Author: Thank you for reading.

--------------------------------------

Back at the village

“Illis, dinner is getting cold. Can you please come out to eat.” (Shirley)

After a minute passed the door to Illis’s room opened revealing a girl with puffy eyes and a large stuffed animal behind her exceeding even Shirley in height and resembled a teddy bear from earth. She sniffled lightly as she gazed at her mother. The young girl appeared to have been crying within the confines of her room evident with the visible damp impression on the bear.

“Are you okay now sweety?” (Shirley)

“No...*sob*...you heard him. He’s leaving.” (Illis)

Her whimpers began to grow as tears began to slowly fall down her face again.

“Why does brother have to leave?” (Illis)

“Oh honey, don't cry. I believe he will come back.” (Shirley)

“But when he finishes everything like he said he will leave and go far away! Why can't he just stay here with us? What if he never comes back!” (Illis)

Hearing Illis’s words Shirley felt a bit helpless at how attached her daughter became with Kuro. Evident with the conversation, Kuro already explained his plans to the people he was close to. Illis however took it as if he was abandoning her and has been crying ever since. The affection she never got from her real brothers and received from Kuro made the idea of separation very difficult for her to grasp.

Shirley as well felt reluctant to part from Kuro. It was thanks to him that the confidence she thought long lost sprouted within her again. She was still afraid of people, but the amount of enjoyment her life has held far surpassed anything from before. The little schemes she had with the girls to lighten up his broody and contemplative mood was one of her favorite things to do. It was odd for her, but she felt happy whenever she got him to smile when other men normally caused great anxiety to sprout in her heart.

“She’s still sad about Kuro?” (Beth)

“Yes, he became too large a part of her life for her to accept him being gone.” (Shirley)

“Don't think I don't see you sulking too. It’s even begun affecting your food.” (Beth)

“*Sigh* I’m sorry.” (Shirley)

“Don't worry about it, it's not like I don't get it.” (Beth)

As the three began heading to the dining area, Beth appeared to have a brooding expression which only seemed to grow as the trio walked.

“Beth? Is something wrong?” (Tammy)

“Eh. Ah Tammy didn’t see you approach. Um, no, it's just…*Sigh*...just worried about stuff.” (Beth)

“Afraid about what will happen when Kuro leaves.” (Tammy)

“Geh..No!......Maybe.” (Beth)

In truth, Beth lost confidence, rather than gained, due to various incidents in her life. She would often mess around to try to avoid thinking about all of her growing fears. Without her realizing, a dependency on Kuro’s protection sprouted somewhere along the line.

After countless misfortunes where all her training couldn’t save her as she grew up, a large doubt in her own capabilities took root. Even with all the training she has received lately, the idea of falling into another dangerous situation plagued her thoughts. The fact she avoided enslavement through sheer luck alone never went unacknowledged in her thoughts.

When recalling everything that happened to her during those situations, her complexion would always pale as shivers ran down her spine. The hate she held for not only the men who caused it with their sickening smiles, but for her own weakness to not stopping it always lingered within. Kuro being there to pull her out of her worst encounter yet, made her feelings become muddled with complications as well.

During her first meeting with Kuro, her thoughts were only to help Shiro and Puerial. Thinking Kuro to be a danger to them. Yet, not once did she ever find these thoughts to prove true other than them following him to dangerous areas.

“Even if he leaves, we have become stronger than before you know.” (Tammy)

“...Stronger...right. Oh, and things will get even better when he gets your father too.” (Beth)

“Don't get my hopes up, he said he discovered where he was sent. But he can't guarantee he survived.” (Tammy)

“Knowing your father, he’s alive.” (Beth)

“...I hope so.” (Tammy)

“Aahh! Let’s drop this sulky mood and think up another prank to do to Kuro.” (Beth)

The group laughed at Beth’s remark and the dark expression that momentarily plastered Tammy’s face slowly lifted at the return of Beth’s antics. She would often feel a large pain in her chest when she thought of her father, as the guilt she had for causing his capture and enslavement never once stopped giving her pain in her heart. The hope to see her father again was one of the few things keeping her going along with the support of everyone she lived with.

Khan was the only real family she had left after her mother was murdered by bandits when she was 6. The event was heavily imprinted in her mind as her father arrived a bit too late stop the man. With great reluctance he carried her to safety with tears falling from his eyes as their number were too great to fight.

Not once did she ever blame him for what happened, as the thought of losing him too was her greatest fear. As was Khan's sole purpose in life to raise her with everything he had.

“Good Morning.” (Neil)

“Ah, Neil don't run too fast, Morning everyone.” (Abra)

The group smiled as they approached Abra and Neil as they returned from the new store built for Abra’s profession. Remembering their states from before and learning of what happened to them made them respect their ability to move forward with their lives.

“Shirley, you're foods been a bit dull lately. You need to set an example for Illis and keep your spirits up.” (Abra)

As expected of Abra, she saw through Shirley in an instant and already started giving a light lecture. Shirley can only feel slightly embarrassed at being so easily read by everyone.

“Sorry, I'll do my best.” (Shirley)

Giving a light nod Abra began eating the meal as everyone joined in.

“Is everyone still upset about Kuro leaving? It's not that big of a deal.” (Belle)

At those words everyone turned irritated gazes at Belle who just entered for her meal. Illis was close to bursting with anger but was held back by her mother.

“What's up with you? Every time something about Kuro comes up, you become so hateful. It's annoying hearing you talk after that.” (Beth)

The air became a bit heavy as the sounds of utensils cutting meat filled the air while Beth and Belle began to argue. Abra being tactful, never really involves herself in such talk after spending time with touchy nobles in the past. Neil also ignored the talk as he was engrossed with his meal.

Belle subtly caused herself to be ostracized from the group as she would often quarrel with the group after making harsh comments about Kuro. She never once believed Kuro to be a good person to have around and has often voiced having him leave multiple times. As a frequent member of the group with the least amount of interaction with Kuro. Everyone hoped she would eventually see things more clearly over time.

None of them originally had a good impression of Kuro as he seemed a bit extreme at their first meeting. However his antics and behavior ended up growing on them. It even oddly became expected of him to appear from his little lab exclaiming to have made a breakthrough in one of his experiments. Smiles always filled their faces as he laughed triumphantly at the thought of using it on his enemies.

Belle however never once acknowledged him as someone decent. For whatever reason she won't reveal, she refuses to treat Kuro without any bias. In her eyes, he is the enemy while everyone else seemed to slip past her radar.

This has made everyone in the group find her to be an unwelcome guest at more than one occasion. Beth even openly said for her to leave if she hated him so much. Yet, she never did. Her excuse was to save them from him. But this just further separated her from the group. Especially when she acts so friendly to Luke, Hank and the rest.

Kuro himself didn’t even seem to care about her behavior and shrugged her off. Making Belle even more unreasonable as time passed.

“Ah! I’m tired of your nonsense. Why don't you just settle things with Kuro when he gets back and drop it.” (Tammy)

At her announcement, Beth and Belle grew silent. Dinner passed with everyone having various plans for when Kuro returns from Birgen.

As the day faded away and night approached, everyone went to sleep with affirmation in their hearts as to what they planned to do.

----------------------------

A/N: Everyone else will be talked about when he returns.

It’s a departure chapter at that point so I apologize to those who dislike such things. Not that I won't write it though.