The kitchen was bathed in the golden light of dawn. Sunrays streamed through the windows, casting dancing shadows across the table, which was filled with freshly baked bread, ripe fruits, cheese, and warm drinks. Elyndra, ever poised, observed as Hitory and Tekime entered the room. He looked visibly exhausted, while she helped him walk, her hand firmly supporting his arm.

  Seated at the table, the trio shared a quiet meal. Elyndra, always attentive, watched the dynamic between the two young ones. There was something special between them—new, yet undeniably deep.

  As Hitory reached for a piece of bread, Tekime stared at the food on the table but made no move to serve herself. It was as if she was battling an invisible barrier, hesitating over something as simple as a meal.

  Sensing her discomfort, Hitory acted without thinking. He took a piece of bread and gently, yet firmly, brought it toward her lips.

  — "At least eat a little, will you?" — he said in a reassuring tone.

  Tekime's eyes widened in surprise. The unexpected gesture caught her off guard, and her cheeks quickly turned a shade of red.

  — "O-Okay... but just a little," — she responded, her voice carrying a timid yet genuine shyness.

  She took a small, hesitant bite of the bread he held. For a brief moment, her delicate fingers brushed against Hitory’s, creating a silent connection. Hitory smiled, satisfied to see her eat.

  Elyndra hid a small smile at the scene. But the lighthearted moment was soon interrupted by her usual curiosity.

  — "What’s going on with you two?" — Elyndra asked, raising an eyebrow. — "Since when do you know each other?"

  Hitory and Tekime exchanged a knowing glance before responding in unison:

  — "Since that day."

  Elyndra leaned forward slightly, intrigued, but chose not to press further. When they finished their meal, Tekime turned to Hitory with a gentle smile.

  — "Shall we get some fresh air?" — she suggested.

  He nodded, and together they stepped outside. Elyndra followed, but before they could wander too far, she issued a warning:

  — "Oh, and if you see an ethereal butterfly, one whose wings shift between blue and gold, surrounded by a faint magical mist… do not touch it, much less try to catch or harm it."

  Hitory and Tekime exchanged puzzled looks.

  — "Why?" — Hitory asked.

  — "Because that butterfly is my familiar," — Elyndra explained, her voice soft but firm. — "Her name is Nytheria, and we are bound by a magical pact. She doesn’t like being disturbed… and can be a little temperamental."

  Hitory frowned, intrigued.

  — "So familiars actually exist…" — he mused. — "I’ve only read about them in books and heard a few stories, but I’ve never seen one for real."

  Elyndra smirked slightly, crossing her arms.

  — "Now you have. And maybe one day, you’ll have one too. But be careful what you wish for… the bond with a familiar is as powerful as it is dangerous."

  Outside, the crisp scent of the fields mixed with the fragrance of blooming flowers. Still visibly tired, Hitory let his gaze wander across the landscape until he spotted a majestic cherry blossom tree atop a nearby hill.

  — "Look at that…" — he said, pointing at the tree. — "Shall we go there?"

  — "Of course, let’s go!" — Tekime replied excitedly, grabbing his hand and pulling him along.

  The climb up the hill was slow, especially for Hitory, who was still recovering from his wounds. When they finally reached the shade of the cherry tree, he collapsed onto the ground, breathless. Tekime, worried, knelt beside him.

  — "Are you okay?" — she asked.

  — "Just tired…" — he responded with a weary smile.

  Tekime hesitated for a moment before suggesting something unexpected.

  — "Lie down on my lap. You need to rest."

  Hitory was taken aback by the offer but eventually accepted. He carefully rested his head on her lap, feeling the softness of her legs as a makeshift pillow. The world around them seemed to quiet as her fingers gently ran through his hair.

  The silence was broken by Tekime, who observed him with curiosity.

  — "What were you doing there that day?" — she asked. — "And why did you help me?"

  Hitory opened his eyes, staring at the clouds above.

  — "I’m on a journey to the capital of Valonia," — he answered. After a brief pause, he added, — "As for helping you… I once made a promise to someone. I swore to be her guardian. But until I’m strong enough to protect her, I will protect whoever I can."

  There was a clear weight in his words. Tekime’s eyes filled with tears, and her voice wavered.

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  — "But what you did was suicidal…"

  He closed his eyes again and smiled faintly.

  — "Just imagining what those three could have done to you… I wouldn’t have been able to sleep peacefully."

  Tekime averted her gaze to the sky, clasping her hands together in silent gratitude.

  — "Thank you so much… you kept your promise," — she murmured as tears slid down her cheeks.

  Hitory opened his eyes and watched her, curious.

  — "Who are you talking to?" — he asked.

  Tekime quickly wiped her tears and replied with a shy smile.

  — "It’s nothing…"

  Hitory sat up, pulled a small handkerchief from his pocket, and gently wiped her face.

  — "Let’s go," — he said, holding Tekime’s hand. — "I need to talk to Elyndra."

  Back at the house, Hitory got straight to the point when he found Elyndra.

  — "Do you know any ruins with ancient inscriptions? Or what ‘Vessel’ means?" — he asked, his voice filled with urgency and curiosity. — "And what about a black tree with golden veins?"

  Elyndra crossed her arms, thoughtful. She seemed to carefully evaluate the question before answering, her gaze focused on Hitory as if she knew he wouldn’t ask such things without a reason.

  — “Alright, I can answer some of those questions,” — Elyndra said, her expression intrigued. She now seemed more pensive, as if weighing her words before continuing. — “Come, let's go to my library.”

  She stood up, but before she could fully rise, Hitory felt Tekime pulling his arm—or rather, she wasn’t actively pulling him, but had dozed off while holding onto his arm with a delicate grip. She was lying down, yet she didn’t seem to want to let go, even in deep sleep.

  Hitory looked at the mage, his smile carrying a hint of concern.

  — “I’ll take her to the room.”

  Elyndra nodded, watching with a perceptive gaze, as if she already knew what was coming.

  — “Of course, she seems completely exhausted.”

  Even with his left arm far from fully healed, Hitory carefully lifted Tekime, feeling the softness of her body against his. As he followed the path to her room, he noticed her fragility. Each step felt heavier due to the pain in his arm, but he ignored it, feeling that it was nothing compared to the weight Tekime seemed to carry. Upon reaching the room’s door, he opened it slowly, feeling the coolness of the space and the lightness of the peaceful atmosphere. With extreme care, he laid her down on the bed, adjusting a blanket over her, not wanting to wake her. Silence filled the room, and he stood there for a few seconds, observing her serene, almost vulnerable face.

  As he turned to leave, he found Elyndra leaning against the doorway, looking at him with a calm yet scrutinizing gaze. She didn’t seem surprised, but her expression carried a subtle curiosity.

  — “You two really have no relationship?” — Elyndra asked, her voice soft but laced with sharp intuition.

  Hitory shifted his gaze to Tekime, feeling sudden warmth rise to his face. He hesitated for a moment, feeling discomfort growing inside him.

  — “No, we don’t… but…” — He swallowed hard, trying to organize his thoughts. — “I feel like there’s some kind of connection between us.”

  Elyndra observed him for a moment, her expression unreadable, but something in her gaze seemed to understand more than he wanted to admit. However, Hitory quickly moved on, ignoring the silent reading the mage was doing of him.

  They walked toward the library, and the magical lights automatically flickered on when Elyndra entered. The space seemed to warm up, illuminated by a soft and welcoming glow that contrasted with the darkness outside.

  — “You can sit,” — Elyndra said in a slightly more serious tone. She gestured toward a chair next to an aged wooden table.

  Hitory sat down, swallowing hard. He felt a growing weight—not just from the questions he had asked but from the answers he feared hearing.

  — “Ruins? Hm, yes, I’ve heard of some... but nearly all of them have been taken by the Nobles,” — Elyndra said with bitterness in her voice, as if it were a constant frustration to her. — “Most of the ancient ruins have been plundered or destroyed, many beyond access.”

  Hitory paid close attention to every word, absorbing the information, though he felt he couldn’t fully process it.

  — “‘Receptacle’... it carries a rather ominous meaning, whether one wants it to or not. It can mean anything from a bearer of a blessing, a curse, or even an unimaginable power,” — Elyndra continued, her gaze grave but also tinged with subtle concern.

  — “It’s not something one should seek lightly.”

  Hitory didn’t know what to think. The idea of a curse or an uncontrollable power unsettled him. His fingers tightened around the chair, trying to focus.

  — “And this tree…” — he began, his voice lower now, as if fearing the answer. — “I’ve heard about it, but no one seems to know much. They say it has golden veins, but... no one has found it, and there are no records of it.”

  Elyndra paused, her gaze distant, as if absorbing everything he had just said.

  — “I’ve heard some rumors about it… but so far, it's just a story. Nothing concrete has ever been found or recorded about the tree. It’s only a legend.”

  Hitory was visibly exhausted by all the information he had just received. His shoulders slumped under the weight of the revelations, too much to process at once. Without another word, he stood up from the chair and, with a nod toward Elyndra, thanked her. He only wanted to go to his room, where he could try to process everything he had just learned.

  Hitory arrived at the room and found Tekime still sleeping deeply. The bed was neatly arranged with a blanket over her, and she looked peaceful, showing no signs of distress. Feeling exhausted and lost in his own thoughts, Hitory took off his shirt, leaving only his shorts. He lay down beside Tekime, trying to relax and let his body rest. But as the night progressed, the exhaustion of both his body and mind led him into a deep sleep.

  After some time, Hitory felt something unexpected. His arm was squeezed with a soft yet firm grip. He woke up with a start, opening his eyes quickly. Tekime was naked, hugging him in her sleep. The unexpected contact made his heart race. He jolted upright, startled.

  — “What are you doing?!” — he asked, trying to look away while feeling the discomfort of not knowing how to handle the situation.

  Tekime, her eyes still glistening with tears, looked at him with an embarrassed gaze. She seemed genuinely frightened as well, but at the same time, her words carried immense vulnerability.

  — “You’re not going to leave me, right?” — she said, her eyes filled with tears. Her voice trembled slightly, as if she feared the answer.

  Hitory felt a tightness in his chest at the sight of the pain on her face. He sat beside her on the bed, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her.

  — “No. As long as I can, I will always help you,” — he said, a soft and comforting smile appearing on his face. It was a silent promise—a guarantee that she wasn’t alone despite everything.

  Tekime wiped her tears away with her hand and, with a small smile, gestured for him to lie down again.

  — “Come, rest, Hitory.”

  Hitory, still feeling uncomfortable with the situation, lay down once more. Tekime, though still holding onto him, seemed more at ease. He tried to ignore the awkwardness of the moment and focus on resting beside her.

  The next morning, Hitory woke up with Tekime lying on top of him. Her weight was gentle, but he still felt uneasy with her being naked. Not wanting to wake her, he carefully got up, trying not to make a sound. He headed to the kitchen, where he found Elyndra preparing breakfast.

  — “You’re up early today,” — Elyndra commented, skillfully stirring a magical kettle.

  — “Yeah…” — Hitory responded, his voice somewhat distant. His gaze was fixed on his own arm, which still felt strange.

  Elyndra turned to him, and her eyes instantly locked onto his arm.

  — “Your... arm…” — she murmured, surprised. The unease in her tone was evident, but she asked no further questions, simply watching Hitory with growing intensity.

  Hitory let out a quiet sigh, staring at his arm, feeling an unsettling and disturbing sensation creeping through his body.