Kyle walked through the streets of Castelta between the different buildings and shops while the corpse he had been dragging the whole time disappeared behind him.
But his torn clothes and dirty body still carried the traces of the battles he had fought.
He moved with his head lowered slightly, staring at the old and worn phone in his hand while glancing at the money in his account... it was not much, just a few thousand points.
And that was even after he had sold the previous corpse in the underground black market.
It was true that his income could be enough for him to live a decent and good life, especially recently after he had become able to hunt monsters from the forest and sell them instead of working in smuggling and the black market, but that was assuming he did not have major expenses to cover.
With a tired expression, this young man walked among the people indifferently, passing through one street after another, and the deeper he went, the fewer people there were around him.
Until he reached his destination.
A worn-down three-story building.
Without stopping, he entered through the open entrance and was greeted by a staircase leading upward.
Kyle climbed the stairs, the sound of his footsteps echoing through the place until he stopped in front of a familiar door.
He reached his hand toward the wall beside it, and there, from a small crack, he pulled out a key before placing it into the door lock and turning it.
Then with a faint click, he pushed the door open before entering and closing it behind him.
Inside was nothing but a small and simple apartment with some furniture... and even in its worn state, it was still clean.
But at the same time, it was empty, with no one around.
This was nothing more than a cheaply rented apartment where Kyle lived alone.
After taking off his shoes at the door, he walked inside and headed toward the simple bathroom...
There, Kyle stopped before the slightly cracked mirror before glancing at his reflection.
With his messy brown hair and some pieces of wood stuck in it while his handsome face was stained with dirt, he really looked pitiful.
He let out a breath while muttering, still staring at his reflection.
"It is a good thing I did not go directly, or there would be a problem if she saw me like this."
...
After taking a shower and changing his clothes, Kyle left his apartment and returned to the crowded streets.
He walked among the people without them noticing him until he arrived in front of a large building that gave off a feeling of comfort and reassurance with all the trees and plants planted in its front garden.
It was a hospital... and a large one.
Although Castelta was a city on the northern border, because it contained many guilds and merchants, it possessed many hospitals and large care centers.
Without hesitation, Kyle walked until he reached the entrance where the reception desk was.
There, a young woman with ordinary features was sitting behind the large desk.
But the moment she saw him, a bright smile appeared on her gentle face while her beautiful voice slipped into Kyle’s ears.
"You came early today."
Kyle stopped before her desk while responding to her words with a simple nod and the same usual expression. As a result, the woman frowned slightly.
"Come on, you are still young. Why do you always look so gloomy? At least smile back at me or say a few nice words." She did not hide the dissatisfaction in her voice.
Kyle opened his mouth to reply, but the woman interrupted him, her smile becoming gentler while the annoyance disappeared from her voice.
"I know it is hard, but you are still too young to be like this."
With those words, she gestured for him to pass.
"You can go now, but please take my words seriously... it is not only for your sake, but for your sister’s too."
Kyle hesitated before nodding his head.
"Thank you."
With those words of thanks, he turned around and walked through the familiar corridor of this center while other people passed around him, whether they were workers, doctors here, or visitors like him.
The words of that woman echoed in his head.
’Am I really that gloomy?... But it does not seem that way to me,’ he thought.
That woman was nothing more than the kind receptionist he met every time he came here during the past few months.
In short, she was a kind and wonderful person.
But Kyle did not know how to return kindness... unfortunately.
After all, he was a child who had spent years of his life in dangerous and perhaps illegal work.
So at this stage, it could be said that he had become somewhat emotionally numb.
At least toward others.
Kyle arrived before a clean white door and opened it without hesitation before entering.
At the same time, without realizing it, his stern expression disappeared and his features relaxed while his lips lifted slightly into a small smile as he stepped inside.
There was nothing there but a simple and organized hospital room.
With its beautiful white color and the clean smell of the air coming through the open window near the bed, this room seemed comfortable.
And there on the bed sat a girl, her back leaning against the pillow while her dark hair fell downward.
And between her small hands was a simple book.
At the same time, many tubes were connected to her arms and disappeared beneath the loose hospital clothes.
Her beautiful eyes showed some exhaustion, like someone who could not find rest.
But even so, she was much better now than she had been in the past months... or even in the first years when the symptoms of her illness began to appear.
In those days, Kyle could barely provide even basic painkillers.
So he spent most of his time outside, moving from one job to another without getting enough rest...
Even so, things had improved recently... but even that was not enough and not satisfying for him.
Kyle stepped toward the bed in the corner, and as the girl raised her head from the book and noticed his presence.
A large smile quickly formed on her face, revealing her white teeth before she closed the book in her hand while her gentle and cheerful voice spread through the small room.
"Big brother... you came early today."
As his smile widened involuntarily, Kyle moved closer to the edge of the bed, pulled the chair there, and sat on it before placing his hand on his younger sister’s head and gently patting it.
"Why, are you upset that I came early?" His voice lacked any of the usual coldness or indifference.
Mia shook her head, her hair scattering slightly.
"No... I was waiting for you."
Then she pointed to the book in her hand.
"I finished this story you brought me."
Kyle looked at the book he had brought a few days ago for his sister to pass the time... in fact, it was not the only one. Every time she finished a story or a book, he brought her another.
Unfortunately, his sister had only received the free basic education. It would have been wonderful if he could have enrolled her in a good school, but unfortunately she had to remain in this room.
Kyle tilted his head slightly, his features softening.
"So what is it about?"
Mia raised the book in her hand.
"It is a story about those who lived in this world."
Kyle looked at his sister with a smile while she told him the summary of the book.
Kyle listened carefully to every word while time passed quickly. In the end, Mia finally fell silent while Kyle raised his hand and placed it on her head.
And his warm and gentle voice spread through the room.
"So what kind of books do you want me to bring tomorrow?"
But Mia did not answer. Instead, she remained silent while staring at her hand on the book, specifically at those tubes that sank into her flesh and pumped medicine into her veins.
"You do not have to do this," she muttered.
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"Then do you want something else?"
Mia shook her head, her eyes only looking downward.
"No... you do not have to care about me like this, big brother. You do not have to suffer every day like this so that I can live like this... ouch."
A slight pain throbbed in her forehead, causing her to stop talking while Kyle pulled his hand away from her head after giving her a light hit to make her stop.
"How many times have we talked about this? You promised me that you would never repeat that again."
He smiled while taking out his phone and showing her a post he had seen a few days ago.
Mia looked at the post on her brother’s phone while reading it softly.
"A competition for young Awakeners, and the prizes are a scholarship to the Axis and a large financial grant."
Mia’s eyes widened slightly as she asked,
"Will you participate in this?"
Kyle nodded while giving his sister a confident smile.
"I will win."
As he said that, Kyle noticed a small vase on the table beside the bed, and there was a closed flower of sky-blue color resting inside the vase.
While an ethereal blue light spread across the surface of its folded petals.
As if it was waiting for the perfect moment to shine.
And reveal its beauty in its finest state.