The silence after the man fled felt heavier than the confrontation itself. Celeste knelt beside her mother, holding her hand, unsure of what was going to happen next.
Kite, the man with the sword, stood near the doorway. He had a powerful presence, but there was something quiet about him, something distant. He didn’t speak immediately, his eyes lingering on Ilvia with a kind of quiet sorrow.
"Master Kite," Ilvia said softly, her voice weak but filled with emotion. "It’s been so long."
Celeste blinked, looking between her mother and the swordsman. They know each other?
Kite moved toward Ilvia, kneeling beside her with a gentleness that contrasted with his otherwise stoic appearance. "Too long," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I came back to find you, but I didn’t expect this."
Ilvia smiled faintly, though the expression was strained. "Life has a way of doing that," she replied. "But I’ve managed. And now I have Celeste."
Kite’s eyes shifted to Celeste, studying her carefully. There was something deep in his gaze, something that made Celeste feel as though he was seeing through her, seeing more than she even knew about herself.
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"You’ve grown strong," Kite murmured, his voice soft but firm. "But this isn’t the life you deserve, Ilvia."
Ilvia let out a quiet, bitter laugh. "We don’t always get what we deserve, Kite. But I’m okay with that."
Kite didn’t reply at first, his expression tightening. He stood slowly, his presence filling the small room with an air of authority. "Your daughter doesn’t belong here. She has potential, Ilvia something I can help her unlock. Let me take her."
Celeste felt her heart pound. Take her? She had never thought about leaving the brothel, leaving her mother. But something in Kite’s words his certainty, his calm confidence made her feel like this wasn’t just an offer. It was the only way forward.
Ilvia hesitated, then looked at Celeste with a mixture of love and sadness. "You should go with him, Celeste. Kite will take care of you. He’ll teach you how to be strong."
"But what about you?" Celeste asked, her voice trembling. "I don’t want to leave you."
"I’ll be fine," Ilvia said, though her voice cracked. "Mama Rosario will look after me. You need to leave this place, Celeste. Master Kite can offer you something better."
Celeste’s throat tightened. She had always known her mother was struggling, but hearing her mother’s words now made it all real. Her mother wanted her to go to leave her behind.
Kite stepped closer, his expression softened but still serious. "I live in a reclusive place, far from the towns and cities. If you come with me, I’ll train you. You’ll learn the way of the sword, and you’ll grow strong enough to decide your own fate. It won’t be easy, but you won’t be stuck here anymore."
Celeste’s mind raced. She had never been beyond the brothel, never seen the world outside, but the way Kite spoke—the promise of freedom, of strength—lit something inside her. The sword had felt right in her hands, even in that brief moment of panic. And now, he was offering her a chance to make it more than just a fleeting feeling.
"I’ll do it," she whispered, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside her. "I’ll go with you.”
Kite nodded, his expression unreadable. "We leave at dawn."