Winter blanketed Mount Kageren with bone-chilling winds. Snow covered every corner of the forest, creating a silent and frigid landscape. In a worn-out hut standing in the middle of solitude, Tsukigami Reiji sat beside his younger sister, Tsukigami Shina, who lay weakly on the bed.
Shina breathed heavily, her face pale, and her body burning with fever. Her vision was blurred, and her coughs were faint.
"Shina, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Reiji asked anxiously, placing his hand on her forehead.
Hot. Too hot.
"You're sick… I'll go to the nearest village to buy medicine right away. I'll be back as soon as possible," he said firmly.
Shina gave a weak smile despite her frail condition. "Be careful on the road, Brother Reiji..."
"Wait here, don't go anywhere," Reiji said before rushing out.
Shina only nodded faintly before another cough escaped her lips.
---
Reiji walked through the dense forest, braving the harsh weather. The strong winds and heavy snowfall made his journey even more difficult. But he had no other choice—Shina needed medicine as soon as possible.
After some time, he finally arrived at a bustling small village. In the middle of the lively market, he spotted an apothecary and quickly stepped inside.
"My sister is sick. I need medicine for a high fever," Reiji told the shopkeeper.
The apothecary, an old man with an arrogant face, sneered at him. "That medicine costs 300 noct."
Reiji took out his money and counted it. "I only have 150 noct… Is there a cheaper one?"
The shopkeeper's expression instantly changed. "Hah?! If you don't have enough money, then get out of here! Go to the forest and find the ingredients yourself, you pauper!" he snapped.
Reiji clenched his fists, holding back his anger. With no other choice, he stepped out of the shop with heavy steps.
Amid the crowd, his eyes landed on a beautiful girl. Her silver-white hair flowed gracefully, her sky-blue eyes were as clear as the heavens, and the luxurious white gown she wore marked her as a noble. A necklace bearing the royal family's crest hung around her neck.
Without thinking, Reiji approached the girl and grabbed her shoulder.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" The girl turned around, irritation clear on her face. "That's rude!"
"Sorry… I need your help. My sister is sick, and I don't have enough money to buy medicine. Please, can you lend me 150 noct? I promise I'll pay you back."
The girl stared at him for a moment before sighing. "Fine. Here's the money."
Without wasting time, Reiji accepted the money and rushed back to the apothecary. After purchasing the medicine, he returned to the noble girl.
"Thank you so much. I'll repay this debt one day. I hope we meet again!" he said before sprinting back toward Mount Kageren.
"Hey! Don't just run off like that! Where are your manners?!" the girl shouted, frowning.
But Reiji had already disappeared into the crowd.
---
Reiji arrived home, gasping for breath. Quickly, he poured water into a glass and helped Shina take her medicine.
"Shina, drink this. I'll make some soup for you so you can recover faster," he said.
Shina weakly nodded, taking the medicine before slowly sipping the soup her brother had made.
"Are you feeling better?" Reiji asked.
"A little… Thank you, Brother," Shina replied softly.
"After this, you need to rest more so you don't deplete your Seiki," Reiji said while tidying up the dishes.
Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed through the forest. The ground trembled, making Reiji immediately alert.
"What was that...?" he muttered.
Without hesitation, he rushed outside to investigate.
---
In the middle of the snowy forest, Reiji spotted a giant monster—a phoenix-like bird with gleaming white feathers and massive wings surrounded by a powerful storm.
"Cryoventis..." he whispered.
But what surprised him even more was that someone was fighting the monster—the noble girl who had helped him earlier.
The battle was intense. The girl wielded a sword glowing with starlight magic, skillfully dodging attacks while slashing at Cryoventis. She managed to wound its left wing, but the monster retaliated with a powerful gust of wind.
Seeing the girl in danger, Reiji dashed forward and pushed her aside.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" the girl shouted angrily. "I can handle this myself!"
"At least say thank you first!" Reiji shot back.
The girl sighed and stood up. "Fine. If you want to help, don't slow me down!"
Reiji unsheathed his sword. It wasn't a magic weapon, but it had been imbued with fire magic by Shina.
The battle resumed.
With a swift swing of his sword, Reiji conjured chains of fire that wrapped around Cryoventis's legs, restricting its movements. The noble girl seized the opportunity and launched another attack, but the monster managed to counter, sending her crashing into a tree.
"Are you okay?" Reiji asked.
"I'll recover—just keep attacking!"
With all his strength, Reiji slashed at Cryoventis's right wing, making the monster lose its balance. The noble girl regained her footing and launched her final attack—her sword shone brightly as she delivered a decisive strike, slicing through Cryoventis's body.
The monster let out one last cry before collapsing, lifeless.
"Hah… Finally, it's over," the girl sighed in relief.
Reiji glanced at her. "You're pretty strong for a girl."
"Of course. I'm a noble—I have plenty of Seiki," she replied proudly.
"Still, you were amazing."
The girl raised an eyebrow. "By the way, what's your name?"
"Tsukigami Reiji. And yours?"
"Stelle Sayomi."
"That's a beautiful name. Nice to meet you, Sayomi."
Sayomi gave a small smile. "I suppose it's not so bad being friends with you, Reiji."
---
Sayomi: "Why don't I sense any Seiki from you?"
Reiji: "Ah, that's because I barely have any. I was born with a defect—my Seiki is extremely low. It's always been that way, so I can't use magic. I rely on my sword and my sister's magic instead."
Sayomi: "Can I visit your home?"
Reiji: "Don't get your hopes up. My house probably isn't what you'd expect. I live alone in the middle of the forest."
Sayomi: "How have you survived here? That's incredible."
Reiji: "I'll take that as a compliment. Come on, let's go."
Sayomi: "Alright."
---