Mercy is Another Kind of Strength

The night sky above Luna Village glowed with lanterns and laughter. Mugs clinked in steady rhythm, and the rich scent of roasted rabbit drifted through the square. 

Near the largest fire, Elisia drank with the chief, laughing loudly enough to drown out the music. She smacked his back between gulps, cheeks flushed and eyes unfocused, bonding over something neither of them could remember. Loid sat a short distance away, arms crossed, watching the chaos with a quiet sigh.

"Look at you two," he said. "All chummy now. Weren't you at each other's throats just earlier?"

Elisia waved him off, nearly losing her balance.

"Whaaaat? That's—hic—all ancient history, Nova! You're such a pain in the behind, you know that?"

The chief, just as drunk, lifted his mug with exaggerated solemnity and nodded.

"We don't even remember what we were arguin' about... burp!"

Elisia slung an arm around his shoulders, laughing so hard her drink nearly spilled.

'"See? All's well that ends well! Hahaha—hic—burp!"

They collapsed into another fit of laughter. Loid shook his head in exasperation, yet despite himself, a small, helpless smile crept on his face.

Charlotte, sitting nearby with Shelly, giggled softly.

"They're like children."

Loid sighed, muttering under his breath.

"Yeah... overgrown ones."

His gaze drifted toward Elisia.

Especially that ancestor.

The fire crackled, casting dancing shadows across the square, the night alive with warmth and laughter. Loid and Charlotte settled near the flames, their faces glowing in the amber light. The scent of roasted rabbit lingered in the air as they clinked their jugs together.

"I've never had a drink like this before," Loid murmured, taking another sip. "Sweet, with just enough sour to bite back. Not bad at all."

Charlotte returned a soft smile. 

"It's a Luna special. Made from fruits that only grow around here, or at least, that's what my brother used to say."

"Hmph. Stuff like this could sell for a fortune in other nations," Loid said, tipping his mug.

Her smile faded into thought. "Maybe. But we're an unauthorized village. No one trades with us."

Loid took a bite from the rabbit skewer and smirked. 

"Well, that won't be the case for long."

Charlotte tilted her head, curiosity sparking in her eyes.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You'll see soon enough. But for now..." He raised his jug. "We've earned this, don't you think?"

Charlotte's smile deepened as she lifted her own jug. "Yes, we have."

Before the moment could even settle between them, two arms slung themselves around their shoulders. Elisia, drunkenly leaning against Loid, grinned.

"Well, well, look at you two over here~! Flirting under the moonlight, are we?"

Both of them turned red instantly.

Charlotte stammered, "N-No! We weren't—Lady Estelle, that's not—!"

Elisia laughed, hiccupping mid-sentence. "Didn't I tell you to drop the 'Lady' already? You're too damn polite!" 

Loid pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering, "Elisia, maybe hit the brakes before you start tripping over yourself."

Elisia leaned closer with mischief in her eyes. Before Charlotte could react, she cupped one of her breasts, startling the poor girl.

"Oh, please. You think I haven't noticed you sneaking glances at these knockers all night, hmm?" Elisia teased, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Charlotte's cheeks burned hotter, her throat went dry, and the words caught in her mouth.

"Wha—N-Nove?!"

"H-Hey! That's not—! Don't start rumors!" Loid blurted, his chest tightening slightly as he looked anywhere but at Charlotte or Elisia.

Jeez...

Elisia nearly toppled over laughing, swaying her heels. 

"Hahahaha! Relax, relax! I'm just teasing! You two are way too easy!"

Loid shook his head.

She's unbearable... he thought, though a small part of him couldn't help but linger on Charlotte's shy smile, the way her fingers twisted nervously around her mug.

Charlotte lowered her gaze to the fire, her cheeks still flushed as she smiled faintly.

It's not like, I mind. He is a boy of that age, isn't he? she thought.

Elisia clapped her hands, hiccupping again, completely oblivious to the chaos she had caused.

"See? Look at you two, all stiff and proper, instead of just having fun. Admit it, this is better than being serious all the time!"

Loid sighed.

"Yeah... maybe it is."

Charlotte simply nodded, avoiding Loid's gaze.

For a brief, suspended moment, the teasing, the laughter, the warmth of the fire, it all slowed, as if the world had tilted just for them. Then Elisia's loud hiccup shattered it, dragging them back into the chaotic, joyous night.

Charlotte smiled softly.

"...there will never be a dull moment with you, Lad-uh, I mean, Estelle."

Elisia's smirk widened, cheeks bright red.

"You got that right—hic—"

For a fleeting instant, Loid's eyes snapped toward a presence that flared, then vanished just as quickly.

The three soldiers knocked unconscious moments before, finally stirred. Their vision blurred as distant laughter and music filtered through the haze. Slowly, they sat up, then froze.

"What the...?" one muttered, his eyes widening.

Then it hit him.

They lost.

They scanned the square for their comrades. None were in sight. The villagers' eyes weren't curious or frightened. They were cold, hard, and filled with silent accusation.

"Shit..." one whispered.

The other shuddered.

"That monster, he must've killed them all. And we're next. Maybe he's keeping us alive just to torture us first."

Loid, seated nearby with a cup in his hand, titled his head in confusion.

"Oh, you guys were out cold the whole time?"

He set his cup down.

"If you're worried about your friends, don't be. They've already died."

"Nova!" Charlotte snapped.

"I mean left, they've already left," he corrected.

The men exchanged nervous glances. One of them stammered,

"W-what? They left? Then... what are you planning to do with us? If you're going to kill us, just do it already!"

Loid blinked.

"Kill you? Now why would I do that?"

The soldier's fist clenched.

"Because we deserve it! We attacked this village. We know what we've done!" His voice cracked, guilt crossing his expression.

Loid leaned forward, sighing.

"Honestly, I don't have a problem with you. You're not as bad as you  pretend to be."

One of them frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"When you came here," Loid said, calmly, "you didn't hurt anyone. If you had really wanted to, you could've used force. It would've been much easier. But you didn't, instead, you gave them a chance to surrender and that alone tells me everything I need to know."

The soldiers stared at him, speechless.

"You just followed the wrong man," Loid continued, his tone softening. "That's not evil. That's being lost. So why would I kill you for that?"

He steadied his expression.

"That said, you still did some shitty things. Intent or not, I can't just overlook them, so it's up to the villagers whether they want to forgive you."

One of the soldiers bowed deeply.

"No, we're beyond forgiveness. Even so, we want to apologize for how we treated all of you."

Charlotte stood with her fists clenched.

"You-you harassed us for years! My brother died protecting us from people like you... and... and... and you threatened my little sister!"

The scarred soldier kept his head lowered.

"Yes, but I swear, I never meant to harm her."

Charlotte's voice wavered.

"Even so, we can't just forget what you've done. The pain, it doesn't simply just vanish."

She paused, tears brimming in her eyes.

"But, holding onto hatred only keeps the wound open." Her voice cracked. "So, I forgive you. And I know my brother would've wanted the same."

The soldier's shoulders shook, their own tears streaming to the dirt.

"Young lady, we're grateful, but the consequences will still fall on us. Please, I know we have no right to ask, but could you at least let us die here? By your hand? Better to atone than die for nothing."

Charlotte's eyes softened, her heart aching at their despair. Before she could respond, Loid spoke.

"Well," he said, crossing his arms, "between all that rambling, all I hear are excuses to run away."

The men looked up, startled.

Loid's voice was firm yet carried a warmth.

"But I'm not blind to the fact that you've got nowhere to go. If you truly feel guilty for what you've done... then atone. Stay here. Protect the people you once hurt."

He glanced toward the villagers, then back at the soldiers.

"If Ruwen doesn't need you anymore, that's fine. These people do."

The three men stared at him, disbelief etched across their faces. Tears welled in their eyes once more, but this time they weren't born of despair. They hadn't just been spared; they'd been given a reason to live.

A small voice cut through the silence.

Shelly, her tiny feet carrying her forward with wide-eyed innocence, approached the scarred soldier — the very man who had once threatened her.

Everyone held their breath.

The scarred soldier froze, unsure whether to meet her eyes or bow his head.

Then, with unshakable simplicity, Shelly reached up and gently patted his head.

"Mr. Scar Man, I'm not mad at you."

The soldier's breath caught, his lips quivering.

Shelly smiled brightly.

"Promise."

Silence lingered for a moment.

Then his shoulders shook, tears streaming freely down his scarred face.

"T-thank you, thank you..." he stammered, relieved.

The other two soldiers bowed beside him, unable to hold back their tears. The villagers, once wary and tense, began to soften.

One elderly man muttered, "That kid's got more heart than us..."

A woman wiped at her eyes.

"Maybe, maybe it's time we let go."

A young man nodded.

"Yeah. Let's give 'em a chance. Ain't no one fixing this world by swinging at ghosts."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd, melting years of bitterness. Loid stood quietly behind them with a faint smile on his face.

Sometimes, it isn't strength or power that heals people.

It's a little girl's heart.

Beneath all the warmth, Loid felt it. A faint trace of mana lingered in the air, weaving through the village, leading somewhere beyond the square.