I approached my uncle's house filled with nostalgia. It had been a while since I last visited. My heart was pounding as I knocked on the door, unsure of what kind of welcome I would receive. What if they didn't want to see me?

My aunt Ingrid opened the door, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of me.

"Darian! What are you doing here alone? Where is your father?" she asked, her voice full of concern.

"Good evening, Aunt Ingrid," I said politely, hoping to calm her nerves.

"I'm sorry we couldn't give you notice that I was coming to the city, but you know how hard it is to get here. I got the opportunity to travel here with the Vogt of our village, and I wanted to come to visit you. Can I stay here for two nights?"

Her expression softened, and she smiled warmly at me. "Of course! But you must tell me everything," she said.

"Oh, before I forget, my parents send their regards, and here are gifts for your family and Konrad."

I handed her the basket my mother gave me.

Ingrid's face lit up with delight. "How thoughtful of her!" she exclaimed, ushering me inside.

"Quickly, come in; it's getting cold."

I followed her into the house, where I was greeted by the rest of my family, who were just getting ready for dinner.

"Darian! What a surprise! What are you doing here?" My uncle Leif's booming voice greeted me as I stepped inside the living room.

I told them how I persuaded my father to let me hunt in the forest and how I came to the city to sell my hides and explore.

"I'm still surprised Varya agreed to this; she is so protective of her children," Leif said, chuckling.

"Please keep this a secret; my mother doesn't know I'm hunting in the Forest. My father made me swear not to tell anyone. Otherwise, she would never let me," I whispered, hoping that they would understand the gravity of the situation.

"Haha! That sounds just like him! Doing reckless stuff behind her back. I guess he was swayed by the prospect of meat on the table, right?" Leif burst out laughing.

"Leif! That's not a laughing matter! What if something happens to Darian there?" Ingrid exclaimed, her face turning pale with worry.

"It's not dangerous at all!" I quickly interjected.

"I'm accompanied by a veteran hunter, and we only move at the edges where it's safe," I reassured them.

"Well, if your father agreed to it, then that's it. We won't be talking about it anymore. But know this: every secret will be sooner or later revealed, and the longer you keep things from your mother, the harder it will be to get her forgiveness afterward," Ingrid said to me with concern.

Hmm, that is kind of true. But what am I supposed to do about it? I don't like keeping things from my mother, but if I let her worries govern my life, I will never achieve anything at all. I would just have to address it when it came up.

"I will keep it in mind, Aunt Ingrid," I replied, hoping to placate her worries.

We then sat down to dinner, with the aroma of roasted meat and fresh bread filling the air. As we ate, we chatted and laughed, catching up on things that happened last year.

Afterward, we gathered around the hearth, the warmth of the fire flickering across our faces. I couldn't help but notice how much Konrad had grown. He was taller and stronger than before, and I found myself wondering how much he had changed in other ways too.

It seems that we grow distant from each other over time. I never spent much time with him since I was focused on honing my magic and exploring the Forest and didn't pay attention to anything else.

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Even when I went to play with the other children, I spent most of my time with Helga and Myra.

"How is everything going?" I asked him, trying to start a conversation.

Konrad's chest swelled with pride as he replied, "Great! Uncle is teaching me everything he knows, and soon enough I will be the greatest carpenter in the city!"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his confidence. He had always been one to boast about his skills, but I had learned not to take him too seriously.

"And what about you?" he smirked, sensing an opportunity to take a jab at me. "With Rolf inheriting the smithy, it seems you won't get anything good. Even after our mother was doting on you despite all those weird things you did back then," he said with a bitter tone.

Is he mad that our mother gives me more attention than him? Even so, he got the best deal out of all of us; he gets to live in the city and will inherit the uncle's business in time, so what is his problem?

Well, it is a little my fault that we grow distant from each other, but is it enough of a reason to hate me even when I didn't do anything to him?

As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, I realized that I had no experience with siblings to draw from since I was an only child back on earth.

I didn't know what to do about this situation or how to mend our relationship. I decided not to push the issue. Maybe with time, Konrad would come to see things differently.

I smiled at him and said, "I'm sure something good will come to me." But instead of reciprocating, Konrad just glared at me and walked away.

I sat by the hearth alone, lost in thought, as the fire crackled and the warmth filled the room. My mind wandered, considering Konrad's bitter words. It wasn't the first time he had expressed resentment toward me, but I couldn't understand why.

Was it simply because I had received more attention from my mother when we were younger?

Was it because I had pursued my own interests, neglecting to spend time with him?

I had never been particularly close to Konrad. It wasn't that I didn't like him; I simply had other priorities. But now, as we were both growing older, it seemed that the rift between us was widening. I didn't know how to bridge that gap or if it was even worth trying.

For now, I decided to let it be, and I turned my attention to my uncle and aunt, who were engaged in a lively conversation about the city and the state of the kingdom.

My uncle Leif was a skilled carpenter and had built many of the houses and shops in the city, earning him a reputation as one of the best in the city.

As they spoke, I realized how little I knew about the world outside of our village. My father had always been reticent about discussing the affairs of the kingdom, and I had been too busy with my own pursuits to pay it any attention before.

But now, listening to my aunt and uncle, I felt curiosity stirring up within me. 'What lies beyond the borders of our village?' I wondered.

As the night wore on, the fire burned low, and the conversation dwindled. My aunt, Ingrid, rose from her seat and stretched.

"Well, it's getting late," she said, "and I'm sure you must be tired from your journey, Darian. We have a spare room for you to stay in."

"Thank you, Aunt Ingrid," I said, trying to sound grateful. With that, we all retired to bed.

***

I woke up early, full of excitement. Today, I had the entire day to explore the city on my own!

After breakfast, I couldn't wait any longer and ventured out into the bustling streets, where large crowds of people hurriedly made their way to work. The traffic was thick, but I managed to weave my way through it.

I was wondering what to do today. I briefly considered heading back to see Isadora to ask her more about herbs but then abandoned the idea as I had no more herbs to sell her and I didn't want to impose on her too much.

So I went along the main street to look for anything interesting.

I wasn't planning on buying anything. I didn't want to raise any suspicions with my parents about where I had gotten the money from. Plus, I wanted to keep my savings for when I truly needed them.

The city was divided into five distinct areas, each with its own unique vibe. The southern Merchant Quarter bustled with shops and inns, while the eastern Craftsman District was home to workshops and warehouses.

The Northern Residential District was filled with apartments and lodgings where the working class and poor lived. In contrast, the Western Quarter was where the rich resided in lavish houses and villas.

Finally, at the heart of the city sat the imposing Fortress, where the lord of the city and his soldiers resided. All these areas were connected by a main road that ran through the city from south to north.

My uncle's house was located at the edge of the merchant and craftsman districts, just a short distance from the Fortress. However, I was too intimidated to venture that far and chose to remain mostly in the merchant district.

The citizens around me didn't seem to care about my presence. I was just a small kid from a poor family, and they didn't give me a second glance. Not even in their wildest dreams could they imagine that my pockets are full of silver.

So I was never worried about being robbed. Of course, that doesn't mean I was being reckless; I always remained vigilant, getting out of the way of anyone who looked remotely suspicious.

In the end, I didn't find anything particularly captivating and returned to my uncle's house for the night before it was time for me to go back to the village.

I was grateful for this chance to acquaint myself with the city, as previous visits to the market had always been chaotic and stressful.

Everyone is in a hurry, so I never had the chance to look around undisturbed. Now that I had discovered a way to venture to the city alone, I planned to use it to the fullest.

My ultimate goal was to become an apprentice here, and I knew I needed to immerse myself in the city to make that happen. As I drifted off to sleep, I was content that I had accomplished everything I set out to do here.