"I-I'm Matthew," the man finally said.
...
Matthew was still hesitant to open up. He had only just met this boy, and only a few hours ago, he had been part of a group trying to kill him. But looking at the table, he decided to speak.
"You already know my name, right? I'm Matthew. I'm eighteen," he said, his voice low. "I have a younger sibling, Shane. She's ten. Our parents are dead... so I have to raise her alone."
As he finished, the same girl from the previous night delivered their breakfast. In a small, polite voice, she said, "Here is your order. Have a great one!"
Lucian thanked her with a smile, and the food was set between them. At the center sat a warm bowl of rice porridge, steam rising softly from the surface. A sliced boiled egg rested on top, flanked by a small plate of toasted bread where butter was slowly melting into the crust. With a side of fresh fruit, the meal felt light yet filling—the perfect way to start a day.
"Eat first," Lucian said calmly. "Then I'll follow you to get your sibling. Starting now, you're my slave."
Matthew's face lit up at the sight of the food. "Thank you! I haven't eaten since yesterday!" He began to dig in, but then paused, laughing. "And I like your joke! Haha. I didn't think a cold-hearted man younger than me could tell a joke like that!"
Lucian didn't laugh. He stared directly into Matthew's eyes, his expression void of emotion. Then, a small smirk played on his lips. "Oh, I'm not joking. Eat. Now."
Matthew froze, stunned by the sheer seriousness in Lucian's gaze. He couldn't help but finish his meal in a daze, the weight of his new reality sinking in.
The Medium of Travel
After eating, they returned to Lucian's room.
"We're going to your house to get your sister and your belongings," Lucian stated.
Matthew frowned, doubt clear in his voice. "How? It's inside the hideout of those people. You can't just walk through the door without getting caught."
Lucian looked at him with visible irritation. "Did I say we're walking? Idiot. I'm going to use a teleportation spell, and I'll use you as the medium."
"How?"
"To teleport to a specific place, the caster needs to know exactly what and where that place is," Lucian explained. "In short, it has to be a place I've already been to—I need a clear image of it. Since I haven't been there, I'm using you."
"You've lived there, so you have a perfect image of it. All you need to do is touch me, close your eyes, and think of that room. Make sure you're picturing the exact spot where your sister is, and choose a corner with as few people as possible. Understood?"
Matthew swallowed hard and nodded. "Y-Yes."
"Let's begin!"
Matthew placed a hand on Lucian's shoulder. He closed his eyes and summoned the image of the only place his sister felt safe. It was a cramped room, barely large enough for two people. It was messy, containing only a small table near the door, a wardrobe, and a small bed where a figure lay.
Lucian tapped Matthew's arm. "Open your eyes. Is this the place?"
Matthew opened his eyes to the familiar, dim room. He immediately rushed to the bed. "Shane!" He gently lifted her head. "Are you alright? Shane! Wake up!"
Shane's eyes fluttered open, but they were a clouded, milky white. She was blind. "Brother? Is that you?" she whispered, raising her left hand to touch his face.
Matthew hugged her tightly. "Yes... yes... it's me."
Shane smiled warmly. "Brother! Good morning!" She paused for a second, her head tilting toward the spot where Lucian stood. "Are you with someone, brother?"
Both Lucian and Matthew were taken aback. "How do you know?" Matthew asked.
"Well, I saw it in my dreams," Shane explained softly. "And even though I'm blind, I can see colors. For example, you... I know it's you because your color is white. But the person next to you is colored sky blue, though there's a hint of dark in it. And on his right wrist, there is a deep blue color."
Matthew was confused. "What do you mean? Please, tell me you can see!"
Shane gave a small, sad smile. "Unfortunately, no. Sorry, brother. I can only see colors, and those colors represent a person's soul. I can't see the world clearly."
As they spoke, Lucian fell into deep thought. The sky blue is definitely me, and the deep blue must be Snow. But... why is there a hint of black on me? He stepped forward, joining the conversation. "Matthew, the colors she's seeing are our soul bodies. It means she sees the essence, not the physical form."
Shane nodded in agreement. "Yes. It's exactly like that."
"May I ask," Lucian said, looking at the young girl. "What kind of dark did you see in me, Shane?"
"It is exactly what you think it is, Mister," Shane explained calmly. "But currently, that dark color is small—about the size of my fists. For some reason, it has stopped growing. But the sky blue has completely covered your body, and it will keep growing until you reach a certain height. That's all I can tell you."
"I see," Lucian replied. "Thank you for the explanation. Well, shall we begin? Pack everything you need."
"What? Why? What's happening?" Shane asked, her voice small.
"We're leaving this hell," Matthew replied firmly. "Wait here, I'll pack our things."
Matthew carefully lowered Shane back onto the bed and moved quickly. A few minutes later, he returned carrying a single bag.
"Is that it?" Lucian asked.
Matthew nodded. "Yes. I only packed some clothes and important things we hid from them. I'll explain later."
"Alright. Carry her," Lucian commanded. "We're teleporting back to the inn."
"Won't your mana run out?" Matthew asked with concern. "You've used so many spells."
Lucian brushed it off. "Relax. It's just teleportation. I can use it twice a day with my current capacity. Now, get ready."
Matthew tucked Shane into his arms, and Lucian reached out, touching Matthew's shoulder. In a mere second, the small, cramped room was empty. They were gone.