By the time the caravan finally reached one of Eldoria's larger towns, the sun had already begun to set.
Warm lanterns lit the streets.
The smell of roasted meat drifted from food stalls.
After weeks on the road, everyone looked relieved when the wagons finally stopped in front of a large roadside inn.
Daren stretched his arms dramatically.
"A real bed."
Tomas nearly cheered.
"And a real roof!"
Mikel shook his head with a tired smile.
"You two sound like animals."
Jorin helped Lady Elara Valenwood down from her carriage, offering his arm politely.
She accepted it with a soft smile.
"Thank you."
Even the caravan guards looked pleased.
Traveling for a month made even simple comforts feel luxurious.
The innkeeper welcomed them warmly once he learned a noble caravan had arrived.
Rooms were quickly arranged.
Dinner was served.
And before long, everyone gathered in the large dining hall.
Except one person.
Grandmother Mirelda.
Daren looked around the table.
"Hey."
"Where's the old lady?"
Tomas shrugged.
"Maybe she's already asleep."
Mikel leaned back in his chair.
"After all the fuss she made over you today, she probably got tired."
Daren groaned.
"Oh come on."
Tomas grinned.
"You're her favorite grandchild."
Daren pointed a finger at him.
"I am not!"
Jorin quietly ate his food, but the faintest smile touched his lips.
Elara laughed softly.
"She does seem very fond of you."
Daren buried his face in his hands.
"This is humiliating."
The group laughed.
None of them were particularly worried.
Mirelda had seemed energetic earlier.
She was probably resting.
But when the innkeeper came to collect the dishes later—
Daren asked casually.
"Did the old woman traveling with us take her meal upstairs?"
The innkeeper blinked.
"…old woman?"
"Yes," Daren said. "Gray hair. Talks a lot."
The innkeeper shook his head.
"No one like that came in."
The table fell silent.
Tomas blinked.
"…what?"
Daren frowned.
"She came in with us."
The innkeeper looked confused.
"I only saw your group and the guards."
"No old woman."
A strange chill crept across the table.
Mikel slowly leaned forward.
"…are you sure?"
"Quite sure."
The innkeeper shrugged.
"Perhaps she stayed outside?"
But when the guards checked the wagons—
Mirelda was gone.
Completely.
Her small travel bundle had vanished too.
Daren rubbed his arms nervously.
"That's… creepy."
Tomas nodded slowly.
"She just disappeared?"
Mikel frowned.
"That doesn't make sense."
Elara looked uneasy.
"She didn't even say goodbye."
Jorin quietly stared toward the door.
"…strange."
Daren suddenly pointed at himself.
"This is because she adopted me, isn't it?"
Tomas burst out laughing.
"The chosen grandchild!"
Mikel smirked.
"Your grandmother abandoned you."
Daren groaned loudly.
"I hate all of you."
The strange situation somehow turned into teasing.
Not because it wasn't unsettling.
But because laughing felt easier than thinking too hard about it.
Eventually everyone returned to their rooms.
Still slightly creeped out.
But mostly tired.
Later that night—
The inn had fallen completely silent.
Most travelers were asleep.
The hallways were dark.
Con lay on his bed, listening to the quiet breathing of his friends.
But earlier that evening—
Something had caught his attention.
Very faint.
Very distant.
The sound of footsteps leaving the inn.
Slow.
Careful.
He had recognized them immediately.
Grandmother Mirelda.
At the time he hadn't said anything.
He had simply listened.
Because something about her movements felt… deliberate.
Now, lying awake in the dark, Con replayed the sounds in his mind.
The creak of the back door opening.
Her slow steps onto the road.
And then—
Her voice.
Soft.
Barely above a whisper.
He had heard her talking to herself.
"…that ugly god…"
The words had puzzled him.
"…always hiding in ugly things…"
Her voice had sounded irritated.
Almost like she was complaining.
Then she had muttered something stranger.
"…made me bring them here…"
"…especially that boy…"
Her footsteps had continued away from the inn after that.
Disappearing into the quiet town.
Con had listened until the sound completely vanished.
He opened his eyes in the darkness now.
Even though he couldn't see anything.
Ugly god?
Bring us here?
It sounded odd.
But Con shrugged slightly.
Traveling old women often had strange ways of speaking.
Maybe she was just muttering nonsense.
He rolled over on his bed.
The mattress felt far too comfortable compared to the forest ground.
Within minutes—
Sleep slowly took him.
The strange words faded from his mind.