After a few minutes of running through the Citadel, Royoshi finally slowed down.
Ishara, who had been chasing him from behind, immediately stopped as well.
"Royoshi…"
She took a deep breath.
"You know,"
"You could have just walked."
Royoshi turned around.
"But then we'd get there slower."
Ishara stared at him.
"…"
"That's not the point."
Royoshi smiled.
"Come on."
"We're almost there."
Ishara sighed.
"You're impossible."
The two continued walking through the Citadel.
Eventually, they reached the medbay. Royoshi's favorite place.
The atmosphere immediately changed. Unlike the busy corridors outside, the medbay was quiet. Healers and nurses walked through the halls while specialized Shuryoku equipment quietly operated inside several rooms.
Royoshi looked around.
"…Now."
"Which room was Maris in again?"
Ishara stared at him.
"You ran all the way here,"
"…And you don't remember?"
Royoshi scratched the back of his head.
"Details."
Ishara sighed.
"Follow me."
Royoshi quickly followed behind her.
After a few moments, the two finally stopped in front of a room.
Ishara looked toward the door.
"She's here."
Royoshi nodded. He slowly raised his hand and knocked.
Knock. Knock.
From inside,
"Come in."
Royoshi slowly opened the door.
Inside the room,
Maris rested on the bed. She looked significantly better than she had during the battle. The wounds she had suffered were slowly healing, and her expression was far more peaceful.
Sitting beside her was Pasithea.
Royoshi smiled slightly.
"May we come in?"
Pasithea turned toward them. A small smile appeared on her face.
"Of course."
Royoshi and Ishara walked inside.
Pasithea looked toward Maris.
"Maris."
She gestured toward them.
"This is Royoshi Kairo and Ishara Veyl."
Maris looked toward Royoshi.
Then, a small smile appeared on her face.
"Oh."
"I know Royoshi."
Royoshi blinked.
Maris continued.
"Thanks to him…"
"I was able to return."
Royoshi awkwardly scratched his cheek.
"Uh…"
Maris then looked toward Ishara.
"And Ishara."
Her smile widened slightly.
"She stood beside him during the battle."
"And she never left him."
Ishara blinked.
"…"
Before she could say anything, Maris looked toward both of them.
Then a playful smile appeared on her face.
"Big sister Pasithea…"
"They kind of remind me of you and Riki—"
"SHHHHH, MARIS!"
Pasithea immediately interrupted her.
Royoshi and Ishara both froze.
Pasithea's face had become slightly red.
Maris covered her mouth. A soft chuckle escaped her lips.
"Hehe…"
Royoshi slowly looked toward Ishara.
Ishara slowly looked toward Royoshi.
"…"
Neither of them said anything.
Maris and Pasithea really did seem like actual sisters.
Pasithea quickly cleared her throat.
"Anyway!"
She looked toward Royoshi and Ishara.
"What brings you two here?"
Ishara stepped forward slightly.
"Uh…"
"We just wanted to know how Ms. Maris is doing."
Maris immediately raised an eyebrow.
"Ms. Maris?"
Ishara blinked.
Maris smiled.
"Just Maris is fine."
"Formal stuff doesn't suit me."
Ishara nodded slightly.
"…Alright."
Maris leaned back against her bed.
"And thank you."
"I'm resting well."
She then looked directly toward Royoshi.
"Thanks to Royoshi especially."
Royoshi's face immediately became slightly red.
"…Me?"
Maris smiled.
"Yes."
Royoshi awkwardly looked away.
"Hehe…"
Ishara quietly noticed his reaction.
"…"
Maris suddenly looked toward Pasithea and Ishara.
"Actually…"
"Big sister."
Pasithea looked at her.
"Yes?"
Maris then looked toward Ishara.
"And Ishara."
"Can I have a moment alone with Royoshi?"
Royoshi blinked.
"…Huh?"
Pasithea looked toward him. Then toward Maris.
"Uh…"
"Sure."
Ishara remained silent for a moment.
"Okay."
Pasithea stood up.
"Don't keep him for too long."
Maris smiled.
"I won't."
Pasithea and Ishara slowly walked toward the door.
Before leaving, Ishara looked back toward Royoshi. For just a moment.
Then, the door closed.
Click.
Silence.
Royoshi and Maris were now alone.
For a few moments, neither of them said anything.
Royoshi awkwardly stood beside the bed.
"…"
Maris looked toward him.
Then,
"Royoshi."
Royoshi immediately looked up.
"Uh… yes?"
"I'm listening."
Maris remained silent for a moment.
Then she spoke.
"So…"
"You know about Rikishu, right?"
Royoshi immediately froze.
"…"
"Yes."
Maris watched his expression carefully.
"He's not dead, is he?"
Royoshi's eyes widened.
"Um…"
"I—"
Maris suddenly chuckled.
"Hehe."
Royoshi blinked.
"…?"
"It's okay."
Maris smiled softly.
"You don't need to reveal anything."
Royoshi stared at her.
Maris looked toward the ceiling.
"I already know."
Royoshi's face became slightly red.
"…You knew."
Maris nodded.
"After the rooftop incident, yes."
Royoshi slowly calmed down.
Then—
He looked toward her curiously.
"What was your relationship with him?"
Maris remained silent.
Her expression slowly changed.
"Rikishu…"
"He was…"
She paused.
"Or is…"
"My teacher."
Royoshi blinked.
"…What?"
Maris smiled faintly.
"But more than a teacher…"
"He was like a big brother to me."
Royoshi remained silent.
Maris looked down at her hands.
"He taught me everything I know."
Her expression slowly became distant. Small tears began forming around her eyes.
Royoshi's expression changed.
Maris took a slow breath.
"I was kidnapped by someone."
Royoshi froze.
She looked toward him.
"I think…"
"It's time I told you the truth."
The room became completely silent.
Maris slowly spoke.
"Sevran Axiom."
Royoshi's eyes widened.
"…Sevran Axiom?"
Maris nodded.
"Yes."
Her expression darkened.
"Once…"
"He was Big Brother Rikishu's best friend."
Royoshi remained silent.
"But jealousy eventually led him down the path of Corruption."
Maris looked down.
"Before I even understood what was happening…"
"I lost everything."
"My memories."
"My identity."
She slowly clenched her hand.
"I was captured."
"Brainwashed."
"And my face was changed so no one would recognize me."
Royoshi slowly lowered his head.
"Sevran…"
"You…"
Anger slowly appeared in his eyes.
Maris noticed. She smiled softly.
"No need to be angry."
Royoshi looked toward her.
Maris continued.
"It's not your fault."
"We have to move forward."
Royoshi remained silent.
Maris looked toward him.
"Thanks to you…"
"I'm back."
Royoshi blinked.
"I don't know how I can ever repay this debt."
"No."
"You don't owe me anything."
Maris looked at him.
Royoshi smiled slightly.
"I'm just glad I could help."
For a moment, Maris remained silent. Then she smiled. A genuine smile.
Royoshi looked toward her.
"Actually…"
"I wanted to ask you something."
Maris nodded.
"Go ahead."
Royoshi's expression slowly became serious.
"Who's Lucian?"
The smile immediately disappeared from Maris's face.
"…"
Royoshi noticed.
"Maris?"
Her eyes slowly widened.
"Lucian…"
Royoshi nodded.
"Yeah."
Maris remained silent for several moments.
Then,
"He's one of Sevran's greatest soldiers."
Royoshi's expression changed.
Maris's expression darkened.
"And he's stronger than me."
Royoshi froze.
Maris continued.
"I don't know much about him."
"But…"
Her expression became serious.
"I don't believe he's human."
Royoshi stared at her.
"What do you mean?"
Maris slowly looked away.
"He's made from something."
Royoshi remained silent.
"He's made from the Corrupted Shuryoku of dead Upbringers."
Royoshi's eyes widened.
"Dead Upbringers…?"
"You mean—"
Maris nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"The soldiers who died due to Shuryoku Corruption."
Royoshi couldn't speak.
"They once worked here."
"At the Citadel."
The room fell silent once again.
Royoshi slowly took a step back.
"I…"
His mind immediately returned to Rikishu's words.
A threat greater than Maris.
Lucian.
Suddenly—
Everything made sense.
Maris looked toward him.
"Anything else?"
Royoshi remained silent.
For a moment, he completely zoned out.
Then, another question entered his mind.
Royoshi looked toward Maris.
"Does Ms. Pasithea know about Rikishu?"
Maris immediately became quiet.
Royoshi waited.
After several moments,
"No."
Royoshi blinked.
Maris looked toward the door.
"She believes he's missing."
Royoshi's expression changed.
Maris continued.
"He made a promise to her—"
BANG!!
The door suddenly burst open.
"ROYOSHI!!!!!!!!"
Royoshi nearly jumped.
"MY POOR BOY!!!!"
"HUH?!"
Before Royoshi could react, someone immediately rushed toward him.
"WAIT—"
"AAAA—"
Rinaya Kairo immediately wrapped her arms around Royoshi from behind.
Royoshi's eyes widened.
"MOM!?!?"
"HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?!"
Rinaya hugged him even tighter.
"MY POOR BABY!!"
"MOM!"
Behind her,
A man slowly walked inside.
Zeyro Kairo.
"DAD?!"
Zeyro calmly looked around the room.
"We're your parents."
Royoshi blinked.
Zeyro crossed his arms.
"We can get in whenever and however we want."
Royoshi stared at him.
"WHAT?!?!"
Rinaya suddenly stopped. Her eyes moved toward the bed.
"And who's that—"
She paused.
Maris slowly looked toward her.
Rinaya's eyes widened.
"Wait…"
The room suddenly became silent.
"…Maris?"
Maris smiled softly.
"Long time no see, Mrs. Rinaya."