For as long as Urie could remember, he had waited patiently for this day. The day he would finally be able to wield magic. He would attend the city academy for a few years, and then, at last, he’d be able to help his father at the northern wall.

“Look! Isn’t that the third son of the wall commander?”

“A child who wasn’t blessed by a spirit... He hasn’t awakened his mana roots, has he?”

“Ah... It’s rare, but to think it would happen to a child from the Loeth House. What a shame…”

Parents who came to fetch their children didn’t make much of the one who hadn’t formed his mana roots, but the onlookers were baffled.

They began to gather around Urie, but their approach faltered as they saw someone heading his way. Hesitation swept through the crowd, and they stopped in their tracks.

“My dear little Urie, it’s alright. It’ll be alright,” his mother’s voice was soft, yet reassuring as she wrapped him in her arms, trying to comfort him. Urie couldn’t find the strength to respond, his heart weighed down by his disappointment.

“Urie, how about we go home now? We’ll figure things out when your brothers return,” his mother suggested, her voice trembling with unshed tears.

“Older brothers?” Urie mumbled, lost in thought. Ah… Yes. My eldest brother always knows what to do. He’ll have an idea.

In Urie’s eyes, his oldest brother was the one with all the answers. Or at least, out of everyone he knew, he was the closest thing to a solution. Though, deep down, Urie knew that even his brother might not be able to do anything. But it was the smallest glimmer of hope, and he clung to it, needing something—anything—to give him courage.

However, that fragile hope shattered when a travel-worn young man appeared. Strapped with a shoulder bag, wearing an eight-panel cap, and sporting leather shoes that had seen better days, he had come from the northern wall.

“Oh! Mistress, I was on my way to your household to deliver news—” he began, but upon seeing the somber scene, he faltered, sensing his presence was unwelcome.

The messenger hesitated before offering, “Would you like me to come by the residence another time?”

Rivelle, understanding the messenger’s position and seeing his tired state, gestured for him to speak. “No need to wait. Go ahead.”

“I’ve come with a letter from the wall commander,” the messenger continued, “and a message for the mistress.”

“A letter from Gideon…!?” Rivelle murmured, her voice filled with a pang of regret.

Urie flinched at the mention of his father, the movement so subtle it almost went unnoticed. But Rivelle, ever attentive, caught it instantly. A letter from his father at this moment meant that his older brothers couldn’t come home.

They would have delivered the letter themselves if they could... Urie thought, his heart sinking.

The conversation that followed became a blur to Urie. His body felt heavy, and he leaned further into his mother's embrace. After a while, his mother gently tried to lift him, and the messenger had left.

“Mother…” Urie’s voice barely escaped him. “Can I stay here for a while?”

He had expected his mother to refuse, but to his surprise, Rivelle’s arms loosened, and she gently caressed his cheek. “Dear, mother has to go back. But you can stay out. Just be home before it gets dark, alright?”

“A-Alright, mother,” Urie replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Rivelle, accompanied by Ersha, left, instructing Patty to watch over Urie. Wanting some time alone, Urie was relieved when Patty settled quietly on a bench some distance away.

Urie wandered over to the fountain, kneeling in his usual spot. He rested his left arm on the edge of the basin and propped his chin on his sleeve, gazing listlessly at the stone statue that released a steady stream of water from its mouth.

It was a fierce-looking beast with wings—a figure he had often admired in the past. But now, it couldn’t stir even the smallest hint of wonder. All he felt was emptiness, his heart heavy with dejection.

The sound of the water flowing from the beast’s mouth blended with the passage of time. Urie couldn’t tell how long he had been there. Just moments ago, people had still been milling about, but now, only he remained, save for Patty, who had dozed off on the bench.

It’s getting dark. I don’t want to go home…

His fingers trailed along the water’s surface, distorting the reflection of the sky, which had turned a mix of orange and red. The ripples he created traveled across the water, their gentle motion bouncing off a small, gentle blue spot. As his heartache resonated with the ripple, a smaller wave returned.

But it wasn’t just a ripple—it felt more like a sigh. The empathy of a gentle spirit, watching over Urie since the day before, or perhaps much longer. The greater spirit, Undine.

Watching Urie’s desolate form, Undine caused another ripple, this time one of surprise. The water in the fountain shifted, no longer reflecting the fading sunset. Instead, it mirrored a blanket of darkness, as night began to take hold. Urie’s eyes widened in confusion.

What’s happening? Why has the water turned dark?

The sky hadn’t yet matched the water’s shade. He looked around, searching for any explanation. Nothing had changed, except for the street lamps flickering to life. Patty still slept, curled on the bench in an awkward position.

Urie’s gaze shifted to Erden’s Tower, then back to the statue of the winged beast. Following the stream of water back to the basin, his eyes fell upon something strange. A still figure, standing in the water. A reflection staring back at him.

“—Who!?” he gasped.

It wasn’t his.