Reinhard moved to join him, his boots making soft sounds against wooden floorboards. He entered without knocking and sat beside Joseph on the bed.

"So do you plan to do the trial today?" Reinhard asked after seeing Joseph blink, but still staring ahead.

Joseph nodded, his green eyes never leaving the sunset. "I need to increase my strength more if we really do plan to help with the Dark Silence... I want to make sure everyone is still alive."

Reinhard hummed before saying. "Don't worry-"

Joseph's head turned toward him, and a light glare appeared on his face as he interjected and said. "And you aren't allowed to do what you did in Phane City. I know you care about us, but it still hurts to know how far you went."

Reinhard fell silent.

The memory of following Mimir's plan, of nearly dying from Fenrir's attack, and of his feeling his body go cold.

All of that instantly appeared before fading away.

Then Reinhard smiled. "Don't worry. It's not like I can do it again, and besides, I have too many things to do."

Joseph chuckled lightly, some tension leaving his shoulders. "That's good..." He paused, then turned to face Reinhard more fully. "Rein, how did your siblings and Anasha really feel about you traveling with me to Eastern Hesod?"

Reinhard blinked at the sudden topic change, but then he thought about it and said. "Even though Anna gave her approval, I could see the fear and unwillingness in her."

"But she still said you should go?" Joseph asked.

Reinhard nodded with a faint smile. "That's because she also trusts me to return, and knows I won't abandon them. As for Anasha, she was scared, but she trusts me to make my way back because of our promise."

Joseph furrowed his brows before he asked softly. "How did Klein react?"

Reinhard hummed. "Klein smiled at me and wished me good luck. He said he knows this is important and that he wants to spend more time when I return, so I promised that."

Joseph fell silent while the sunset continued outside.

Reinhard glanced at him and asked. "Are you feeling guilty for me coming again?"

Joseph sighed as he stared down at his hands. "I just felt how similar Klein and I are to each other."

Reinhard paused before his eyes widened in surprise. "You guys are similar... Wait, did you say something similar to your older sister, like Klein said to me?"

Joseph held his hands in his lap, fingers intertwining. "I did anytime she went to school or on an expedition mission. But I meant I understand what Klein is going through, seeing his older sibling work so hard to cure his curse."

Reinhard furrowed his brows. "What are you-"

"I was in a coma for two years back when I was nine years old." Joseph interjected softly.

Reinhard's eyes widened in shock before his entire body went still. "Was it because of a curse..."

A bitter smile appeared on Joseph's face. "It was an incident I can't recall. All I can remember is a man standing before me and then swinging his axe down on me. Then everything went black before I woke up..."

His voice grew quieter. "My parents and the others refused to tell me what happened. The only thing I learned was I was in a coma for two years and that I should have died long ago."

Reinhard fell silent as he tried to get over the fact that Joseph nearly died as a child, and he was put in a coma.

Joseph stared out the window, which now showed more darkness than light. "Apparently, my parents began losing hope and slowly began giving up... Not just them but everyone else around me, except for my older sister Vivian."

He bit his lips before chuckling. "She continued looking for ways to wake me up, even when others tried to stop her, telling her it was futile, that I was a lost cause, that she was wasting her talent by focusing on me, telling her to give up on the dead person, that nothing would come from it."

Reinhard clenched his fist, looking down at the floor.

Joseph chuckled while his shoulder trembled. "But she simply smiled at all those voices and apparently said, 'My little brother will wake up and shine just as bright as me. And he is worth all my effort.' Then one of the maids mentioned she went on to beat up all the people who badmouthed me, even adults and other nobles."

Reinhard blinked. "Nobles? Don't tell me you-"

Joseph nodded and said softly. "I am the son of the Drusin house. But I don't bring it up because, well, I'm not really talking with my parents or want to be associated with them right now."

Reinhard nodded slowly as the revelation explained things such as Joseph's refined manners occasionally showing through, and why he knew so much about noble politics.

Joseph smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "My sister continued looking until she left on the trip to Binah... And then soon after her disappearance, I was able to wake up."

He brought his hand to his face, covering his eyes. "I only told Marie, my parents, and the maids this... But before I woke up, I saw Vivian walking towards me. She was saying some things, but I couldn't understand, and then I recall her holding me tightly before caressing my cheek as she said, 'I will always love you.' Then she kissed the top of my head before everything went dark."

Joseph gripped his face together as he trembled before pausing and then slumping. "I knew from that, it was she who somehow saved me, and I wanted to thank her... But when I learned what happened to her, the only thing I felt was pain, despair, and self-loathing."

His voice cracked slightly. "If only I weren't in a coma, if only she didn't care about me, then she would still be around and living her life... So I understand how your brother is feeling when he sees you go. He wishes you well, but deep inside, he's scared and maybe even hating himself for making you constantly push yourself and risk your life for him."

Joseph turned to meet Reinhard's eyes. "That's why I was reluctant for you to come... Because I don't want your brother to feel the self-loathing I felt when I learned Vivian was gone. Heck, look at the current situation right now? We're already in a mess, and it's all because I wanted to come instead of just letting the academy handle it."

Reinhard was silent for several seconds.

Then Reinhard reached out, gently grasping Joseph's shoulder. "You're right. You two are alike and most likely understand what he's going through... But I can also say that your sister wouldn't want you to hate and blame yourself."

Reinhard stood, moving toward the window, which became illuminated by the moonlight. He turned around, the light shining on him from behind, casting his face partially in shadow.

A faint smile appeared on Reinhard's face. "Because you are the younger sibling and someone the older sibling will do anything to protect and save."

Joseph looked up in surprise, his green eyes wide.

"I told Klein before leaving that he doesn't need to worry." Reinhard continued. "Because I have my amazing friends who will keep me safe and help me return."

Joseph blinked before his body trembled slightly.

Reinhard held out his hand. "And he also had me make another promise. He wanted me to help you find your sister, because he said he could guess what it's like to have your older sibling missing."

Joseph's eyes widened even further with his entire body shaking before he stopped and then laughed.

Joseph laughed with tears moving down the edge of his eyes before he stood up and wiped his face. You have two amazing little siblings."

Reinhard laughed. "I wouldn't have made it this far without them. Just like I'm sure you wouldn't have made it without your older sister. So let's deal with the Dark Silence and find her."

Joseph nodded, his smile bright and determined. "Okay."

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