Chapter 2: First Day at the Cult

Kurumi and Amy had been washed and cleaned with Ai’s help. As warm water flowed over their skin, it peeled away at least a part of the fear and exhaustion that had clung to them for days. Kurumi closed her eyes, letting the heat seep into her bones. For the first time in a long while… she felt relieved.

Ai wrapped them in towels and watched them with a gentle smile when a soft knock sounded at the door.

When Ai opened it, the corridor was empty.

Only a neatly folded set of clean clothes lay on the floor.

Sae was already gone.

Without saying a single word.

Ai picked up the clothes and silently handed them to the girls. After Kurumi and Amy changed, Ai smiled again—this time not out of obligation, but from genuine warmth.

“You can stay here,” she said calmly. “It’s no trouble.”

Kurumi and Amy bowed their heads in thanks. They had nowhere else to go, after all.

Ai guided them through the cult’s quarters and showed them the room they would be staying in.

“You can stay here,” she repeated.

Kurumi and Amy thanked her once more.

“Thank you, Ai-san…”

Once the door closed, Amy began exploring the room, circling the beds and running her fingers over the sheets.

“Sis!” she said excitedly. “This is amazing… we’re really staying here! We finally have a proper bed!”

Kurumi smiled. The exhaustion was too heavy to hide anymore.

“Yeah…” she murmured. “You’re right.”

The moment she lay down, her thoughts sank into darkness.

When the sun rose, a knock at the door made Kurumi jolt upright.

“Huh? What’s going on…?”

When she opened the door, Sae was standing there.

He looked at the two of them with empty, emotionless eyes.

“Breakfast is ready.”

That was all.

Before Kurumi could say anything, Sae turned around and walked away.

Amy rubbed her eyes and pressed close to Kurumi.

“Sis…” she whispered. “That guy is really scary.”

Kurumi gently stroked her hair.

“Yeah… you’re not wrong.”

When they sat down at the table, a small girl with her hair tied on both sides greeted them with a bright smile.

“You must be the guests my dad and Sae brought yesterday!”

Kurumi blinked in surprise.

“Your dad? The masked man?”

The girl nodded.

“Yep. That’s my father. His name is Rex. You’ve probably already guessed… he’s the leader of the Veil of Shadows.”

Kurumi nodded slowly.

“Yeah… I remember. Yesterday was a bit overwhelming.”

The girl held out her hand.

“I’m Katori. Nice to meet you.”

Kurumi and Amy shook it.

As breakfast continued, Katori grinned.

“There’s a place in the cult where kids train. If you want, you can come with me today.”

Kurumi and Amy answered at the same time.

“Yes!”

After breakfast, the three of them walked toward the training grounds.

Kurumi glanced around. Some of the children had hard expressions—faces that carried a weight no child should bear.

A faint chill ran through her.

That was when her eyes landed on Sae.

His white hair swayed gently in the wind, his posture perfectly composed. His eyes… felt distant, as if nothing around him truly reached him.

Kurumi leaned toward Katori.

“Hey… aren’t we going to say hi to him?”

Katori shook her head.

“No. Sae doesn’t talk much. My dad assigned him to watch over me. He says… from every danger. Even those inside the cult.”

Kurumi was surprised.

“Why?”

Katori only shrugged.

Throughout the lesson, Kurumi couldn’t focus. Her gaze kept drifting toward Sae without her realizing it.

When the first class ended, everyone went outside.

As the three girls ate their sandwiches, Kurumi looked at him again.

Sae was sitting alone beneath the shade of a tree.

Then several kids approached him.

“Hey, filthy Dravok! Aren’t you ashamed to be in the same place as us?”

Sae didn’t react at all.

Kurumi was about to stand up, but Katori stopped her.

“Forget it… Sae doesn’t care.”

“What do you mean he doesn’t care?” Kurumi clenched her teeth. “They’re bullying him!”

The insults kept coming.

“Filthy Dravok spawn!”

“My dad told me what you did!”

“What else would you expect from someone like you?”

Kurumi’s mind spun.

The boy who had shoved a knife into a man’s mouth yesterday…

Why was he silent now?

She pulled free from Katori’s grip and shouted.

“Hey! Leave him alone!”

The kids turned toward her.

“Hah! Why are you defending him? What, are you a Dravok too?”

Katori immediately stepped in.

“That’s enough! Class is about to start. You don’t want to get punished over a stupid fight, do you?”

The kids scoffed.

“Not worth it. Let’s go…”

“Filthy Dravoks…”

And they walked away.

Sae remained seated, calm as ever.

Kurumi whispered,

“Does he really… not care?”

Katori tugged on her arm.

“Come on. Class is starting.”

Kurumi sat in the classroom, but her mind was elsewhere.

How could someone endure that many insults without reacting?

And those words…

My dad told me what you did.

What had Sae done?

She had to find out.

From Rex… or from Katori.

When the lessons ended, Amy turned to Kurumi.

“Sis, should we go back to the cult? I want to see Auntie Ai.”

Katori smiled.

“I want to see my mom too.”

Kurumi blinked.

“Ai… is your mother?”

Katori nodded.

“Yes.”

Kurumi thought for a moment.

“So Rex and Ai are married… and you and Sae are their children?”

Katori laughed.

“Nice guess… but wrong.”

Kurumi frowned.

“What? Then whose child is Sae?”

Katori sighed.

“I don’t know. Sae doesn’t talk much about his past.”

Kurumi swallowed.

“Then what about what those kids said? Why do they hate him so much? Is it just because he’s Dravok-born?”

Katori looked away.

“I can’t tell you that. But there is someone who can.”

Kurumi’s eyes lit up.

“Who?”

“My father,” Katori said. “The leader of the Veil of Shadows. He’s the only one who knows the full truth. But… he might not tell you.”

Kurumi rolled up her sleeves.

“Don’t worry. I’m good at convincing people.”

Katori took Amy’s hand.

“We’re going to see my mom. See you later.”

Kurumi nodded.

“Alright… wish me luck.”

And with that, she headed toward the center of the cult—to find Rex.