Something is going on.
The letter.
The strangers.
Mom crying.
These 'coincidental' events can only mean one thing.
There's something they're not telling me.
I'm not a kid. Well, mentally I'm not.
But I can sense the subtle tenseness in the air.
"What is going on?" Those four words kept revolving in my head.
Ah, curiosity got the better of me.
However, even when I snoop around, there's not much information I can pick up. My parents have probably gotten cautious of me.
"Stella," I said.
"Yep, Papa," Stella replied almost immediately.
"What was it that you wanted to ask me earlier?" I asked quietly.
"Oh! Stella wants to explore this town for a bit!" Stella exclaimed.
Yes, this is indeed the perfect time for Stella to do some snooping. Perhaps she could learn a thing or two from scouting. Knowing her ability, she could probably find out who those strangers are and where they're from.
"Sure, Stella, just notify me if you see any suspicious people,"
Stella raised an eyebrow.
"Uh, if you see any," I said quickly.
"Ok, Papa, I'll take my leave now!" And Stella took back her original dragon form and flew off with her tiny wings that could barely hold her weight.
Now that's one less thing to worry about.
I interlocked my fingers and sat in my study.
From the clues that I've gathered so far, I can infer that Celestara is the source of all our wearies, or troubles. Whatever this group is that's making Mom and Dad worried, it's based in Celestara. Worst comes to worst, we'd probably move to the village furthest away from Celestara. I, however, have set my sights on Celestara. Something's bugging me to find out what's really wrong in Celestara.
I've always thought Celestara, just like all cities on Earth, is the most advanced place in Lucarion. Never have I thought that they would hold something so dangerous that would worry even Dad and Mom. I've never seen Dad and Mom so distressed before; they were more like a calmer, enthusiastic kid than a distressed adult. It was as though they were worried we couldn't pay the rising amount of taxes back on Earth! That was how distressed they looked. Mom was even breaking down with Dad late at night.
I have to do something about this.
I just know I have to.
I look at Mom and Dad's happy, smiling faces every day, but somehow it feels hollow, empty. Behind that happy smile of theirs are tears, sorrow, and frustration. Behind that perfect mask of theirs is a cracked smile, all their negative emotions deeply buried within them, only released at night.
I noticed that Mom and Dad have been watching me a lot. They look at me with that sad smile as if something tragic was about to happen, and in that tragic accident, I might be lost.
Is it me?
Am I the problem?
Am I going to die?
And if I were to die, what would be the point of me being reborn?
I could have continued my peaceful life as a High Schooler and a part-time assassin freely. I would've been able to still take care of Boss Kurogane, his wife and son. I could have been picked by Sakamoto all day, and I still wouldn't mind it. I could have continued having missions with Reine. I'd laugh with her, and we'd talk all day.
Life would've been perfect then.
If not for my tragic death.
I'm sure my death broke multiple hearts. The prodigy of our assassination guild—dead. Worst, killed by a traitor. The adopted son of Boss Kurogane, heir to the Kurogane Kai—dead. Now left with no successor, they'd probably be crumble down. The infamous lowest scorer in Seiryou High School—dead. Now, Sakamoto is placed dead last.
Why?
Why is this all happening?
Was my rebirth not needed here?
"No, your rebirth is very much needed. Your rebirth is essential to my great plan." A familiar voice chuckled.
My eyes grew heavy as I entered that heavenly world once again.
"All these minor setbacks are just a part and parcel of life," Valtheris gestured towards Aetherion.
"Hoshikawa, hoshikawa," He shook his head in disappointment. "This is not who you are. I did not expect my special one to turn out so cowardly," He looked up towards the white sky. "To the extent of questioning one's existence."
I stayed quiet. He was not wrong.
"Each person on Aetherion has a thread of fate tied to them." The scene changed to a place full of threads, tangled.
"As you can see here, everyone's thread is intertwined with the people they are destined to meet." Valtheris continued, gesturing to the threads.
"Never doubt your existence. As Azelarion promised you," He glided his fingers through the threads. "He will make your life very interesting."
He turned back to look at me. "Don't doubt him." A single sentence, but it held weight.
"Unlike me, he can change fate, undo fate. Even play," He paused to look at me. " With fate," He smiled as he continued. "After all, he is a god."
"However, I, on the other hand, am just a fragment of my original soul, with only a small portion of my original creator power." He opened his palm and stared at it sadly. "I can only see fate but not touch it. Hear fate but not say it."
"I'm not saying my prophecies in riddles just for nothing, you know, special one?" He stopped walking. "It's my curse." He turned around. "If I just told you what would happen next, wouldn't that solve everything?" He asked softly. "But it would tip over the balance of Aetherion, wouldn't it?" He walked towards me.
"You, Hoshikawa Hoshino," He pressed down on my shoulders. "You are my special one. I am willing to speak in riddles just to warn you of what's next, not just because your life will be the most interesting yet complicated one, but it is because I, have chosen you. You are chosen by me." He looked at my eyes, as if studying them. "I am yours, and you are mine. We have common goals that need both of us to complete."
"But I have no goals—" I started.
"All will be revealed in the future. And that's why you can trust me. We only have each other. And I cannot change your fate, unlike Azelarion. I can only warn you of the future, not change it." He pressed down harder.
"I trust you, I trust you now," I said firmly.
"And one more thing before you go." Valtheris walked towards the far distance. He looked back at me slightly and said. "Beware of Azelarion, he on the outside is not what he is on the inside. My threads of fate cannot be detected by him. And our intertwined threads cannot be seen by him. This is my final warning before I leave for some time. Do not trust Azelarion. He on the outside, is not what he is on the inside."
Valtheris seemed quite terrified for once. Maybe Azelarion manipulated his threads of fate.
"Until then, then." Valtheris lifted a hand and waved goodbye, then the world returned to normal.
Something still feels off about Valtheris, like he's not telling me something. But there's very little he could say, honestly. That poor guy and his riddles, sigh. For now, I can only stay cautious of Him, Azelarion and especially my parents.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Ara~ ara~, Kawa, it's so late, why are you still up?" Mom cocked her head.
"Mom, actually I wanted to talk to you about——"
"Since you're still up, why don't you check if Ella's still awake for me?" Mom cut me off.
"Oh ok," I said reluctantly. It was obvious she knew I wanted to talk to her about all the strange events.
"Oh ok," I said reluctantly. It was obvious she knew I wanted to talk to her about all the strange events.
Mom smiled—soft, practiced. The kind of smile that existed only to reassure others.
I stood there for a moment, waiting.
She didn't add anything.
"…Good night, Kawa," she said gently.
"Good night, Mom."
I turned away before she could see my face.
The hallway was dim, lit only by the faint glow of mana-lamps embedded into the walls. At this hour, even the house itself felt like it was holding its breath. Every step I took echoed more loudly than it should have, as if the silence were listening.
Ella's room was at the end of the corridor.
I stopped in front of the door.
For some reason, my hand hesitated.
Just knock, I told myself.
You're overthinking it again.
I raised my knuckles and tapped lightly.
No response.
"…Ella?" I whispered.
Still nothing.
I pushed the door open slowly.
The room was dark, curtains half-drawn. Moonlight spilled across the floor, painting pale silver lines over scattered toys and neatly folded blankets. Ella was curled up in bed, small hands clutching the edge of her pillow.
At first, I thought she was asleep.
Then I heard it.
A quiet, uneven breath.
Not snoring.
Not dreaming.
Crying.
Not loudly. Not enough to wake anyone. Just tiny, broken sounds—like she was afraid even the walls might hear her.
My chest tightened.
I closed the door behind me as quietly as I could and walked over.
"Ella," I murmured, sitting on the edge of the bed. "You awake?"
Her shoulders flinched.
She turned her head slightly, just enough for the moonlight to catch the wetness on her cheeks.
"…Brother," she whispered.
Her voice trembled.
That single word landed heavier than anything she could have said.
I didn't answer right away.
I just reached out and brushed my thumb gently beneath her eye, wiping away a tear before it could fall onto the pillow.
"Did I wake you?" I asked softly.
She shook her head.
Her grip tightened around the blanket, knuckles pale.
"I—" She stopped. Swallowed. Tried again.
"I heard Mom."
The room seemed to shrink.
"Heard her…?" I prompted carefully.
Ella nodded, eyes fixed on the wall instead of me. Children always looked away when they were about to say something they weren't supposed to.
"She was crying," she said.
The words came out thin. Fragile.
Not accusing. Not dramatic. Just… stating a fact.
"When?" I asked.
"Late," she whispered. "When it was dark-dark. When you were still awake."
So she noticed that too.
I felt something twist in my chest, sharp and sudden, but I didn't let it show.
"What happened?" I asked.
Ella hesitated.
Her lower lip trembled, and for a moment I thought she might stop talking altogether.
"She was trying to be quiet," Ella said. "But she wasn't very good at it."
That sounded like Mom.
"She kept saying your name," Ella added.
My fingers froze.
"…My name?"
She nodded again, slower this time.
"And Dad was there. He didn't say much. He just… held her." Ella's voice cracked. "Like this."
She mimicked the motion with her tiny arms, wrapping them around herself.
I looked away.
I couldn't let her see my face right now.
"Brother?" Ella called softly.
I turned back immediately.
"Yes?"
"…Are we in trouble?"
There it was.
Not fear of monsters.
Not fear of strangers.
Fear of change.
"No," I said at once.
Too fast.
Ella studied me with eyes far too perceptive for her age.
"Then why is Mom sad?"
I didn't have an answer.
So I did the only thing I could.
I pulled her into my arms.
Ella stiffened for half a second—surprised—then melted against me, burying her face into my chest. Her small hands clutched my shirt like she was afraid I might disappear.
I held her tightly.
"It's going to be okay," I said.
I made my voice steady. Strong.
Because that's what big brothers do.
They lie if they have to.
They smile when they're scared.
They stand in front, even when they don't know what they're protecting everyone from.
"…Promise?" she asked, voice muffled.
"I promise."
It wasn't a promise I knew I could keep.
But I held her anyway.
Big brothers don't cry.
So I stared at the wall, swallowed the lump in my throat, and held on—
until Ella's breathing finally evened out,
and the room fell silent again.