joy.

The next day, Evangelique walked the snowy cobblestone streets of Mumei. Bustling crowds of men and women hummed in harmony.

The brick, stone, and concrete buildings were all made a caramel and chocolate brown color in the light of the sun, with beautiful glass windows held by wooden window panes revealing what they sold.

People of many different appearances wore coats lightly powdered with frost. Street musicians danced to their melodies, and children ran, giggling and smiling.

“So, why are we touring today?” asked Evangelique. “Isn’t there training I should be doing?”

“Yes, but you’ve just arrived here!” replied Yasha. “It’s important you get to relax after your trip, and there’s nothing better than that than sightseeing with your team!”

Evangelique paused for a moment and pondered over what Yasha said.

“Yasha...” began Eva. Yasha looked at her with slight perplexity.“What makes us a team, anyway?”

“That’s a good question,” replied Yasha. “I mean, after all, I’m not teaching at the university like you and Augustine. I’m not a doctor like Althia, not a Hitsujikai like Ago and I’m not a Troubador like Cyril.”

Yasha smirked and put her hands into her pockets.

“However, when I became a Perithalpsi so I could help with damage relief, I was put in the same dormitories as Cyril and the others. Some people say it’s because we all work under Alethia Mission Organization, but I think there’s more to it.”

The sun danced in her teal eyes, turning them a river green in the light.

“I think...we’re supposed to grow together,” continued Yasha. “Sure, we have different opinions and personalities, but we all believe in Elohim. In our shared faith in Him, we are supposed to grow together, even if it’s hard and we fight. It’s a very wholesome experience that I can truly say has helped me see what family truly is.”

Yasha’s grin became bright in the sunlight of the snowy day. A sense of pride and love was about her, and Evangelique could feel it.

“What a beautiful day it is!” exclaimed Cyril, suddenly.

The golden sun had revealed itself, dyeing the surrounding clouds a soft yellow. The snow was still falling gently to the ground, sparkling in the daylight.

“This weather is so breathtaking, honestly,” replied Yasha enthusiastically. “You really can’t beat Mumei’s weather!!”

“I agree...” breathed Eva, who stared at the shops and restaurants of Mumei’s town square.

Everyone and everything was bright and beautiful to young Evangelique, who felt so high in spirits, to a point in which she believed she would be able to float away from the joy inside of her heart.

“It’s so beautiful here...” whispered Eva, barely keeping calm.

Just as she began to try and catch up with whatever her fellow teammates were talking about, her eyes caught hold of something more breathtaking than the scenery before her.

Within the crowds of people, a man stood at a flower vendor’s wagon, his sunset hair shining in the rays of the sun.

He wore the uniform of a soldier--a clear blue coat, white slacks, and maroon-colored boots. Covering his neck was the same white scarf Eva had seen him wear before.

“I’m going to the flower vendor over there!” exclaimed Eva, pointing straight ahead.

“Ah, alright then!” replied Yasha, smiling.

Eva smiled at her and began to run straight ahead, towards the bright and blooming flowers.

They were all vibrant in color, despite the snow that fluttered around them. The one Eva recognized looked at the azalea flowers with a tender gaze. Gently, he stroked the petals of an orange azalea.

“Captain Tsubaki...?” called Evangelique, softly. He did not reply. He lost in his thoughts, most definitely.

“Uhm...” she said awkwardly. “Tsubaki...?”

The young man jumped and looked at her.

“O-Oh...Miss Evangelique,” replied Tsubaki, caught off guard. “I apologize, I think I zoned out.”

“Oh no, it’s quite alright!” replied Eva. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

Eva looked at his face again. His eyes gazed at the xeranthemums on display. His bright, emerald eyes looked sadly at the flowers as if they reminded him of a heartwrenching regret.

“Do these flowers remind you of someone?” asked Eva.

“No...” replied Tsubaki, slowly. “It’s more like they are someone to me.”

Eva cocked her head to the side, perplexed. She looked at Tsubaki’s ears, noticing that they were pointed, just like a fairy’s ears.

“That’s right; you’re a Faerith Leid!” exclaimed Eva.

“Yes,” replied Tsubaki. “That is true.”

“No wonder you’re so fond of these flowers...after all, they’re singing to you, right?”

“That is correct.”

Eva looked at the flowers. To her surprise, she could hear them sing as well.

It was a gift that the Faerith Lied of Areon and the other fairies such as Hamadryads and Nymphs possessed, a gift Eva once lost but had gained once more.

As she listened carefully, Evangelique could tell the song of the azaleas and xeranthemums was much like the hum of two small children; one boy and one girl.

It was tender and innocent, yet tinged with the heavy burden of loss.

“Do these flowers remind you of the person you just lost?” asked Evangelique, softly.

“No...” responded Tsubaki. “They don’t remind me of Eleanor...”

‘So that’s their name...’ thought Eva. Other than sorry, she felt unsure of what to say to Tsubaki next.

“I’m sorry,” said Tsubaki softly. Evangelique looked at him. His eyes his behind his bright ginger hair, and it seemed he wanted it to be that way.

“I don’t interact with others very well, and I don’t know how to talk about most things without making things uncomfortable,” he stated. “Please forgive me for that.”

Evangelique noticed a red glow coming from his face, much like the glow that came from being lost in sadness and on the verge of tears. She smiled painfully, knowing that in his time of mourning, he was barely able to hold himself up without feeling crippling sorrow.

“It’s fine, really!” replied Evangelique, gently touching his left arm. “I didn’t grow up around a lot of people, so I still don’t know how to start conversations well.”

Tsubaki looked at her with innocent eyes of both relief and surprise.

“Thank you...” replied Tsubaki, turning once again to the flowers. “Perhaps it’s good to know that the person I will be working beside can understand me a bit.”

“Wait, what?” asked Eva.

Suddenly, the sound of an explosion erupted from a nearby tavern. People began to scream and run as the tavern caught ablaze.

“What in the-!?” shouted Cyril from nearby.

“Cyril, go fetch the Perithalpsi!” replied Yasha, yelling. Althia and Yasha rushed towards the burning tavern.

“Where are you two going?!” asked Eva, yelling as loud as she could. A tap on the shoulder made her jump.

“They’re going to do their jobs,” replied Augustine, stressed by the unforeseen occurrence. “Please stay with Ago, alright?”

He started to run closer to the firey building, where he helped the people who had been in the tavern before the explosion occurred.

Evangelique stood amazed at the bravery of the team she worked with. It was Yasha’s job as a Perithalpsi to help those in danger, and as a Therapeptis, it was Althia’s duty to tend to the injured.

Augustine was a Magistrate and Cyril was a Troubador--a teacher and a musical guard respectively. However, despite their roles in society, they fearlessly went to do all they could to help those who were hurt.

If Evangelique was called to be a Lieutenant, what was it she should be doing?

“Let me take you back to the dormitory,” said Ago. “There you can stay safe with Matron Cordelia, alright?”

Just as Evangelique was about to reply, she noticed the scrawny figure of a man run into an alleyway behind Ago. He held a strange device in his hand and looked around him cautiously as if he was trying to escape.

A flow of anger and energy shot up in Evangelique’s veins as she ran towards the man.

“Sister Evangelique!” shouted Ago in panic.

Tsubaki ran after her, his right hand near his sword he kept at his left side. In fear, Ago followed behind, worrying for Eva’s wellbeing.