After two days of rest, the young girl finally woke up. The soft morning light streamed through the windows of the mage’s house, bathing the room in a warm glow. She felt a comforting sense of softness and warmth and soon realized she was lying on a plush bed, covered in fine fabric sheets. For a moment, the peaceful atmosphere surrounded her, but then her eyes widened as she realized she was not alone.

  She looked around and saw Hitory beside her, his body still motionless on the bed. Panic instantly gripped her, and she jumped to her feet, but as she noticed the calm rise and fall of his chest and the peaceful look on his sleeping face, she gradually relaxed. Her gaze softened as she focused on Hitory’s face. A small sigh escaped her lips, as if he were the last remnant of something lost—something important yet still hazy in her mind.

  — "Who are you? What did you do to me?" — Her voice trembled, still filled with distrust and confusion. But as she observed Hitory, a strange sense of familiarity washed over her, as if a distant memory was trying to take shape.

  — "I... I remember you... but from where?" — she murmured, her eyes searching for something deeper, a memory, a connection that seemed to slip through her fingers.

  At that moment, the door to the room opened softly. The mage entered, her posture serene and unhurried, though her eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing the young girl already standing. She seemed surprised but showed no sign of alarm.

  — "Ah, you’re awake," — Elyndra commented, her voice calm and composed.

  The young girl, still tense and uncomfortable, glanced at Hitory’s side. His sword was within her reach, and, on impulse, she grabbed it and raised it, pointing it at the mage.

  — "Who are you?" — she demanded, her voice firm but carrying a faint tremor of uncertainty. Fear was evident in her eyes, but there was also a courage she didn’t know she possessed.

  The mage remained unfazed. She stood still, gazing at the young girl with a serenity that seemed to emanate from her very being. Without haste, she conjured a chair of light that floated gently toward her, and she calmly took a seat.

  — "I am Elyndra Luminis, a light mage," — she answered, her tone steady and composed. — "I found you injured, barely clothed, and the boy beside you unconscious, his arm torn off. I brought you both here so you could be safe."

  The young girl, still gripping the sword, hesitated for a moment as if trying to piece together fragments of her memory. Something inside her started to make sense—a vague yet significant recollection.

  — "I... I remember... he saved me from the Triple Rift..." — she murmured, her voice calmer yet brimming with emotion. Her gaze softened as she looked at Hitory again, a mixture of gratitude and confusion in her eyes.

  The mage observed with growing curiosity, her eyes glimmering slightly as the puzzle pieces began to fall into place.

  — "The Triple Rift... that high-ranking group of bandits?" — She asked with the intent to understand the situation better, but also with the caution of someone who knew the answer could reveal more than what met the eye.

  The young girl swallowed hard, her gaze growing distant. Her expression was heavy with pain and bitter memories. She ran a trembling hand over her forehead, as if trying to push away the images in her mind.

  — "They... raided my home..." — her voice cracked for a moment. — "Burned everything... then..." — She couldn’t continue. The weight of the memory was too much, and her words were lost in a whirlwind of emotions. She knelt beside Hitory, gripping his hand tightly as if she still couldn’t believe he was there, alive.

  — "Thank you... thank you... thank you..." — Gratitude poured from her voice, but so did a deep and silent pain, something she didn’t know how to process.

  The mage, watching the scene with a compassionate gaze, stepped closer but did not interrupt. She understood what the young girl was feeling but also knew that she needed space to process the pain and, eventually, move forward. She silently rose from her seat.

  — "He’s fine. He will wake up soon," — Elyndra said softly, her voice carrying a touch of comfort. She paused briefly, studying the young girl. — "I’ll prepare something for you two and also bring some clothes so you can feel more comfortable."

  With that, the mage left the room, heading toward the kitchen. She knew that, even though the young girl was now safe, there was still much to uncover. Hitory and this girl were connected by something deep—something not even she fully understood. And she was determined to find out what it was, no matter the cost.

  About fifteen minutes later, the young girl, still naked and kneeling beside Hitory, felt movement under her hand. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times to adjust his vision. When his eyes met hers, he saw a naked young woman staring deeply into his clear green eyes, still brimming with tears. He furrowed his brows slightly, concerned.

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  — "Why are you crying?" — he asked, his voice hoarse and soft, still weak.

  His words shattered the emotional barrier she had been trying to hold. Her tears flowed even more intensely, like a child crying for their mother, and a sob involuntarily escaped her throat.

  Hitory, confused, shifted in bed and sat on the edge, but the young girl, now openly crying, rested her head on his leg, as if seeking comfort. He looked at her, feeling something deep within his chest—an inexplicable sensation that seemed both new and strangely familiar.

  She slowly lifted her head, her eyes filled with relief and emotion. In a sudden movement, despite them both being completely bare, she threw her arms around him, knocking him back onto the bed. The impact was soft, but the surprise made him hold his breath for a moment.

  Hitory was frozen for a moment, his eyes wide, but soon his hand instinctively moved to her back, returning the embrace. He didn’t know why he was doing it, but something inside him told him it was right.

  The warmth of the young girl’s body was comforting, stirring feelings he couldn’t fully understand. He felt something that touched him deeply—a connection that transcended words or logic. In that moment, both of them found a peace they didn’t know they needed.

  She slightly pulled back, still with her arms around him, her eyes locked onto his. There was something in her gaze he couldn’t describe—gratitude, relief, and something else he couldn’t quite name.

  With a soft sigh, she rested her head against Hitory’s chest, closing her eyes as if this was the safest place in the world.

  Hitory remained there, silent. His hand hesitated before gently resting on her soft hair. He didn’t know what the future would bring, nor did he fully understand what he felt at that moment, but he knew that, for now, neither of them was alone.

  And so, in silence, they shared a moment that seemed to last forever—a moment that belonged only to them—as the weight of everything around them faded, if only for a brief while.

  After a few minutes of holding each other in bed, Hitory felt the girl’s calm breathing. The silence between them was interrupted only by the soft sound of the wind outside, rustling the leaves of a nearby tree. The young girl still kept her head resting Hitory’s chest, but her eyes were closed, as if trying to prolong that moment.

  Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open without warning, revealing the serene figure of the mage Elyndra. As she took in the scene—seeing the two young ones completely naked and embracing—her expression shifted to a mix of surprise and amusement.

  — “How improper…” — Elyndra commented, crossing her arms and looking at them with a slightly sarcastic smile.

  The mage’s voice snapped the girl out of her moment, and she abruptly straightened up, still kneeling over Hitory, trying to compose herself. Her face immediately turned as red as a tomato when she realized the situation she was in.

  — “Get out of here and close the door!” — she exclaimed, pointing at Elyndra, her voice trembling with embarrassment and irritation.

  Elyndra closed the door and left them alone.

  Hitory, still confused by everything, looked up and noticed the girl still kneeling over him, her skin turning redder by the second. As he fully grasped the situation, he too became flustered, quickly averting his gaze to the ceiling.

  Then, in an almost desperate impulse, the girl leaned down and planted a sudden kiss on Hitory’s lips. The gesture was quick and intense, catching him completely off guard. His eyes widened as she pulled away with a shy, mischievous smile.

  — “What… was that?” — he murmured, almost breathless, trying to process what had just happened.

  Without answering, the girl got up and grabbed the clothes the mage had left on a chair in the corner of the room. Keeping her head down, avoiding his gaze, she hurried to the bathroom, leaving Hitory alone in bed.

  Still trying to collect his thoughts, he heard the bathroom door close and let out a heavy sigh. — “What is going on?” — he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his messy hair.

  A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened, revealing the girl now dressed. She wore a simple dress that accentuated her slender and elegant figure. Her hair was still slightly damp from the water she had used to wash her face.

  She looked at Hitory and smiled in a way that seemed to brighten the entire room. That smile… There was something about it that touched Hitory deeply, something he had felt before but couldn’t quite explain.

  — “Shall we go? The mage has already prepared breakfast,” — she said, her voice soft and inviting.

  Hitory nodded, rising from the bed with some difficulty, still feeling sore from the recent events. — “Okay, I’ll just get dressed and wash my face,” — he replied, heading toward the bathroom.

  He splashed cold water on his face, trying to clear his thoughts. The cool sensation was refreshing but not enough to dispel the confusion in his mind. When he stepped out of the bathroom, he found the girl waiting for him by the door, her smile still there, though now a bit more timid.

  — “Come on, let’s go!” — she said, gently tugging at his hand, her melodious and sweet voice filling the air.

  Any questions?

  As they walked down the hallway toward the kitchen, Hitory glanced at her, his curiosity finally getting the better of him.

  — “Can I ask you something?” — he started, a small smile forming at the corner of his lips.

  She turned to face him, her eyes shining with anticipation. — “Of course, you can ask me anything.”

  — “You still haven’t told me your name. What is it?” — Hitory asked, watching her features as they walked.

  The girl paused for a moment, as if only now realizing how much she had already shared with him without ever mentioning her name. Her face flushed slightly as she answered:

  — “My name is Tekime… but you can call me IE,” — she said, embarrassment evident in her voice.

  After a brief pause, she returned the question: — “And yours? What’s your name?”

  — “My name is Hitory. I’m just a 16-year-old boy,” — he answered simply, though his tone carried a hint of pride.

  Tekime murmured something inaudible, but he managed to catch the words: — “Sixteen? Sixteen?!”

  Hitory noticed the look of astonishment on her face and raised an eyebrow. — “How old are you?” — he asked, curious.

  She hesitated before answering, still somewhat shy: — “I… I just turned 18 a week ago.”

  — “Wow, already 18?” — Hitory commented, surprised.

  Tekime’s soft laughter echoed through the hallway, filling the air with a lightheartedness they both needed.

  End of Episode 6 – “Bonds Under the Moon”