Later that night, Luca was working again as a musician. He played until three in the morning, working hard to earn his payment. Derek, drunk on lust, asked Vivian to stay with him once more.

As Luca stepped out of The Scarlet Veil, he found Pricillia waiting near the entrance.

“Hello, Luca,” she said brightly.

“Good morning, Pricillia.”

“I saw you perform. You were wonderful,” she said, smiling.

“Thank you,” he replied softly.

“Can you come to my room again tomorrow?”

Luca gave her a puzzled blink, but he didn’t turn her down.

“Sure. I’ll come at five.”

“Alright. It’s a promise,” she said, her smile widening.

Afterwards, he made his way to their new home, walking a bit farther than usual. It was still manageable.

When he found Evelyn and Rin safe and fast asleep, he let out a quiet breath, his features easing with relief.

It seemed his warning had worked. Now, he just had to focus on earning enough money to move them to a safer place.

He made his way to Evelyn’s side, lay down, and was asleep almost as soon as his head touched the ground.

The next morning, they awoke to a hush so still it almost felt unnatural. Here, the silence stretched wide and undisturbed, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the natural sound of water flowing in the river. This place, though not luxurious, felt strangely secluded, as if the rest of the world had momentarily forgotten them.

No other homeless people were around here, a stark contrast to their old spot beneath the bridge.

They resumed their arithmetic studies. Their progress was steady. If things continued like this, they’d be ready to put his plan into motion by next month.

Wanting them to feel useful, he handed Evelyn and Rin a few coins and asked them to buy bread from Gerard, hoping it might give them a sense of purpose.

They gladly took on the task. Luca explained everything carefully, assuring them that Gerard would know who they were. Gerard had seen them before, and Luca had made sure they knew to mention his name.

They returned a while later, bread in hand.

“Well done,” Luca said, offering a rare smile.

Their faces brightened at his praise. It might have been a small thing, but it meant a lot. They’d even begun making porridge just as Luca had taught them. They ate together at noon and went back to studying afterward.

By afternoon, they shared another light meal before Luca finally stood to go.

“All right, I’ll be going now,” Luca said.

“Take care, Lu,” Evelyn said, smiling gently.

“See you later, husband,” Rin teased, winking.

“Huh?” Evelyn looked at her in disbelief, then narrowed her eyes.

Without missing a beat, his sister pinched Rin’s waist. Rin, no stranger to such sneak attacks, let out a yelp and scampered away, giggling.

Laughing and playful, the two of them chased each other around. Luca could only watch for a moment, feeling helpless, before finally turning to leave.

He arrived at the Scarlet Veil around five. There was still time before his shift began.

“Good afternoon, Sister,” he greeted as he stepped inside.

“Good afternoon, Luca. You’re early today,” Astrid said.

“Yes. I’m going to visit Pricillia.”

“Oh~ going to see her again?” she asked with a mischievous grin.

“… I just want to speak with her,” Luca said quietly

“I see... No need to be shy,” she said, her tone teasing.

Unsure how to reply, Luca held his voice. Eventually, he found a reason to excuse himself, leaving Astrid grinning as he walked away.

On the stairs to the second floor, he found Ted speaking with Vivian. Their conversation was low and serious.

“I don’t want to hurt you again, Ted… I’m not the kind of girl you deserve,” Vivian whispered, tears welling up.

“Please, Vivian. Just trust me. I swear I’ll save you one day,” Ted said, his voice shaking with determination.

Vivian remained silent. With trembling fingers, she wiped her tears and vanished upstairs, leaving Ted staring after her.

It was only then that he realized Luca had been watching.

“Hey, Luca,” Ted greeted, offering an awkward smile as he approached.

“Good afternoon, Ted.”

“… Did you see that?”

Luca hesitated. “I’m sorry…”

Ted shook his head. “No worries. It’s just… she and I have history. I love her. She told me to move on, but I can’t. We grew up together, same street, same city. When she disappeared, I searched everywhere. And in the end, I found her… here. Controlled by Phantasm.” His voice quieted. But his eyes turned cold.

“I still don’t have the strength to free her,” he added quietly.

“I see…” Luca murmured, unsure what to say.

Ted forced a laugh. “Tragic stories, right? but it's as common as dirt. We’re just unlucky, I guess. But hey—promise me you’ll keep this between us?”

“I promise,” Luca said, his tone solemn.

“Good. I trust you. I’ve got something to do. See you around.”

Ted walked off. Luca stood there a moment longer, the weight of Ted’s story lingering.

Unlucky… Maybe for some people, tragedy is inevitable.

But if it’s him… he’ll find a way. Even if it means walking through Hell.

He shook the thought aside and made his way to Pricillia’s room on the second floor.

He knocked on her door gently.

She opened it, wearing more appropriate clothes this time. Her smile was bright.

“Luca, come in.”

“Sorry for the intrusion.”

“You can sit there and wait. I’ll be right back,” she said, disappearing briefly.

Luca looked around the room, then sat down quietly. It was simple yet well-furnished, with a small table placed next to the bed.

When she returned, she held two glasses of warm water with herbs. It’s something like tea.

She handed him one.

“Here.”

“Thank you.”

“.. You know,” she said as she settled down,

“I’m so happy to finally meet someone my age. Everyone here is older than me. So it makes me happy when I see you working here as a musician. By the way, how old are you?”

“I’m fourteen,” Luca replied.

“Oh, same as me. I was born on the fourteenth day of the second month. What about you?”

“I… don’t know. I only know I’m fourteen this year.”

“I see...” She sipped her tea.

“Can I ask you something?” Luca said.

“Sure”

“What’s your role here?”

“Um… You could say that I have a connection with the boss, that’s how I live here. But it’s not like what you’re thinking,” she added quickly, her face a little flushed. “It’s not that kind of connection.”

“I understand,” Luca said in a calm voice.

After a short pause, she asked, “What do you think of the outside world? I’ve never seen it. I’ve lived here my whole life.”

Luca hesitated. He didn’t have a real answer. His understanding of the world was limited and full of gaps.

“… It’s a strange world. There’s so much I don’t understand. But there’s wonder in it, as well. Like the Sky Shepherd.”

“Right? It’s really mysterious. People say it’s been up there for ages."

“Has it ever come down?”

“Don’t say scary things like that, Luca,” she chuckled.

“If it landed, it’d be a disaster. But no, I’ve never heard of it coming down.”

There was a lull in their conversation.

Then she asked, gently, “What’s your dream, Luca?”

He went quiet. He didn’t know. In his previous life, he’d followed what others expected of him. While in this world, he hadn’t even stopped to wonder.

He looked past her, out the small window. The sky was cloudy, as always.

“… I don’t know. Right now, I’m just trying to survive.”

“I see…” she murmured, smiling softly.

“You know, I’ve always dreamed of going on an adventure. To explore the world. To be… free,” she said, her voice light, wistful.

She looked like a caged canary, longing to fly, yet unaware of the storms outside.

Could she survive if she ever did escape? Maybe not.

But... was a cage truly a life worth living?

They lingered in conversation, chatting about small details and fleeting thoughts, until it was time for Luca to leave for work. Just before he left, she made one more request.

“Will you come back tomorrow?” she asked, her eyes filled with quiet hope.

He thought for a while before he nodded.

“Alright”