Zoe quickly slid off her chair onto the floor and began gathering the scattered shards of glass with her trembling hands, repeating in a stammering voice, "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. I was just distracted."
Miro approached her anxiously and said, "Are you okay, Zoe?"
Zoe forced a faint, feigned smile and replied, "Yes, I'm perfectly fine. Don't worry."
Zoe's hand suddenly froze as she clutched a sharp shard of glass, her gaze fixed on it while an internal struggle tore at her. She whispered bitterly to herself: 'He said he would leave this world… So, what will I do if he fulfills that wish? How selfish of me! It's only natural that he'd want to return to his homeland, but… could there really be another world besides this one?'
Zoe unconsciously squeezed her hand tightly, driving the sharp shard into her palm. Warm blood trickled between her fingers, but she felt no pain.
Then she continued her inner whisper, her eyes brimming with tears: "Truly… I don't want them to leave me. They're all I have in this world."
At that moment, she noticed my hand reach out and gently cup her wounded palm. Zoe suddenly lifted her head, her eyes widening in astonishment.
I looked at the flowing blood and said in a calm tone laced with subtle reproach: "You've cut yourself, Zoe."
She slowly opened her palm, carefully removed the piece of glass lodged there, and then added as I wiped away the blood: "You really are a fool… Look what you've done to yourself now."
Zoe fell completely silent and gazed at my features up close: my thick white hair, dyed dark black at the tips, and my blue eyes that sparkled with a light that instilled safety and reassurance in her troubled soul.
She whispered to herself, "He really is so kind… He's always treated me kindly." She couldn't tear her eyes away from me for several moments before lowering her gaze in embarrassment.
The silence was broken by the sound of footsteps approaching me and stopping beside me—a girl wearing a maid's uniform.
She stood out with her soft purple hair and clear blue eyes. She bowed politely and handed me a white bandage, saying, "Sir, please use this bandage to wrap her hand, and leave the broken glass to me… I'll take care of cleaning it up right away."
A few moments later, the maid stood up from the floor after finishing cleaning up the broken glass, then said with a polite smile: "I've cleaned the floor. Please enjoy your time together." Then she quietly excused herself.
Zoe had one hand resting on top of the other, her palm wrapped in a white bandage. I looked at her for a few moments, then my thoughts wandered. Siraj and Miro have always been kind to me, and it's only natural that they'd want to return to their own worlds. I can't be selfish—I'll help them get back to where they belong… they're my only friends in this world.
Zoe lifted her head and said aloud, "I'll help you both."
I smiled at her and said, "I knew that… you're our friend." Miro added with a warm smile, "We're counting on you, Zoe."
Then Miro furrowed her brow with a worried tone and fixed her gaze on me as she asked, "But how will we get to Sky Tree Town?" "
I sighed deeply, clasping both hands behind my neck as I leaned back, and replied, "I don't really know… but maybe we'll find someone who can tell us about it."
At that very moment, the door burst open and shook violently from a hard kick, and two strange men entered, interrupting our train of thought.
The first was wearing a brown suit made of sturdy leather, with a hat of the same color on his head, from under which long blond hair cascaded.
A broad, imposing black sword rested on his back. His face was a map of old scars, from which a deep gash stood out, stretching from his forehead down to below his right eye—that eye, whose light had gone out and turned completely white, while his other eye retained its piercing blue as he idly twirled a rice stalk between his lips with utter composure.
As for the other man accompanying him, he walked bare-chested, wearing nothing but dark black pants. Traces of old, dense surgical scars stood out against his pale skin, covering his entire body and face. He had green eyes and long gray hair that fell over his shoulders.
The bare-chested man slowly raised his hands in front of him, the corners of his mouth curving into a sardonic smile as he said:
"Surprise!"