"How are you handling everything so far?" asked Bryce to his wife.
Hannah let out a sigh. Despite what she just said to her daughter, she was clearly not feeling cheery by what just transpired.
"I'm trying the best I can to adapt. But I can't help feeling overwhelmed at times."
"You did pretty well by proposing to accommodate her goal."
The Leonardo family head chuckled.
"I was surprised myself that my mouth was able to say all those things. Maybe it just felt right to help her, even though my heart was plagued with worry."
Hannah sighed as she stared Evelyn's empty seat.
"And here I thought it would all comes to past once her curse was lifted."
Bryce nodded. His gaze was full with reminiscence.
"Indeed. Being able to perform a new healing spell and becoming proficient in ancient language, Evelyn hasn't been the same ever since she woke up."
"Even though it's been eight years and she has lost her memory, I'm still surprised by how much she changed. It's like our daughter is an entirely different person. I couldn't find our little girl anymore in this new Evelyn."
Hannah suddenly slapped herself in the face.
"Oh dear Einsof, what kind of mother am I? Thinking about my daughter as if she's a stranger."
"Don't blame yourself too much, my love. You've read what the Leonardo Oath said. Incomprehensible things are bound to happen to our family. And I'm sure our Evelyn understands it better than us."
Hannah nodded to her husband.
"But what makes me worry is that she's withholding many things from us. I'm concerned with how she'll fare in this solitary path she sets herself into. What will happen to her if she keeps doing things by herself?"
"Is that why you wanted to help her by giving the family grimoire?" asked Bryce.
"Yes. I'm sure the current Evelyn has her reasons to keep those secrets and I don't think we can do anything to make her reveal them unless she decides it herself." said Hannah. "And so, the only way we could be involved in her solitary path is by being fully supportive in everything she asked from us."
Bryce got off from his chair and walked to the window. He looked outside towards the training ground where Evelyn did her running session.
"After returning from the pilgrimage and discovering her curse has been lifted, our daughter immediately started exercising and eager to study the Leonardo Grimoire." said Bryce.
"She did say the Second Oath she pledged in the pilgrimage gave her a goal to put the new knowledge in the reformed Leonardo Grimoire to good use."
"What do you think it exactly means, my love? Putting the new knowledge to good use?" asked Bryce to his wife.
Bryce's face was filled with dread. He knew Evelyn's words needed to be taken seriously since just a portion of the new knowledge she was referring to could wipe out a whole horde of demons in a flash.
So what does it mean to put the entire knowledge of the Leonardo Grimoire to good use?
Hannah sighed. Her face was filled with the same kind of dread as well.
"I don't know, my love. But I don't think the both of us will ever be ready for what's coming."
Bryce went to his wife and held her hands. His gaze on her was both curious and serious.
"My darling, could this change on Evelyn had something to do with what we heard back then? Around right after our daughter was cursed."
Hannah quickly turned her gaze to her husband. She was surprised by what he said.
"You meant what that weird healer said to us?"
Bryce nodded.
"After everything that had happened ever since our daughter woke up from her curse, my mind was always brought to what he said to us." said Bryce. "Don't you think we should reach out to that healer and ask him about Evelyn?"
Hannah shook her head.
"No. Not yet. Let's just keep our eyes on our daughter for now. Evelyn did say she will reveal everything to us in due time."
"You're right. We should have faith in our daughter."
Hannah then let out a very long sigh. Her expression was dark and defeated.
"What's the matter?" asked Bryce.
"I was just thinking that if what that healer said about our daughter was true," Hannah looked to the window, toward the world outside. "then we'll never be ready to hear the secrets Evelyn is keeping from us."
Bryce held Hannah's hands even tighter to comfort them both.