The soft rays of the morning sun filtered in through the window, gently waking Auren from his slumber. He stretched, yawning, enjoying the warmth of the bed and the quietness of the room. But before he could fully shake off the remnants of sleep, he heard a faint cough. His brow furrowed in confusion. The sound was too close, and as his eyes fluttered open, he saw someone in the bed with him.
Auren blinked, trying to make sense of the situation, but when he saw who was lying beside him—Eirlys' mother, her gentle features relaxed in sleep—his entire body froze. He could feel his heart skip a beat as he realized the uncomfortable truth: somehow, they had ended up sleeping together.
Auren immediately shot up, a deep crimson hue spreading across his face. He stared at her, unsure of how the situation had unfolded. What in the world happened last night?
With his heart racing, he muttered under his breath, "Well, this is... unexpected." He didn't want to wake her up just yet, so he stayed perfectly still, trying not to make a sound.
Just then, the door creaked open slightly, and Auren's eyes shot to the source of the noise. Standing there in the doorway was Eirlys, her expression unreadable. She blinked twice as she processed the scene in front of her: Auren wide-eyed and sitting up stiffly in bed, and her mother still sleeping soundly beside him.
Eirlys' mouth quirked up into a smile, clearly amused by the sight. "You look like you've seen a ghost," she remarked, though her tone was teasing. "Did something happen last night?"
Auren, still trying to wrap his head around the situation, let out a nervous laugh. "Uh, well… I'm not sure myself," he said, awkwardly scratching his head. "But I think it's safe to say... this is a little unexpected."
Eirlys raised an eyebrow. "It's really not that bad. Mom's a pretty good sleeper. But... uh, I'm guessing you were quite the gentleman last night?"
Auren's face turned even redder, and he looked down at his hands, trying to avoid eye contact. "I… I think I was," he said hesitantly, but with no real clue as to what actually happened.
At that, Eirlys chuckled softly. "I guess we'll find out once she wakes up, huh?"
Auren just nodded, still feeling like the situation was getting increasingly more awkward by the second.
Suddenly, Eirlys' mother shifted and slowly began to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at Auren with a soft, puzzled expression.
"Ah... did I sleepwalk again?" she asked, her voice a little groggy as she sat up. "Sorry, I must've wandered into your bed."
Auren blinked, trying to process the situation, but before he could respond, she smiled warmly. "I hope I didn't cause too much trouble. I have a bad habit of sleepwalking now and then." She chuckled softly, though it only made Auren feel more awkward.
"I… uh, I didn't mind at all," Auren stammered, though the red on his face wouldn't fade. "It's just... unexpected."
Eirlys' mother smiled and stood up, stretching. "Well, I suppose I should get breakfast ready. You're a guest, after all."
Auren quickly glanced away, trying to shake off the discomfort. He stood up as well, making his way over to the small window. The village outside looked peaceful, the snow lightly falling, but his thoughts were still in disarray.
After a while, they sat down to breakfast, the smell of warm food filling the air. As they ate, the conversation turned to more casual matters, and Eirlys' mother soon stood up.
"I'll go get more food for everyone," she said cheerfully. "Auren, feel free to enjoy your time with Eirlys. I'll be back shortly."
Auren nodded, though he could barely focus on the food in front of him. His mind kept drifting back to the strange morning and the soft, unexpected warmth he'd felt. As he took another bite of stew, he caught Eirlys' eye.
She looked a little hesitant but finally spoke. "Auren... I've been thinking about something. I want to enroll in the Hero Academy too. I want to become strong, like the heroes I've heard of."
Auren blinked, surprised by the confession. "You want to become a hero?"
Eirlys nodded, but there was a slight sadness in her eyes. "But... I have so little mana. Sometimes, I feel like I'm not even capable of casting basic spells. Still, I want to try. Maybe there's more to me than what I've seen."
Before Auren could respond, Eirlys suddenly coughed, her face turning pale. Auren looked at her with concern. "Are you okay?"
Eirlys waved her hand dismissively, though her coughing seemed to worsen for a moment. "I'm fine, just a little cold," she said, trying to smile through it.
Auren frowned. "You don't look fine. Your mana's low too, isn't it? You really should be careful."
He stood up and walked over to the corner of the room, where he had left his pouch. Pulling out a small, glowing flower—the glacial flower he had picked earlier—he approached Eirlys and gently handed it to her.
"This should help," he said softly, "It's a Glacial Flower. It boosts mana and helps cleanse the body. You should eat it."
Eirlys blinked, staring at the flower in his hand. It glowed with a soft, ethereal blue light, a rare beauty that seemed to shimmer in the dim room. She took the flower from him, her cheeks turning pink, but her eyes widened in confusion.
"Uh... thank you, but... why are you giving this to me? Is there some sort of... misunderstanding?"
Auren raised an eyebrow, looking at her curiously. "Misunderstanding? No, it's just a flower. You need it. Your mana is low, and the cold doesn't help."
Eirlys blinked again, then glanced away shyly. "Oh... right. I didn't mean to... I thought—never mind, I'll take it."
Auren smiled and nodded, though he couldn't help but notice the slight blush on her cheeks. "It'll help. Take care of yourself."
Eirlys glanced at the flower, still blushing, but there was a soft smile on her face. "Thank you, Auren... You're kind."
Auren looked down, a little flustered but trying not to show it. "It's nothing," he mumbled.
After a few more moments of quiet, Eirlys finally stood up. "Well, I'm going to try the flower now, and... I'll think about the academy. Maybe it's something I can really do."
Auren nodded, a little surprised by her determination. "Good luck," he said with a small grin.
As Eirlys left to take the flower, Auren sat back down, taking a deep breath. It had been an unexpected morning, but it seemed like things were about to get even more interesting.
Auren stepped outside of the small cottage, the early morning light casting a soft glow over the village. The cool air whispered through the trees, and the peaceful serenity of the moment made everything feel like a dream. His gaze shifted toward the side of the house, where Eirlys stood, her back to him as she gently adjusted the flowers in the garden.
The wind caught her long, silver hair, causing it to flow like a river of snow, delicate and graceful. The light danced across her features, making her seem almost otherworldly, as if she were born from the very essence of winter itself.
Auren's heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, the words escaped him, his voice low and almost reverent:
"Like the first snowfall of winter—unpredictable, yet impossibly beautiful. Her presence brings calm to the world around her."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Auren froze, his face flushing red. He hadn't meant to say it out loud. He quickly turned away, hoping the ground would swallow him whole.
Eirlys, who had been focused on her task, turned to face him, her cheeks flushed from the morning chill. She caught the faintest glimmer of a smile before it disappeared behind her curious gaze.
"Did you say something, Auren?" she asked softly, her tone teasing yet warm.
Auren, caught off guard, scrambled for a response. He scratched his head awkwardly, laughing nervously. "Ah, no, it's... nothing. Just mumbling to myself. About the wind. You know how it is," he stammered, trying to hide the embarrassment that was slowly creeping up his neck.
Eirlys raised an eyebrow, her smile still lingering. "Uh-huh. If you say so."
Auren cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject, hoping to steer the conversation away from his unintentional poetic outburst. "So, you're feeling better today, right? After the flower?"
Eirlys smiled gently, her expression soft and sincere. "Yes, much better. Thank you again, Auren."
He nodded, still flustered but relieved that the conversation had taken a more comfortable turn. "Good, good. I'm glad."
Before he could say anything else, he gave her one last glance. His heart fluttered again, but he quickly turned away, forcing himself to focus on something else. The connection between them, though unspoken, lingered in the air like a delicate thread, pulling him in a direction he wasn't sure he was ready for.
Auren stood outside the cottage, his eyes scanning the horizon, considering the day's tasks. As he turned to head back inside, he noticed Eirlys sitting near the door, her face a bit tired from the previous day's events. She was tracing patterns in the dirt with her finger, lost in thought.
"Eirlys," Auren called, his voice carrying a hint of excitement.
She looked up, her expression brightening at the sound of his voice. "Yes, Auren?"
He smiled and raised his hand, closing his eyes for a moment in concentration. A soft glow began to form, swirling around his fingertips. The air grew colder, and a tiny flurry of snowflakes danced in the breeze. With a sudden burst of light, a small snow fox materialized before them, its fur shimmering like the first snow of winter. Its pale blue eyes blinked up at them, and it moved gracefully, leaving a faint trail of snow behind it.
Eirlys gasped softly, her eyes wide in awe. "A fox... but it's so beautiful!"
Auren chuckled, the warmth in his voice unmistakable. "Her name is Flake. I summoned her to help you. I thought... maybe she could help with your training for the academy."
Flake's icy eyes locked onto Eirlys, and the fox's tail wagged gently, sending little snowflakes spiraling around. She padded closer to Eirlys and nuzzled her hand affectionately.
"Flake," Auren continued, "is a little companion. She can help you move quietly with her Froststep, and when you're in danger, she can create an Ice Shield to protect you. And her Blizzard Rush can blind and freeze enemies for a short time."
Eirlys crouched down, reaching out to gently pet the fox. "She's... amazing. Thank you so much, Auren. I... I don't know how to thank you."
Auren shrugged, his usual modest demeanor coming into play. "No need to thank me. If she can help you at all, then that's enough."
Eirlys smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. "This... this could really help me get into the academy." She paused, looking at the tiny snow fox and then back at Auren. "I never thought I'd have a companion like this. She's so... special."
Auren nodded, his eyes softening slightly. "She's special, just like you." He immediately regretted his words, his face flushing slightly as he averted his gaze.
Eirlys blinked, a curious smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "What was that?"
Auren cleared his throat and tried to change the subject quickly. "Nothing, nothing! It's just... Flake will make sure you're not alone in your journey, that's all."
Eirlys stood, the fox following her every move as if she were its entire world. "Well, I'll make sure to take good care of her. And... I'll do my best to make it to the academy."
Auren gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you'll get there. Just keep pushing forward."
For a moment, there was a quiet understanding between them, a shared goal. Auren gave one last look at the fox and Eirlys, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Let's get some rest before we move on to the next step of your journey," he said.
Eirlys smiled back. "I'll be ready. Thanks again, Auren... really."