Mara and Mira's Side
Their footsteps echoed softly along the cobbled streets of Velderath. The sunlight had begun to rise, and warmth slowly returned to the air. The two of them kept walking.
Large colonial-style houses stood proudly, a sign that this district belonged to the city's minor nobles.
The Hill family residence was located at the far west end of the district—a three-story house with a dark red roof and a chimney that emitted a thin trail of smoke. Beside the house stood a large workshop marked with the symbol of a hammer and shield. The sound of clanging metal and workers shouting could be heard from within.
Mira stared at the house. "You live here?"
Mara nodded slightly but didn't smile. "Come on, let's go in," she said.
As they walked past the iron gate, a maid quickly approached them.
"Miss Mara… You've finally returned. Master was very worried about you." The maid's voice was a bit heavy, and when her eyes glanced at Mira, she looked displeased. "And you've brought... another guest?"
"This is Mira, my friend."
The maid gave a slight, insincere bow before inviting them inside.
The interior of the house was luxurious but cold. There was no warm scent of home-cooked food or fresh flowers in vases. Just polished wood, family portraits, and the atmosphere of a museum. Mira could feel the tension in every corner.
"Where are your parents?" Mira asked.
"Father's in the workshop. Mother…" Mara didn't finish. Instead, she walked toward the stairs. Her room was on the second floor.
But before they could go up, a deep voice echoed from the back hallway. Someone's footsteps approached them.
"Mara."
That voice made Mara click her tongue. She turned and forced a smile. A middle-aged man emerged from his study, wearing a leather apron and hands covered in sweat. His sharp eyes looked at Mara, then shifted to Mira.
"You're two nights late. And now you're bringing another outsider?"
Mara took a deep breath. "I was busy. I had a mission, Father. I'm going to become an S-rank adventurer."
Her father walked closer, eyeing Mira with a judgmental gaze. He examined her from head to toe. Mira wore a cloak that covered most of her body.
Arte couldn't clearly recognize her face—his eyes had already begun to weaken with age.
"And who are you?" he asked.
"Mira. Mara's party member in the Adventurer's Guild," Mira replied, calm but polite.
This time, Arte looked straight at Mara. "A friend. Once again, you bring someone not of our blood. I've told you, make friends with other noble children—yet you continue to associate with useless street rats."
His words were loud and sharp. Mira stood right there. Her eyes widened; she almost reacted. But she took a deep breath and composed herself.
Her emotions settled again.
But not Mara's. "You're always like this. What's wrong if I don't want to be friends with those two-faced hypocrites?" Mara snapped, her tone growing tense.
"Our shop, our workshop, the family name itself will crumble if you keep playing around out there. You should start learning how to run the business—not waste time with mercenaries and street adventurers. And you should've married into the Borton family, but you refused. That ruined our relationship with them. That's your fault."
Mara clenched her fists, boiling inside. She stepped forward, visibly angry but still managing to hold back this time.
"Are you listening to me?" Arte barked.
"Am I supposed to obey a father who doesn't even see his daughter as a person? To you, what am I? A thing, or your child?" Mara's voice rose.
"YOU—" Arte raised his hand, ready to slap her.
"Go on, hit me!" Mara yelled. "All I want is freedom! I don't want to be locked up in this house, forced to marry some noble's son just for your business alliance! I'm a human being, not a tool for your transactions!"
Mira was shocked. "Marry?"
Arte paused, then spoke coldly, "This is not a choice. You are the heir to the Hill family. The only heir. Don't bring shame to our name."
Mara laughed bitterly. "You're hilarious, Father. Just because of your incompetence in running the business, now you're sacrificing your own daughter. Truly funny," she mocked.
Arte grew furious. Once again, he raised his hand and aimed a slap at Mara, but Mira caught his wrist mid-air.
A moment of silence. The atmosphere turned heavy. The maid stood in the distance, pretending not to hear. Mira and Arte locked eyes, both disliking each other.
Finally, Arte said coldly, "Then don't expect any inheritance. If you walk out of this house tonight, it will be the last time you call this place your home."
Mira moved closer, holding Mara's arm. But Mara wasn't afraid. She looked straight at her father.
"Then I'll leave. I don't need this family's name to be myself. Go ahead, live your life with your precious swords!" Mara shouted.
Without another word, she pulled Mira along and stormed out of the house. They truly left.
"Where are you going? Come back here!" Arte shouted.
But Mara had already walked away and shut her ears from his words.
Arte slowly walked toward the front door, but by the time he reached it, no one was there anymore.
"That child… I must discipline her."
***
Dyren had just finished cleaning the entire sewer system. Some sewage still clung to parts of his body. Of course, he wasn't alone—he had summoned several skeletons with his skill to help.
Naturally, that drew a lot of attention. Some people even submitted complaints to the guild about the skeletons.
But when the guild staff came to investigate, they met Dyren—and there he explained the whole situation.
That eventually made people more accepting. Some even began playing around with the skeletons Dyren had summoned.
"At last, it's done. I need to make my report," Dyren muttered.
He was about to head to the guild when suddenly, a small child reached out her hand. On her palm bloomed a tiny red rose.
Dyren tilted his head. "Is this for me?" he asked.
The child nodded and ran off. "Big brother, let's play again tomorrow!" she shouted, waving her hand.
Dyren nodded. "Thank you."
He stared at the rose in his hand and tucked it away. He didn't do anything else—he simply let the children play with the skeletons he had summoned.
It turned out, that made the children very happy.
"Cleaning sewers… isn't so bad after all."