- Numbered Days -

The pink- haired lady remained quiet in the space. She was meditating when she sensed that there was something off, something foreign has entered the space. She stood up from the place she sat under the tree and walked towards a certain place.

Reaching a certain place which turned out to be a pond, she looked at the pink lotus buds that were starting to open a little. She frowned as she looked at those lotuses.

When she opened her right palm, she gathered her strength and aimed it to the pink lotus buds.

"Grow faster," she spoke. No, she ordered those lotuses.

And after that, something strange happened. Black mists surrounded those lotuses, blocking the lotuses from her power. The black mists were surrounding the lotuses, as if they were the reason why the lotuses couldn't open themselves when she was sure that they were supposed to bloom at that time. The fact that she found the energy was rather familiar shocked her.

'How can this be?'

She closed her right hand and withdrew her palm.

'This power... how can a power similar to his power appear?'

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

Bam put Charlotte right on the bed of her room.

He stared at her for a moment before he frowned and looked at her in worry. He put his hand on her forehead, watching the girl slept soundly without being aware of her surroundings.

"Reckless."

It would have been better if at that time he wasn't restricted by the vines that his sister made with her lotus power. He could have followed her inside and protected her if she was in danger, if her sworn enemy attempted to harm her.

But when he saw her smile that day, saying that she would be back soon, he knew that there was something wrong.

His sister was no longer the same child who was hiding at his back, a child who was very mischievous and childish. No one could live as an innocent child for the remaining of his life and the same thing was happening to his cute sister. Once she relied on him, but now she was walking at her own road and path.

Charlotte was no longer a child. And it worried him to know that she would one day leave him.

'I am proud with your development, my sister. But in the same time, your fast improvement worries me. I am worried that I could no longer be a place for you to rely on... and I am worried that one day you will surpass me. Because when that time comes, I could no longer stand in front of you and protect you again.'

When that time comes, she would be standing in front and protected him instead.

'Is this what Khun and the others feel? Worried that they might not be able to catch up with me, worried that because of the difference in our strengths, they might just be burdens to me and get left behind?'

'Even so, I couldn't stop, because I have to get stronger to protect who I cherish. I need the power where I could make them feel safe and sound, and so that I won't be a pawn who everyone could take advantage easily.'

But pondering about his thoughts again while looking at his dearest sister, he was sure that she must be thinking about the same thing.

He could understand it, but he wished that his little sister could be a little bit selfish.

At that moment, someone knocked the door.

"It's me," said the voice.

"Come in," he permitted.

The long blue- haired man opened the door and entered the room once he received permission.

"Lord Edahn."

"How is she doing?" Khun Edahn asked out of pure concern.

"She's doing fine. Celeste said that she is healthy and that she's resting right now," Bam answered.

"It's a relief. I've heard everything from them. Apparently, she's a rather stubborn child."

"She's not that stubborn," Bam replied with a sweat bud rolling at his cheek.

"Then if she's not stubborn, what is she?"

"Just a selfless child who is growing up," Bam answered with a bitter smile.

In Khun Eduan's opinion, the two of them were the same. Both Bam and Charlotte were still young, but because the younger one was playful and more childish, Bam appeared to be more matured. But as childish as she was, she meant no harm. And as naive as she could be, she possessed everything that many would die to have for.

'I wish I have a daughter like her, such an innocent child with kind heart,' Khun Eduan thought. 'All my children who have been here are all cunning and tricky as they could be. And it seems to me that they all hate me... or I am just being overthinking.'

As he stared at the sleeping girl, he came to notice that there was something with her.

'The lotus...'

"Is it just me or the lotus seems to... blossom?" He asked.

Bam was well- aware of that fact, the fact that there was something wrong with her sister's forehead mark. The lotus that was supposed to be a birthmark seemed to be alive as it opened itself a little.

"Yes," he answered. "But the problem is that we don't know what happened inside the tree. I guess we can only wait for them to wake up and ask them later."

"That's true," Khun Eduan agreed. "I guess we couldn't do anything about it. Anyway, I'm here to inform you one thing."

"What is it?" Bam curiously asked. For the Lord of Spears to come to see him to inform something, it must be an important information.

"We're starting your training session from now on."

"What?!" Bam's expression changed into the expression of incredulity. "But Charlotte's condition right now...!"

"I know," Edahn replied calmly. "But it's her fault to enter the tree recklessly and injured herself right? And we have no idea when she will wake up. I get that you want her to practice together with you, but our time is limited. Your opponent isn't just anyone, but the data of the real Zahard out there. We can't afford to waste anymore time."

Bam knew that his battle was going to be a battle of life- and- death. But Charlotte battle was also the battle of life- and- death. He didn't want her to be left behind and has to struggle by herself on strengthening her power to fight for her own survival. But in the same time, he couldn't find the right excuse to go against Lord Edahn.

What he needed was a reason; an acceptable reason to delay the time.

"Then... give us 5 hours," Bam proposed an idea to Khun Edahn. "If she doesn't wake up in 5 hours, we'll begin the training session without her."

'If the lotus starts to open itself means Charlotte's power is going to reach a new height, then her recovery speed should be increased as well!' Bam thought and prayed. 'But I can only gamble for her to be awake right on time. If she doesn't wake up in 5 hours, then we're done for!'

Khun Edahn pondered about that proposal for awhile before he spoke, "Very well. In 5 hours, if she doesn't wake up, then we will start the training without her."

He could only pray for his sister to wake up soon.

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

Khun was the first to wake up instead of Charlotte.

The first thing that he saw was the ceiling. When turned his head to look at his right, he found someone sitting on a wooden chair next to his bed. That person was taking care of him while reading a book on his hands.

"....." He said nothing when he saw that person.

'From all people who could come here, why is he here? Can't anyone else come here instead of him? Or just leave me alone?'

"Oh? So the sleeping princess is awake?" Altaira asked him with a friendly grin like usual.

He glared at Altaira when he called him with that name.

"You should be calling Charlotte that," Khun said as he sat down.

"She's the sleeping puppy. And you've just went through a journey and collapsed. Is it okay for you to sit down immediately?" Altaira asked him back.

Khun just glared at him for a moment before he turned his head away and asked something different, "How long have been sleeping?"

"Not too long," he answered. "An hour after they brought you in along with Charlotte."

"And where is Charlotte?"

"In her room, of course," Altaira answered again. "And unlike someone, many are quite concerned about her safety and well- being."

Vein popped on his head as Khun glared at Altaira who was smiling innocently.

"Just admit it," he said and began to argue with Altaira. "You are here because you were kicked out right?"

With Charlotte being unconscious with him, no doubt Bam wouldn't leave her alone. He must have stayed with her and waited for her to open her eyes. And when Bam encountered Altaira, it would be a battle of patience and wits.

"Yep," he shamelessly admitted which made Khun speechless. It would have been better if Altaira tried to argue and said that he wasn't kicked out as it would make things easier for him to laugh at Altaira back. But he had underestimated how thick Altaira's face could be.

"You really have no shame."

"I would rather say that I am letting a child getting what he wanted," said Altaira. "He couldn't wait for Charlotte to wake up so he forbid me from entering her room."

"What?" Khun frowned when he heard about that. "What's wrong with Bam?"

"Apparently, our father came to pick him up and start the training without Charlotte as our time was limited. But Bam insisted to wait for Charlotte before starting the special training, so they are doing something else as a warm up," Altaira explained.

"I see...." He responded.

He chose not to remain there for a long time and wanted to leave the room.

"Going to see my sis?"

His question made Khun stopped in front of the door and turned around just to look at him.

"What about it?"

"Nothing," he answered. "It's just that you've taken more interest towards her, aren't you?"

He also pointed to his own blue hair and added, "You might want to fix your hair. It has gotten quite messy when you are sleeping."

"......she's my teammate and a friend," Khun answered as he walked to look at the mirror on the table of his room. "There's nothing wrong with worrying for her. And I'm sure that you're the one who made my hair messy when I passed out."

"Nothing wrong, nothing wrong~" he spoke in his carefree manner. "But won't you at least tell me what you have been through in that chrysanthemum tree? I'm curious."

What happened in the chrysanthemum tree, Khun would naturally tell Altaira about that. But not right now. Right now, he wanted to see Charlotte and check on her conditions and safety first.

"Anyway, there is something that I want to ask you, Altaira," he spoke, completely ignoring his question.

"I see. So we're going to pretend what I'm asking is not important, right?"

"This matter concerns Charlotte's life."

Hearing Khun's words, Altaira's smile stiffened.

'Concerning Charlie's life, he said?'

Altaira closed his eyes and had his smile widened. He tilted his head and asked, "What could possibly threaten Charlotte's life? I mean, she has Bam to protect her, right?"

Anyone could be fooled by that smile, but Khun couldn't. He had been with this lovesick fool for years that he knew that his smile was hiding a dagger, burying his wrath. Although he sounded very calm to the point that it was very deceiving, but he couldn't fool an experienced liar like him.

"Has Charlotte offended anyone with power as strong as high ranker? Or maybe stronger?"

The question left Altaira confused for a moment.

"Are you talking about the irregular Christ?" He guessed. "But I thought he has made a promise with Charlie and Bam that they will be having a competition, between his puppet against our little girl? Surely, he's not someone to break his promise in front of many people, unless he's that rotten."

"......."

"Or are you talking about Zahard?"

"He hasn't even Charlotte once yet," Khun reminded him. "We only met his data some days ago."

"Well, her existence as irregular and slayer of FUG is more than enough to be a reason for him to kill her," Altaira reminded him back. "But it's too early to say that he knew about Charlotte's existence. Thanks to the coffee addict, no one else but us know that Charlotte and Bam are still alive."

Yes, it was all thanks to that annoying orange- haired man that no one else knew that the 25th Charlotte and 25th Bam who were rumored to die on the Test Floor were still alive. And it was also thanks to him that he lived with the thoughts that the two of them were dead for seven years, and that they were separated and became FUG's puppets.

But the answers that Altaira provided were the answers that he could think on his own. And the people who he have mentioned were definitely not the culprit. If he had to assume, then he would assume that the culprit was a man, a young adult who was both mischievous and malicious. In the same time, he was an insane bastard.

And neither Zahard or Christ would sound like that. They sound like some serious old men rather than a mischievous and malicious bastard.

"What, did you guys meet someone like that inside the tree?" Altaira guessed it correctly.

"You can say so," he answered.

"Then how are you two even alive when he wants the two of you dead?"

Khun was unsure whether to tell Altaira about it or not. He may not show his affection and vigilance towards anything related with Charlotte obviously like Bam, but he was also not someone to underestimate. Khun was sure that beneath that smile of his, he was a crazy man, even crazier than Celeste.

They said people who smile the most could be the scariest people.

"Don't look at me like that," he said as he knew that Khun was hesitating in telling him about it. "It's not like I'm that stupid enough to commit suicide by challenging someone whose power stronger than most of high rankers, right? I'm not such an idiotic person."

He laughed like a fool and troublemaker.

'As if he could fool me with that laugh. But I have to agree with his words. After all, it's not like he and Bam are fools who will challenge someone stronger than most of high rankers recklessly.'

"To be more specific, his target is not me," said Khun. "His target is Charlotte. And the reason why he let us survive is because he thinks that this is not the right time for Charlotte to die."

Altaira's expression stiffened.

"Who is he anyway to decide the time of her death?" He asked, trying to maintain his calmness upon hearing those words.

"I don't know about that either," Khun replied. "'All I know that he's powerful and dangerous. And he seems to have some sort of hatred towards Charlotte."

"But if Charlotte makes an enemy with someone super dangerous, then there's no way I wouldn't know it."

"Therefore, I say that our information right now is pretty limited," he said as he walked to the door after he fixed his hair. "But one thing for sure..."

He glanced to Altaira who understood his thought. Altaira continued, "He wouldn't kill Charlotte for time being."

"Her biggest threat right now will be her showdown against the puppet. And there is something that I need to check about her," he said while opening the door.

"Then what about me? Are you going to leave me alone here? Or can I go with you?"

"Just go outside and train your teammates. Don't disturb us," he warned and closed the door.

Altaira watched how his ungrateful half- brother closed the door and left him alone in that room while he had taken care of him whole- heartedly, although he also took the advantage that he passed out to touch and play with his soft hair.

'Such a grumpy person, but I also wonder if Charlotte is awake or is still sleeping. But if I disturb their moments together, I'm sure that he will never forgive that,' Altaira thought. 'But what Khun said is not wrong.'

'Right now, there is someone hunting for Charlotte. And as if hunting her is not enough, he uses his power to determine the time of her death and how she will die. As pissed as I am, I have to be careful, because the enemy is in the dark and we are in the light. We know nothing about him except his ill- intention towards Charlotte.'

'First, the fake Charlotte and her owner Christ. Second will be Zahard and his army. And there is this third party. These three dangerous people want to kill Charlotte the most.'

'My dear sister, why are you always surrounded with misfortune? You are God's gift for me, but for others, you seem to be the thorn in their eyes. If only I have that power... if only I could write your fate... you won't have to suffer a lot.'

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

Whenever Khun came to Charlotte's room, there was no need for him to worry if the room might be locked or not, because if the room is locked, no one could visit the young girl who they all loved the most. So it made it easier for him to enter the room and to look for her.

He found her sleeping on her bed, breathing softly as she was still in her dream land. The blue blanket covered her from her neck until her toes, her head was on a soft white pillow. Her black- colored shoes were on the floor next to the bed.

She must be exhausted.

After all, she had a fight against her sworn enemy and used more power than him in order to escape from that life- threatening situation, so it was nice to see her resting properly without needing to be scolded.

He sat on the bed to observe the woman in silence. He then reached out his hand to remove the hair on her cheek. He slipped the hair behind her ears.

The atmosphere was very calm. This kind of calmness was not too bad for him. But if he wanted to reach a higher place, to be the head of Khun Family, then he should abandon that peace, because he would have to walk on a bloody path.

His sharp blue eyes noticed something. There was something with her forehead lotus bud mark.

'Is it just my feeling... or it seems... to be blossoming soon?'

He took the risk to lean towards the sleeping girl. He took the risk to look at the forehead lotus mark from close.

'The pink lotus bud, it is really opening a bit...' He realized it after he leaned closer towards her. 'Could this be a good sign?'

Since the lotus was related with her power, he thought that with the lotus going to blossom, her strength would definitely improve. And if he was right, then he must admit that this lotus was really blossoming at the right time! Because Charlotte will definitely need its power to fight against the puppet.

The said young girl was sleeping when she sensed someone's breath close to her. She frowned and shook her head a little in discomfort before slowly opening her eyes.

Charlotte felt that her body was heavier and whenever she opened her eyes after she passed out, the light seemed to be blinding her eyes, but her eyes quickly adjusted themselves so that she could see her surroundings.

At the same time when she was opening her eyes, Khun noticed that Charlotte's head was shaking and his first reaction was not to pull his head away, but to look at the young girl.

Therefore their eyes met with each other in such a close distance.