Morning came again.
Slow.
Quiet.
Unhurried.
Alias opened his eyes.
The ceiling greeted him the same way it always did—plain wood, slightly uneven, familiar now.
"…Morning."
The word formed clearly in his mind.
He didn't say it.
Not yet.
But he knew it.
That alone was progress.
He sat up.
Less struggle this time.
Less hesitation.
His body was still small—
But no longer unfamiliar.
Feet touched the floor.
Cold.
He stood.
Steady.
"…Better."
Step.
Step.
No falling.
Alias paused for a moment.
"…Good."
He walked outside.
The air was fresh.
The same as yesterday.
And the day before.
But something had changed.
He understood more.
"Alias!"
His head turned instantly.
His name.
Emi stood near the basin again, smiling.
"You're up early."
Alias watched her lips carefully.
"…Up… early…"
He memorized it.
Haruki was nearby, adjusting something made of wood.
"Hungry?" Emi asked.
Alias tilted his head slightly.
"…Hungry."
He didn't know the full meaning yet.
But he understood the intention.
Food.
He nodded.
A small, simple movement.
Emi blinked.
"Oh?"
She smiled wider.
"You understand?"
Alias froze.
"…Careful."
He couldn't show too much.
So instead—
"Ah."
Emi laughed softly.
"Still working on it, huh?"
"…Working."
Another word.
Later—
Alias sat on the floor again.
This time—
Not just watching.
Studying.
A wooden cup sat near him.
He pointed at it.
Silently.
Emi noticed.
"That?"
She picked it up.
"Water."
Alias's eyes sharpened.
"…Water."
He repeated it in his mind.
Water.
He pointed again.
Emi blinked.
"…Water?"
Alias nodded.
Haruki, watching from the side, raised an eyebrow.
"…He's doing that on purpose."
Emi laughed.
"Maybe he just likes the word."
Alias internally shook his head.
"No."
"I'm memorizing everything."
Minutes passed.
Alias continued.
Point.
Word.
Remember.
Point.
Word.
Remember.
Each sound.
Each movement.
Each meaning.
Stored.
Like sharpening a blade—
Slow.
Precise.
Then—
He tried.
"Wa…"
He froze.
"…Say it."
"Wa…"
His mouth didn't cooperate.
"Wa…"
Nothing.
Alias's eye twitched slightly.
"…Unbelievable."
"I led men into battle…"
"And this is my enemy?"
"…Pronunciation?"
He tried again.
"Waa…"
It came out stretched.
Wrong.
Emi covered her mouth, smiling.
"Was that 'water'?"
Alias froze again.
"…That was not acceptable."
But outwardly—
"Waa…"
Haruki laughed.
"Hey, that's pretty good!"
Alias stared at him.
"…Good?"
"No."
"That was a failure."
Afternoon came.
Alias sat near the doorway again.
Children passed by.
Talking.
Laughing.
Running.
Their words came fast.
Too fast.
"…Slow down."
But they didn't.
Alias narrowed his eyes.
"…Then I'll catch up."
He focused harder.
Breaking sounds apart.
Piece by piece.
Patterns.
Repeating sounds.
"…I'm getting it."
Not everything.
But enough.
A man passed by the house.
"Good day!"
he called.
Haruki waved back.
"Good day!"
Alias blinked.
"…Good… day."
He repeated it internally.
Another piece.
Evening came.
The sky dimmed.
The air cooled.
Inside—
Alias sat between his parents again.
Food placed in front of him.
"Eat," Emi said.
Alias looked at it.
"…Eat."
This time—
He moved without hesitation.
Slow.
Messy.
But intentional.
Haruki watched him carefully.
"…He's improving."
Emi nodded.
"Very quickly."
Alias heard that.
"…Of course."
After eating—
Haruki crouched slightly in front of him.
"Say 'father.'"
Alias froze.
"…A test."
He looked at Haruki.
Focused.
Serious.
"…Fa…"
His mouth moved.
"…Fa…"
Nothing came out properly.
"…No."
Reset.
Try again.
"…Fa…"
Still nothing.
Alias's eye twitched.
"…This is harder than fighting Kenshiro."
Out loud—
"Ba."
Silence.
Then—
Haruki laughed loudly.
"Close enough!"
Emi laughed too.
"That was cute!"
Alias stared at them.
"…Cute?"
"I am being humiliated."
Night came.
The house grew quiet.
Alias lay in bed again.
Same position.
Same ceiling.
But his mind—
Different.
"…I learned more today."
Words.
Sounds.
Patterns.
Still incomplete.
Still slow.
But real.
He turned his head slightly.
On the shelf—
The book.
Waiting.
Mocking him.
"…Soon."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'll understand you."
"No matter how long it takes."
Silence filled the room.
The wind moved softly outside.
Alias closed his eyes.
"…Step by step."
"…I'll master this world."
And in the quiet darkness—
The blade continued to sharpen.
Slowly.
Patiently.
Unstoppably.