Summer, 600 years before.
"Irina, why are you following me again?" Her father looked at her amused by the way she stood close to him. "If you are so afraid, why don't you just stay at home. It's not even dark." He earned a glare from his daughter that's made him chuckle.
"I am not afraid, papa. I'm just worry about you. By the time you light all the streetlamps, it would already dark and you don't have someone to talk to on your way home". Irina watched the sun ray among the buildings. How could the sun set be so beautiful, Irina thought to herself.
A light chuckle escaped from her father. "Of course, you are" He said. He then stretched his hand to her.
She took his hand as they walked to the next streetlamp. "I'm being serious here, papa. Why are you laughing at me?" She said pretend to be serious.
He gave her a confuse look and then smiled "I'm happy that my daughter is worry for me. I don't know what would I do after you married." He offered her an understanding smile. A smile that reached his eyes, knowing that his daughter had fully grown and would attract attention many of men.
Irina's eyes widened hearing what her father just said, blush slowly creeping from her lower ears. "What are you talking about, papa? I'm not going to marry anyone." She felt embarrass and scare everytime her father brought up the topic. She didn't want to marry and left her father alone. That's why she never smiled or excited whenever a man or a young man of her age tried to talk to her, her answer was always curt and leave no room for conversation.
Roman walked to the streetlamp, half dragging his daughter's hand and completely ignoring her talk back. Since he came to this town years ago. A year later he got a job from the local council to light up all the streetlamps in the town, enough to provide living for he and his daughter. He just wanted to live humble and simple with his daughter here, and also safe to raise her.
They had been walking for more than an hour, Roman lighted up the lamp accompanied by Irina's cheerful chats. She talked about the book that she borrowed from the library and she told him if she was given a chance, she wanted to work in the library. She then told him to imagine on how she could read different book everyday freely if she worked there.
Her eyes were sparkling whenever she told him about her obsession with books. Watching her gave him her brilliant smile while she described her dream made Roman reminiscing when she came home crying and told him that she can't read anything, she said that her vision broken. He instantly knew what happen to her eyes. Looking at her grimly, though he knew she frustrated, he still scolded her. He gave her the "I told you not to read at night and look what happen now."
The knowledge of this time healers was not that sophisticated, and Roman knew this very well. Those healers were a witch, unfortunately they didn't have the passion to learn more about their own capability, so there was no way they can help Irina. Hence, Roman had to improvise to make the glasses himself.
"Mrs. Letty promised me she will let me borrow the new collection if there's any. So, I think I'll go tomorrow." He heard his daughter's cheerful voice.
"Sure, you can go. Let's head home, I'm done." He smilingly said. "What do want to eat? Maybe we can stop by the Inn down the street."
"Are we celebrating something?" She asked excitedly.
"What?" He startled, then quickly added "Nooo.. can't I have a dinner date with my daughter?" He smiled.
His daughter laughed, and told him of course he can take her to dinner. Hearing her laugh happily warmed Roman's heart.
"Let's go then."