I am not the hero type.

Wh-Why, I’m just a back-up healer for the real hero’s party! It’s always been like that!

I was useless. When Moon Flower was attacked by the Obsidian guild members, all of whom were dark mercenaries, I tried to ring the emergency tower’s Bell of Song. That way, from anywhere, Alastair could hear our desperate plea for help since he made a pact with it. Everyone in Moon Flower did. However, by the time I reached the top of the tower, that bell…was cut from the ropes. And I think…Nikolas Redfield…killed me.

I wonder…what happened after I died though.

My Radiance spell should have been seen by the hero to recognize our emergency.

And who brought me back to the time when I was nine years-old? Why?

Turning away, I also retreat from Cole. “If you can see the future, can you tell me…how I will die?”

How odd.

Cole stares at me. I return the stare and feel myself stiffen as his eyes moisten. The boy blinks furiously, but the wetness still lingers in those long eyelashes. A paleness washes over his face. The torch overhead continues to burn. A red ember falls and tumbles down next to us.

“...didn’t mean it…” Cole casts his gaze down to the dark ground.

“Hey—” My words are cut off.

“You won’t die. You will save Moon Flower.”

That shit again? I can't be the hero! I can’t save Moon Flower!

Alastair Skye is the hero! He's the favored son of the goddess! He was the one, born with the natural gifts of both sword-wielding and magic! Not just that, the kid was a world-renowned fighter by the elites before he turned fifteen. That was proven at the Nobilis Academy, which was denied to me by the second Guildmaster.

But…

Cole is the anomaly here.

He broke my timeline.

He alone actively pursued and entangled his fate with mine.

“...Why, Cole?” I feel my voice shake a bit. “Wh-Why do you think I can be just as good as Alastair?”

Or maybe it’s because this mysterious kid…is the first to ever say such ridiculous things about me.

Such stupid, impossible expectations.

“You’re better than Alastair Skye.” The child gently takes my hand and, with his help, pulls me up to my feet as he does too. He brushes the dirt from my red hood, the cape, and yellow dress. I watch him, waiting to hear more. “You love Moon Flower. You’re a hard worker. You’re a genius. They know that.”

There is a pause, and Cole’s eyes turn cold. “But they made sure…that you didn’t.”

“I…didn’t?”

Wait, that past tense…

“Not because they are malicious people. They’re…” Cole slowly raises his hand. I realize that his attention is elsewhere. “...just a bit too overprotective. Think that they know what’s best for you.”

“What are you—”

In a blink, white frost zips past the bordering brick walls of the alleyway.

It is not Cole’s magic though.

Already, I am shoved aside whereas the boy steps in front of me. “RUN!” He yells out.

With a thumping heart, my little black boots are fleeing from the next wintry attack. Ice cracks next to Cole as he blocks it with…with gold, blazing flames! H-How overpowered is this kid?!

Goddess, just how many f*cking favorite children do you have?!

I glance away and race through the dark. My mind is speeding through so many thoughts, but I try to shut them out as wetness springs to my eyes. I’m scared! I’m scared!

“ELLEN!”

That voice…

I nearly stop, only to feel a rush of wind blow past my dress. My heart drops as a shadow falls over me. In the next second, Cole tumbles and rolls before me, clearly wounded. I freeze in my steps as the body crumples to the ground. My legs grow weak. I am trembling all over.

Yes, I’m scared!

But…

A warm tear trails down my cheek. The footsteps are catching up to me. A warm presence casts over my small figure. The hand nearly reaches my shoulder.

“Ellen—”

“NO!” I rush over to Cole’s body and throw myself over him. “DON’T COME CLOSER!”

“Davyd, you weren’t supposed to do that!” Another voice hisses.

“Yeah, you scared Ellen!” It was a boy’s voice, this time. He strides over and stands next to me as I make sure to hold onto Cole, covering his fire-like red hair and black shirt, now torn. His arms are so cold… Covered in ice. “Hey, we can go home now!”

“He’s an Inmundus.” Davyd says, stopping short of me and the unconscious body. “You shouldn’t touch something like that.”

‘Something’?

I’m scared, I’m scared, I’m scared…

“That child…nearly lost me, but he doesn’t know that I am a master of all magic.” There are a few taps of his leisurely approach. Shaking off the ice from his gloved hand, the Guildmaster sighs and turns to Davyd, a broad-shouldered man of absurdly tall stature. “Davyd, you overreacted.”

“But he kidnapped Ellen! He’s an Inmundus on top of that!” While I listen to Davyd’s defense, I press my ear against Cole’s chest. Good… His breathing isn’t that shallow… “If you weren’t there to track Ellen down, and we didn’t come with you to follow those two and see what his deal is about, she could’ve…could’ve been sold to another—”

“Enough!” It is Lavi, the kid standing next to me and Cole. He squats down and taps my shoulder. “Hey, let’s go home.”

“We saw his hair and eyes! We know what he is!” Davyd growls. “He’s one of Them. The Inmundus are born as natural wielders of the dark magic arts. When honed, they are gifted users and known to commit heinous crimes with them!” Seeing that I haven’t moved, he softens his tone, “You don’t need to be scared anymore, Ellen.”

They were following us this entire time…

The Guildmaster, Davyd, and Lavi broke away from the rest of the party. They followed us from the very start and chose stealth over fighting because they wanted to see what an Inmundus child will do and where he will lead me, Ellen, to…

Then, after seeing Cole gift me the necklace, they still chose to…attack him.

Why?

They should have seen us dancing together in the tavern.

They should have seen Cole give me harmless bread to munch on.

They should have seen that kid being so careful when putting the necklace over me.

And what did they hear? They must’ve not heard anything.

But they saw… They saw…

“You broke his arm, Davyd.” I utter out, raising my eyes. I am seething. My heart pounds steadily. But, damn, it’s so loud… “Cole did not hurt me, but you hurt him…!”

“The thing can heal himsel-–”

Who are these people?

‘Not because they are malicious people.’ Cole says, ‘They’re…just a bit too overprotective. Think that they know what’s best for you.’

Cole.

‘You love Moon Flower. You’re a hard worker. You’re a genius. They know that.’ There is a pause, and Cole’s eyes turn cold. ‘But they made sure…that you didn’t.’

My friend…

“What the Hell happened here?” Immediately, Lavi recoils from me and the child. Davyd steps back but tries to stand his ground, tipping his chin up. I know that familiar voice too well. I remain where I am at. “Ellen…”

My world is reeling; yet, I cannot shake the thoughts that flourished from Cole’s words. If the kid is right, if I can save Moon Flower, then, it might be that I have…to distance myself from Moon Flower and the hero…to save the guild and everyone in it, right?

“Alastair, you were supposed to stay at the Guild Hall.” The Guildmaster reminded him. “I see that you…followed us, who followed the child and Ellen?”

“Get away from him.” It is directed at me. “Get away from…Nikolas Redfield.”

Nikolas.

Cole.

They’re…the same person?

My breath contracts. My eyes are wide. I look down at the sleeping innocent face of the black-garbed boy, a defenseless child, with the broken arm laying so strangely against the cold, frost-blanketed ground.

Cole…is Nikolas Redfield?

Th-The guy who sh-shanked me in my past life?

“He’s a bad person.” Alastair, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, who seemingly was so nice in my previous life, takes one of my hands from the boy’s black shirt. “Leave him.”

I don’t answer him.

I stare at the young hero with the icy gaze. The gentle, warm demeanor has vanished. He frowns at the person whom I was holding, with such enmity. The same hatred that Nikolas held for him in my past life.

What…was their relationship?

“Qin…Yang…”

But I can’t bring myself to let go of the child, who murmurs out my true name.

My eyes well with tears as my vision blurs.

“Run…” Cole croaks out, tightening his red brows. His closed eyes shift. Showing that he clearly is in pain.

In the end, all Cole…this Nikolas Redfield…wanted to do was to protect me.

That’s what I want to believe in.

Why though?

Back there, before the Guildmaster and the others showed up, Cole mumbled something about ‘not meaning to.’ His slip-up of the past-tense and his mature but childish behavior… Even his claim of having foresight. If Nikolas Redfield also went back in time with me, then, maybe—and just maybe—he didn’t mean…to kill me.

It’s a stretch.

I don’t trust Cole completely because I just met the kid.

But it’s not unheard of for dark magic users and malicious people to manipulate others like puppets through the use of magic.

Someone wanted Nikolas Redfield to kill me, then.

Was I…their goal?

There's no way...

It's ridiculous, but let's pretend that my conclusion is right. Even if I leave the guild, there's no guarantee that Obsidian will leave Moon Flower alone.

However, if I leave the guild, I can find a way to save Moon Flower from their possible doom. I would be free. My hands won't be tied by everyone...who wants me to stay at the guild and only study the magical healing arts.

Well, there is still Alastair Skye, who will never leave the guild with his unwavering loyalty. Also, the same guy who will continuously sabotage Obsidian and other guilds with illegal operations. With him around, Moon Flower is in good hands for some time.

All in all, I need to see whether or not Cole...is a friend.

“Ellen, we will give you two some space.” The Guildmaster motions for Davyd and Lavi to return to his side. “Alastair, come over here too. You and I will need to have a talk.”

“But…!”

“No, listen to me.” The man’s voice tightens. “Come over here, Alastair Skye. Ellen is alright as we can see. The child? Not so much. After she heals his injuries, we can leave.”

“...Fine.” With reluctance, the blonde-haired child rises to his feet. He hesitates, watching me brush my fingers through Cole’s red hair, and quickly walks away. “Be careful.”

‘Be careful’?

You never paid me so much attention, Alastair. What changed you?

Regardless, I wipe away another tear from my cheek with my soft cape. There is a sniffle. I gradually reach for Cole’s right arm, the same one where he used the fire magic against the Guildmaster. Impressive for a kid. Maybe foolish, even.

What a dumb kid.

Who’s the dumb one now?

And Davyd. He’s enormous compared to the dumb little kid.

Cole never stood a chance...but he also didn’t run.

I can’t stop crying. I close my eyes to concentrate my flow of magic into the broken limb. Aiyo, I need to have a calm mind, ah! I try to steady the stream, little by little… A brilliant aura outlines my figure as I make sure to gently realign the bones…and repair the muscle tissues. Got to be gentle… Got to go slow…

Who would’ve known…that no sooner when I heal the kid…

“Qin Yang…”

“Hm?” I open my eyes.

“...you’re crying.”

“Yeah… I have to go home soon.”

“...Didn’t I tell you that you were going to, anyway?”

“...Hey, be honest.”

Cole, whose head lays on my lap, doesn’t respond. He listens with large eyes.

My heart races against the time. My hands shake like tiny leaves. But I need to confirm the truth myself. “Your true name...is Nikolas Redfield, right?”