Chatter could be heard outside through the small window, mixed with seagulls and the windmill turning slowly. Anciel awoke to a soft bed and inhaled a flower scent coming from the white sheets and a puffy pillow. Something he never experienced before.

He was in a room with a leaned roof. It was almost like an attic was made into a bedroom.

For a few moments, he was confused and was looking around trying to recall what kind of events led to this dreamy state of affairs. Through the window, he saw that it was almost noon already.

The cloud-like bed made him sleep in.

He realized that is probably why all the other small beds are already empty. After dressing up, he came down the stairs.

“Alright soldiers, line up!” Label shouted mimicking a captain and everybody lined up as Anciel watched from the stairs.

“We got a new recruit! Treat him as you were treated when you first got here. Got that?”

“Should I tickle him, as you tickled me when I got here?” asked Miko, making tickling gestures with her fingers.

“Should I steal his pajama as you stole mine when I got here?” Ezel stared at Label, crossing her arms.

“Should I—”, started Metena, but Label stopped her.

“Fine fine! I get your point. Now, come on, we have work to do.”

“Ah, I need to talk to you,” said Anciel quietly, pulling blondie aside.

“What’s up?” his eyebrows raised in anticipation.

“Thanks for letting me sleep in your humble home tonight,” he looked around admiring the overall tidiness;” …yet I couldn’t help but notice how crowded it is already, so I’ll be on my way today.”

“About that… Inala said she’d like to talk to you. She’s outside.”

It was a sunny day and the sky reflected in Anciel's eyes as he admired the huge white clouds resting over the sea.

All the other kids were doing the chores already. Ezel, as the oldest sister (but still younger than Label) was in charge of cutting the overgrown grass. She had her sleeves and pants rolled up and was using a sickle, something a kid of her age shouldn't be doing, but she proved cautious and trustworthy enough. She had long chestnut hair made into two braids. Through the big square glasses, her green eyes smiled at Anciel as she wiped the sweat off her brows.

He found her freckles quite charming.

The heat was picking up already because everybody got up late since they couldn't really fall asleep from all the excitement last night.

Metena and Miko were preparing to meet other villagers who were sometimes going to the woods for mushroom gatherings. The three girls including Tina who wasn't present now were actual sisters and were a few years apart, with Tina being the youngest. The three of them had black hair and eyes; typical Toukoku colors and a small frame that was also common in the Empire.

When a simple carriage arrived, they put their backpacks in and sat between two neighbors from which one greeted Label and the other scolded him with a finger gesture and then started to tell the others about what he heard happened at the market yesterday.

Label grinned and put a hand on his nape, blushing a bit, and then hurried Anciel on.

Inala was in the garden, putting all the dirty laundry on a makeshift rope and swinging a small wooden cradle. She had a peg in her mouth, so she just waved with her free hand as the boys came out.

“Good morning sleepy head,” she teased Anciel, who was all still red. “Is something the matter dear?”

“No, I'm alright now. I just wanted to say, thank you,” as he bowed deeply.

“Label told me all about how you two met. I’m sorry you got in trouble because of him.”

“He’s not the only one to blame. I did have my own part in it,” Anciel admitted.

“So tell me, where do you live?” she went straight to the point.

“I have no place to call home. No parents either.”

“They abandoned you?” Inala kept putting the laundry up.

“The earliest memory I have… I was alone,” he looked into the distance.

She noticed how he doesn’t look too worried or sad, as though he accepted his situation some time ago. As if it was a normal thing.

“You know, this windmill; I made it into an orphanage some years ago. None of these children are mine…”, she turned to him; “…but they are all mine just as well.”

The green-eyed boy remained quiet.

“You are free to stay if you like, but you’ll have to earn your keep,” she put her hands on her elbows awaiting a response.

He remained quiet a few moments more, but then he finally replied;

“I am honored by your hospitality, but I will need to give it some thought.”

His answer caught her a bit by surprise. The almost adult way this boy was behaving was rare even with actual adults.

“Well this is a first,” she smiled, “Of course, take your time, but let me know soon. I need to know how many people are eating and sleeping here.”

Anciel bowed, as was his custom, and they went and joined the others, who were peeking around the corner it seemed.

“Now, I want you boys to take Marco to the sea today and teach him how to fish properly. It would do us good if he could help out as well and I just can't send him out of the village, he's still far too young...”

It would be my greatest joy, but unfortunately, I don't know how to fish either,” Anciel admitted, “I can really help out with the grass cutting though.”

“I'm afraid we got that covered already,” Inala looked at Ezel. And then back to Anciel. “Oh... Yes, you can help with the grass if you want sweetheart.”

Label put a hand on his face.

“Yay, I got to go with bwothel Label!” Marco cheered and jumped, spinning around him.

“Ok, let's leave those lovebirds alone. Today, I make a man out of you!” Label lifted the small red-haired boy up high.

“Now, now, you are to take things slowly and make sure he stays out of trouble,” Inala intervened.

“Alright…” said Label.

“I was talking to Marco,” said Inala and everyone except Label found it to be hilarious. She then turned around and after seeing his lemony face, gave him a big hug.

“Then be on your way,” she patted him slightly on the back and kissed the small boy's forehead.

Anciel in the meantime went back into the garden.

“H-Hello, my name is Anciel.”

The girl stood up and looked at him, “Eh, I know? Like, big bro introduced us to each other last night.”

“Ah, I'm sorry. I couldn't remember everyone's name at the same time.”

“My name is Ezel. Second time,” she didn't offer a hand.

“So, can I help you out?”

“Can you manage a sickle?”

“I think so.”

“Alright, you can find one at the barn and tend to that part over there. Don't hurt yourself,” she continued working, frustrated that Inala send her some help while she could obviously do it herself and stay the most loyal and useful of all the kids.

Anciel entered the barn and noticed a scent but no sight of animals. The sunrays pointed at the wall with the tools through a wooden roof full of holes, dust floating in the golden light. He scanned through the tools and indeed there was a sickle hanging there, but what caught his attention was a short sword that was left in an old box.

Ezel stood up resting her back a bit and then noticed Anciel standing in the tall grass. He held the rusty sword with both hands.

“I’m going to the loo. See you in a bit,” she went behind the corner, but instead of going to the toilet, Ezel spied on Anciel.

Ahh... just like bro, he's just gonna' play around all day and won't do any actual work.

Anciel swung the sword in a wide arc beginning behind his shoulder. He finished in a crouch, completing a full circle.

The grass seemed to be floating in the air for a moment while Ezel's mouth opened in surprise.

It was cut in an unnaturally wide radius as if the blade was extended.

Anciel then stood up, checking how he did. She came from behind him and looked at the sword from his shoulder. Her eyes were wandering behind the glasses.

“What the heck? I never knew this junk could do that. I guess big bro was holding back its magical properties.”

“I thought you were going to the toilet?” Anciel remarked,” Well, finders keepers,” he couldn't just hand the thing over to her, because he knew she would find out the truth straight away. It was a dull ordinary rusty blade and nothing more.

“You are stingy,” she suddenly turned away from him and was going back to her grass taking large steps, her arms swinging.

He watched her, his expression wistful, but he didn't manage to say anything else.

As Ezel wiped her glasses while turning away from him, he realized he missed a chance to see her without them and she went back to using her own sickle after rolling up the sleeves a bit.

“How come there are no animals in the barn?” he tried making conversation.

“The orgriash ate them,” she frowned.

“I've only ever seen a few. They seemed like everybody else, but were looking more like animals.”

“You see, that's where you're wrong. They are NOT like everybody else. They are savage beasts pretending to be human,” she went inside, leaving him to cut the grass on his own.

“… was it something I said?” he was left puzzled.