"Junior."

Moen heard a soft call.

He instinctively turned his head.

And then, in this dim, cramped little room, it felt as though the world suddenly lit up for him.

Anna had changed into a purple knee-length dress. The waistline was high, with a turtleneck design, and a black belt tied lightly around her, emphasizing her slender waist and making her chest seem even more prominent and full.

The hem of the dress swayed like layers of petals, revealing her long and shapely legs. Wrapped in glossy black stockings, they extended out like flower stamens, exuding an alluring charm.

"Do I look good?"

Anna gently lifted the hem of her skirt, and in that instant, it was like a flower blooming.

Her face was adorned with a light touch of makeup, her long hair casually swept over her chest. With every glance and smile, she was captivating, stealing one's soul.

"You look amazing."

Moen nodded fervently, like a pecking bird. It wasn't just flattery; he truly felt that the slightly dressed-up senior was more stunning than ever before.

He was completely mesmerized.

"I'm glad you like it."

Anna smiled contentedly, feeling that her first serious attempt at dressing up had not been in vain.

For the first time, she felt nervous before meeting someone.

"Hmph."

A cold snort, not quite in tune with the atmosphere, sounded from within the little store.

Anna turned her head to see the old man still lying in his rocking chair, eyes closed as if in deep sleep.

She walked over and gently placed a bottle of potion beside him.

"I made this just for you. In the future, when your joints ache, apply two drops. It should help relieve the pain."

“……”

"Stop sleeping in places like this. It's getting colder."

“……”

"In winter, just close the shop. I've pooled some money together to buy you a small house in the west side of the city. It's warm in winter, cool in summer—better than staying here."

“……”

"The orphanage over there, I’ll need you to help look after it."

“……”

"Sorry, this could be my last time coming back."

In the quiet little shop, it was all Anna's one-sided conversation.

The old man remained silent from beginning to end.

Anna didn’t appear annoyed. Perhaps she had already anticipated this reaction from him.

Leaving the potion and a set of keys beside the old man, Anna lowered her head slightly, hiding her emotions. Without another word, she turned and left the shop with Moen.

*Ding-dong.*

The breeze stirred the wind chime, producing a crisp, clear sound.

It only added to the solitude of the little shop.

The old man in the rocking chair finally opened his eyes. Lifting a hand as thin and frail as tree branches, he picked up the potion and studied it carefully.

"Dumb kid. Your potions? Who do you think taught you how to make them?"

Muttering to himself, the old man uncorked the potion bottle and gave it a light sniff.

In that instant, an unmistakable expression of amazement appeared on his aged face for the first time.

"So that's how it is... Your potion-making skills... have already surpassed me the old bag of bones, huh?"

…

…

"Who was that just now?"

Walking side by side with Anna through a secluded alleyway, Moen couldn’t suppress his curiosity and asked.

"He could be considered my foster father," Anna replied softly, brushing aside the strands of hair disheveled by the breeze.

"Foster father?"

"I told you before, didn't I? I grew up in an orphanage."

Anna lifted her head, gazing through the thin veil of clouds at the distant sunlight.

"The rule of the orphanage was that once you turned eleven, you had to leave and support yourself."

"Eleven?" Moen was stunned. "That's way too young! What can an eleven-year-old even do?"

"It's not young at all. In the Lower City District, eleven is a perfectly reasonable age to start living independently."

In a light but deliberate tone, Anna revealed this harsh truth about their world.

Moen fell silent.

Only then did he recall that this wasn't his previous life, where technological advancement ensured that most people could eat their fill, and no nation at peace would let eleven-year-olds fend for themselves.

This world, with all its powerful magic, advanced alchemy, and unspeakable divine entities, still had an underbelly of dire poverty and backwardness.

In the Lower City District, many people still fall asleep hungry every day.

"There was no helping it," Anna continued, her voice calm. "The orphanage had to make room to assist more children. But my years there were the happiest, most carefree time of my life. For that, I’m eternally grateful to the orphanage."

She clasped her hands behind her back, tilting her head playfully as she teased, "Junior, don't you say anything bad about the orphanage, okay?"

"Of course not. I should thank the orphanage for raising such a beautiful senior," Moen replied with a slight grin.

"You're still so good at sweet-talking," Anna said, her eyes sparkling briefly before she continued:

"But compared to the other children, I was relatively lucky. The year I left the orphanage, he took me in."

"The old man?"

"Yeah. He's an odd and mysterious fellow. He’s never told me his name or his background. That shop, aside from a few select patrons, hardly gets any customers at all. But he doesn’t care. Whenever I visit, he’s always there, lying in his rocking chair, napping as if he could sleep forever.

Even now, I don’t know what to call him properly."

“But it seems clear that he cares a great deal for you,” Moen remarked thoughtfully.

Anna paused for a moment before nodding softly. "Maybe. He's eccentric, but I can’t deny that everything I know—my skills in potions, magic, and how to survive in this world—I learned it all from him.

If it weren’t for him, there would be no me today."

Anna turned to glance back at the far end of the alley.

The little shop stood there amidst falling leaves—lonely yet persistent, as if it would remain open forever, always waiting for her return.

Just as it always had.

"That stubborn old man… I doubt he’ll agree to move into that new house." She murmured softly to herself.

Moen observed Anna quietly, and there was a flicker of something in his eyes.

"Senior," he called.

"Hm?"

"We’ll definitely come back here again. No question about it."

"…Yeah."

…

…

Exiting the unusually secluded street, Moen’s view suddenly expanded.

A broad river stretched across verdant fields, merging with two other vast rivers not far away. Together, they formed a majestic and boundless scene before flowing in luminous splendor toward the far horizon.

Though Belland wasn’t a coastal city, it was traversed by three rivers. Besides the famous Rhine River, the other two, Yaz and Groddar, each boasted their unique scenery.

Along the riverbank, abandoned buildings lay scattered, hidden amidst deep foliage and golden reeds. Anna and Moen strolled leisurely, side by side.

"This place is…"

Though still slightly puzzled, Moen didn’t object. He knew this date was orchestrated by Anna for the sake of "capturing his heart," yet the choice of this spot felt unfamiliar to him.

"This was where I used to come often as a child," Anna said as she passed alongside the weather-beaten structures, her fingers brushing against the green-covered walls and statues. Her gaze carried a trace of nostalgic warmth.

"To be honest, I don’t really have much experience with dates. I don’t know what exactly am I supposed to do. Moreover, I can’t exactly stroll around the main streets openly right now, so I figured I’d bring you to a place like this."

Anna turned her head apologetically. "You don’t mind, do you, Junior?"

"Not at all."

Moen smiled softly.

"As long as you're here, anywhere is fine."

"…"

Anna spun around abruptly and rolled her eyes at him.

"Who’s supposed to be wooing who here, huh? Are you trying to steal my role, you little playboy?"

"Of course, you’re wooing me."

Moen blinked cheekily.

"Why don’t you tell me about your past, Senior?"

"My past? There’s nothing really interesting to talk about."

"It’ll help me understand you better. Isn’t getting to know each other part of what dates are for?"

"Shouldn’t you go first then? Tell me about your past."

"My past?"

Moen scratched his head sheepishly. "If I tell you, you might get mad."

After all, Moen Campbell hadn’t exactly been a saint in his former life.

"…Junior."

"Yes?"

"Can I kick you?"

"Huh? Uh… Black stockings are amazing—ouch, that hurts!"

"…Junior, you’re such a pervert."

Anna pulled her leg back, its black-stockinged grace belying the impact of her kick as she sighed dramatically.

Then she extended a hand toward him.

"Hm?"

Moen, still clutching his sore calf, looked questioningly at the pale, delicate hand Anna had offered.

"The path ahead isn’t easy to walk," she said. "And also…"

Anna brushed back a strand of loose hair behind her ear and glanced sideways, her cheeks tinged with a shy blush.

"The books I’ve read said that holding hands is something people do on dates, right?"

"Holding hands…"

Moen swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry, his heart thumping wildly again.

He hadn’t expected his senior to suggest holding hands herself.

Was this another playful trick of hers?

He scrutinized that delicate hand, wondering if it concealed some sneaky magic trap. Perhaps touching it would cause a sudden electric shock, leaving his hair in a mess and Anna laughing uncontrollably—something like that.

"What’s wrong? You don't want to?"

"I want to. Of course, I want to!"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Moen grabbed her hand.

Even if it turned out to be a prank, he was willing to take the risk.

After all, he doubted there would ever come a day when he could resist his senior’s teasing, wouldn’t there?

But this wasn’t a trick.

He really did grasp her hand.

It was even smaller and softer than he had imagined—delicate and smooth, like it could melt against his palm.

But it was cold.

"Shall we go?"

For once, Anna seemed a bit shy. Turning her head away, she quickly resumed walking, tugging Moen along.

What lay ahead was a mountain trail.

The uneven stairs wound their way upward along the steep hillside. At the summit, nestled among lush greenery, the pointed roofs of buildings could be faintly seen.

The path was indeed difficult to walk. They stumbled frequently.

But realistically, given their abilities, no ordinary mountain trail should’ve posed a challenge.

Their unsteady strides probably reflected their hearts, not the terrain.

…

"When I was younger, I was actually a bit of a wild kid—probably crazy, really. My favorite thing to do was roam places like this; deserted and eerie spots in the middle of nowhere."

"Really? I never would’ve known."

"Everyone has a phase when they’re entirely different from who they are now."

Anna lifted her head and watched some birds emerge from the forest.

They were likely among the last flock to remain here; they too would soon fly south for the winter, returning only when spring blossoms arrived next year.

Would she still be here to see them?

"This place… I stumbled upon it by accident. It seems to be an abandoned village. Places like this are common around Belland. People moved into the city one by one, and these small villages naturally fell into disrepair."

At that time, I would wander through the vine-covered buildings, imagining them as castles. And I, living inside, would be a witch studying dark magic.”

“Not a princess?”

“Not?”

Anna gently shook her head.

“Being a princess means foolishly waiting for a prince to come rescue her. If the prince doesn’t come, well, she’s doomed.”

Moen was startled.

“But witches are different. Witches don’t need anyone to rescue them. They can use their knowledge and dark magic to struggle with all their might. Even if they fail, at least, before they die, they can still curse fate recklessly one last time.”

Traversing the winding mountain path, the two arrived at the summit.

An abandoned church appeared in Moen’s vision.

The church had partially collapsed under the wear of time and rain, but before the church, the statue of the goddess of life, Emil, still stood resolutely. Her hands lightly cupped, she gazed down at the world below with a sorrowful compassion.

“Let’s go up.” Anna suddenly said.

“Huh? Go up? But that’s a goddess statue…”

Before Moen could finish speaking, Anna leaped lightly, pressing onto the folds around the statue’s waist and gracefully settling onto the goddess’s cupped hand.

Moen’s eyes went wide—not just because his senior dared to sit atop a sacred statue in such a disrespectful act, but also because… from this angle…

It seemed he could faintly glimpse a forbidden territory beneath her black stockings and skirt.

“Junior…”

Anna pressed her skirt down, teasingly admonishing him:

“Come up.”

“…Coming.”

Moen wasn’t a follower of the Life Church, so naturally, he felt no psychological burden. Following Anna’s instructions, he leaped onto the goddess’s hand.

Well, he had to admit—the spot was surprisingly comfortable.

The size was just right, and the hand’s slight inward tilt meant that, as they sat, Moen found himself leaning closer to Anna. They sat side by side, almost pressing against each other.

Close enough to hear each other’s breaths.

It was then that Moen noticed where the goddess statue faced—a steep cliff, with the expansive confluence of three rivers below. Beyond that…

Before he could get a better look, Anna gently pressed his head down, directing his gaze downward.

“Don’t lift your head yet. Look over there,” she said, pointing.

Following her direction, Moen looked below.

At the bottom of the cliff, a fisherman was pulling in his net. It was clear he was overjoyed because, even from this distance, Moen could make out the large and seemingly plump fish he had caught from the water.

“Senior… Do you like fish?”

“I used to love them.”

“Used to?”

“Life at the orphanage was tough. We’d barely get to eat meat once or twice a month. But fortunately, I’ve been good at swimming since I was little, so whenever I got the chance, I’d sneak off to catch fish to eat.”

Anna’s voice carried a nostalgic tone as she spoke.

“The orphanage was strict. So back then, I’d always sneak out early before dawn, coming to this spot to play around like crazy. When I got hungry, I caught fish. When I was tired, I’d take the extra fish I caught, sell them at the market for money to buy books, and read until I lost track of time. I’d return late with some candy to share with the others, only to inevitably get scolded harshly by the nannies at the orphanage every single time.”

Watching Anna describe in detail just how fierce and terrifying the nannies were, Moen couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Senior was so mischievous back then?”

“I’m still mischievous now.” Anna turned towards him, playfully winking. “Haven’t you noticed, junior?”

Moen felt his heart skip a beat again.

“And then, when I turned eleven, I left the orphanage and was adopted by an old man. Under his strict instruction, I started studying potions and magic. I learned fast, and it didn’t take long before I could study independently. A few years later, I entered the academy. To facilitate research, I created the Ancient Potion Club. Eventually…

I met you, junior.

That’s my life story—doesn’t it sound boring?”

Anna tilted her head and gazed into Moen’s eyes, narrating her seemingly uneventful life in the simplest words.

Looking back at her, Moen felt a pang of sorrow.

“Senior.”

“Hmm?”

“Have you always been alone?”

“Huh?”

Moen gently raised his hand and reached out toward Anna.

Carefully observing the emotions in her eyes, ensuring she wasn’t averse, he softly placed his palm on her cheek, speaking with a tenderness tinged by sadness:

“In your story, from the orphanage to being adopted, and later the academy—apart from some necessary interactions and gathering materials for medicine—it seems… there haven’t been other people. No friends, no family. Have you always been alone?”

Anna paused for a moment, then lightly nuzzled against Moen’s hand with a carefree smile.

“Junior, you know why. I don’t know when I might turn into a monster. Getting too close to people would only bring them misfortune.”

“…”

Moen’s breath froze. An overwhelming, wrenching pain gripped his heart.

He recalled the first time he followed Anna into the potion lab. When they were about to leave, she stood alone by the window, gazing out at the distance. So solitary.

“Then why me? Why did you approach me, senior?”

“At first, it was because I heard you were a famous playboy and wanted to procure materials through you or your network. But later…”

A trace of puzzlement flashed across Anna’s delicate face. She looked toward the distance and murmured softly:

“Later, I didn’t know why anymore. I just felt it’s hard to detach myself from you, junior.”

“Is that—”

Moen was about to say something, but Anna raised a finger to hush him.

“Don’t speak yet. Now you can look up,” Anna said mysteriously, her eyes shimmering with an unintelligible light.

“Look up?”

Moen suddenly realized that Anna had been purposefully preventing him from looking toward the distance the whole time.

Why?

With this question in mind, Moen turned his head and looked toward the horizon.

And then—

A massive sunset filled his view.

Crimson rays rolled like tidal waves, drowning everything in their warmth. The dignified sun, gentle in its touch, illuminated the vast water below. Light rippled across its surface like the goddess’s veil, flowing romantically with the waves. Passing sailboats and echoing horns broke the scene into fleeting silhouettes, ephemeral and dreamlike.

Just moments ago, it had been an ordinary sun. But now, it seemed to have been ignited by the most whimsical magic in the world. Its fiery reds painted the verdant hills and crystal-clear waters, like a vibrantly contrasted oil painting—breathtakingly beautiful.

“This is…”

Moen couldn’t help but stare in awe. Coming from a forest of steel and concrete, he had never seen such a view.

No, even from the memories of Moen Campbell, he had never encountered beauty this… heart-stopping.

“What you’re seeing now,” Anna said softly, “is the most beautiful sight I’ve ever known.”

Reflecting on her earlier words, Moen began to understand.

Anna hugged her knees, resting her chin upon them. Her gem-like eyes reflected the sunset, the clouds, and the astonished face of the boy beside her. She looked reminiscent of the young girl running across the hills, discovering this breathtaking view for the first time.

“As you can see, my life is boring all the time. I don’t know what a perfect date looks like,” she continued, her tone carrying an enchanting mix of melancholy and wonder. “I don’t know how to fall in love, or how to move someone’s heart.

And I certainly don’t know how to gift treasured gems or luxurious presents like you, junior.

So—”

Anna hugged her legs, her cheek resting on her knee, her gem-like eyes reflecting the sunset, the clouds, and the teenager's dismayed face, as delighted and bewildered as that little girl who had been running madly all over the hills and had first stumbled upon this stunning scene:

“I wondered I’d share the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen in my life… with you.”