Her eyes slowly opened, but everything around her was blurred. She could feel that she was lying on a hard bed. It wasn't any worse than the bed in her old orphanage, yet… this place felt strange—unfamiliar, almost unsettling.
Kaelira blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. But no matter how much she tried, the place still felt unknown. Where was she? What kind of place was this?
A sharp pain throbbed in her head.
Pain…
Was this what pain felt like? She had never experienced it before—not even once. This was the very first time she was feeling something like this, and it was overwhelming.
"Oh, you're awake."
A voice broke the silence.
"Well, you woke up a bit late, but that's okay. Since you're new here, your first mistake will be forgiven. But from tomorrow, you must wake up early," the girl said with a faint smile.
"Remember, breakfast is served at 8:00 a.m.—and only for half an hour. Even if you're one minute late, you won't get food until dinner… at 8:00 p.m. And until then, you'll have to stay hungry."
The girl paused, still smiling.
"You weren't here earlier, so food has been kept aside for you today. But from tomorrow… no one will do that."
There was something oddly cheerful about her tone—as if she was genuinely happy.
Happy… because she had found a new friend.
" Be quiet… hasn't anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" Kalira snapped, clearly irritated by her endless chatter. She wasn't someone who got annoyed easily—but this… this was too much.
"It doesn't matter," the girl replied calmly, almost lifeless. "We don't really feel happiness or sadness here anyway… because we're not meant to stay long. So whatever time we have… we should at least try to smile."
Her voice dropped slightly, turning colder.
"I know you're new here… that's why
Everything feels strange. But honestly, whether you like it or not… it doesn't change anything. The day your turn comes… you'll be killed. The demons here… they torture humans for their entertainment… and they enjoy every second of it. We're only kept alive… so we can amuse them."
"Take your demotivational speech somewhere else," Kalira muttered, holding her head. "Your constant babbling is giving me a headache."
Just then—
A strange sensation stirred inside her stomach.
A low, unfamiliar gurgling sound echoed within.
She froze, placing her hand over her stomach.
What… is this?
Why does it feel like this…?
"You're talking as if… you just became human two days ago. Don't you know… this is a signal?" the first girl replied, irritation laced with something deeper—something almost like fear.
"A signal…?"
Kaelira's brows drew together slightly. Curiosity flickered in her voice, but there was an emptiness beneath it.
"What kind of signal? And who are you? How do you know this is some kind of signal… and what exactly is it?"
Her questions lingered in the air… as if even the walls were waiting for an answer.
Because the truth was—
she really didn't know.
After all…
she had only become human two days ago.
Before that—
what she was… or where she had been…
even she didn't remember.
Human emotions—fear, confusion, curiosity—were all new to her. She was experiencing them for the first time, like a stranger stepping into an unfamiliar world.
"Oh…" the first girl exhaled softly, realizing something.
"Sorry, we completely forgot to introduce ourselves."
She tried to smile, but uneasiness still lingered in her eyes.
"I'm Emily… and this is Laura."
The other girl remained silent, her gaze fixed on Kaelira—as if she was trying to recognize her.
"We're your roommates. By the way… what's your name?"
For a moment, silence took over.
"My name is… Kaelira Valerion—"
The words slipped from her lips… as if even she was startled by them.
"…I mean… Kaelira. I'm Kaelira."
The air in the room suddenly grew heavy.
"What did you just say?" Emily's voice dropped this time, but the shock was unmistakable.
A strange glint appeared in her eyes—like she had just heard a name long buried in the past.
Valerion…
That name…
felt familiar.
Dangerously familiar.
Kaelira looked at her, her expression completely blank.
"I said… My name is Kaelira."
But this time—
something in her voice had changed.
But this time—
something in her voice had changed.
As if, deep down…
she knew she had just revealed something—
that was never meant to be spoken out loud…
Emily said softly that she still doubted his words, yet she chose not to dig deeper—for now.
"Alright… you two can talk later. First, take this, Kalira—milk and bread. Eat it," Laura said, her tone light but carrying an odd seriousness beneath. "And don't complain to me about it. The fact that I managed to save even this for you is a miracle. If you want proper food, you'll have to wake up early in the morning… so just eat this and wait for the afternoon prayer."
Laura was playful, lively—almost too lively for a place like this. She loved making friends, yet somewhere deep inside, she carried the quiet, aching wish of having a family… a wish she knew could never come true.
Kalira stared at the food in her hands.
She had never seen anything like it before.
The bread looked soft… unnaturally soft. And the white liquid—milk—felt strangely unfamiliar, almost unsettling, as if it didn't belong in her world.
But she was hungry.
So, trusting Laura's words, she slowly took the bread and brought the glass closer. Carefully, she tore a small piece and placed it in her mouth—
—and suddenly, she started coughing.
Violently.
Uncontrollably.
Her body jerked as she gasped for air, each breath refusing to come. The sound echoed sharply in the room, breaking the fragile silence.
Emily and Laura rushed to her side, patting her back in panic until, finally… she calmed down.
Without a word, Kalira threw the bread away.
But the milk—
She drank it.
Slowly.
Silently.
As if something about it called to her… or perhaps, claimed her.
"Just what have you given me…?" Kalira's voice trembled with anger, her eyes burning with suspicion. "Are you both trying to kill me? What kind of enmity do you have against me?"
She was furious—this wasn't something she was ready to face… not this soon.
Emily tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharpening as if trying to see through Kalira's very soul.
"You were human once… weren't you?" she asked quietly, but her words carried an unsettling weight.
Before Kalira could respond, Laura stepped in, her tone calm yet uncertain.
"Oh, Emily… you always doubt everyone. Maybe she belongs to some wealthy family. That could explain why she doesn't even recognize something as simple as bread and milk."
A cold silence followed.
Then Emily spoke again, slower this time—firmer.
"No… that's not possible." Her eyes darkened. "In Atherian, no human can ever be rich. That's a fact."
She took a step closer to Kalira, her presence suddenly suffocating.
"That means…" Emily's voice dropped to a whisper, filled with eerie certainty,
"you're not what you claim to be."
The air grew heavier.
"Tell me the truth…" Emily demanded, her eyes locking onto Kalira's.
"You were human once… weren't you?"