52 The Lord of Evergreen

The ancient forest shuddered under the brilliance of the sun as it came up from beneath the horizon. Glistening drops of dew infused with Anima formed on the leaves of the trees, giving them a fantastical, otherworld appearance. A view from afar who saw the forest would see a resplendent aura, a transient halo of glittering beauty for a moment.

Eventually, the sun would rise and the dewdrops would evaporate and so too, would the breathtaking sight until the next day came.

A certain boy had grown accustomed to the morning sight and relished the magnificence of nature. He had never been fortunate enough to witness such a thing in his previous word.

In his world, he was usually awoken by the bitter arguments that his next-door neighbors would have. The first thing he'd usually hear was, "You don't like my cooking?!! Why don't you have that whore of yours cook for you then!!" and the crisp sound of shattering glass.