When will the dawn come

All the participants gathered on Ryuujima Island!

The game was supposed to begin as soon as the hostess of the mansion appeared before all the players. All four participants looked at the situation with surprise: instead of one, two people had arrived on the island. Does this indicate that one of the rules has been broken, or is it supposed to be this way?!

An awkward silence was broken by one of the participants — Tiamut.

She ran toward the stranger, who was smirking at the others, standing next to a young man who appeared to be a high school student, soaked from head to toe by heavy rain. He looked displeased at the person standing nearby and headed toward the players sitting on the sofa.

— It's you… I didn't expect to see you here! I'm so glad about this meeting… We've reunited again, but for what purpose are you here?

And so, the girl continued talking with the stranger, hugging him and not letting go.

— Shh*

— There's no time to explain now, let's keep it down… We'll talk later, but right now everyone is watching us closely and might misunderstand.

— Oh yes… I completely forgot about them when I saw you.

— And also, I give you permission to address me informally here; there's no need for formality. We should go over to the others.

After a brief conversation between acquaintances, both approached and sat on a second free sofa opposite another one where the other participants were seated.

— So, let's start by introducing ourselves. It's awkward to look at someone you've never met before this event. I'll go first. My name is Yahweh.

— My name is Hov.

— Aragi… My name is Aragi. Nice to meet you all. I'm surprised to see so many famous personalities here.

— Enua… I suppose some people don't need to know my name, just like everyone else…

Enua looked at the new participant sitting across from him, perhaps knowing who he was.

— Kamiki…

— Tia…

Suddenly, the doors to the living room opened, and Cheryl and Morgana stepped out… Behind them appeared a girl with golden hair, dressed in clothing reminiscent of medieval times — an elegant dress and shoes.

— Attention all participants… I am an employee of this mansion — I announce: The hostess has arrived!

Sheryl declared loudly. All seated players stood up; perhaps some of them hadn't even thought about doing so… But as if instinctively, feelings ran through their bodies, prompting them to stand up without hesitation and look at the woman holding a cane in her hand.

— Welcome! As you might have guessed, I am the mistress of this island. My name is Mariana. Finally, all six participants are gathered. But first, introduce yourselves and tell us what your purpose for coming here is!

Without hesitation, everyone began stating their names.

— My name is Yahweh… I came here to fulfill a wish that I couldn't achieve during my lifetime.

— My name is Hov… I also came seeking answers about the death of someone close to me and to fulfill a cherished wish.

— Enua… My purpose for arriving on this island is to fulfill a wish that I couldn't accomplish during my life.

— My name is Tiamut… I don't know why I ended up here… But after the last participant appeared, I realized that my presence here was not a mistake, but true destiny! And I intend to fight for this destiny until the end, to give it a chance to win in this game.

— Ooh… Quite good, fighting side by side with one of the participants to help him win my game… Heh-heh-heh.

— Kamiki… I came here to achieve my cherished dream and…

Their gazes met: the mistress of the mansion, who called herself Mariana, and Kamiki.

— I suppose it's now my turn… Ahem… Aragi. You already know very well why I came here, so you probably don't need details about my arrival.

— Well… Then I declare our great game open! It's time to explain the rules of my game in detail.

— Six participants will fight against me — the witches of this island, who appear once every eternity along with this place! If after 6 days one of the participants survives, the game is declared over and victory goes to him. Your task is to defeat me and stay alive until the last twilight. Then you will receive answers to any question you have and one wish granted by the witch!

— In other words, it's a death match between us!

Everyone continued standing; they finally understood the essence of this game. Their task was to survive seven days until the game ends, but only one could be the winner. Every single participant understood this: only one wish would be granted — their deepest desire. This game was not about teamwork or unity but a battle to the death.

— Now, allow me to leave. The rules are quite simple: kill each other or all die. In any case, you cannot defeat me — the great all-powerful witch Ryuujima… Ha-ha-ha-hah-hah-hah-gkxh!!

With these words, the hostess left; Sheryl and Morgana continued standing by the door.

— Damn it! I knew there was something wrong with this place and this game, but not that much! Killing each other and surviving until the seventh day? What nonsense! — said Yahweh, clutching his head.

— This witch decided to make us fight each other with her game? Anyway, it's stupid; I won't shed blood for a friend with whom I fought side by side in the past!

— And what about me? I am the one you fought then and risked your lives for. The killer of your comrades, someone you considered your worst enemy.

— It's not time now to think about the past. Of course, you were our enemy; even now Hov and I don't consider you an ally. But this witch seems to rely on our pasts to force us into killing each other — making her victory easier. What a convenient tactic.

— So, this witch will try to defeat us over these six days, and our task is to endure and stand against her until the game ends… — said Kamiki, the sixth participant.

— And what about you? Why are there six of us instead of five as our guide told us? I suppose you are the sixth.

— Yes, I am indeed the sixth additional participant in this game. Perhaps the rules have changed a bit in such a short time. Anyway, that's not so important; don't you think we should now consider how to survive tonight without losses?

"He's right, Yahweh, right now it's more important to decide what we should do."

Tiamut and a young man named Aragi stood aside, simply observing what was happening without saying a word.

— Since Yahweh and Hov trust me the least here, I suppose you won't listen to my suggestions either, and proving that I am your ally rather than an enemy won't be easy with just words.

— That's true, but you're not the only one we can't trust. There are three participants we haven't even seen alive.

The dialogue continued for about 30 minutes, after which the participants decided to split into groups. The first group consisted of two members — Yahweh and Hov; the second — Tiamut and Kamiki; the third — Enua and Aragi.

The bedrooms were prepared for all participants; however, due to the division into three groups, only three rooms would be occupied instead of six.

It was nine o'clock at night, and all participants were still in the lounge. Besides them, there was also the staff, instructed to assist if needed or requested.

Of course, maybe it wasn't the best idea to split into groups, but we have no other choice for now.

— Enua is our long-time enemy; we can't just leave that fact behind and see him as our ally. We simply don't know the others. They heard the rules of the game clearly — who knows what they're thinking right now? We can't blindly trust that one of them isn't planning to kill us at this moment.

— You're right, of course, Yahweh. But what about that guy… Aragi? We left him in a group with Enua. Yes, we're also unfamiliar with him, but the same can be said about Enua.

Do you think the first murder might happen exactly within their group?"

Definitely. Right now, we need to keep a close watch on their group because it's the most unreliable.

"Our plan with Yahweh is very simple. We deliberately decided to split into groups. The first group includes us — close friends — and here we can only trust each other.

In the second group are Tiamut and Kamiki. As for them — remember when Tiamut happily approached and hugged Kamiki? That clearly indicates they are close, so their group should be just as calm as ours.

And finally, the last group — Aragi and Enua. They don't know each other, so we only need to observe them. This way, we can determine who among us intends to go kill for victory."

— And what about the servants… remember our conversation with them in the kitchen? According to Gerudo, they've been working here for a long time, though it's unknown how long, and he himself worked even earlier than Cheryl and Morgana, since the time when the island's first owner was still alive. We definitely shouldn't trust them blindly; there's no proof that they aren't accomplices of the witch in this game.

— You're right, we'll suspect them too. Previously, Avaley said there would be five participants in the game, but we saw a sixth. So we can't dismiss the theory that the servants are involved in the game as well!

No one had left the guest room during this time.

It was already ten o'clock. Cheryl and Morgana were still observing all the participants.

Yahweh and Hov were discussing something among themselves while the other participants continued sitting at the table.

— Aragi, if I'm not mistaken… we haven't met before, so it would be good to get to know each other better since we're in the same group… where are you from?

— If I tell you where I'm from, you still won't know where that is. Actually, I know everyone here, even you, although we haven't met before. It all comes down to a time cycle; I'm from the future, where humanity lost to its enemy and there's no one left on Earth except for creatures called X that constantly crawl around in large groups.

— Creatures X? I've never heard of them before. What are they?

— Ah… yeah, they don't have a name, so I had to come up with one myself. These are beings that destroyed humanity's last era, and now, besides them, there's nothing left in my abandoned world.

— Hm… I see… so I died long before such events happened. But since you weren't around when we were alive, how do you know about us?

— Yes, I was born after all those events that took place during Yahweh's time and others'. I learned about you from a friend of mine who knows almost everything — it's good to have such a girl always nearby. In that single remaining world without humans and with creatures X, only I and a few of my friends are left — people I met not long ago. I'm searching for answers and want to win this game just like you… and defeat my worst enemy.

— It seems you had a tough past… but why didn't you come here with your friends? Since the original rule of only five participants was broken, it means additional players could have joined the game.

— Maybe you're right… but I agreed to this myself; I didn't want to take anyone from my friends, so we all decided that I would go alone.

— I suppose you value your friends greatly since they're all you have in your world… and you agreed to go alone to the island and win for your loved ones… It's foolish—I understand your concern for them—but you and your friends should have realized that your chances of winning would be higher if there were more of you. Isn't that right? But you refused because you didn't want to see their suffering — what this game might cause.

— I won't deny it; maybe you're right… but it's not about whether it would be easier for our whole team. I don't care what price I pay for this victory — even if I die or break down — I'm ready to accept any outcome. It's not about how I win now; everything I do is not for myself but for those whom I cherish more than anything — more than my own life. If I win and die at the end, it won't upset me… on the contrary, I'll be glad that I managed to achieve my goal at any cost.

— You really are an interesting person… Aragi, I didn't think I'd be able to have a conversation like this with one of the participants. I like your attitude, and believe me… we will definitely win, stay alive together until the end of the seventh day.

— Is that even possible? The witch will try with all her might to kill us before the game ends… even despite all our efforts, and we mustn't forget the most important thing: everyone except her has no powers. She temporarily blocks all magic so that everything is fair and no one can cheat or use it for their own benefit. However, this rule doesn't apply to her. Perhaps the essence of the game is that we, being ordinary mortals now, must stay alive by any means while she tries to kill us with her magic.

— That makes sense, especially since it only benefits her. But we shouldn't rule out the possibility that she might try to turn us against each other. Killing everyone without shedding blood with her own hands is a convenient privilege.

— Nothing can be ruled out here; everything has its place at this moment. The only thing I don't understand is: what was the point of dividing into three groups? Such an option was proposed by Yahweh and Hov under the pretext of ensuring everyone's safety, but wasn't it safer for everyone to stay together and work as a team against the witch?

— You're right… But for them, it's currently the better option; they suggested splitting up because of me. Since you know us well and know that we were enemies, you should have understood this option from the very beginning. They're afraid I might become a killer to win, so they decided to separate — Yahweh and Hov are together because they're friends and helped each other in the war, while Kamiki and Tiamut probably separated because of their meeting. When you appeared with him and she ran towards him with open arms, they thought they were old acquaintances and wouldn't kill each other — only we are left with you and me.

— Logical… They won't trust you without reason or rely on your help; if a killer appears among the participants, they will suspect you first.

— Exactly, for them, splitting up is only an advantage — just like for everyone else.

— Even if that's true — suppose a murder really happened, and they immediately suspected you… What about the witch? She publicly declared at the gathering that she would fight against us; don't forget she's also participating in her own game — just not as a victim.

— Yes, but after the first murder and suspicion of my involvement in it, that won't matter much anymore. This way, they can remove me from the list of players, bringing their victory closer. See? Even we can't be sure that they aren't plotting against others; dividing into groups is just a convenient way to suspect anyone among the participants and eliminate them for victory.

"He's right… In this game, after the players die, anyone can be suspected: the witch, the other participants, or even the servants."

It's impossible to deny the fact that anyone can become guilty in everyone's eyes. The witch's game boils down to just that — she will keep fueling the fire, not even allowing a chance to justify anything.

We are merely pawns on her chessboard, where she, as observer and predator, hunts her victims.

— Alright, let's end our conversation on this topic, Aragi… It's been a long time since we arrived here, and we're still sitting in this living room. How about we go to the bedroom?

— As I understand it, there are six such rooms in total, but considering that we've split up, only three of those rooms will be occupied.

— Each room has two beds, as well as a telephone in case we need something from the cook or servants. But it can also be used to call the other participants. This way, we'll keep track of what's happening during the night.

After their conversation, Aragi and Enua went to the bedroom and closed the door.

Kamiiki and Tiamut also decided not to stay aside and headed to their room; only Yahweh and Hov remained in the living room.

It was ten o'clock at night. Rain and strong wind continued without stopping. The mansion was quiet. Cheryl and Morgana had gone to rest after finishing their shifts. Gerudo was the only one among them who stayed in the kitchen after work.

— Everyone has gone to rest; maybe we should go to bed too? We've been pondering all day today; it wouldn't hurt to clear our heads a little.

— You're right, let's go.

The first night of the game began. What move will the witch make?

The participants are waiting for a murder. None of them will sleep tonight. It's eleven o'clock on the clock; the living room is empty, servants are asleep. Gerudo was in the kitchen for the last time, preparing to go to his room after cleaning up. Outside, rain still pours; inside the mansion, only the ticking of clock hands and rain noise can be heard.

One week before arriving on the island:

— Aragi… are you sure you're going there alone? It's better to think now than regret forever later.

— I've already decided everything; I won't deny that I could use your help… However, I don't want to see your blood spilled before my eyes. Just wait and hope so I can return from there victorious.

— Still, don't forget who else will be participating there besides you, our main enemy… no, rather the enemy of all humanity! This is our last chance to defeat the Creator; it's time to settle accounts with him after our first battle.

— Yes, I won't let you down, Tsubasa. After all, this is our final game. How could I possibly allow myself to lose? Did Ougi tell you what his position on the island will be?

— Uh-huh… The mistress of the mansion, I suppose, might do something to you upon arrival—perhaps block magic.

— So, he deliberately refuses to use his power for the sake of the game… The witch clearly won't be able to take or block what simply cannot be taken or blocked. She understands this perfectly well; after all, this is already their second game together that they've started. Allowing herself to make a mistake and shamefully lose again — probably nothing worse for her.

— Remember, in this game, the only person you can trust is yourself. I know your tendency to help everyone indiscriminately, but it will depend not only on your life but also on…

— Yes… I understand — the lives of my friends and my world. I can't afford to lose! And even if I do lose, it's terrifying to think what curse a furious, busty vampire might cast on me…

— Kkh… Did you just compare me to an old hag who casts curses?!

— Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…

— I like it when you get angry at me over small things.

I will return… I promise you.

And also… I love you in any weather.

— Did I fall asleep so quickly…

— Did I wake you up, Aragi?

— No, not at all, I just had a dream… And have I been sleeping here for long?

— About an hour, probably. Anyway, just a little while. You can continue sleeping while I keep watch over our room.

"After we all parted to our rooms, I thought it would be better if one member of each group kept watch while the others rested, taking turns until morning. So we used the phone to call the others, and they agreed."

— No need to bother yourself; I probably won't sleep anymore, so you can rest now.

— Where are you going? — Enua asked.

— I need to use the bathroom. I'll go quickly and be back.

— Are you sure it's a good idea to go alone? Do you want me to come with you?

— Don't worry, I'll be quick.

Aragi left the room and headed toward the bathroom, which was next to the kitchen.

— Light? — the young man said in surprise.

"The lamp in the kitchen was still on; maybe Gerudo is still cleaning… It's worth going in and helping him."

Aragi was struck with shock. There were bloodstains at the entrance, dishes were covered in blood, something written on an incomprehensible language was on the walls… and nearby lay the body of a chef, torn apart. His arms and legs were severed from his body, his neck was slit, his eyes gouged out, and intestines were scattered on the floor.

— Wh-what the hell happened here? I need to report this to the others immediately!

— Could this be… the first murder of the night? That means it's clearly the work of a witch! There's no mistake about it, but will the others accept that?

Aragi ran for about a minute before reaching their bedroom. The door slammed loudly against the wall.

— What happened, Aragi! Were you attacked?

— No, I'm fine. Call the other participants and do it quickly!

— I'm already dialing, but can you tell me what happened? You burst in so suddenly.

— The first murder…

— Could it be… that one participant has already been killed?!

— No, things are even stranger; they didn't kill a participant at all… but Gerudo.

After the incident, Aragi ran to the room and explained to Enua what had happened in the kitchen. Enua called everyone else, and they all gathered in the living room.

— What does this mean? That they killed not a player, but a cook who isn't even participating in the game! — said Yahweh, surprised by what had happened.

— I agree with him… why him and not one of the players?

— In any case, we can't just stand here and think about it.

— And what do you suggest? We're powerless and can't get out of here, plus there's a heavy rain outside; I doubt you'll see anything in this wilderness.

— You're right, but first let's discuss who might be involved in this.

— First of all, I suggest everyone go to the kitchen; the body is still there.

Everyone agreed with Aragi and headed to the kitchen.

At the same spot, they found the exhausted body torn into pieces.

— He was clearly killed not with an ordinary knife; cutting his throat and slashing his stomach can be understood, but his severed arms and legs are definitely too much for a small kitchen knife.

— You're right, Yahweh. So, does that mean you were the first to see his body, Aragi?

— Yes, I woke up an hour after going to bed and decided to go to the bathroom. The light was on in the kitchen, so I thought Gerudo was still cleaning up. I decided to go in and help him, but I saw his body lying in a pool of blood.

— He immediately told me this news, after which I called you. So, both of us have an alibi, since we were in the room the entire time and didn't go anywhere.

— I confirm his alibi; he was in the room the whole time while I was sleeping.

Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by Kamiki, who stood silently nearby and listened to them.

— Yes, Aragi… he had an alibi, if it weren't for one thing…

He smiled broadly, grimacing as if he had expected such a turn from the very beginning and had prepared for this moment in advance.

— We would all confirm his alibi… if only you hadn't been sleeping at that time!

— How can you claim he's not involved in the murder if you said earlier that you went to bed and woke up an hour later? During that time, he could have not only killed him but also hidden the body without leaving any evidence.

— Indeed, how do you explain your alibi if Aragi was sleeping all this time while you were guarding your room?

— I knew it — you bastards would be the first to attack me, otherwise you wouldn't split into groups! But I can easily prove my innocence.

— And how exactly do you plan to do that? I'm dying to hear!

Throughout this, Kamiki kept looking at the main suspect with a sinister grin.

— Severed limbs! I wouldn't be able to cut off his arms and legs along with the bones using just ordinary kitchen knives! We also don't have access to our powers on this island, so that option is out too.

— He's right. I saw the kitchen knives; there isn't a single large knife there, only small and medium ones for cutting meat and vegetables. Even if I was sleeping, what difference does it make if he didn't have anything at hand for such a brutal murder!

— How about an axe?

— An axe?

— Is there even one here?

Everyone looked at Kamiki with confusion, as he suggested the option of an axe.

— Yes, exactly. When you all dispersed to your rooms, I, along with Tiamut, checked all the corners of this mansion, including the second floor. That's where we found a glass compartment on the wall with an axe inside. He could have taken it and cut off his limbs...

This bastard even foresaw such a possibility… how ruthless you are!

— Then it's decided — we're going to the second floor to see if the axe is there.

— Haha… don't even think you can corner me with your stupid guesses. In any case, I am innocent, and I've heard about the axe for the first time.

Everyone went to the second floor, where Kamiki had found the compartment with the axe. To everyone's surprise, the glass was broken, and the axe was missing...

— What the hell! I didn't do this; I didn't even know that this compartment existed until now! Everyone who saw me after I arrived at this mansion knows that I never went upstairs!!

— Then how do you prove the axe's disappearance?

— I agree. Since you have an alibi, how do you prove it disappeared?

It's obvious — Enua and I only recently discussed this matter: Yahweh and Hov suggested splitting into groups because they didn't trust Enua and thought he might be the first to commit murder. It makes sense why they're accusing him now.

— I don't care if you don't believe me! I will stand my ground; from the very beginning, you've been against me. And why do you think I'm the one who committed the murder? At that moment, Yahweh, Hov, Tiamut, and even you could have gone out! Why me specifically? How dare you accuse me without any evidence that I killed him?!

— You're right. However, I also have proof that it could only have been you.

— After we all dispersed to our bedrooms, I immediately decided to call Yahweh and Hov through the phone receiver. From the start, I believed that you might be the murderer first — more than anyone else — and after that call, I only became more convinced of it.

— They also told me that you have been at odds for a long time and were enemies, which is why they suspected you. We decided to leave the phone line open and not interrupt it so that each of us could be sure that no one opened the door during that time.

— Otherwise, even the slightest opening would be heard through the phone. Our group's alibi is proven, unlike yours.

Enua had no argument against Kamiki's statement; he was at a loss… He was cornered, checkmate declared with a clever trick.

Damn, this bastard didn't even give me a chance; he prepared for all scenarios in advance, knew our moves ahead of time! I can't just prove his alibi — at best, they'll start suspecting me too.

— You have no proof that you're not the murderer. Accept it and confess that you killed Gerudo!

— Very well. If you confess, we won't do anything to you; we'll just escort you to the mansion's entrance, and then you'll leave us by boat.

All four were against one! Only Aragi continued to believe that Enua was innocent, but neither of them had irrefutable proof.

— Sorry to interrupt your conversation. We woke up because you were making too much noise. May I ask what's going on?

Before them appeared Cheryl and Morgana, who had woken up from the loud dialogue among the participants.

They explained everything that had happened and led them to the kitchen, where the body of their colleague and faithful friend lay.

— Aaa! Why him? Why exactly him? What did he do wrong… Why… was he treated so cruelly… G-Gerudo-sama…

Morgana cried loudly, mourning Gerudo's body.

— That's enough, stop it, Morgana! Please forgive her; she will get back to work immediately. We will bury his body as soon as the rain stops and clean up the kitchen.

Although Cheryl showed no outward signs of regret after losing his comrade, his voice carried a tremor and sympathy.

Exactly one hour had passed since the brutal murder, and the participants were again sitting in the living room, understanding that the killer was among them. Only Enua refused to sit with them and was currently in the bedroom.

— Sorry if I interrupted. Here, take this handkerchief.

The girl, who had not yet recovered from Gerudo's death, was sitting on the steps between the first and second floors.

— N-no need to worry about me… Mr. Aragi.

— Can I just stand here and watch as you shed tears, sitting on these cold steps? Sorry, but that's not my style. Now be a good girl, as always, and take what they give you.

— Th-thank you…

The girl took the handkerchief and wiped her tears.

— Do you feel better?

— Yes… Everything is fine now. Thank you very much, Mr. Aragi. You shouldn't have worried about a simple tool.

— A simple tool?

— Oh, please forgive me! I didn't mean to...

— It's okay. I should apologize to you. It seems Gerudo was very close to you since you're mourning him so much. And I wasn't nearby at that moment; when I found him… he was already dead.

— Please stop, neither of you are to blame, and it wasn't your duty at all. We're supposed to look after you, but Cheryl and I got too relaxed and went to rest after helping Gerudo-sama. But why didn't he go to his room after cleaning… Why stay there when all the work was already done?

— That's not your fault or Cheryl's. You couldn't have known what would happen, and if this is the work of a witch — which I am sure it is — then it doesn't matter whether he went to his room or not. He would have met this fate anyway since he was her first target.

— Maybe… you're right. Actually, Cheryl and I overheard your conversation… Please forgive us for that; we didn't mean to…

— I told you, there's no need to apologize for everything, especially to me. You can speak more openly with me and say everything that's on your mind right now.

They sat close together on the same step. The girl had just realized what kind of situation she had been in all this time, sitting next to the young man, and blushed from embarrassment.

— P-please… where are my manners? I completely forgot that we're sitting here like this. Someone might see us and think something wrong…

— Haha-haha-haha. — Aragi laughed.

— Did I make you laugh?

— How could I not laugh at such words? But thank you, you've dispelled all my bad thoughts thanks to you.

They fell silent, continuing to sit on the steps.

— So, what was Gerudo to you? Cheryl seemed calmer and more restrained compared to you. I'd like to learn more about you as well.

— Actually, Cheryl isn't as cold-blooded as it might seem at first glance. He has always been quite sociable with me and with Gerudo-sama. Deep down, it was also painful for him to see his teacher's death… Gerudo-sama had been working long before us. According to his stories, he served even the first owner of the Ryuujin estate, who named this island after his own name.

— He was the closest and only servant of the first owner, but due to his age, it became increasingly difficult for him to fulfill his duties over time, so the owner hired us. We were young then and studied at a special school where children were turned into obedient dolls, told that we were there because we were tools in the hands of influential people whom we would serve.

— Cheryl and I have always stood out from our peers since we entered that school. Even before enrolling, our family — which was also influential — taught us manners and various cultural skills. Unlike others, we had already been trained in etiquette and proper conduct long before.

— We were orphans abandoned by our birth mother because she had no means or shelter to provide for us and give us a good future, but I don't blame her for that. We were beaten for every wrong action, but even so, I don't blame them; after all, they took us in, gave us a roof over our heads and food.

— When we turned twelve, we were sent to Saint Olga's School, where we studied for three years. Students with high grades were recommended to influential families from all over the world; we were among those.

— That's how we met Gerudo-sama, who was very kind and treated us like his own children. We've been working here for seven years now, and during this time, we've become a close-knit family.

— Please forgive me; it seems I've tired you a lot with my story…

— No, not at all. I'm just surprised. It looks like you and your brother had a difficult past.

— No… I'm even somewhat glad that we were accepted into this family and given such work as tools… I never thought I'd say this, but I even accept myself a little more…

Aragi took both her hands and held them in his palms.

— You're not a tool. You are the most genuine and kind-hearted person I've ever met. Never let anyone call you that again, especially in front of me. You may be a servant, a slave, or a prisoner in someone's hands, but you are not a tool or a robot! You have a soul, a heart, compassion for others — things that many people don't even have. From this moment on, I forbid you to call yourself that.

— And… sorry…

Aragi, blushing from his own words, quickly released her hands and stepped back to the edge of the step.

— There's no need to apologize… You truly are an amazing person. I would have never thought I'd see such people again in my life. Thank you very much; I accept your words. From this moment on, you are not an instrument, but a real person.

— Yes, that suits you better…

Her face shone so brightly, and her smile seemed almost otherworldly. She truly radiated happiness just from the words I spoke… If only every person in the world could shine like that from words…

…I would speak to them for an eternity.