Niklaus sat on the bed, rubbing his face with his hand while a headache gnawed at his skull. It was his usual dreams—the ones he had sometimes. They were just fragmented scenes, unclear images of events he couldn't fully remember.
Sometimes, they were grim nightmares—voices fading into the void, faceless figures, as if something was chasing him through a world he couldn't escape.
Other times, he saw memories of the past—not his past, but the past of the real Niklaus, the child who had lived this life before him.
In one of those dreams, he saw a group of children playing happily. Their laughter echoed in the air. There were two girls and three boys, running in a wide garden under soft sunlight.
He didn't know why it seemed familiar. But when he saw himself among them, he realized he had been part of that scene—part of that memory that didn't belong to him, but to the other—to Niklaus.
That's what he told himself. The internal discomfort was great—feeling in dreams as if they were his own, when they were the dreams of this body he now inhabited.
Soft light crept through the window, the sun's rays reflecting off the wooden walls, casting a warm glow despite the cold air.
He realized... he had also slept longer than usual.
He sighed silently, as if trying to shake off the heavy feeling he had woken up with.
His red eyes reflected in the glass—the bloody color was dark, like smoldering embers in the darkness, carrying that deep gleam that never faded.
But even so, his expression was blank, as if he was still caught between dream and reality. There was no complete clarity—just a recurring sense of being lost.
---
Half an hour later, he headed to the inn's dining hall. The air was filled with the scent of fresh bread, the clatter of dishes, and the sound of Ethan, who was sitting on one of the chairs, eating breakfast as if it were a royal feast.
He was talking to Maria, as usual. His chatter never stopped. He laughed, praised the food, asked about unrelated things. But he seemed thoroughly entertained.
But when Maria noticed Niklaus entering, she paused for a moment. A faint tension passed through her eyes, but she quickly hid it. She kept her expression as if nothing had happened.
Maria, with practiced calm: "Good morning. Your breakfast is ready. Sit down."
He didn't say anything. He just sat across from Ethan, who looked at him with a playful smile.
Ethan, with his usual sarcasm: "You woke up late, wow! Have you finally turned into a normal person?!"
It wasn't actually late—it was nine in the morning. But for Niklaus, that was unusual. He always woke up at four, before dawn. Even back in the palace, sleep never gave him peace because of the dreams that constantly haunted him.
He didn't think much about it. He just grunted a short reply and began eating quietly.
While eating, he started thinking about the reality he didn't want to face directly—his money had run out.
He felt annoyed. Not because he hadn't expected it, but because he didn't have a clear plan for how to manage things from here.
As he considered a solution, he noticed something unexpected...
The little girl, Adele, approached him. She sat beside him, her bright eyes watching him in strange silence.
This wasn't new. But it was still strange—he was the only one who could see her.
He glanced at Ethan for a moment. Ethan was still eating, but he noticed Niklaus's focus.
Ethan, raising an eyebrow, studying Niklaus with curiosity: "Why are you staring at the chair next to you?"
Maria, who had been watching the scene, felt sudden tension. She started sweating, her hand gripping the cup she was cleaning tightly, as if trying to control herself.
But Niklaus didn't answer Ethan. He just continued eating in silence. Maria let out a sigh, as if trying to release all the pressure that had built up inside her in a single moment.
It was clear that Maria wanted them to leave soon. She started steering the conversation toward departure, as if trying to push things in a certain direction.
But Niklaus didn't care much. He was going to leave anyway. The forest was close—there was no reason to stay long.
But...
Just then, a new notification appeared from the System.
[New Mission]
Mission: Learn to make potions and magical tools from the alchemist Maria
Reason for Mission: Learning potion-making will be necessary for the upcoming journey
Reward: 100 Points + Maria's secret
He paused for a moment, read the words silently. He hadn't expected that.
Maria was an alchemist?
That wasn't a common thing. But it wasn't entirely unexpected either. She didn't look like someone specialized in that field. But he understood now—because of the poison on the knife last night.
Still, that wasn't his concern. His concern was that she seemed to know something about Niklaus that no one else knew. And he needed to find out what.
He thought for a moment... The forest wasn't far. He could delay their departure a little. Especially since he didn't want his entry into it to be discovered easily. A large part of it was guarded by the duchy's elite soldiers.
He needed a clear plan. Staying here for a while might help him form one.
He raised his eyes slightly, looked at Maria for a moment, then returned to his food. As if he had already decided everything in his mind.
He would stay. Even if just temporarily.
Because the truth... always appeared at unexpected moments.
After Niklaus finished his meal, he rose from the chair quietly. His steps were steady, unhurried. Which made Ethan assume right away that they would continue their journey now.
Ethan, stretching his arms and sighing lazily: "Alright, then? Is it time to go back to suffering in the snow? I thought I'd get to enjoy some more rest. But fine, I'll endure like a seasoned warrior!"
But when Niklaus spoke, it wasn't what Ethan expected at all.
Niklaus, quietly as if saying something unimportant: "Change of plans. We're staying here for a while."
Ethan's expression froze for a moment. He looked at him as if processing the words slowly. Then... his face suddenly exploded with joy!
Ethan, with exaggerated happiness, placing his hand on his chest as if moved: "Oh, my lord! How merciful you are! I was afraid you'd throw me back into the frozen wilderness!"
But, after just one second, he remembered something that quickly deflated his joy.
Ethan, freezing in place, suddenly becoming serious: "Wait... we're broke."
He looked at Niklaus for another second, then let out a heavy sigh.
Ethan, raising his hand as if surrendering to his fate: "So, dear little brother, since I'm a responsible man, I ask you to hand over whatever money we have left to Lady Maria. So we can pay for the food and the room... before we get unceremoniously kicked out."
He spoke as if dealing with a global crisis. But Niklaus, as usual, showed no particular interest. He just looked at him for a moment and then said calmly, without any tension.
Niklaus: "I'll handle it. Don't overthink."
Ethan paused for a moment, then put his hand over his face dramatically, as if deeply moved by these simple words.
Ethan, with an exaggerated voice, producing a fake tear with genius touch: "How can you be so magnificent! Oh, precious master whom I must protect at all costs!"
Then, after just one second, he stopped acting serious. He raised an eyebrow as if remembering he needed to correct himself.
Ethan, with a quick correction, smirking slyly: "I mean... my lovely little brother who cares about me! Yes, that's better!"
Niklaus stepped forward toward Maria. She was standing behind the table, her hands still busy cleaning cups. But when he approached, she raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. There were no introductions or pleasantries—just words said with complete clarity, as if the decision had already been made.
Niklaus, with cold calm: "Listen. I'm going to make a deal with you."
Maria paused for a moment. She hadn't expected him to speak to her so directly. He should have at least been more respectful, given the age difference. But he acted as if he held the upper hand.
Maria thought internally, without showing it: Have some respect, kid. I'm much older than you. Speak with respect... Also, what deal do you think you're making with me?
But she didn't say that aloud. She simply asked.
Maria, with a cautious but not tense tone: "What do you want?"
When Niklaus leaned closer, he whispered beside her. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried something of calculated caution.
Niklaus: "Keeping your little secret in exchange for teaching me how to make magical potions."
The words were simple, clear. But they struck a point Maria hadn't expected.
She felt a slight shiver run through her body. Not because she was afraid of him—but because she hadn't expected him to discover she was an alchemist so easily.
Maria, with slight tension but focused: "How did you know?! You said before you didn't care about my secret. Are you threatening me now?"
But the reply wasn't what she expected. It carried no threatening tone—just a fact stated indifferently.
Niklaus, with decisive calm: "There's no reason for me to tell you how I know... But if you don't agree to the deal, you'll be the one losing. Not me."
His manner was simple but carried something of unnatural confidence. As if he was talking about something obvious that needed no argument.
Maria slowly clenched her teeth. She could refuse, but she realized he wouldn't care. That he wouldn't pressure her. As if he knew she would agree anyway.
Maria, with a heavy sigh: "Tch... Fine."
As she thought about what had just happened, she looked at him for a moment. She thought he was a strange, frightening child. He didn't speak impulsively. He didn't show any real interest in whether she agreed or not. He just acted as if it was only a matter of time.
But still, she believed she was the winner in this deal—he was just a child. No matter how smart he was, he wouldn't learn potion-making easily.
Magical potion-making wasn't simple. Just anyone couldn't master it. Alchemists were rarer than mages themselves. And not every alchemist could make high-quality potions. That talent was like a treasure.
Making potions consumed magic and required the use of magical stones to aid the process. That alone made it even more complicated.
So, she decided to fool him in a simple way—give him some surface-level information about ingredients, and make him give up when he realized how difficult it was.
Niklaus placed a few copper coins on the table—the price of the room and food. It was indeed his last money.
He glanced briefly at Ethan, who was sitting near the door at the far end of the inn. His eyes were following the conversation between them, but he couldn't hear anything that was said.
And then, Niklaus said in a clear voice, quiet enough to reach Ethan's ears but not much beyond.
Niklaus: "We're staying here for a while. And I have no money left."
Maria paused for a moment. His gaze was steady, showing no tension when he said that. But it didn't make much sense.
Maria thought internally, hiding her expression skillfully: This insolent child... threatens me to teach him, then tells me he's broke?
Niklaus continued, looking at Ethan for a few seconds with focus, then turned to Maria: "You can use Ethan. He's good at housework."
As if the sentence had come out of him as the only logical solution to this problem.
Ethan caught the words. He froze in place, then slowly raised his head. His eyes were full of betrayal: "...What?"
Niklaus looked at him for a moment, but showed no regret in saying it. For him, it was just a natural solution.
Ethan, placing his hand over his heart, lightly shocked as if stabbed unexpectedly: "My dear little brother... did you just sell me?!"
Niklaus looked at him but said nothing. As if he saw no reason to answer that question.
Ethan, his voice full of disappointment: "I thought we were brothers... but you sold me for a cheap price! Where's justice?! Where's loyalty?!"
While Niklaus acted as if none of it mattered, Ethan was living a dramatic moment full of complaints. As if the whole world had betrayed him in that instant.
Meanwhile, Maria tried to absorb that this was the new reality. She started thinking that things were about to get more complicated from now on.
When night fell, the forest wrapped its usual cold around the village. The wind was calm but carried a light frost. The glow from the fireplace cast a warm radiance on the inn's wooden walls, as if defying the cold outside.
Inside, the smell of food filled the place. A mix of mild spices and heat rising from the dishes, as if it was the only way to make this night less cold.
Maria, who wasn't in a very good mood, had prepared dinner even though she knew the guests sitting in front of her weren't paying customers. Just broke people with nothing but their appetites.
Maria thought internally, placing the food on the table: Excellent. Now I'm responsible for feeding a bunch of bums!
But she didn't say anything. She simply served the dishes.
Dinner was simple but warm—hot broth, fresh bread, and some roasted meat she had barely managed to prepare from what she had left.
Niklaus ate quietly, as usual. Ethan was far more lively, praising every bite as if it was the best thing he had ever tasted.
Ethan, devouring the food enthusiastically: "Oh my god! I can't believe I've been living on breadcrumbs and roasted rabbits! This is real food!"
No one responded. But that didn't stop him. He kept talking between each bite, until the food was completely finished.
Then, when Maria put her hand on the table, Ethan looked at her for a moment. He thought she would say something ordinary. But what came next wasn't what he expected.
Maria, with a sly smile, her tone carrying uncomfortable firmness: "Ethan, wash the dishes. And don't forget to clean the kitchen too."
Ethan paused for a second, looked at her as if he hadn't heard correctly. Then pointed to himself as if to confirm.
Ethan, with annoyed surprise: "Just me?!"
But Maria showed no hesitation. She simply nodded in affirmation, as if she had been expecting this response all along.
Ethan, looking at Niklaus with fake desperation: "My dear little brother, come and help me. I can't do all this alone!"
But Niklaus, as usual, showed no particular interest. He just downed the last sip of his cup, then stood up and headed toward the door as if Ethan wasn't part of this world.
That single act was enough to unleash the biggest wave of emotional betrayal inside the inn.
Ethan, placing his hand on his chest, genuinely shocked: "He ignored me like I'm a stranger! Where's the family spirit? Where's the brotherhood?!"
But Niklaus, without even turning around, simply left for his room. Leaving Ethan to face his fate alone.