The two stepped inside. Sam's eyes wandered over the living room: an old TV on a wooden table, a receiver perched on top, and family photos hanging on the walls. One picture showed a little girl with the same dark birthmark under her eye, clutching a ball with a wide, adorable grin. Sam raised his brows in amusement.
"That's you as a kid? Ha, you looked way cuter back then," he whispered.
"If you say one more word, Sam, I'll drag you back to the ship and beat you senseless!" Rolina hissed, fist raised.
Mrs. Dora led them to a small sofa under a glowing blue ceiling light. "Wait here a moment. I'll be right back." She disappeared into the back room.
"I told you not to come… such a waste of time," Rolina muttered harshly.
"Come on, your mom's sweet. Don't be such a jerk," Sam replied. Just then, Mrs. Dora returned with drinks and snacks.
"Thank you so much," Sam said, accepting wheat bread and a glass of orange juice.
"I just baked it. Thought I'd serve it before it cooled, while waiting for your father to come home."
"You didn't poison mine, did you?" Rolina asked dryly.
"Poison? Oh, child, what nonsense you speak," Mrs. Dora chuckled.
"Ah-heh-heh," Sam chuckled quietly as Rolina lifted the bread to sniff it. His eyes wandered to the corner table, where he spotted the same blue ball little Rolina had held in the photo.
"Looks like she really loved that ball, ma'am," Sam remarked.
"She used to play S-Futsal at school," Mrs. Dora explained.
"S-Futsal? What's that?" Sam tilted his head, puzzled.
"It's not like futsal on Earth. It was adapted for this planet. Basically, you kick the ball at your opponent, and they have to dodge before kicking it back. Rolina loved it—she was gifted at sports that use the feet. Sadly, it was deemed too dangerous and eventually banned."
"Ohh, so it's basically dodgeball… but with your feet," Sam laughed.
"Something like that, young man. She even won first place at school once," Mrs. Dora said proudly.
Sam nodded in understanding. As Mrs. Dora sipped her juice, a lock of Rolina's hair fell across her eyes, covering them completely.
"My daughter's grown into a young woman. But why hide your eyes behind your hair, dear?" her mother asked. The words drifted past Rolina as if she hadn't heard them at all.
"Maybe it's just the latest fashion, ma'am," Sam offered, trying to cover for his silent partner. Rolina sat glaring at the family photos until she finally spoke, her voice drained of emotion.
"Yeah. Growing up feels like being reborn, happier than before. This man is the one I trust most in my life—not like certain people who lost my respect…" she said bitterly, aimed at her mother.
"Well, that's good then. Your father and I won't have to worry, and you've found someone who understands you," Mrs. Dora replied gently.
"Uh~ yeah. I've only known her a few years, but I still keep her clean and tidy, ha-ha," Sam grinned sweetly.
"Don't try to fool me. Rolina's sweet in her own way, but her mouth never matches her heart. When she was little, she'd catch Babylonian worms by the house and cook them, or sit outside stargazing with her father. Isn't that right, dear?" Rolina ignored her mother's words completely.
"So… are you the only one left in this village, ma'am?" Sam asked.
"The people didn't vanish. They entered the land of Alcatiana," she said.
"What?!" Sam's jaw dropped.
"I'll be in the bathroom," Rolina muttered, leaving the living room and abandoning Sam with Mrs. Dora.
"So… what happened to them?" he asked.
"It's a ritual few know. Entering Alcatiana is… a place where once you go, you never return."
"You mean death?" Sam leaned forward, intrigued.
"Alcatiana isn't death. It's like eternal slumber, drifting endlessly through space. Rolina doesn't understand. She thinks I'm crazy, but really, she's just not ready to grasp it." Mrs. Dora sighed deeply, her heart heavy.
"And do you know how to reach that world?" Sam asked, tapping his temple with a finger.
"Only Rolina may solve the riddle. But I'll tell you what I know: At the village well of Alcatia, three constellations stand three steps apart. Two merchants place fish upon the scales. Two questions unlock the gate. Then begins the path to the song of Alcatiana." Her words left Sam pale.
"Uh… okay… I think that helps a lot," he stammered.
"If my daughter is ready, she may see it herself. But maybe it's better if she never knows," Mrs. Dora frowned, torn between love and doubt.
"Why is it so important?" Sam pressed.
"Because it's where millions of souls reside… I want you to take this." She picked up Rolina's cherished ball and handed it to Sam.
"This meant everything to her, like a piece of her life. Please keep it, Mr. Edgar. If anything happens to me…" Sam accepted the ball just as the flush of the bathroom echoed through the house.
"One last question, young man," Mrs. Dora smiled. "My daughter… she's special, isn't she?"
"If she weren't special, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you, ma'am," Sam winked, flashing a rainbow grin. The ball shrank in his hand until it was the size of a tennis ball. "Whoa~ it shrinks too."
"Play soccer or ping-pong with it, whatever you like," Mrs. Dora chuckled.
Sam slipped it into his pocket. Rolina peeked from behind the wall, her face full of boredom. "Can we go now?"
"My daughter's always in such a rush. Ahh~" Sam bounced up from his seat.
"Just seeing your face makes me happy, dear. Travel safe," Mrs. Dora said warmly.
"No hug for your mom?" Sam beckoned Rolina forward. "It's been years, you know." Mrs. Dora opened her arms, ready to embrace her daughter. Rolina rolled her eyes at the ceiling.
"Ugh… fine," she muttered, slouching into her mother's arms.
"Good luck, you crazy old lady," Rolina whispered.
"I know, I know. Take care of yourself," Mrs. Dora replied, stroking her daughter's back. Rolina clenched her teeth, refusing to show any emotion, standing stiff in her mother's embrace.