The house settled into its usual rhythm.
Warm.
Quiet.
Deceptively normal.
Aldric washed up in silence, letting the water run longer than necessary—not because he needed it, but because he was thinking.
The camera.
The blind streets.
The single angle.
The timing.
And now—
A man showing up at his home.
He turned off the tap.
Dried his hands slowly.
Then stepped out.
Dinner was already set.
Simple food. Clean. Natural. The way he had started guiding them.
Elena placed the final plate down as Aldric entered.
"Come, sit."
Mira and Ellis were already at the table, whispering about something trivial—school, friends, small things that still belonged to a normal world.
Aldric sat.
And for a moment—
He let himself be part of it.
They ate.
Talked.
Laughed lightly.
Nothing forced.
Nothing heavy.
But beneath it—
Aldric was listening.
Not to what they said.
To what wasn't said.
After dinner, the table cleared gradually.
Mira and Ellis drifted off first.
Elena followed shortly after, giving Aldric a soft look before heading to rest.
That left—
Him.
And his father.
David sat back slightly, stretching his legs with visible effort.
Still recovering.
Still enduring.
Aldric leaned against the table.
"How are you feeling today?"
David let out a quiet breath.
"I'm alright, son…"
A small pause.
Then a faint smirk.
"You know as a retired colonel… I have to endure."
Aldric smiled.
Not wide.
But real.
"That's good, Dad."
For a second—
Silence settled between them.
Comfortable.
Then David spoke again.
Casual tone.
But the content—
Anything but.
"Today in the morning… around nine…"
Aldric's expression shifted instantly.
Not visibly sharp—
But internally precise.
"A man stopped by."
Aldric straightened slightly.
"What did he want?"
David didn't answer immediately.
He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.
Eyes focused.
"I'm not trusting anyone these days," he said calmly.
"So I stayed on guard."
Aldric didn't interrupt.
"He said he was new in the area… just making friends."
A pause.
Then a slight scoff.
"But who would believe that?"
Aldric's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Describe him."
David didn't hesitate.
"About six feet."
"Slim. Athletic build."
"Hair short. Neat."
"All black clothing."
Aldric's mind was already constructing the image.
"Hands were rough," David continued.
"Not just labor—controlled strength. Repetition."
Aldric leaned forward slightly now.
Listening deeper.
"He had scars," David added.
"Not random."
"Clean."
"Suggests training."
A pause.
Then—
"He's a combatant."
Aldric's eyes sharpened.
"And smart enough," David finished, "to not leave even an alias."
Silence.
Then—
Aldric exhaled softly.
A small smile forming.
"I gotta love you, Dad…"
David waved it off immediately.
"Stop the flattery."
Aldric chuckled lightly.
"You still have that soldier in you."
David looked at him directly now.
Serious.
"I know why you became a lawyer."
Aldric didn't respond.
"You could've been in college."
"Overseas."
"Living a different life."
A pause.
"But you stayed."
Aldric met his gaze.
Calm.
Steady.
"It's okay, Dad."
His voice softened slightly.
"I did what any considerate and thoughtful son would do."
A brief glance toward the hallway—
Where his family rested.
"And looking back…"
His tone shifted.
Deeper.
"I wouldn't know what I know now if I didn't."
David studied him.
Carefully.
Aldric continued.
"And what I know now…"
A pause.
"…is the most important knowledge anyone could ever have."
The room went quiet.
Not tense.
But heavy.
David leaned back slowly.
Not questioning.
Just… accepting.
Aldric straightened.
"Don't worry about the man."
His tone was firm now.
"I'll find out who he is."
David nodded once.
That was enough.
Aldric stood.
"I won't be going to the law school tomorrow."
David didn't ask why.
"I have something to take care of."
And with that—
Aldric left the room.
Minutes later—
The door closed behind him.
Night had already settled.
The streets of Virell were quieter now.
Lights dimmer.
Sounds reduced to distant echoes.
Aldric walked calmly.
Black pullover.
Black pants.
Blending.
Not hiding—
Just… present.
His steps were steady.
Measured.
But not predictable.
Then—
Movement ahead.
A man.
Walking toward him.
Same height.
Same build.
Same silhouette David described.
Aldric didn't slow down.
Didn't change direction.
They closed the distance.
And at the perfect moment—
Aldric bumped into him.
"Sorry," Aldric said immediately, reaching out.
Helping him up.
The man steadied himself.
Calm.
Controlled.
"It's okay."
Then—
He looked at Aldric.
Really looked at him.
A pause.
Then—
"Are you Aldric?"
Aldric didn't hesitate.
"Yeah."
The man nodded slightly.
"I stopped by your place today…"
Aldric's gaze remained steady.
"But you were away."
Aldric shrugged lightly.
"I had some things to take care of."
A short silence.
The man smiled faintly.
"I get it."
His tone was easy.
Too easy.
"I just wanted it to be known…"
A step back.
"I'm new in the area."
Aldric said nothing.
The man turned slightly.
"Well…"
"I have somewhere to be."
"I'll be going."
He started walking past Aldric.
Then—
Aldric spoke.
"How did you know my name?"
The man stopped.
Just slightly.
"I doubt my parents told you."
A pause.
Then the man turned his head just enough.
A small smile.
"You're quite famous these days."
His tone carried something underneath it.
"You're an excellent lawyer."
Silence.
The man began walking again.
But inside Aldric's mind—
The conclusion was already locked.
Bullshit.
You're a spy.
Aldric's eyes narrowed slightly.
"See you around…"
A slight pause.
Then—
"Shpion."
The word landed clean.
Foreign.
Deliberate.
The man's step faltered.
Just for a fraction of a second.
Almost nothing.
But enough.
He recovered instantly.
Continued walking.
No reaction.
No response.
But Aldric had already seen it.
He turned slightly.
Watching him leave.
A small smile formed.
"Gotcha…"
His voice barely above a whisper.
"…that's all I need."