Kanao's salvation

Fierce arguing came from inside a somewhat dilapidated house, but the occasional passersby had long since grown used to it.

"Damn you, out fooling around again! The moment we get a little money, you go out to play. Are you counting on getting money for that thing nobody wants?!"

"What do you mean, fooling around? I was this close to winning, winning big! Just this close! Where did you put the rest of the money? I promise I'll win back double!"

"Get lost! We're almost out of money for rice, and you're still thinking about that crap of yours! I'll die before I give you the last of our money!"

"Hey, hey, hey, put the knife down first. I won't take the money, all right?"

"..."

In a corner of the courtyard outside, a small, scrawny girl crouched motionlessly. Only the occasional wisp of warm breath beneath her nose showed that she was still stubbornly clinging to life.

The little girl's dirty, tangled hair hung down over her eyes, which were wide open yet utterly lifeless.

At some point, the arguing inside stopped. The little girl's body instinctively tensed, but she soon gave up struggling again and stayed where she was.

She knew that next, whoever had lost the argument would come take their anger out on her.

Sure enough, a slovenly figure slammed the door open a moment later and strode menacingly toward the little girl in the corner.

Without making a single movement, she knew from the sound alone that it was her "father."

The little girl felt a little afraid, because it hurt more when her "father" hit her.

Even so, she still did not move, crouching there like a statue.

"You worthless little money pit nobody wants! Why aren't you dead yet?!"

The little girl had lost count of how many times she had heard those words.

Compared with her older and younger brothers, whom "someone wanted" and who could "make money," she, whom "nobody wanted," really did seem to be a "money pit."

As the little girl thought this, she tensed her body slightly and waited for the familiar punches and kicks.

But, much to her surprise, the familiar pain never came. Instead, a pair of strong arms gathered her into a warm embrace.

"Y-you... who are you?" The man's voice reached the little girl's ears, at once familiar and unfamiliar. That bluster masking weakness, that unconcealable fear-she had never heard such emotions in his voice before.

Cold sweat was already breaking out on the man's back.

Just now, as he had been about to vent his anger as usual on that "daughter" nobody ever wanted, a boy who looked quite young had moved at a speed he could not follow at all and scooped up the "money pit" crouching in the corner before he could reach her.

Now, the boy was staring at the man with his black eyes. Those deep, still eyes, carrying a trace of murderous intent, had left the man afraid to speak for a long while.

The boy paid no attention at all to the man's reaction, merely soothing the little girl in his arms. Winter had already begun, yet she was still wrapped in a thin garment that looked like a tattered rag.

Beneath that thin fabric was the girl's skeletal body.

Even in a stranger's arms, the little girl did not struggle. She remained as lifeless as ever.

These arms are so warm...

As the little girl thought this, an emotion called "longing" arose in her heart for the first time-a longing to stay in those arms a little longer.

"How old is she this year?" The little girl heard the voice of the person holding her in that warm embrace. It was clear and bright, like a heavenly melody to her ears. At the same time, it was very calm, like a volcano holding itself in check.

"Wh-who?" The man froze for a moment, failing to realize whom the boy was asking about. Only then did he shift his gaze to the "daughter" in the boy's arms, and the wild joy and greed that burst into his eyes even overwhelmed his fear.

"Nine... yes, nine! You want to take her away, right? Then let's get this straight first. Nothing less than this." As he spoke, the man held out one hand with all five fingers spread.

The other person, who had been arguing with the man inside, heard the commotion in the courtyard-especially the words about money-and immediately ran out.

"That's right, that's right! We gave birth to her and raised her all this time. We've spent plenty of money on her. You have to give us at least that much!"

Standing side by side now, they looked like a couple whose love was stronger than gold, rather than people who had nearly fought to the death over a little money not long before.

"Nine..." The boy ignored everything else this pair of "humanoid creatures" said and did, merely repeating the age of the girl in his arms under his breath.

Then the boy freed one hand and gently tilted the girl's face upward. Looking into those large, vacant eyes, he softly stroked her dirty, gaunt little face.

At last, the girl saw the person holding her. It was a very handsome face, with delicate features whose softness was tempered by clean facial lines that lent him a sharp edge. His short black hair stirred gently in the breeze, and his pitch-black eyes were filled with pity for her.

With just one glance, the girl imprinted that face firmly on her heart.

"You've suffered all these years, little one... Don't worry. You won't anymore. Everything will get better." The boy quietly made his promise, then pressed the girl against his chest, temporarily plunging her vision into darkness.

Although everything before her eyes was pitch-black, the girl's heart was calmer than it had ever been. She even closed her eyes of her own accord, quietly savoring that embrace with a little greed.

The girl felt herself being carried through several quick movements, and then screams rang out beside her ears.

They were voices she had heard countless times, yet now, for reasons she did not know, they sounded distinctly distorted.

A moment later, with two dull thuds, the screams stopped abruptly. She no longer felt herself moving rapidly, either. She merely leaned into that embrace as she was carried away, step by step.

Where will he take me? The girl did not know, nor did she care. Only, if she could, she wanted to stay in those arms a little longer.

No, not just a little longer. If it were possible, she hoped she could enjoy this warmth she had never felt before forever.

After carrying the little girl some distance, the boy moved her head slightly away from his chest so that she could see again.

Light returned to her vision. The girl felt a little puzzled, but she gave no sign of it, merely tilting her head up slightly to look at the boy with eyes that were still vacant, yet seemed to hold something more.

"Let me give you a name. How about Kanao? Your eyes look a lot like those of a girl I know named Kanae. As for your surname, we can take our time thinking about it once I've got you settled. Oh, right. My name is Kanzaki Kumo."

Kanzaki Kumo... Kanao paid no attention to anything else. She simply committed that name firmly to memory, just as she had that face.