[The autumn wind carries whispers of falling leaves, signaling the approach of the cold northern winter.]
[On your way home, you encounter a half-demon girl with impure blood. Her frail body bears scars, and she is thinner than even the homeless people you saw in the slums.]
[You treated her wounds, fed her, and brought her home.]
[You don’t consider yourself noble or great; you simply offered a small act of kindness within your capacity.]
[But for her, it was a redemption as radiant as the sun.]
The thick soles of Xu Xi’s boots crunched against the dry leaves scattered on the road. Holding the girl’s hand, he led her out of the dark alley, away from the decaying stench, across a small canal, and up a set of steps. Ahead of them stood a white-brown courtyard, clean and serene—Xu Xi’s residence in Allenson City.
“Come in.”
The girl hesitated at the entrance, her timid nature surfacing as she glanced around nervously.
Xu Xi, sensing her reluctance, tightened his grip slightly and half-dragged, half-guided her into the courtyard.
Their footsteps echoed on the gravel pathway, amplifying the courtyard’s silence and emptiness.
Exposed to the sun, the girl squinted uncomfortably, her pale, dirt-covered face tilting downward to avoid the light’s brilliance. She seemed unaccustomed to such brightness.
Xu Xi held her hand firmly, preventing her from retreating as she might have before.
Gradually, she began to lift her gaze.
Through the gaps in the brick and tile fence, sunlight filtered down, scattering across the courtyard in a warm mosaic of light and shadow. Flowers swayed gently in the breeze, and the faint hum of insects mingled with the distant hiss of steam engines in the city center.
“It’s so beautiful,” the girl murmured, her eyes reflecting Xu Xi’s figure. For the first time, she felt the world of light wasn’t so frightening. For the first time, she stood in the sun.
As long as she held this man’s hand, she could muster the courage.
[You brought the demon girl home. The first thing you did was take her to the bathroom for a proper cleansing.]
[Years of wandering and surviving amidst garbage had left her coated in filth. The water magic you cast earlier wasn’t enough to fully clean her.]
[You summoned the water elemental spirit to perform purification magic alongside you.]
[You succeeded.]
The sound of running water echoed through the bathroom.
Xu Xi pressed the valve, and with the familiar hiss of machinery, steaming hot water flowed from the pipes. He controlled the flow, pouring it gently over the girl’s head.
“So, it’s gray hair?” Xu Xi murmured in mild surprise as he worked to rinse the dirt away. Beneath the layers of grime, strands of long, silver-gray hair emerged, though they were dull and rough, like brittle straw—a clear sign of extreme malnutrition.
Her frail body was a testament to prolonged hardship. Her protruding bones seemed ready to pierce her skin, and she appeared as though she might collapse at any moment.
“It’s remarkable she’s even alive,” Xu Xi thought to himself with a sigh.
After washing her hair and hands, he handed her the hot water pipe, meeting her blank gaze. “You can handle the rest yourself, right?”
The girl hesitated briefly before nodding slightly.
Leaving her to finish, Xu Xi stepped out to buy clothes. His home, designed for a bachelor, had nothing suitable for a young girl. Her previous attire couldn’t even be called clothing—more accurately, it was a collection of rags that Xu Xi had already burned.
When he returned, the girl had finished washing but stood motionless in the bathroom, the hot water pipe still running in her hand. Her vacant eyes stared ahead until she noticed him.
“Come out and dry off,” Xu Xi said, pressing the valve to stop the flow of water.
He draped a large towel over her, carefully drying her wet body. For her damp hair, he used fire magic in one hand and wind magic in the other, creating a gentle warm breeze that quickly dried her without leaving a trace of moisture.
The new clothes he had purchased weren’t extravagant, but when she put them on, she looked refreshed, almost unrecognizable. She no longer resembled the broken figure from before but seemed like a person—whole and present.
“Much better,” Xu Xi said with a satisfied smile.
Taking her hand again, he led her down the corridor to the room he had prepared for her. Before opening the door, he paused and looked at her.
“Do you have a name?” he asked softly.
The girl, who had been silent all this time, finally responded. She lifted her head to meet his gaze and said, “Krisa… Krisa Kristina.”
Her voice was soft, and her pale golden eyes still lacked vitality. Yet, within their emptiness, Xu Xi detected a faint glimmer of hope, as though she yearned for something she couldn’t yet articulate.
“Krisa. That’s a beautiful name,” Xu Xi said gently, stroking her hair. He opened the wooden door and guided her inside.
[You learned the demon girl’s name.]
[Krisa Kristina.]
[You thought it was a beautiful name and told her so.]
[You arranged everything for Krisa. From today, you officially adopt her. You now have a witch in your care.]