The courtyard remained quiet after the girl with the bobcut left the courtyard.
Snow continued drifting slowly downward, settling across the stone ground and wooden railings. The lanterns hanging from the corridors flickered softly in the winter wind.
From the shadowed hallway, Sora remained still.
The girl with the ponytail had resumed training.
Thud.
Her fist struck the wooden post again.
Even after the conversation, her rhythm hadn't stopped.
Sora watched silently for a few more moments.
Their conversation echoed faintly in his mind.
Two sisters.
Both trapped in the same house.
Yet walking completely different paths.
He had seen that kind of stubbornness before.
He quietly exhaled.
Then he stepped forward.
The liquid metal coating around his body loosened as he allowed his presence to return.
His boots touched the wooden floor of the corridor.
Clap.
The sound broke the quiet courtyard.
Then another.
Clap.
Sora slowly walked into view, lightly applauding.
"Impressive."
Both girls reacted instantly.
The ponytailed girl spun around toward him, her stance tightening immediately. Her fists were still clenched from training.
The girl with the bobcut froze near the hallway entrance.
Both pairs of eyes locked onto the masked figure who had suddenly appeared inside their courtyard.
Sora stopped near the edge of the stone path, still casually clapping.
"…like its really impressive."
He tilted his head slightly toward the ponytailed girl.
"That level of determination is rare for a kid."
The girl's eyes sharpened.
"Who are you?"
Her voice carried immediate suspicion.
The other girl stepped slightly closer as well, her posture tense.
Sora lowered his hands.
His grey mask hid most of his expression, but his tone remained calm.
"Relax."
Neither of them relaxed.
"Answer the question," the ponytailed girl said coldly.
Sora shrugged lightly.
"…Just someone passing through."
"That's not possible."
The response came immediately.
Her gaze had already scanned his clothes, the mask, the unfamiliar presence.
"You're inside the Zenin estate."
"Correct."
"You're not Zenin."
"Also correct."
The air in the courtyard grew slightly heavier.
Snow continued falling between them.
The girl with the bobcut spoke this time.
"…Then you're trespassing."
Sora tilted his head slightly toward her.
"Bravo. You noticed that quickly."
She didn't look amused, with a frown she said.
"People who trespass here usually regret it."
"Probably."
Sora's gaze drifted briefly between the two of them.
Then he nodded toward the training post.
"But I meant what I said."
The ponytailed girl frowned.
"…What?"
"The training."
He gestured lightly toward the wooden post.
"You're working harder than most people I've seen."
Her expression didn't soften.
"If you came here to mock us, leave."
Sora chuckled quietly.
"Mocking you?"
He shook his head slightly.
"Not really my style. I was appreciating the beauty you had."
"My beauty?"
His eyes shifted briefly toward the hallway where the bobcut girl stood.
"You too."
She blinked faintly.
"Me?"
Sora nodded once.
"You endured the same place. Although you had a different mindset."
His voice remained calm.
"That takes its own kind of strength."
For a moment, neither sister spoke.
The ponytailed girl frowned deeper.
"You were listening."
"Yeah."
"You shouldn't have been."
"I know."
"Then why?"
" For fun."
Silence settled again.
Snowflakes drifted between them.
Then the girl with the bobcut crossed her arms slightly.
"…You still haven't explained why you're here."
Sora shrugged.
"Curiosity.. and other reasons."
The ponytailed girl looked unconvinced.
"You broke into one of the strongest sorcerer clans' estates…"
She pointed slightly at him.
"…because of curiosity?"
"…More or less."
The two sisters exchanged a brief glance.
The ponytailed girl looked back at him.
"…You're weird."
Sora didn't deny it.
Instead he asked casually—
"Your names?"
The ponytailed girl hesitated for a moment.
Then she spoke.
"…Maki."
She gestured slightly toward the other girl.
"And that's Mai."
The girl with the bobcut frowned slightly.
"You didn't have to tell him."
Maki shrugged.
"He already heard everything else."
Mai looked back at the masked stranger again.
"…Now your turn."
Sora tilted his head slightly.
"…Sora."
The name hung quietly in the cold air.
Maki studied him carefully.
"You shouldn't be here, Sora."
Sora glanced once more at the wooden training post.
Then back at her.
"I have reasons. I know the risks of being here."
Snow continued falling across the courtyard as the three stood facing each other.
"What are you going to do now?"
Maki asked with narrowed eyes.
What am I going to do?
Simple.
"Take a stroll."
"..."
"..."
Both Maki and Mai stared at him incredulously.
Probably thinking, who is this weirdo.
"I could also help you."
Sora calmly stated.
"Help us? What are you talking about?"
Mai asked with a face that screamed 'we are not naive children'.
"With your training and also with your future. I could help in making your future better."
Maki and Mai were both silent at that statement.
They silently looked at each other.
A moment of silence passed.
The pair of sisters were silently having a conversation.
Sora could only watch helplessly.
-Few moments later--
"We have two last thing to ask."
Maki asked.
"What?"
Sora replied while gazing at the falling snow.
"What do you want from us and.. why do you want to help us?"
Maki voiced the most pressing concern for her and her sister.
Why would a random strong sorcerer help them, two weak sorcerer girls of zenin clan.
Sora paused his snow gazing.
He looked up at the ceiling with a face that matched the thinker statue.
"I want your friendship. And why I decided to help you?Just because."
"..."
"..."
The sisters were again dumbfounded.