Brom's arrival in Carvahall left everyone somewhat tense. We didn't stand out in any way, as all the villagers were wary of that stranger who had decided to settle in our village.Gertrudes was given the task of finding out more about him. Although I already knew who he was, I didn't dare say anything—besides, I don't know whether this world has differences compared to what I read.If my reincarnation was possible, then multiple timelines shouldn't be impossible either.
At first, he kept his distance from the villagers, and no one tried to approach him. Over time, however, he began initiating conversations with the elders of the village.At the very least, none of us sensed any attempt at mental probing. Either he is cautious, or he is a man of principles who doesn't pry into people's minds. I hope it's the latter.
After nearly two months living in a small cabin built at the northern exit of the village, Brom was more or less integrated into Carvahall.The villagers lowered their guard, and he even formed a few friendships.
Sometimes he would go to the tavern and begin telling his stories—about dragons, elves, and knights.The adults relaxed when they realized he didn't like the Empire very much; the tone of his voice whenever he spoke of the king made that clear.The children loved listening to him, but the parents grew uneasy at the possibility of their children repeating something in front of the soldiers who accompany the tax collectors.
This tension lasted until Morn, the tavern owner, gave him an ultimatum.
"Either you change those stories, or you stop coming here. No one in Carvahall loves the Empire, but showing that to children is dangerous. Are you trying to cause trouble?"
Brom simply stared at Morn for a few moments, then stepped back, gesturing that he understood, and said:
"Alright, I understand the problem. Then I'll just stop talking about the Empire. I can do that—I just need to change a few things."
In that brief moment when Brom stared at Morn, I noticed the stubbornness described in the books—the same stubbornness inherited by his son. Even so, from what I could tell, despite being stubborn, he isn't irrational.For an instant, I thought a fight might break out.
As Gertrudes was trying to learn more about Brom, they began to interact, which led to the discovery of the potions. I must admit that when she told us about his interest, I became rigid with tension.But he didn't try anything and only asked small questions about my mother, which were answered casually, without going into detail.
Gertrudes' eyes shone when she spoke about his knowledge of herbs.
"Gertrudes, I know it's exciting to have access to that kind of knowledge, but take it slow. We don't know where he got all of this, nor whether he's just looking for a point of influence to obtain information."
She responded with a snort.
"Boy, do you think I was born yesterday? I know that very well, but that doesn't mean I can't take advantage of him."
Everyone laughed when they saw the glint of cunning in her eyes. My mother nearly jumped out of her chair with excitement.
A few days passed.Then I began to feel something different—the uncomfortable sensation of being watched.I tried to act normally. I bent down as if to adjust my boot and, out of the corner of my eye, saw Brom staring at me.I started watching him more closely. He wasn't focused only on me, but on my entire family.I don't know if it was because of the potions… or if he had discovered something.