The moment they saw me, my father arched a brow."You're te," he said, setting his cup down. "Training?"I exhaled and dropped into the nearest chair, my muscles screaming in protest. "Yeah."Mother's eyes swept over me, lingering on my sweat-soaked clothes and fresh bruises. Her lips pressed into a thin line."You look like you wrestled a bear."I let out a tired chuckle. "Not far off."Father leaned forward slightly. "Who's training you?"I hesitated. Should I tell them about Sui?In the end, I decided there was no harm in it. "Some guy named Sui."Father frowned. "Sui?"Mother tapped her fingers against the table, as if trying to recall something. "That name sounds vaguely familiar… but I can't pce where I heard it."Father grunted. "Probably just some old Diver. There are plenty of eccentrics in Dragnir." He shrugged. "As long as he's not leading you to your death, I suppose it doesn't matter."I gave a half-smirk. "Not for ck of trying."Mother sighed, clearly unimpressed. "Kael, I know you want to become a Diver, but throwing yourself into danger unprepared is reckless.""That's why I'm training," I countered, meeting her gaze. "I need to be ready."Her lips thinned, but she didn't argue. Instead, she stood, grabbed a wooden bowl, and filled it with steaming stew before pcing it in front of me."Eat," she said. "At least take care of yourself properly."I didn't argue. My stomach had been screaming at me for hours.As I picked up my spoon and took my first bite, the rich, savory broth spread warmth through my chest, momentarily pushing away my exhaustion. For now, I allowed myself to sink into the comfort of home, but in the back of my mind, questions still lingered.Who was Sui?And why did his name feel like something my parents should remember—but didn't?The ctter of dishes and the sloshing of water filled the quiet space as I helped my mother clean up after dinner. The scent of stew still lingered in the air, blending with the faint smokiness from the dying embers in the firepce.

  My hands worked mechanically, scrubbing wooden bowls and wiping down the counter, my body running on pure exhaustion at this point.Father had already retreated to his chair, sipping on what I assumed was a stronger drink than water, his eyes half-lidded in contentment. The twins had long since disappeared upstairs, their energy finally drained after the excitement of my return.I was just finishing up when Mother suddenly sat at the dining table, folding her hands neatly before her, a thoughtful look on her face.Then, out of nowhere, she said, "Kael, I wish to meet the girl who gave you that piece of armor."I blinked, caught completely off guard. "Huh?"Mother's sharp gaze met mine, unwavering. "The girl who gifted you that armor. I want to thank her."For a moment, I just stood there, dish towel in hand, trying to process her words. She was talking about Abigail."Oh… you mean Abigail?" I finally said, leaning against the counter. "I mean, I can try, but she's hard to find these days. I think she's diving, but I don't see her at the dungeon either."Mother tapped her fingers against the wooden table in thought, then nodded. "No matter. When you have time to find her, invite her. I would like to meet her personally."Something about her tone made it clear this wasn't a simple request—it was an expectation.Still, I nodded. "Alright, I'll try."Then, just as I thought the conversation was over, she added, "And what about that girl companion of yours?""Elise?" I frowned slightly. "What about her?"Mother arched a brow. "If she is training with you, then she should come here for some tea or snack."I hesitated for a second before shrugging. "Yeah, I think we can make time tomorrow. Will afternoon be good?""That's good." A small smile pyed on her lips. "I'll prepare some snacks."I sighed, scratching the back of my head. "Alright, I'll let them know."With that, I excused myself, climbing the stairs up to my room. Every muscle in my body groaned in protest, but I pushed forward, barely mustering the strength to kick off my boots before colpsing onto my bed.As I stared at the ceiling, my mother's words echoed in my head. She wanted to meet Abigail and Elise. That in itself wasn't strange—she was always mindful of the people around me. But why did it feel like there was something more to it?I shook off the thought.For now, I just needed to sleep.The road to Bear Paw Forge wasn't long, but my legs felt heavier than usual. Still, I trudged forward, finally arriving at the bcksmith's shop, its wooden sign swaying slightly in the breeze. The words Bear Paw were carved deeply into the old wood, a testament to its long-standing presence in this pce. The forge was open, its heat radiating into the cool morning air.Yet, I still knocked before entering.The scent of hot metal and burning coal greeted me as I stepped inside. Orm, the towering bcksmith, was hunched over his workbench, his thick arms expertly polishing what looked like a massive, blunt weapon—something between an axe and a hammer.What surprised me, though, was Elise.She was already here, watching Orm with crossed arms, her usual serious expression in pce. The morning light filtering through the windows cast a soft glow on her short, disheveled blonde hair, but her eyes remained sharp."You're te," she said, gncing at me.I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't know we were competing to see who gets tortured first."Orm let out a low chuckle, not looking up from his work. The heavy tool in his hands gleamed under the forge's light, thick and sturdy, its weight alone looking like it could crush bones."Go on, your teacher is waiting," he muttered, his voice rough as ever.Elise and I exchanged a look before heading to the red training room—the open courtyard behind the forge where Sui always waited.As expected, Sui was napping.The old man sat on a mat, his breathing slow and steady, looking as if he hadn't a care in the world. His usual robe hung loosely around him, exposing the sharp contours of his arms.Then, without even opening his eyes, he spoke."Run."