“So, what do you think, Illa? I’m awesome right?!”

With a smug smile, Keith took the last bite of his omelet, which had slowly been consumed throughout his story. I had finished mine about halfway through, a tad entranced by his tales. Honestly, before this I didn’t know much about my mother at all, not even her maiden name. I had isolated myself from the knowledge completely, not wanting to depress myself over her absence. However, now that I knew a lot more about her, I was a bit surprised to acknowledge that I just felt a distinct sense of relief. Putting down my cup of tea, I couldn’t help but slightly smile at Keith.

“Your story is so outlandishly ridiculous, there is no way I could refute it.”

“Hmph, it’s not that out there I would say. Your mother’s full story is probably far more worthy of being sung by the bards, I just happen to have stuck around longer than her.”

With a huff, Keith stood up, taking our plates into the kitchen as I followed behind him. My uncle uncovered the dough he had been making earlier, and began to carefully form a loaf. Upon finishing, Keith turned to his oven and performed a distinct motion with his hand, placing his pointer finger upon his heart and then opening his palm out in front of him. I flinched as a rush of very hot bluish orange flame streamed out, a fire immediately being lit.

Magic.

I couldn’t help but mutter in amazement.

“W-wow.”

I immediately regretted it when Keith’s grin immediately spread to his ears. How did he manage to get so smug just from me being impressed?

“That’s Ophet’s flame! Spirit Beasts of the thicket like him that use flame to survive have to have basically full control over it, so that they don’t burn down the entire forest around them. So by extension, since I am mentally connected I can control my own flames perfectly, down to size and heat!”

Humming in self-satisfaction at his impromptu lesson, Keith stuck the loaf into the oven and began to clean up his mess. Watching him cheerfully do work felt like a huge disconnect from the story that he had told before, how was someone that was so strong so… Carefree? I didn’t get it, but something inside of me wanted dearly to spend more time with him to figure that out. It seemed almost rather fun for him, and that was something I wanted for myself.

“Oh! Illa, I have an important question for you now! Since we’re the only two here now, do you want to leave for the Ebony manor a bit early? It’s not a huge deal either way, but you’d get to set yourself up for a bit more time before your schooling.”

“Eh? U-Um, give me a second to think about it.”

Nodding to my plea for a little time, Keith leaned back on the kitchen counter and closed his eyes.

“Uhm…”

After taking a second to think about it, I legitimately could not come up with a reason to not leave a bit early. I had spent my entire life in this house, so it’s not like there is much for me to reminisce over. If anything, I even just wanted to get out as soon as possible.

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“Okay, let me go get my travel bag so we can get going.”

As I rolled out of the kitchen, I couldn’t help but notice Keith silently celebrating to himself over my decision. I silently giggled at him as I moved, arriving at my room not long after. I didn’t have much to take with me, but a few simple dresses and my three journals filled my little bag up to the brim. Slinging it over my chair, I turned and began to return to Keith, entering the hallway once more.

Glancing out into the garden as I rolled by, I couldn’t help but sigh at the emotions that rose in my chest. I had a lot of good memories in that garden, but it just felt… tainted to me now. After Keith’s story, I realized that I had been frozen, both my mind and heart stuck in the dirt, slowly wilting alongside the memories of my mother.

We both deserved better.

Keith had barely moved since I left, but when he heard the door open alongside the distinct sound of my chair, he opened his eyes and smiled at me. With extremely exaggerated movements, my uncle grabbed his wooden peel and pulled the loaf out of the oven. The loaf had browned beautifully, a golden hazel color that I couldn’t help but admire. After placing it on a rack to cool, Keith gleefully approached me, offering me a hand.

“Shall we, Lady Illa?”

With a hesitant smile, I took Keith’s hand. I looked up at him and watched as he placed two fingers over his heart, then raised his arm above his head. I gasped in amazement as the world shifted into a smorgasbord of color, the walls of the kitchen vanishing to reveal what I could only describe as a kaleidoscope. My amazement quickly turned into a distinct discomfort when I realized that my perception of the world was somehow flawed. I felt like I could see infinitely far, but yet, only just beyond my uncle’s back. I knew that I wasn’t moving up or down, but a distinctly eerie weightlessness washed over me, like falling without falling. Yet, the intensity I found myself in lasted for but a moment, the real world quickly replacing it.

And it was beautiful.

Releasing my hand, Keith playfully stretched his arms out to his side, as if offering everything to me.

“My dear niece, I happily welcome you to the Great Ebony Academy, your new home and place of learning. I dearly hope you grow to love this place as much as I do.”

The place I now found myself in was unlike anything in my wildest dreams. We had appeared beside a small pond, a few bugs I had never seen before fluttering about its surface. Keith was silhouetted by an ocean of trees that were nearly all dyed in the color of autumn, beautiful but fleeting. To our side, an immense manor loomed over us, the area between us a simple green lawn. As far as I could tell, we were in the academy garden, which was as self-contradictory as it was beautiful. It was obviously untended, yet somehow still exuded a calming atmosphere that the one at home simply hadn’t in years.

I couldn’t help but clench my fists in excitement. I wanted to tend the garden, to make it something that would represent Keith, My mother, me. There were so many options, so many different things that I could do with it. Perhaps a flowerbed of tulips, my mother’s favorite, beside a few rose bushes to represent Keith. I could get some water lotuses for the pond, and maybe even a few little fish for it as well. I wonder if Keith would like it if I planted some herbs too, so that he could have them fresh for his cooking?

“Illa dear, we aren’t even inside yet! I get your excitement, but let me give you a quick tour before you plan the entire garden out.”

Heat rushing to my cheeks, I dropped my face to my hands in embarrassment. I had only been here for a few seconds and I immediately began to plan the garden… Not only that, but I must have been making a face for him to have noticed that fast!

“Eep!”

I unintentionally yelped as Keith had sneakily approached me while I wallowed in embarrassment, getting behind me and pushing me away from the pond. Keith snickered, and I glared, but I couldn’t help but giggle before too long.

I couldn’t help but think that this was going to be even more fun than I expected.