Once upon a time, there were beings called Sur. They lived happily among themselves. In the eyes of humans, they appeared as light. No one could approach them; they had no connection to the outside world. But one day, a madly drunken man approached them. As he swung the bottle in his hand, he accidentally touched one of the Surs. The Sur evaporated right there, screaming in agony. Terrified, the drunk man ran back to his home. He spent his days locked inside, yet he did not die.
From generation to generation, the elders passed down the story of how the man from their childhood remained unchanged over centuries. During this time, rumors also reached the ears of the Surs. Eventually, with the emergence of brave individuals, a massive war broke out.
As the war escalated, powerless humans somehow took the lead and gained the support of other races. The war turned into a slaughter. Of the great Sur race, only twelve remained.
The twelve surviving Surs were washed in immense blood and hatred. They swore oaths of vengeance again and again. Though they all parted ways, they wanted only one thing: revenge.
Among the twelve surviving Surs, the one known as the First Sur was wandering aimlessly through impoverished streets when he saw a young child. His eyes were red from crying. His lips, knowing they were of no use anymore, had gone silent and dry. He just stood there in his worn-out clothes.
For some reason, the Sur's heart softened. Forgetting his oath for a moment, he took the child's hand. As he walked through the streets with him, he broke his vow. He decided to look after this human child.
My sister looked at me and laughed. Her smile felt warm, so warm you couldn't feel even a single snowflake.
"What do you think, is the fairytale nice?"
I was barely keeping my eyes open. Sleep truly felt wonderful. I could barely part my lips.
"It was nice…"
My sister pulled her knees to her chest and let out a deep sigh. It was as if her past self had taken hold of her again. She raised her head toward the ceiling.
"Even after making such oaths, why would the First Sur look after a human child?"
For some reason, I smiled genuinely.
"I think he made the best decision of his life. If he hadn't, this story wouldn't exist."
My sister looked at me and laughed. She held her stomach, likely because it hurt from laughing so much. She slowly stood up and took the oil lamp off the table. Before leaving the room, she stroked my head. She said something at the doorway, closed the door, and left.
I was left alone in the room. Moonlight filtered through a window whose broken section was covered with a piece of wood. The room wasn't dark; rather, it bathed in shades of deep indigo. A makeshift bed, and beside it, a table with one rotting leg. Though far from uplifting, it wasn't suffocating either—as if this was the exact misery that was meant to be.
My eyes slowly closed, and at last, I fell asleep. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as though I hadn't slept at all. The moment I lay down at night, I woke up, and it was morning… At least, that was how it felt. I never had dreams. I preferred it that way, after all; living in dreams was said to be far better.
The stifling light streaming from the window made the dust motes visible. After watching the tiny specks swirl back and forth for a few seconds, I decided to go downstairs.
I walked carefully over the wooden floorboards, half-rotten and half-broken. As I descended the stairs, the creaking grew louder. I held my head and looked into the kitchen. Calling it a kitchen required a thousand witnesses—there was little more than a few countertops and a cabinet filled with ice.
The melody my sister sang was somehow stuck in my head. I tried to sing it a few times myself, but gave up when my tongue stumbled over the words. My sister came to the table with a very mediocre-looking pan and meal.
"Dig in! And don't forget to pay homage to me afterwards."
I picked up one of the forks I had carved myself, broke off a tiny piece, and popped it into my mouth.
"There's nothing to pay homage to."
My sister knitted her brows, grabbed one of the forks, and quickly shoveled a piece into her mouth.
"Sis, be careful, it's hot…"
My sister was far too late to hear what I said. As tears welled in her eyes, she swallowed it so the food wouldn't go to waste. I struggled to hold back my laughter. She looked completely crestfallen.
"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT!"
I couldn't help myself and burst out laughing. But something felt off. Beneath the eyes on my sister's pale skin, it was deep purple.
"Did you go to work in the middle of the night again?"
My sister averted her gaze.
"Hmph! What if I did? Most of the money goes to you, not me!"
My sister's bright green eyes and gray hair swayed. It was as if snow had fallen over her eyelashes. She was insufferable when she pouted.
"We both use it. But even if you don't go to work at night, I think we have enough money."
"You'll have to tell that to my boss."
My sister then began imitating her boss. Trying to look as foul as possible, she said:
"Arina, why are you so late!"
"Arina, my tea doesn't taste like it used to, are you going to quit!"
My sister let out a deep sigh, and just as she was about to settle into her seat, the chair broke beneath her. We both stared in disbelief.
"Ha ha… Sis, well, one of its legs was already rotten anyway."
"I'M GOING ON A DIET!"
"But sis, look, it wasn't sturdy to begin with?"
No matter what I said, my sister didn't listen. As she prepared to leave for work again, she wetted her hands in the water bucket and pushed her hair back.
"Who are you trying to look so pretty for?!"
My sister turned around in anger.
"Yes, I asked who you're trying to look so good for!"
"Apollon, you didn't eat courage for breakfast."
My sister pointed the hairbrush at me. I quickly started running in fear. My sister brushed hair ruthlessly—even if your hair was short, you could never escape that pain. Though I apologized to her repeatedly as I ran, it was all in vain.
In the end, with tears in my eyes, my hair was brushed. My sister slowly stood up.
"Off to work?"
"Where else would I go? Drop by after you finish studying, it gets so boring."
"Are you going to make me stand at the counter and run off again?"
My sister wasn't good at lying at all. She looked away.
"Hahaha, what are you talking about? That only happened once. ANYWAY, I'M OFF TO WORK, DON'T DELAY ME!"
My sister wrapped a makeshift cloak around her neck like a scarf. Before leaving, she warned me to study. Reluctantly, with a huff, I sat back down at the table. I opened one of the books and began to read.
Long ago, humans gained special abilities. These powers were passed down through lineages, which is why they were called 'Inheritances.' Today, cities are shaped according to the power of these Inheritances. The strongest are found in Constantini. An Inheritance grows and develops alongside its bearer—so strengthen your Inheritance and move to a better city.
I closed the book.
"Smells like propaganda…"
I closed it once more. In my six years of life, I had never seen anything so absurd. I pulled one of the rags off the floor over myself and covered my face. I opened the door and stepped outside. The streets were terrible. The stench of rust, dirt, and dampness was suffocating. When I finally reached the square, I took a deep breath. The air here was definitely better. It was neat and unmistakably showy—carefully lined houses and shops, not to mention the stones meticulously laid one by one on the ground. It was built this way just in case someone from the other cities arrived.
I concealed my face thoroughly and approached the notice board for adventurers in the middle of the square. If anyone found out who I was, it would be nothing short of suicide. As I quickly scanned the board, I saw a high-paying listing. I stood on my tiptoes and snatched the notice off.
All I had to do was show a knight around.
Sweat poured off me as I walked to the given address. First, the payment was excessively high for such a simple task. Second, why would a knight come to this city in the first place? Worse yet, there was a chance it was a trap. Though officially the hunter guild hunts seemed to be over, there were still a few lunatics around.
As I pondered these thoughts, I bumped into a heavily built man in the alleyways. I stepped back and apologized. As I tried to slip away quickly, I spotted the address.
"Hello, Sir Adventurer. Though you're far too small to be called a 'sir'."
He had purple hair and a dirty, unkempt stubble. It was obvious he didn't care about his appearance. Though he was built, it wasn't immediately apparent from the outside. At his waist rested a plain sword, held by his belt. He had clearly come from the upper cities, but only his sword gave it away—even his clothes were ordinary.
"Ahem. Being small doesn't mean I'm not mature."
"I don't think you're mature. Any way you look at it, I put up a notice that looks like a total trap. Unless you're blind or stupid, you wouldn't have come."
"First off, I'm smart because I realized it wasn't a trap!"
The knight behind me yawned.
"Alright, alright, let's go, little lady."
"LADY?!"
The man was clearly teasing me. I let out a deep sigh.
"Sir, first off, I prefer to show you where people actually live."
The man scratched his hair and began following behind me. The moment we stepped into those streets, the stench of rust and dampness hit our faces. The man could barely keep himself from vomiting and covered his nose.
"It really has a unique smell, huh."
"You can say that again. In fact, there should be a cheesemonger right around here, I'd love to take you there."
The man swiftly snatched away the rag I used to hide my face.
He stared at my bright red eyes and deep black hair.
"…"
I covered my face with the rags again.
"First of all, I'm not a vampire."
The man smiled involuntarily.
"Tell me your name. After all, aren't we partners right now?"
"Apollon. You probably have a name suited for a 40-year-old."
"My name is Odasaku, and I'm 30."
"Then life hasn't shown you any mercy. Thinking you were 50, I said 40."
Odasaku swallowed his anger.
"Why don't you show me the square? Why are we wandering through the alleys?"
I sighed and turned into one of the alleys. We wove through the cramped passages and finally emerged into the open square. After looking around, Odasaku quickly walked over to one of the vegetable stalls. Before I could tell him to stop, he was already trying to pick out apples. I pulled my rags tighter and began to speak, deepening my voice.
"What are you doing?"
By then, Odasaku was already talking to the shopkeeper. The bad part was that the shopkeeper was my sister.
"You really have wonderful apples."
My sister raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really? I never thought so."
"I'm not lying, try one for yourself."
"Unfortunately, they'd deduct it from my wages."
"Then I'd like to buy one apple."
Odasaku handed my sister three times the price of a single apple.
"This is too much, I can't accept this."
Odasaku glanced over and took four apples from the stand. He winked, and just as he was about to walk away—
"Who is the young gentleman beside you?"
Odasaku looked at me.
"Ahem, I'm an adventurer."
I heard a whistle from the side. Ignoring it, I deepened my voice further, trying to sound mature. My sister's glare grew colder with every passing second.
"Is that so…"
With a swift motion, just as my sister was about to snatch the rags covering my face, Odasaku caught her hand.
"Please don't. After all, he works a dangerous job, doesn't he? What if a hunter is around?"
"You're right…"
My sister looked at me sternly and pulled her hand back. There seemed to be disappointment in her eyes. Even though she couldn't see me, I averted my gaze.
"Ah, shopkeeper lady, he's too shy to say it himself, but he happens to be my apprentice."
My sister was startled all of a sudden.
"Your apprentice?!"
Embarrassed, she turned around and made a shooing gesture. The two of us quickly left. I didn't want to step out into the square ever again. Taking long strides, we turned into an alleyway. Odasaku slapped my back.
"You like that sister of yours, don't you!"
I turned around in anger.
"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS, SHE'S MY SISTER! MY SISTER! WHAT ABOUT YOU, WHAT WAS WITH ALL THOSE MOVES, HUH?!"
Placing my hand on my chest as if bragging, I added:
"JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'M THE REASON MY SISTER HASN'T HAD ANY LUCK IN LOVE UNTIL NOW!"
Odasaku laughed involuntarily and tapped my head lightly.
"Nobody's got their eyes on your sister anyway."
He pulled a pouch full of money from his pocket and tossed it to me.
"Here, take good care of your sister, alright?"
I snatched the money quickly. Afraid it would be stolen, I stuffed it inside my cloak and hugged it tightly. Giving him a glare for good measure, I ran home. I couldn't help but smile because of the money.
I had never imagined making money so easily in my life. On the way home, nothing else mattered. I was practically floating with joy. I tossed the rags aside and fixed my hair. Setting the pouch on the table, I opened one of the books and pretended to read.
Dusk was falling. The candlelight flickered weakly, failing to brighten the room. I looked at my shadow on the wall; it looked bigger than me. I put the book down, and just as I was about to go to the door, my sister opened it.
"You're late."
I bit my lip.
"There was a lot of work today."
"Is that so? Did a customer hit on you or something?"
My sister stopped and flicked my nose.
"Who do you think could? I'd put them in their place with just two words."
"Is that so…"
My sister finally noticed the pouch on the table.
"What's this?"
"I was wandering the streets because I was bored and ran into Miss Margerth. She wanted me to give this to you as a bonus."
"LIE."
My sister ran to the table, still in disbelief. She untied the pouch and began counting the gold coins one by one. Finally, to make sure they were real, she checked if they sank in water.
"I can't believe it, they're all real…"
An involuntary smile appeared on my sister's face. She stood up quickly and began to clap. Then she paused abruptly.
"What if it gets stolen!"
My sister grabbed the pouch and pulled down both of our pillows from above. With a kitchen knife, she slit a pillow open and carefully hid the gold among the cotton inside. Afterwards, by the light of the candle, she slowly hand-sewed the pillows back together.
Though her eyes were exhausted, they sparkled. She waved the pillows in the air.
"In honor of this, we're eating meat tonight!"
"WHAT!"
I started dancing around my sister—even if they were weird movements rather than actual dancing. In the cabinet filled with ice, there was a small piece of meat. I pulled it out, filled a basin with water, and placed the meat inside. While my sister was chopping vegetables at the counter, I watched her from the side.
"When will the meat be ready?"
"The meat needs to thaw first."
"When will that be?"
"It's warm out, it won't take long."
At that moment, my sister's stomach rumbled. Her face flushed red.
"You go on all these ridiculous diets. For what? Who are you trying to impress anyway?"
My sister continued chopping even harder.
"You wouldn't understand! I don't need a reason to want to look pretty, for your information."
"Yeah, yeah…"
I wanted to ask her about Odasaku, but I didn't dare, fearing she might realize who I was. As I was thinking, the candle flame flickered more erratically. I turned around and looked at it; it was about to burn out. I bent down, pulled another candle from the bottom cabinet, and used a small cloth to hold the dying candle, using it to light the new one.
"Apollon, bring that candle over here."
I set the candle on the counter.
"Can you hold the basin with the meat over the candle?"
"Sure."
The basin was heavy because of the water, and my hands trembled slightly. I watched the dying flame step by step.
A few seconds later, the candle went out. I dipped my hand into the basin and checked the meat.
"Sis, the meat is thawed."
"Okay, set the table."
My sister retrieved a parchment and a pot from the upper cabinets. She spread her long-torn dress over the top of the pot and poured the water from the basin inside. She placed the dress in the sink, dropped the meat into the pot, and activated the parchment. My sister held the pot over the parchment. The flaming parchment became a cooking tool. She had bought these from a merchant who occasionally visited from other cities.
I brought out two plates and two glasses. After laying down a knife as well, I went outside to wash the basin. Turning on the outdoor faucet slightly, I tried to clean it. Though I couldn't see much in the dark, I was sure I was doing a good job. Right then, a quiet scream rang out from inside the house.
"I'M BURNING!"
Holding the basin—which was already filled with water—I rushed into the house. My sister had been careless and set the adjacent cloth on fire. In my panic, I dumped the entire basin of water over her.
"Sis, are you okay!"
My sister slowly turned around. She was smiling through gritted teeth. I swallowed hard. The meal was clearly already cooked; my sister dropped the chopped vegetables into the boiling water as well.
She cracked her knuckles. Sensing the danger, I had already apologized a dozen times.
In the end, we both sat at the table and ate. The food tasted genuinely amazing. I can't say the meat melted in my mouth, but I was content. We finished our meal quickly and went up to our rooms to sleep.
Before entering her room, my sister stopped and looked at me.
"I saw a kid in the square today who looked a lot like you. He was an adventurer."
I swallowed hard.
"Is that so? If you see him again, introduce me to him."
My sister said in a flat voice:
"Fine. If he crosses my sight again, I'll see who he really is."
I laughed.
"Alright then."
I quickly went into my room. My sister hadn't suspected me at all until now—why did she have to start now? I shook my head rapidly.
"You're going to sleep on a full stomach, so you just have to do it!"
The next morning, I didn't spend much time in my room and quickly checked the house. Today, my sister was leaving for work early. Without even eating, I threw the rags over myself and ran to the notice board in the square. I was out of breath; I could feel my chest rising and falling. Placing my hand over my heart, I tried to calm down when I saw another notice. The knight had posted it. I quickly snatched the paper and ran to the address.
This time, Odasaku was wearing a higher-quality shirt and trousers. I could tell he had finally combed his hair. When he turned around, he looked at me with a grimace.
"You again? Is there nobody else besides you?"
"I can do it!"
Odasaku seemed a bit surprised. Then he let out a sigh and tossed the second sword in his hand to me.
"Come on, hold this and let's go."
As we walked, the city grew smaller behind us.
"You know how to use a sword, right?"
"I'll learn!"
"You're not in a job interview…"
My eyes were sparkling. Even though I was out of breath from running all the way here, I didn't care. Nobody would want to let go of a goose that lays golden eggs.
We walked for a very long time. My feet were hurting badly. Honestly, I wanted to give up—to drop right there, sit until I was rested, and go back home. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Odasaku said dramatically:
"HERE WE ARE!"
A sudden burst of wind and sunlight struck my face. I shielded my eyes with one hand. When I slowly opened them, a breathtaking meadow lay before me. Lush green grass, scattered flowers, and an endless blue, cloudless sky. I swallowed and let out an involuntary "Woah."
"Don't be so amazed. There are monsters here, so watch out."
I didn't pay much attention to Odasaku. It had to be a simple lie adults tell. How could there be monsters in such a beautiful place?
Without listening at all, I began wandering around. I tried to smell every flower I saw. I picked the ones I thought my sister would like, gathering them into a bouquet in my hand.
Suddenly, something glittering among the grass caught my attention. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't resist it. I reached out toward the shining hair clip on the ground. And right then, I heard that voice:
"BRAT, RUN!"
When I looked up, a massive boar was charging right at me. I squeezed my eyes shut. Even so, I could feel the bouquet in my hand tearing apart.
As its petals scattered into the air, I took a step back.
When I came to, I was in a hospital reserved exclusively for those with powerful Inheritances. Odasaku was by my side when I woke up. Before I could sneak away, he scolded me for hours, just as my sister would have done.
Meanwhile, I looked around. Clean tiles, fixtures made of light magic worth millions, a clean yet suffocating smell, and everything painted white. Even if I worked my whole life, I could never enter a place like this normally.
"HEY, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!"
"Yes."
He continued lecturing me for a while longer. What he said went in one ear and out the other. Besides, why wasn't I in any pain? I looked at myself in the mirror. I seemed completely fine. Yet he kept scolding me. I let out a sigh.
"AND NOW YOU'RE SIGHING!"
My eyes drifted to the clock hanging on the white wall. It was already eight o'clock. I leaped out of bed instantly.
"IT'S EIGHT O'CLOCK, MY SISTER IS GOING TO KILL ME!"
"IF I HADN'T MADE IT IN TIME, IT WOULD'VE BEEN THE BOAR KILLING YOU, NOT YOUR SISTER!"
I picked up the hair clip from the nightstand. Looking closely, it was definitely an artifact. I put it in my pocket.
"FINE, OKAY, I'M SORRY, PLEASE TAKE ME HOME QUICKLY!"
Odasaku held his head.
"Alright, fine, get on my back."
Odasaku turned his back to me. I clung to him tightly. He stood up and kicked open the window.
"Hold on tight, or you'll fall."
"OKAY!"
Odasaku shot forward with incredible speed. I couldn't tell if he was running or flying. I kept my eyes squeezed shut in terror. The wind struck my face violently, and the cold felt as if it were condemning me.
I parted my eyes slightly. How magnificent the moon looked in the indigo sky… I gazed at the moon and stars in awe. Millions of them… I couldn't tear my eyes away.
"How beautiful…"
I couldn't help but whisper. Even so, Odasaku said nothing. The sky began to rise above us. We were falling. I shut my eyes tight.
Odasaku lowered me from his back and set me on the ground.
"What a coward. When I was your age…"
"ALRIGHT!"
We were right by the window of our house. I could see my sister pacing back and forth inside. Hearing the noise we made, she quickly ran over. Odasaku immediately stepped aside and hid himself, leaning his back against the wall.
My sister opened the window in anxiety.
"APOLLON! WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN!"
"Sis, well…"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'SIS, WELL'? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS!"
My sister swung one leg out the window. Odasaku swallowed hard and fled at incredible speed. By the time my sister jumped out the window, he was gone.
"WHERE WERE YOU, HUH?! WILL YOU NEVER LEARN?!"
My sister grabbed my hand firmly and began dragging me inside.
"Sis, I'm sorry. Really…"
My sister was no longer listening to my excuses. I had been late like this many times before. Plus, today she already suspected I was an adventurer.
My sister slammed the door shut. She sat down on one of the chairs.
"Apollon…"
"Sis, look…"
Just as my sister was about to say something, there was a knock at the door. She raised her hand, motioning for me to stay quiet, and walked to the door. When she opened it, Odasaku was standing there. He swallowed hard and handed a pouch of gold to my sister.
"Well… I happened to run into your boss in the square today… He asked me to… give this to you."
Odasaku said it with the timidness of a primary school child. His face was obscured in the dark, but…
"Also… I think the person behind you is your brother. He spent the whole day trying to find a gift for you… So…"
My sister took the pouch of gold, her stance softening. I couldn't see her face, but I could swear she was smirking. She slammed the door shut. Turning around, she took a deep breath.
Just as she was about to speak, I pulled the hair clip from my pocket.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SIS!"
Seeing the hair clip, tears welled up in my sister's eyes involuntarily. She knelt down and hugged me tightly.
"Ah, what am I going to do with you…"
She wiped her tears on my clothes, took the clip, and fastened it into her hair.
"I'll be careful so it doesn't get stolen…"
Just as I was relaxing—
"BUT LITTLE MISTER, I STILL HAVEN'T FORGIVEN YOU. NO MATTER YOUR REASON, YOU CAME HOME LATE, SO NO DINNER TODAY, YOU'RE GOING TO BED HUNGRY!"
"But…"
"No buts!"
My sister pointed upstairs. I walked slowly up the stairs, contorting my face to look pitiful.
When I retired to my room, I made my bed and sat on it.
"Why did I make my bed? I'm going to sleep in a moment anyway…"
I threw myself onto the bed and held my head. Candlelight passed under the door. I sat up. There was a single knock on the door, and the light vanished.
I slowly got up and opened the door a crack. In front of the door, on a plate, was a piece of bread and a cup of milk. I smiled and devoured them with a massive appetite.
When I finished eating, I staggered back to my bed. An involuntary drowsiness washed over me, and my eyes slowly closed.
The next morning, I felt that something was wrong. It was as if the world were draped in blue. There was a strange sensation within me—an inexplicable feeling that unsettled me, even without knowing what it was…
My sister screamed, "Apollon, don't come down!"
Fear consumed me. Despite her warning, I ran down the stairs. Time seemed to slow down. Though a few floorboards collapsed beneath me, I quickly pulled my foot back and stumbled forward. Two men holding staves stood at the door. My legs gave out, and I fell to the ground.
As magical projectiles flew through the air, my sister screamed as if tearing her throat out, "Don't!" She shielded me with her body. My eyes went dark for a moment. Everything blurred. Every sound grew muffled, sounding as if from far away… My hands trembled. I pushed my sister off me. The mages pointed their staves at me.
In a faint voice, my sister whispered, "It hurts… it hurts so much." It echoed in my ears again and again…
Her voice faded away. The last sounds I heard were her final words and Odasaku's scream.
Zero looked down at this newly orphaned child, who was crying and screaming until his throat burned. Odasaku—whose hands would never be clean again, whose heart had turned to stone—swore at that moment to protect this child, no matter what.