One Month Ago...
In Foutaba's home, another heated argument erupted between her and Eva—as usual. But this time, Foutaba's temper flared, and she slammed the door shut with a loud *bang*.
Eva sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Good heavens, how am I supposed to handle this stubborn child?" She exhaled sharply, frustration bubbling under her skin. "Ugh, I swear, her childish antics will be the death of me!"*
After a moment, she took a deep breath, steadying herself. Her eyes flicked to the clock on the wall—she was late.
"Ah, I've lost track of time,"* she muttered. "I should go check on Gilbert. It's been a while since I last saw him."
Eva gathered her belongings and donned her pristine white armor, its surface gleaming like freshly fallen snow under the light, as if touched by a celestial glow. The metal was smooth and meticulously polished, reflecting every ray of sunlight like a flawless mirror. Delicate silver filigree traced along its edges, flowing like gentle ocean waves, adding a regal elegance to its otherwise simple design. On the right side, a faint engraving—a rose, the symbol of the kingdom—stood as a subtle yet proud emblem.
Finally, she picked up her helmet, the last piece of her armor, and held it under her arm. With everything in place, she was ready to go.
At the Training Grounds...
The sprawling training arena reeked of sweat and iron, the air thick with the shouts of instructors and the relentless *clash* of swords—like the rising symphony of an impending battle. The sun hung mercilessly in the sky, but the knights pressed on, their faces streaked with dirt and determination, their eyes burning with unyielding resolve.
And among them stood their commander.
His crimson hair blazed under the sun like living flame, a stark contrast to the grime and grit of the field. Amid the chaos—the barked orders, the ringing steel—his presence was different. He was the one who molded these knights, and his methods were brutal, unforgiving. His voice boomed across the yard, carrying an edge of fire barely restrained:
"Again."
The soldier before him staggered, breath ragged.
"AGAIN!" the commander roared. "Where's your will?! I want to SEE it!"
With a single swing of his massive sword, he sent the soldier crashing into the dirt.
"Ghhhk—!" the man choked, coughing.
The red-haired captain glared down, unimpressed. "What was that? Is this the best you have?!" He kicked the soldier's blade back toward him. "Give me another strike!"
The soldier groaned, dragging himself up. "Ugh… Y-You're too harsh, sir! Just—just let me rest for two days!"
The red-haired commander's brow furrowed in fury at the soldier's words.
His crimson eyes burned as he glared down at the man, his voice a seething growl:
"Fool!" he spat. "The Shadow Beasts won't wait for you to catch your breath—they'll devour you without mercy! Do you think this is a game? Did you join to protect the kingdom, or just for glory?!"
The knight fell silent, not daring to utter a word in his own defense.
With a sharp *clang*, the red-haired captain hurled the knight's sword back at him, his tone dripping with challenge—and threat.
"Now get up," he snarled."And make me move from this spot."
But before the soldier could react, a distant shout cut through the tension.
**"Captain!"**
The red-haired captain turned sharply, his posture snapping back into disciplined form. After a tense pause, he glanced back at the fallen soldier, then extended a hand to pull him up.
"We'll continue this later," he muttered.
The second soldier saluted, breathless. "Sir Crimson Knight! Her Ladyship, the White Paladin, has arrived to see you!"
The captain's expression darkened. "No..."
His face twisted in frustration. He hadn't wanted her to see him like this—drenched in sweat, wearing only the lower half of his armor, his usual composed image stripped away.
Gilbert's bare chest glistened with sweat under the harsh midday sun, the scars etched across his skin like a map of battles long fought—each one a story, each line a victory or a loss he refused to forget. He didn't need full armor; his presence alone was his shield. But even that wasn't enough for him...
---
Eva's laughter rang out, bright and unburdened."Hahaha! Gilbert!! It's been too long."
He crossed his arms, studying her. "You look well, Eva. And unusually energetic. Did something happen?"
She waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, it's nothing worth mentioning. Just another little spat with Foutaba."
Gilbert sighed, rubbing his temples. "Again...?"His voice dropped, weary but firm. "If you keep treating her like that, she'll end up hating you—or worse, running away. You need to grow up. Right now, you're acting just as childish as she is."
Eva threw her hands up in exasperation."For heaven's sake! You know I worry about her safety. And she's so stubborn and reckless - always wanting to explore that cursed cave! How am I supposed to curb her curiosity?"
Gilbert sighed, rubbing his neck."...Don't worry. I'm sure she'll find some new obsession and forget about it."
"I hope so..." Eva's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Anyway, how's training going with these recruits? I trust everything's proceeding well?"
Gilbert's expression darkened."They're worthless. Not a single one has even made me blink."
Eva burst into laughter, the sound ringing across the training grounds."Hahaha! Oh come on, give them a chance! They're just beginners who need a little... motivation."
She took a few deliberate steps forward, inhaling deeply before declaring in a voice both gentle and carrying:
"The first recruit who can make the Crimson knight stumble... gets any wish granted."*
A beat of silence.
Then - as if the earth itself shook - the recruits erupted.
Men who had been lying battered in the dirt sprang to their feet like reborn warriors. Fingers tightened around sword hilts with newfound strength. Eyes blazed with fresh determination. A thunderous war cry rose to the heavens as the entire company charged at Gilbert with berserker fury.
Gilbert barely had time to widen his eyes before being swallowed by the wave of frenzied soldiers. "EVA, YOU DEVIL WOMAN-!"his outraged shout was cut off by the clash of steel.
Eva watched the chaos unfold with a satisfied smirk, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "See? Just needed the right incentive."
Eva:"Good luck, Gilbert! I'll take my leave now!" Her laughter trailed behind her like a challenge.
---
Nightfall
After an exhausting day commanding the knights, Eva dragged herself home long after sunset. Her armor felt heavier than usual as she leaned against the doorframe.
"Ughh... What a day," she groaned, massaging her stiff shoulders. "I should check on Foutaba. She must be starving by now."
The door creaked open to reveal a house swallowed by darkness. No lights. No sound. Just the hollow echo of her own footsteps.
Eva's voice rang unnaturally loud in the stillness:"Fou? I'm home! Sorry I'm late, it was..."
Her words died mid-sentence. The empty house gave no reply.
**Present Day - Eva's Lonely Night**
Eva hovered outside Foutaba's door, her knuckles raised but not quite touching the wood. "Maybe she's in her room?" she whispered to the empty hallway. With forced cheerfulness, she called out, "Foutaba? Are you home? I brought those strawberry tarts you love..." Only silence answered. Her hand fell to her side. "(Still angry with me, I suppose...)" She leaned her forehead against the cool door. "Alright...I'll leave you be. If you need anything...just call. Goodnight."
Collapsing onto her bed, Eva stared at the ceiling where moonlight painted shifting patterns. The quiet house seemed to breathe around her, each creak of the wood amplifying her loneliness. Her fingers absently traced the scar on her shoulder - the one she'd gotten the day she met Foutaba, though the child never knew. As sleep refused to come, memory pulled her under...
Memory Sequence -
In the Forest-Five years Earlier
Two knights rode patrol through the ancient woods - Eva in her gleaming white armor and Serin in shadowed black steel. The autumn leaves crunched beneath their horses' hooves in rhythmic cadence until a sound shattered the forest's peace.
"Help! Somebody! Please!"
Eva's head snapped toward the cry before her conscious mind could process it. Her white stallion reared as she wheeled about, charging toward the sound without waiting to see if Serin followed.
They found the pit first - a jagged wound in the earth, likely dug by poachers. Then they saw the small hands clinging desperately to exposed roots, the golden hair streaked with dirt, the tiny body shaking with terrified sobs that echoed in the hollow space.
Eva was moving before her saddle had cooled. She hit the ground running, armor clanking as she dropped to her knees at the pit's edge. "Hold on, little one!" Her gauntleted fingers tore at the crumbling earth until she could wrap her arms around the trembling child.
As she lifted the girl free, Eva's breath caught. The child weighed nothing in her arms, yet somehow everything. Cradling her against the cold steel of her breastplate, Eva murmured, "You're safe now." The girl smelled of damp earth and crushed leaves. "Where are your parents? How did you—"
"Don't know," the girl whispered, her voice cracking like thin ice.
Eva looked up to exchange a troubled glance with Serin before turning back to the child. "What's your name, little one?"
The girl hesitated, then stuttered, "F...Fo...u"
"Fo?" Eva prompted gently.
"...Taba."
"Fo...Taba?" Eva's brow furrowed. "Your name is Foutaba?"
The child nodded weakly against her shoulder, her tiny fingers clutching Eva's cloak like it was the only real thing in the world. In that moment, Eva knew - this trembling child with no past had just become her future.
Eva's face lit up with unrestrained joy. *"Haaa!! What a beautiful name! I'm called E...va. E-va!"She exaggerated the syllables like singing a nursery rhyme.
Foutaba blinked up at her,golden eyes wide. "E...va?"
"Yes!! That's right!"Eva clapped her hands together, making her armor chime. "E-va! And this grumpy one is my twin sister, Eve. E-ve!"
The little girl's lips moved silently before managing: "Ee...ve?"
Eva gasped dramatically, clutching her chestplate. "You got it!! You're so clever, Fou~!" She nuzzled the child's cheek, making the girl giggle despite her tears.
Eve's gauntlet met her forehead with a metallic clang."Stop teaching the child like she's your pet parrot! And are you seriously planning to keep her?"
Eva hugged Foutaba closer, the child's tiny hands instinctively gripping her pauldrons. "Nonsense! I'm just introducing ourselves. And yes - she has nowhere else to go."
Eve's black armor creaked as she crossed her arms."We're not obligated to care for every stray. An orphanage would—"
"That's cruel, Eve!" Eva's voice cracked like a whip. "Even for you. I found her, and I'll care for her." The white knight's usual playfulness had vanished, replaced by steel resolve.
Eve's visor hid her expression,but her voice lowered. "She's not a keepsake, Eva."
"How dare you!" Eva's embrace tightened around Foutaba. "Of course not! I'll treat her as my own daughter!"Suddenly her stern expression melted into a radiant smile. "Maybe I'll finally understand motherhood! Someone to cherish properly..."She booped Foutaba's nose, making the child squeak. "Besides you, of course, dear sister."
Eve:"...Do as you please. I won't interfere in your affairs."Her black armor creaked as she turned away, the fading sunlight glinting off its surface like cold steel. *"I'm leaving."
Eva's smile faltered for just a moment."Again? You're always gone. You weren't even there on my wedding day."
Eve paused, her back still turned."Sorry. But you know the monsters won't slay themselves."* Without another word, she spurred her horse forward, disappearing into the trees.
Eva watched her sister vanish, then exhaled sharply."And there she goes... again."
But the weight in her chest didn't linger long. With a sudden burst of energy, she clapped her hands together and spun back toward Foutaba, her grin brighter than ever. *"Well! Now I have a daughter!"* She scooped the little girl up, lifting her high. "And I'm going to spoil you absolutely rotten!"
Foutaba blinked, still unsure—but as Eva's infectious laughter filled the air, the child's lips twitched, as if fighting a smile of her own.
Eva's eyes flew open with a start."Did I... fall asleep without realizing?" Morning light streamed through the windows as she sat up abruptly. *"It's morning - I need to make breakfast for Foutaba... Foutaba...?"
A chill ran down her spine. *"Wait... I didn't hear her usual morning yelling."
She rushed to Foutaba's door, knocking urgently. "Fou...? Breakfast is ready. Aren't you up yet...?"Her voice trembled slightly. "Foutaba, are you okay? Are you sick?"
Only silence answered.
With a sudden surge of panic, Eva kicked the door - the wood splintered with a sickening crack under her armored boot.
"Fou—?!
The room stood empty. The bed neatly made. No signs of struggle. No note. As if Foutaba had simply vanished into thin air.
Eva tore through the house like a storm, checking every room, every possible hiding spot. Nothing. "Where is she?! Where could she have gone?! There's no way she'd go to the Forest alone...!
Then—a memory flashed through her mind like lightning.
Foutaba's proud voice echoed in her ears: "Hmph!! Just you wait - one day I'll do something so amazing it'll blow your mind and make you jealous!"
Eva's breath caught in her throat.
*"No... No, she couldn't have... She didn't actually go to that cave, did she?!"*
The cave. The one Foutaba had begged to explore endlessly. The one Eva had strictly forbidden. The one **rumored to be haunted by shadow creatures and missing travelers.
Without another thought, Eva grabbed her sword and sprinted out the door. There was only one person who could help her now.
To be continued..