Ami is the daughter of a powerful queen from the Feline-Halfling Tribe, and the youngest of eleven siblings.
Roughly eight years ago, Van arrived at their homeland—not as a threat, but with an outrageous proposal to the queen. Amused by his boldness and intrigued by his skill, the queen spared him. He was allowed to stay.
Over time, Ami and her siblings bonded with him. Van became a part of their family—not by blood, but by time and fire.
But the peace didn't last.
The queen was overthrown and executed.
The royal children were scattered, exiled, hunted.
Ami fled to the Capital and worked as Galdo's Tavern's hand; posing as a human.
To this day, Ami doesn't know who survived... and who didn't.
Galdo's Tavern.
Ami moved swiftly between the tables, taking orders with meticulous care and delivering them just as efficiently. Smiling, always smiling, as if it came easy.
From the kitchen, Galdo watched her. Blankly. Quietly. She worked like that all day—until evening turned to night, and the tavern began to clear out.
"Brat. You're done for today," Galdo said, wiping his rough palms and folding a towel neatly on the counter. "Get some rest. I'll even throw in a little extra."
"What are you saying, Galdo?" she replied, smiling as she scrubbed a dish. "There's still more to wash."
"...Tomorrow's a day off," he said, quieter now.
"I know. But wouldn't it be nice if everything was clean? That way, you wouldn't have to wake up early to wash dishes on the weekend," she said, still smiling. "Besides… I love working here."
"Not this hard, you don't."
Her smile faltered.
"This is the third week in a row," he added, voice firmer. "I can see the bags under yer eyes. This is a direct order from your boss. Take the night off. And tomorrow too."
"I... alright. You're so persistent," she chuckled softly. "I have such a persistent boss."
She took a plate out of the water and—without thinking—tossed it in the trash.
...That doesn't go there, Galdo thought, walking over and retrieving it with quiet calm. He placed it back in the wash basin.
"Good night, Galdo!" she called, leaving her apron behind and heading for the door.
"...Brat."
The word froze her mid-step, though she didn't turn around.
"I was wrong about that guy, okay?" Galdo muttered. "It was my bad, badmouthing him like I did. Guess I'm getting senile—can't sense people like I used to."
She shivered.
"Van attacked you," she said quietly. Her voice cracked with a nervous laugh. "You weren't wrong. He didn't come back because he knows he's guilty. He's a bastard, like you said…!"
She clenched her fists.
"If that's what ya' think," Galdo sighed. "Better than blaming yourself. Which is what I was worried about."
She flinched again.
Three weeks ago. That last moment. The look she gave him as he let go of Galdo's throat.
Just for a flicker, she caught it—how deeply it shook Van to see fear in her eyes when she looked at him.
"If that's all," she said softly, hand on the door.
"At least," Galdo called out again.
"Try sleepin' in yer room tonight?"
She paused.
"...The bed in that apartment is more comfortable," she said without turning back.
"And since no one's renting it right now, it's better if I stay there. Gotta keep it clean. You never know who might show up."
And then she was gone.
She opened the door to Van's apartment—now long-unused.
Walked in. Cleaned herself up. Laid down in the big bed.
'Really… it's so spacious,' she thought, burying her fingers into the blankets.'
He really is a moron, like sis said all those years ago. Leaving an apartment like this… Doesn't he know he's still bound by royal contract? That means he still has to pay rent… Seriously. He knows nothing about this kind of thing, does he?'
She sighed deeply.
'Greatknight Nickelson can't annul the contract because it requires Van to be present. So now, Nickelson pays for Van's rent. As thanks, if he were to ever come by, Galdo serves him for free…'
'Moron.'
'Moron.'
'Fucking moron.'
'I'm a…'
She buried her face into the pillow.
'...Fucking moron…'
Tears spilled out before she could stop them.
'I'm sorry…'
'I… I may not mean much to you,' she thought, clinging to the sheets, 'But you're everything I have left from my family…'
She cried harder, her voice muffled by the fabric.
'I'm sorry, Van, you hear me?! I'm… I'm never going to give you a look like that ever again. I'll hear you out next time, alright? Every time. So…'
'...Come back…'
And as if on cue, a knock echoed through the room.
"Go... Galdo... just go..." she wept quietly into the sheets.
BANG BANG BANG!
The knocks turned violent.
Ami froze.
That knock wasn't Galdo's.
She bolted upright from the bed, grabbing her knives and storming toward the door.
'Who is—!?' she thought, heart racing.
She swung the door open.
No one was there.
'What...?' Before she could finish the thought, a claw pressed against her throat from behind.
"Bastard…!" she hissed, gritting her teeth. "What do you want!?"
A soft chuckle answered.
"Hmph. You've really grown complacent, little sis."
Her breath hitched. Her eyes widened.
The figure behind her gently turned her around, firm hands on her shoulders.
"Ah..." Ami's voice trembled as she looked up.
"Ah…"
"Oh…"
"Ah... You... Haah..." Tears welled in her eyes.
"B-... You're... not real..." she whispered, breaking.
The taller woman slowly dragged a claw across Ami's cheek—gently.
"A scratch means you're family."
"Sis…? Sis…?" Tears streamed down Ami's face.
"It's good to see you, Ami. You've grown, huh?" her sister smiled, pulling her close, one hand gently stroking her head.
"AAAH… HA… I…"
Ami's knees gave out beneath her, and her sister knelt down, catching her as she collapsed into her chest.
A few minutes later...
"I see… So you've been living here all this time," her sister said, lying comfortably across the big bed.
"It's spacious."
"I know, right!? Not the kind of place you'd want to leave!" Ami laughed softly, wiping her eyes.
"I… guess not," the sister hummed, stretching her arms lazily.
"So… why'd he never come back?" she asked. "Feels like a really good place. This capital."
"I…" Ami looked down. Her voice faltered.
"I did something mean to him. That's why… he left."
She swallowed hard.
"He was the only family I had left before you came. I… why'd he leave like that…!?"
Her sister huffed—gentle, amused.
"Odd," she said, standing up and walking toward the door, "That's what he said, too."
"I know... I... w—what?" Ami blinked. "What did you just say?"
"When he freed our tribe," her sister said so casually, Ami almost didn't register it at first, "he said you'd be lonely because he broke his promise to take you with him. So, he made it his mission—"
She opened the door.
Ami's heart thundered in her ears. She stumbled after her.
And there they were.
All of them.
The rest of her siblings.
Alive.
Smiling.
Waiting.
"…To find all of us across the continent," her sister said, eyes soft,
"and send us here to find you."
Her eyes glistened again.
"Ami!" one of them waved warmly.
"She's such a crybaby…"
"After all this time, haha. Van's really a heartbreaker, isn't he?"
Tears spilled from Ami's eyes as she looked up—
—toward the stars.
'Van… I… You… How… Can I even… thank you…?!'
She dropped to her knees in awe, head tilted toward the sky, as if believing he were up there—like a deity. Watching over her.
And in her mind, his voice echoed.
Casual. Warm. Unchanged.
"You're welcome."
She laughed softly through her tears, leaning into her sister's thigh.