At that moment, rain began to fall in silence, thread by thread. Tenderly, it grazed the stone rooftop of the old church, trickled over the moss, and landed on the cobblestone streets below.
The old man looked at Erik with a smile, speaking slowly, "Where did you get this necklace?"
A knot tightened in Erik's stomach, but he forced himself to remain calm, replying, "My mother gave it to me. She said it's a family heirloom."
A glint flashed in the old man's eyes. After a moment of pause, he spoke, "A family heirloom, is it? The design is quite unique, much like something I saw a long time ago, in a place far from here."
Erik couldn't help but feel his heartbeat quicken. He attempted to avert the old man's gaze, lightly laughing, "Really? What a coincidence. My mother did say that the design on the necklace was brought over by her grandmother from afar."
Upon hearing this, the old man chuckled, then asked, "Was your family involved in seafaring? I recall seeing this design on some old nautical charts."
Caught off guard, Erik had to think on his feet, "Seafaring? I'm not sure. My mother never mentioned anyone in our family being involved in seafaring. Though, everyone here has a connection with the sea. It could just be a coincidence."
The old man seemed satisfied. He nodded, took a lingering look at Erik, and then smiled, "Hmm, it could just be a coincidence. It's a beautiful necklace, much like you. Well then, I won't disturb you anymore. Have a pleasant day."
As Erik watched the old man walk away, the anxiety within him didn't diminish. He knew he needed to remain on guard. He watched the old man disappear into the rain, behind the arches of the church. His silhouette grew increasingly blurred in the mist, vanishing into the foggy town. A chill swept over Erik. He looked up at the autumn sky; raindrops fell on his face, cooling his anxiety. He took a deep breath and turned to go home, knowing he needed to stay vigilant as his secret might no longer be safe.