The night was deep, and only a warm yellow bedside lamp illuminated Kael's dorm room.
Sirin had showered and was wearing the soft pajamas with little Haxxor Bunny prints that Kael had bought her, but she refused to go back to her own guest room.
Holding a pillow, she stood barefoot at the entrance of Kael's bedroom, her golden eyes in the dim light like a startled fawn, looking at him timidly.
"...Brother..." Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "...Alone...scared..."
Kael looked at her pitiful appearance, and his heart immediately melted into a puddle.
He knew the laboratory experience had left too deep a shadow on her; darkness and solitude would easily trigger her fear.
He sighed, walked over, and squatted down to be at eye level with her: "Then...sleep here tonight? Brother will sleep on the floor."
Sirin shook her head vigorously, her small hand gripping his clothes, her eyes filled with dependence and pleading.
Kael understood her meaning, feeling a bit helpless, but more so, heartache.
He finally compromised, giving up more than half of the bed and patting the spot beside him: "Alright, then let's sleep together. But you have to be good, no kicking off the blanket."
Sirin's eyes instantly lit up, as if she had received the most precious permission in the world, and she quickly climbed onto the bed, burrowing under the covers, only her small head peeking out, snuggling tightly against Kael's arm, as if only this could give her a sense of security.
Smelling Kael's reassuringly fresh scent and listening to his steady breathing, Sirin's tense nerves gradually relaxed, and she soon fell into a deep sleep, even unconsciously snuggling closer to him.
Kael looked at the sleeping little girl beside him, at her slightly furrowed brows even in her dreams, and his heart filled with protectiveness.
He gently tucked her blanket in and closed his eyes as well.
That night, Sirin slept exceptionally soundly, without nightmares or waking up in fright.
However, early the next morning, an urgent communication ring broke the silence. It was a top-priority communication from the Bishop's Office.
Kael immediately woke up, carefully withdrew the arm Sirin was using as a pillow, and went to the living room to answer.
"Captain Kael, come to my office immediately, there's an urgent matter." Bishop Otto's voice came through, carrying an unmistakable tone of command.
Kael glanced towards the bedroom, hesitating: "Your Excellency, Sirin is alone..."
"The matter is very important, concerning front-line deployment." Otto interrupted him, his tone hardening, "Let her stay in the dorm; there won't be any danger. Come over as soon as possible." He then cut off the communication.
Kael frowned. Bishop Otto rarely used such a forceful tone. He returned to the bedroom; Sirin had already been woken by the communication ring and was rubbing her sleepy eyes, looking at him in confusion.
"Sirin," Kael sat on the edge of the bed, trying to keep his tone light, "Brother has to go to His Excellency's office for a bit, there's something urgent. Will you be a good girl and wait for me here, okay? I'll be back very soon."
As soon as Sirin heard he was leaving, all sleepiness vanished instantly. Her small hand immediately grabbed his sleeve, her eyes filled with fear and unease, and her little face turned pale: "...Brother...don't go..."
Kael's heart ached, and he patiently soothed her: "Don't be afraid, it's very safe here. Look, Haxxor Bunny is with you." He placed the horm doll from the bedside into her arms, "I promise, I'll be back very soon. If you get hungry, go to the kitchen for a snack, remember?"
Sirin looked at Kael's earnest eyes, then at the doll in her arms. Although extremely reluctant and terrified of being alone, she bit her lip and, with great difficulty, nodded, letting go of his sleeve, her voice tearful: "...Brother...come back...quickly..."
"Yes, I will." Kael stroked her head, then checked the doors and windows again before hurrying out.
Arriving at the Bishop's Office door, Kael tidied his appearance and knocked.
"Come in." Otto's voice came through.
Kael pushed the door open, but the first thing he saw was Bishop Otto standing by the window, arms crossed, looking perfectly at ease. And in the office, there was another woman with dazzling long silver hair, her back to the door, tall and with a capable demeanor.
Hearing the door open, the silver-haired woman turned around.
It was a face Kael had never seen before, yet it inexplicably gave him a faint, ineffable sense of familiarity. She looked to be in her twenties, with an heroic and beautiful appearance, her clear blue eyes like the sky, now fixed on him with unconcealed shock and disbelief.
Otto watched the silver-haired woman's reaction, a knowing smile playing on her lips, tinged with a hint of amusement and deeper meaning. She spoke to Kael, but her tone was quite normal: "See, Kallen, I wasn't lying."
Kallen opened her mouth, as if to say something, her gaze complex as she looked at Otto, then at Kael, finally only letting out a very soft, trembling gasp.
Otto gently raised her hand, signaling her not to say more.
Then he turned to a bewildered Kael, introducing her naturally: "Captain Kael, this is Miss Kallen Kaslana. She has just been transferred back to Headquarters from the South American branch and is not yet familiar with the place. I had originally planned for you to show her around, but there have been some temporary changes; I'll take her myself. There's nothing for you here; you can go back for now."
Kael was utterly confused by this sudden summons and the inexplicable situation.
Kallen Kaslana? The Saintess of the Kaslana Family? Why did she look at him so strangely?
Bishop Otto's attitude also seemed peculiar.
But he still suppressed the doubts in his heart and bowed: "Yes, Your Excellency."
He glanced at Miss Kallen, who was still staring at him blankly, nodded, and then turned and left the office.
The moment the door closed, Kallen suddenly stepped forward, her voice filled with uncontrollable excitement and trembling: "Otto! Why did you... He... He just now..."
Otto turned around, her back to the window, light and shadow casting an indistinct outline on her face.
She looked at Kallen, her tone calm but with a subtle... melancholy?
"According to my guess, he has no memory of five hundred years ago. His actions... how could they be without consequence."
Kallen was struck as if by lightning, staggering back half a step, her clear blue eyes instantly misting over, her voice choked: "So... he... he really forgot us... forgot me? Doesn't remember anything?"
"Mm." Otto nodded gently, walked to the wine cabinet, poured two glasses of red wine, and handed one to the distraught Kallen, "The him now is just an A-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, the Captain of the Asgard, Kael. Nothing more."
Kallen took the wine glass, her fingers slightly white from gripping it tightly. She looked at the swirling red liquid in the glass, as if seeing the passage of time and forgotten past, and tears finally fell silently.
Meanwhile, Kael hurried back to the dorm, full of questions.
He opened the door; the living room was empty, and a sense of foreboding instantly seized him.
"Sirin?"
He quickly walked to the bedroom, only to see that Sirin was not on the bed or in the living room as he had instructed, but was curled up in the darkest corner of the bedroom, her arms tightly wrapped around her knees, her face deeply buried, her small body trembling violently and uncontrollably, emitting suppressed, animal-like whimpers.
The horm doll lay discarded on the side, clearly useless.
Hearing Kael's voice, Sirin suddenly looked up, her face covered in tear stains, her golden eyes filled with immense fear and despair.
And upon seeing Kael, that fear receded like a tide, transforming into immense grievance and the reliance of one who had narrowly escaped disaster.
"Brother—!"
She cried out, scrambling to throw herself into Kael's arms, hugging him with all her strength, as if he would disappear if she let go.
Her crying was no longer the suppressed sobbing from before, but a full-blown wail filled with lingering fear and collapse.
"Waaah... Brother... I'm so scared... It's dark... It's so quiet... There were strange noises... I thought... you didn't want me anymore... Waaah..."
Kael's heart felt as if it had been cruelly wrenched, filled with self-reproach and regret.
He tightly hugged the trembling little body in his arms, continuously patting her back, his voice full of guilt: "I'm sorry, Sirin, I'm sorry... Brother was wrong, Brother shouldn't have left you alone... I'm sorry... Don't be afraid, Brother is back, Brother is here..."
Feeling Sirin's cold body temperature and hot tears, he secretly vowed that no matter what earth-shattering event occurred in the future, he would never again leave Sirin alone in an environment that made her feel unsafe.
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