Golden rays of the morning sun pierced through the windowpanes, dancing across the room.
A slender ribbon of light flickered over Lane's tranquil face as he remained lost in a deep slumber.
From her seat on the sofa, Astria's gaze remained fixed on him.
With a subtle flick of her power, the heavy silk curtains glided shut.
Plunging the room back into a protective dimness so that Lane's sleep would remain undisturbed.
Far away from the palace walls, in a sterile, white, and cold room, light was beginning to spread.
On one of the beds, a small boy's eyelashes fluttered.
He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling with a confused gaze.
He turned over, looking at the other boys sleeping on the nearby beds, yet his soul was searching for someone else.
"Yuki... where are we?" His voice echoed through the silent chamber.
Yuki, who had been in a deep sleep until that moment, sat up abruptly.
His eyes were still heavy with sleep, but the strangeness of the environment made him instantly alert.
He scanned the room in every direction—nothing but white walls and the sharp, clinical scent of medicine.
He reached out and gently shook Haru, who was sleeping on the bed next to him.
"Haru? Haru, are you okay?"
Haru's sleep broke slowly.
He sat up, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings with wide, startled eyes.
Just then, the door to the room creaked open, and a stranger stepped inside.
"Children, are you all alright?" the man asked.
One small child, appearing far more serious than his age suggested, walked toward the stranger.
His voice carried a strange, icy chill.
"Where are we?" he asked, looking directly into the man's eyes.
The stranger paused for a heartbeat, taken aback by the boy's cold, steady tone.
However, he quickly dismissed it and placed a reassuring hand on the child's head.
"Don't be afraid, little one... you are safe. You are in a hospital."
The tension in the room thickened, fueled by Luka's rising panic.
Yuki turned his steady gaze toward Luka and spoke in a low, firm voice, "Stay calm, Luka."
Yuki's words acted like a spell.
Luka, who had been trembling with fear, fell silent instantly.
Yuki then fixed his icy stare back onto the stranger.
There was no hesitation in his voice, only a sharp, clinical edge.
"How did we get here?" Yuki asked, his eyes unblinking.
The man stood by the window, staring out at the horizon for a moment before turning to face Yuki.
"I found you in the ruins—a place where vampires usually nest," he replied.
Exhaling a long breath as if recalling a grim sight.
"I had gone there to search for a companion of mine, but when I stumbled upon the three of you, I couldn't just leave you there. I brought you back with me."
Yuki offered no reaction, his face a mask of cold indifference.
The man stepped closer, stopping near the edge of Yuki's bed.
"It took a long time for you to regain consciousness. Almost a full day has passed. You have been out for a total of twenty-four hours."
Silence reclaimed the room.
Yuki's mind held no memory of those missing hours.
All he could recall was the darkness and the faint, dusty scent of the ruins.
These sterile white walls and the stranger's comforting words did not bring Yuki peace.
Instead, they made him even more guarded.
A flicker of remembrance sparked in Luka's eyes.
Looking at the stranger, he asked urgently, "Did... did you find another small boy with us? He was about my age."
The man narrowed his eyes, shaking his head slowly.
"No. I searched every corner of those ruins, but there was no one there except the three of you. My companion and I brought you straight here."
Haru, who had been silently staring at the wall until then, suddenly spoke up.
His voice carried a sharp, investigative edge.
"Who exactly are you?"
A seasoned smile touched the man's lips.
"I am an instructor... a teacher who specializes in the art of combat. I am older now, so I spend my time visiting schools and teaching the younger generation."
"What kind of school?" Yuki asked, his tone dropping to an icy chill.
"A place where Hunters are forged," the man's voice turned heavy and grave.
"A place where one learns to control vampires and other demonic entities. Those who pass the trials are sent on high-stakes missions."
The mention of 'Vampire Hunters' sent a ripple of fear and curiosity across Luka's face.
The man then fixed his piercing gaze on the three of them.
"Now, tell me. Who are you three?"
The youngest gathered his courage and spoke first.
"My name is Luka. I think I am about ten years old."
Yuki followed with a brief, cold introduction.
"I am Yuki. Sixteen."
Finally, it was Haru's turn.
He locked eyes with the man and said, "My name is Haru. But I don't know my age... I suppose I am around his age," he added, gesturing toward Yuki.
The man's eyebrows shot up.
He found Haru's lack of knowledge intriguing.
"Why don't you know your own age?"
Haru looked away, his response blunt and dry.
"Why should I tell you why I don't know it?"
A shadow of disappointment crossed the man's face, but he didn't push further.
"Fair enough. If you don't wish to say, then don't. But do you have a home? A family? I can arrange to send you back to them."
A desolate silence fell over the three boys.
Their expressions gave the answer before their lips could.
"No... we have no family. No home."
The man took a deep, deliberate breath, as if making a monumental decision.
He looked at them and declared, "Then it is settled. From this day forward, you will stay with me."
Haru weighed the elderly man with his piercing gaze and asked bluntly, "Why are you helping us so much?"
The man responded with a faint, knowing smile.
"Simply because it is my wish. And besides, you have nowhere else to go. You said it yourself—no home, no family. It is far better that you stay with me."
He scanned the hospital room and said in a calm tone, "For now, the three of you should rest. Once I finish the discharge formalities, I will take you from here."
He stepped out of the room, and when he returned a while later, he held several documents.
"Come, we can leave now."
He brought them to a sprawling, magnificent mansion that felt more like a fortress of peace.
As they stepped inside, a sense of serenity washed over them.
The man led them toward the grand staircase.
"You may choose any of these rooms. You are completely safe here."
Haru, Yuki, and Luka gazed in awe at the opulent decor and the soaring ceilings.
The man showed them to their respective quarters and instructed, "If you need anything, just call for the servants."
"It is time for breakfast. Go to your rooms, freshen up, and then join me at the dining table downstairs."
As the man turned to leave, Yuki asked curiously, "Do you live here alone?"
He paused and looked back over his shoulder.
"Yes, I live here quite alone."
Then he added, "Get ready and come down. I will arrange for clothes for you shortly. Take your time; there is no rush."
The man descended the stairs and summoned the head servant.
"Listen, arrange two or three pairs of clothes for a ten-year-old boy, and about six pairs for boys around fifteen or sixteen."
The servant bowed obediently.
"Yes, Master. I shall bring them at once."
As the servant moved toward the door, the elderly man raised a hand to stop him.
His voice carried a newfound gravity.
"One more thing... fetch school uniforms appropriate for their ages as well."
The servant nodded and stepped out.
The man stood there with a faint smile, looking as though he had already written the future of these children.