The soft warmth of the morning sun seeped through the tall, arched window, spilling golden light across the chamber. Dust motes drifted lazily in the air, glowing like tiny sparks. Dila stirred, her eyelashes fluttering as she slowly opened her eyes. For a moment, she lay still, listening to the faint rustle of curtains swaying against the breeze and the quiet rhythm of someone's breathing nearby.
Her gaze shifted, and she found Fran curled up on the chair beside her bed. The girl's head had tilted to the side, her arms hugging her knees, her ears twitching slightly even in her sleep. Her face was peaceful, framed by her long navy-blue hair, though faint traces of exhaustion lingered around her eyes. Dila watched her for a moment, a strange ache softening in her chest.
With effort, she pushed herself up, her body heavy as if weighed down by stones. A sharp breath escaped her lips, not from pain but from the weakness that still clung to her. She glanced down, her silver-white hair falling loosely across her shoulders. Slowly, she lifted the edge of the blanket and looked at herself.
Her stomach.... the place where torn flesh and deep wounds once marred her skin.... was whole again. Pale, smooth, untouched, though faint scars shimmered under the sunlight like ghostly reminders of what she endured. Her hands trembled slightly as she traced the spot, unable to believe it. The tears and bruises across her body were gone as well. Even the swelling of her face, which had once been painful to the touch, had faded completely. It was as though her suffering had been erased overnight, leaving behind only the memory of it.
Her throat tightened, and her eyes grew moist. She didn't know whether to feel relief or fear at the thought of how she had been restored. The sunlight warmed her pale skin, but she felt a chill in her heart, whispering that this peace might not last.
Still, she sat there, quietly staring at her healed body, her mind heavy with thoughts, while Fran slept soundly in the chair, unaware of the storm of emotions stirring inside Dila.
Then suddenly after a moment.
Fran's lashes lifted, her blue eyes cloudy from sleep but quickly sharpening. The moment she saw Dila awake, her lips parted, and tears welled instantly. Her voice cracked, fragile and trembling.
"Sister...."
She pushed herself up, stumbled two steps forward, then wrapped her arms around Dila tightly, burying her face against her chest. "Sister!" she cried again, her whole body trembling.
Dila blinked at her sudden embrace, a faint surprise passing over her expression before she let out a small, gentle smile. She lifted her arm slowly and rested her hand on Fran's back, feeling the warmth of her shivering body pressed so close.
"What gives.... why are you that happy just because I woke up?" Dila asked softly, her voice low but tinged with warmth.
Fran's shoulders shook harder. Her tears spilled freely, wetting the fabric of Dila's clothes. "It's because...." she sobbed, her words breaking with each breath. "It's because you keep getting hurt all the time, Sister.... and not just your body, but your heart too. You're always burdened, always suffering.... and I...." Her hands clutched tighter onto Dila, as though afraid she would vanish again. "I'm starting to feel like I'm the reason it's piling up.... because of my stubbornness, because I'm always selfish. And every time I watch you hurt, it feels like it's my fault."
Dila's heart tightened. She closed her eyes briefly, then placed her hand on Fran's head, gently stroking through her soft navy-blue hair. Her smile was tender, though her chest still ached from hearing Fran's pain.
"No, Fran," she whispered, her voice like a fragile comfort, "it's not your fault. If anything.... it's mine. I was reckless, I pushed myself too far, and I let my emotions cloud me. That's why I ended up like this. You didn't cause this.... I did."
Fran shook her head violently, refusing the words. Her tears kept coming as she buried herself deeper into Dila's embrace. "No.... no, it's not you, Sister. It's never you," she whispered back, voice muffled against her.
For a moment, silence hung between them, filled only with the sound of Fran's quiet sobbing and the gentle rhythm of Dila's hand rubbing her hair. The sunlight glowed across them both, as if sealing the moment in fragile warmth.... sister and sister, clinging to each other, each refusing to let the other carry the weight of blame alone.
Dila's ears twitched faintly, her sharp senses catching what others might miss. She turned her head slightly, her blue eyes narrowing toward the heavy double doors. The air around her shifted, faintly weighted with another presence.
"Come on in.... don't just stand there all day," she said softly, her voice calm yet carrying a subtle firmness.
The silence broke with the faint creak of the massive doors. Fran, still hugging Dila tightly, lifted her head and turned her gaze. Her catlike ears twitched, her tail curling as her eyes landed on the figure entering.
King Albedo stood there, almost awkwardly, his imposing frame seeming smaller as he lingered in the doorway. His long white hair caught the sunlight spilling through the windows, but his expression was unguarded.... vulnerable. His usual cold composure faltered as he spoke in a quiet, trembling voice.
"I'm sorry...." he said, the words sincere, almost fragile, as if he had carried their weight for too long. His blue eyes were not the sharp ones of a king, but of a father stripped bare of his pride.
Dila looked at him, her expression calm, her voice steady as if trying to keep herself from wavering. "Aren't you supposed to be taking care of the kingdom.... drowning yourself in papers and duties?"
There was a pause, and Albedo shifted, his hand brushing against the doorframe as though he needed its support. He cleared his throat, but the sound carried a rawness instead of authority.
"For now...." he said quietly, lowering his head, "you are more important than anything I could imagine." His voice cracked slightly at the edges, his pride slipping through the cracks of his worry. "The kingdom can wait.... my daughter cannot."
Fran's hold around Dila tightened at those words. Her eyes shimmered, darting between the two elves.... father and daughter. Dila's heart clenched with a confusing mix of emotions she could not name. She simply sat there, the sunlight painting her pale face, her lips pressing together as she quietly held Fran, while her father's trembling figure remained by the door, as if afraid to step closer yet unable to leave.
Albedo shifted uneasily, his hand still pressed against the edge of the great double door. His voice trembled as if the words were fragile in his throat. "Umm.... my daughter."
Dila blinked, her head tilting slightly. "What?"
He cleared his throat again, softer, almost hesitant. "Since you lost your magical power.... I want to enroll you in the Magical Academy. There.... your strength can be restored."
For a heartbeat, Dila's blue eyes widened. The thought rushed through her mind like a spark of light in a dark chamber. Yes.... if I enter the academy, then maybe.... I can bring back Nari. And when the time comes.... I'll leave quietly without anyone noticing. It's a win.... win.
A gentle smile curved across her lips. Her pale face, once tired and heavy with pain, now seemed brighter. "Yes.... I think I'd love that," she said, her voice soft but filled with hope.
Seeing her smile, Albedo's chest loosened. His own lips trembled into a rare, warm smile. "So.... are you okay with it then?" he asked, blue eyes softening in a way they seldom did.
"Yes.... I'd love to," Dila repeated, her voice steady this time.
Fran, who had never let go of her sister's waist, lifted her tear-stained face and pressed her cheek against Dila's shoulder. Her cat ears twitched with joy as she squeezed her tighter. "Sister...." she whispered, smiling through the tears that clung stubbornly to her lashes.
Dila stroked Fran's hair gently, her smile lingering. The warmth between them filled the room, and for the first time in a long while, even Albedo felt the weight on his chest ease as he watched them together.
Then the faintest curve of a grin playing on his lips.
"Ooh.... you can bring your pet cat along with you," he said, voice teasing as his gaze flicked toward Fran. "That way she can sharpen her little assassin skills."
The air cracked for a moment. Dila's blue eyes sharpened like glass, her ears twitching as a flicker of cold steel passed through her expression. Her voice, firm and cutting, broke the playful air.
"She's not a pet," Dila said, holding Fran tighter. "She's my family.... unlike you."
The words struck harder than intended, hanging in the silence. Albedo's smile froze. For the briefest second, his blue eyes betrayed a flicker of hurt. Then, with effort, he curved his lips into a forced, almost awkward laugh.
"Ha....ha.... right. Your family. Of course," he said, masking his sting with a thin smile. "I was only joking."
Fran, still clinging to Dila's waist, tilted her head up. Her blue eyes were soft with warmth, though a faint tear still clung to her lashes from before. With a small giggle, she pressed her cheek against Dila and murmured, "I don't mind being called your pet.... if it means I get to stay by your side."
Dila's cheeks softened, though her voice carried the same firm edge as she scolded her. "Fran.... don't encourage him."
Fran only smiled wider, closing her eyes as she nestled against her sister's warmth, the tension in the room easing with her innocent stubbornness.