After our first mission, Matron allowed us to take leave to rest. Our mission was surely successful. We even got a big bonus for our paycheck! I wonder who managed to give us this big bonus? I truly wonder.
Anyway, today, I decided to spend more time with Ella as well as get to know Kaori more. After all, she is still our sister.
"I'm home!" I pushed open the door.
"Welcome home!" Kaori's voice called from the kitchen.
"Big Sis, is Ella awake—?" The moment I pushed open the door, I saw Kaori, only wearing a white shirt and underwear, making breakfast for us.
"Go put on some clothes," I commanded her as I looked away, my cheeks reddening.
"Ara ara, Alistair, do you not like me?" Kaori smirked and walked up to me, turning my face to face hers.
"I do, but not like this," I walked towards the kitchen counter and picked up a glass of water. "Go put on some clothes, now," My voice firmer this time.
"Ara ara, isn't someone being shy?" Kaori grinned.
"I'm not going to say it twice. While you're at it, go wear a bra too."
I tried to walk past Kaori, the glass still cool in my hand. My foot caught on the edge of the rug—careless.
The impact was dull, unimpressive. The water, however, had better timing.
It splattered forward, soaking into her shirt in an instant.
"...Ah."
That was all I said.
The thin fabric darkened, clinging where it shouldn't, turning faintly translucent under the light. Kaori froze, eyes lowering just enough to notice before her breath hitched.
I straightened myself calmly, already setting the empty glass down.
"Sorry. You're wet," I said flatly. "Go change."
The water had barely finished dripping when Kaori looked down at herself again—then slowly, deliberately, looked back up at me.
"...You know," she said, voice suddenly lighter, almost amused, "this is kind of your fault."
"I already apologised," I replied. "You should change."
She didn't move.
Instead, she took a step closer.
The damp fabric clung faintly, catching the light just enough to be noticeable—but barely enough to be obscene. She tilted her head, lips curving into a familiar, dangerous smile.
"Leaving a mess behind and walking away?" she teased. "That's not very responsible of you, is it?"
I met her gaze evenly. "You're doing this on purpose."
"Maybe." She reached for a towel from the nearby counter and pressed it into my hand. "Here. Since you caused it... You should help."
I looked at the towel. Then at her.
"...You want me to wipe it?" I asked calmly.
Her eyes sparkled. "What, scared?"
"No," I said. "Just surprised you're this bold."
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I'm only bold with you."
For a moment, the air tightened.
Then I stepped forward—not rushed, not hesitant—and gently pressed the towel against her shoulder, keeping my movements precise, impersonal. I was careful not to linger, careful not to look where she clearly wanted me to.
"You're enjoying this," I said flatly.
She huffed a soft laugh. "Maybe a little. You never react the way you're supposed to."
"I'm reacting appropriately."
"Mm." She watched my face closely, clearly searching for cracks. "You know, if you keep acting this calm, one day I might do something you can't ignore."
I finished, stepped back, and handed the towel to her.
"Then I'll deal with it when it happens," I said.
That finally did it.
Her teasing smile faltered—just a bit—before she turned away, cheeks warm.
"...You're really unfair," she muttered. "Acting all mature when you're the younger one."
As she walked toward the hallway, she glanced back once.
"But," she added softly, "don't think I didn't notice you stayed close enough to help."
I waited until she disappeared before murmuring to myself,
"...Troublesome woman."
Pat pat pat.
I turned my head to see Ella walking down the stairs.
"Good morning, Ella!" I smiled. "Up early, I see,"
"Yeah...I have school today," She groaned.
"Ah, right, Kaori was just getting ready to go,"
"Ok..." Ella propped herself on a chair and ate the toast Kaori had prepared for us.
A couple of minutes later, Kaori came back with decent clothes on.
"I thought you had school today?" I asked Kaori.
"I had to take leave due to 'family matters'! Family's the most important, no?" Kaori smiled at me as if nothing had happened.
"Yeah..."
"Ella, are you ready?"
"Yep!" She was already in her school uniform. Her bag was really cute for an eleven-year-old.
"Let's go!" Kaori exclaimed.
The moment we stepped through the gates of Celestara's elementary school, the atmosphere changed completely.
It was loud—but not in an overwhelming way.
It was the sound of life.
Children ran everywhere, their small boots pattering against the stone paths as they laughed without restraint. Some chased one another in uneven circles, others sprinted past with robes fluttering behind them like capes far too big for their tiny frames. A group of kids crowded around a floating spell construct that looked more like a wobbling jellyfish than anything magical, cheering every time it didn't fall apart.
Ella stopped walking.
She stood there, eyes wide, taking it all in.
A little boy rushed past us, nearly crashing into Ella before swerving at the last second.
"Sorry!" he shouted, not even slowing down, already laughing as he ran off again.
Nearby, several children were sitting on the ground with chalk, drawing messy spell circles—some crooked, some overlapping, one drawn entirely backwards. When a faint spark finally appeared, they gasped in unison as if witnessing a miracle, even though the spark fizzled out almost immediately.
"Did you see that? It almost worked!" one of them exclaimed.
I glanced down.
Ella's hands were clenched lightly at her sides, her expression caught somewhere between awe and disbelief. For once, she wasn't bouncing, teasing, or talking nonstop. She was just... staring.
"...They're my age," she whispered.
Kaori smiled gently. "A little younger, maybe."
Ella took a step forward, then another, drawn in without realising it. One of the girls noticed her and waved enthusiastically, chalk dust all over her hands.
Ella hesitated—then waved back, a small, shy motion.
A bell chimed through the grounds, clear and melodic.
The children reacted immediately—groans, dramatic sighs, a few collapsing onto the grass as if it were the end of the world. A teacher laughed, clapping her hands as a warm breeze nudged them along.
Ella laughed too.
It slipped out naturally, light and unguarded.
"...So this is it," she said softly. "This is where I'll be going."
I rested a hand on her head, ruffling her hair.
"You'll fit right in."
She looked up at me, eyes shining—not with excitement alone, but something quieter. Something hopeful.
Behind all the laughter, all the running and imperfect spells, this place felt safe.
A place where magic was still a game.
A place where kids were allowed to be kids.
We stepped into the hallway.
"Excuse me, miss, where is the principal's office?" Kaori asked a teacher along the way.
"Just down the hall, dear," She said kindly.
"Thank you,"
"Excited to be here?" I asked Ella.
"Yep!!" Ella was already bouncing up and down in excitement.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ella sat in the chair in front of the principal. Kaori and I stood behind her, on guard in case anything happened to her.
"So you two...are her parents?" The old man raised an eyebrow, gesturing towards the two of us. Kaori and I glanced at each other and smiled awkwardly, "No...we're her older siblings,"
"Oh, god, I was hoping you two would say that." The old man let out a sigh of relief. "Now, I am Principal Elric Softwind, but for you," He knelt so that he could talk to Ella at eye level. "Like all the other kids, you can call me Grandpa Elric!" He gave a comforting, warm smile.
He sat back on his big chair. "So, what brings you here today?"
Kaori answered, "We were hoping that Ella could transfer to Celestara Elementary School, as we just moved here not too long ago."
"Oh?" He tapped his pen on the desk and opened a notebook.
"I heard that Ms Lexi was here, so I decided to enrol Ella here," I continued.
"Oh? You know Ms Lexi?"
"Yes, she was my tutor a long time ago," I replied.
"Oh! Then I think we have just enough space to squeeze one more student!" Grandpa Elric closed his notebook shut. "Ms...?"
"Isabella Nightfall!" Ella exclaimed.
"Alright, Ms Nightfall, you may start enrolling on this school from tomorrow onwards," Grandpa Elric beamed.
The three of us looked at each other and smiled.
"Now then, I'll call Ms Lexi to give you a nice tour of the school," He took off his tiny glasses. "What an interesting reunion of teacher and student it will be," He muttered.
"Elric, did you call...?"
Lexi stepped into the room—and froze.
The words died in her throat.
For a heartbeat, she simply stared at me, as if her mind was desperately trying to decide whether I was real or a memory that had slipped loose. Her eyes widened, pupils, trembling, breath caught somewhere between disbelief and recognition.
"...You—"
The clipboard in her hands slipped, clattering softly against the floor.
"Lexi," Grandpa Elric said mildly, glancing between us with quiet curiosity. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."
She took a step forward without realising it. Then another.
"...No," she whispered, voice unsteady. "That's not possible."
Kaori stiffened beside me, instantly alert. Ella, sensing the shift in atmosphere, glanced back at us before looking up at Lexi with curious eyes.
I met Lexi's gaze calmly.
"It's been a long time," I said. "Ms Lexi."
That did it.
Her hand flew to her mouth, eyes shining as tears welled up before she could stop them.
"...You really came back," she breathed.
Grandpa Elric blinked once. Then twice.
"Oh," he said slowly, leaning back in his chair. "So this is the interesting reunion."
Lexi laughed weakly, wiping at her eyes with the back of her sleeve, though her hands were still shaking. "You were just a child," she said, half to herself. "Always quiet. Always watching. I thought you'd forgotten me."
"I didn't," I replied simply.
Her gaze dropped—then landed on Ella.
The moment she noticed her, Lexi's expression shifted again, surprise stacking upon surprise. She crouched instinctively, lowering herself to Ella's height, just as Elric had done earlier.
"...And who is this?" she asked gently.
Ella straightened in her chair, hands folded on her lap like she was trying very hard to be proper.
"I'm Isabella Nightfall!" she said brightly. "But everyone calls me Ella!"
Lexi looked up at me again, eyes searching.
"...Your sister?"
I nodded.
For a moment, Lexi said nothing. Then she smiled—a warm, familiar smile that carried years of patience and care.
"Well," she said softly, turning back to Ella, "if you're his little sister... then I think Celestara is going to be very lucky to have you."
Ella beamed.
Behind the desk, Grandpa Elric chuckled.
"I told you," he said knowingly. "Interesting reunion indeed."
Lexi then stood up and turned to Kaori.
"And...you are?" She raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"I'm his older sister, Kaori Nightfall," Kaori smiled pleasantly.
"Sister? I never knew you had an older sister," Lexi looked up to process the series of events. "I thought you had a girlfriend already..." She muttered under her breath.
"She was living with our grandparents before," I cut in.
"Nightfall..." She scratched her chin, deep in thought.
"Ms Lexi, do you mind taking this conversation outside? We actually do not have all day." Kaori smiled politely.
"Oh...of course," She murmured, distracted by something.
As we walked down the hallway, she asked, "So, Kawa, what is your name?"
"Alistair Nightfall," I replied smoothly.
"But I thought..." Lexi was now questioning herself. "Yeah, why are you two here and not Liora and Renar? Where are they?"
Liora and Renar. It's been so long since I heard these two names. Ella and I avoided her gaze. Clearly, we haven't recovered from that incident yet. Liora and Renar were just a young couple with two young children. They died in the worst way possible. They died with regret in their eyes, just to protect their two young children.
Kaori looked at us with pity. Of course, she knew what it was like to lose your parents. Hers died in a fire, too. But ours... they were stabbed brutally. They died in the worst way possible...It's been so long since I've felt their touch, the warmth in their eyes. It's been so long...I miss my father's weird jokes, his carefree look, his confident smirk whenever he defeated those wolves, his proud expression when he saw me awaken. I miss my mother's cooking, her warm and gentle expression as she rocked me to bed at night, her healing my injured leg when I fell, her kind smile she gave me. I miss them both. Even in their last days, they were no longer the parents I recognised. They were more anxious, on guard. It's a pity that my last memories of them were arguing with them, afraid that we did something wrong, and watching the scared expressions of Mom and Dad.
"Kaori," I signalled to Kaori.
"Got it, I'll get another teacher to give us a tour," Kaori said solemnly.
"Lexi, come with me," I grabbed onto her hand and pulled her into a corner...
LEXI EVERIS'S POV:
I dropped my clipboard when I saw him.
No, it was not because I was surprised to see him.
It was because he had grown to be a handsome young man in his 13s to 14s.
He had changed a lot. He was no longer the cute Kawa who would look up to me in awe and try the same spell and master it on the first try. He seemed cold, as if his heart had been hardened. But beneath his hardened self, I could see a trace of sadness, regret, and despair.
He was no longer the Kawa I knew.
He seemed distant.
"Lexi, come with me." He grabbed my hand and dragged me into a dark, empty room.
I obediently followed.
He was so tall now. And I'm barely up to his shoulder.
Then he pinned me against the wall.
"Wai—wait, Kawa, what are you——?"
He covered my mouth and looked at me dead seriously. My cheeks turned hot pink. Every second felt like eternity. What is he going to do? What's happening? Am I going to lose my virginity here? I mean, if it's him, I don't mind... No, no, no! Our relationship is strictly teacher and student! Worldly desires, begone! I looked at his face. He seemed to be looking towards the door. Is he waiting for an opportunity to...? No! Worldly desires, begone! My ears turned pink in embarrassment.
He looked back down at me. Although I can't see his eyes now because of his blindfold, I'm sure they are still as pretty as before. He turned his gaze to the door once more. This it! He's giving me a chance to get undressed! I felt for the bottom of my dress and slowly lifted it.
Finally, he let go of me and said, "He's gone."
"Huh?"
"Ms Lexi, what are you doing?"
"What?!" I quickly adjusted my dress as Kawa raised an eyebrow in suspicion.
"I—I thought you were going to——!" I said in utter embarrassment.
"Someone was walking by. And the thing that I am about to tell you now is a strictly confidential matter," He said seriously.
Seriously, how could I mistake him for doing that! You should have listened to your conscience, Lexi! You're misinterpreting everything! Gosh! This is so awkward! Remember, our relationship is strictly teacher and student. You should have listened to yourself, Lexi!
ALISTAIR NIGHTFALL'S POV:
"Oh...I see...I'm so sorry for your loss..." Lexi said solemnly, her head lowered after I told her everything.
"This is why I need you to take good care of Ella for me. Kaori and I have school and jobs, so we need to give you the job of taking care of her. I don't think she has recovered from this yet...none of us had."
"So please," I begged. "It is rare for me to ask people favours, but please, make sure she's happy. I want her to forget this as soon as possible."
"Of course.." Lexi was still in disbelief.
"Thank you, I'll definitely repay this favour one day,"
"..."
"I need to go now, till we see each other again,"
"Yeah..."
I stepped out of the room and headed to find Ella and Kaori.
"So? Do you like this school?" I ruffled Ella's head.
"Yep! They've got so many after-school club activities!" Ella exclaimed as we headed home.
"Oh? So which one caught your eye?"
"She said she wanted to join the dance club," Kaori laughed, inching closer towards me.
Ella turned her head to face me and said, "You cannot object to this club, ok? This is my choice, and I love dancing!"
"Haha, of course! It's good to follow your dreams," I smiled at Ella.
Yes, it's good to have dreams when you're young.
Before the world gives you reasons to stop dreaming.
Ella—
Don't walk the path I chose.
Run toward the one you want.