Why should we live

He clung to me more, and I let him be.

"I want to die," he said softly.

"Nah, nah, darling, life's not so worthless," I said, trying to offer some comfort. "If you can't find a reason to live, make someone your reason for living. There was a time when I wanted to die too, but I found Alia and made her my reason for being alive.

You can make whatever it is your will to live, or anything else your reason. I wish I were better at comforting, though."

"Why did you want to do that too why do you want to die too?" he asked, still hugging me tightly.

I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "Similar reason to you," I said softly. "I was exhausted, tired, and had no one by my side.

"So why do you help me?" he asked, his voice trembling.

I looked at him, seeing so much of myself in him. "I saw myself in you," I replied quietly, gently wiping away the tears from his eyes

"Thank you," he said quietly.

On the other side, Alia couldn't help but tease. "Look at these lovebirds," she called out, rolling her eyes. "Can't you take your drama somewhere else? I don't want to see lovebirds all the time. When are you two getting married? Invite me too!"

Hearing her words, I quickly pulled away from him, my cheeks flushing. "You must be hungry. Let me bring your soup," I said, trying to change the subject.

I brought the soup to him but noticed that his arm was still injured, despite the elixir. It hadn't healed yet, and I could tell it would take about 2-3 hours.

"Let me feed you," I said gently.

"I can do it myself," he replied, flustered.

"It's okay," I insisted.

"But—"

"No buts. Say 'aaa,'" I said, smiling softly, and gently placed the spoon in his mouth.

"Mmmm, it's tasty," he said, a bit surprised.

"Thank you," I replied, feeling a little more at ease.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Xu Kai," he replied.

"I am Zira, Kai," I said with a small smile.

"Eat it. Say 'ahh,'" I said, holding the spoon toward Kai.

"You never feed me," Alia chimed in, crossing her arms.

"You have your own hands," I replied without looking at her.

"So does he!" Alia shot back.

"Shut up, Alia. Don't mind her, Kai," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, okay," Kai replied with a smirk, clearly amused.

"You won't win her over—she's mine!" Alia declared dramatically.

"Let him eat, and go eat your portion, Alia," I said, sighing.

Kai was clearly enjoying being fed by me, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. It was obvious that his expression was meant to irritate Alia and make her jealous, and he was succeeding effortlessly.

The food was finished, and I set the bowl aside.

"Rest now," I said to him. "I'm tired too and need some sleep."

As I spoke, I remembered that my domain abilities had leveled up. I could now make small changes within the domain, like turning the lights on or off and adjusting the temperature. With a thought, I dimmed the lights to create a more restful atmosphere.

After heading to my mattress, I turned off the light, letting the room settle into a calm, quiet darkness.

I woke up early, not for any particular reason—just because I felt like it. Deciding to make use of the time, I headed to my self-made kitchen to cook some food. As I worked, I thought about Kai. He seemed weak, and it occurred to me that I could teach him some defensive and offensive skills to help him protect himself.

While I was lost in thought, a notification appeared in my mind: Congratulations! My domain power had leveled up once more. With this increase, I could now manipulate time within the domain, allowing it to pass equally with the outside world, or even faster inside if I wanted. The possibilities excited me, adding a spark of motivation to my day.