In the cemetery, a new guest had arrived.

Amidst the gathering of mourners, faint sounds of sorrowful sobbing could be heard. Some shed silent tears, while others remained speechless.

At the forefront of the crowd stood Nicole. She wore a black gown that belied her youthful appearance. Her eyes, swollen and devoid of life, seemed to watch as the casket before her was slowly engulfed by the earth, yet at the same time, they appeared to see nothing at all.

Suddenly, a warm hand tightly grasped her icy left hand.

"From this day forth, I shall stand in his stead, to protect you," the young man declared, standing by her side and making this solemn vow.

Nicole turned her head, her gaze fixed on the handsome profile of the youth. The damp cemetery wind rustled through his dark hair, and his deep purple eyes shone with unwavering determination. He didn't respond to her gaze but kept his eyes fixed on the last corner of the casket being covered in earth.

The sky grew darker. The cold wind rustled the fallen leaves in the cemetery, and blood-red maple leaves danced through the air.

Alone, Nicole made her way through the maple forest. Her hushed footsteps echoed through the woods.

Suddenly, a voice sounded beside her. She didn't seem surprised, as if she had been waiting for that person for a very long time.

"Over here, I know a shortcut."

He appeared suddenly, took Nicole's hand, and led her deeper into the woods.

It’s him. However, Nicole realized she seemed to have grown significantly taller, making him look even more like a child.

"Who are you?" Nicole halted.

The youth let go of her hand, turned around, and looked up at her, silently.

"Who are you? Where are you taking me?" Nicole asked once again.

The youth looked at her, his face filled with sadness and desolation. For some reason, his gaze made Nicole feel guilty.

Avoiding his gaze, she spoke anxiously, "I think I should go home. Goodbye."

With that, she ran away, even forgetting to wipe away the tears on her face.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The cold raindrops fell on her, and in the pouring rain, she trembled as she pushed open the door to her home. As she looked up at her reflection in the mirror, she was left speechless and shocked. She finally understood why she had appeared to tower over the youth earlier.

It was because her reflection in the mirror now showed a face that seemed to be over twenty-five years old, while the youth still appeared to be a fourteen-year-old boy.

[Wait a minute, shouldn't I be fifteen years old?]

"No, this isn't me," Nicole exclaimed in fear, taking a step back.

Her sudden movement knocked over the tray at the bedside, causing a roll to tumble to the corner of the room and spilling water from the cup onto the floor.

She reached out to pick up the cup but was interrupted by a horrifying scream from outside the door. Amidst the sounds of a struggle, there were beastly roars and furious howls, accompanied by the putrid stench of decay and the metallic tang of blood.

Even though she was separated from the gruesome scene outside by only the door, she felt an overwhelming sense of terror. Her eyes widened in fear, and her body froze, unable to move.

"Look, they're coming. I warned you earlier, don't try to save me. You'll regret it," she said.

Turning her head, Nicole saw a stranger, a woman of roughly her own age.

The woman lay on a bed, her expression sickly, and dark red stains marred the sheets. She cast a cold, mocking smile at Nicole, then picked up a bloodied dining knife from the bedside.

Fear once again pushed Nicole to the brink of collapse, and the world before her began to fragment and shatter.

"No, please..."

Nicole felt so cold, extremely cold, as if she was falling into an endless abyss, with darkness ready to swallow her whole.

Just then, a pair of warm arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her up from the abyss.

"From this day forth, I shall stand in his stead, to protect you."

Whispered in her ear was an incredibly gentle voice, uttering the same words as the young boy from before but now sounding no longer so juvenile.

Fear receded from her eyes as she lowered her head, catching sight of a strand of jet-black hair sliding across her cheek, as soft as the kiss he had placed on her shoulder.

……

Nicole wearily opened her eyes, finding herself lying on her familiar bed. The man from before had disappeared, leaving only the warmth of Kuro behind her.

She turned to face it, seeing only a blurry silhouette in the darkness as it lay there with its eyes closed. Nicole reached out to pat its head, smiling with gratitude.

"Thank you for being with me."

Recalling the dream she had just experienced, Nicole still felt somewhat frightened. Dreams often lacked logic and order, and upon waking up, she could only vaguely remember fragments of them.

However, ever since Kuro had come into her life, Nicole's dreams seemed to have become clearer, as if something were awakening from her memories. This made her feel uneasy.

Who was that young man? Who were the people in her dreams? The more she tried to convince herself that it was all unreal, the more real the sadness and fear in her heart became.

Nicole's mind was in turmoil. She decided to forgo sleep and sat up, feeling restless.

Here, in the dormitory for aspiring beastmasters, it was her last night. Because come dawn, she would be taking the beastmaster's test and then bid a final farewell to this dormitory. Perhaps, tomorrow would be a turning point in her life.

She sat down at her desk and opened her journal by the moonlight.

"Everything depends on tomorrow."

On the page for June 8th, there was a large exclamation mark drawn.