“.......”

As if she had felt that gaze, the child showed emotion for the first time. With a slightly flustered look, she hurriedly adjusted her clothes, covering the bit of shoulder that had slipped into view.

“We need to get you proper clothes first.”

Thinking she should place the order right away, Camilla headed outside.

“.......”

Only then did the child, Sena, lift her head and look at Camilla as she walked farther away.

And only a very long time later did the child’s lips slowly part.

“...She doesn’t remember.”

*****

“How much will you give me?”

“I can offer you 10 gold.”

“What? 10 gold? Are you kidding me?”

“.......”

“That’s all you’re giving? She may look like that, but she’s very usable! Her hair’s short, that’s all. She’s a girl!”

“I’ll give you 13 gold.”

“Fuck! That bitch’s useless to the bitter end. Hey, what are you doing! Go with this man right now!”

“What’s the child’s name?”

“Ptui. Sena.”

“.......”

Sena, who had fallen asleep for a short while, slowly opened her eyes. Startled for a moment by the unfamiliar view, the child slowly looked around.

And she quickly remembered where she was now.

Every step of how she had ended up here came back to her one by one as well.

“Mom...”

“Hic! I want to go home!”

“I’m scared... waaah! Dad!”

There had been countless children in the place where they were locked up. The moment even one of them started crying, the others followed, trembling in fear as they called for their mothers and fathers.

Among all those children, Sena alone had kept silent.

She had no home to return to. No parents she wanted to see.

If anything, part of her had even wanted to stay in that place. At least there, she would not have to worry about getting beaten by the man called her father.

So at first, she had even resented the people who said they had come to rescue them.

The child tugged the long sleeves hanging down even farther, wrapping them tightly around her hands.

As though hiding something she did not want discovered.

[I will give you power.]

“.......”

[Power to take revenge on the world.]

Sena slowly lifted her hands and clamped them tightly over her ears.

[Power to have everything you want.]

But the voice still came through even with her ears covered. It was an extremely strange voice. She could not even tell whether it belonged to a man or a woman.

Why...

Why do I keep hearing this?

At some point, the voice had begun whispering into her head at every possible moment.

She kept telling herself it was only an auditory hallucination and tried to ignore it, but the truth was that she was a little curious. What kind of power was it offering to give her?

If she really... really gained power, would anything change?

Would everything she had been through disappear?

[Power that can give you the world.]

It was a voice that repeated the same words every time.

[I will give you pow—]

SLIDE.

“......!”

Sena, who had been sitting there with her head lowered and her ears covered, flinched at something suddenly being held out in front of her eyes. It was a very small hand.

When she slowly lifted her head, she saw a young child standing in front of her.

“Eat this.”

In the child’s outstretched hand was a piece of candy.

“Sweet and tangy~ melts in your mouth~ it’s delicious!”

The child even put a tune into the words while explaining how tasty the candy was, and Sena’s eyes wavered for an instant. What was this child?

“My name is Rio. I’ve been living at House Sephra since a little while ago!”

This time, apparently pleased to have said House Sephra correctly instead of orphanage, Rio broke into a bright grin.

“.......”

“Uh...?”

But when Sena gave no response at all even after the introduction, Rio, still holding the candy out toward her, tilted their head to the side.

“You don’t like candy?”

“.......”

“It’s good, though...”

When Rio drooped their head in disappointment, Sena found herself hurriedly snatching the candy before she even realized it.

“Hehe.”

At once, Rio’s face lit up with a bright smile again. Rio took out one more piece of candy and popped it into their own mouth too.

“Yummy candy~ melts away~.”

A little tune of unknown identity trickled softly from the child’s lips.

After sitting beside Sena for quite a while, swinging their feet and humming, Rio suddenly clapped both hands together and hopped down from the seat.

“Big sister! Want to go for a walk?”

“.......”

Big sister? Were they calling «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» me that just now?

Sena’s eyes went round at the completely unexpected form of address. Rio giggled at her and pointed somewhere, telling her to look.

“The sun is shining so brightly today!”

Did that mean the sunlight was warm?

Sena’s gaze drifted to the window without her meaning to. For winter, the sunlight really did look unusually warm.

[I will give you power, power. Power that can give you the world.]

At that moment, the unknown voice rang through her head again.

[Power no one can look down on, power that will let you stand before anyone in this world without ever bowing your head—]

Sena slowly raised her hands.

To cover her ears.

Even though she already knew it was useless.

Rustle.

“......!”

Sena, who had squeezed her eyes shut, opened them at the sudden warmth and stared blankly at the little hands busily wrapping something around her neck.

“It’s cold outside. I’ll give you mine.”

What Rio had wrapped around Sena’s neck was a scarf.

“Camilla gave it to me as a present because it got cold. I’ll lend it to you.”

“.......”

“Warm and cozy~ scarf~ white little scarf~.”

With clumsy hands, yet still carefully, Rio wound the scarf snugly around her and stepped back with a bright smile.

“You look pretty, big sister!”

“.......”

Sena lifted a hand and touched the soft scarf.

Then she froze without realizing it.

Was this really something she was allowed to wear?

Her eyes moved back and forth between the especially white scarf and her own rough hands, which suited it so poorly, and then Sena slowly lowered her hand.

[Power that can let you have anything—]

At that instant, the voice sounded again.

Grab!

“Let’s go, big sister!”

But once again, the voice did not get to finish. Sena stared blankly at the tiny hand pulling firmly on hers.

“I’ll show you my secret place that I really, really love! I’ll only tell you about it! Come on!”

Led by that small hand, Sena slowly started walking.

Out into the warm winter sunlight.