A fierce blizzard tore across the landscape as a injured white-haired boy, barely twelve, struggled forward against the cold. In his arms, he held a smaller child, a black-haired boy with vivid green eyes that flickered weakly through the swirling snow.
'I can barely breath,' The white-haired boy thought, feeling his blood drip—his only source of warmth against the inevitable cold.
The dark-haired boy was bundled in layers, while the white-haired boy shivered in nothing but thin, light clothing. Each breath grew harder, his hair whipping back as the wind pushed against him.
'I'm starting to lose my touch, their going numb,' he thought, his arms shaking and his eyes dull as he struggled to see through the colorless haze.
A strained groan escaped him, a shout trapped in his throat as his body refused to obey. His arms trembled, nearly letting the dark-haired boy slip from his grasp.
The dark-haired child's eyes were barely open, struggling against the biting cold, while the white-haired boy fought to stay upright. He squinted, trying to see through the blizzard's fierce, blinding gusts.
Swish.
A powerful gust of snow blasted against them, and the white-haired boy clutched the dark-haired child even tighter, forcing himself to push forward. His skin was covered in frostbite, leaving his body weakened and his steps unsteady. In the thick fog, any passerby might have mistaken him for a zombie or a monster, moving with an eerie, unnatural gait through the storm.
His head streamed with blood, mingling with frozen tears as they danced in rhythm against the snow. His eyes and hair blended seamlessly with the white landscape, but this was a curse for him, an albino with a fragile body. His icy blue eyes lacked vibrancy, appearing dull and colorless amidst the blizzard.
Finally, he stumbled in the snow, falling to the ground but refusing to let go of his brother. Blood trickled down his cheek, splattering onto the dark-haired boy's face. He longed to cry, but the relentless snow stung his eyes, preventing any tears from escaping.
'I hate this so much...'
Blood dripped into the snow as he gripped the ground in frustration. Sharp stones cut into his palms, the pain stinging but far less than the hurt the world had inflicted on him and his brother.
As he lays on the ground he notices his blood in the snow. The sight only made it more frustrated making him grit his teeth.
'Blood in the snow... it just feels like another reminder, doesn't it? How frail I am. I'm always the one too weak. I already know that. But does it have to be thrown in my face every time?'
He forced himself to his feet, biting his lip as pain shot through him like a thousand sharp shards. He took a step, but his legs gave way, dropping him to his knees, refusing to carry him even one step further.
A loud thud followed as his upper body dropped forward, hitting the ground after his legs gave out. The sound was swallowed by the blizzard as he let his brother slide from his grasp, placing him gently beside him.
'I can't feel my legs anymore. Actually, I can't feel anything. It's all gone numb.'
He turned to look at his brother, guilt pressing heavily on his chest. The dark-haired child met his gaze, his dim eyes reflecting the struggle within. Each weak breath he took deepened the sadness in the white-haired boy's heart as he watched him slip further into exhaustion.
"It's useless, I can't even scream for help. I'm sorry but you can't rely on me anymore, I can no longer move..."
He struggled to move his arm, fighting against the numbness as he tried his best to brush his fingers against his brother's tiny cheek.
Gentle studs suddenly started to fade in.
Footsteps approached, a shadow looming over both of them as a man with an umbrella drew near through the blizzard. The boy couldn't see the man's face, but he noticed the dark hair and dark blue coat. Overwhelmed by the moment, he finally closed his eyes.
***
[POV SWITCH: ???]
It was a rough morning, the sun just beginning to rise and cast its warm glow over the city. I stretched my arms, feeling the tightness in my muscles.
I was walking down the quiet alleyway, having just snuck out of the manor. Ever since I was a child, I've always managed to slip away without any guardian or bodyguard around.
Of course, my father would always lecture me about never leaving the manor without a guard trailing behind, but I always preferred to go alone, free of anyone's watchful eye.
I never understood why my father insisted on having a guard by my side at all times, even though I could handle any dangers myself. I always aced my classes, both intellectual and physical, and my father knew this, yet he still seemed wary.
As the years passed, he grew increasingly overprotective. While it was sweet, it felt strange; he was never the type to act this way. Calm and collected, he usually maintained a positive outlook. I understood that being protective is normal, but the way he did it felt… abnormal.
But I never paid much attention to it since it wasn't a significant problem. The real issue was his constant insistence that I always needed a guardian. What was that about? I was independent; I could take care of myself!
Like having a butler or a maid is bit too excessive don't you think?
"How did he even find my route?!"
I shook my head furiously, both hands tangled in my hair, causing a minor stir in the alleyway around me. After calming down a bit, I glanced up at the sliver of sky between the buildings, just in time to spot a man with white hair in a butler's suit leaping between the rooftops on either side of me.
"What the hell!??"
I stood there, flabbergasted and speechless. I mean, who wouldn't be surprised to see a man jumping from building to building? Just imagine—an average day, and then you see someone in a butler's suit leaping between rooftops.
"that's something you don't see every day. why am i even surprised i can also do that as well"
I started to calm down a bit, worried I might lose my mind if I saw another weird thing today. After a moment, I finally eased up and stepped out of the alleyway. I reached for my pocket and realized, of course, I'd left "IT" back at the manor.
"Fuck!"
"After walking all the way here i didn't even bring my wallet."
"Its fine i can just get it, i just need to not get caught"
***
After returning to the window I had fled from on the second floor, I realized I had forgotten one crucial detail: how the hell do I get back up? I had come down in classic princess style, tying a bunch of fabric together, but it quickly became clear why that only works in the movies.
"I can't use skills, he'll definitely sense it. If only the tie didn't break."
She sighs deeply, knowing she's in trouble. She walks in circles trying to figure out a way to get in without getting spotted. She limits her options thinking of ways to get in.
"Obviously I can't go through the front door, he will notice it right away."
If only I had a skill for this—something I could've learned or crafted myself, like masking my presence. Skills like that used mana, unlike abilities tied to stamina, but creating one wasn't exactly easy.
Suddenly, a wild "ding" echoed in my mind as an idea began to take shape.
"Oh right, Climbing!"
Just before my hand touched the wall, I remembered that my father had placed runes around the manor. He always said that if anyone touched the outer walls, the runes would alert him right away.
"Well shoot, I guess I have no choice"
I squatted down, getting ready to jump, and then I focused all my energy, activating my super jump skill as quietly as possible. I launched myself onto the railing, then dropped safely to the ground.
But before I could even take my first step, my father barged in, anger flashing in his eyes. I put on my best poker face, pretending like I hadn't just snuck out at all.
"I Ena Hyakagure greet the head of the Hyakagure family."
I lift my head and wait for his response while trying to maintain my poker face and composure. he then put his palm on his head having while having and annoyed expression. trying to avoid eye contact as much as possible, after a short while he finally speaks.
"Stop acting i know you sneaked out."
"How did you even know?" I replied, my face barely betraying my surprise
"Because you never use formalities. not only that but I can also see the long trail of tied-up cloth together in the floor. At least try to hide it," he said with an annoyed expression.
he sighed "we don't have time for this i have someone to introduce to you, follow me it won't take long."
Without saying a word, I followed him through the halls and corridors of the manor. We kept walking until we finally reached the door to his office. He slowly opened the door, taking a peek to see who was inside. That's when I spotted a familiar figure.
"this is your new butler and guard, meet Haruo Chiharu" father raising his hand to the side to point at him.
I stand frozen for a second looking at him up and down until i finally recognize him.
"It's you!" I exclaimed, as i said that he tilt he's head a bit to the side confused a bit.
"you know me mistress?" He said.
"I saw you jumping from building to building earlier!" I shouted with a little annoyance in my tone
"Ohh, so you saw that?" He replied.
"Yeah of course!? How could i not see it! you were literally leaping over buildings!"
"I mean like seriously, you jumped across buildings and thought no one would notice?" She suddenly had a change of tone. From an shocked to plain disbelief.
My father silenced us with a wave before sitting at his desk. He cleared his throat, making sure he had our full attention, and then gestured for us to take a seat on the couches in front of him.
"Alright, let's talk properly now."
Haruo adjusted his seat before following my father's orders and sitting down. I took a seat shortly after him.
My dad changed his expression to something calmer and more serious, completely different from the annoyance he had when I snuck out earlier.
"So let's get to the point here! Ena, your sneaking-out habit has become quite the problem, so I've had to hire a butler who will supervise you from now on. He'll be your guard and assistant, so go ahead and ask him whatever you like!" He then redirected his attention to Haruo.
"And you! Your job is to be at her side at all costs. You must protect, assist, and serve her—always! Keep your eyes on her; she can be tricky sometimes. Trust me, she's quite the troublemaker. And finally... that's it! Anything other than that, you're free to do whatever you want."
After my dad finished, he dismissed us. I walked to the door, and Haruo followed closely behind. Now that I could see him better, there was something kind of off about the way he looked.
He had pale skin, like snow, that complemented his shiny silver hair. His tall, slender figure exuded elegance, but it was his mysterious gray eyes resembling shattered rubies that truly captivated me.
A hint of dark circles beneath them added to his enigmatic presence, making him seem like a canvas devoid of color, with only his clothes providing vibrancy.
I paused, curiosity bubbling within me, and asked, "Are you albino?"
"Yes, I am," he replied, his voice steady, his calm eyes meeting mine without hesitation
"Are you not gonna ask why i asked?" i simply replied slightly with a serious tone
"I'm not in a position to question your reasons; whatever they are, I'm sure they make sense."
His response was straightforward, delivered with an air of confidence that contrasted sharply with his frail looking body.
"If you know what's good for you, then you should really think twice before following me."
Despite my warnings, he continued to follow me. I tried to quicken my pace to lose him, but he effortlessly matched my speed and walking rhythm.
I pushed myself to go faster, eventually breaking into a run as I dashed through the halls of the manor, determined to increase the distance between us.
I sharply turned left, making an effort to avoid damaging anything while keeping my pace steady. As I glanced behind me, I wasn't surprised to see him still right on my heels, perfectly syncing his steps with mine.
I recalled how he had effortlessly jumped from building to building the first time I saw him, a clear testament to his agility and determination.
While running, I spotted a balcony at the end of the hall and sprinted toward it, leaping over the railings.
I cleared the fence with ease and veered right. Despite my frantic pace, he remained on my trail, perfectly mimicking my movements as if it were effortless.
"Why are you so persistent!?" I shouted, my voice echoing in the air.
"It's my duty, mistress," he replied, his tone unwavering and resolute.
I pushed my pace to the limit one last time, leaping over obstacles and striving to gain elevation with each bound.
I intentionally chose the most challenging route available, vaulting over stands, squeezing through tight spaces, and hopping over walls as I made my escape.
***
I came to a momentary halt, glancing behind me, and for a fleeting second, I felt victorious as he was nowhere in sight.
A smile spread across my face, believing I had outpaced him. But when I looked forward again, I let out a slight gasp, startled by his sudden appearance right in front of me.
"I give up; you win."
"I've noticed something: throughout the entire run, you maintained a perfect distance of 4 meters from me."
"Knowing i can't outrun you I guess i should just accept it."
I reached for my pocket, my fingers brushing against the fabric in a swift search. My heart sank as I realized it was empty.
"Oh my god..."