsia glances at Alix's back.

He walks as if none of it matters.

Like he belongs here.

That makes her more uneasy.

"Where… are we going?" she finally asks, her voice careful.

Alix doesn't slow down.

"Somewhere you can stay."

That answer doesn't help.

Liri tightens her grip.

"Sis… I don't like this place," she whispers.

Tsia squeezes her hand gently.

"It's okay," she says, even if she's not sure herself.

They keep walking.

Deeper.

Past large estates.

Past tall gates.

Until they reach something even bigger.

Tsia stops without realizing it.

Her breath catches.

In front of them stands the city lord's estate.

Massive.

Imposing.

The walls alone are taller than anything she has ever seen up close. Guards stand at the entrance, armored and still, their presence heavy and unyielding.

Even now, with the city changed, this place still carries authority.

Tsia instinctively takes a step back.

"Sis…" Liri's voice trembles.

"We shouldn't be here."

Alix doesn't stop.

He walks straight toward the gates.

Tsia's heart starts pounding.

"Wait," she calls out softly. "We can't just—"

The guards move.

She just stands there, staring at the guards who had just bowed.

Her grip on the fruit loosens slightly.

"Sis…" Liri tugs at her again. "Did they… bow?"

Tsia swallows.

"I… think so."

Her eyes slowly shift back to Alix, who is already walking inside as if this is the most normal thing in the world.

And suddenly, everything feels different.

The robe.

His calm voice.

The way he looked at things.

It all clicks together in a way that makes her chest tighten.

"Sis…" Liri whispers again, more nervous now. "Who is he?"

Tsia doesn't answer right away.

Because she's starting to realize something.

Something she should have noticed earlier.

They're not following a stranger.

Her feet start moving again, almost on their own.

Step by step, she walks through the gates, pulling Liri with her.

The guards don't even look at them.

Inside, the estate is even more overwhelming.

Wide courtyards.

Clean stone paths.

Servants and soldiers moving with purpose.

Everything feels too big.

Too far from anything they've ever known.

Tsia's heart doesn't slow down.

If anything, it beats even faster.

And ahead of them, Alix keeps walking, not once looking back.

They don't get far inside the estate before someone approaches.

Footsteps, steady and controlled.

Tsia looks up.

A man in formal attire walks toward Alix, posture straight, presence heavy in a quiet way. His eyes are sharp, but the moment he stops in front of Alix, he lowers his head.

"My lord."

Tsia's breath catches.

Liri grips her arm tightly and whispers, barely holding it in.

"Sis… that's the city lord…"

Tsia recognizes him too.

Hecrad.

Even someone like her has heard that name before.

And right now, he's bowing.

To the man they followed.

Alix gives a small nod.

"Hecrad."

Hecrad straightens slightly, but his tone remains respectful.

"You went out without informing us," he says, his tone calm but carrying a hint of concern. "We were preparing reports and could not locate you."

Alix waves it off.

"I was just walking."

His gaze shifts slightly behind him, landing on the two girls who are still standing stiffly, unsure if they should even be there.

"Prepare food for these two," Alix says.

There is no hesitation.

No question.

"It will be done," Hecrad replies immediately, his eyes briefly flicking toward Tsia and Liri, assessing them in a single glance before stepping aside.

Tsia feels like the ground beneath her isn't real anymore.

Everything is happening too fast.

Liri tugs at her sleeve again, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and excitement.

"Big sister… we're really going to eat…?"

Tsia doesn't answer.

Her mind is still stuck on one thing.

My lord.

Servants begin to move around them, appearing almost silently as if they had been waiting for this moment. One of them steps forward, bowing slightly toward the two girls.

"This way, please," the maid says gently.

Tsia hesitates for a second, then nods.

She lets herself be guided, still holding Liri's hand tightly, as if letting go would make all of this disappear.

They walk through wide corridors lined with polished stone and soft glowing lamps, passing by walls decorated with carvings and paintings that look too valuable to even touch.

Every step makes Tsia more aware of how out of place they are.

Their worn clothes.

Their thin frames.

Their hesitation.

And yet, no one looks at them with disdain.

That makes it even harder to understand.

When they finally arrive, the dining room opens before them.

Tsia stops at the entrance.

Her eyes widen.

The room is enormous, far larger than any place she has ever stepped into, with a high ceiling supported by carved pillars and a long polished table at the center that reflects the soft light coming from above.

The air smells warm.

Real food. Not scraps, or leftovers.

The table is already filled.

Plates upon plates of dishes are arranged neatly, steam rising gently from them, the scent alone enough to make Liri's stomach growl audibly.

There is meat, cooked until tender and glazed with sauce. Fresh bread, still warm. Bowls of fruit, brighter and cleaner than anything they've seen outside. Soups that release a comforting aroma just from the heat.

Maids stand on both sides of the table, ready, silent, waiting.

Liri's eyes begin to sparkle.

She takes a small step forward without realizing it, her gaze moving from one dish to another, completely captivated.

"Big sister…" she whispers, almost breathless. "Look…"

Tsia can only stare.

Her fingers tighten slightly around Liri's hand.

She has never seen anything like this.

Not even close.

One of the maids gently pulls out a chair.

"Please, sit," she says softly.

Tsia hesitates again.

Then slowly, carefully, she nods and leads Liri forward.

Liri climbs onto the chair, still staring at the table like she's afraid it might disappear if she blinks.

Tsia sits beside her, her movements stiff, unsure.

The maids begin to move, placing plates, pouring water, serving food with practiced ease.

Liri leans closer to Tsia, her voice filled with excitement she can barely contain.

"Sis… can we really eat all of this…?"

Tsia looks at the table.

Then at her little sister.

Then lowers her gaze slightly.

"...I think so," she says quietly.

But even as she says it, part of her still can't believe it.

Because just earlier, they were begging for a single piece of fruit.

And now…

They are sitting at a table fit for nobles.

Because of one person.

Tsia glances toward the door, where Alix had stood earlier.

Her chest tightens slightly.

She still doesn't understand him.

---

After some time, the sound of soft footsteps returns.

Tsia looks up instinctively.

Alix walks into the dining room, his presence quiet, yet the moment he enters, the maids straighten slightly, their movements becoming even more careful, more precise.

He doesn't sit.

He simply sits at the end of the table, watching.

Not the food.

The two sisters.

Liri is already reaching for a piece of bread, her small hands hesitant at first, then quicker when no one stops her. She takes a bite, and her entire face lights up, eyes sparkling as if she just discovered something magical.

"It's good…" she whispers, her voice filled with pure happiness.

Tsia doesn't move as quickly.

Her hands rest on the edge of the table, fingers slightly curled, her gaze flickering between the food and Alix, unable to relax.

Alix notices.

Of course he does.

"I can see that you don't trust people easily," he says calmly.

His voice isn't sharp.

Just simple, and direct.

Tsia flinches slightly, then lowers her head.

"My lord… I apologize," she says quietly. "Since the day we became slaves…"

Her voice tightens a little.

"We were always in cages. Always watched. Always… suffering."

She pauses, as if choosing her words carefully.

"We learned not to trust anyone. Not humans… not even other monsters."

Her fingers tighten slightly on the table.

"Trusting the wrong person only makes things worse."

The room falls quiet.

Even Liri slows down her eating, glancing at her sister.

Alix watches her for a moment.

Then gives a small nod.

"I see."

There's no judgment in his tone.

No pity either.

Just understanding.

"But now, you're free," he says.

Tsia lifts her head slightly, her eyes meeting his for a brief second before lowering again.

"I know," she says softly. "That's why… I don't understand."