"Lilia..." Wren repeated silently, committing the name to memory.
?"Yes, I am eight years old" Lilia says with quiet pride, wiping away her tears with the sleeve of her oversized prison rags.
?"Oh, that’s nice. That’s a good age," Wren replies softly, his voice still strained from his paralyzed state.
?"Big brother... how old are you?"
?Wren blinks, his mind stalling for a second. "Me? Uh... I actually forgot."
?Lilia pulls back slightly, her big, tear-filled eyes wide with confusion. "How do you forget your own age?"
?"Well... I just don’t keep track of my birthdays anymore."
?As he says it, Wren realizes it’s the absolute truth. Back when he was a little kid, his family used to celebrate every single birthday with warmth and laughter. But ever since that incident—ever since his entire world was violently upended—the very concept of a birthday had become something he despised, a painful reminder of everything he had lost.
?Trying to push the heavy memories away, Wren forces a faint, tired smile. "I’m eighteen."
?Lilia gasps, her jaw dropping as she stares at him in absolute awe. "Woah... big brother is that old?!"
?"Yes," Wren chuckles weakly, his chest aching slightly. "What did you think? That I was some old man?"
?Lilia vigorously shakes her head, a tiny, watery smile finally breaking through her tears.
?"Also... I am very strong," Lilia says, her voice carrying a strange, proud determination.
?Wren glances down at her impossibly tiny arms, which look like little more than twigs under her ragged sleeves.
?As if sensing his silent skepticism, Lilia immediately puffs out her cheeks, her eyes narrowing defensively. "I am! I can carry two whole bowls of soup all by myself!"
?Hearing that, Envy instantly bursts into a fit of uproarious laughter.
?"Pfft—HAHAHA! Two bowls of soup?! Oh, how truly terrifying! Perhaps the entire continent should tremble before her almighty wrath!" the spectral owl cackles, clutching its stomach.
?Lilia’s face flushes a bright, angry red from embarrassment.
?"I—I can carry three! Three bowls!"
?Envy gasps so dramatically it nearly falls right out of the air, spinning in a mock panic.
?"Impossible! Such overwhelming power! Wren, do you understand what this means? We’ve finally found a monster capable of carrying three whole bowls of soup! Why, she might even be strong enough to challenge the legendary Four-Bowl Champion!"
?"Shut up, you bad owl!" Lilia snaps, her cheeks burning.
?Without missing a beat, Lilia snatches a small, dirty piece of cloth from beside the pallet and flings it with all her might right at Envy.
?The rag sails through the air, passing straight through the spectral creature’s body as if it were nothing more than thin smoke.
?Envy gasps again, pressing its wings against its chest in utter mock horror.
?"An assassination attempt! Wren, look at this! Your little sister is trying to brutally murder me in cold blood!"
?Wren just stares at the two of them, a slow, bewildered sigh escaping his lips. Caught between the irritating bird’s endless sarcasm and the fiercely proud little girl, he honestly has no idea what he’s supposed to say to any of this.
?For a brief, impossible moment in the middle of a brutal, unforgiving prison, the suffocating darkness of Norhera feels just a little bit lighter.
Kreeeeak—thud.
?The heavy, rusted iron door of the cell swings open with a sharp, ear-piercing shriek that echoes off the damp stone walls, followed by a dull, heavy thud as it slams against the frame.
?Because of his total paralysis, Wren can’t even turn his head to check who just walked in.
?The moment the door opens, Envy flickers and vanishes into thin air without a sound, leaving no trace behind.
?Footsteps ring out against the cold floor—not just one person, but several. A group of figures marches into the dim cell. They are all wearing identical, standardized uniforms cut in stark shades of black and deep green, their heavy boots clicking in unison as they advance toward the pallet.
The footsteps grew louder as the group approached Wren’s pallet.
One of the men stepped forward, his black-and-green uniform noticeably cleaner than those of the others. A silver badge was pinned to his chest, bearing the emblem of a sword crossed over a set of scales.
He glanced down at Wren, then at the little girl standing beside him.
Before Wren can even try to crane his neck to see who has entered, a sharp, authoritative voice cuts through the dim cell.
?"Hey, Lilia. What are you still doing in here? Didn’t I tell you to head straight back to the quarters?"
?The prison officer’s cold gaze locks onto the little girl, his eyes narrowing with a mix of warning and strict discipline.
?"Go on. Move. Everyone is already waiting for you in the mess hall."
The officer’s stern voice made Lilia flinch.
She immediately lowered her head, her tiny fingers clutching the hem of her oversized shirt.
"B-But..."
"What’s that?" The officer raised an eyebrow. "Speak up, girl."
Lilia’s shoulders trembled.
"I... I want to stay here a little longer."
The officer’s expression hardened.
"I already told you to return to the quarters. Do you want me to repeat myself?"
"N-No..."
Lilia took a hesitant step backward, but her eyes remained fixed on Wren.
"B-But Big Brother Wren just woke up! He’s still hurt, and he can’t even move! What if something happens to him while I’m gone?"
Wren’s golden eyes widened slightly.
Big Brother Wren? When did I tell her my name?
Before he could question her, Envy’s voice echoed inside his mind.
You did mumble your name while you were unconscious, genius.
Oh.
Truly a remarkable intellect. I’m amazed you managed to survive this long.
Shut up.
The officer let out an impatient sigh.
"Listen, Lilia. This isn’t your home. You can’t spend the entire day sitting beside every injured prisoner you come across."
"But—"
"No buts. The other children are waiting for you."
Her fingers tightened around the dirty fabric of her clothes.
"I... I don’t want to go back yet..."
For the first time, Wren noticed something strange.