For as long as he could remember, Urie had waited patiently for this day. Looking forward to being able to handle magic. He would attend a few years at the city academy and finally be allowed to help his father out at the northern wall.

“Look! Isn't that the third son of the wall commander?”

“A child that wasn't blessed by a spirit... He hasn't awakened his mana roots, has he?”

“Ah... Circumstances were rare but to think it would happen to a child of the Loeth House. Such a shame...”

Parents who were coming over to fetch their children didn't make a fuss over the one child not being able to form his roots. Onlookers, however, were baffled.

They started gathering towards Urie's direction through the crowd, but suddenly stopped in their tracks. Displaying looks of hesitation, they decided not to continue once they had seen the person heading towards him.

"My dear, little Urie! It'll be alright, it'll be alright," his mother was here. Urie could feel shaking arms holding him in embrace, working hard to reassure him, but he felt too despondent to respond.

"Urie dear, how about we go home? Alright? We'll figure out what to do when your brothers return." his mother spoke on the verge of tears.

“Older brothers?” Urie mumbled and thought— Ah... Yes, eldest brother always has an answer for everything. He would have an idea.

In Urie's eyes, his oldest sibling held knowledge beyond compare. Or at least, out of everyone he knew. Though it was a shot in the dark as his brother likely wouldn't be able to do anything. Urie knew this but he needed something, anything to give him courage.

Unfortunately, even that small hope he tried to grasp was dashed due to the arrival of a travel-worn young man. Strapped with a shoulder bag, an eight-panel cap, and leather shoes that had seen excessive use, a messenger had come from the northern wall.

“Oh! Mistress, I was on my way to your household to deliver news—” he said to Urie's mother, then paused as he seemed to have felt his presence unwelcomed by the somber situation.

The messenger then suggested, “Would you like me to come by the residence another time?”

Rivelle knew that the man was just doing his job and judging by the state of him, he had just now arrived in the city. She motioned for the tired man to speak his words.

“I've come with a letter from the wall commander, addressed to the mistress. As well as a message,” the messenger continued.

“A letter from Gideon...!?” Rivelle softly exclaimed, feeling an instance of regret.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Urie let out a flinch almost imperceptible but within the arms of his mother, was easily caught. Rivelle knew that Urie had noticed as well. A letter from his father at a timing like this meant his older brothers wouldn't be able to come home.

—They would deliver the letter to mother themselves if they could...

The following conversation no longer registered as Urie let the weight of his body fall into his mother's tightening embrace. Only after a short while later did his mother try to stand him up. It seemed the messenger had left.

“Mother...” Urie's voice struggled to emerge, “Can I stay here for a while..?”

Thinking that she would disagree— to his surprise, Rivelle's arms loosed and she gently caressed his cheek, “Dear, mother has to head back first. Urie can stay out but be home before it gets dark, alright?”

“A-Alright, mother,” Urie replied.

Of the two maids beside them keeping silence, Rivelle took Ersha with her as she left and instructed Patty to keep watch over Urie. Urie wanted some time alone so Patty tactfully did so on a bench a distance away.

Urie went by the fountain and knelt down in a familiar position. He placed his left arm on the edge of the fountain's basin and rested his chin on his sleeve. Listlessly he glanced at the middle of the fountain, at the stone statue releasing a stream of water from its mouth.

A fierce looking beast with wings— he always used to stare at it in wonder. Now, however, it couldn't rouse even the tiniest bit of curiosity as he was currently feeling nothing inside but dejection.

Along with the water that came from the beast's mouth, time trickled slowly. Urie couldn't tell how long he had lingered. A second ago there were still people loitering around but a few minutes later he was all alone, save for the maid who had fallen asleep on the bench.

—It's getting dark. I still don't want to go home...

His fingers dragged along the water's surface and blurred the image of the sky tinged with a mix of orange and red. The wave that had rippled made its way across to the opposite end of the fountain and bounced off of a small spot of gentle blue. To that particular spot, the boy's heartache had resonated, and a smaller, delicate wave rippled back.

Though rather than a wave, a sigh would be more fitting to call it. Empathy from a gentle spirit that had been watching Urie since the day before— maybe even from a time much farther back. The greater spirit, Undine.

As she watched the boy's forlorn appearance, she let out another small ripple. This time one of unexpected surprise, as a sudden change had come about in the fountain.

No longer the hue of the retreating sun, mirrored on the water was instead a blanket of darkness that would cover the night. At the abnormal occurrence, Urie as well widened his eyes.

—What's going on!? Why has the water suddenly gone dark?

The shade of the sky hadn't yet matched with the fountain's. He drew back and took a quick glance around him. Nothing much had changed except for the street lamps having been lit. The maid, Patty, was still on the bench, asleep in an awkward position.

Urie turned his head to Erden's Tower, then to the statue of the winged beast. He followed the stream emerging from its mouth back to the water below. And along the creases of the water in front of him, he made out a still figure. A silhouette.

Urie saw a reflection looking back at him.

“—Who!?”

But oddly enough, it wasn't his.