After finishing the warm drink Pieter Smit had given him, Kyne stepped out of the wooden house. The cool night air greeted him, carrying the soft scent of damp earth after the afternoon breeze had passed. He looked up at the sky, watching thousands of stars twinkle softly among the wispy clouds. In the distance, the quiet, dimly lit town of Sandburg could be seen. Unlike other large cities that bustle late into the night, Sandburg seemed to have fallen asleep early. Only the glow of streetlights and the soft chirping of crickets accompanied the silence.
Kyne stood on the porch, gazing out at the peaceful nightscape. The wooden houses were dimly lit, most of the windows were tightly closed, and there was not a single sound of footsteps on the street. He took a deep breath and smiled slightly.
Usually, when night fell in the town of Astorn, he could see children still running along the streets, laughing merrily as they played with small lanterns. But here, the atmosphere was completely different. There was no shouting, no laughter—only silence enveloped the entire town.
"It feels… so peaceful," he murmured softly.
For the first time, he truly felt a calming silence, not a frightening one. But amidst that tranquility, something suddenly crossed his mind.
"Ah, I almost forgot…" he said softly, gently slapping his forehead.
He had just remembered his promise to his family in Astorn—a simple but important promise: to always send news and letters every so often. It had been several days since he left home, and he knew his family must be eagerly awaiting news from him.
"My family must be worried… Okay, I'll write a letter tonight. Tomorrow morning, I'll send it to the post office," he said to himself.
While he was still lost in thought, Pieter Smit emerged from the house carrying a small lantern. The soft yellow light from the lantern illuminated his serene face. He saw Kyne sitting in front of the house, lost in thought.
"Why are you daydreaming, young man?" Pieter asked in a gentle yet slightly teasing tone. "You must be wondering why this town seems so quiet compared to other towns, right?"
Kyne smiled shyly. "Ah, no, I'm just enjoying the night. In fact, I prefer quiet places like this. It feels peaceful."
Pieter chuckled. "Really? Thank goodness. Not many people can stay in Sandburg. Many say the town is too quiet. But for me, this is where the tranquility lives."
Kyne nodded slowly, gazing out at the vast field behind the house. Crickets chirped in the distance, and fireflies flitted above the grass, dancing in the moonlight. All of it made the night feel more alive even without human conversation.
"Pieter," Kyne said suddenly, breaking the silence, "is the town of Sandburg also ruled by a noble family?"
Pieter nodded, gazing out into the distance toward the hills. "Yes, that's right. In this town, the Magnus family holds complete power. They've ruled Sandburg for decades."
Kyne looked at Pieter with the same curiosity he had when he had asked Arley the same question before. "How do you become a noble? Do you have to be born into a wealthy family?"
Pieter looked at Kyne and chuckled. "Good question. But the answer is simple, young man. If you have the throne, you will rule."
The answer made Kyne's brow furrow. "Throne?" he murmured softly. "Do you mean power?"
Pieter only smiled faintly. "One day you will understand. Now is not the time for you to know all that. This world has its own way of explaining things."
The answer hung in the air. No more words came from their mouths. Only the sounds of the night accompanied them. Pieter slowly stood up and patted Kyne on the shoulder. "It's late, young man. Go to sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow."
Kyne nodded. "Okay, thank you. You go to sleep now, I'll be there later."
After Pieter entered his room, Kyne sat at a small table near the living room window. He lit a candle and took out a pen and ink from the wooden shelf. He stared at the white paper in front of him for a long time before finally beginning to write.
His hand moved slowly, and each letter he wrote seemed filled with an emotion that was hard to describe. He imagined his father's stern but loving face, his gentle and always smiling mother, and his older siblings who always protected him.
"Father… Mother… Brother & Sister…" he wrote quietly.
"Now I have arrived at my destination. I met kind people who are willing to care for me and give me a place to stay. I promise, one day I will return, better. There are no words I can say other than 'thank you.' Warm greetings from your beloved son and young brother—Kyne Acorn."
He stared at the letter for a long time, making sure every word was spelled correctly. For him, a small mistake in the writing could change the meaning of the entire letter. He reread it several times until he was sure there were no errors.
When he was finished, he blew out the small candle on the table and rested his head on his arm. His eyes slowly closed, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep on the wooden table—pen still clutched in his hand, and the unfolded letter beside him.
Outside, fireflies still danced in the moonlight. The night breeze blew gently through the window, as if keeping Kyne in a peaceful slumber. That night was his first at Pieter Smit's house—a quiet, yet peaceful one.