“Tenshi...” Eh... I rubbed my eyes—it was still bright with some light left out... 

Ah, is... I looked around, now awake and Kou was silently crying... “Is there anything wrong—did—!”  

Ah, Kou—?... She's... crying...? "No..." She wiped her tears away...

Thinking back now...

Kou, I—I never really comforted or spent any time with her these past few days, have I...? She... Kou must’ve been really lonely. Especially since we didn’t converse yesterday due to the darkness and that fight. Today, all I did was sleep too. Looking at her, she must've cried while I was sleeping.

“I’m... sorry Kou, I should've... sorry for not being with you these past few days...”  

… I really neglected Kou. I kept running off alone making arrangements, bribing guards and speaking to Helmsmen and Rudel. More so, there was no one at the villa to watch or speak to Kou... I wrapped my arms around her in a silent hug...

“I must have made you... lonely, sorry...”

We kept our embrace for a while... Kou’s silent sobs, her wet tears, I meant everything to her... ever since Roy left the world. Not to include moving locations, for what seems to be no reason from Kou’s end.  

… Well, she is still a child, she needs care and attention...

“Sorry... Tenshi...” Kou lifted her head from my shoulder in our embrace... “I—… Even though you are so busy, I... I so spoiled—I'm... not a hinderance, am I...?” Eh...? She... haha, what a joke.

“Eh... No—of course you are not a hinderance. You’re a kid, you wanting love is normal.” I petted her head—Kou really does feel like a kitten. “So, please don’t take it upon yourself... besides—it's my fault for leaving you these past few days.”  

It—… has been a while...? I never really spent time together with her, nor had any time to have any... family time with Kou. 

Kou looked at me... “Um... Tenshi... Can..." She silently paused for a few seconds... "... what are those... black glass? Is... I'm curious what they are.” Ah... 

… how to... explain? “Well—… I—even I can’t explain what they are.” I made and held—…? 

Actually... eh... Looking at the shard, it... looked ominous, dark... While I never looked and realized it, the shards seem much more darker, and ominous. Thinking about it brings terrible memories, 

“Don’t... touch the shard actually...”  

… No, thinking about it even more, it felt... strange how they formed and acted. It was stranger how the shards appeared, even without a chant... No, the shards didn’t even have anything to chant for them to foam or attack; they simply come from my intent... 

“I... still don’t know what my shards can do; they don't seem to harm me, though I don't know about anyone in general." The shard simply disappeared with my words...

"Ah... eh, okay..." It was indeed a terrible excuse, but... Kou bought into it. She looked dejected, but understood.

“... I'll make sure not to leave you..." I told her. I was sure she would want to talk to me and ask me about things; I also just wanted to present myself as a reliable older sister to her and listen to her worries.

----- 

Dusk approached once again...  

Helmsmen slowly walked to me and opened the carriage door. “For now, we'll stop here and rest for the night and tomorrow, as well as let the horses rest.” He led me out the carriage, leaving Kou behind in the carriage... resting... 

 Our current place Helmsmen choose was a clearing with a forest on one side—the Forest of Dark, located on the east of the Empire's border and the west of the Holy Kingdom's borders. It presented a good defensive position, and the road would allow us to quickly disembark. While we were setting camp, I would once again have to maintain my night watch.

“Understood. I’ll keep watch out.” I saluted to Helmsmen. "Sigh... lookout... again... Except unlike before it was still sometime in late afternoon..." I muttered as Helmsmen turned to leave.

I looked around... chances are, no one will show up for the time being. I was also almost convinced that tonight would be a quiet night.

"The heat is really getting to me today..." Unlike yesterday which was temperate, today was quite warm... maybe quite hot... “Water.” A small orb of water foamed in my hands, which I splashed onto my hair. I gently combed my somewhat short hair with my finger tips... “Breezes.” A soft, cool breeze came momentarily, before ending to nothing...  

Normally no one would do such a thing like waste their Magic on a useless spell like |Water|, but my Magic Potential amounted to nothing more than allowing me to use Magic for small conveniences. I, also unlike others, I wasn’t affected by Magic, so I could spend all the Magic in me yet not faint from Magic Overuse. I suppose it could be seen as a benefit of my low Magic Potential. 

Though everyone here could use Magic. Rudel could use basic Defensive Spells, and Helmsmen could use both basic levels of Defensive Spells as well as Offensive Spells... Kou could really only the same basic conveniences of life spells like me, but due to her lack of training and knowledge she can't use anything else.

… well, even if I knew the special knowledge of Spellcraft, I wouldn’t be able to activate anything with my lack of Magic Power.  

I finished combing my hair before leaving myself to keep watch...  By then all three of our tents were assembled... I gently woke up Kou to sleep at the tents before going back for the night, on lookout... 

----- 

Nothing eventful occurred, at least for this night. 

Well, we were nearing border between the two states. Covering ourselves up as rich traveling merchants should be easy, as our identity shouldn’t be known outside of the Empire, besides a few who know of the Shinjii Trading Company. Though as long as we don’t give tell anyone our family name, we should be fine. 

“Tenshi...” I alone... that was all I knew when I came here... “Was—... I wonder if I had a family name—surely my origins are that of a Noble.” When I came here, I clearly wore a black dress with a necklace that held a similar black shard. The necklace alone made Roy think I was a Noble.  

Yet... all that was on my shard necklace were a few very scratched out words... “Ten...” That could be referring to my name, Tenshi, though...  If it was some other name, what name could it be?

“Tenshi...” Kou behind me tugged the helm of my skirt... wait, when did she—ah, nevermind.

Kou was awake, “Good morning Kou.” I turn to see Kou rubbing her eyes with the sleeves of her light red dress. “Geezes Kou, let me fix your hair.” I sat down on the small log I used as a seat for the night, and Kou soon followed sitting close to me.

Her normally long-pretty  hair was now cutely-messy with strains of hair standing on her head. “Um... Tenshi... why... do you stay up through the night?” Kou asked as I combed her hair with my fingers.  

“I...” There... isn’t any hiding it, is there? Kou might be young, but she isn't oblivious. “I watch the night for everyone’s safety... We—well... put simply, we are in constant danger while we are here... so, someone needs to watch the camp during the night.”  

I continued combing her hair... “Ah...” It must’ve been ticklish for her.  

I finished straightening her hair and started braiding her hair. She now started to look like a princess—at least to me. “Done.” I got up, and looked at her again... Hm—Kou really does give off the vibes of a princess. Cute, pretty, a little timid, yet terribly kind and innocent. “I’m going to go for a walk Kou, please stay with me.”  

It made me happy to see Kou frantically try to follow me... I would walk the perimeter one more time before I rest.  

“So... Tenshi...” Kou muttered as she followed next to me... “Um... why do you seem so... scared?... Lately, every time I look at you, you seem so... worried...”  

… … … 

… I... no, I should be honest...  

“It’s...” I... took a breath—I wanted to ready myself... “I’m... honestly really worried—I don’t want you to be sent as a weapon of war, so... I ran with you as Helmsmen and Rudel as our guard.” I told myself—I should be honest with Kou. "While running to the Holy Kingdom will be dangerous, it will be a much more peaceful place for you to be." 

Kou held my right hand... “Is... um, can I do anything... Tenshi?” … this was what Kou was trying to lead up to—to lead to a conversation in which she could ask to help us? “I’m... not a little girl—I can do things, if it’s looking out, surely... surely... I can do that, right?”  

… Can... I can trust Kou with most task—she would do anything I tell her to the very end... yet most task I can give her have some element of danger to it... everything out here would be putting her in some sense of danger.

I silently pondered... I suppose there is no harm teaching her the basics of looking out for her self. Even if she has to learn herself. “I’ll discuss our schedules with Helmsmen—though Kou, please know that you will be expected to do your best; your diligence determines our survival.” I told her as I walked with her back to the camp. “... and, no, you do not have my ability to see in the dark... I am unique—for some reason... So you are not watching the night with me.”  

… well, I was both unique yet very strange... 

“But you can look out during the mornings and evenings, or ask Helmsmen or Rudel for help on anything; I’m sure they’ll accept any help.” I was sure Helmsmen or Rudel would enjoy having someone to look out, or someone they could train with sword practice... 

Sword... I—… Actually, I won’t tell them to teach Kou how to use a sword... If Kou learns how to use a sword, I am only sure she would end up wanting to use it... Maybe when she grows a little more and I can imprint the vulnerability of us, as people, will I teach her how to fight.