The Rise of the White Lotus

"Slow down, little one." Tora reminded as she was more afraid that she might choke to death. She had been watching Churu slurp her noodles like she had eaten nothing since day one, and it surprised her that her appetite seemed much bigger than hers.

"We have more than enough, take your time and savor every moment." Coming from someone who ate like a madwoman on her first night in this town, Tora advised which Churu abided after a nod.

"Anyway, do you have a name?" Pleased that Churu slowed down, Tora leaned forward with her arm on the edge of the table. Churu just looked at her while blinking her eyes many times.

Churu contemplated for a while as she could not give her real name to her. She could not either say the name of her host as she has no name. Hence, her silence while staring at Tora gave a misconception.

"How silly of me," Chuckling, Tora shook her head sideways. To her understanding, the little girl didn't have a name yet as she was originally a slave. Thus, her question was a little silly. "Hmm…" She pondered on what kind of name shall she give to this little girl.

However, Tora was worse remembering names, especially if they were a complicated one. What more? She was bad at giving names either. Hence, as she contemplated for a name that suited the little girl, she watched her slurp the noodles. Though she slowed down, she still made a light feminine slurping sound.

"Churu." Grinning, Tora humored. She wasn't actually serious about that name, as it was a ridiculous name to have. However, upon hearing that name, Churu slowly raised her head as her cheek blushed. Her innocent young eyes twinkled as if she liked it.

"Ah, no—" Shaking her head, Tora waved her hands as she attempted to scratch the idea. However, Churu brightly smiled and murmured.

"Churu… I like it." Moved to the extent that she was on the verge of tears, Churu felt something warm circling around her heart. 

Even though in the heavenly realm, Chu meant, "I am a sinner". However, the name didn't give her that kind of disgust. In contrast, she liked it more than she liked the name, Alvah. Unbeknownst to her, being named by a mere human had its own consequences, which she failed to remember.

"Aya…" A helpless sighed escape Tora's mouth seeing that Churu genuinely liked the troll name she gave her. "At the very least, I don't think I can ever forget that name." She shook her head sideways as she shrugged.

Well, if she liked it, then so be it. No one would make fun of her name anyway if she was under her wings. Who would want to offend the general, anyway? Hence, Tora was confident that it wouldn't deter Churu's life.

"Churu…" Tora murmured, casting the appeased little girl. "It suits her, though." The corner of her lips curled into a smile as she began picking up her chopsticks and ate with her. 

The two never thought that they would have the greatest bond that no one could break. But deep down, Tora not only acknowledged her as a friend but her heart unknowingly saw her as her child — a part of her.

Both would wreak havoc and even go beyond their means, breaking all the walls and boundaries just to protect each other in their own ways. That would be the bond they wouldn't even know would exist in this era.

As the two ate to their heart's content, Aki smiled as he turned his head away from the window where he was watching them outside. He purposely went in this particular place to challenge Tora to an arm-wrestling as he was bored. 

The company of the courtesans wasn't as fun anymore, just like before. He would rather battle with Tora, curious if she could defeat him, now that she had regained her strength. Aki didn't believe her when she said she was fighting him on her best that night.

However, seeing her being gentle to the little girl, something inexplicable was ignited within him.

"Your maje—, My Lord, his highness request you to return to the capital." Suddenly, a shadow came out from the dark, wearing an all-black suit akin to an assassin. 

"Huh," Without turning to the figure, Aki fanned himself as he took a slow stride to who knows where. "In six days. I have an important matter to tend to." He muttered, bearing a smile while Tora's gentle side profile flashed across his eyes.

****

[Heavenly Realm]

"Father, this is a grave crime." A woman clad with a silky white dress bowed her head. Her curly golden hair matched the color of the small metal plate on her shoulder. Although it has been a thousand years from the present time, she still looked the same.

She was the woman that welcomed Churu after being a guide to Lexi!

"I beg you, Father. Permit me to descend and bring her back to receive her punishment." She begged to their father, whom no one had seen as his light would blind them.

Still, he was their creator and father, the Absolute One who created heaven and earth, sea and sky, moon and sun — even the inhabitors of the earth. No one could go up against him. They must obey his words. That's their Father. Yet, he was also loving and merciful. Hence, angels like Lucifer and Alvah often do what they wanted.

"My child, Yael, you don't need to." A deep voice, almost like a person speaking through a broken microphone said. "Alvah, it's her time to embrace the right meaning of her name." The Absolute One added before he slowly faded away.

Yael swallowed a mouthful of saliva as her jaw tightened, gritting her teeth as hard as she could. Alvah has an allure and uniqueness for a name. However, it has also a dark meaning behind, SIN.

Indeed, Alvah was named Sin. No one knew why as no one could guess what has the Father has in his own mind. Yael had foreseen that this would happen if she let Alvah out of her sight. She was only gone for a minute and Alvah already sneaked outside the heavenly realm.

Now, Yael was rendered conflicted. She was an angel to tend to the Father's throne hence, her heart ached that she could only watch Alvah, the cherub that she was most fond of, taking her course of life that their father planned for her.