The days that followed Lumina’s arrival were nothing short of strange.

  For the first time, their camp in the woods echoed not with silence or sword strikes—but with giggles, scattered footsteps, and bursts of glowing flame. She moved with the curiosity of a child, the confidence of a dragon, and the heart of something in between.

  She was full of contradictions.

  She skipped barefoot across the moss while practicing incantations she’d seen in books. She called Kairyuuha “Papa” without fail, often pulling at his cloak when she wanted food, a bath, or just attention.

  And somehow… Kairyuuha responded every time.

  “Papa, look! I made fire butterflies!”

  She flung her hands up, and mana danced from her fingertips—golden, fluttering lights that resembled wings. They flickered for a moment before fizzing out with a small pop.

  “That spell wasn’t in the books.” Reiya blinked. “Did she… create that herself?”

  “Don’t tell me she’s inventing spells,” Thora muttered.

  “She is,” Kairyuuha replied, watching her closely. “Instinctively.”

  She was endlessly curious.

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  She asked Kael what swords were made of and why they were shiny. She asked Yuno why people smiled when they were happy. She asked Mei what a soul tastes like—which left her very, very confused.

  “She reminds me of a cat,” Kael said one evening.

  “She reminds me of a storm,” Reiya added quietly.

  But Kairyuuha… began to notice.

  At night, while Lumina slept curled against him like a hatchling under her father's wing, he poured through Deyrith’s stolen journals. Page after page of dark mana theory, modification notes, and diagrams on the egg’s unique condition.

  And then… he found it.

  “Subject: L-37 — enhanced draconian fetus. Intended for rapid growth, both physically and mentally. Due to mana stability issues, aging was condensed. Projected lifespan: 6 years. Physical maturity projected at 20 human years by year six. Rapid decay begins immediately after.”

  His eyes froze.

  He read it again. And again.

  Six years.

  She would live for six years.

  By then, she’d look like an adult, wield unimaginable power… and die, her life used up like a candle burning at both ends.

  He closed the book. His hands trembled slightly.

  “…Not again,” he whispered.

  The next morning

  Lumina tugged on his sleeve. “Papa, did you know birds sing when the sun comes?”

  He looked down at her. “They do.”

  “And do you know… I like it when you’re quiet,” she said cheerfully, unaware of the storm behind his eyes. “Because it means you’re thinking about something very important.”

  He knelt, brushing a strand of silver hair from her face. “I was,” he said softly. “Something very, very important.”

  Later that day

  The others began to notice the change.

  Kairyuuha, who once trained in solitude, now lingered near Lumina. He taught her how to hold a stance, how to balance mana without bursting into flames, how to shield her emotions from being exploited.

  But beneath it all, he moved like a man fighting time.

  Every step he took, every exercise, every rune inscribed into her wrist for safety—was heavy with urgency. As if he knew her light was flickering faster than it should.

  Back at camp

  “She’s different,” Reiya said, watching Lumina play with a lizard by the creek.

  “She's growing up fast,” Yuno added. “Like… way too fast.”

  Kairyuuha stood silent.

  “You knew something, didn’t you?” Kael asked.

  He gave a slow nod.

  “…She’ll age rapidly. She’ll be twenty in six years. And then… her body will start to break down.”

  The silence that followed was thick.

  “But you’ll find a way,” Mei said quietly. “Right?”

  “I have to,” Kairyuuha replied, his voice low. “This time… I won’t lose anything.”

  He looked up. His gaze was cold steel wrapped in fire.

  “I’ll find a way to stop her clock.”