Sophia tilted her head slightly, studying the little boy with quiet confusion. Once assured he held no hostility, she withdrew her wand—but her hand remained firmly clenched around the dagger at her waist.

Seeing Sophia’s continued coldness, the boy’s eyes welled up. Tears began to patter down his cheeks. With a thud, he dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead hard against the earth. “My mom… my dad… the bandits killed them…”

“I… *sob*… I want to learn magic like my sister! I want to protect others!”

*Not revenge?*

*Hmph… What a gentle child…*

Sophia blinked, momentarily shaken by his choked sobs, then smoothed her expression back to calm neutrality.

“I cannot teach you.”

The boy’s heart sank—he thought she simply refused. But Sophia spoke truth.

Her magic came from the Lake Fey. It wasn’t that she’d *learned* Fey Magic; the spells were etched into her soul, as natural as moving her own limbs.

She recalled An mentioning how some ancient races inherit magic through bloodlines. *Perhaps mine is the same.*

“If you seek magic,” Sophia said coolly, “go to Nexar City. The Mage Association is there. If your talent shines, they’ll train you.”

Just then, she noticed the grilled fish was ready and quickly lifted it from the flames.

An leaped over, snatched two fish in its mouth, and began savoring them slowly.

The fish was dry—Sophia’s clumsy cooking and lack of salt made it bland—but still far better than sour wild berries.

The boy watched her sit on a riverside stone, eating without a glance at him. A flicker of frustration stirred in his chest.

*I only want strength!*

*I never want anyone I care about to suffer again!*

*Yet my desperate plea means less to her than this slightly burnt fish…*

*And the Mage Association…*

“I… I can’t…”

“What?” Sophia asked, cherry-pink lips holding a bite of fish, eyes softening with confusion.

“I can’t go… They’d kill me before teaching me a single spell…”

“?”

Sophia’s brow furrowed. *How could the Mage Association harbor such hatred for a village boy?*

“Mmm… If it’s *him*… that lot from the Mage Association…” An’s voice echoed in her mind, laced with dry amusement and a side note: *“Also, this fish is way too dry. Foolish human.”* “…Yeah, they might actually kill him.”

“Him?” Sophia caught the word instantly.

“Yep. Can’t say who *he* is yet. But this little human hatchling? Could be… interesting. In every sense.”

“…So?” Sophia narrowed her eyes at An, silently adding, *You’re picking fish bones again.*

“Train him well, Little Princess… he might become your ally. *Maybe.*”

“Why the question mark?”

“Hehe. Who knows?”

Sophia sighed inwardly. She disliked unpredictable variables—especially ones that lingered too close.

“Big sister… please… *please*…”

The boy’s forehead pressed hard into the dirt, voice trembling with sobs. Sophia didn’t need to see his face to know despair filled his eyes.

*Just… like I was back then.*

…

“No… no… Father, don’t die… please…”

“Little Feiya… *cough*… run… run…”

“Father! Someone… *sob*… who can save him?!”

“Little Prince… why not wish upon me?”

…

“Little Princess? *Little Princess?*”

An’s voice pulled her back. She glanced at the creature, now finishing its second fish.

“An.”

“Hmm?”

“As you said… in what way could *he* help me?”

An froze. Its slitted pupils fixed on Sophia’s delicate face, bathed in soft morning light. A faint, knowing smirk curled its lips. “Ah. In the very way you wished for.”

No further explanation was needed.

Sophia’s purpose had never wavered:

Destroy the Regan Empire. Erase the shadow who drove a sword through her father’s heart.

Her gaze darkened. She looked at the boy still bowed before her.

After a long silence—

“What is your name?”

To the boy, her cool voice sounded like an angel’s whisper. He jerked his head up. Blood streaked his forehead, crimson tracing down his brow before splattering the ground. He didn’t seem to feel it. Instead, he grinned—a bright, radiant smile.

“Yugo. My name is Yog Sothoth.”

Sophia froze.

*That smile… so familiar…*

*Like the hope I once held…*

*…Only to learn it was a fleeting illusion.*

Across from them, An’s eerie gaze locked onto the boy.

*“Now it begins…”*

“Yugo…”

“Mm-hmm!”

“…”

Sophia held his gaze for a long moment.

“As I said,” she replied, voice calm as still water, “I cannot teach you magic.”

“…I… I see…” Yugo whispered, head bowing low. The faint glimmer of hope in his eyes slowly faded.