Winter 2023

Mahiru Shiina is worthy of her nickname "Angel": she is a divine beauty loved by all, and she excels in both academics and athletics. Shiina lives in an entirely different world from Amane Fujimiya, her next-door neighbor. Despite living so close together, they have never spoken once. But their silence is broken when Fujimiya spots Shiina gloomily sitting on a swing amidst a heavy rainstorm and lends her his umbrella.

When Fujimiya catches a cold the next day, Shiina wishes to return the favor for the umbrella by nursing him back to health. Believing that this would be their first and last interaction, he silently appreciates her kindness. However, Shiina—who cannot help but worry about Fujimiya's lack of tidiness and proper nutrition—begins to cook and clean for him. As the unlikely pair spend time together in Fujimiya's apartment, they explore the true nature of their relationship and the gentle emotions that emerge from it.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

After his father's death and the destruction of his village at the hands of English raiders, Einar wishes for a peaceful life with his family on their newly rebuilt farms. However, fate has other plans: his village is invaded once again. Einar watches helplessly as the marauding Danes burn his lands and slaughter his family. The invaders capture Einar and take him back to Denmark as a slave.

Einar clings to his mother's final words to survive. He is purchased by Ketil, a kind slave owner and landlord who promises that Einar can regain his freedom in return for working in the fields. Soon, Einar encounters his new partner in farm cultivation—Thorfinn, a dejected and melancholic slave. As Einar and Thorfinn work together toward their freedom, they are haunted by both sins of the past and the ploys of the present. Yet they carry on, grasping for a glimmer of hope, redemption, and peace in a world that is nothing but unjust and unforgiving.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]