The meal before Kael was now nothing but a distant memory. His stomach churned with frustration, a dull ache that had little to do with hunger. Jorran's words kept echoing in his mind, each one a hammer blow to his carefully crafted hopes. How could his stepfather be so thoughtless? So selfish? Did he really think Kael would willingly throw away his dreams for a few Bronze coins? Did he care about anything other than the money?
Virelle noticed his lack of appetite and sat down beside him, her voice gentle and concerned. "Kael, please, try to eat something. I know this is hard, but you can't let it eat at you."
Kael barely looked at her, his fingers pushing the food around on his plate as if he could distract himself from the gnawing frustration inside him. He could hear her soft voice, but it felt distant. He was consumed with the injustice of it all. This wasn't just about him being forced into the army; it was about his future.
"I'll talk to Jorran," Virelle continued, her voice shaky, but filled with determination. "I promise. I'll try to change his mind. You don't have to do this, Kael. We'll figure something out."
Kael didn't answer, the words suffocating in his chest. He wanted to believe her, but a part of him—his heart, his very core—felt that there was little hope left. Jorran's mind was made up. No amount of pleading would change that.
The rest of the day passed in a blur, a haze of emotions that Kael couldn't quite sort out. The evening arrived, and he found himself in his room, staring at the ceiling. His thoughts were heavy, his mind swirling with doubts and anger. He had tried to rest, but sleep eluded him.
The sounds of raised voices broke through the stillness of the night. He knew it was coming—the argument. Jorran's voice was loud and harsh, and Virelle's softer, pleading tones only fueled the tension. Kael pressed his hands over his ears, but the words broke through anyway.
"You think I care about your soft little dreams?" Jorran spat. "He's a man now, Virelle. It's time to stop coddling him and make him face reality."
Virelle's voice cracked. "I'm not coddling him. I'm trying to protect him!"
The argument continued, a storm of bitter words and frustration. Kael clenched his fists, the anger inside him boiling over. This wasn't the first time Jorran had been unreasonable, but it felt different this time. This wasn't just about some trivial matter—it was about his future.
Then, as the argument escalated, the unmistakable sound of Virelle's sobs reached Kael's ears. His heart twisted in his chest. He hated this. He hated seeing his stepmother in pain, knowing there was little he could do.
Finally, there were the heavy, angry footsteps of Jorran as he stormed out of the house. The door slammed shut, the finality of the sound echoing in the silence that followed. Kael lay there for a moment, his chest rising and falling with the weight of the emotions in the air.
Without another thought, he stood up, the cold wooden floor creaking beneath his weight as he walked quietly toward the outer room. There, he found Virelle, hunched over with her face buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking with the force of her sobs.
For a moment, Kael just stood there, watching her, his heart heavy with a mix of anger and guilt. Then, he moved towards her, kneeling beside her and placing a hand on her trembling shoulder.
"Virelle," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion.
She looked up, her eyes red and puffy, a small, tired smile flickering on her face. "Kael… I'm sorry. I didn't want you to hear all that. I just… I just want you to be safe."
Kael's chest tightened. He hated seeing her like this. It wasn't fair. None of it was. She had always been kind to him, always done her best to protect him, even if her protection was sometimes misguided.
"It's not your fault," Kael said quietly. He wanted to say more, but the words didn't come. He just hugged her instead, holding her tightly for a long moment, allowing the weight of their shared pain to settle between them.
Eventually, Virelle stopped sobbing, her breath evening out as she slowly pulled away from the embrace. She wiped her eyes, forcing a weak smile. "I'm sorry, Kael. You should go to bed. You need rest. I'll be fine."
Kael hesitated but nodded. He gave her one last look, the guilt weighing heavily on his chest, before retreating to his own room, where the night stretched out before him like an endless road filled with uncertainties.
---
The next day dawned with an awkward quietness that seemed to hang in the air. Kael was sitting by the window when he heard a light knock on the door.
"Saria?" Kael called, surprised to see her standing in the doorway with an excited grin plastered on her face.
"Saria! What are you doing here?" Kael asked, his voice filled with genuine surprise.
Saria's eyes sparkled as she bounced on her heels. "I have some incredible news! I got accepted into the magic academy! Can you believe it?"
Kael's eyes widened in shock. The magic academy? But... the recruitment wasn't for another few days. How could she possibly have been accepted already?
"You… you're in?" Kael stammered, still processing the information. "But the recruitment campaign… it hasn't even happened yet."
Saria's grin grew wider, and she leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Well, that's because the recruitment campaign is actually divided into two platforms," she explained, her cheeks tinged pink with a bit of shyness. "The first platform is for those who can pay their way in. If you have enough coins, you just… pay, and you're in. No tests. No questions asked."
Kael's jaw dropped. "What? You mean they just let you in if you have money?" His eyes narrowed with disbelief.
Saria nodded eagerly, her smile infectious. "Exactly! But there's a second platform for those who don't have money. They have to undergo testing. Their talents and spirit root will be tested to see if they have what it takes. But I passed! I'm going to be trained as a mage!"