Candado walked over to the table where Sara was seated.

  "Good afternoon. This is the second time, huh?"

  "I'm truly glad you brought Amjasta back safe and sound," she replied with a faint smile.

  Amjasta approached Candado and bowed her head respectfully.

  "Thank you."

  "You're welcome," he answered simply.

  At that moment, three Luceros appeared. This time, there were two men and a woman.

  "Looks like you already know Yisira and Florenfinziari. Let me introduce you to the 'older siblings.'"

  "Of course."

  The first to step forward was the woman.

  "Hello, my name is Korik."

  Korik had yellowish skin and hair made of palm leaves. Her ears were pointed, and she wore a light poncho, dark blue bombachas, and black boots.

  "A pleasure, Miss Korik," Candado said, nodding his head slightly.

  The second man stepped forward to introduce himself.

  "Hi, I'm Wilzan."

  Wilzan had pale skin and, like Florenfinziari, was completely nude. Unlike Korik, however, he greeted Candado with a handshake.

  "A pleasure, Wilzan."

  "Thank you for saving them."

  The last one to speak had a truly striking appearance.

  "I'm Yetorixunamkari," he said, and without waiting for a reply, he wrapped Candado in an embrace.

  "Fe’noj kimj," he whispered. (Grateful heart. Thank you.)

  "To," Candado replied. (Alright.)

  Yetorixunamkari’s hair was made of diamond, and he was elegantly dressed. His hands were so transparent they looked like crystal, and his face had an angelic and gentle beauty.

  "You're welcome," Candado repeated.

  Then he walked over to a chair, pulled it gently closer, and sat down in front of Sara.

  "I'm all ears. What are you planning?"

  All the Luceros sat around them, forming a circle with Sara and Candado at the center.

  "I think you already know," she said, folding her hands on her lap. "You know I’m not from this..."

  "World. I know," Candado interrupted.

  "How?"

  Candado leaned back in his chair, rubbed his eyes with his fingers, and then smiled in amusement.

  "Héctor owes me a hundred pesos."

  "What? You knew I wasn’t from this world?"

  "Of course I did, girl. But 'world' is a subjective thing. Just like someone can say their world is their soulmate."

  Sara stared at him in silence. She would never be entirely sure whether he was lying or telling the truth.

  "When I arrived here, I was terrified. I hid from humans—the same species I had… conflicts with." Sara wore a serious expression and held Candado’s gaze. "The agents… they're the worst of the human race. I don’t want these other races to be hunted. I don’t want them to be hurt anymore."

  "The Luceros are part of the equation, aren’t they?"

  "That’s right. In a book I once read back in my… village, it said time can be moved by nature itself: eight pillars, eight angels, eight demons..."

  "We’ve established it’s eight," Candado interrupted, one eyebrow raised.

  Sara cleared her throat.

  "Eight members of nature can open the door to my world."

  "And why do you want to open it?"

  Sara didn’t answer right away. Instead, she turned her eyes to Rucciménkagri.

  "Would you, please?" she asked gently.

  Rucciménkagri nodded, stood up, and began to push Sara’s chair.

  "Walk with me, Candado."

  He stood without a word and followed beside her.

  "My power is very limited," she began. "If you want to protect one person, you need strength. But if you want to protect millions… you need much more than that."

  They walked in silence for several minutes until they reached the edge of a cliff. In the distance, kilometers away, a massive waterfall could be seen cascading from a rocky outcrop.

  Candado was speechless.

  The waterfall fell directly into the sea—a sea that seemed to hang from the sky itself, with trees mimicking clouds, floating over a void that defied all logic.

  The landscape was as beautiful as it was impossible.

  And in that moment, Candado understood—he was involved in something far greater than he had ever imagined.

  "When you said you wanted to use the air to protect them, the first thing that came to mind was a ship... or a zeppelin," Candado said, still in awe. "Hell, I even thought it might be a robot. But never—not once—did it cross my mind that you were talking about a damn floating island."

  Sara offered a faint smile.

  "My power can move mountains and continents... but I chose to lift just about five hundred thousand square kilometers using only my heart."

  "Wow... that's only two hundred and fifty thousand square kilometers less than Kanghar."

  "Want to know where I got all of this from?" Sara asked, gesturing toward the horizon with her eyes.

  "Yeah, seriously—where?"

  "From the bottom of the ocean. I shaped the land a bit and made it fertile within three years. Look at the vegetation. Thanks to Rucci, I was able to enrich the soil across the entire island in no time."

  "And how do you hide something this enormous?"

  "Our power makes it simple. With our illusion field, we're invisible to everyone else."

  Candado nodded, one brow raised.

  "I see. It’s... questionable, but I get it."

  "Good," Sara continued. "Now that I’ve shown you this, let’s head to the village."

  "Village? There are people living here?"

  "Indeed."

  Rucciménkagri turned Sara’s wheelchair, and the two began to move forward. Candado followed them, still trying to process what he'd just seen.

  "We’ve built four towers at the cardinal points," Sara added as they walked.

  "Why?"

  "Makes it easier to monitor everything around us."

  "I see..." Candado replied, thoughtful. "Though it kinda sounds like you're just bragging."

  Sara chuckled.

  "Even so, our future nation—our society—needs strength if it’s to be independent."

  "By any chance... do you have a flag and a name?"

  "A name, yes. The flag is still up for debate."

  "Looks like founding a country these days is easier than agreeing on a national symbol..." Candado said with dry sarcasm. "I want to laugh at my own joke."

  Sara and Rucciménkagri laughed along with him.

  "The name of this land was chosen by Miss Sara," Rucci added.

  "And what’s it called?"

  Sara smiled with nostalgia. But it wasn’t just any smile—it was one of those that escape when the soul remembers something the tongue dares not speak. Her eyes drifted into the void, as if she were gazing at something only she could see.

  "Jadek."

  Candado frowned.

  "Jadek? What an ugly name."

  Sara smiled again, and from that smile, a few tears began to fall.

  "It is."

  Candado noticed this, but said nothing more—just one comment.

  "Wonderfully ugly."

  "Way to ruin the atmosphere," Rucciménkagri replied with a teasing grin. "You’ll never get a girlfriend if you keep this up."

  "Looks like you know him well."

  "It’s a blend of names—names that once were, but are no longer. We considered using Latin—something like Coeisulam, a combination of coelum, meaning 'sky', and insulam, which is 'island'."

  "Latin? Typical."

  "So it would mean 'island in the sky'?" Rucciménkagri asked.

  Candado burst out laughing.

  "I’ll put it this way, my friend: if we all spoke Latin and found the words 'sky' and 'island' attractive enough to build a nation’s name out of them, then sure—it would be something like "SkIsland", and it would mean exactly that. But no, we borrowed two words, smashed them together, created a term that doesn’t even exist, and... voilà, a country was born."

  "...Okay."

  The trio finally reached the entrance of the town. It was fairly large.

  "This is where we’ll found the capital," Sara said solemnly.

  "I see. And what’s it called?"

  "Jatara."

  "Hmm? What does that mean?"

  "‘Pillar,’ in my language."

  "Jatara? Not a bad name," Candado admitted as he looked around.

  "It’s a very... lively place," he added with a hint of sarcasm.

  "There are only two hundred inhabitants for now," Sara explained.

  Candado nodded. The townspeople looked vastly different from humans—horns, wings, multiple arms, eyes in unusual places, and skin and hair in all kinds of colors.

  "You’re adjusting quickly," Sara observed.

  "Yeah, I—Hmm?"

  Candado’s gaze locked onto two women walking arm in arm.

  "Something wrong?" asked Sara.

  He stood still.

  "That’s my... mother?"

  "Oh, Miss Europa. I’m glad to see Eva catching up with her mom," Sara said.

  Europa noticed him. Her eyes sparkled with emotion.

  "Oh, she saw us," Sara murmured.

  And then, without warning, Europa broke into a run.

  "She’s heading straight for us," Rucciménkagri remarked, her tone unchanged.

  "I’m going to die," Candado muttered dryly—right before his mother tackled him in a hug, sending both of them crashing to the ground.

  "Mom! Calm down!" he protested, trying to sit up.

  "I’m sorry, I’m so sorry," Europa said between laughs and tears.

  "Feels like you’re happier with her than with me," Candado grumbled.

  "Jealous?"

  "Yeah."

  Europa hugged him even tighter.

  "Mother and son... What a beautiful bond," Rucciménkagri said with a warm smile.

  "Oh, Rucciménkagri. I think this is the third time we’ve met," Europa noted.

  "Indeed, Miss J?n," Rucciménkagri replied politely.

  Candado and Europa got back on their feet. The boy looked around, taking in the details of the place.

  "Wow... it’s beautiful," he murmured in quiet awe.

  "As it should be," Sara said serenely. "Everyone’s home deserves to be beautiful."

  Candado’s gaze drifted to Eva.

  "I’m glad you’re okay."

  "Right," Europa said, gently placing an arm around her son’s shoulder. "I want you to come with me to Eva’s house."

  "Already?" Eva looked visibly nervous. "But... it’s a mess and—"

  "Mom… if she’s not comfortable, you don’t have to push her," Candado intervened.

  Europa didn’t answer. Instead, she took both of them by the hand and, with sudden energy, started running, leaving Sara and Rucciménkagri behind.

  "We’ll talk about this later!" Europa called out between laughs.

  As they disappeared down the street, Rucciménkagri let out a sigh.

  "They’re gone..."

  "Brilliant observation, Rucci," Sara said with a small, tilted smile.

  "I think you forgot to mention something important."

  Sara slowly turned her wheelchair.

  "I’ll tell him later," she replied in a quiet voice.

  Candado and Europa stopped in front of a rather striking house—vividly pink and made entirely of wood, its structure just as unusual as its color.

  "Don’t say it... you like pink," Candado muttered sarcastically.

  "What gave me away?" Eva teased, amused.

  With light steps, Eva approached the door and opened it without needing a key.

  "No lock, huh? Must be a safe place," Candado noted.

  "Of course. It’s been that way for thirty years."

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  "Honey, I’m home," Eva announced as she stepped inside.

  "‘Honey’?" Candado and Europa echoed in unison, startled.

  Eva blushed.

  "Come in, please," she said, swiftly dodging the subject.

  Candado and Europa entered. Eva took off her trench coat and hat—when had she even put those on?—and hung them on the coat rack.

  Suddenly, a man appeared from an adjacent room.

  "Eva, you’re back early," he said in a calm voice.

  Eva walked up to him and kissed him on tiptoe.

  "Mom, this is my husband," she said.

  The man had long, reddish hair that fell to his shoulders and yellow eyes with slit pupils, much like a reptile’s. He wore a short-sleeved gray shirt and purple trousers, with matching slippers. He stood nearly one meter ninety—considerably taller than Eva, who herself had a few centimeters over Europa.

  "You must be Europa. Eva has spoken a great deal about you. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you," the man said, extending his hand. "My name is Horacio. Horacio Kingsfree."

  "The pleasure is mine," Europa replied with a warm smile, shaking his hand.

  Candado stepped forward as well and offered his hand.

  "Candado Barret."

  Horacio let out a short chuckle. "Of course," he said, leaning forward slightly to return the handshake.

  Suddenly, Candado felt a few persistent gazes from his right. He tilted his head slightly and offered a polite greeting.

  "Hello."

  Eva turned her attention to the same direction.

  "Oh… there’s something else I’d like to show you," she said, beaming. She opened her arms toward the shy figures hiding behind the doorway. "Come now, don’t be shy. They're part of Mom's family."

  Three figures slowly emerged from their hiding place. Two of them clung nervously to the figure in front.

  "This is Zacharias, my eldest son. That’s Anastasia, the middle child. And the little one is Inés."

  Zacharias had black hair and eyes identical to his mother’s. A scorpion-like tail extended from his back and dragged slightly along the floor. He wore a school uniform: a long-sleeved white shirt, black vest, blue tie, navy-blue pants, and dark shoes. His expression brimmed with curiosity.

  Anastasia, also with black hair, had her father’s eyes and a thinner scorpion tail. Her uniform mirrored her brother’s, with a blue ribbon tied at her collar, a skirt down to her knees, white socks, and black shoes. Her face reflected discomfort.

  Inés, on the other hand, had inherited her father's red hair, tied into two pigtails. A pacifier rested in her mouth, and her physique was unique: four glowing red eyes, pincers in place of hands, six legs instead of two, and a tail shorter than her siblings’, yet thicker than Anastasia’s. Her eyes showed deep timidity and fear.

  Removing his beret, Candado gave a slight bow.

  "I present myself," he said solemnly. "My name is Candado Barret."

  When he returned to his full height, he observed the trio before him.

  As he took a step forward, the siblings instinctively retreated.

  "Fascinating," Candado murmured.

  "What is?" asked Eva, narrowing her eyes.

  "Oh, nothing," he replied nonchalantly.

  Eva and Horacio exchanged a confused glance, while Europa shifted uncomfortably beside them.

  "Candado..." Europa began in a warning tone.

  But he ignored her, turning instead to the eldest child.

  "Master Zacharias, would you mind guiding me to your room?"

  Zacharias hesitated for a moment. Eva, sensing his discomfort, gently stroked his head.

  "Are you alright?" she asked softly.

  The boy gave a silent nod.

  "Please," he said at last, extending his hand toward Candado.

  Surprised by the gesture, Candado hesitated.

  "You should take his hand—it’s custom here," Eva explained.

  Candado nodded and took Zacharias’s hand, allowing the boy to lead him into another room.

  "Alright, let’s go. Give me the full tour while you’re at it," Europa said, extending her hand to Eva.

  Eva smiled and took her hand, following after them.

  Upon reaching Zacarías’s room, the boy let go of Candado’s hand. His sisters, Anastasia and Inés, timidly hid behind him.

  “Interesting,” Candado remarked, observing the siblings' dynamic. “Zacarías, Anastasia, and Inés... lovely names,” he added.

  The children remained silent.

  Candado scanned the room carefully, taking in every detail. After a moment, he pulled a silver falcon emblem from his pocket. At the sight of it, both Zacarías and Anastasia immediately reacted with hostility, their stingers rising in defense. Inés shrank back, tears welling in her eyes.

  “I knew it,” Anastasia muttered.

  “Easy now, arachnids,” Candado said, raising his hands in peace. “I didn’t come bearing this. I came seeking answers.”

  “We don’t want you in this house. Go away,” Inés snapped, her voice trembling.

  “I’m not an agent,” Candado replied calmly.

  Then, he let the insignia fall into Zacarías’s hands.

  “You know more than your mother. When I walked through that door, I saw a trio attempting a weak show of offense and defense. You sensed the scent of blood on this medal.”

  He removed his glove, drew a small facón from his coat, and pricked his index finger.

  “You must have inherited that instinct from your father. Now smell. Is the blood this thing gives off the same as mine?”

  “No... no, it isn’t,” Zacarías admitted, slowly relaxing his posture.

  At those words, the siblings visibly calmed.

  “We’re sorry,” Zacarías said. “My sisters and I— We shouldn’t have treated you that way.”

  “Apology accepted,” said Candado, bringing the injured finger to his mouth. “There’s nothing to fear now.”

  Zacarías exhaled a relieved sigh.

  “What do you want to know?”

  “You reacted when I showed you the emblem,” Candado began, retrieving the medal from Zacarías’s hand. “It’s a symbol identifying agents. Until recently, I didn’t even know it existed—well, not this specific one.”

  “I had the misfortune of seeing it once,” Zacarías said bitterly.

  “The attack on the C.I.C.E.T.A. laboratories, the assault on the agency at the Chaco of the Semaphores,” Candado recited. “They were also indirectly involved in the kidnapping of Luceros. Sara was right to get her people into the air.”

  “We know,” Zacarías added. “But the power she’s using won’t last forever.”

  “I see.”

  “That’s why we need the gates to open—so we can communicate with Sara’s old city.”

  “Do you happen to know its name?” Candado asked.

  “She said it was called Afren,” Anastasia replied.

  “Afren... what an extravagant name.”

  “I think we’re straying from the point,” Zacarías interjected. “You said you had questions, Candado.”

  “Of course, Mr. Zacarías. Tell me, when did you last encounter an agent?”

  “Two months ago,” Zacarías said, hesitating.

  “Where?”

  Zacarías paused before answering.

  “Mother doesn’t know, but I’ve been working with Camila. Camila Zaracho Kanaria—she’s a spokesperson for Hachipusaq.”

  “I’m in no place to judge, and even less to ask this, but... why keep it from your mother?” Candado inquired.

  “She has a deep hatred for agents. Ever since we were children, she never told us what she did for work. When she was home, she avoided the topic altogether. She would even wait until we were asleep before speaking of it with our father,” Zacarías explained.

  Candado brought a finger to his chin, deep in thought.

  “I understand. Her aversion makes sense.”

  “We’re not fools, Mr. Candado. We know everything the agents did to her when she was young. She just protects us too much,” Anastasia added.

  “It’s understandable. Parents will do anything for their children. Someday, you’ll understand that—when you’re parents yourselves,” Candado said.

  “Why do you speak as if you already know?” Zacarías asked, intrigued.

  “Because I do.”

  The siblings fell silent, processing his words.

  “Anyway, how did you make contact with Hachipusaq?” Candado continued.

  “We didn’t reach out to her. She came to us,” Zacarías explained.

  “She?” Candado asked, raising a brow.

  “Though she wears a mask and distorts her voice, her figure is clearly female.”

  Candado brought a hand to his face.

  (Just like Krauser said… a masked woman. I don’t know if she’s on our side, but one thing is certain: she hates the agents.)

  “Has anyone else had contact with her?” he asked aloud.

  “There were ten of us at that meeting,” Zacarías replied.

  Candado then recalled Krauser’s words:

  "I got her letter a month ago, but I didn’t feel like going there."

  It was obvious that this woman wanted something more. But what, exactly?

  Candado knew that building a society made up of beings barely teetering on the edge between human and something else was no easy task. Sara knew it too. Not everyone would accept such an idea, simply because it sounded impossible. And yet, here was this individual named Hachipusaq, who had somehow convinced Sara to raise an entire island into the clouds.

  Hachipusaq was starting to awaken a deep curiosity in him.

  “It’s incredible that someone like that managed to ignite a spark in such a powder keg,” Candado murmured to himself.

  “Is something wrong?” asked Anastasia.

  “No, nothing,” he replied, casting a quick glance around the room.

  “To be honest… I don’t know what else to talk about,” he added, with a shrug.

  Inés approached him. Her legs made a soft, almost hypnotic sound as they touched the floor.

  “This must be the first time Inés has ever seen a human,” commented Anastasia.

  “Should I be worried?” he asked, eyeing the girl cautiously.

  “No, she’s just inspecting you. She got jealous when we were talking to you, so now she wants to meet you and play as well,” Anastasia explained with a smile.

  “I see…”

  The girl continued circling him with genuine curiosity.

  “May I ask something personal about your sister?” Candado said suddenly.

  Zacarías looked at her tenderly.

  “Of course.”

  “It’s just… physically, Inés is very different from you two.”

  “She’s only four years old. She doesn’t yet know how to ‘hatch’ into our true form,” Zacarías replied.

  As he spoke, two additional eyes appeared on his forehead—his own, and those of his sister.

  “Horrible… Absolutely horrible and fascinating,” Candado declared, almost in awe.

  “I’ll take that as a compliment,” Zacarías laughed.

  Candado silently observed the girl’s behavior.

  “Bered,” Inés said in a small voice.

  “Ah, right… bered. Is that supposed to be an insult?” Candado asked, raising a brow.

  “No, no, of course not. She meant to say ‘beret’—‘bow’,” Zacarías corrected, amused.

  Candado smiled softly.

  “Children are so… pure and innocent.”

  “You’re a child too,” Zacarías pointed out.

  “Only in appearance, my friend. Only in appearance…”

  Candado gently stroked the top of Inés’s head.

  Two hours later, after sharing a friendly conversation with the Scorpion siblings, Candado bid them farewell.

  “Are you really leaving?” Europa asked, sounding slightly concerned.

  “Don’t worry, Mom. We’ll leave together later. I just need to talk with Sara about a couple of things first.”

  “All right. Take care of yourself.”

  “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  Candado stepped out of the house, muttering to himself as he walked:

  “Jadek… What a name.”

  He walked with steady steps through the village until he reached Sara’s mansion, where she was still gathered with the Luceros in the garden.

  “Sara, I’m here,” he announced.

  She tilted her head slightly in welcome.

  Candado sat down across from her. Apparently, they were eating.

  “Let’s continue our conversation.”

  “Of course, Candado,” Sara said with her usual elegance.

  “So we agreed this is an island in the sky… and that you need more power. Now comes my question: why me? You gathered eight Luceros on your own. I only found one… and saved another. Technically, it was Nelson who did that.”

  “I’m aware,” Sara replied.

  “Then why me?”

  Sara hesitated for a moment before answering.

  “It’s a selfish reason. I chose you because… I’m afraid of someone behind that door. Someone with tremendous power. Someone who likely won’t find me very pleasant to look at. That person can drain thousands of years’ worth of energy without tiring, without faltering.”

  “Wow…” Candado said, his tone flat.

  Sara pressed her lips together, surprised.

  “That’s exactly what I mean. I just told you something that even gives me chills… and all you say is ‘wow’?”

  “…Wow,” he repeated, just as expressionless.

  Sara smiled, almost amused by the reaction.

  “But it’s also problematic,” she added.

  “Why?”

  “That person… hates humans.”

  “Oh… why?”

  “That world had its own Nazis… and unfortunately, things went the way they had to.”

  “But I assume there’s more to it than that, right?”

  “And who better than you to prove there are exceptions? Without you, she’ll never agree to lend us part of her power to keep this island afloat.”

  “When will you open the door?”

  “Very soon.”

  “Really? Great, but… ‘very soon’ could mean anything. When is ‘very soon’?”

  “She will answer you.”

  “She?”

  “Hello, Candado. At last, we meet,” said a distorted female voice behind him.

  Candado turned around.

  “Oh… lovely mask.”

  It was a black gas mask, adorned with Incan accessories. The dark lenses hid her eyes. She wore black trousers and a shirt, paired with a white vest, shoes, and a ribbon. Her gloves were made of diamond. It was impossible not to notice someone dressed like that.

  “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Candado.”

  “Who are you?”

  “I am Hachipusaq.”

  “I see… You’re the one who orchestrated all this.”

  “No, I only gave it a little push,” she said, sitting beside Sara.

  “You’re very mysterious… just like your voice.”

  “Don’t be like that, Mr. Candado. There’s a reason for all of this. It’s nothing personal against you or these people.”

  “All right, back to the point. When is this ‘very soon’?”

  “Let’s just say I need a bit more time to confirm something.”

  “What is it?”

  “You’ll see. Very soon.”

  “You two are real comedians, huh?”

  “However, I’ll tell you this: when this is over, you must head directly to your guild. Someone important is waiting for you there—someone essential to everything.”

  “Right… but tell me something. Will this have consequences for me?”

  “That depends on how you see it. But yes, there are two things that, no matter what you do, will happen.”

  “Oh, the famous ‘very soon’, I guess?”

  “No. It’s afterward. And both will be turning points… in life and in death.”

  Candado narrowed his eyes.

  “Hachipusaq, I truly hope you’re not using that word to threaten me,” he said, resting his forearms on the table. “Right?”

  “I won’t hurt anyone. But I want to be on your side. And when those things inevitably happen… please, don’t fall into despair. The cycle must end here.”

  “What cycle?”

  “Trust that girl, just as I trust her.”

  “Which girl are you talking about?”

  “Hammya Saillim.”

  Candado was mildly surprised.

  “You…”

  “It doesn’t matter if you ask her about me or if she claims to know me. She’ll swear she doesn’t and look at you like you’re crazy. Even if you investigate her, you’ll find nothing. But I’ll tell you this: she will be your savior in many ways. I envy her.”

  “You seem to have a lot of issues.”

  “They’re necessary for the cause.”

  “Those words… are the ones I’ve come to hate most since everything that happened.”

  “And yet, until recently, you stood by them.”

  “People change.”

  “People don’t change.”

  “That’s a lie. If they didn’t, the Middle Ages would still exist. Not to mention, I changed to avoid a change. There was a change in me to prevent a change.”

  Even though her face was hidden, it was obvious that Hachipusaq was smiling. It was such a Candado kind of answer.

  "But I understand why you think that way. Maybe you believe you're always right."

  "The problem is that I am always right."

  "You can't possibly have all the answers."

  "I don’t. And it’s impossible to have them. In the future, there’ll be more knowledge, new perspectives, new ideologies. Many of them I won’t like… but they’ll exist, whether I want them to or not."

  "Even so, nothing you say or do will change the tragedy that’s heading your way."

  "This person waiting for me at the guild… are they connected to that tragedy?"

  "That’s for you to decide."

  Candado closed his eyes.

  "You know… I’m not a skeptic when it comes to this kind of thing," he said. Then, opening his eyes, he continued, "It’d be foolish to deny it, especially after the things I’ve seen… and done. A few months ago, I had a mind of iron and an apathetic heart. But just days ago… I wanted to end my life like a coward. Even though I hate suicide… almost as much as I hate lying."

  "I suppose what you're trying to tell me is that you’ll believe what I’ve said."

  "I don’t know you, nor do I understand your true intentions. And as for whether what you say is true… I don’t know. You wear a mask. You hardly move. But I’ll do what I always do in situations like this..."

  "And what’s that?"

  "Fifty-fifty. I’ll believe you… and I won’t."

  "My, what a lovely paradox."

  Hachipusaq stood gracefully.

  "Well then, I must go. There’s still much left for me to do."

  Candado also rose, mirroring her gesture. He extended his hand with a touch of courtesy.

  "I hope we meet again," he said.

  However, Hachipusaq placed her hand on her chest instead, in a solemn farewell.

  "What...?" Candado blinked, slightly caught off guard.

  "See you," she said softly—and with those words, she vanished before his eyes.

  For a moment, that final gesture struck Candado as oddly familiar, as though he’d seen it before. But for some reason, he couldn’t quite remember when or where.

  "Are you alright?" asked Sara, approaching him.

  "Yeah, I’m fine," he replied, straightening his posture. "Grateful… I mean, I’m grateful to have been here. I’ll see you again, one of these days."

  "I’ll be looking forward to it," she said with a warm smile.

  Candado bid farewell to the other Luceros and left.

  On his way out, he ran into his mother.

  "Son, I was just about to come looking for you."

  "Mom, are we leaving now?"

  "Yes—unless you’d like to stay a bit longer."

  "No, I’ve done what I came to do. And… what happened with Eva?"

  "Oh, her. It made me so happy to see her again. It’s amazing how familiar faces from the past come back to us… and it’s all thanks to you."

  "What?"

  Europa pulled her son into a gentle hug.

  "You’re a wonderful son. You’ve brought peace to my heart, more and more with each passing day. I’m proud of everything you’re doing."

  Candado hugged her back with quiet affection.

  "I love you, Mom."

  Then, a faint but unsettling sensation crept across his chest.

  "I don’t know why, but… when someone shows me deep affection, I get really anxious."

  "Anxious?"

  "I’m afraid they’ll leave. Like what happened to her..."

  "It’s natural for parents to pass before their children. We’re not immortal—but for that to happen, many years still have to go by."

  "Even so... I can’t help but worry."

  "Don’t worry, alright? I’m Europa Barret, bearer of the violet flame. I’m stronger than any living being on this earth."

  Candado gave her a faint smile.

  "Alright… it’s time to go."

  "Before that, I need to stop by the guild."

  "Well then, I’ll come with you."

  "Really?"

  "Yeah, let’s go."

  Europa took his hand firmly, and together they left the island.

  In front of the Roobóleo Guild, the duo came to a stop.

  "Thanks for the ride, Logan," said Europa.

  "No problem."

  Logan placed his palm on the trunk of a nearby tree, and in an instant, he vanished.

  "Whoa… this is way better than flying," Candado muttered.

  "You’re telling me, dear," Europa replied with a smirk.

  Candado and Europa headed toward the guild entrance.

  "Alright, let’s see wha—"

  "You’re far too unpleasant to be here. Only Candado can decide who becomes part of the Roobóleo Brotherhood," growled a voice from the other side of the door.

  "Hm? Sounds like there’s a dispute," Europa noted.

  Candado pulled out the keys and swiftly opened the door.

  "What the hell is going on?" he asked coldly.

  Though his words implied surprise, his face remained as unreadable as ever. But the scene before them spoke volumes.

  Declan had his sword drawn—its blade embedded in a girl’s hands. There was no blood, which made it all the more disturbing: she was holding the blade itself, as if it were no more than a tree branch. And yet, she smiled calmly, as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Behind her stood Hammya, visibly uneasy, and Clementina, watching the scene as if it were just another quiet afternoon.

  "Hello, Hammya. Hello, Clementina. Hello, Declan."

  "Hello," Hammya and Clementina replied in near unison.

  "Sir," Declan growled, still struggling to free his sword, "this intruder entered the guild and demanded a request to join us."

  "I see… but I don’t recall ever giving you permission to attack or injure those submitting a request."

  "No, sir. It was a misunderstanding. She took the sword from me."

  "Oh, really? Look me in the eyes and say that again."

  Declan obeyed, forcing his eyes to meet Candado’s.

  "She wrested the sword from me."

  As he spoke, he stopped struggling and slowly stepped back from the girl.

  "Alright. It’s true. I believe you," Candado replied calmly.

  Then he stepped closer to the stranger and studied her carefully.

  "Good afternoon, miss…"

  She said nothing. A few seconds of silence weighed down the room.

  "...I see. You won’t speak," he said, unbothered.

  Candado gave her a visual scan from head to toe, then began to walk slowly around her, examining every detail.

  "Ah… son," Europa interjected, slightly uncomfortable. "That’s not exactly good manners."

  "Oh, sorry," he said, taking a seat.

  Then, Candado raised his left hand to his temple and began massaging it with his index and middle fingers, eyes closed in thought.

  "Where have I seen that uniform before?" he murmured, as the pieces slowly came together in his mind.

  The girl, who had remained silent until now, curled her lips into a defiant smile.

  "Oh no, dear," he said evenly, still with his eyes closed. "Wipe that smile off your face. I’m just trying to remember where I’ve seen your uniform before."

  "...?"

  "Judging by your posture, I’d say you haven’t been in this town for long… a few hours, maybe. Just long enough for your neck to start complaining. That pain… I know it. It’s typical of the seats in Kanghar jets. Did you arrive in one of those? When I started observing you, I noticed you barely moved your head. I’ve seen that before… and felt it myself. And judging by your eyes, I’d guess you’re East Asian. But your uniform tells me something much more specific: North Korea. Sorry… the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea."

  For a moment, Declan and Clementina exchanged a slightly awkward glance at hearing the girl’s nationality.

  The girl opened her mouth with a quiet breath.

  "I wasn’t wrong to come here."

  "Your Spanish is rather… ‘refined.’"

  "How did you know?"

  "That uniform… it’s from a school in Mangyongdae, right? Pyongyang. I think that’s an important district for you. If I’m not mistaken, it’s where Kim Il-sung was born."

  "You impress me. You’re the only one who’s gotten my nationality right. Everyone else says Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese… even ‘Coranean.’"

  "And aren’t you?"

  "South Korean," she corrected calmly.

  "Uh-huh… Happens a lot in American movies," Candado said, extending his hand. "Now, please, the sword."

  "You still haven’t answered my question," she replied as she handed him the weapon.

  "I was in Mangyongdae for a day. There happened to be some sort of celebration. I saw a few students wearing that exact school uniform."

  "You were in Korea?" Europa asked, surprised.

  "And in Sweden, Brazil, Chile, Russia, Cuba, Vietnam, and Kenya," Candado replied as if it were nothing.

  "I think you owe me a few stories about those trips," Europa said, her tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.

  "Oh, I absolutely will," he promised, then turned back to the girl. "Anyway, would you mind telling me your name?"

  "I’m Pak Sun-hwa. As you guessed, I’m from Korea, but my family moved here."

  "I thought many of you were devoted to your country."

  "We didn’t leave out of dislike. It was a request from our leader."

  "Well, that sounds interesting. Please, go on."

  "It’s not a secret. Our country only has one banking presence in Kanghar, and our leader wishes to form ties with the Ten of the Guild, in the countries where the locks are located. We want to establish a bank there, alongside you."

  "I see… And your parents are…?"

  "My father is a general in our leader’s revolutionary army, and my mother is head nurse at the Pyongyang Hospital."

  "Important and interesting jobs," Candado remarked.

  "I can’t tell you the rest."

  "That’s fine. Say no more," he said, handing the sword back to Declan. "So, where are you staying?"

  Pak reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

  "Here."

  Candado took it and read it carefully.

  "Eh…?" He blinked and rubbed his eyes. "Maybe I’m seeing this wrong… Mom, come here for a sec."

  "Coming," Europa replied, stepping closer.

  She rested her head on his shoulder and looked at the paper.

  "Let’s see, let’s see… Yep, that’s our home address," she said with a smile.

  "Thought so… Which means they’re our new neighbors."

  "WHAT!?" Declan and Hammya shouted in unison.