The ringing of a bell.

  [Hey, uh—]

  [Closed.]

  Stillness.

  Then, ringing again, followed by a thud.

  The sound of breathing, rhythmic to the dripping of blood.

  [I… can take you to a doctor.]

  Light rushes in, lighting her hair. Strands of green shine, a contrast to the deep black they’re woven around.

  Hinozu stares at her.

  Desperately.

  [You… heal me?]

  Helma meets his gaze with an apologetic one.

  [I myself… can’t.]

  The boy’s eyes widen. He brushes his hands frantically on his pants.

  [What…?]

  [I’m not a doctor. I need to take you to one.]

  Silence. Helma sighs.

  [Not me. Someone else.]

  Hinozu’s expression dies.

  [Won’t… help me.]

  A whisper.

  Chewing on his tongue, he rubs a hand over his arm, accidentally smearing blood all over it.

  Helma rushes to him from the counter, grabbing his wrist. Without looking him in the eye, she guides him hurriedly outside the shop, making way somewhere.

  Hinozu stumbles on the stone road, struggling to keep up with her pace. She continues, careless.

  A few minutes, and they arrive in front of an open space, cut off from houses and roads. White stone, web-like floor around golden grass. The tower stands in the middle, still far.

  Additionally, smaller towers circle, though still enormous.

  She guides him towards one, a stone snake slithers through the intricate structure.

  Guards cross their spears, blocking the entry, though they quickly step aside as they see the injured boy.

  [Thank you.]

  Just upon entering, empty birdcages are placed all throughout. Some hang from the low ceiling, some placed neatly yet scattered on the ground.

  Walls with feather carvings.

  To the left, an open passage, leading to unusually high stairs.

  [Injuries are the punishment of the light.]

  A figure emerges from the back, holding a cage.

  A very old woman, standing straight. Dressed in a white robe, a hood drapes over her head. Colorless hair flows down, braided at the ends in six different sections.

  [Simple trials are taken to cure them, however.]

  [That is the mercy of the Zenith’s Divine.]

  Helma bows slightly before stepping towards the stairs, still gripping Hinozu’s wrist.

  She helps Hinozu climb a stair, struggling to climb by herself afterwards.

  After some grunting and exertion, she manages to climb, helping the young man with another.

  The staircase itself is dark, enclosed. The smell of something lingers, both fragrant and repulsive.

  Hinozu’s blood flows down, white stone sponging it.

  After a few more, Helma sinks to the ground, resting as she breathes heavily.

  Hinozu’s ragged breaths overlap hers, though he doesn’t sit.

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  Seeing no help, he decides to grab the edge himself, screaming as he exerts himself to climb. Helma watches in silence as he attempts several times, only to fall again.

  [What are you doing?]

  She says between pants.

  Her words are only met with grunts as Hinozu continues to climb.

  Clawing at the surface of the hard material, he kicks his feet desperately. Tears flow down in the process, and he falls.

  Staying on the ground, he gazes upwards, blinking several times. Helma reaches her hand out, falling short.

  Hinozu stands up, slowly, reaching for the stairs’ edge once again. He stops, as if frozen. Then, he jumps, pressing down with both arms to lift himself.

  He struggles, groaning.

  Hands push him upwards.

  [Just do it already…]

  He manages to climb, turning around to see Helma with a worn expression.

  She raises a hand, offering it to the young man.

  [Help me.]

  Hinozu pauses for a moment before turning to the next stair. Once again, he tries to get up, several times, to no avail. The girl sighs deeply, going up with difficulty.

  Seventeen grueling stairs, each significantly harder than the one before, though all the same.

  Hinozu still bleeds, with Helma trying to support him even as she shakes from exhaustion.

  She sobs, tightening and releasing her grip on the boy.

  The wall slides open next to them, spilling light over the once-dark staircase.

  The girl walks towards it, entering the room. Without raising her gaze, she drops Hinozu on the ground, sinking beside him. Hurried steps echo, grabbing the boy. She looks upwards.

  A bearded man, dressed in black, carries Hinozu to a nearby bed, one of several lined along the stone wall. Five simple, steel chandeliers hang from the ceiling, illuminating the small room. At the far end, a wooden desk with several tools and a door behind.

  Still sitting, she breathes deeply before speaking.

  [Please… take care of him.]

  The man nods, inspecting the young man.

  [Leave it to me, miss.]

  She watches attentively as the man works, rolling Hinozu’s sleeves before cleaning his arms and face with a damp cloth.

  Then, he takes the blood-stained cloth to the back, throwing it on a barrel with a soft splash.

  Doctor: [You’ve done well to come here.]

  [I’ve seen too many corpses buried out of fear of this… of this place.]

  [He could’ve been one of them.]

  The doctor grabs a nearby flask, administering water to Hinozu. Part of it flows out, dampening the pillow beneath his head. His gaze stays fixed somewhere, unblinking.

  [… Other than a few cuts, he seems to be in a state of stupor. Could you tell me something about the matter? Anything that has happened recently that could’ve led to this?]

  Helma shakes her head.

  [I don’t know. He was like this when I met him. Today, I mean.]

  [Unfortunately, I can’t deal with injury of the mind. You should give support, or at least find someone who can care for him.]

  The doctor ponders for a while. Then, he retrieves a tub for under one of the beds, filled with a reddish liquid. Bandages are soaked inside.

  Taking the bandages with one hand, he lifts Hinozu’s arm with the other as he wraps it through. Releasing the extremity, he raises a brow as it stays in place.

  The man lowers the boy’s arm a little, frowning.

  [Rigidity…]

  Wrapping his other arm, he walks up to Helma. The girl stands up, gazing questioningly.

  [He’ll be alright. The cuts, at least. As for his state, I’m sorry I can’t do much. That’s on you.]

  [It shouldn’t.]

  She mutters.

  [… How long will I have to wait?]

  [An hour or so. Can’t risk the cuts bleeding again. Otherwise, it’s disinfected.]

  [… Okay.]

  [Excuse me.]

  Walking towards the end of the room, he waves quickly before leaving through the door.

  Helma approaches Hinozu, sitting on a bed beside his.

  Her gaze moves to his blank stare.

  [How do you feel?]

  She asks, not really expecting an answer.

  [Can you imagine?]

  [After all these years, your own father comes back from, whatever place, whatever grand mission to save the world he was in…]

  [Not to see you once again. To ask how you’ve managed to live. Not even to apologize.]

  [But to introduce a new problem into your life.]

  Falling silent, she rubs her temples.

  [At one point, it became unbearable. He wasn’t returning or answering our letters. My mother and I were busy with the shop, but even then we managed to write something.]

  [And maybe he was fighting whatever all day and night. Traveling through all of this damned country doing chores for the noble and all-powerful Order.]

  [So what?]

  Her voice rises slightly as she grips her blood-stained apron tightly.

  [Was that a good reason for Mom to kill herself?]

  [Was that a good enough reason to leave me alone?]

  [To never be there?]

  [I don’t understand.]

  [At least, I should’ve known everything would be alright.]

  [I’m not against deadly odds, so I guess it’s fine.]

  …

  [It’s fine.]

  The words roll out of Hinozu’s lips. Helma’s brows shoot up in surprise.

  [What?]

  [What?]

  He repeats weakly. The girl closes her eyes, breathing deeply whilst she tries to suppress her sobs.

  Hinozu raises his arms, staying still before he lowers them again.

  The room stays dead silent for over half an hour.

  The doctor is nowhere to be seen. One of the chandeliers has died out.

  [I still don’t know your name. Would you tell me?]

  Helma watches attentively as the boy’s lips quiver. A faint sound comes out, followed by an answer.

  [Hinozu.]

  [Hinozu. Haven’t heard that name before. I’m—]

  [Kanna.]

  His eyes widen.

  [You… like baking. You’re Kanna.]

  [You… can’t heal.]

  [You… are Kanna.]

  Helma: [I… don’t know who you’re talking about.]

  Hinozu’s gaze turns desperate. He starts wiping his eyes frantically, though no tears form in them.

  [Use… use magic. Please…]

  [… Fix me.]

  The girl’s expression turns pitiful. Reaching a hand out, she awkwardly pats his shoulder.

  [I… can’t use magic. But you’ll be fine. I guess.]

  Her eyes fix on the door at the back, still closed.

  [You know, you were pretty frustrating at the stairs.]

  [I thought I should leave you.]

  [But then, what would that make me?]

  [Leaving someone who needs care?]

  [… It reminds me of my father. And I’d never be like him. I’d never leave a person in need.]

  She stands, poking Hinozu’s arm.

  [Though, I suppose, he did save you.]

  [You look fine now. Let’s go back.]

  She helps him stand, wrapping her arm around his back.

  Hinozu starts walking, getting off her. Helma follows him to the open archway, stepping again into the staircase.

  Slowly, they start descending. The blood from before is nowhere to be seen.

  Hinozu falls a few times, continuing nonetheless before they reach the last one.

  Passing through the cages, they spot the old woman from before, cleaning the items. They keep walking, leaving the tower.

  Coursing through town, she ignores the curious glances thrown their way.

  Before long, they stand in front of the bakery.

  Helma steps towards the door, opening it.

  She waits for Hinozu before stepping forward. Turning, she meets his gaze.

  [I hope… you’ll be a decent assistant.]