Several days had passed since that day. Alice and Arthur did their best to find Lily, taking walks around the village multiple times a day, hoping to run into her by chance. But no matter how long they searched, there was no trace of her.

Alice's distress was evident. Dark circles clung beneath her swollen eyes, a clear sign of restless nights spent worrying. Arthur noticed—how could he not? Her once bright expression had dulled, her movements sluggish as exhaustion weighed on her.

That evening, as she prepared dinner, an uneasy silence filled the room. The atmosphere was thick, heavy enough that neither of them dared to break it. Arthur leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her. His frown deepened as his lips pressed into a tight line, brows knitting together. He could see it—she was slowly deteriorating, the weight of her concern for Lily eating away at her.

With a heavy sigh, he finally spoke, his voice cutting through the suffocating quiet. "Do you want me to help you?"

Alice paused, turning to him with a small, weary smile. "Just for tonight… help me."

Her tone was soft, but Arthur could hear the sadness laced within it. He held her gaze for a moment before offering a faint smile of his own. Without another word, he stepped forward, helping her prepare dinner, he found an unexpected warmth spreading through his chest. Standing beside her, this woman who had slowly begun to light up his world—it was almost like he could feel the shift inside him, bit by bit. His gaze dropped to the knife in his hand, his grip tightening just a little. He stared at the sharp edge, watching it reflect the dim light, his fingers trembling slightly. He hesitated for a moment, testing the pull of his past—the familiar surge of fear. His breath hitched. But this time, when he reached for it, his hand didn’t flinch. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, focusing on the stillness in his chest. When he opened them again, the knife was in his grip, steady and unthreatening. A soft smile curled at the corners of his lips.

Alice, standing next to him, caught the subtle change. She noticed the way he was smiling, something different in his expression—a smile she had never seen before. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her brow furrowing slightly, her curiosity sparking.

He shook his head gently, the smile still playing on his lips. “I guess I’ve changed. And the reason for that... has been you all along.” He paused, then lifted his gaze, meeting hers. His eyes were steady, unwavering, locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat. The warmth in his voice softened the moment, his gratitude clear in every word.

“Thank you, Alice,” he said, his tone low and sincere.

Alice blinked in shock for a moment. She hadn’t expected such a shift, such vulnerability from him. But, seeing the honesty in his eyes, the smile on his face, she couldn’t help but feel a warmth of her own.

“You’re welcome,” she replied, her voice light and full of a gentle enthusiasm. A smile spread across her face, matching his, as she felt a quiet but undeniable connection between them.

Slowly but surely, he is making progress in confronting his emotions. Even if it’s a small step, he feels grateful. After eating dinner, the tense atmosphere dissipates, replaced by a warmth they have longed for. They start to converse, one topic leading to another, until Arthur begins to open up about his traumatic past. He talks about how the special government took him as a child, trained him to become a weapon, and how he managed to survive the battlefield alone.

Setting aside the icy stone in his heart, he tells her everything he has endured. Though it is a painful topic, they manage to smile through it. Their wide smiles brighten the room, making the air feel fresher than ever before.

Suddenly, despite the late hour, a knock echoes at the door. It isn’t just one knock but several, rapid and insistent. Arthur stands, his senses sharpening as he prepares for whatever might be on the other side. Alice follows him quietly, staying close in case he needs her. If something happens to him, she is ready to back him up.

Arthur grips the handle and slowly opens the door. His eyes widen, his mouth falling slightly open as his shoulders stiffen. Standing there is the girl they’ve been trying to find.

Panting heavily, her face pale as a ghost, tears stream down her cheeks. Her small hands tremble visibly.

“P-P-Please h-help me f-find my mother!” she stammers, her voice breaking with worry. Her desperation is palpable—she doesn’t know what to do.

From inside, Alice catches sight of her and gasps in surprise. She rushes over, her heart sinking at the sight of the girl’s tear-streaked face. Alice’s expression stiffens as she kneels down, the sight of Lily’s broken state unbearable.

Gently, Alice cups Lily’s cheek and asks, “W-What’s wrong, Lily?” Her voice is soft, tinged with concern.

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“M-My mother i-is missing. P-please help me find h-her!” Lily cries, her sobs shaking her frail body.

Alice and Arthur exchange a glance, their unspoken agreement passing in silence. Alice takes Lily’s trembling hands in hers, her grip firm yet gentle.

“Can you tell us the details first?” Alice suggests kindly. “Can you come inside for a little while?”

Lily hesitates, her emotions scattered into pieces. But finally, she nods. Her fragile frame seems to collapse further as she steps inside, the weight of her distress following her.

Arthur and Lily sat at the table while Alice fetched a glass of water for Lily. “Did you eat already, Lily?” Alice asked, her voice soft but tinged with worry. She frowned slightly as she handed Lily the glass.

Lily shook her head, her lips pressing into a tight line. “I have no time to eat. I need to find Mama as soon as possible,” she said, her voice trembling with urgency. Her fists clenched tightly, knuckles turning white.

Arthur watched her closely, his gaze sharp yet calm as he studied her behavior. He exhaled slowly, a soft sigh escaping his lips, and let the weight in his chest settle before speaking. “Lily,” he said, his tone steady but kind. His features softened, his eyes easing into a quiet concern, and the faint curve of a reassuring smile played at his lips. “Can you tell us what’s going on?”

Lily glanced at him, her eyes filled with hesitation before she looked down, her hands trembling in her lap. The air around her seemed heavy, suffocating. “After I got home from work, I went to check on her in her room,” she began, her voice low and unsteady. “But she wasn’t there.”

She paused, swallowing hard to keep from breaking down. Arthur nodded gently, leaning forward slightly. “Maybe she went out to buy something?” he suggested, his voice calm as he rested his hand on the table.

Lily’s eyes widened in shock, and she clasped her hands tightly. “She can’t leave on her own,” she said, her voice firm. Her expression grew sharp, her eyes narrowing with intensity. Arthur felt the tension rising around her, but he remained composed.

“I see,” he said quietly, nodding as he considered her words. “Then, first and foremost, do you know where she might usually go?” He gestured subtly with his hands. “She might be there.”

Lily shook her head, her face shadowed with frustration. “I know nothing about my mother. Not a single thing. After Papa—” She stopped herself, shaking her head quickly as if trying to push the thought away. “After Father died, she isolated herself completely from the world.”

She sighed heavily, her shoulders sinking under the weight of her words. Arthur leaned his elbow on the table, his expression growing serious. “I’m sorry to ask, but how did your father die?”

Lily hesitated, startled by his question, but when she looked at him, she saw he was serious. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. When she opened them again, sadness filled her gaze. “He died in the war a year ago,” she said, her voice laden with sorrow.

Arthur and Alice exchanged a look, their eyes widening in shock. Lily bit her lip, her hands trembling as she continued. “He promised Mama he would come back, but when the war ended, he never returned. She waited for days—weeks—but then the letter came. The letter said he’d died.” Her voice broke as tears spilled down her cheeks. “After that, she became a different person. She wanted to end it all.”

Arthur’s eyes softened as he listened. He could see the depth of her pain, how she had carried the burden alone for so long. “I see. That’s why you tied her up—to stop her,” he said softly, his tone steady but weighted with understanding.

Lily’s head snapped up, surprised by what he said, her eyes wide with fury. She slammed her hands on the table, her voice rising. “You, trespassed in my house!” she paused. “How dare you!?” she bellowed, her anger spilling over.

Arthur met her gaze, unflinching. “I knocked several times, but no one answered. The door was unlocked,” he explained, his tone resolute. “When I entered, I saw something I wasn’t supposed to see. I’m sorry.” Arthur’s expression hardened slightly, though his voice remained calm and firm. “I understand you were trying to protect her,” he said, his eyes locking with Lily’s, trying to convey that he didn’t doubt her intentions. “But binding your mother like that—it’s not the way to help her. It could hurt her even more, and you might face consequences you didn’t anticipate.” He paused and then continued. “I know you're desperate to try to help your mother but sometimes the right choice isn't always the easiest one.”

His words struck her like a blow. Her face twisted with rage and pain, and before she knew it, she grabbed his collar. “How can you know?!” she shouted, her voice cracking. “How can you understand the pain I’ve been through because of that cursed war?! At the age of 11, I had to act like an adult just to survive! I worked three jobs... three jobs a day to sustain our daily needs! Our daily needs!, throwing away my dignity, letting people treat me like dirt!”

Her breathing grew ragged, and tears streamed freely down her face. Her grip on his collar loosened as her shoulders began to shake. “And still, my mother neglected me! She abandoned her duty as a parent, yet here I am, trying the best I can to hold on, trying the best I can to make her live, but—” She grabbed his collar with her other hand, but this time it was gentle. “This is too much for me to handle. I’m still a child... a child who barely knows how the world works.” Her sobs grew louder, the heavy emotions she had been carrying finally escaping. She cried, letting out the pain that had weighed on her heart for so long. She finally let it all go.

Her cries filled the room, a year of pain pouring out all at once. The air became heavy, thick with her sorrow, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Arthur and Alice exchanged glances, their faces serious, caught in the weight of what Lily had just unleashed. Neither of them moved right away.

The silence between them stretched on, a quiet understanding in their shared hesitation.

Finally, Alice took a step forward. She knelt beside Lily, her movements slow, deliberate. She wrapped her arms around the girl gently, as if afraid the act itself might break something fragile. “We’re here now, Lily,” she whispered, her voice soft, yet firm. “You’re not alone anymore.”

Arthur reached out, patting Lily’s head softly as he joined the embrace. ““You’ve finally spoken it out loud. You’ve carried this weight long enough. It’s time for us to share your burden,” he said, his voice earnest and steady.

Lily clung to them, her sobs wracking her body as she released the pain she had carried for so long. For the first time, the weight on her heart began to lift.