I stayed calm, forcing myself to maintain my composure as my mind raced to figure out what needed to be done first.
Panic threatened to creep in, but I pushed it aside, focusing on forming a plan amidst the chaos. Every second counted, and I knew hesitation could cost us everything.
I quickly scanned my brother for burns or signs he had inhaled the thick smoke as chaos erupted around us.
Maids and other butlers shouted, rushing to respond. I remained composed, pushing aside my fear to focus on what needed to be done.
"how the hell did this happen!?"
My brother lay unconscious, so I quickly tied him to my back and kicked the door open to escape the flames. The heat surged, making it hard to concentrate. I tried to use my ability to control the fire, but the flames were too strong, roaring around us like a beast.
"shit i need to get mistress as well!"
I dodged falling debris, my instincts kicking in as I ran through the chaos. Using one of my skills, I created a protective barrier using skill around my brother to shield him from the thick, choking smoke.
With each step, sudden explosions echoed around us, but I focused on the path ahead, determined to keep us safe.
"I need to get to the mistress now, or our peaceful life will be over." The words echoed in my mind, a relentless reminder of the urgency of the situation.
Just when I thought our lives were finally on the upswing, everything had come crashing down around us. It felt surreal how quickly our fragile peace had crumbled, leaving chaos in its wake.
After finally reaching the mistress's room, I barged in to find her passed out. Without hesitation, I rushed to her side, lifting her into my arms. Then, with a determined leap, I jumped through the window, finally gasping for fresh air.
I brought my finger close to her lips, checking for breath.
A huge sigh of relief washed over me when I felt the gentle rise and fall, reassuring me that she was breathing well. Carefully, I shifted her into the recovery position, ensuring her airway remained clear and allowing her to breathe more easily.
Not long after, I carefully placed my brother next to her in the recovery position. Just as I finished, a powerful earthquake struck, causing both the mistress and my brother to teeter precariously.
In that chaotic moment, I quickly reached out, bracing them to keep them from falling, my heart racing as I fought to maintain their stability.
"That wasn't a earthquake"
I looked at the manor, still engulfed in flames, recognizing that the tremor had come from there.
A surge of mana and energy pulsed through the air, overwhelming my senses. Disoriented and just waking up, I struggled to decipher the chaotic energies swirling around me.
"It's not safe here anymore, I need to find somewhere else to go."
I picked up both of them and began searching for safe ground. The earthquake was still shaking everything violently, but I pushed forward, determined to get away from the danger.
I headed to the nearby hospital, figuring it was safer than staying near the collapsing manor, even with the tremors still happening.
The earthquake finally came to a halt, bringing a much-needed silence that enveloped the area. With it, the overwhelming surge of energy that had filled the air dissipated, leaving behind a heavy stillness. It felt as though the chaos had finally subsided, giving us a moment to breathe and collect ourselves.
I sank into a nearby chair, my eyelids suddenly growing heavy. The overwhelming energy I had been so close to, combined with the smoke I had inhaled from the fire, weighed on me.
Despite my efforts to stay alert, exhaustion began to take over, and I found myself drifting into a much-needed rest.
I jolted awake as soon as I sensed the mistress stirring. Turning to her, I kept my expression steady, ready to ask her what had happened. But the moment she fully woke, she bolted from the hospital and rushed straight back to the manor.
"Mistress, wait!!" I shouted after her, my voice echoing through the halls as she rushed out.
"Shut it!" she snapped, not even looking back as she hurried away, leaving me no choice but to follow.
It wasn't hard to keep up with her, but I knew that if she saw the state of the manor and Mr. Hyakagure things would get much worse.
It didn't take long before we arrived at the manor.
Everything was reduced to scraps and ashes, the remains of the house completely gone. She frantically searched for her father among the rubble, and even from behind, I could see her shoulders shaking as she cried.
After watching her desperately search, she finally found her father, but he was heavily injured, missing both an arm and a leg.
The sight froze me in place as the weight of the moment sank in. She knelt beside him, and though he was still alive, it was clear he was barely hanging on.
"Dad, it's going to be fine. I'll regenerate you, I'm talented, you won't die. Don't give up yet, please!"
Her voice cracked with desperation, thick with emotion. She tried her best, but nothing seemed to help. Tears fell onto his wounds as she focused her energy, her ability working—just not on him.
Snow fell gently around the city, swirling in the frigid air. Each desperate attempt to regenerate him sent powerful pulses of energy outward, pushing the snow aside and reaching beyond the city limits.
Finally, he reached out, trembling, and grabbed her hand, signaling that it was enough.
He took a glance at me before finally succumbing, his hand falling limp. As soon as it dropped, more tears streamed down her face.
She cried louder and louder, desperately trying to regenerate him. With one final attempt, she unleashed a massive shockwave that rippled through the city, causing the snow to temporarily halt its descent.
I turned to walk away, knowing this place would never give my brother and me the peace we craved. Suddenly, she rushed after me, panic evident in her eyes.
With nowhere else to go, she begged silently for me to let her follow, her voice breaking as she whispered my name.
I turned my head to look at her. The tears falling from her eyes matched the rhythm of the swirling snowflakes.
Her gaze was lost in emotion, and her lips trembled as she bit them. The burning confidence she once had had diminished, along with her arrogance.
We shared glances for a moment until I started to walk again. I tried to shoo her away with a glare, but her stubbornness kept her close, refusing to stop following me.
I didn't stop her as I walked to the hospital to get my brother. He was still unconscious, so I tied him to my back again. Turning to Ena, I noticed that her tears had stopped, but her eyes looked exhausted.
Dark circles were visible beneath them, and there was no emotion left in her gaze—only desperation.
I left the hospital with my brother on my back and made my way to a nearby tree. I began to dig beneath its roots and unearthed a box adorned with a spring leaf design. Opening it, I found clothes I had worn before becoming a butler.
Next to the clothes lay a ring set with a refined ruby.
As I grabbed the clothes, a picture beneath them was revealed, showing me, Taiyo, and another person. However, part of the photo was burned, making it impossible to see the other person's face.
Taiyo looked exceptionally healthy in this picture, his emerald green eyes reminiscent of our mother's and his shining black hair a gift from our father.
His smile, a perfect blend of both their traits, was beautiful. Unlike me, who had no color to speak of except for my skin.
I quickly changed into my clothes, a dark blue-gray trench coat perfect for winter, along with a scarf and black pants. They were the exact same outfit worn by the person who stood beside me and Taiyo in the photo.
I stole another glance at her to see if she was still following me. This was the third time I had looked back since the incident.
She still appeared worn out, her face drawn and tired, lost in deep thought. Her eyes, once bright, now lacked any spark, reflecting the heaviness that weighed on her.
I began my journey, carrying the box with me, storing it using my mana storage. As I made my way through the falling snow, it wasn't long before Taiyo woke up. I set him down gently and handed him a coat similar to mine.
Taiyo pulled my coat slightly during the storm, he pointed at Ena with a confused and worried face
"who she?" He said with a worried tone.
"She's just like us."
"why aren't we helping her?" he said very worriedly.
"Because we need to focus on ourselves first" I said, and he looked at me with a mix of anger and concern.
Out of nowhere, he started to move toward her, and I instinctively followed. She looked cold; despite her ability to create warm blood, it seemed she lacked the will to use it.
She looked at him with tired eyes, surprised when Taiyo offered her his coat and scarf. I was taken aback by his sudden generosity as well. I quickly took the coat back and put it on him.
"'Hey!!" Taiyo shouted angrily at me.
"its cold, your going to freeze to death if you don't wear it." I told him.
To ease Taiyo's anger, I handed her my coat instead.
Though he still looked upset, pouting because he wanted to help, he turned away and continued in the direction we were heading.
With a storm approaching, I decided to camp in a cave. I set a fire using sticks that Taiyo and I had gathered. Ena sat at the entrance, but Taiyo insisted she join us by the fire.
Taiyo was fast asleep, clearly accustomed to this lifestyle despite the biting cold. He curled up comfortably by the fire, his breathing steady and deep. Meanwhile, Ena sat on the ground, drawing her feet up to her chest and hugging her knees tightly.
The warmth of the fire flickered in her tired eyes, but she remained still, lost in her thoughts as the storm began to howl outside.
"How old was he before he died?" I asked her, tossing sticks into the fire to keep it burning. That was the most stupidest question i ever did in my life.
She turned her head to the side, clearly not wanting to answer the question.
"46" she said quietly, her voice lacked energy
"'It's best if you move on now. If you don't, you won't be able to survive on your own."
"Even if you don't want to survive, your father would want you to. Trust me, you're not the only one who's lost someone.' Someone told me that before—before they kicked the bucket."
I ran out of sticks, so I used my mana storage to pull the ones I had stored and let them fall to the ground. I took a deep sigh.
"You know, if he hadn't said that, I would have left my brother a long time ago. I really thought I would die back then, but I endured, knowing he needed me more than anyone else in the world. Your father probably felt the same way too."
I looked at her, her expression was still blank looking at the fire directly
"Don't look at the fire too much; it can hurt your eyes. I learned that the hard way when I first built my campfire."
The gust of wind entered the cave which made Ena shiver, but it was soon replace by warmth of the fire.
"As for the incident, it was caused by a person, and you know that. If I had to guess, you're probably thinking about revenge right now."
She stopped looking at the fire looked to her side again.
"So, you are listening? Anyway, revenge is pointless. It's his life—don't treat it like yours and seek revenge on the person who killed him. If you truly loved him, you would let him rest."
The fire cackled as we talked, despite it's warmth it was still awkward.
She took glanced at me for a second and looked away again
"how did yours die?" she asked with a cold tone
"Oh he was killed in front of me in cold blood," I replied calmly and without hesitation.
"Oh, um... sorry to hear that," she said, her tone awkward as she realized she had made things uncomfortable.
"Its fine, that was a long time ago I've moved on already," i continue throwing sticks
"so what's your ability?" she asked curiously
I then started to gather a small ice from my hand
"Ice Manipulation: Cool Mist. Ability Rank: F- / Lowest rank."