The paper crunched in his hands as he handed it over to Kisharu. Scribbled on one side with the other side barely touched. Only one short line of approximately five words.
Condition: [Take care of Hinari]
The paper said.
"Only one?" Kisharu ridiculed. "Most would have filled the page and even ask for another. You're missing the point of being selfish here."
Lozo gazed at the paper in Kisharu's hands. He read the words he had scribbled on them and thought for a while. The request was selfish… you just needed to know Hinari a little better to see why.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. But I really thought deeply about it and that's what I want." His eyes sank a little into their sockets.
"I remember that night and how she was… um…" he rubbed the back of his head shifting his view to the brightening skies.
"Hinari's my sister. A few years back her elder sister left her alone in the orphanage we grew up in. She never said why but when I found her, she was crying. And to say the truth I don't know why but my mouth just opened and from that day onwards I promised her one thing.
I promised her that she would never cry again when I'm around. That all her burdens are mine as well and she could count on me as her big brother.
That day I failed. The image of her. Her skin her eyes… That day I failed to keep my promise. And far worse was too weak to even help her.
As such I don't want to relive that day. I'll look forward and forget what happened then. Forget whatever I'm remembering now in hope to give her a better future.
That's my purpose. That's my sole purpose. That's the reason I joined this family in the first place.
Everything that I do is ultimately and always going to be for Hinari."
"So yeah. That's my condition. Please take care of her until I'm able to do it myself." Lozo said with a bow.
"No thanks Kid. That's Dok's job." He said folding the paper and fitting it into his pocket.
"Mine's to babysit you four and make sure you survive the next event. Here." Kisharu added throwing the strap bag in his towards Lozo.
Lozo caught it flimsily in his hands, nearly dropping it on the fine white sand. He looked across the bag trying to gauge its value. Not everyday does a person give you an expensive looking bag. There is usually a catch to it.
"What's this?"
"A bag." Was the answer from Kisharu.
"No… argh… I see that but what's it for?"
"To carry things around. What else?" another blunt answer.
"Tch… I know that but what's it for? I never asked for it."
"Alright [Kisharu chuckles] I'll stop playing with you. For every new member, a family usually get them a present or a welcome gift of sought. That's yours. See," Kisharu said pointing at the zipper of the bag. "It's already marked with family name."
Hanging on the bag's zipper was something a like a key chain holder. It looked like a cuboid block with writings on its faces similar to the one at pillar in the center of the hearth room.
"The words say: We of the Family." " And other side: Himo."
We of the Family Himo.
"That shows you are officially a member now. Also don't loss it especially for the Brown skies festival. You are going to need it." Kisharu said before waving goodbye.
'I'm going to need a bag? For what? And why say it like that?'
"Don't think about it for too long. You've got Karin and the others to protect you…" was Kisharu's voice growing distant.
"Protect me?"
Hey! Hey! What does that mean?
***
"A bag?" Karin asked not trying to hide the judgement in her tone.
"That's your welcome gift. A bag." She sighed before continuing. "Cheap as always. "
"What he get you?" Lozo asked.
Karin didn't answer. She only gave him a tense look and hmphed looking to the other side. Kento was standing next to her giving passive glances to Cilia who sat sad on the bench. Karin's silent treatment to Cilia had gone on for the past few days and the likelihood for it to stop was next to zero.
The quad was idly standing in the open space of the Learning Hall. They were waiting for Kisharu who was supposed to see them off for the task, and he was taking his time.
"Hey guys…" Cilia called. She was sulking at the bench alone. "I'm hungry."
"What's taking him so long?" Karin said ignoring Cilia's cry of hunger.
"Hey guys…" Cilia called again. This time Lozo and Kento looked. "It's close to lunch, anyone have any food?"
The question was followed by a grumble. An irritating grumble and especially to Karin.
"That's not our problem. So just shut up you little b…"
Just then a voice interrupted the quarrel.
"Sorry to keep you."
His footsteps were muffled as he stepped into the sand. "Now then, Let's get you on your way."
…
Pasted on the white sand next to the Affinity Pan were four talismans. They had spidery words on them spanning from top to bottom of their rectangular shape. They were white in color and with just a small squint they would easily disappear in the white sand.
"Transport Talismans."
"This are transport talismans and will teleport you to Gart Village where the festival is. Just stand in front of them and the sand will do the rest."
The four did as Kisharu said with Karin and Cilia at polar sides of the row. Down below the sand was slowly eating up the talismans with some sand swirling up in excitement.
"Oh, one final thing before you go. The festival was sponsored by the Main family Gozo and some other high rank families. I don't need to remind you of current standing in the fief. So be prepared for some friction with others you find there. And lastly… Don't die."
With his final words the white sand rose and just like the talismans started engulfing the four standing in its range. Slowly and slowly the sand grew into a teen tall mount, hiding all who were inside. And finally with a sudden descent, the mounts collapsed back down leaving only Kisharu standing the Open Space of the Learning Hall.
He sighed as he turned for the door.
"So, they've finally departed?" a voice from the corridor to the exit asked.
"Yeah. I just hope they play nice at camp." Kisharu answered.
Dok walked out of the darkness of the corridor with a paper in hand. He approached Kisharu and gave him the piece of paper.
"Another one huh? "
"Yes. All of a sudden, the fallen house Himo has gotten two new members. She'll be happy to hear this." Dok said smiling to the sky.
Kisharu looked at the paper Dok had just gave him. His eyes first schemed the contract's name bar… Covy.
"Covy. Glad to see he made it safely. He was rocked when he left the village. "
"Yeah. Poor thing cried for his mother the entire trip... It's quite the dark world, Isn't it Kisharu? I loathe every day when I see a mother leave her own child from the fear of Harmatia." Dok observed.
"That's why we have events like this to dilute this fear… but even then, it merely wishful thinking—"
Kisharu sighed before joining Dok in gazing to the sky through the open roof of the open space.
"It truly is a dark world."