Castorice

Castorice never thought this moment would come.

When Aglaea and Phainon told her they had found someone immune to her Death Touch, she laughed, dismissing their claim as nonsense. And yet, there you were. Standing before her, your hand in hers, under the watchful gaze of the Heirs of Chrysos. You were still alive; not only alive, but completely unharmed.

A small gasp escaped her lips as she gazed at your intertwined fingers. For the first time, she could touch someone without fearing for her life. Emotion overwhelmed her, threatening to engulf her. She almost felt like crying for the first time she could remember, or had she cried before losing all memory of her past? Only the Aeons would know.

"How is this possible..." he murmured, his voice trembling, between shock and disbelief. "I thought I was destined never to feel the warmth of human skin against mine. Who... who are you?" His gaze fixed on yours, full of wonder, curiosity, and a gleam of joy that hadn't touched his face in years. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so happy.

"May I... may I touch your face?" she asked hopefully, in a soft, hesitant voice. She didn't want this moment to end. Not even Aglaea and Phainon's laughter behind her could ruin it. After years of famine, she was determined to savor every second. Where had they found you? And why did you feel like a miracle in human form?

Castorice had known nothing but misfortune, misery, and loneliness. After losing her memory, she wandered aimlessly before becoming the War Maiden of Aidonia. Now, as a funeral director in Okhema, her only purpose was to guide the dead to eternal rest and bid them a proper farewell.

But now, there was you. Someone she could touch without fear, someone who felt like a gift from the universe itself. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, she almost felt human again, like a normal young woman.