Location: Liria – Day 92 in Atheria
The silver feather still rested in the wooden box by Jiwoo's window.
It glowed faintly in the morning light—neither warm nor cold, but full of something else entirely.
Memory.
Mirae gently turned it over between her fingers.
"You haven't used it," she said.
Jiwoo shook his head. "It's not meant to be used."
"It called something, didn't it?" Eunsol asked, leaning on the balcony beside them.
"Yes," Jiwoo said, glancing toward the edge of the forest.
"I think… someone heard it."
---
A Traveler With No Echo
He arrived on foot.
No horses. No companions. No flags.
Only a cloak made of stitched moonsilver and a wooden flute tied at his waist with a fraying leather strap.
His eyes were closed as he walked.
And the system did not detect him.
> [Entity Scan: Null]
[Race: Unknown]
[Threat Level: Unknown]
[History: No Record Found]
That had never happened before.
Yoori narrowed her eyes. "He doesn't feel dangerous."
"But he doesn't feel like anything at all," said Baek, cautiously.
Jiwoo stepped forward.
And the man stopped.
He slowly opened his eyes.
They were colorless—as if even time had forgotten their hue.
"I heard… a song," he said.
"And so I came."
---
The Flute
He was offered food, water, and a place to sit beside the floating lake.
He accepted silently.
Then he untied the flute.
And placed it on the table.
It was simple. Unmarked. Hollow.
But when Solace reached for it, her hand flinched away—like it burned with sorrow.
"This flute…" she whispered, "…hasn't played in a thousand years."
The traveler nodded. "I forgot its song."
---
A Name Withheld
They asked him his name.
He said nothing.
Then he bowed.
And whispered, "Names are for those who belong."
"But you're here," Sena said gently. "So you belong now."
Even still, he gave no title.
Instead, he asked:
"Why does this place sing without kings? Why do the trees bow without rule?"
Jiwoo smiled.
"Because we never needed to control things to live in harmony with them."
---
Later That Night
The traveler wandered the lantern paths alone.
He sat beside the stream where spirit deer gathered.
He placed the flute to his lips…
…and no sound came out.
Mirae watched from a distance.
"The flute isn't broken," she whispered to Jiwoo. "He is."
---
The Hidden Memory
At midnight, Jiwoo opened his system.
Not to control.
To listen.
> [Whisper Thread Detected – Origin: Unknown Traveler]
"I once ruled a land that forgot laughter.
I once loved a world that asked me to destroy.
So I erased my name.
Buried my song.
And walked into silence."
Jiwoo read the words.
Then walked to the traveler, still seated beneath the lantern tree.
"You don't need to play for the world," Jiwoo said. "Just play for yourself."
---
The Flute Sings Again
The traveler slowly raised the flute.
This time, he closed his eyes—not in blindness, but in memory.
And he breathed.
A single note escaped.
Low.
Cracked.
Then… warm.
Like dusk rain on a quiet field.
A lullaby not meant to be heard…
…but remembered.
The stars above shimmered.
The silver feather pulsed once in its box.
And Liria fell silent—not in fear, but reverence.
For the first time in a thousand years…
The flute sang.
---
System Update
> [Song of the Forgotten – Event Registered]
[Aetheria Listening Level Increased: 12.6%]
[Unknown Entity Tagged: "The Nameless Bard"]
[Status: Soul Stabilizing | Song Archive Uploaded to Liria Memory]
And from deep within the forest, spirit birds gathered—drawn by a sound older than their flight.
The world had begun to heal.
---
Morning After
The traveler, now called simply "the Bard," remained quiet.
But his presence changed something.
He repaired instruments.
He taught children melodies.
And each night, he played—not for applause, but for silence.
A silence that listened.
---
Jiwoo's Reflection
Seated on a bench by the lake, Jiwoo asked his system:
> "Why was he drawn here?"
The system answered in text that shimmered like starlight:
> "Because peace is the one thing even forgotten kings seek."
"And in your kingdom, there is no judgment."
---
Ending Scene – A Circle Grows
More came.
Not many.
Not loud.
Just wanderers. Musicians. Healers. Old magic beasts seeking final rest. Travelers without names. Farmers who dreamed of stars.
Each one gently allowed into Liria.
Each one given a bed, not a banner.
And in the center of it all, the nine companions stood under the lantern tree, watching the quiet growth of a world not ruled—but shared.
> [Liria: Sanctuary Status – Level 3.2]
[System Harmony: Perfect]
[Balance: 999 Centillion Gold (Unmoved)]
[Daily Expenses: Irrelevant. Peace is Eternal.]
---