04 Introduction

As Zoran resolved himself, something stirred deep within him. A mysterious power laying dormant within him ever since his reincarnation. It was faint at first, like a small spark of a fire, then it quickly grew stronger.

All of a sudden, a warm light began to shine from his body. It was soft and golden, enveloping him in a gentle glow. Quickly, the light expanded outward, washing over the room and bathing the six girls in its embrace. It wasn't harsh or blinding but soothing. Like the morning sun after a stormy night.

The glow lingered for several minutes before fading away, Zoran blinked as he came to his senses, the strange warmth in his chest slowly dissipating. He quickly turned his gaze toward the girls to check on them.

They were all asleep, their tiny, frail forms relaxed and peaceful. The bruises and cuts that were visible on their bodies were gone. Their wounds mysteriously healed. Their faces streaked with tears, as if they have been relieved of a heavy burden while they slept.

Zoran's dull green eyes softened as he looked at them. He wheeled himself closer, carefully lifting each girl one by one and setting them onto his bed. His movements were slow and deliberate, his touch as gentle as he could manage. As he was lifting the girls, he couldn't ignore just how light they were. They must have been starving for god knows how long...

Once they were all tucked in, Zoran leaned back in his wheelchair, putting his hands on his chest. The warmth he had felt earlier was gone, but something had undoubtedly changed. His body was still the same as before-crippled and worn-but there was a sense of... something. Something new, hidden within him, waiting to be uncovered.

He still couldn't grasp this mysterious power yet, but he knew that with time, he would definitely uncover its secrets. For now, his focus was on the girls.

With a quiet sigh, Zoran slumped back at his wheelchair, the weight of the events finally catching up to him, and he drifted off to sleep, his thoughts lingering on the warm glow and the the potential future of the girls.

---

Zoran immediately noticed some changes as soon as he woke up, the air in the room felt different, lighter somehow, as though his pent up fatgue has been lifted a bit somehow. His back ached slightly from slumping on his wheelchair all night, his mind still occupied with the warm glow from last night.

He glanced toward the bed where the six girls lay. Their small forms were huddled together, blankets coating over them. They must have been through so much-he could see it in their thin, fragile bodies, their hollow expressions, and the way they clung to each other like lifelines.

As the girls began to wake up, Zoran noticed something surprising. The fear in their eyes wasn't as sharp when they looked at him compared to last night.

Is it because of the glow last night? Zoran thought.

The fear wasn't gone entirely, the girls were still cautious of him-as seen from their hesitant movements and wary gazes. But there was no more terror, no flinching nor recoiling like last night. Instead, there was... something else, a strange sense of familiarity, as though the mysterious glow from last night has woven a connection between them.

The youngest among the six sat up first. Her tangled white hair covering her face as she rubbed her eyes, yawning softly. She blinked at Zoran, her scarlet red eyes wide with curiosity rather than fear.

"You…" Her small voice broke the silence. "Why... did you helped us?"

Zoran leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the armrests of his wheelchair. He kept his expression calm and gentle, careful not to startle her. "Those bad people were hurting you, I couldn't just leave you like that."

Her gaze stayed on him, as if she was studying his face. "It… doesn't hurt anymore," she said, touching her arm where a big swollen bruise had been the night before.

The other girls began to wake, their movements slow and cautious. Among them, a catgirl, stretched her limbs, her tail flicking nervously behind her. She glanced at Zoran, her golden eyes narrowing slightly, but she didn't hiss or retreat as she had the night before. Instead, she muttered under her breath, "Strange… I feel better."

A tiny fairy, flew into the air with a burst of energy, her previously tattered wings now as beautiful as a butterfly. She hovered near the ceiling, admiring her pristine wings, then looked at Zoran with wide, observant eyes. "What did you do? Is it Magic?" she asked, her tone carrying equal parts suspicion and wonder.

"I don't know," Zoran admitted. "But whatever it was, I'm glad it helped."

The eldest among the six, a human girl, and a half-elf girl exchanged glances before quietly shifting closer to each other. They didn't say anything, but their postures were much more relaxed, their expressions less wary. The harpy girl, remained perched at the edge of the bed, her sharp eyes studying Zoran intently. Her wings twitched, just like the little fairy, her previously worn-down feathers are now shining with a beautiful luster.

Zoran waited for them in silence, giving them time to process. He didn't want to push them, knowing that trust couldn't be rushed. Instead, he wanted to focus on giving them a good impression, not wanting to scare them.

---

Zoran managed to get their names after he felt that they got comfortable enough to talk. Their names are:

Eldest human girl- Elara

Half elf- Fiore

Catgirl- Mira

Tiny fairy- Nysa

Harpy- Hanna

Youngest- Sylvie

As the morning went on, the girls began to explore the room with tentative curiosity. It was Zoran's room, a small, nice room decorated with shelves lined with old books as well as some simple furnitures. Mira sniffed at a stack of parchment on a nearby table, her tail swaying slightly as she poked around. Nysa hovered over the shelves, her tiny hands brushing against the spines of the old books.

Zoran watched them quietly, his hands resting on the wheels of his chair. He noticed how Sylvie clung to Elara's side, her small hand gripping the older girl's sleeve for comfort. Fiore stood near the window, her blue eyes scanning the outside world with a mixture of longing and apprehension. Hanna remained close to the bed, her wings tucked tightly against her back.

The room wasn't large enough for them to avoid him entirely, but they kept their distance, moving around the perimeter as though testing invisible boundaries. Still, Zoran wasn't deterred by their actions. They weren't running from him, and that was a start.

---

Around midday, Zoran decided it was time to prepare some food. He wheeled himself into the kitchen, a big, outdated space with mostly broken appliances, Zoran still haven't got the time to fix them. he browsed the pantry for ingredients, it was pretty full as the kind-hearted villagers insisted on gifting him these food a few days back when they're helping Zoran out with the renovation.

As the aroma of cooking filled the air, he heard soft footsteps behind him. He turned to see Sylvie peeking around the corner, her wide red eyes fixed on the pot of stew.

"Are you hungry?" Zoran asked gently.

Sylvie nodded hesitantly, her fingers twirling the white hair flowing down to her shoulder.

Zoran smiled faintly and ladled a small portion into a bowl. He placed it on the table and gestured for her to come closer. "It's okay. You can eat."

Sylvie hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. She climbed onto one of the chairs, her small frame just high enough for her head to reach the table, and began to eat in silence.

One by one, the other girls appeared, drawn by the smell of food. Mira was the next to approach, followed by Elara and Fiore. They moved cautiously, their eyes flicking between Zoran and the steaming bowls of stew.

"Come, eat, I made these for you." Zoran said, his tone gentle. 

Eventually, all six girls were seated at the table, eating in relative silence. Zoran didn't join them—he stayed back, giving them the space they needed. He noticed the way they glanced at him occasionally, as though trying to gauge his intentions.

Nysa, the fairy, broke the silence. "This is… good!" she said, her tiny voice laced with excitement after slowly tasting it. 

"Thank you," Zoran replied with a smile.

---

After the meal, Zoran decided it was time to formally introduce himself. He wheeled himself back into the main room, where the girls had gathered. They sat in a loose circle on the floor, their postures still guarded but not as tense as before.

"My name is Zoran Thorne," he began, his voice steady but soft. "I know you don't trust me yet, and that is okay. But I want you to know that you're safe here. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help."

The girls exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of uncertainty and cautious hope.

"I don't expect you to believe me right away," Zoran continued. "But I'll prove it to you, one day at a time."

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Elara, clutching the hem of her cloth, looked up at him. "Thank you," she whispered.

Zoran's heart ached at the quiet sincerity in her voice. He gave her a small nod, his expression soft. "You're welcome."

---

As the day went on, Zoran observed the girls as they began to settle into their new environment. There were still moments of hesitation, lingering flashes of fear in their eyes. But there were also moments of curiosity, small glimmers of trust beginning to form.

Mira, the catgirl, seemed the most cautious. She stayed on the edges of the group, her golden eyes constantly scanning the room. But Zoran noticed how her tail swayed slightly when she thought no one was looking—a subtle sign that she was beginning to relax.

Fiore, the half-elf, showed a quiet curiosity about the books lining the shelves. She picked one up and began to read, her delicate fingers tracing the faded text. Elara stayed close to Sylvie, her protective instincts evident in the way she shielded the younger girl from anything that seemed unfamiliar.

Nysa, the fairy, was the most energetic of the group. She flew around the room, her small wings buzzing softly as she explored. She seemed to take an interest in Zoran's wheelchair, hovering around it with wide, inquisitive eyes.

Hanna, the harpy, remained quiet but observant. Her sharp gaze seemed to take in everything, as though she was constantly analyzing her surroundings.

Zoran didn't rush to interact with him. He let them take things at their own pace, knowing that trust couldn't be forced and needs to be built up little by little. But he couldn't help the faint aching that welled up in his chest as he watched them. They were survivors, each of them carrying scars from a past he could only imagine.

---

By the time the sun began to set, the room had settled into a comfortable atmosphere. The girls were huddled together on the bed, their small forms wrapped in blankets. Zoran watched them from his wheelchair, a soft smile playing on his lips.

It wasn't much, but it was a start.

As he closed his eyes, he thought back to the light that had enveloped them the night before. Whatever had happened, it had left a mark—not just on them, but on him as well.

And for the first time since coming into this world, Zoran felt a little spark of hope welling up in his heart.