The kitchen was buzzing with activity as Yulli and others prepared the foods for dinner. Yulli got some firewood, placed them on the stovetop, and poured in a little oil. The sizzle was unmistakable, but for a moment, he faltered and cast a glance around.
"Uh... Mother? We don't have a fire starter."
His mother, Charlotte, clucked her tongue. "Tsk, tsk. You forgot I was a Hunter once?" With iconic flair, she placed her hand over the firewood and mana sparked at her fingertips.
Tiny sparks flared, and then—WHOOSH! Fire leapt to life, with crackling sounds as the flames lapped at the oil.
Yulli's mouth hung open. "Wait, wait—what?! So it actually works like that?"
Charlotte smiled smugly. "Look, kiddo, our bodies are the starters. You need a real element to create fire—like oil or wood. You know, the things to keep you alive."
Yulli blinked slowly, utterly dazed. "Huh... the more you know..." He went on to rub his chin. "Man, would've been nice if I had a Mark to do cool stuff like that."
Charlotte turned around so fast she almost shocked him. "And that's exactly why you should be exercising your brain rather than whining!" Tapping him on the head with the wooden spoon, she added, "Whether you have a Mark or not, a dumb hunter's a dead hunter!"
"Okay, I got it," Yulli groaned. He massaged the sore spot and sighed. "What else do you need from your brilliant ex-Hunter mother?"
She handed him a candle. "Go light these and set the dinner table."
"Sure thing, Mother."
Across the counter, Hare continued to cut vegetables with a kind of gracefulness and ease that bordered on the surreal. The knife simply cut through the carrots and onions as though it had merged with her very hand.
Charlotte whistling. "Wow! Hare, you are really something with a knife! You'd swear you were more in training to be a cook than a fighter."
Hare smiled faintly. "Well... I learned how to handle it mostly from Yulli. My family generally uses their hands when it comes to cutting veggies, so I had to learn from scratch."
Charlotte laughed knowingly. "Ah, the Stark family in a nutshell... traditional to the bone."
Hare nodded, resolutely chopping, when something suddenly sprang to Charlotte's mind. The very same something she understood made Yulli feel somewhat uneasy.
And then—she pounced.
"So... How's it going between you two?"
Hare stopped chopping. "Huh? What do you mean, ma'am?"
Charlotte's eyes glinted wickedly. "Oh, don't pretend you don't know. I see you have a thing for him."
Hare's whole face flared. "W-What?! No way! We're just childhood friends!"
Charlotte burst out laughing. "Oh, spare me! He may be an idiot, but I'm not!"
Hare began making some strangled sounds, but now she was incapable of defending herself.
Charlotte giggled, but the mirth in her eyes brightened just a touch. She placed a hand on Hare's shoulder, leaving her mocks behind for a gentler... sadder...
"You two have been buddies since childhood. By now... You really know him better than I do."
Hare blinked, bewildered that Charlotte could switch gears. "Ma'am...?"
Charlotte sighed and stirred the soup absentmindedly. "If I had not stepped into the Hunter's world… If I had not gotten this damn Beast Plague, I could have been there for him more."
She gazed down into the simmering pot of broth, her voice low. "He lies so much nowadays. About school. About feelings. I've always known, but I never pressed him. He just looks so miserable all the time."
A pained silence filled the air in between them.
"Up until yesterday," Charlotte went on, "when he basically broke down."
Her eyes turned to Hare then, carrying some unmapped guilt. "I won't always be here, Hare. I can't always be there to put him together again. So, selfish as it sounds, can I count on you?"
Hare gulped. The weight of the question did not escape her.
There was no question; she answered without missing a beat.
"Ma'am, of course. That's one thing you need not worry about."
Charlotte's warmth returned that instant. She felt inside for Hare and hugged her, squeezing her tightly. "I've known you for so long, you're practically my daughter at this point."
Then—without skipping a beat—she mischievously whispered, "So I wouldn't mind if you became my daughter-in-law, either~!"
"GAH—?!" Hare short-circuited. She might as well have had steam coming out of her ears.
Charlotte laughed like there was no tomorrow.
At the dinner table, Yulli glanced suspiciously at the two giddy women as they set the food down.
"Alright, what were you two laughing about?"
Hare's face turned red once more. "N-nothing! Just eat your food!"
Charlotte gave a wink. "Oh, nothing important. Just girl talk."
Yulli narrowed his eyes. "...I feel like I should be concerned."
Charlotte smirked. "You should be."
Yulli paused and then greeted ignorance with open arms.
Yulli scrubbed the last dish while Hare ambled about the house with her fingers dragging across the worn wooden walls. It wasn't much, but it felt homey-warm in a way the expansive halls of her estate never were.
Then something caught her eye.
A photo hung crookedly on the shelf: In it, younger Charlotte was cradling baby Yulli, both smiling at the camera. A man stood next to them, tall and broad-shouldered, with identical piercing eyes as Yulli's.
"Hey, Yulli."
"Yeah?" He came over with a rag and started drying his hands.
"Who's this?" she asked, pointing at the picture.
Yulli's breath caught in his throat for a second before he exhaled. "Oh... that's my dad. Zule."
Hare blinked. "Huh. How come I've never met him?"
"Because he... didn't make it." His voice was calm, but something about it seemed distant. "He was a Hunter. His entire squad got wiped out on an expedition when I was one."
Hare's breath came short. "Oh. I... didn't know."
Yulli shrugged, trying to smile. "It's fine. It's been years. Mother moved on."
"And you?"
That made him stop. The twitch of his smile was barely perceptible. But before he could give his answer, his mother called from the kitchen.
"Yulli! Take the trash out!"
"Yes!"
"And walk Hare home, at least to the entrance! It's late!"
"What? But she's a Stark. She can handle herself!"
Charlotte's withering glare silenced him on the spot.
Hare chuckled as she put on her kimono. "I guess that means I am in your care."
Yulli frowned and sighed, shaking his head. "We should just leave before she decides to beat me up again."
The streets were full of life even at that hour. Vendors kept their carts open and called last-minute prices on produce sitting out too long. The smell of fried food, damp earth, and burnt something filled the air-nothing new to the slums.
Most of the paths were cracked, uneven, and lined with makeshift housing cobbled from scrap metal and old wood. These faded lanterns along the path flickered as they walked, casting long shadows.
Yet, with all that came…the calm. The full and bright moon hung overhead, casting a soft silver sheen upon everything.
Hare breathed in deeply. "Man...I forgot how peaceful it is at night."
Yulli looked at her. "One way to see it. Most people just call it foul."
She rolled her eyes. "That too, but still...it's kinda nice."
A comfortable silence stretched between them before Yulli spoke again.
"So, what's next for you?"
Hare tilted her head. "Next?"
"I mean, you got accepted, right? What's your plan after this?"
She smiled. "I'm aiming for the Third Division."
Yulli stopped mid-step, staring at her. "The Beast-Slaying Division? Are you serious?"
Hare nodded. "It's the only option that makes sense. I'm not skilled enough for R&D or tech, and I'd rather punch something than sit in an office all day."
"Still, that's insanely dangerous."
She smirked. "Coming from you?"
Yulli sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well... good luck, I guess." He tried to smile, but it came out weak, like it didn't quite reach his eyes.
Hare noticed-but she didn't push.
Instead, she asked, "And you? Are you really giving up?"
Yulli didn't answer immediately. His hands tightened slightly around the trash bag he was carrying.
Then, he forced another smile-gentler this time. "I've already made up my mind. Now that my mother's okay, I just want a quiet life. That's enough for me."
Hare stared at him for a long moment before sighing. "I see."
From that moment onward, there wasn't much conversation. They just walked, with the quiet sound of the night's voice in distant chatter.
The tall and rusted border gate of the slum had barbed wires on it, and guarded by two men in thick gears. Beyond it, the roads led back to Gonsang, where civilization blossomed-as in, that's where the rich and privileged lived.
One of the guards straightened at the sight of her. "Princess Hare." He bowed. "Ready for the return?"
Hare grimaced. "You don't have to call me that."
Ignoring her, he signaled to the others to open the gate.
She stepped in but had not crossed when she heard-''Hare."
She turned. "Hmm?"
Yulli stood there with his arms in his pockets, gazing at her with a look she couldn't quite place.
Softly-''Thanks for today. I really appreciate it." His voice felt sincere in a way that made her heart ache a little. "You know you're welcome to come back."
For a moment, she just stared at him, taking in the warmth behind his words.
Then, she smiled-soft and bright, like the moon above them.
"You're welcome, Yulli. Anytime."
With that, she turned and vanished into the city through the gate.
Yulli stepped through the front door and felt warmth like an old tattered blanket surround him. There was a faint scent of dinner lingering in the air, sensing the spices long after the food had gone.
"Yulli, did you throw out the trash and get Hare back?" called Charlotte from the kitchen.
"Yeah, Mother! I'm going to my room now!"
"Okay! But don't lock the door; I might bring you some refreshments!"
At the foot of the stairs, Yulli protested, "You really don't have to—"
"I insist!"
He gave a little shake of his head and smiled. "Alright, alright."
On entering his room, he opened the door and quietly clicked it shut.
Cool night air flooded into the room through the open window, the curtains slightly blowing and brushing against a familiar sight: a blade propped against the windowsill.
His fingers hovered above the hilt before grasping the weapon. The cold metal felt astonishing against his palm as he withdrew it, reflecting faint glimmers of light from the dull sheen of its edge.
He stared at it.
His grip tightened.
And then, with a barely audible sigh, he plunged it back into its sheath and set it on the table.
Charlotte stood just outside the door, blissfully unknown to him, having witnessed everything through a small crack he had left open.
Her fingers curled against the wood, her eyes being heavy with that sadness she would never let show.
Then came a cough-soft but unmistakable.
She quickly covered her mouth, stifling it.
For a moment, she stood there, staring at the door dividing them.
Then, as quietly as she came, she slipped away.