The view of the park stretched out before me, with towering trees casting their shade over the gravel path I was walking on. Benches were spaced out every few meters for the comfort of visitors. It was noon, and I was grateful that we hadn't yet reached the lake, as the environment there would probably not be as cool as on this trail.

No ordinary people were walking the park's paths since it was closed, but I liked to imagine that my personal guards were just tourists heading to the same destination as me.

Unfortunately, reality was disappointing. There were few days when I had the chance to stroll around the city, and although I wanted to treat this moment as a recreational outing, the truth was that I was out for "business," if it could even be called that.

I glanced at a black-furred ram who was accompanying me more closely than the other members of my guard.

—Chris, isn’t the day beautiful? —stayed alert, watching my bodyguard's reaction.

—Sir, I suggest you avoid addressing me so casually; some people might... misunderstand your gestures —His serious expression carried a hint of discomfort that anyone else might have missed, but not me. I had seen that look too many times to not know its underlying reason.

—Aww, come on, Chris, you said I could call you that when we were in pri-va-te... —I said the last words with a playful tone, moving closer to Christian. His mask of stoicism wavered, though to the rest of the wolf guards trailing behind us, he probably seemed as expressive as a rock.

—Sir, if you would, I ask that you stop joking; it could cause a serious problem for the Rayfield family... —His words trailed off as I leaped onto his back. Christian instinctively caught my legs in his arms, preventing my fall. I placed a hand on his chin, forcing him to look down at my head, which was peeking over his shoulder as he carried me.

—Chris, Chris, Chris, you worry too much. These guards —I gestured toward the four wolves escorting us— won’t say a word to anyone, and I assure you, this isn’t even the worst thing they’ve seen while accompanying a noble. Right, guys?"

I looked at our guards, who were clearly making an effort not to show any reaction that would reveal their interest.

—Our lips are sealed, sir, —said one of the wolves who seemed to hold the highest rank among the four. Immediately, my expression twisted into a mischievous smile as I looked at Christian’s profile.

My white bunny ears twitched as I heard Christian sigh in resignation after finally giving in to my insistence. At this point, I was starting to wonder if he actually enjoyed being teased or if he was just really naive to think I’d stop my playful antics if he resisted enough.

—Only until we’re near the lake, —I raised my arms in triumph, almost falling off Christian’s back if he hadn’t leaned forward to counterbalance and prevent my fall.

My hands moved to the wool peeking out from his butler uniform collar. It was as soft as always. I succumbed to temptation and let myself lean against his neck, my hands sliding to his chest and my body resting on his back as he carried me towards our destination.

The shadow of the trees cast a pattern of light spots through the protection of the leaves. Perhaps someday I should suggest to Johan that they take a walk in the park; Emilia could even join them.

—Chris?

—Yes, sir? —I shook my head in denial. Christian sensed my movement, and after clearing his throat, he corrected himself— What’s the matter, Alex…ander?

I huffed in clear disapproval. When would this man stop being so professional?

—Do you think Mother would let me go out with the second prince and Emilia to the park?

He pondered my words for a few seconds before responding.

—I doubt it. —Before I had a chance to complain, he started explaining why— You’re aware of the second prince’s busy schedule, and of course, the recent incident. Also, Miss Rayfield dislikes it when you go on pointless outings…

It was true. My mother would probably dislike the idea. Plus, with the Academy graduation so near, Johan would undoubtedly be busy, though maybe not too much. After all, he was a prodigy skilled enough to be among the few who had learned to use a fourth-degree technique.

—But I could still ask Emilia to go have lunch at the Phoenix Library, right?

—Certainly, sir... Alex. I’m sure you’ll find time in your schedule to enjoy a meal with Miss Emilia.

I grimaced at Christian’s hesitation to call me by my name. "Damn, I know we’re from different social classes and all, but we’ve practically been together forever. How hard is it to break down that barrier between us, especially since it’s been even harder recently?" Maybe I should give him a little punishment for being so boring. After all, he wants to act like a servant, and I’m more than happy to give him some orders.

I gently wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head to the side of his, his horns sometimes being tricky to maneuver in situations like this. But I didn’t mind leaning on them a bit.

Christian was slightly startled by the sudden physical contact. I ignored his initial surprise. The sound of a subdued chuckle caught my attention from behind. My ears twitched reflexively towards the source of the sound, which quickly fell silent upon noticing my interest. "I should learn to control my reflexes better."

—What if I invite you to lunch, Christian?

Christian tensed at hearing his name. It seemed he calculated the best response in milliseconds before deciding to speak.

—I’m afraid Mrs. Rayfield wouldn’t permit me to go out to eat with…

He was soon interrupted by my interjection.

—My mother doesn’t need to know anything. She’s quite busy with her work to notice who I go out with.

—But...

—I’ll just tell her I’m going out with Emilia somewhere. I’m sure she’ll appreciate that I’m socializing with the ambassador’s daughter from the Great Forest. —A laugh escaped my lips— After all, political connections are important, don’t you think, Chris-tian?

Christian’s expression briefly twitched, revealing a momentary tremor in his control of emotions. These lessons in emotional management were really paying off; maybe if I kept pushing...

—What do you think, Chris? You, me, candlelight... —I watched as he went from slightly nervous to actually biting his lip— Maybe we could go to that new restaurant downtown that just opened. They must have some truffle salad.

I could slightly notice Christian’s chest moving faster with his breathing. I kept pressing, snuggling closer to him.

"Didn’t you say they were your favorites?" He finally relaxed and gave a long sigh, returning to a serene face. Maybe it would be better if I stopped playing with him before he really got angry with me.

Our walk continued along the path as I admired the calm scenery. The Darkwoods had been the main patrons during the park’s creation. Rumor had it that it was a sort of gift for the couple who was head of the family at the time, though there were also rumors that it was actually a gift for a mistress of the former Mr. Darkwood. This was said because the former Mrs. Darkwood wasn’t exactly an expert in botany or had a particular fondness for plants.

I saw in the distance some giant glass domes, according to people, designed by Ren de la Torre, an unmatched architect even in modern times. He had far outpaced the ideas of his era and had built and designed multiple structures across Paralate, though in his later years, he had taken residence in Sencity. If it weren’t for him, the world would likely still be divided by the vast Frontier River.

—Chris, have you ever been outside Sencity?

—Yes, sir, though I don’t remember much of that part of my life. I was still a little lamb. I was born in the Eastern Territories a few years after the end of the Second Great War.

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—Really? Then you must have crossed one of the Great Paths, right, Chris?

—Uh, yes, I think I remember something about that, though not much. It’s just like I have a feeling I did, but I don’t really have a true memory of it. I just have a vague impression of being surprised by how massive the Blood Path was.

—Maybe one day we should visit your hometown, don’t you think? —Christian’s expression darkened for a few seconds, and his grip on my legs tightened momentarily— I don’t think there’s anything left for me there... After the Fourth Wave, everything that was left was... swept away.

—Oh... I-I’m sorry, Christian. It wasn’t my intention —He shook his head in denial.

—No, it’s fine. I know you didn’t mean it that way.

I decided not to press the topic further. My ears caught a sound of annoyance behind me. I turned to see a wolf guard with a scowl, but as soon as our eyes met, he quickly averted his gaze. —Damn, I know we’re supposed to take pride in winning the war, but what the hell prevents them from having a bit of compassion for those who had nothing to do with such conflicts?

Eventually, we reached the end of the line of trees, and from a distance, I could see the park’s central lake. There was also a commotion with a bunch of wolves (members of the Capital Guard) and a few lizards (probably investigators or forensic experts).

The scene was undeniably hectic, and from what I could tell, a significant fight had taken place. The park's dividing fence was torn inward, and the ground near the investigators was raised into craters at various points. Even I could notice a considerable lack of ether in the air.

We approached the small camp set up by the Guards. The attention shifted from their work to our small group as we neared. As I dismounted from Christian’s back, the captain of our group interacted with another guard from the camp.

—A pleasure to meet you, young Rayfield —said one of the camp’s wolves, extending his hand for a greeting. I shook his hand in return— Our field technician will give you the information you need."

I bowed, thanking him for his kindness. The wolf, whose name I later learned was Reik, seemed surprised by the gesture and led us to the center of the commotion. A black wolf’s corpse lay on the ground. I wrinkled my face in an instinctive gesture of disgust. I knew who it was even before arriving here, but that didn’t lessen the shock of a legacy of the Empire lying dead before me.

Fortunately for me, one of the investigators stood up and approached me, pulling me from my stupor. He pushed his protective glasses up to the top of his head, and his white lab coat billowed in the air, giving him an intellectual appearance.

—Young Rayfield, allow me to introduce myself. I am Jake Casarrubias, the field technician. As Captain Reik may have mentioned, I will provide you with the report of what we’ve discovered. I have the written report in the tent over there. If you’d like, you can join us, or would you prefer to wait for someone to bring it to you…

—No, I’ll wait for someone to bring it. Sorry, Mr. Casarrubias, could you be so kind as to give me a verbal explanation of what happened? —Jake nodded and then gestured for me to follow him. One of the other investigators left, presumably to fetch the written report.

—As you can see from the marks on the ground, it suggests the use of a nearby explosive weapon or that the victim’s opponent was a…

—Protector… —I interrupted, realizing the connection.

—Exactly. The use of kinetic force by Protectors usually leaves this kind of mark. However, the crater where Mr. Darkwood’s body was found is unusually large, which implies an incredibly high use of ether, which according to our readings doesn’t make sense since it involves a lower use than required for this type of fracture. We suspect that the perpetrators must have regenerated some of the ether to avoid suspicion. This method is quite common among users of fourth-degree techniques who try to avoid being marked as potential suspects. If it weren’t for our recent technological advances, it would remain a mystery, although not many outsiders are aware of the use of new detectors at crime scenes.

"But why would someone want to hide their excessive use of ether in the environment?"

—The Empire keeps a record of fourth-degree technique users born in this country or foreigners entering Sencity, all for national security reasons. This helps us narrow down the search for suspects in cases like this.

—I see… but how does the Empire discover a fourth-degree technique user? —Casarrubias looked at me confused for a second.

—Sorry, I thought you would already know that…

—Huh? Why?

—Well, after all, you have white fur. I just assumed that you were also a user of a fourth-degree technique." This time it was my turn to look at him confused.

—Sorry, I’ll explain. When a person is born, there is a possibility that they have what we call the Mark of Magnificence, meaning they are born with completely white fur. All those who have been born with completely white fur tend to be capable of developing fourth-degree techniques, sometimes even without a tutor to teach them. This naturally reveals the bearers of the mark, so it’s quite easy to keep track of those who are users of it.

—Right, and since you saw my white fur, you thought I had the mark —I said, looking at Casarrubias for confirmation. He nodded slightly.

—Oh, so that’s it? I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I actually have a series of black patterns on my back, and the fur on my chest is slightly gray, so I’m not completely white.

—I see, I apologize for the confusion, but I’m sure this information will be useful to you in the near future.

—Heh, I’m sure it will. In fact, now that you mention it, I do know someone with the mark, —I said. The investigator showed slight interest in my words.

—Oh really? Marked individuals aren’t very common, after all.

—Yes, I’m actually friends with the second prince —These words surprised Casarrubias for a moment before he cleared his throat.

—Of course, it makes sense given that both of you attend the Academy, and of course, your parents must be very good friends after all.

We continued walking among the craters to a group of investigators examining a silver sword with a rather stylish design. The other lizard returned with the written report as I stopped to inspect the sword.

—This sword is… —The second investigator handed me the report sheets.

—The Sword of Lightning Cut, one of the eleven Superior Treasures —said the unknown investigator— It was supposedly hidden somewhere in the Ash Valley, but it seems those rumors were false. Ah, this sword is indeed a headache!

I tried to ask what the problem with the sword was when suddenly the lizard started ranting.

—We’ve been trying to move the sword away from the corpse, but it keeps teleporting back to it! —Casarrubias finally intervened, placing his hand on the investigator’s shoulder.

—Please excuse my colleague’s behavior. His name is Carlo Casarrubias —I looked at him with curiosity.

—Yes, he’s, my brother. But well, it’s understandable that he’s quite exasperated with the situation we’re facing. Indeed, obtaining the Lightning Cut Sword will be a great achievement for our nation, but if we can’t detach it from the corpse, I doubt it will be of any use.

Carlo approached the sword and picked it up, then slowly moved away from its initial position. Suddenly, the blade disappeared from his hands and returned to the ground near the corpse. Carlo’s frustration became evident as he shouted in frustration and kicked the ground. The blade’s shine reflected an unusual blue light, giving the illusion of moving through it as if it were lightning. Its shine seemed almost hypnotic to me, and I felt a compulsive need to take the sword in my hands.

—Can I… can I touch it? —Jake looked at me with confusion, but Carlo looked at me with something akin to anger. For a moment, I was tempted to apologize, but then.

—I don’t know if you should…

—Let him try, Jake. Maybe it will work with him —Carlo intervened— How can we know? Maybe he do something.

Timidly, I approached the sword. It was only a few centimeters from the corpse’s feet. I took the hilt in my hands and examined it closely. Then I glanced at the corpse. I saw in its eyes a kind of familiar sensation. The orange of its irises resembled a sunset to me. I felt the orange cover every inch of my being. I felt every bit of pain it had felt in its last moments, every regret, every feeling, every happy moment, every sigh, and every laugh.

And for a single moment, I felt reflected in its eyes. Suddenly, I was the one observing myself. I saw myself, a rabbit dressed in clothes that were supposed to command respect and importance, but which, at this moment, were merely simple fabric. The eyes of death looked at me coldly, seeing me carrying a sword that was too heavy for my shoulders, but which I did not let go. I held it, resisting its weight, a weight that crushed me, that threatened to break me beneath it, a weight no one should have to bear, a weight I couldn’t allow anyone else to carry.

A voice whispered beside me, saying cruel and threatening words. A parade of images flooded my mind, images I had never seen before. The voice kept talking, to a point that deafened my thoughts, but I only smiled. A genuine feeling of happiness filled me, and warmth spread through my limbs. At that moment, I didn’t understand it, but I had made a decision, even without knowing where or why. I kept my gaze on Cole until I saw his sunset fade into the depths of his eyes. It was a strange, almost comforting sensation. A hand on my shoulder pulled me out of my reverie.

—Alex, are you okay? —It was Christian. How strange, he almost never shows me that look of his. What is that on his face, concern?

—Huh? Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong. Why do you ask?

—You’re crying —He placed his hand on my face and wiped away a tear rolling down my cheek. Without thinking too much, I threw myself into his arms and hugged him, burying my face in the wool of his neck. He returned the gesture, stroking my head and ears, until I started to breathe too heavily on his neck. At that moment, he withdrew with a look of annoyance and embarrassment— I told him not to do that in public... actually, I asked him not to do it at all...

His words were almost whispered as he pulled me away from him. I smiled at him playfully, but he looked away. "How could anyone resist that look?" I thought. I pulled away from the hug and moved away from the crowd.

—Well, I guess it’s time for us to go. Thank you, Investigator Casarrubias. I’ll take the report to my mother so she can discuss it at the Congress —I walked away with the sword in one hand and the report in the other, hoping that the sword would suddenly return to its original place and teleport back to its original owner, but it didn’t.