Thio suddenly broke down into tears.
He was still only five years old—too young to understand wounds, blood, or how close death could truly be. His small shoulders shook as he clutched Soma’s clothes, his voice breaking between sobs.
“S-Soma…” he whimpered.
“Are you going to leave me too… like our parents did?”
His grip tightened, as if letting go might make her disappear.
“Please, Soma… don’t do that,” he cried.
“I love you so much… you’re everything I have.”
“You’re my whole family… so please, take care of yourself.”
“Don’t make me sad… please.”
Soma’s chest tightened painfully.
“Hey… Thio,” she whispered, forcing her voice to stay steady.
“Don’t be afraid.”
Summoning every bit of strength she had left, Soma slowly lifted her hand—her arm trembling—and gently rested it on Thio’s head, stroking his hair.
“I’ll always be with you,” she said softly.
“I won’t leave you. Ever.”
“You’re my little brother, after all.”
The effort drained her.
Her breathing grew heavier, and her arm fell back to her side. Still, Soma knew she couldn’t stop there. She had to tell him the truth—before fear filled the gaps.
“Thio… the truth is,” she continued quietly,
“my condition was critical. I couldn’t even lift my hand, so how could I walk home?”
“How could I treat myself in that state?”
Thio listened silently, his tears slowing.
“Someone helped me,” Soma said.
“Someone saved me.”
She hesitated, choosing her words carefully.
“But that same person… is also the reason I was injured in the first place.”
Thio’s eyes widened.
“I met Maricella at that guild,” Soma explained.
“She was angry with me… so she attacked.”
“I didn’t defend myself. I let her strike me.”
Her voice grew quieter.
“I don’t think she expected that.”
“She did everything she could to save me after that.”
“She treated my wounds… and brought me here herself.”
Soma looked away.
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about her.”
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Thio stared at her, stunned. He had never imagined things unfolding this way.
Soma exhaled slowly, as if a weight had finally slipped off her heart—though she couldn’t quite name what that weight was.
“Thio,” she said after a pause,
“please call Assashin. I need to talk to him about something important.”
Thio frowned immediately.
“No,” he replied firmly.
“You’re exhausted. You need rest.”
Soma shook her head weakly.
“I’ll be resting all week anyway,” she insisted.
“I don’t want to waste the only time I have the strength to talk.”
Reluctantly, Thio agreed.
He rushed out and returned moments later with Assashin, placing a chair at some distance from Soma’s bed. Thio himself sat right beside her.
Soma blinked.
“Thio… why is Assashin sitting all the way over there?”
“And why are you still here?”
“I told you this was something private—between me and Assashin.”
Both boys froze.
Thio looked genuinely shocked.
Assashin’s face turned bright red.
Thio reacted first.
“No way!” he shouted.
“I’m not leaving my beloved sister!”
“She’s my sister—mine!”
“No one else gets to spend time alone with her!”
He shot Assashin a fierce, jealous glare.
Then his voice softened.
“But… it’s your request,” he muttered.
“And I can’t refuse you.”
He pointed sharply at Assashin.
“And you—don’t tire my sister.”
With that, Thio stormed out of the room, kicking Assashin lightly as he passed and throwing one last burning look his way.
Silence followed.
Assashin stood stiffly, then glanced at Soma, flustered. At her gesture, he approached and sat closer to the bed to make talking easier.
His words spilled out awkwardly.
“I—I’m still too young for… things like this.”
Soma stared at him in disbelief.
Then she smiled—wide, sharp, and very Soma.
“If I could move,” she said dryly,
“I’d hit you right now and teach you some manners.”
Assashin panicked instantly.
“I’M SORRY—forget everything I just said.”
For the first time since waking up, Soma laughed.
And the room felt a little warmer.