By the time the siblings reached home, the sun had begun to sink beneath the horizon.
Eric was still thinking about their conversation when something immediately caught his attention.
A carriage stood outside their house.
It was far too elegant for a simple farming family.
The carriage was made from polished dark wood, its edges decorated with intricate patterns.
Two magnificent white horses stood before it, their coats almost glowing beneath the fading evening light.
Beside the carriage stood two men dressed in expensive leather armor.
Swords hung at their waists.
They were speaking with Eric and Rachel’s parents.
Eric slowed his steps.
“Who are they?” Rachel shook her head.
“I don’t know.” Neither sibling moved for a moment.
Something about the scene felt wrong.
Why would people dressed like that come to their home?
Their family had no connections to nobles.
No important relatives.
No wealth worth mentioning.
They were farmers.
Ordinary farmers.
Yet people who clearly possessed both status and strength had come looking for their parents.
By the time Eric and Rachel reached the house, however, the carriage was already gone.
The two strangers had disappeared with it.
Rachel immediately approached their mother.
“Mum…
who were those people?” Their mother froze.
It lasted only a moment, but Eric noticed.
Before she could answer, their father spoke.
“It’s nothing you need to worry about.” Eric frowned.
His father’s voice was unusually firm.
“Nothing?” His father glanced at him.
“I said it’s nothing.” Eric stared at him.
Something wasn’t right.
He looked toward his mother.
She lowered her head.
She wouldn’t meet his eyes.
Eric’s uneasiness grew.
Whatever had happened while they were gone, his parents clearly didn’t want them to know about it.
But why?
He decided not to press the matter.
Not yet.
After changing out of his clothes, Eric spent the rest of the evening trying to forget about the visitors.
It didn’t work.
The image of that carriage remained in his mind.
Noble families didn’t simply visit ordinary farmers.
There had to be a reason.
And Eric intended to find out what it was.
He decided to speak with Rachel after dinner.
But when he entered the dining room later that evening, something immediately felt wrong.
His parents were already eating.
Eric took a step toward the table.
Then stopped.
His eyes moved across the room.
Rachel wasn’t there.
“Where’s Rachel?” His father continued eating.
“She doesn’t feel like eating.” Eric stared at him.
“Why?” “She isn’t hungry.” The answer came too quickly.
Eric looked at his mother.
She sat quietly, barely touching her food.
And once again, she refused to meet his eyes.
A cold feeling settled in Eric’s chest.
Something isn’t right.
He turned toward Rachel’s room.
He had barely taken a step when his father’s voice stopped him.
“Eric.” He looked back.
“Go to your room.” Eric frowned.
“I just want to talk to Rachel.” “Not tonight.” There was something in his father’s voice that made Eric stop.
It wasn’t anger.
It was fear.
Eric stared at him for several seconds.
His father avoided his gaze.
His appetite disappeared.
Without another word, Eric turned around and walked toward his room.
He closed the door harder than necessary.
Eric sat on the floor with his back against the wall.
His mind wouldn’t stop racing.
The strange visitors.
His father’s behavior.
His mother’s silence.
Rachel being confined to her room.
One thing connected all of it.
Something had happened.
And his parents were hiding it from him.
Eric clenched his fists.
What could possibly have happened?
He decided to wait.
If his parents refused to tell him the truth, he would ask Rachel himself.
So he waited.
And waited.
Hours passed.
Eventually, the entire house fell silent.
Eric lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
His eyes were wide open.
He couldn’t sleep.
Then his stomach growled loudly.
Eric placed a hand over it.
“Damn.” He sighed.
“I should’ve taken a bite or two before leaving.” He turned onto his side.
“How am I supposed to think properly with an empty stomach?” He almost laughed at himself.
Almost.
Then— Knock.
Knock.
Eric froze.
The sound had come from his door.
He sat upright.
For several seconds, he didn’t move.
Knock.
Knock.
Someone was standing outside.
Eric quickly got off the bed and walked toward the door.
He opened it.
His expression changed instantly.
“Rachel…” She stood before him.
Her eyes were swollen and red.
Tears had dried along her cheeks.
Eric’s heart sank.
Rachel rarely cried.
She was the person who always seemed able to remain calm when things went wrong.
Seeing her like this frightened him more than anything his parents had done that evening.
“What happened?” Rachel didn’t answer.
Eric gently grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room.
He closed the door behind her.
The two siblings sat on the floor facing each other.
For a while, neither spoke.
The silence between them felt heavier than it ever had before.
Finally, Rachel broke it.
“You need to promise me something.” Eric blinked.
“What?” Rachel lowered her gaze.
“I want you to forgive Mum and Dad for what will happen tomorrow.” Eric’s expression changed.
“What?” Rachel looked away.
“Promise me.” “Why are you saying that?” “Just promise me, Eric.” His confusion quickly turned into unease.
“What happened?” Rachel didn’t answer.
Eric’s voice became more urgent.
“What did those people want?” Rachel remained silent.
Eric stood.
“Rachel, tell me what’s going on.” She stood as well.
“I can’t.” “Why not?” Rachel walked toward the door.
Eric followed.
“You can’t just say something like that and then leave.” Rachel stopped.
For several seconds, she stood with her back toward him.
Eric stared at her.
“Are Mum and Dad in trouble?” Rachel’s shoulders trembled slightly.
Then she turned around.
There was a strange sadness in her eyes.
But beneath that sadness was something else.
A faint smile.
A smile that somehow made Eric even more uneasy.
“All will be revealed tomorrow.” Rachel opened the door.
“Rachel.” She paused.
Eric wanted to ask another question.
Anything.
Something that would make sense of the night.
But the words wouldn’t come.
Rachel stepped outside.
The door closed.
Eric remained standing alone in the middle of his room.
He stared at the door.
His thoughts no longer wandered toward awakening.
He wasn’t thinking about the academy.
He wasn’t thinking about becoming strong.
He wasn’t even thinking about the future he had dreamed about for so long.
For the first time in his life…
Eric was afraid of tomorrow.