As they drew closer to the estate, the true scale of the place finally revealed itself.
From a distance, it had seemed enormous—an imposing silhouette standing against the sky—but now, as Elifero and Olian approached, the details became clearer.
The estate was broad and commanding rather than absurdly massive. Its walls were high, its entrance wide, and the grounds surrounding it were carefully maintained. Everything about the place suggested importance.
Elifero slowed.
A large gathering had formed in front of the main entrance.
People stood in two orderly rows, all facing a towering statue positioned at the center of the courtyard.
The statue was tall and imposing, though not monstrous. It did not inspire fear so much as attention. Its presence alone seemed enough to demand silence from those gathered around it.
Elifero stared.
The people surrounding it wore traditional clothing unlike anything he had seen since waking in the village.
Their garments were layered in vibrant fabrics, decorated with intricate floral patterns. Beads and polished stone necklaces rested against their chests, while colorful ornaments were tied around their waists.
Each person held something in their hands.
One by one, they stepped forward.
Some carried flowers.
Others held small wrapped objects.
A few carried what looked like food or handmade ornaments.
Each offering was placed or cast near the base of the statue before the person quietly returned to the line.
Elifero frowned.
What are they doing?
He tried to focus on the statue itself, but something about the entire scene felt strangely distant.
The colors blurred together.
People of all ages moved slowly in orderly lines while the shadow of the statue stretched across the courtyard.
It almost felt like he was watching something through fog.
He blinked several times.
Before he could ask Olian what was happening, he noticed her change direction.
"Wait."
Olian had already stepped away from the main road.
Elifero looked toward the estate.
Then back at her.
She was heading toward a narrow passage that curved along the side of the building.
"Hey."
He hurried after her.
"Why are we changing routes?"
Olian didn't slow down.
"The estate is right there, isn't it?"
"Just keep quiet."
She continued walking.
"And follow me."
Elifero stared at her back.
"That's not really an answer."
Olian ignored him.
He hesitated for a moment before sighing and following.
The passage was narrow enough that two people would struggle to walk comfortably side by side.
Tall walls bordered both sides, shielding the path from the view of those gathered at the front.
It was easy to understand why Elifero hadn't noticed it before.
Unless someone already knew the route existed, they could easily walk past without realizing there was another way into the estate.
After several minutes, the passage opened into a smaller courtyard behind the building.
A heavy wooden door stood ahead.
Two guards were positioned beside it.
Both carried long spears.
The moment they noticed movement, their posture changed.
One stepped forward.
"No unauthorized personnel are permitted through this entrance."
His voice was sharp enough to stop Elifero immediately.
Olian kept walking.
"It's just me."
The guards froze.
Recognition crossed their faces almost instantly.
Both lowered themselves onto one knee.
"Our deepest apologies, Young Miss Olian."
Elifero blinked.
Young Miss?
One of the guards bowed his head.
"We were informed of your arrival, but we did not expect you to use the rear entrance instead of the front."
Olian stopped in front of them.
"It's fine."
Elifero looked from Olian to the kneeling guards.
Then back to Olian.
"You know these people?"
Olian gave him a sideways glance.
"You could say that."
Elifero's curiosity immediately grew.
Before he could ask anything else, Olian addressed the guards.
"Considering what is happening at the front entrance, I decided not to use it."
Her expression tightened slightly.
"I find it uncomfortable."
The guards nodded as though they understood exactly what she meant.
They stood and moved toward the door.
Then one of them noticed Elifero.
His hand tightened around the spear.
"Stop."
Elifero froze.
The second guard stepped forward.
"State your business here."
Elifero opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
"Or leave."
The guard's expression hardened.
"You have three seconds before we remove you by force."
Elifero's heart slammed against his chest.
Three seconds?
His breathing immediately became shallow.
He didn't know what to say.
He didn't even fully understand why he was here.
"I—"
"He's my guest."
Olian's voice cut through the tension.
Both guards looked toward her.
"Treat him as you would treat me."
The change was immediate.
Their expressions softened.
Their spears lowered.
Without another word, they stepped aside.
Elifero remained still for a moment.
Then slowly exhaled.
His heartbeat began to settle.
Olian looked toward him.
"Come on."
Elifero followed quickly.
The moment he stepped inside, he realized the estate felt completely different from the outside.
It wasn't as vast as he'd imagined.
Instead, it felt refined.
Quiet.
Old.
The walls were decorated with paintings, most of them portraits of women dressed in elaborate ceremonial clothing.
Some looked young.
Others looked ancient.
Along the corridors stood relics protected behind carved frames and glass cases.
Metal objects.
Jewelry.
Decorated staffs.
Small statues.
Things Elifero couldn't identify.
Everything looked as though it had been preserved for generations.
He found himself slowing down.
His eyes wandered across every wall.
Every painting.
Every object.
"Are you coming?"
Olian's voice pulled him back.
Elifero hurried after her.
"Sorry."
She shook her head.
They continued deeper into the estate until they reached a large wooden door.
Unlike the others, this one was decorated with carved patterns.
Olian stopped.
"This is the Chief's chamber."
Elifero looked at the door.
Then at her.
"Okay."
"Wait here."
Elifero frowned.
"Why?"
"I need to speak with her alone."
Olian placed one hand on the door.
"It won't take long."
Elifero stared at her.
"You said that very confidently."
She ignored him and entered.
The door closed.
Elifero sighed.
An hour passed.
Elifero sat against the wall beside the door.
His arms were folded.
His head rested against the wood behind him.
"It won't take long," he muttered.
He closed his eyes.
"Right."
Another few minutes passed.
Then another.
Eventually, boredom won.
His eyelids grew heavier.
And before he realized it—
Elifero fell asleep.
Inside the chamber, Olian sat across from the Chief.
Their conversation eventually came to an end.
The Chief gave a small nod.
"You may let him in."
Olian looked toward her.
"The boy?"
"Yes."
The Chief smiled faintly.
"I would like to meet him personally."
Olian stood.
"Alright."
She walked toward the door.
When she opened it—
Elifero was asleep.
His back rested against the wall, his head leaning awkwardly against one knee.
Olian stared at him.
"...Seriously?"
She nudged his shoulder.
Nothing.
She nudged him harder.
"Wake up."
Elifero's eyes slowly opened.
"Huh...?"
He lifted his head.
"Is it time to go?"
A yawn escaped him.
He stretched his arms.
Instead of answering, Olian grabbed his wrist.
"Come inside."
Elifero blinked.
"What?"
"The Chief wants to see you."
Any remaining sleep disappeared immediately.
"What?"
Olian pulled him to his feet.
"Come on."
Elifero stepped into the chamber.
And saw the Chief for the first time.
She was old.
Very old.
So old that Elifero couldn't immediately tell whether she was approaching a hundred years of age—or had already passed it.
She was short and thin, her body appearing almost fragile beneath her clothing.
Wrinkles covered her face.
Her hands looked delicate.
Her skin was dry and aged.
For a strange moment, Elifero thought that if she stood too quickly, she might simply collapse.
She's the Chief?
That thought barely finished before something else reached him.
Pressure.
Elifero stopped.
His chest tightened.
The room suddenly felt heavier.
Not physically.
Not exactly.
But something invisible pressed against him.
His body stiffened.
His feet refused to move.
The Chief hadn't said anything.
She hadn't even moved.
Yet Elifero's instincts screamed at him.
Careful.
His skin prickled.
A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face.
Why do I feel like this?
He glanced toward Olian.
She stood calmly near him.
Completely unaffected.
Elifero stared.
How is she standing there like nothing's wrong?
His breathing became slightly uneven.
His muscles remained tense.
He felt almost disconnected from his own body, as though his mind had retreated somewhere deeper inside himself while instinct controlled everything else.
Am I going crazy?
The Chief watched him quietly.
Elifero forced a small smile.
It wasn't because he found anything funny.
He simply didn't know how else to react.
The atmosphere felt unbearable.
Olian noticed his strange expression.
She tilted her head slightly.
To her, his nervousness made sense.
Anyone meeting the Chief for the first time would probably feel intimidated.
She didn't realize Elifero was experiencing something else entirely.
Then the old woman spoke.
"Come closer, my child."
Her voice was gentle.
Warm.
"There is nothing to fear."
The words cut through Elifero's spiraling thoughts.
He blinked.
Then swallowed.
"...Okay."
He stepped forward.
Slowly.
One step.
Then another.
He stopped roughly a meter away from her.
His instincts told him that was close enough.
The Chief noticed.
A quiet laugh escaped her.
"Just as Olian said."
Elifero looked confused.
"You are cautious around people."
Her laughter was light.
Harmless.
Somehow, the pressure in the room seemed to lessen.
Elifero relaxed slightly.
Then the Chief extended one hand.
"Let me see your left hand."
"My hand?"
"Yes."
Elifero hesitated.
Then raised it.
Only then did he notice the cut across his palm.
A thin scar stretched across the skin.
The blood had mostly dried, though traces of red still remained.
"Oh."
Elifero stared at it.
He had completely forgotten.
Earlier, while squeezing through the narrow passage behind the estate, he had lost his balance and scraped his hand against the corner of a wooden crate.
At the time, he'd barely noticed.
The Chief reached toward him.
"I will take care of that."
Elifero looked at Olian.
She didn't react.
So, reluctantly, he allowed the Chief to take his hand.
Her fingers were warm.
At first, Elifero assumed it was simply body heat.
Then the warmth grew.
His eyebrows lowered.
"What—"
A faint light appeared beneath her fingers.
Elifero froze.
Golden-yellow particles drifted into the air.
Tiny at first.
Then more.
They floated around his palm like glowing dust caught in sunlight.
The room slowly brightened.
Elifero's mouth fell open.
The wound began changing.
He stared.
The dried blood along his palm moved.
Not dripping.
Not spreading.
Moving backward.
As though time itself had reversed.
The torn skin pulled together.
The cut disappeared.
The last trace of red faded.
Then—
Nothing.
No wound.
No scar.
No pain.
Elifero stared at his hand.
He turned it over.
Then back again.
Nothing.
His breathing stopped for a moment.
"What...?"
He rubbed the spot where the injury had been.
Perfectly smooth.
His mind struggled to accept what his eyes had just witnessed.
There had been a wound.
He knew there had been.
Now it was gone.
Completely.
The Chief chuckled softly.
Elifero looked up.
"What did you just do to my hand?"
His voice trembled.
"The scar..."
He looked back at his palm.
"It's gone."
He pointed toward the air.
"And those yellow—"
He stopped.
"Golden things."
His eyes widened.
"What were they?"
No one answered immediately.
Elifero turned sharply toward Olian.
"Olian."
She looked at him.
"How are you not shocked by this?"
Elifero raised his hand.
"Tell me this isn't real."
Olian remained quiet.
To her, the problem wasn't whether it was real.
It was figuring out how to explain something so ordinary to her—and apparently completely impossible to him.
Finally, she spoke.
"Everything you just saw..."
Elifero waited.
"...is real."
His expression went blank.
Olian continued.
"This power has been passed down for generations."
Elifero looked toward the Chief.
"Only the women of this village can inherit it."
The golden particles had already disappeared.
But Elifero could still feel the warmth lingering in his palm.
Olian took a breath.
"It is called..."