[ “No!” Rin immediately retorted with as much firmness as she could manage.

Aiden took a step back and simply smiled. ]

Seated on her hospital bed, her slender, smooth leg lifted, Rin put on her tights as she scrutinously recalled last week's event.

[ “As you are well aware,” Aiden began out of nowhere while giving his... partner? a side-eye glance. Ursa simply grunted and lifted her hand. “Demons exist in this world,”

Following his words, a traumatic image suddenly appeared near the three of them. Rin would have screamed if her voice wasn't so damaged. Instead, she abruptly stood up from the bench and took three, maybe four steps away while eyeing the familiar monster with caution and fear.

The monster, however, was not paying her any mind. Comically It just lifted its hand and made a middle finger in Aiden's direction.

Rin's mind drew a blank for the nth time that day.

“They're scary beings whose only thoughts are to destroy everything in their path.” Aiden continued his...speech while vehemently ignoring everything else. “Opposite to them, serving directly as the people's protector are the so-called Elite.” The man moved his right hand at his chest in a grand theatrical way. “Us.”

Rin simply glared at him. She took another step back and began contemplating how she could run away, if it was at all possible.

“And, standing just atop the Elite,” Aiden's smile didn't falter as he pointed her finger at Rin. “are the Noble. You.”

The girl twitched and her expression worsened. She clenched her hand and bit her lips to try and stay calm.

“Or at least, you would be one, if it weren't for your amazing luck.” Aiden put on a smirk to mock Rin. “I mean, born inside the strongest of the 4 Noble House, and yet, possessing no power? The deception, man.”

Rin inadvertently took a step forward and looked at Aiden like he had just insulted her whole life. And, in fact, that's what he did, maybe even worse. The topic of Noble was not only her dream but also her greatest sore spot. ]

Rin breathed a long deep sigh and finally stood up from her bed. She took up the large big cloak that lay at her side and put it on with a weird elegance that only befitted someone of high stature. Her gaze lingered at the closed windows of the room, taking in the white morning scenery. She noticed that it was slightly darker than usual.

After buttoning up her clothes, she looked for her gloves next.

Today was the day she was discharged from the hospital. Her stay lasted for only a month, but, according to the doctor, she was in a good enough state to return to her daily life. Straining herself was a no-deal, though, so her usual training and workout would have to wait for a little more time.

With her preparation finished, Rin lifted her bag upon her shoulder and finally exited the room.

[ “You should know it by now, Rin,” Aiden said, now standing just in front of the girl. “Your ordinary, pitiful attempt at trying to become a Noble are pointless. It wouldn't work even if you were to train for a thousand years.”

‘Thus, you want me to ally with you?’ Rin spoke in her mind and showed abjection on her face.

“You're....a villain...!”

A Noble was someone who protected people. They had power— great power, but they never, ever use them for selfish reasons. In Rin's mind, they were heroes. She would never, even in her wildest dream, associate with people like Aiden. She may have wanted power, but she wasn't desperate enough to tread on villainy.

“A villain?” Aiden scoffed and looked at Rin as though he was looking at a small child. “Come on, kid. This isn't a comic, you know? Everyone act based on their needs and wants. That term is just an oversimplification of things. For all you know, I might be funding an orphanage somewhere.... Well, I'm not but you get what I mean.”

“You..re...a mur..derer.” Rin retorted.

“ 'Cause I needed to. Look, I'm no saint, but, for your information, I never killed innocent people.”

“I never killed anyone!” Ursa suddenly chipped in, looking at Rin with an expectant gaze, as though wanting to be praised.

Rin narrowed her eyes at her, doubtful. She searched more information about Ursa in her mind, and all of them pointed at her monstrosity. 

Liar. 

More reason to get away from the two criminals as fast as possible. Unfortunately, Rin had long judged that the best course of action right now, was to silently listen to the two people. She couldn't outrun them in her current state, she can't scream with her voice, and worst, if her guess about how she had gotten into the amusement park was right, then, no one was probably going to interrupt them.

She could only hope that they were, indeed, just here to talk.

“As I said, no need to be so afraid, Rin, it's not like I'm going to force you to join me,” Aiden said after noticing the her expression. “I'm no barbarian—”

“Yes, you are.”

“—And it's not like I'm asking you to become a... ‘villain’ either—well maybe, in a sense, I am, but more than that,” He said. “What I'm asking you is—]

Rin reluctantly put down her foot on the cold outside ground and let out a misty breath. She took one last glance at the big building that was the hospital before finally going on her way. The bus station wasn't that far away and she wasn't in that much of a hurry, but, even so, the cold atmosphere made her steps a little quicker than necessary. At the same time, thanks to the first message she had received in a while, she wasn't really adamant to return to her house. Though, of course, she had nowhere else to go.

“Rin!” 

As her thoughts continued to go back and forth, she heard a voice she wasn't expecting to hear this morning. She turned her head back and was greeted by the sight of a slightly out of breath Celia, bent on her knees.

“Celia?” She said with her recovered voice. She waited for her friends to regain her bearing before asking a question. “Didn't you say... that the orphanage needed you today?”

“Eh?” Finally looking up, Celia had a bewildered expression. “Ah! ...About that, uh, I, umm.” She fumbled for words a little distressed.

‘...Did she lie to me?“ Rin thought, surprised.

“I'm!” Celia suddenly raised her voice and made Rin step back. She paused for a second and took a deep breath. “I just...had something really important to tell you.”

Seeing the unusually serious expression on her face, Rin contained her sigh and decided to face the girl fully. ‘What is it going to be, this time? Another homework? Or is she going to ask me to buy something?’ She was used by it at this point, and it's not like she hated Celia when she acted selfish like that, but, today was just a... bad day. She wanted to just immediately yell no at the girl and stomp away, but she knew that would be a rude and ingrate thing to do toward the person who visited her every single day.

Not that it would change her answer, though. She could always repay Celia some other day.

“Rin...I...” Celia called out again. She opened her mouth, yet no words came out. She repeatedly looked down, looked at Rin's face, and then down again.

Rin tilted her head, waiting. She really, really wanted to urge the girl to speak. 

“...I...” Celia took another deep breath and decided to maintain her eyes on Rin's. “Do you remember when you asked me who...” And then she stopped again.

If it wasn't for Rin's habit of not talking too much, she was certain she would have flipped out right then and there. ‘What. is. it?’ she screamed in her mind while tightly clenching the strap of the bag hanging on her shoulder. The only thing that stopped her anger was the fact that she didn't want to ruin her relationship with the other girl.

“...Are you alright, Rin?” Celia asked, shifting from serious to worried.

Though, it seems that her expression betrayed her.

“Hm?” She intended to be calm but her voice was louder than she expected.

“Did something happen?” Celia strode nearer to her.

Rin shook her head with a little frown. “No...” She turned around to leave, seeing that the other girl wasn't going to state her business.

A warm feeling spread through her hand—through her gloves— and stopped her. Celia held her hands.

“Is it... because of that monster?” 

Rin opened her mouth but no words came out. Was Celia always this perceptive? Or was it that obvious? The girl's question made her feel a little helpless. Still, she pushed through, not liking the way she appeared even weaker than she already was.

“...I'm fine.” She said with a little venom hidden in her voice. 

She moved her hand out of Celia's grasp in a slightly rough manner and resumed her march forward. Any more wasted time and she was going to miss her bus, and, knowing who might be at her house right now.... well, maybe, missing the bus wasn't such a bad idea.

Then again, in addition to the cold, Celia, being weirdly serious, made her want to hurry her step.

“You're not.” The orange girl in question, however, seemed intent on not letting her go. She matched Rin's pace and contemplated in silence what to say.

Rin decided to ignore her even as she felt her gaze boring into the side of her face.

“Rin...” Celia said after a while. She increased her pace all of a sudden and stopped just in front of the other girl. “It's because you nearly died, right?”

Rin didn't answer and simply looked down. 

“...I knew it.” Celia said with a guilty face. “You had such a gloomy face at the hospital, too. I guess we really should have talked about this earlier, huh?”

“I... need to go home, Celia.”

Celia took a small breath. “You know, I'm not too good with words so I don't really know how I should comfort you.” She stretched her lips into a smile and approached Rin. “But, I do know you, Rin.”

The black-haired girl frowned and narrowed her eyes. No doubt: she was going to miss the bus, now.

“I want you to know that losing to that monster doesn't mean anything, okay?”

“What—”

Celia put her fingers on Rin's lips.

“I mean, aren't you still alive?” Celia widened her smile. “And, more importantly, you saved me that day, didn't you?”

...eh?

‘Saved you? When?’

Rin frowned even further and tried to search through her memory, which was very difficult considering the bits she was looking for were right in the middle of a trauma. Thankfully, though, the vague memory of her pushing Celia away popped in her head with just a thought.

‘That can hardly be called saving you, though,’ Rin loosened her expression, a little perplexed.

“It's a bit late for me to say this, I know. I actually feel really bad for forgetting to say it, too, but,” Celia added. “Thank you, Rin, for saving me. If it wasn't for you, well, we'd both be in the hospital right now. Maybe even worse...”

Rin's expression loosened a little, and she let out a small misty breath. Celia took her hands once again —both of them, this time,— and held them tightly in hers.

“I see you, I know how hard you work, and, that's why I can say that, in my eyes,” For an instant, Celia's bright scarlet eyes appeared like they were shining, entrancing Rin. “You're more Noble than anyone else, Rin.”

A tiny, very small smile stretched on Rin's lips. “That's... just a play of words.”

“I'm sincere!”

Celia hugged her out of a sudden. A little surprised, Rin's eyes widened a little before she returned the hug. She closed her eyes and appreciated the warmth. Now, she couldn't help but feel even more guilty about her earlier rise of irritation. Celia was a very selfish girl without a doubt, but she was also a good friend. And more importantly, she was the only one she had.

“Thank... you, Celia.”

A ringtone was what answered her.

“Oh, shoot!” Celia hastily broke the hug, and fumbled her clothes, probably looking for her phone. “I really need to go back now, but,” She didn't immediately answer the phone and instead looked at Rin. “I'll come to your house, later!”

“... You... don't need to, though.”

“I'll come! Plus, I haven't actually said what I...” The call ended and a slightly panicked expression spread on Celia's face. “Anyway! See you later!”

And just like that, she was gone. “See you,” Rin replied while waving her hand at the girl's back.

She put her hand in her pocket and took out a folded piece of paper. A small parting gift from Aiden. She opened it and looked at the content one last time before clenching it between her hands. Celia's previous words rang in her head and she began to look for a trashcan.

‘That's right...’ Aiden and Ursa's faces briefly appeared in her mind. ‘I don't need them.’

◇

Less than an hour later, or maybe more, Rin didn't know, the image of her house appeared in her eyes. ‘It's been a month...’ It wasn't such a long time but, a slight feeling of nostalgia tugged the side of her heart. Not that she was that happy to go back, though. As always, the house had only one floor, and yet, was still large enough to be called big. For Rin in particular, who didn't need that much space, it was overwhelming and reeked of loneliness.

Today, in particular, though, 'lonely' wasn't what she felt.

Arriving in front of her door, she hesitated a little before taking a deep breath. When she opened it, as she expected, the T.V in her living was on, displaying some kind of news while someone was watching it from her sofa. Of course, from the door, Rin could only see the back of the person but she couldn't have mistaken it for anyone else's. 

“Finally back, huh,” The man—boy, in this case— spoke without looking back. “Trash.”

Hearing the voice, Rin immediately suppressed the subconscious trembling of her hands.

“Kein...” She greeted back in a small voice. “What...are you—”

“—None of your business.” The boy stood up, threw the T.V remote on the sofa, and looked at Rin with his sharp blue, greenish pair of eyes.

He was Rin's cousin. 

The last time she had met him was three years ago, and, considering he was fourteen at the time, he should be seventeen now. He was taller than Rin, but compared to a boy his age he was probably around average. His hair was brown, his skin slightly darker than Rin's, and his face, currently wearing a smirk on it, was fairly good-looking by the standard. A pair of black-colored glasses were hanging on his nose.

“I heard what happened to you, by the way,” Kein spoke with his usual condescending tone.

‘There it was’. Rin guessed that was the only reason the boy was here. To mock her. ‘He didn't change...’

Among Rin's vast family, Kein could be considered to be her personal bully. He was the one person that showed her the most hate, that never deigned to hide his distaste, and that had the hobby of making Rin's childhood even harder than it already was. And, most of all, he was aggressive.

Rin didn't miss him at all.

“Nearly killed by a Demon.” He scoffed. “And a second-rate one at that.” 

Ignore him— didn't seem to be an option here. Still, Rin advanced and closed the door behind her while maintaining eye contact. Answering wasn't in her best interest, and, if she remembered correctly, so long as she didn't back down, Kein wouldn't push too much.

The wall on her right side, Rin continued to just observe the boy and tried to not let too many emotions go out.

“I, at least, hope that taught you your place, trash.” His smirk grew wider.

It happened in an instant that Rin's brain couldn't even register it. All she heard was the sound of air being pierced before a violent gust of wind not only blew her long hair backward but also made her stumble. If it wasn't for the wall at her side cushioning her back, she would have fallen in an unsightly way.

Once a few seconds passed, in which her eyes were closed and her mouth clenched tightly shut from the sudden fright, she finally saw a small spherical black mass hovering just a few inches away from where her face should have been earlier. 

‘Kein's Singularity’— Rin reminded herself before calming her breath.

“You can't become a Noble, weakling. Don't waste your pitiful time.” 

Before she even knew it, Kein passed her by and headed for the door with the black sphere following him out. As he opened the door, he shot one last disgusted look at Rin and warned,

“Don't you dare cause me trouble. Or else...” 

Then he slammed the door shut.

Rin looked at it for a long while, and only after making sure he couldn't hear the boy's footstep anymore did she let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. She slumped all the way down to the ground, placed her hands on her knees, and closed her eyes.

—Aiden's face surfaced.

She immediately shook her head.

‘... don't falter.’

Since she was already crouched, she took off her shoes, aligned them in front of her door, and stood up again.

‘Even if ordinary means don't work,’

She placed her bag on the previous sofa and headed for her bedroom.

‘Even if it was all...’

She clenched her hands as she recalled all her days of hard work.

The short, yet harsh training she had with her grandfather since childhood.

The sleepless night she had spent researching everything she could about the history of Demons, Elite and Noble while coping with her academic life.

The repetitive yet valuable workout routine she had designed and evolved throughout the years.

The precious lesson she had learned and practiced day in and day out from her martial art teacher.

Everything she did up to this point.

‘...Pointless...’

She clenched her hands, grit her teeth, and flopped down on her bed. She took a quavering breath and buried her face in her pillow.

‘There...are other ways I can explore...

Like the Origin Continent, if I can go there then...

Or maybe, if I study cybernetics...

Or even Remnant...’

She turned around and looked at her white ceiling. She had been away for so long that she could see cobwebs on it. The sound coming from the T.V that Kein hadn't bothered to turn off filled the place.

‘There are many ways, so...’

Aiden's image entered her mind once again.

‘I don't need... him...’

◇

«Can you... meet me at the bridge, right now? I have something important to tell you.»

After rechecking the content of the message, Rin looked at the back of the sender with a neutral expression. Celia. She had met her just a few hours ago, but, already, the girl's atmosphere was different. She seemed nervous and afraid, as though she was going to confess.

“Celia...?” Rin tilted her head and called. The girl didn't answer. Didn't even turn back to face her. ‘Was I not loud enough?’

With calm steps, Rin approached Celia's side and decided to lean on the same stone balustrade she was holding on to. From where she was, she could only make out the girl's profile, but, that was enough to see the rare serious expression she was wearing. 

“...” Rin couldn't talk.

Below them, was a River. A beautiful and large river with crystal blue, refreshing water coursing through the entirety of the city, dividing it into two parts. And, going against that natural current, standing tall several meters ahead of Rin, with an obvious display of riches, was the biggest building in the city. 

Ark's H.Q. Or, in more crude words, the Elite's dwelling.

Thus, it stands to reason that Rin wasn't particularly comfortable with the sight.

“...Why here?” Rin asked, noticing that Celia's gaze never left the building.

She could hear Celia take a deep breath, still not deigning to look at her. The orange girl cast a look downward, probably looking for her reflection on the water. Puzzled, Rin decided to do the same and waited patiently.

“...I wasn't trying to hide it, Rin, I was...” Celia began, tone apologetic. “Just afraid of your reaction.”

There. Rin couldn't describe Celia's expression anymore. Her heart began to beat faster, somehow unconsciously expecting bad news.

“...Do you remember when you asked me how you were still alive?”

Realization filled her face. Rin's hand unconsciously let go of the balustrade and fell listlessly at her side.

“How you survived the blood loss, the strangulation, and...the big hole in your stomach?”

Her breathing got clogged in her throat.

“That...” Celia finally turned to face Rin with her whole body. “That was me. I did it.”

Rin's mouth unconsciously opened but no words came out. A veil of dark clouds suddenly obscured her vision. Even the voice she was hearing seemed to have been muffled by something, and yet, she understood each and every single word as though they were a curse.

“...I don't know how, but, somehow, I...” Celia brought her hand up in front of her, showed her palm to her, and then...

Something lit up. 

Bright scarlet-like energy coiled around the orange girl's hands like a living thing, and soon encased them entirely. And yet, Celia's hand seemed perfectly fine, in fact, they even exuded... power. Rin knew exactly what kind of power it was. An Aura. Something impossible for a normal person to conjure.

Something impossible for Rin...

Which meant that...

“I'm... an Elite now, Rin.”

The words came down like a sword directly piercing through her heart.

Rin inadvertently took a step back, her expression distorted and her body quavered as she realized she couldn't see Celia's face anymore. The ground on which she was standing shook and she felt like everything was crumbling away— like everything was going away from her.

‘Are you... going to leave me too?

Why?

Why?

...Why!?’

By the time she realized it, she was already running. To where? She didn't know. And She didn't care. She didn't fucking care. She just ran as fast as she could she could under the relentless rain of snow. She bumped into a couple of people, heard them yell and curses at her but she didn't stop. She ran through the middle of a street, not even bothering to see if the traffic light was red or green, and heard some loud klaxon directed at her but she didn't stop. She stumbled on her feet, and nearly fell on the ground several times but she didn't stop.

She didn't stop.

She just ran and ran...and ran...and...

‘Why am I the only one...!!’

Her body quavered, tears fell from her face and she couldn't even contain her voice from crying anymore. 

‘I worked so hard, too!!’

   «You were born a trash and you will die as one.»

This is unfair.

   «Your ordinary, pitiful attempt at trying to become a Noble are pointless.»

Unfair!

   «You can't become a Noble, weakling. Don't waste your pitiful time»

‘Unfair!!

Why am I the only one left behind!!

What... did I do so wrong?’

Her feet hit a hard step and she fell headfirst into a small pile of snow. Her forehead, her right elbow, the palm of her left hand, and her knees received most of the impact and sustained some injuries.

It hurted.

Rin tried to stand up, but, she slipped and hit her face on the ground again.

‘It hurts.’

She repeated the motion and received the same result.

‘It hurts so much.’

A bit of blood accompanied her silent tears. Like a puppet with its string cut, Rin found herself unable to muster up any more strength. She was forced to remain on the hard ground, breath haggard from exhaustion and with the hateful, cold snow caressing most of her body. 

She didn't know what to do anymore.

Her eyes closed and her tears continued to drown her face.

... ... ...

... ...

...

...How many times passed like that? An Eternity? A seconds?

What woke Rin from her distress was the feeling of something poking the back of her head. A heavy feeling. Like a bid of water smashing on her head. The feeling repeated itself. Two times. Three times.

It was raining.

She opened her eyes just in time to see particles of snow melt on the ground and refreeze immediately. Even her regulator wasn't going to resist this cold. If she didn't want another trip to the hospital, she needed to get up. 

Using her hands, she tried to stand back up on her feet, but, well, they slipped again. A low growl escaped her lips. Instead of standing directly, she decided to just turn around and look at the sky. Rain, snow, and ice crystal relentlessly fell on her smooth skin, a feeling she would have hated if not for the fact that she was already numb (though that wasn't a pleasant feeling either) thanks to the snow on the ground and her own tears.

The white sky gazed down at her.

“Why... did you reject me?”

To whom she asked this question, no one knows. Not even Rin herself. She just knew that someone was listening to her— No, maybe not someone, but something. Was she delusional? She didn't think so. Though, she also knew that no one was going to answer her question.

Her eyes began to water again and her childhood trauma began to kick in, making her feel nauseous.

“Poor child.”

A man suddenly appeared above her, holding a black, wide umbrella. Rin didn't even need to ask who it was.

The man crouched and wiped the tears on her right eye.

“So?” He asked, tone casual. “Your answer?”

Rin's expression distorted.

She closed her eyes again, let her tears fall one last times and took a quavering breath.

   «What I'm asking you is: how much are you willing to pay for your dream?»

When she finally opened her eyes, her heart had calmed down.

“You... win, Aiden.” The tears didn't stop, but for once, all the tension in her body receded. 

The man smiled devilishly.

“Give me... power...”

His hand extended toward Rin's face and her world turned black.