‘Who's the champion? Yeah, I am~!’ The black-and-white haired boy, who went through the gate of the estate, thought to himself. He opened the door and went inside, then went out into the courtyard and terrace, approaching his master's room. Suddenly, however, he crossed the way with a certain somebody.

„Oh” The brown-haired man said in a calm voice. „Hello, Prash.”

„Hello, Hagan.” He answered by lowering his head down and pressing the wrapped jar closer to his body. „What are you doing here?”

„I'm just passing through.”

„Oh, ah, I understand...” „Anyway, what do you have there?” Hagan asked for a look, but the boy with the raccoon's ears quickly passed him.

„Something for Goro, nothing important.” He answered, trying to camouflage his fear.

„...If you say so. Well, see you later.” Hagan left as if nothing had ever happened, and Prash took a deep breath. Then suddenly Goro pushed the door open.

„I hate his curious nature.” The black-haired groaned with a low voice. „You did well.” He praised the boy indifferently, taking a wrapped jar from him. They went inside, Prash closed the door and bowed to Goro. „Now we are ready.”

„Yes, master.” He stood up.

Hagan entered the library and pulled out a map. He was looking for Rebellar, the village where his sister was. Because of everything he found out, he didn't know what to do. He marked his destination on the map, rolled it up and started thinking. He knew he had to help her.

‘If only there was a way...’ He was thinking nervously.

‘There is a way. But will you be ready to fight with your brother to achieve this?’

He heard a voice out of nowhere, and began to look in all directions. He was a little scared.

„Who’s there?” He asked out loudly.

‘Hagan Delaunay, I think you're the right person to join this ancient game. I know of all your desires. So, will you be ready to fight for them?’

Hagan heard the same voice in his head again. He closed his eyes.

‘Alright... Since you're here, let's talk about this... proposal.’ He answered in his mind. ‘Excellent.’

~

Kasei went home holding a wicker shopping basket in her hands. There was nothing unusual in it, just a bit of meat, vegetables and fruits. She decided to let Ed rest, and go to the marketplace by herself. Many of the neighbors asked her about what had happened to them, and how they feel now. She wasn't too enthusiastic about it, all those questions were uncomfortable.

‘Oh, those too... they already know that Ian broke the taboo...’ she sighed in her thoughts.

„Excuse me, would you like to buy some?” Kasei stopped and saw a girl with a basket of oranges, a small boy stood by her, holding her dress tightly. Kasei could see that they came from a very poor house. She closed her eyes in sorrow.

„Yes, I'll take three” she said. Apparently the kids were very happy with her answer; they gave her three ripe and big oranges, and she gave them five coins. As she walked, she bit the skin of one of the fruits with her teeth and felt a juicy taste.

„Very good” she thought. Finally she found herself at home, walked through the gate and saw Edward sitting on a bench in the courtyard, looking at the ground. She approached him by placing a basket next to him.

„Thank you.” He said, casting an indifferent look. „Oranges?”

„Yeah, I thought it would be a good idea to buy some.” She sat next to him. „Where’s Peter?”

„He locked himself in his room. I don't know what I did wrong...”

„You think it was your fault? Who could have predicted it...?”

„I don't know. I can't believe that Ian could have gone as far as that... Blood magic has been forbidden since Hemasitus appeared. I think that Ian knew this well.”

„He probably just... wanted to see if it would help in any way.”

„And he used it so unreasonably that his own blood destroyed him…” He couldn't sit any longer, he got up and took the basket. „We should eat this meat today, so that it doesn't spoil... Let's hope that Peter will come out at least for a moment.”

„I will ask him to.”

„It won't be that easy.” He said, walking slowly up the stairs to the kitchen, Kasei following him. „When Peter locks himself in his room, nothing will get him out of there. You know what it's like with him.”

„Don’t you think… that Peter... blames himself too much for everything?”

Edward put the basket on the countertop and then slowly shifted his gaze to her. He nodded his head.

„No wonder. When you meet all kinds of horrible things in life, a lot of people harass you... Finally you start to think that everything is your fault. Despair takes over the mind of its host... I think Ian's death is my fault, because I could have watched over him, I could have gone to him after Peter came back that horrible day, check if he was okay... And yet I didn't do it.”

„But... you couldn't do anything... You didn't know...” She lowered her head.

„I know this very well. But Mateo behaved like a coward... I guess he witnessed Ian's death, you saw that wound on his face. But that doesn't give him any permission to attack Peter. I'll beat his ass when I find him.”

„Haha” she laughed quietly. „I've always liked this about you, that you want to protect others.”

„Oh, so is there something you like about me?” He smiled meanly.

Kasei growled, giving her eyes an ominous expression, but after a while they stopped laughing, remembering what was actually happening.

„So...” Edward continued, pulling out the kitchen knife and cutting the meat into the pieces. „The funeral is tomorrow.”

„Yes. We should buy some flowers....”

„We'll do it tomorrow morning. Now check on Peter, okay?” „Sure.”

Kasei left the kitchen, went down the stairs and started walking through the corridor. After a while she found herself at the door from Peter's room. She knocked on it.

„Um... Peter? Would you mind going out of the room? Ed is making food for all of us.”

„I don't want to eat.” He answered quietly from behind the door.

„Peter, if you don't eat anything, you won't have any strength left. You know it's not healthy...”

„It's... nothing. Really, I can't swallow anything right now... Please, Kasei, leave me alone...”

„Well...” She withdrew. „If you say so...”

Kasei went back to Edward, who put plates of fried meat, vegetables and pasta on the table. They both sat down next to each other. Both of them ate their meal sadly.

„He didn't want to come out.” She said.

„I understand, let's leave him there for now.” He answered by pecking his dish.

„It doesn’t taste well?” „Well... It's difficult to eat anything after what I saw...” he sighed, then pushed everything that was on the plate into his mouth, and then swallowed it loudly.

„That was disgusting.” She said.

„Shut up. Better to eat like this than not at all.” He got up and walked out of the kitchen into the hallway. He leaned on the railing and looked into the sky, dominated by the red and orange colors. Kasei continued to eat and her head was full of thoughts. Finally, she followed in the footsteps of the golden-haired man and pushed the leftovers from the plate into her mouth, then swallowed them. She got up from the table and went out to him. He stood with his back to her, still staring at the sky. Kasei sighed.

„Ed...” she started.

„I'm listening.” „You're just pretending, aren't you?”

„Eh?” He turned to her. „What am I pretending about?”

„You shouted at Peter... You said you blamed yourself for Ian's death... but you didn't cry. You didn't cry at all. In addition, you speak with this empty tone... Are you pretending that it doesn't hurt so much?”

„Tears won't change anything.” He answered harshly. „They won’t bring Ian back to life. And besides... On who will Peter rely on now? On a crybaby older brother?” And it was then that small tears gathered in his eyes, which he wiped off immediately. „If I break down now, who's going to support him?”

„However.... Don't you shut everything deep in your heart?”

„Absolutely not. I just... have to be strong. Someone has to be. And now he needs someone who is standing steady on his feet. If I break down, it will be even worse for him. And Peter... and you too, are the most important things for me.”

„Pff” she snorted with a blush on her face. „I don't need your... care...”

„Of course not.” He smiled lightly.