A familiar endearment reached Asa's ears, jolting her from her light conversation with Dunn.
She snapped her head towards the sound, her eyes widening in surprise.
Unbeknownst to her, her delusion had shielded her from recognizing the caller's voice as distinctly female.
Before her stood a strikingly beautiful girl, a blue pillar cloth gracefully tied around her neck.
Asa's mind quickly connected the dots. "Dillon's little sister?" she ventured.
The girl beamed, her grin wide and genuine. "It seems like my brother has mentioned me to you. Did he speak highly of me?"
Asa nodded, her lips curving into a faint smile about to answer but Dunn beat her to it.
"Yes, he mentioned that you're a spoiled doll."
The air was suddenly punctuated by a rude comment, pulling both Asa and young Dillon's sister's attention toward its source—Dunn Blair.
"Shut your mouth," Asa warned him, her gaze piercing through him, but he merely snickered in response, unbothered by her sharp glare.
"Let him be, big sis," the girl said, her tone dismissive. "Uncultured people are always like that."
Following her advice, Asa shifted her focus back to the girl in front of her. The young lady extended her hand for a handshake, a genuine smile lighting up her features. "I'm Madelyn. Madelyn Dillon."
Asa registered the name, a flicker of recognition passing through her eyes.
"Nice to kno-"
"It's Mad for short, big sis," Dunn interjected, his playful tone poking fun at Madelyn.
Suppressing her annoyance, Asa turned to Dunn once more, offering him a falsely sweet smile. "If you don't have anything to pack, go to the barrack and practice your bayonet. I'll judge your skill by tonight."
Dunn hesitated, his expression shifting between defiance and reluctance.
Asa arched an eyebrow, her patience wearing thin. "Why are you still here? Go."
Reluctantly, Dunn finally retreated, his demeanor petulant, as if he were a child denied a treat.
Asa couldn't help but smirk; if delusions didn't deceive her, she swore she saw a fleeting pout on the young boy's face before he sulkily obeyed her command and left.
"You seem close with him, big sis. Have you known him before?" Madelyn inquired, her curiosity evident as she gestured for Asa to walk alongside her, the two of them exiting the hall together.
"No, I just met him today, to be honest," Asa replied, her tone thoughtful. "But he seems to have a strong opinion about you, though. Have you known him before?"
Madelyn shook her head, a small smile gracing her lips as she acknowledged the guards who held the door open for them. "Not really," she answered, her voice carrying a note of mystery. "But I did see him in the training camp before. I heard he was supposed to be the black pillar leader."
Asa nods in acknowledgement.
There were several chairs arranged in front of the tower, and Asa and Madelyn decided to sit down, their conversation flowing easily in the quiet atmosphere.
"We are the two high-rank female pillars; we have to get closer to one another," Madelyn said cheerfully, breaking the silence.
Asa smiled in response, though deep down, she couldn't help but wonder how Dunn Blair would react to that sentence. The boy seems to hate the idea of hierarchy.
"So, how do you feel about becoming a pillar leader?" Madelyn asked, genuinely interested.
"It's okay so far. Today is the first day I met my subordinates, so I can't make many comments about it yet. How about you? How do you feel about becoming the leader of the blue pillar?" Asa inquired.
"It feels nice. I have always wanted to do something for Antara, and now that I've been given the chance, I'll do my best," Madelyn replied confidently, her optimism infectious, bringing a proud smile to Asa's face.
What an adorable young lady, Asa thought, admiring Madelyn's spirit. Theodore Dillon must have adored his little sister immensely.
In the midst of Antara's great depression, Madelyn's cheerful presence felt like a ray of sunshine breaking through an everlasting winter.
They continued talking, and Madelyn brought up the topic of the training camp once again.
"Do you often visit the training camp?" Asa inquired, genuinely curious.
Madelyn nodded. "The training camp is designed to test the pillars' loyalty and honesty. Even though the white pillars supervise the training, I still feel the need to check on the progress sometimes."
"It's good to have such a strong sense of responsibility," Asa remarked, genuinely impressed.
Hearing praise from her new big sister, Madelyn grinned happily.
As their conversation continued, Asa couldn't help but ask another question that had been lingering on her mind. "About the white pillar," she began, hesitating for a moment before deciding to forge ahead. "Are you close to anyone among them?"
Madelyn appeared to ponder the question for a while before nodding. "Joan Eve, the leader of the white pillar, is actually close to my brother. You could say he's my brother's right-hand man. So, while I'm not close to him, I've had some interactions with him. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, nothing much," Asa replied, her smile masking her true thoughts. "I'm just curious and want to know more about you and the people around you."
Madelyn's excitement grew, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. Asa had inadvertently sparked this fervor in her new friend, who resembled a delighted puppy, grateful for even the tiniest scrap of attention.
This joy transformed into a torrent of words, as Madelyn delved into her experiences since Crystal Doom hits Antara. She shared stories about her first encounters with the other main pillars, admitting her initial fear that had dissipated in the warmth of their growing friendships.
"Now, I see them as my extensive big brothers," Madelyn claimed, her smile radiating genuine affection.
Asa chuckled, charmed by Madelyn's innocence. "You're like the nation's little sister," she commented, earning a delighted response from Madelyn.
Their conversation took a turn, Madelyn recounting her first meeting with Joan Eve, the leader of the white pillar. "He's so handsome, don't you think so, big sis?" Madelyn asked, her eyes shining with admiration.
Asa nodded in agreement.
Joan Eve was indeed striking—a tall figure with a commanding presence, his black hair framing his face elegantly. Under normal circumstances, Asa might have entertained fantasies about capturing his heart. However, their current situation left no room for such thoughts.
"So, from the first time I saw him, I took a liking to staring at his face, but he's a man without a heart. No emotion ever surfaces on his face. Realizing that, my adoration turned into intimidation. I think he's a bit scary," Madelyn confessed.
"Is he?" Asa muttered in reply, her voice barely audible, lost in the quiet breeze. Madelyn didn't seem to hear, lost in her own thoughts, and their conversation continued, the bond between them deepening with each passing word.