The hospital gates opened quietly as the group escorted Raga toward the main building. It was a peaceful evening, the sky tinted in almost dark, and the vibe was unusually light.
Just then—thud!
A small doll bounced off Zorion's head and landed by his feet.
"Ouch," Zorion winced, rubbing his scalp. "Are the gods above trying to tell me I should start wearing skirts like this doll?"
The group turned their eyes upward. A girl on the second floor balcony screamed " It's mine."
And quickly ran down the stairs. She approached silently, picking up the doll from the group with a faint smile and a gentle nod.
, then turned to leave.
Alethea stared, frozen. "Did you guys see that?"
Sathvic nodded slowly. "Yes."
Zorion chimed in, "Yeah—the doll's skirt was torn."
Smack! Alethea punched his arm.
Eucliea and Phylax blinked. "See what?"
Alethea leaned closer. "The piercings. On her right ear. Three of them. Side by side."
Sathvic added, "It's an Indran ritual—used in our region only. That girl... she's likely Indran."
A pause. Then Alethea whispered, "But what is she doing here in an orphan's hospital, in Zaherra?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"We need to find out."
Alethea's eyes stayed locked on the girl's retreating figure. "Three piercings… an Indran tradition. That girl's one of us."
Sathvic folded his arms, tone cautious. "Playing detective in a foreign country? That's not just bold—it's dangerous."
Phylax nodded, uneasy. "You're guests here. Poking around without reason could put her and you guys at risk."
But before Alethea could respond, Eucliea gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "If there's even a chance she's alone and from Indra… you were right to notice."
Alethea smiled faintly.
Zorion scratched his head. "I mean… if she's Indran, and she's an orphan here, we at least deserve to know why."
Their eyes met.
A moment passed.
Then, united by a quiet resolve, the group walked together toward the hospital reception.
Alethea spoke first, "We'd like to know what happens to orphans here and are there any orphans from Indra here?"
Alethea stepped forward to the receptionist's desk, voice calm but curious.
"What happens to orphans here? Are there any… from Indra?"
The receptionist raised her eyebrows, flipping through a logbook.
"Well no, as of now, there are no orphans from Indra in our records. As for what happens to orphans here… those with even distant family are usually taken in. Like the boy you brought—Raga. His great-uncle applied to take him in."
She leaned back slightly, voice lowering as she gestured toward the play area.
"But ones like that girl over there with the doll? No info. No family. No background. Cases like hers, we send them to ZU's orphanage."
Alethea didn't respond. She simply turned and walked away.
The group followed.
Except for Phylax—he waited outside, arms crossed, watching the hospital gates.
Alethea and Eucliea reached the play area. The girl was still there, kneeling on the floor, playing with the doll.
Eucliea crouched down beside her with a soft smile.
"Hey. Can you come with us for a moment?"
Alethea knelt too, her voice firm yet gentle.
"We just need to talk."
After guiding the girl to a quieter corner of the hospital courtyard, they sat around her in a gentle circle.
Zorion was the first to speak, his voice unusually soft.
"Are you… from Indra?"
The girl, barely Raga's age, froze. Her little fingers clutched the hem of her doll's dress. Her expression turned blank.
"…How… how do you know?" she whispered, eyes wide.
Alethea didn't say anything right away. She simply pulled the girl into a hug, wrapping her arms around her like a protective shell.
"It's okay, baby," she whispered. "You can tell us."
The hug was warm. Steady. Real.
And slowly, the girl's tears came. Quiet sobs, like she hadn't let them out in days. Maybe months.
Alethea gently patted her head, staying silent as the girl cried against her.
Zorion, Eucliea, and Sathvic stood nearby—quiet, grounded—watching the moment unfold with a heavy, unspoken respect.
Something big had just been uncovered. And none of them knew what was coming next.
Inaya's lips trembled as she looked at each of them, clutching her doll tightly to her chest. Her voice cracked as she spoke, barely above a whisper.
"I'm… from Indra. My name is Inaya."
Zorion gave a small nod. Alethea was still kneeling beside her, hands gently on her shoulders.
Inaya took a shaky breath.
"My mom… and grandma… they were my world. We didn't have much, but we had each other. My mother would braid my hair before school. My grandmother would tell me stories about the old days… she smelled like warm tea and flowers." Her voice wavered. "They loved me."
She looked down.
"Then… during the Equinox series two years ago, my father said he had special tickets. He told me we were going on a 'big trip.' I was so excited…"
A pause.
"Then when we arrived here he said he'd get us the best seats.". He told me to go in first, said he'd follow after getting snacks." Her eyes darkened. "He never came."
The group froze.
"I waited the whole match. Then days. Then I ended up here. They said I was found alone… crying. I didn't speak or walk until last month. They said I was traumatized. I still dream of Mom. I still… feel like maybe she's looking for me."
Tears rolled down her face. Alethea pulled her into a full embrace, whispering, "It's okay, baby… you're safe now."
Zorion's eyes flared.
"That bastard—he ditched you during a festival meant to unite nations? That criminal must be living his life in Indra right now like nothing happened!"
Sathvic looked away, jaw clenched. Eucliea covered her mouth, eyes wide with heartbreak.
This wasn't just a drop-off anymore.
This was the beginning of something else.
Eucliea knelt beside her gently, her voice soft.
"Didn't you try telling the staff here that you're from Indra?"
Inaya's eyes flickered. She looked down at her doll again and whispered, "I did… but."