These past few months have been peaceful.
I've become friendly with most of the neighbours and have been helping Aion-nim with the store by taking the work in the kitchen.
I used to stress bake a lot while completing my university, so I'm quite confident in my baking skills, and coffee is something most people know how to make.
The days have been quiet except for the occasional sleepovers Lyaeus did time to time.
Aerin has also been helpful in her own way. We did not allow her to work in the store, so she has to stick with setting up the tables.
She's grown much more comfortable with us now, even going as far as holding our hands on her own. The baby steps approach was definitely the right call, and I couldn't be prouder of her progress.
It's nearing the end of the twelfth month, now just a few days until the thirteenth month begins.
I finally finished reading the book, and honestly, it made me want to slap someone or maybe just myself, since I'm the one who wrote it.
After I finished reading the book, something unexpected happened, the cover began to change.
The plain design shifted, transforming into a vivid image of a black field dotted with vibrant purple flowers. A silver moon hung in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the scene.
I froze, too shocked to move as realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.
Isn't this… the latest novel I wrote and published? My precious child?
The title gleamed in beautiful silver font: [A Forgotten One].
The story followed Calix, the protagonist, who was a result of experiments, a being which is half-human, half-dragon. His mission? To confront and defeat the antagonist, Xion, a fearsome world leaper who left destruction in his wake.
Xion was a force of chaos, tearing through worlds without mercy. Wherever he stepped, ruin followed. And it was up to Calix, burdened by his origins yet driven by an unshakable resolve, to stop him.
Why is this here? How did it replace the earlier book?
The black field, the silver moon, the purple flowers, every detail felt alive, as if the novel had stepped out of the pages and into reality.
As I was reading, a particular sentence caught my eye.
[As Visage was chasing Xion, he hid in a town called Ebonvale.]
I froze, rereading the line over and over again, my chest tightening with dread.
Ebonvale.
Coincidentally, or rather horrifically, that was the name of the town I'd been living in for the past few months. And incidentally, its description quite matches what I've been seeing for the past few months.
... Don't tell me.
A sinking feeling spread through my stomach as the pieces clicked into place.
I wanted to scream, to smash my head against a wall, to undo whatever cosmic joke had brought me here.
I'd written two other novels, and honestly, either of them would've been infinitely better than this.
Why this novel? Of all the worlds I've written, why this one?
Sure, I was the one who wrote this, but the things I put into it, the torment I made the characters endure, it was too much. It was all for the sake of the plot, for the sake of character development.
But now, it was no longer just words on a page. It was real.
And if this world was going to follow the plotline I had so carefully crafted...
I don't even want to think about it.
First of all, I don't like him. Xion, I mean.
I made him into the ultimate edge lord, worse than anyone should ever be. Writing his lines used to make me cringe, but I did it anyway. It was necessary for the plot, or so I told myself. Still, if we're being honest, my favorite character is Calix. He's a hundred times better than any other character I've created.
Second of all, Xion is a walking danger magnet. I've died once already and have no desire to go through that experience again. My days might be numbered, but if I have to die, I'd rather have it be quick and painless, not dragged out in agonizing detail just to save someone who wouldn't even appreciate it.
Not that I care, of course. Xion's the antagonist for a reason. Everything will eventually work out for him, well, until it doesn't. Calix will take care of him in the end. That's how it's written. That's how it's supposed to go.
But if, by some horrifying twist of fate, I end up meeting him, I'm 99.9% sure I wouldn't survive. He'd probably threaten every scrap of information out of me, then finish me off without a second thought.
Not a scenario I'm interested in.
After reading a few chapters, I discovered something strange, the rest of the pages were completely blank. Occasionally, black swirls appeared on the empty pages, only to fade moments later. It made no sense, but I wasn't sticking around to find out why.
I smiled and checked my pocket watch.
Yeah, I'm not stepping outside this house. Not even for a second.
If I remember correctly, Visage will capture him and take him back to the base. Nothing will happen to this town and the people and I'll be able to live freely after that.
I will continue to remain inside until I can confirm that he is out of this world for good.
Not even forty minutes after having decided that, I found myself standing in front of the slum areas of Ebonvale.
… Is my luck really that bad?
Aion-nim had called me downstairs after I was finished with my stay-at-home plan. He was staring at the ceiling with a stressed look on his face.
"Lou, I need you to do something on my behalf."
And that's how I ended up leaving the house with a map in hand.
Apparently, Aion-nim was supposed to receive two deliveries today, but one of them got sent to a different location because of a mix-up. From the way he described it, the misplaced item was something extremely valuable and nearly impossible to replace.
He asked me to retrieve it because he couldn't leave the store. He needed to be there for the second item's delivery, otherwise, it would be returned immediately.
I agreed, of course. I'm not shameless enough to refuse the one person who has been nothing but kind to me. But as I stood there, staring at the rundown streets ahead, I couldn't shake the growing unease in my chest.
Please don't let this be where Xion is hiding.
I could feel eyes on me as I walked, following the map Aion-nim had prepared. Each step seemed heavier, weighed down by the eerie silence surrounding me.
Rubble littered the ground, and most houses showed various stages of deterioration, cracked walls, broken windows, and sagging roofs. The place reeked of abandonment, but there was a quiet menace lingering in the air.
I'm an amazing author to have written an atmosphere as beautifully creepy as this, I am nothing but proud of my skills.
But at the same time, I was scared out of my mind.
The feeling of being watched intensified, but I forced myself to ignore it, focusing on the path ahead. It wasn't completely dark yet, but the sun was sinking lower with every passing moment, stretching shadows across the narrow streets.
I quickened my pace, my heart pounding in time with my hurried steps. I didn't stop until I reached the shop Aion-nim had described.
[Divena's Pawn Shop]
The sign hung slightly crooked, the paint faded with time, but the building itself stood defiantly amidst the surrounding decay. It wasn't in the best condition, but it was still holding strong.
This was the place. The parcel was supposed to be here.
I opened the door and it made a squeaky sound.
The moment I stepped inside, my attention was drawn to the strange things on the walls. Various trinkets and oddities hung haphazardly, some gleaming faintly in the dim light, others shrouded in shadows.
"Hello?" I called out, my voice echoing slightly in the empty shop.
No response.
Is no one here?
"I've come to pick up the parcel belonging to Sir Aion, owner of the Tales of Time bookstore," I said, louder this time.
From behind the counter, I heard a faint yawn, followed by the sound of movement. A figure stood with their back to me, reaching for something on the wall.
"Come with me," a voice said, firm but soft.
It was a young girl, maybe a few years younger than my brother.
She didn't wait for a response, walking briskly toward a set of locked doors. I hesitated for a moment but followed her as she unlocked the heavy metal doors with a set of keys dangling from her belt.
Stepping through, I found myself surrounded by multiple vaults, each one looming imposingly in the dim light. The air was cool, almost unnaturally so, and the metallic scent of the room mingled with a faint trace of something I couldn't quite place.
"You look exactly how Master mentioned, so you probably know the vault and its code, right?"
I gave her a nod.
Her brown eyes looked me up and down once before she left the room. I could hear her muttering something as she closed the door behind her, but couldn't quite hear what she was saying.
I chose to ignore her and focus on the task at hand.
Sometimes ignorance will take you places you've never been before.
I searched for the 29th vault and used the code for it. The metal door opened without any trouble and I saw a little box the size of my palm sitting inside.
Is this it? I thought it would be something bigger. Well, smaller the box, easier it is to bring it back.
I took the parcel and stepped out of the room, glancing back briefly. The girl was leaning against the counter, her head drooping and eyelids fluttering as if on the verge of falling asleep.
Is she not scared of being robbed?
"I'll be leaving now," I said, unsure if she was even listening.
She lazily raised a hand, giving me a thumbs-up without looking up.
Shaking my head, I walked out of the shop, the door creaking shut behind me.
I need to get back soon.
I remembered the way back, so I had no use of the map. I kept looking around, my unease growing with every passing moment.
Earlier, I didn't see a single soul, so I thought that the people here only came out at night. But even now this is place is completely empty.
I know people live here. I could feel it, the weight of unseen eyes following me since the moment I entered this area.
So why wasn't anyone coming out?
I am getting the chills.
I am never coming back here.
Determined to leave this unsettling place behind, I speed-walked the entire way back.
As I got closer to the main streets, the atmosphere shifted. The familiar sounds of the bustling plaza reached my ears, laughter, chatter, and the occasional melody of street performers. The contrast was so stark it almost felt like I'd entered another world.
When I reached the shop, I saw Aerin standing by the door, her small figure illuminated by the soft glow of a nearby lamp.
Her eyes lit up when she spotted me, and a wide smile spread across her face. Without hesitation, she ran toward me, wrapping her tiny arms around my legs in a tight hug.
A warm chuckle escaped me. She was shorter than most kids her age, which was probably why she could only reach my legs.
"Welcome back," she said softly, her voice filled with relief.
The day after I brought Aerin with me, Aion-nim called a doctor to see her.
Later, he informed me that the bone in her leg had been damaged, and that she was not to leave the bed for atleast a month and even after that she can't do anything taxing.
The news hit me like a punch to the gut. My chest tightened with guilt as his words sank in.
She's been walking around with a broken bone all this time… and I let her.
I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility for not noticing sooner. The image of her limping and trembling replayed in my mind, making my stomach churn.
I should've insisted she rest from the very beginning.
From that moment, I vowed to make sure Aerin had everything she needed. Whether it was meals, water, or anything to keep her entertained, I wouldn't let her strain herself again.
"Were you waiting for me?"
She nodded and grabbed my hand, pulling me behind her.
Though she still struggled to approach or touch others without hesitation, she had grown comfortable with me, Aion-nim, and occasionally even Lyaeus.
"You're back," Aion-nim said as we entered.
I handed him the box, and he patted me on the head.
"Did you have any trouble on the way there?"
"No, I got there completely fine," I replied.
He sighed in relief as he opened the box, stepping slightly away from me. From where I stood, I couldn't see what was inside.
"Is this the correct item?" I asked, curiosity tugging at me.
"Yes," he said with a faint smile. "You did well. Thank you."
His hand found its way to my head again, ruffling my hair lightly.
Not that I mind.
After the dinner was over, we went to our rooms. Aerin didn't want to leave my room, so Aion-nim added another bed next to mine. She was smiling that entire day.
Unfortunately for me, my back was aching the entire day, because I had to sleep on the floor without any mattress and only the blanket.
"Can you tell me that story again?" she asked as she climbed into her bed, her voice soft and hopeful.
It had started a few days ago. I'd been jotting down important points from [A Broken Heart],figured it might help if something unexpected happened.
She noticed me scribbling and tilted her head curiously. "What are you doing?"
"Uh… I'm thinking of writing a story," I replied quickly, trying not to sound suspicious. "Do you like stories?"
Her eyes lit up, sparkling with excitement as she nodded vigorously.
That look made my heart ache. I felt awful for lying, but what could I do? It's not like I could explain the truth to her.
"You like them, too?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder.
"Of course I do," I said, smiling. "I read a lot of stories growing up."
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she nodded eagerly. "Me too!"
"Do you want me to tell you one?"
Her face brightened even more, and she nodded again, her excitement almost contagious.
I hesitated for a moment, caught off guard. It had been a long time since anyone had shown interest in something I cared about, especially literature.
Her enthusiasm was a pleasant surprise, and I found myself nodding. "Alright. Which one do you want to hear?"
She beamed, and I realized just how much I wanted to keep that smile on her face.
And that's how each night I tell her a bedtime story.
Today, I'm retelling [Pandora's Jar].
Yes, it was a jar not a box.
During the few months I spent doing this, I found her taste in stories to be quite similar to my own. She loved action-fantasy tales with complicated plots and deeply flawed characters.
Lately, I'd been telling her mythology-inspired stories, and, as expected, she'd developed a strong dislike for Zeus.
Which is good.
No one likes him, he's a pig. No shouldn't disrespect the pigs.
Her favorite so far was [Pandora's Jar], and she passionately blamed Zeus for everything that happened in it. Sure, Pandora bore some of the blame for opening the box after being explicitly warned, but isn't that just human curiosity?
Our curiosity is both a curse and a blessing. Honestly, if I were in her place, I probably would've done the same thing. So let's not judge her too harshly.
Every morning, she would come up to me and start a debate on the previous night's story.
It had become a little tradition of ours.
Luckily, she never asked about the origins of any of the characters I've mentioned till now.
She assumed I came from a distant region with a unique literary style, a place she dreamed of visiting when she was older.
Her innocent belief warmed me, but it also reminded me of the weight of the truth I couldn't share.
After finishing the story that night, I tucked her in and lay down on my bed. Her soft breathing soon filled the room, and before long, sleep claimed us both.
The next day, everything seemed to be going smoothly.
Too smoothly, in fact.
Lyaeus came to visit and had brought two bottles of wine with him. Aion-nim scolded him because of that, as there were already multiple bottles stored in the kitchen.
I've got to know both of them for quite some time and personally, I think their personalities complement each other quite well.
Lyaeus is carefree, almost to a fault, and always seems to be in good spirits. Even when someone scolds him or says something rude, he just laughs it off like it's nothing.
Sure, he enjoys drinking probably a little too much, but he's never harmed anyone. His worst crime is telling bad jokes that make people groan. Owning a winery doesn't exactly help his habits, but thankfully, Ambrose is always there to stop him before things go too far.
Aion-nim, on the other hand, is much more cautious and reserved. He doesn't like expressing himself much, but when he does smile, it's the kind of smile that makes you want to capture it and frame it on the wall.
He has a deep love for his store and occasionally shares stories from the past, especially about Luca. Hearing him talk about the past makes me miss my family too.
My cookies seem to be one of his favorite things, but instead of just asking for some, he always sneaks a few when I'm not looking or when he thinks I'm not. I pretend not to notice, though the sight of him acting so subtly mischievous always makes me smile.
Grape didn't stay for long, as Ambrose had come to fetch him.
After that, I got busy with handling the customers and serving them their drinks and snacks. Time went by and it was the time to close the store.
As darkness settled outside, I was about to help with food preparation when Aion-nim's voice stopped me.
"Lou, can you come here for a moment?"
A dark premonition hit me all at once.