My eyes widened and my hand trembled.
What did he just say? Did I hear it correctly? Son?
"What do you mean by that?"
"I know it's not something you expected. But you heard me correctly, I want to take you in as my son."
My eyes widened, shifting away from the man sat in opposite of me,
"...why would you even want that?"
"Because you are talent is something I require now—and I have no child of my own." His eyes kept clear, searching to meet mine.
"And it's your choice whether you see me as your father or not."
I took a deep breath, but I couldn't meet his eyes—as I looked at the lower part of his face.
"What about my sister?"
"She can come, especially if it means convincing you." He shrugged his shoulder.
"But why do you need someone talented?"
"The state of this world, Tjer. This world is unstable, there are too many things happening now, and we need to build a solid future." His eyes dropped, before they met mine again,
"Me as the knight commander should spearhead this new generation—with you as my son." He straightened his back, holding a heavy gaze.
"But why would I do it...?"
"Because it's the best choice for yourself and your sister, don't you agree?"
I kept silent, nipping my teeth into the skin of my index finger while he kept talking.
"You get access to my money, you will not be seen as commoners anymore—gaining benefits befitting a noble. You will lose all the worries you have now, you can even become a knight."
"And your sister can even go to school, and live a normal life."
I lowered my finger and took a deep breath,
"But why me? There should be enough talented children, right?"
"There are multiple reasons—" He lifted his index finger,
"Firstly no one I have ever met comes close to the talent you possess." A slight smile appeared as his stern look remained unchanging—lifting his second finger,
"Secondly, I know your sword."
What does he know about my sword—my dad's sword...?
"My sword?"
"Yes, isn't it Ewan's swordstyle?"
My eyes widened as something got stuck in my throat.
A cold sweat ran down my back, as I said,
"How do you know s... dad?"
His entire face softened, from his eyes to his smile as if he were basking in the soft morning sun,
"We were friends—brothers, even after the day he disappeared."
"It was impossible for me to forget that style of his, imagine how I felt when I saw you moving exactly like the young him."
"W-Where do you know him from?" My fist clenched my legs as my gaze narrowed, staring sight at him.
"He never told you who he was?"
"Both of our families have been in an alliance since olden days—your dad was their heir, until the day he vanished that is."
Why... Why does this man know my dad? Why did dad make us grow up in that place?
Thoughts flooded my head, I couldn't sort anything out—not even how I felt, with my trembling eyes and tightened fist.
I could feel my consciousness almost give in, shutting itself close.
Whatever he knew, I wanted to know it as well.
I wanted to know everything.
But before I could ask him anything, he had stood up, and said,
"But it's time for me to leave, so let me know what you want to do. I understand that this might be a lot, so find me here tomorrow." He said, handing me a piece of paper with a location written on it.
"Wait!" I jumped up grabbing his sleeve before he could walk away.
"Please tell me... what was my dad like..."
My gaze slowly lifting up, his words lightened his face up,
"He was the strongest man I have ever met." He had a smile, that was looking into the far distance.
I looked him in the eyes, while loosening my grip,
"Was he that strong?" I couldn't help but hold the handle of my sword.
"I don't just mean fighting. No—he was strong in every important aspect." My head had tilted slightly—I didn't understand what he meant,
"The perfect knight—that's what I saw him as." My eyes were taken in by the light that shone off his face.
"My best friend, rival, and my goal." My head jolted slightly back, seeing his eyes silently drift down, while keeping his expression straight.
"...Thank you." I lowered my head to him
"I will leave now, before my wife gets mad at me... Have a good night."
"And don't worry about the count, I've dealt with it."
But nothing he said registered with me as my gaze stayed locked onto the floor we stood on,
What should I do...?
I just lay down, and closed my eyes trying to fall asleep.
After a while I heard Mim come in, thinking I was asleep as she opened the door, trying not to make a single sound.
The bed next to me creaked, followed by her snoring.
How much time has passed already? I had just been laying with my eyes closed, waiting for a solution to come to me.
'Can we talk for a bit?'
'Of course.'
'What would you do if you were me?'
'I think the choice would be obvious, I would choose to be his son...'
'But I'm not you—you are the one who has to make the choice.'
'So tell me, what is stopping you?'
'...'
'I honestly don't know, I don't know anything.'
'Is it even right for me...?'
'You're still a kid, everybody thinks so—you are the only one who is weighing himself down.'
'You should be kinder to yourself, don't you think...'
I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to say before T continued.
'And even then, wasn't your goal for the two of you to live a normal life?'
'What he's offering looks suspiciously close to one, right?'
'You're right...'
'And even if you think that you don't deserve it, doesn't she?'
'Thank you...'
It finally felt like my eyes were truly closed—taken into sleep's embrace.