After asking the two guards to put the boy in a cell, Sophia ran quickly to the leaders' training room where her mother was. When she arrived, she swept her gaze over the place as her breathing steadied.
"Dad, Mom…"
Upon entering the room, Sophia saw her father sitting near the door, gazing toward the alchemy furnace. With her heart racing, she asked:
— …Is Mom okay…?
With red eyes, Arthur fixed his gaze on his daughter and answered with a simple nod—lifting a huge weight off Sophia's shoulders and allowing her to sigh deeply in relief.
She sat down beside her father, and the two remained there, watching and waiting for Alice to awaken.
Days Later
While remaining beside the bed, already anxious due to the lack of any response, the old man was just about to turn and leave when, at that moment, he noticed a slight movement in his niece's eyes. Moments later, he asked:
— Are you alright, Ting'er…?
Shortly after hearing the old man's distant words, the girl slowly opened her beautiful green eyes and, confused, said:
— Uncle… how long has it been this time…?
She sobbed with tears in her eyes.
A glimmer of happiness lit up the old man's eyes. Upon hearing his niece's voice, he was overcome with emotion, bursting into tears as he lunged toward her to give her a hug.
Not understanding why, the girl tried to push him away, saying:
— Uncle, why are you…
But when she felt her chest suddenly become damp, she realized they were tears. With a shy smile, she returned the old man's embrace.
A few moments later, after the old man had let go of her, the girl looked at him again and asked:
— So, Uncle Fusu, why are you like this?
Not fully grasping what she meant, the old man looked himself over and murmured to himself,
— Like this…?
But after a few seconds of reflection, he added,
— Ah, so that's what you were talking about…? Actually, I've been like this for some time already; I suppose I've gotten used to it.
"Really? To be honest, I prefer you the other way."
The old man smiled and replied,
— Then, since that's what you want…
After those words, he pulled a cord from his clothes and whispered a few words. Moments later, his appearance changed suddenly—he transformed into another person.
Now, he presented himself as a middle-aged gentleman, appearing to be about 43 years old. His hair, which had once been grey, had become long and black. The only feature that remained unchanged was the color of his purple eyes; even his height had changed, making him a little taller than before.
Once the transformation was complete, the girl looked at him and smiled as she said,
— Yes, you really do look better like this.