Just experienced the first battle, and achieved the first victory.

But why?

Why... why...

The things lost seem to weigh heavier compared to the hard-won victory.

Yukari wiped away the tears from her eyes with her sleeve, looking at Lan, who was already thin and pale, with disbelief, only a faint breath left.

"Her energy is no longer enough to meet her needs. It might be over in a while..."

"Shut up!!"

Yukari, burning with anger, bit her lip and then viciously grabbed at Hordos's neck.

Everything happened too suddenly, Yukari's speed was so fast that it was almost impossible to distinguish with the naked eye, but what surprised Chiyori and the others was that Hordos was even faster and more accurate!

Just by raising his hand, he firmly grasped her wrist, and his expression was extremely cruel.

"If you really don't want something like this to happen again, learn how to protect your own life. In the greenhouse, we do everything to stay alive!"

After severely reprimanding Yukari, Hordos left a sentence before going to sleep in the nearby cabin.

"It's already late, I'll leave this place to the ladies."

Hordos took off his hat, bowed deeply to Lanjie, who was lying on the bed with a desolate look, and then walked out in the awkward atmosphere.

"What an annoying guy!"

Although his strength couldn't be denied, Yukari still hated him with clenched teeth.

Chiyori tried to comfort her as calmly as possible.

"Let it go, let it go. Hordos didn't mean it. After all, losing a comrade is difficult for us all, and he is no exception."

"No exception?!"

Yukari angrily pointed her index finger at the room next door after hearing Chiyori's words.

"Look at his expression. Does he look like a guy who sincerely prays for his comrades?"

"Well..."

"Anyway, he's just a selfish bastard who is glad he survived!"

"Yukari, how can you say such things about others?"

The more Chiyori tried to persuade her, the more Yukari became angry. Just when the situation was about to get out of control, the sound of the door opening suddenly came from the next room. Hordos walked into Yukari's room wearing a neatly dressed white shirt and black formal pants, with his long gray hair shining in the air, and said seriously.

"If you think about it, I should be the highest-ranking officer here, right?"

"So what!"

Yukari still spoke to him unkindly, but she was still interested in what tricks he would play.

Hordos floated his palm above Lanjie's body, while everyone looked confused, and then explained with a hint of apology.

"Just a thought, since I am the highest-ranking person here, I can't just stand by and watch my subordinates in danger, right?"

"Oh, so what do you want to thank me for?"

"Well, just do what I can..."

"Tch! Just do what you can, that's all you can do."

Yukari crossed her arms in front of her chest and continued to mock Hordos, but he no longer hesitated like before and didn't engage in verbal sparring with Yukari.

A dark purple aura emerged from the palm of his hand and gradually filled Lan's chest.

Chiyori and Nindo were puzzled by this, especially Yukari, who asked Hordes with a trembling voice, "What... what are you doing?"

"I'm just replenishing my aura to your squad leader... Ahh!" Hordes slowed down and struggled as he spoke, then continued to transfer his aura and calmly explained Lan's current situation.

"Unfortunately, it seems that my aura can only restore her energy flow and not activate her consciousness. To wake her up, we need some kind of special... Puh!"

Suddenly, a large pool of dark, murky blood spewed out of his mouth, shocking Yukari and Chiyori.

Right before Yukari's eyes, Hordes fell to the floor due to exhaustion.

His once resolute face turned pale in an instant. forcibly stripping one's aura from the body is a dangerous act, one that even seasoned aristocrats of the SS level dare not attempt carelessly.

Hordes, a young and newly-promoted aristocrat, was only at the peak level of the S rank in terms of strength.

But he still did it, even knowing that he would die, willingly sharing his spiritual power with Lan!

"Nin, come over here quickly, let's bring Mr. Dos to the room!"

At this point, no one cared about Yukari anymore. Chiyori and Nin worked together to lift the barely conscious Hordes from the ground.

Leaving Yukari alone, standing still, thinking to herself.

Aren't you afraid of death?

If that's the case, then why would you do something that goes against your own will?

Yukari sat down by Lan's bed, slowing down her movements, and asked her with a disappointed trembling voice, "Can you tell me the answer?"

Leaning against the wall carved with golden patterns, stepping on the wooden stairs, everything in front of me was so familiar. However, so much time had passed that the decorations in these houses were almost forgotten.

When I reached the halfway point of the second-floor landing, there was a profoundly desolate atmosphere in the air. It was gradually pulling my body forward.

I held onto the railing of the stairs and stood in front of the door opposite to the second floor. Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself, "It's okay. As long as I push open this door, I will..."

Click! The door wasn't locked, so I easily swung it open.

In my mind, I silently apologized for disturbing, while grasping the doorknob.

The door, made of white birch wood, slowly opened, and a dazzling sunset red instantly burst out from the room.

Temporarily unable to adapt, I had to use my hand to shield my eyebrows, attempting to adjust my sight to the brightness.

"You idiot, Paroni! How many times must I say it? You're not allowed to enter my room without my permission!"

"Huh?!"

I suddenly woke up from my daze and looked up towards the room.

White sheets, simple decorations... This was just a plain guest room, with nothing particularly special.

"I find it strange. Somehow, it doesn't feel like it should be this way here."

Drowsy and unsteady, I took steps into the room and found a clean spot near the windows.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak...!!"

Many birds linger on the balcony, with the most common being the white dove with snow-white feathers.

They fly in flocks to this place only because Mom often feeds them, so every evening when the sun sets, they come here to beg for food.

"Hey, do you want to eat corn?"

I took out some of the corn that Mom prepared in the cupboard in the guest room, and scattered it all over the balcony.

Looking at the dozens of pigeons eating corn eagerly, my brain started to ache again.

"Paroni, look at these pigeons, they look like teachers with glasses, so funny!"

The girl with clear eyes looked at me with watery eyes, as if she was eagerly waiting for my reply.

She gently stroked the pigeons, then turned her head and said stubbornly,

"Hmph, if you don't say anything, I... I won't talk to you anymore!"

"I..."

When I opened my eyes again, I realized that I had fallen asleep sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What? It was just a dream?"

I sat up and stretched, murmuring in surprise.

"Hmm, strange... why is my arm so numb, did I sleep on it?"

I noticed a noticeable indentation on the left side of the bed, which was right next to where I was sleeping.

Sniffing carefully, I even smelled the scent of jasmine perfume used by a girl.

"Did someone used to cuddle with me here, or was it just my imagination?"

I rubbed my messy hair and slightly puzzled, opened the glass door.

Then I quietly enjoyed this tranquility on the balcony.

This melancholy belonged only to me, but there was a place in my heart...

Was it empty? Why am I regretting?

"Cough, cough, cough...! "

Suddenly, my chest felt like it was being blocked by something, making me cough violently.

Black started to graffiti the surrounding world, deceiving colors devouring me little by little.

There was a girl in my heart, always hard to recall.

Falling dispiritedly on the bed, the neatly arranged sheets instantly torn apart.

"Where are you? Don't make me keep searching, okay?!"

I could only sob in a voiceless plea.

"Don't play with me anymore, okay?"

The darkness gradually spread to both sides of me, and I chose to give up struggling.

Black rain, a silent night, everywhere filled with sorrow and loneliness.

"What is it exactly? It has already left my heart, but... why?!"

Suppressing the tears welling up in my eyes, I desperately roared at the sky.

"Why do I want you to come back, please, come back?!"

As soon as my voice fell, a green light began to flicker on the middle finger of my right hand.

The green emblem emitted a faint green light from the center of the ring, then shot out.

"This emblem... is it the Life Emblem?"

I never expected that my copied competence could actually copy and use the Life Emblem's competence. What surprises me even more is that the Life Emblem can actually bring back things that don't exist?

"Paroni, I... I..."

"It's you, Nana?"

Suddenly, heaps of memories surged from my mind, and in those memories, my sister still smiled at me, revealing her most genuine smile.

She was like a mosaic of light spots, shining brightly in front of me, leaving me with the most beautiful moment, before returning to me once again.

I gently walked over and touched her cheek with my own hand, feeling the warmth as if I had returned to the day we first met.

My sister held my hand and I followed behind her.

The two of us looked towards the future, walking side by side!

Until the dusk sun shone on her cheeks, casting a blush, she hesitantly expressed her true thoughts.

"Actually, I never really saw Paroni as a brother..."

"I understand."

"No, you don't understand!"

My sister interrupted my absent-mindedness with an anxious attitude. Sometimes she seemed like she wanted to let out what she had been holding back, but then hesitated.

"Paroni, um...actually, I wanted to say..."

Just as my sister gathered the courage to loudly express her true feelings, a large wave rose from the lake and swallowed her voice.

"I don't want to leave just like that, brother. Besides, you also desire for me to stay, don't you?"

I saw my sister, dressed in a black dress, come up to me and whisper in my ear.

"Stop blaming yourself. Thanks to you, I am finally a complete being!"