The sky was tinged with amber as the sun began its descent. While the boat gently rocked with the rhythm of the water.
Astra sat near the bow, her legs tucked beneath her, dipping a cloth into a bowl of cool water balanced carefully beside her. She wrung it out and leaned toward the small boy seated in front of her, his cheeks still streaked with dust.
"Here," she said softly, dabbing at his face with careful strokes. "I can at least clean you up a little while we're out here."
The boy nodded, his cheeks puffed as he chewed on another rice cake. The basket beside him was noticeably lighter than it had been earlier.
At the back, Shion leaned on the railing, staring at the boy with narrowed eyes. "Seventeenth rice cake," he muttered under his breath. "Just how much this little kid eats? Was he starving in another lifetime?"
Seiya stood beside him, arms crossed. "At this rate, he'll finish all the rations before we even reach the shore," he scoffed, glaring at the half-eaten basket.
The boy froze mid-bite, glancing up from his food. His smile faltered, shoulders curling as if to make himself smaller. The soft breeze stirred his hair, but he didn't look up.
Astra paused, catching the change in him instantly. Her eyes slid over to the two at the back and her gaze sharpened like a blade.
Both Shion and Seiya felt it at the same time.
Shion stiffened. "Ah… look stars," he blurted, suddenly pointing at the now night sky. "They're… really bright tonight."
"Yes, incredibly bright," Seiya added quickly, turning his head away. "Let's count them. One, two, three…"
Astra huffed quietly, lips curling into a half-smile as she returned to gently wiping the boy's face. The boy peeked up at her again, a little more at ease now, and took another bite this time slower, but with the faintest smile curling back onto his lips.
Later, Astra wrung out the damp cloth one last time and set it aside. She leaned in, brushing back the boy's tousled hair and gently touched his cheek with her fingers.
"Your skin is so soft… and pale as snow," she said quietly, voice tinged with wonder. "Just how come did you get hurt this badly?"
The little boy tilted his head and stared up at her with wide, quiet eyes. Astra chuckled softly, the tension in her shoulders easing.
Then something struck her, and she blinked.
"Wait a minute… I just realized," she said, tilting her head. "You haven't said a single word since I found you. I don't even know your name."
The boy blinked at her, then looked down. Slowly, he reached out and took her hand in his small fingers.
Astra watched curiously as he began to trace something on her palm delicate, careful strokes forming shapes she recognized.
She focused on the feeling, her lips quietly sounding out the characters.
"…Xue," she murmured, the name feeling soft on her tongue. "Xue Xiao… is that your name?"
The boy looked up at her, his eyes shimmering with quiet uncertainty, before giving a small nod.
Astra's lips curled into a gentle smile as she brushed a strand of hair from his face. "Xue… it suits you."
"Xue, is that your name, little boy?" Kaen asked, tilting his head with a gentle smile.
From behind, Seirou's voice chimed in, "So he finally said something?"
Xue nodded once and finally stepped away from Astra's side, standing on his own.
But Astra shook her head. "No— he hasn't said a word yet. It looks like… he either has trouble speaking, or maybe he's still too scared to."
"Is that so?" Seirou murmured, frowning thoughtfully.
Just then, Xue's eyes widened. He pointed between Seirou and someone behind him—his small hand shifting between Seirou and Seiya.
Seeing that, Kaen chuckled. "Ah… Xue, don't be surprised that they look alike. They're twins. That one is Seirou," he said, patting Seirou's shoulder, "and the one behind him is Seiya. And there next to him is Shion, trying too hard to act cool."
Shion rolled his eyes.
"And me? I'm Kaen." He grinned and added, "There's one more person to introduce, actually. He's on the same boat as us…" Kaen turned and scanned the crowd of passengers behind them. "I think he's somewhere there."
Astra crossed her arms and looked at Xue. "You can meet him later. But I'll warn you he's not easy to talk to. Cold as snow. Doesn't get impressed by anything. Always has that icy expression on his face. He's cold ice."
A calm voice cut through the breeze behind them.
"I heard someone calling me ice again?"
They all turned as Ryoma approached, brow raised, arms folded, the exact picture of the 'cold' Astra had just described.
Xue immediately ducked behind Astra again, clutching the edge of her sleeve, his wide eyes fixed on Ryoma as if the man radiated a storm.
Astra awkwardly looked away, pretending she hadn't said anything at all. Kaen, on the other hand, chuckled and pointed toward Ryoma.
"Xue, meet Ryoma. And don't be scared he isn't really an ice, as she described."
But Xue didn't budge. In fact, he hid further, pressing himself behind Astra's back as if shielding himself from something dangerous. His gaze never left Ryoma, not even for a second.
Kaen blinked, his smile faltering as he noticed the boy's rigid posture and how pale his little hands had gone. He glanced at Ryoma with a frown of concern.
Ryoma silently stepped forward and knelt down in front of Xue, observing him closely. His expression didn't change much, but a slight tension formed between his brows as he studied the boy's eyes.
And then it hit him.
He turned sharply toward Kaen, and though no words passed between them, something in Ryoma's eyes made Kaen's smile vanish.
Kaen exhaled slowly, lowering his head with a heavy sigh.
"…So that's it."
Astra turned slightly, one hand resting on Xue's back as she asked, "Kaen, did you just say something?"
Kaen didn't respond right away. He crouched again, this time meeting Xue's eyes gently. "Xue," he said, extending a hand, "come here, just for a second."
Xue hesitated. His eyes shifted from Kaen's hand to his face, then back again. Slowly, with cautious steps, he moved forward until he was close enough for Kaen to reach.
Kaen smiled softly and ruffled his snowy hair. "See? That's better. Don't be scared. I'll say it again he's not going to harm you."
Then he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper only Xue could hear. "But… it's really not safe for a small child like you to be out here alone. Especially in a place with crowds."
Xue blinked, tilting his head as if trying to understand every word. But before Kaen could say anything more or offer another gesture, Xue swiftly turned and darted back behind Astra again, grabbing onto her sleeve like a shadow reattaching itself.
Kaen's hand lingered in mid-air for a second. He sighed, lowered it, and stood up. Without another word, he glanced at Ryoma and gave a subtle signal.
Ryoma gave Xue one last long look before nodding. The two walked off quietly, their steps slow and thoughtful.
Shion watched them go from his spot by the rail and gave a shrug. "That got serious fast."
The boat drifted silently along the moonless river, its hull cutting gently through the dark waters. Ryoma and Kaen stood side by side at the railing, the breeze tugging at their robes, ruffling their hair. For a long moment, neither spoke—both watching the rippling surface below, lost in thought.
Kaen exhaled slowly, resting his elbows on the railing. "That kid…" he started, then trailed off.
Ryoma rubbed his temples with a quiet sigh, eyes narrowing at the blurred silhouette of trees sliding past in the dark. "His presence… it's off."
Kaen nodded slowly. "So… you're thinking what I'm thinking?"
Ryoma shut his eyes briefly, then opened them. "He wasn't just afraid of me. It was instinct. He was reacting to something deeper."
Another silence settled between them, broken only by the creak of the wood and the steady lapping of water.
Then Kaen spoke again, voice low but heavy with certainty. "That means it's clear now. That child… is a demon."
Ryoma leaned back slightly, gazing up at the stars. "But I didn't sense even a trace of evil in his aura. That's probably why you didn't notice it at first."
Kaen's brow furrowed. "So… does that mean he's not a threat?"
Ryoma didn't answer right away, thoughtful. "I can't say that for sure," he said finally. "He's not like the others."
He turned his head slightly, gaze drifting to where Astra sat with Xue, gently laughing as the boy clung to her arm.
"It's not safe to let her stay close to a demon good or evil. We don't know what he truly is."
Kaen leaned back, arms crossed. "Ryoma… you know how she is. She likes children too much. I doubt she'll listen if you suddenly tell her to stay away from him. Why not let her be… just until we reach the shore?"
Ryoma was silent again, then exhaled, nodding reluctantly. "Alright. But Kaen, keep an eye on them. Every second."
Kaen gave a small nod. "Always."