[It was during Ada's birthday when that incident occurred, If I remember correctly she was turning two during that time.]

[That day her parents or-rather my daughter Anna and her husband brought Ada to my home, they without even any slight hint of guilt, boldly announced to me that they will be preparing a surprise for Ada's birthday, and that they don't want their daughter finding out, so they came asking for my help.]

"Listen, so this is what we were planning to do for her birthday this time..." Anna said quietly while whispering to grandma Priscilla, which smiled after listening to her idea.

Meanwhile Anna's husband gently patted their daughter's head as a show of affection, before handing her over.

Anna then held her mother's hand with both of hers as a sign of respect and to flatter her, "Mama you're the only one we can trust with this, sorry for the trouble"

"I don't mind it, hohoho" grandma Priscilla remarked.

[Of course, who am I to refuse, Ada was such an adorable kid, delighted I quickly agreed with them.]

"Bye mama! Take good care of her!" As Anna and her husband walked off into the distance while saying their goodbyes.

[The moment I held her up high, I was happy, and throughout the day I made sure that my granddaughter was ready for her very special day.]

[I bathed her, I combed her hair, and put on very nice clothes for her, which was the present that I was planning on gifting her anyway.]

'Ahh whatever, she'll just be receiving it earlier than planned, I'll just prepare a new gift for my cute granddaughter' Grandma Priscilla thought while watching the miniature Ada play with the fidget spinner and the Rubik's cube toy by her bed.

[I then spent the rest of the day feeding Ada the biscuits that I had stored and then proceeded to the squishing of her chubby cheeks.]

"S-Shtop it Grashma..." Mini-Ada spoke an annoyed but sweet tone of voice.

"I'm sorry, you were just too cute to resist, I could not help myself." Grandma Priscilla was tempted to keep on going even if the mini-Ada might get furious at her for a few days.

Because Grandma Priscilla was already imagining that Ada's angry and pouting face might be something to look forward to seeing too, she just thought of how she wished that this moment would go on forever.

...

[When it turned afternoon, I decided to check up on Ada's parents, I was getting worried sick, because they didn't come even when it already was already way past the time that we agreed on.]

[So, I've decided, I left the house and brought Ada along with me, I didn't want to leave her unattended.]

[Together we traveled to the opposite side of the village where my Anna's home was located, they just had to settle down there.]

"Sheesh those two! who do they think they are to make an old lady like me walk this far?! Once I arrive there, I'll be sure to give them an earful! I'll make them pay by eating all the meals-"As Grandma Priscilla stomped on the ground and then shouted into the air of nothingness around her, but she was immediately interrupted by the feeling of a small thing poking her legs.

"Grandma, please carry me, I'm tired" Ada spoke in a dreary tone of voice, whom she could not hear because she was being really loud.

Grandma Priscilla could not resist the charms of her granddaughter and quickly gave her a piggyback ride.

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***

A bubbly atmosphere enveloped the two, anticipating the surprise of a festive celebration awaiting them, but when they arrived there-

"What?!" The tired old lady unknowingly muttered out in shock, as she frowned in disbelief.

Ada then grabbed onto her grandmother's shirt and worriedly said, "Gra-Grandma?"

There was nothing, no candles, no promised birthday cake, no food, no visitors, no nothing. There was only disappointment left for both of them.

The horse that the couple painstakingly took care of was gone, and when they hurriedly opened the door, worried for them, they were both faced with a grim reality.

It was obvious what her daughter and her husband had done, the whole house had been ransacked clean of utensils and supplies.

Food, water, clothing and anything that is needed to camp outside while traveling, especially all the valuables that they inherited from her, it was all gone, but there were no signs of struggle.

Did someone from their neighbors stole from them? Impossible, no one among them was that capable of hoarding all that, while erasing their traces.

Too early to jump to conclusions? but when they came in only two distinct footsteps can be traced outside, aside from the ones that they had left and the horse's one leading into the forest.

Rustle! Rustle!

However, even if what seems to be the most likely scenario was staring them down, Grandma Priscilla still couldn't believe it, she knew her daughter had a bit of a greedy side to her even when she was a kid, but not like this, so she rushed inside to find any evidence, anything that might say otherwise.

Rustle! Rustle!

Meanwhile as her grandma checked the entire house, Ada was stuck at the front door, unable to enter-

She, with her eyes wide open stared into nothingness, frozen, Ada started remembering the unintelligible words her parents had spoken to her in the past, maybe it was just that hurtful that she unconsciously blocked it or maybe it was just her age at the time.

Thus right then and there Ada completely understood what was going on, what her parents did to her.

They say that the eyes are the key to the one's heart, but with Ada's eyes it was completely obvious what she was feeling right now.

Rustle! Rustle! Rustle!

Till finally it turned dark, and Grandma Priscilla gave up on searching...

...

"Hey-hey let's just go inside..." As Grandma Priscilla knelt and gently touched Ada's face while smiling at her.

But even if the mosquitoes bit Ada, she was still listless, unresponsive to anything that her grandmother says.

So, Grandma Priscilla just grabbed Ada forcefully inside while hugging her, making sure that she feels her warmth, that she knows that she is still loved.

And as it was already nighttime, they had to stay there without eating anything, there was not even a single lamp left to light, and Grandma Priscilla's worsening eyes did not help.

They had to move around the darkness without any glimmer of light guiding them, it would've been convenient if Grandma Priscilla had an affinity for fire, sadly she did not.

...

When they reached the bed where the couple used to sleep, Grandma Priscilla hugged her granddaughter, whose eyes kept on staring into the distance no matter what she did.

After a few moments later, she then gently caressed her granddaughter's hair, making sure that she guides her to sleep before she does.

They had no choice, even if they don't want to, they had to stay in that damned remorseful house."That eyes of her, when we opened that door were still ingrained into my memory, every time that I would see her face, it would crush my heart.

...

"I've always blamed myself for what happened, where was I lacking? what did I do wrong while raising her? did I not love her enough? how could she just leave behind her daughter just like that?

Anyways Philip, it took Ada awhile to break out of that shell, the once bright and cheerful granddaughter that I once knew was gone.

She stayed inside our home most of the time just staring out of the window, she was gloomy even when she received probably the greatest news she could ever hear.

When all of a sudden, she was able to use magic that she did not awaken when she was a year old.

We asked the village chief on why this happened, as he was probably the only trustworthy and knowledgeable person that I know in matters like this at the time, second to the surveyor that was not there when it happened.

Later, I found out that Ada was just a late bloomer, I learned that kids who do not awaken their magic affinity at one year old are either very untalented or very talented.

I heard from the village chief that these cases happens every once in a while, and the reason for Ada's delayed awakening, was just her own body protecting her from the immense potential that she holds, that's why she awakened at four years old instead of one.

However, I also heard that the being very untalented is a common event than actually being a late bloomer, that's why the knowledge about events like this is rarely known.

Thinking back, it was probably the reason why Ada was abandoned."