It didn't take long for Anastasia to make a decision about the boy. She didn't even know herself why she decided to take him to the capital—perhaps she was seeing a fragment of her past self in that small boy.
"But are we sure we should take him? When we ourselves walk the edge of danger... can we really offer him safety, when our own is still a question?"
Jeremy said with a look of concern
"I think Jeremy might be right… what if we end up putting him in danger, just because we made him come with us?"
Anastasia looked at both of her friends, then spoke softly, "I know… I really do. But I'm doing this because…"
How do I tell them? That I just don't want him to suffer the way I did… she thought to herself, then continued,
"Because I want to."
They were still talking when someone knocked on the door—three times.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
As Marriane opened the door, she saw a boy.
Wait... this is the same guy from before?
How can someone change this much from just a single bath?!
The boy quietly entered the room and sat on the nearby sofa.
No one spoke for a few seconds. It was as though everyone was being considerate of the little boy.
Breaking the silence, Anastasia hesitated before speaking. "Uh... so, you're clean now. Want to eat something?"
The boy nodded.
The boy seemed quite handsome, with dark eyes and pale skin...Yeah, I guess he needs to eat a lot—he's looking pretty skinny right now.
Anastasia knelt in front of the boy and asked quietly, "Do you like eating?"
The boy gave a puzzled expression. "Huh?"
"Of course you do, every human does," Anastasia said, realizing how silly she sounded. "What I meant to ask was, do you want to eat whatever you want, whenever you want?"
"Uh, I... I get to eat everything?" the boy asked slowly.
"Yes, everything," Anastasia replied with a smile.
"What do I need to do, though?" the boy asked
"I know no human would ever do an act of kindness without hoping for something in return," the boy said quietly.
"Hnnn, yes, you're right," Anastasia replied thoughtfully.
"Nothing in this world is free," Anastasia said firmly. "You need to work hard and prove your worth if you want to keep enjoying the luxury of eating and living your life in peace."
"What kind of work, if I may ask?" the boy inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"Strong," Anastasia said. "You need to become strong."
....
Far from the populated areas, in a quiet, shadowy corner, a group of people in black robes were chanting something in front of a dark building.
Soon, a subtle movement rippled through the wall. One by one, they stepped into it—and vanished. As if nothing had ever been there to begin with, the front of the building fell silent once more.
Inside the wall, everything was different—it felt as though they had entered an entirely new world.
But this new world was horrible. There were countless children of all ages, scattered throughout the area.