Aela and Hani had just stepped outside the training ground. The afternoon air was calm as they walked along the stone path, talking quietly to each other.
Suddenly, someone appeared ahead of them.
Commander Keifer.
Aela's face lit up immediately.
"Oh! Commander Keifer," she said politely. "How are you?"
But instead of answering her question, Keifer looked toward Hani and smirked.
"See that?" he said. "She's the same age as me, yet she still speaks to me with respect."
Hani rolled her eyes."Yes, yes. I've seen it already."
Aela looked back at Keifer curiously.
"When did you return?"
"Just today," Keifer replied.
"Oh, really?" Aela said. "Were you heading somewhere?"
Keifer nodded.
"Yes. I was actually going to Haru's room. Do you two want to come along?"
Hani crossed her arms."With you? Never."
Keifer blinked in disbelief.
"What?"
He pointed at her dramatically.
"Hani! You just called me you. Do you have no respect for your commander at all?"
Hani gave him an unimpressed look. After saying that, Hani turned and walked away without another word.
Aela watched her go, then looked back at Keifer and smiled politely.
"Bye, Commander Keifer. We'll meet next time."
Keifer still looked slightly stunned, as if Hani's words had struck him harder than he expected. The expression on his face clearly showed he was still processing what had just happened.
"Y-yes… bye," he replied awkwardly.
Then he turned and continued walking toward Haru's room.
The corridor he entered was part of an older section of the castle. The stone walls were high and cold, and the air carried the quiet smell of parchment and dust.
Large bundles of books were stacked along the sides of the hallway, all tightly packed and sealed. No one was allowed to open them. They had been brought specially for the prince's royal library.
A few scouts were carefully carrying the heavy bundles toward the library doors.
The moment they saw him, they stopped and bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Commander."
Keifer waved a hand casually.
"Ah, Shikuza… honestly," he said with a small sigh. "He's ordered so many books again. How much does he plan to read?"
One of the scouts chuckled."Well, sir, that's exactly what makes him different from the rest of us."
Keifer smirked slightly.
"True… but aside from Haru, I don't know anyone who reads that much."
Then he waved them off.
"Alright, carry on with your work. I'm heading somewhere else."
With that, Commander Keifer continued down the corridor toward Haru's room.
Keifer stood in front of Haru's door.
He knocked lightly before pushing the door open.
The moment the door opened, a strange but familiar scent reached him—the smell of ink, old paper, and parchment filling the room.
Inside, Haru was sitting at his desk.
He turned around.
The moment he saw Keifer, the boy's innocent face lit up with the same gentle smile he always had.
And that smile…
It brought back a memory. A memory from many years ago.
Back when Keifer was just a child.
The sun had been bright that day as young Keifer played in the open fields outside the village, near the edge of the forest.
He had been running through the grass when suddenly he noticed something strange.
Behind one of the trees stood a small boy.
The boy was quietly watching him.
Keifer stopped and walked closer.
"Who are you?" he asked curiously. "And what are you doing here?"
The small boy didn't answer.
Instead, he slowly pulled out a piece of paper and a bit of charcoal. After writing something, he held the paper up.
"My name is Haru. I cannot speak."
Keifer frowned slightly but stepped closer."Where are your mother and father?" he asked.
Haru lowered his eyes and wrote again.
"They live in the sky."
Keifer tilted his head.
"Oh… my mother says that people who go to the sky never come back."
He looked around the empty forest.
"Then why are you here?"
Haru wrote again, slowly this time.
"I ran away from the orphanage. I don't want to live there."
The young Keifer gently grabbed Haru's hand.
"From today, you're my friend," he said with a bright smile. "You'll stay with me. We'll have lots of fun together and play many games."
He looked at Haru hopefully.
"Will you come with me?"
Haru looked at him for a moment.
Then he slowly nodded his head. A soft, innocent smile appeared on his face.
Keifer blinked.
The memory faded.
He realized he was still standing inside Haru's room.
Haru had already picked up a sheet of paper and was writing something quickly.
After finishing, he turned the paper toward Keifer.
"Keifer, how are you? Come sit. I was eager to see you."
Haru looked at him with the same warm smile he had shown all those years ago.
Keifer sat on the bed beside his desk, his posture calm but deliberate, as if every movement carried weight. He spoke softly, yet with a strange intensity. "Haru," he said, "do you know… the only difference between you and Prince? Shall I tell you what it is?"
So listen, the difference is that the prince reads books and you write them.
Haru nodded gently, his eyes warm, and wrote,
"Do you know how much I love writing about the beautiful sights around me, this life, and the very nature of humanity?"
"I know… who could possibly know more than we do?" He stood up.
"Now tell me… what are you writing right now?
Haru showed him the cover of his book, and with a quiet, fleeting look that spoke volumes, said, "Give me a little time." He then pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and began to write, while Keifer, eyes fixed on the book's cover, waited patiently.
Keifer read the title on the cover: "The story you did not know."
His eyes widened, a mix of awe and admiration shining across his face. "Wow, Haru… this title is incredible. There's so much depth in it…"
Just then, Haru handed him a sheet of paper. On it, he had written:
"I am writing a book about human nature. Every person has two faces—sometimes one is shown to the world while the other remains hidden; and sometimes, both lie concealed behind a veil."
Keifer continued, "It feels as if you are personally telling the story to anyone who reads this book. I am certain that when this tale is complete, it will become a masterpiece—and not just we, but the whole world will read it."
Haru felt a little shy and smiled faintly.