"Ughhh.."
Tsuki awoke with grunting, an ungovernable pain felt through his skull like a cracked bell. His vision was blurry for a second, raising his arm to his head feeling a soft bandage around his forehead.
Then his vision returned to normal, Orange sunlight stabbed through the window—warm. A breeze stirred the curtains
—
"You're awake."
A maid stood by the door, holding a teacup.
"Where am I?" he croaked, throat dry.
"Lord Waganaki's estate." She set the tea on the bedside table. "Lia brought you here—the girl whose purse you saved from a thief."
"Anyway, drink this tea, the Lord wants to meet you at the dining table downstairs. After you finish drinking it, just put it on the table" continued the girl while putting the tea at the table across the bed where the boy was sitting.
Then she left, her shoes clicking against polished wood.
The boy sipped the tea—sweet, warm. He stood, his bare feet sinking into plush carpet. Outside the room, polished wood floors gleamed. A pair of slippers waited for him.
Downstairs, three people waited.
A middle-aged person with white and black color mixed in his hair, sitting in the sofa, besides him there was a gaunt-tall man with yellow hair with its muscular arm that can be seen even though he was wearing a suit, and having sword in his waist, ready at any moment to swing it, across there was Lia sitting as much as is proper noble and benches made out of glass material in the center separating them.
The middle-aged person's walking stick clicked like a clock counting down the boy's welcome.
"Come and take a seat." Said the middle-aged.
The boy obeyed.
"The middle-aged man: Let me introduce myself, my name is Waganaki and besides me is Ryota, my guard. We've heard about the heroic action of yours, and we can't do a favor to thank you for it."
"The Nameless Boy: Ahhh… I just saved a purse from getting snatched. There is nothing heroic about that, I just did what most people would do. Without those guards the thief could go away."
"That purse held mementos of my late wife," Waganaki said, his voice softening. "Lia carries it to remember her mother."
"Waganaki: Anyway, state your name, boy."
"The Nameless Boy: I don't have one—"
"Lia: How about Tsuki?"
The boy stared at Lia, his fingers tightening imperceptibly around the armrest. A name. He had never owned one before. It felt outré, like a borrowed coat, yet somehow... fitting.
Waganaki studied him, then gave a slow nod. "Tsuki it is, then." His walking stick tapped the floor once, decisive. "You'll stay here until your injuries heal. After that… we'll discuss your future."
Tsuki opened his mouth to protest—he had no right to their hospitality—but the lord raised a hand.
"Consider it gratitude, not charity."
The dismissal was clear. Waganaki stood up and went upstairs with Ryota. Leaving Tsuki and Lia.
"Hey how about exploring the mansion itself?" Said Lia aside from him.
~
Tsuki followed Lia outside, blinking in the fading sunlight. To their left, he saw a perfectly arranged garden - bright red roses, purple lavender bushes, and small white flowers he didn't recognize. The air smelled intensely sweet, like someone had mixed sugar with rainwater.
To the right, neat gravel pathways curved between bushes carefully cut into bird shapes, their leafy wings spread as if about to take flight. Several stone benches sat in shady corners, looking like no one ever actually used them.
Directly ahead stood a large stone fountain. Carved figures poured water from stone pitchers into a wide basin below. The setting sun made the splashing water glow golden.
Lia walked gracefully across the grounds. Tsuki moved awkwardly behind her.
"Do you like it?" Lia asked, turning with a smile.
Tsuki stared at the flawless garden, the spotless fountain, the mansion's many gleaming windows. "It's... beautiful," he said.
She smiled lightly.
As they walked on, Tsuki noticed how his shadow looked out of place on the perfect lawn - dark and uneven against the carefully maintained grass. The whole place seemed too beautiful to be real, like a painting rather than somewhere people actually lived.
They reached the far edge of the garden, Lia stopped near the fountain's curve. The stone was cool beneath her touch, and Tsuki took a place beside her.
Together, they gazed westward.
The sun was beginning its slow descent behind the distant hill range, its light turning from gold to deep orange, casting long shadows across the ground. The sky painted itself with strokes of amber, pink, and fading lavender, like a dream bleeding into night.
Tsuki sat in silence, knees pulled close. For the first time in his memory, he wasn't cold, hungry, or afraid. Just… still.
A soft breeze rolled through the garden, rustling leaves, carrying the scent of roses and something warm from the kitchen. The wind lifted Lia's white hair gently, as if even nature treated her like royalty.
Then came the voice, deep and clear behind them.
"Dinner's ready."
Ryota stood at the edge of the garden path, his presence calm but impossible to ignore. Even in the growing dark, the polished hilt of his sword caught the last of the sunlight.
Lia stood up and turned. "Let's go, Tsuki."
Tsuki followed her, walking back up the path toward the grand house. As they approached, the soft glow of lanterns outside flickered to life—tall posts with gentle flames protected by curved glass.
Inside, the dining hall waited, warm and golden. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling—a great wheel of thick wood wrapped in iron, holding candles in a perfect circle. Their flames danced like stars caught in orbit, filling the space with a soft amber light.
The table was long, dark oak polished to a shine, with fine plates and bowls already set. Roasted meats, buttered vegetables, warm bread, and thick stew filled the air with richness Tsuki had never known. He hesitated at the door.
Lia gently nudged his shoulder. "Come on. You're family tonight."
He stepped in.
They all sat together, Yumi, Waganaki, Ryota, Lia.
Lord Waganaki at the head, Ryota silent and watchful at his side, Lia beaming with a quiet glow, They were having a laugh together even though Tsuki still feels unfamiliar.
For the first time in his life, he sat at a table with someone and not as a shadow.
And as the night deepened outside the lantern-lit windows, the nameless boy—now Tsuki—ate.