That evening, the Brymbach Brothers returned home. Their mother was shocked when she heard the explosions in the city. Her relief is immense when she hears her children talking uninjured on the rough welcome mat in front of the door.

  Emmod and Novel have lived in poverty since birth in a sparsely populated, quiet neighborhood in the Whitepool District, along with their mother, who has raised her sons alone.

  For Emina, the quiet neighborhood is not a disadvantage at all. It means that soldiers are rarely around, which is convenient for her, as her sons have developed a special talent over the years for attracting the attention of soldiers.

  "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Emina asks anxiously as she checks her sons' arms and legs, briefly seeking eye contact.

  After she finishes her inspection, she breathes a sigh of relief.

  "I was so worried about you," she says, her voice choked with emotion.

  "Everything's fine, Mama," Emmod replies, slightly annoyed by the inspection.

  "Good thing I sent your uncle; otherwise, it could have ended badly," Emina responds, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.

  "You always think so negatively, Mama," Novel says.

  "Well," Emmod chimes in, "If Uncle Ko hadn't found you at the marketplace today, who knows what might have happened," he adds with a shrug.

  "Look who's talking," Novel retorts, "We nearly got killed because of you."

  "I had everything under control," Emmod defends himself.

  "The only one who seemed to have everything under control today was your uncle," Emina interjects.

  It is only now that they realize: "Wait, you sent him to us?"

  "Your uncle was here today. We heard the explosions, and he immediately set out to find you in the city."

  "Why was he here?" Emmod asks.

  "He wanted to talk to me."

  "About what?" Novel presses.

  "You can ask him that yourself," Emina replies, "You will spend the day with him the day after tomorrow."

  Emmod and Novel look forward to spending time with their uncle, but their mother is not finished with them yet.

  "Emmod, you go wash up first," she instructs him.

  "Mama, I need to show you something," Novel says, now completely thrilled.

  "I still have a bone to pick with you," Emina responds.

  Novel raises an eyebrow in surprise.

  "Where have you been this morning?!"

  His facial expression changes abruptly as he had left the house before dawn, unnoticed and without saying a word.

  Meanwhile, Emmod climbs the stairs with the white railing to the upper floor. A few steps further is the only bathroom in the house, a narrow room that barely accommodates two people. Here, Emmod washes up while Novel receives a thorough lecture from his mother. Behind the bathroom is the shared bedroom of the brothers, which they use exclusively for sleeping. These are the only rooms on the upper floor.

  Regardless of the season, when looking for Emmod and Novel, one is more likely to find them outside than inside. They are at an age where their energy overflows and their curiosity seems boundless, yet such a high level of activity would exhaust most people. Not so with them. They often leave the house at dawn and return only with the onset of dusk. They can maintain this routine for several weeks.

  For their mother, this is no longer extraordinary, but rather a typical day in the life of the Brymbachs. Although these days sometimes cause concern, she is happy that her sons are fully enjoying and living their youth.

  However, today was not an ordinary day, which amplifies her mother's displeasure with her youngest son. As punishment, Novel is sentenced to help with preparing dinner and then do the dishes, which initially seems mild to Novel.

  After Emmod washes up, he comes back down the stairs to the ground floor, which offers more space than the upper level. In front of the stairs stands a small table they bought a few years ago at a bargain on the marketplace. Next to the table is a dilapidated door leading to the basement. Across from it are two tall bookshelves. The right bookshelf is only half full, containing Emmod and Novel's schoolbooks, a few old children's books that Emina used to read to them before bed, and some knitting supplies. The left bookshelf, on the other hand, is so packed that not even a magnifying glass would find a free spot, filled with all the books their father read.

  To the left of the bookshelf stands a dark gray, comfortable armchair, and a worn sofa sits in front of a window facing the street, with an old rug in front of it. The sofa and armchair are primarily used by Emina so she can keep an eye on her sons' comings and goings. This is also where she peacefully indulges in her favorite hobby—knitting.

  She has successfully made woolen blankets and clothing for herself and her sons. Emmod and Novel wouldn't trade their woolen socks for any others in the world. Her knitting work is very popular in the neighborhood, and her reputation has spread quickly throughout the Whitepool District. She knits something suitable for everyone, regardless of gender, size, or stature, and earns her living from it.

  However, Emmod and Novel are not always on the same wavelength as their mother when it comes to her knitted garments.

  Emmod reaches for a history book titled The Four Crown War on the right bookshelf. He needs it for a school trip, as their history teacher, Mrs. Marger, informed them on the last school day. They don't know where they are going yet. Mrs. Marger promised to reveal the details a few days beforehand. They are to gather in exactly 27 days in the Park of Rilgohin, where all the information about the school trip will be provided.

  To avoid forgetting, Emmod places the book on the sofa.

  Next to the stairs is a hallway leading to Emina's bedroom, which has little more than a chest of drawers and a low bed.

  Emmod heads to the kitchen.

  In the kitchen, his mother and brother are busy preparing dinner at the narrow kitchen counter, in front of a small window that is slightly open and fogged up.

  On the opposite side of the room is a simple, small wooden table. Emmod sits on one of the wobbly chairs, pours himself a glass of water, and begins cracking the hazelnuts and walnuts he collected in the morning. Novel places the sliced watermelon on small wooden boards, which he arranges between the plates and cutlery on the table.

  He then sits down next to Emmod and gestures towards the forehead chain, but Emmod silently signals him not to tell their mother about it.

  With a nod, Novel silently agrees to the unspoken arrangement.

  Then he suddenly calls out, "Mama, look!" but Emmod almost throws himself at him to prevent him from speaking.

  Their mother turns around with a large, steaming pot in her hands.

  "Can you wait until we've eaten?"

  As if by magic, the brothers immediately forget their previous conversation when their mother places the pot in the middle of the table.

  Inside is Emmod and Novel's absolute favorite dish: a hearty vegetable stew with beans, lentils, and spelt.

  They wait patiently until Emina gives them the signal.

  "Dig in," she says, prompting them to quickly fill their plates and eat their portions. Before they take the second portion, they savour the watermelons, which their mother also finds particularly juicy.

  "Mr. Hershay has the best watermelons far and wide," Emina comments, "I'm always surprised that he doesn't set up a stand at the marketplace."

  "I think his exact words were... 'I refuse to give any of my earnings to the king,'" Emmod replies, taking another piece of watermelon, "In any case, he was quieter today than last week when he tried to chase us away with a trident."

  Emina laughs sympathetically, even though she was the one who ultimately had to cover the damage to Mr. Hershay's stand.

  "Did you see the royal family today?" Emina wonders, taking a sip of water.

  "Not really," Emmod responds, "Someone from us just bumped heads with the princess."

  Emina spurts a sip of water into her youngest son's face.

  "Correct," Emmod confirms, returning to his stew.

  For Novel and Emina, however, their appetite has temporarily vanished.

  "Why didn't you tell me about this!!?" she exclaims, her voice full of excitement.

  "I wanted to tell you twice already," Novel defends himself, wiping the water from his face. He suddenly places the forehead chain on the table.

  Emmod rolls his eyes in annoyance. Now he's lost his appetite as well.

  "Are you going to flaunt it to everyone now?" Emmod starts, "Uncle Ko said we should keep this to ourselves, and you show it to the first person you meet?"

  "Sorry, Emmod, that I'm not allowed to trust our mother," Novel retorts with a sarcastic tone.

  "That's not it," Emmod replies, "But you saw how tense Ko was. There must be a reason why he didn't want anyone to find out."

  "What is it?" Emina interrupts, looking visibly confused.

  "A silver forehead chain," Novel responds matter-of-factly.

  "No, no," Emina insists, "The symbol. What does it mean?"

  "Before you get upset, I just want to clarify that I have nothing to do with it," Emmod tries to justify himself.

  "I didn't even notice it at first," Novel adds dramatically, "That's the royal family's crest. The chain must be worth a small fortune. You could probably buy a house in the city with it."

  With every word Novel says, his excitement and Emina's concern grow.

  "Isn't this life enough for you?" Emina asks.

  "That's not what I meant," Novel replies, his enthusiasm dampened.

  "And you bumped into the princess??!" Emina continues stunned, "Did she say anything? Or anyone with her?"

  "It was an accident," Novel explains, "And no, she didn't say anything. There was no one with her either."

  "And how did you get the chain?" Emina probes.

  "It was on the ground after I bumped into her. I wouldn't have even touched it if I'd known it belonged to her," Novel answers.

  "So you stole the chain," Emina concludes, "And the princess saw you do it."

  "No, I don't think she did," Novel says dejectedly, "And I didn't steal it. I just found it."

  A brief silence fills the room as a thoughtful expression spreads across Emina's face.

  "You need to return it," she says firmly.

  "WHAT?!" Emmod and Novel exclaim in unison.

  "This will be an interesting conversation," Emmod adds, "Excuse me, Your Majesty. My brother accidentally knocked over your daughter, causing her forehead chain to fall to the ground. He picked it up, took it, and ran away. But after careful consideration, we decided to return it out of pure kindness."

  "It can't stay here," Emina insists.

  "I don't understand," Novel says, "We could get a lot of money for it. And now I'm back to being the fool."

  "Novel," Emina begins, "I'm not angry because I know it was well-intentioned. I'm just worried about who it belongs to," she explains, "Even though the king has been ruling for years, it's hard to make sense of him. We can't predict how he'll react to the loss. And the last thing I want is for the king to notice us or you, because..."

  "Does it have something to do with our special abilities?" Novel interrupts.

  Emmod looks at him in surprise, while Emina starts blinking rapidly.

  "Why do you think that?" she asks.

  "Today at the marketplace,..." Novel starts, "...the princess and I reached for the chain at the same time. Our fingertips touched. And there was this moment..."

  "What kind of moment?" Emina asks suspiciously.

  "It felt like I personally knew the princess, not just by name. And I believe she felt the same," he explains. "But I don't know why. I mean, I saw her for the first time today."

  Novel has expressed himself as best as he can, hoping to be understood, until he sees the stony faces of his brother and mother.

  "I have no idea," Emina quickly says, trying to push the thought aside. Emmod can't make sense of it either.

  "I want you to give the chain to your uncle when you see him the day after tomorrow," she continues. "It was well-intentioned, and I appreciate that, but it's not about the money. What fulfills me in life is knowing that you are safe. It always has been, and it always will be. Everything else is secondary to me. But with this forehead chain, I have a bad feeling, as if it carries an evil curse. A curse that harms anyone who possesses it."

  "Are you trying to scare us?" Novel asks.

  "No," Emina replies, "But since it's been around, you bumped into the princess and got splashed with water. So it seems my gut feeling isn't entirely wrong."

  She then wipes her mouth.

  "Emmod, you're in charge of the dishes tonight," she says.

  "Why me!?" Emmod protests, so upset that he almost knocks the table over.

  "Because you should have taken better care of your brother," Emina replies firmly.

  Novel tries to suppress his laughter, but Emina hasn't forgotten him.

  "Novel, as punishment, you'll be in charge of the dishes every morning and evening for the next few weeks."

  Novel's chin nearly hits the table in surprise.

  This temporarily boosts Emmod's mood.

  Nevertheless, he spends the rest of the time silently with his mother downstairs, while Novel washes upstairs.

  After Emmod finishes the dishes, he just wants to go to the bedroom.

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  At that moment, Emina is sitting in the armchair, working on a new piece of clothing.

  Emmod tries to walk past her without drawing attention.

  "Don't forget this," his mother says.

  'What now?' Emmod thinks, annoyed, and turns around. His mother is pointing to the history book he had left on the sofa.

  "Novel said that Mrs. Marger asked you to memorize passages from the book," she explains. "Which section are you currently on?"

  Emmod snorts.

  "About the conquest of our land and the aftermath of the war," he replies.

  Emmod is not in the mood for a sensible, factual conversation with his mother. He quickly grabs the book and heads for the stairs.

  "Your brother is right," Emina says suddenly, causing Emmod to stop.

  "I've been worried about you since your birth because of your abilities," she continues. "That's why it's so important for me that you look after your brother, protect him from dangers, and steer clear of problems. You carry not only the responsibility of being the older brother but also the burden that your abilities bring. I'm truly sorry," she says. "One day I will tell you the reason... but until then, you have to trust me."

  Emmod pauses for a moment to process what she has said.

  He has never understood why their extraordinary abilities—his quick reflexes and Novel's ability to see in the dark—must remain a secret.

  In trying to formulate a question, he decides instead to leave the topic for now.

  'Sooner or later, we'll find out,' he thinks.

  "Good night," he finally says, without addressing it further, and retreats upstairs.

  The night is dark, with dense clouds rolling across the sky. Emmod and Novel are already in their beds.

  "Every time I have to clean up your messes," Emmod murmurs to himself.

  Novel does not respond to Emmod's attempt to provoke an argument. Instead, he employs reverse psychology by remaining silent, mimicking Emmod's behavior from earlier in the evening when Emmod had punished Novel with silence even after he had apologized.

  "This just isn't fair," Emmod continues to complain.

  He then opens the window halfway, letting warm evening air flow into their room. A fly is blown into the room by the wind, which Emmod, even half-asleep, easily catches in mid-air and crushes between his fingers.

  He looks out into the darkness. If the moonlight were to break through the clouds, he might see a thick branch, part of an even larger tree, right outside their window. Emmod knows the branch is there; he has often used it to sneak out of the house at night and climb back up before dawn. Novel can claim similar experiences. But unlike his brother or ordinary people, he has the gift of seeing in the dark.

  Emmod now watches his brother for a moment.

  "I know you're still awake," Emmod says quietly. "Your uneven breathing gives you away."

  Quickly, Novel adjusts his breathing so that Emmod is left with no doubt that his brother is still awake.

  Emmod is neither angry with his mother nor with his brother. He will always be there for them. But he believes Novel has reached an age where he must take responsibility for the problems he causes himself. Emmod has been doing this for as long as he can remember. Furthermore, Novel will never learn from his mistakes and is likely to keep making the same ones if Emmod always bears the consequences of his actions.

  Emmod lies down again.

  "Ginrin and his brothers are not a good influence on you, you know," Emmod warns.

  "Because they come from the Shinemore District?" Novel asks, puzzled.

  "Because they are petty criminals," Emmod replies clearly. "Maybe that's why you took the princess's forehead chain."

  "That has nothing to do with it!" Novel retorts angrily. "And I didn't steal it," Novel hisses back.

  "Doesn't change the fact that they come from a family of criminals," Emmod insists.

  "The whole thing happened more by chance than anything else. I was on my way to the Royal District when they intercepted me. They asked if I wanted to play a game, and the rest is history."

  At this point, Emmod drops the subject.

  "How did you anyway get into the park today without being seen?" he asks, now noticeably calmer.

  "We jumped from a roof to one of the nearby trees before sunrise," Novel explains. "We hid there until the soldiers had checked the park. Once they assumed everything was safe, they stopped paying attention to what was happening in the park and focused only on the entrances," he elaborates. "All the better, because that allowed us to play our game in peace."

  Meanwhile, Emmod can tell from Novel's voice that he is on the verge of falling asleep. He too is exhausted from the events of the day, even if he is reluctant to admit it.

  Novel falls asleep first, and shortly after, Emmod follows him into dreamland.

  However, in the night, Novel is jolted awake by a noise. He opens his eyes and looks over at his brother, who continues to sleep soundly despite the noise.

  No wonder. The sounds are coming from Emmod himself, who snores so loudly it's as if he's trying to scare away wild animals.

  Novel wonders how their mother, who sleeps downstairs, hasn't woken up yet because of the noise.

  He tries to wake Emmod by calling out to him – unsuccessfully.

  Finally, he grabs a shoe lying next to his bed and throws it at Emmod before quickly lying back down motionless.

  With one eye open, he can clearly see Emmod in the dark room.

  Emmod shifts briefly, makes some smacking noises, and then turns away from Novel.

  'Got it!' Novel thinks to himself with relief and closes his eyes.

  But the peace doesn't last long. As soon as he closes his eyes, Emmod's defensive instinct kicks in again.

  "This can't be happening," murmurs Novel in frustration.

  "Shut up!" he suddenly hears.

  Confused, Novel realizes that Emmod seems to have spoken. But when he turns to him, Emmod continues to sleep as if nothing had happened.

  "Emmod?" Novel asks gently, but receives no response, only more loud snoring.

  'It was probably just my imagination,' Novel thinks, 'That's how he'd respond if he were awake.'

  But to be sure: "Are you awake?" he asks.

  "No, but he will be, if the snoring doesn't stop."

  Novel jumps out of bed.

  This time, he is certain that it wasn't his brother who spoke.

  Rubbing his eyes, confused and unsure of what to make of it, he searches under the beds, in the closets, every corner, takes a peek into the hallway, and even looks out the window, but there's no one to be seen anywhere.

  Is he imagining all this?

  'It must have come from outside,' he thinks and closes the window again.

  "Man, Novel, I'm trying to sleep," Emmod grumbles now, pulling his blanket tighter around himself.

  "Oh, you too?" Novel replies, surprised at how quickly his brother has fallen back asleep.

  He notices hazelnuts on his bed that Emmod must have eaten before going to sleep.

  'At least he stopped snoring,' Novel thinks, lying back down and closing his eyes. But he soon opens them again, disturbed as he realizes who has really been speaking.

  For on Emmod's bed, he sees a creature with a long, bushy tail, happily feasting on the leftover hazelnuts. The toes oddly remind him of his brother's fingers.

  While munching, the creature murmurs to itself.

  "Mmm, delicious. These are good, mmm."

  Was the day so overwhelming that Novel is losing his mind?

  'This must be a dream,' he hopes, trying to push away the absurd thought and closes his eyes.

  But the smacking and murmuring continue without end.

  It goes on for so long that Novel starts to doubt whether he is dreaming.

  'If this isn't a dream...'

  Eyes wide open and growing larger with every second, he hears:

  "My stomach is driving me crazy. Haven't eaten anything since this morning," the creature says.

  Novel's eyes almost pop out of their sockets.

  The creature, increasingly aware of being watched, slowly turns its head toward Novel. When it catches Novel's gaze, it gets so startled that it almost tumbles off the bed.

  They stare at each other silently for a few seconds.

  'Can he actually see me?' the creature wonders.

  "What are you staring at like that?" it finally asks.

  "I was just about to ask you the same," Novel responds, perplexed.

  A brief silence fills the room.

  "What??" they both ask, equally confused.

  Suddenly, both let out a scream, and all hell breaks loose.

  Emmod jumps up wildly, flinging his blanket into the air, and with it, the creature.

  "WHAT IS IT!? WHAT'S HAPPENING!!?" yells Emmod, drenched in sweat and ready for a fight.

  Novel has lost sight of the creature.

  Before he can react, they hear sounds from downstairs – their mother has woken up.

  "Ahh, there you are," they hear the voice say.

  Emmod hurriedly grabs the lantern on the dresser next to him and lights the candle inside with a match.

  Now that he can see, something unusual catches his eye: in the bottom drawer of the dresser, where their knitted socks are usually kept, there's a reddish-brown squirrel with the princess's forehead chain in its mouth.

  "You've got to be kidding me," Emmod mutters in disbelief.

  But before he can say another word, they notice light shining from beneath the door. Moments later, they hear their mother's footsteps climbing the stairs.

  In a moment of quick thinking, Novel grabs the squirrel and hides it under his blanket, just before it can escape and before their mother discovers it.

  The door opens, and Emina steps in, closing it behind her.

  Holding a stick in one hand and a lantern in the other, she stands before them, out of breath.

  The brothers sit upright on their beds, silent, as if they've done something wrong and are now waiting for a scolding.

  For a few seconds, the room is filled with tense silence.

  "WHAT IS IT?" she asks sternly, demanding an explanation with wide gestures.

  "Nothing," Novel replies calmly. "What do you mean?"

  "Nothing? Then why were you screaming like your lives were in danger!?" she responds angrily, spreading her arms even wider.

  "Uh... well..." Novel stammers, unable to find a clear answer.

  "Come on, spit it out," the squirrel suddenly says from under Novel's blanket.

  The brothers flinch.

  "What was that?" Emina asks, puzzled.

  Emmod and Novel exchange bewildered glances.

  "What do you mean?" Emmod asks while Novel discreetly presses down harder on the spot where the squirrel is hidden.

  "That sound," she says, listening intently, but the room remains silent.

  Her suspicion quickly falls on Novel, who is doing a poor job of hiding the fact that something is under his blanket.

  Her mistrustful gaze rests on him.

  "Novel," she begins gently.

  "Hm?"

  "What do you have under your blanket?" she asks.

  "Oh, that..." he hesitates, "Emmod and I... we, uh, took some hazelnuts."

  Emina doesn't believe him for a second.

  "Then let's see," she demands, growing more curious with each passing moment about what surprise her son has in store this time.

  Ultimately, Novel gives in and pulls the blanket back.

  But to his mother's surprise, and even more to his own, there's nothing to see.

  Emmod's eyes widen briefly before he composes himself again, maintaining a stone-faced expression so their mother won't notice. Emina pulls back more of the blanket, but there's nothing unusual.

  "Where is it?" she asks.

  "What exactly?" Novel replies.

  "Whatever it is you two are hiding here," Emina insists. "Where is it?"

  "You!?," Emmod says, trying to keep his voice down.

  Growing impatient, Emina starts tapping her foot. As Novel struggles to come up with an explanation, Emmod takes over, pulling back his own blanket.

  "We left the window open because of the heat, and a squirrel came in and started munching on the hazelnuts," he explains. "It tickled my leg with its fur, so I woke up."

  "Then he screamed out of fright," Novel adds meekly before Emmod shoots him a stern look.

  Emina sighs.

  "So that's the noise I heard. Is it outside now?" she asks, glancing at the window.

  "Yes," Novel replies eagerly, not giving Emmod a chance to answer.

  "Strange for a squirrel," Emina remarks.

  "Strange," Emmod and Novel repeat at the same time, their voices subdued.

  That seems to settle the matter for Emina.

  "Goodnight," she says.

  Emmod and Novel return her goodnight, and their mother leaves the room, closing the door behind her and heading back downstairs.

  Meanwhile, Novel searches his bed for the squirrel and scans the room.

  "Where did it go?" Emmod asks.

  "I have no idea," Novel replies as he hops out of bed to quietly search the room.

  Emmod opens the dresser and lets out an audible snort.

  "What is it?" Novel asks, unsure whether Emmod's reaction is positive or negative.

  "It probably dropped the chain out of shock when you grabbed it," Emmod says with relief, holding up the forehead chain. "It's still here."

  "Not anymore," the squirrel suddenly says, skillfully jumping into the air and snatching it.

  "What the..."

  The squirrel tries to escape, but all the exits are blocked.

  Emmod demonstrates his remarkable reflexes by grabbing the animal by the scruff of its neck on the first try, despite the dim lighting and the squirrel's swift movements.

  As a result, the squirrel drops the chain, which Emmod catches mid-air with his other hand, just before it hits the ground.

  The animal goes into a rage.

  "Let me go, or you'll regret it! I have connections to powerful people who will make you pay!" it threatens.

  Its anger subsides, however, when it notices the impressed faces of its captors.

  "You can talk," Novel marvels.

  "We can understand you," Emmod adds, equally amazed.

  "Understanding me or not, you're not the first, who are able to do that," the squirrel replies, unimpressed.

  "But, boy," the squirrel turns to Novel, "it was pitch dark. How the hell did you see me?"

  "Oh, darkness doesn't bother me," Novel explains excitedly. "I could see you as clearly as if it were broad daylight. I've been able to do that since birth, but don't ask me why."

  "And you?" the squirrel asks Emmod. "I can't remember anyone ever catching me this fast, let alone catching me at all."

  "Good reflexes," Emmod replies with a shrug.

  "Are you a spy?" Novel asks curiously.

  "I'm a squirrel," it replies.

  "A talking squirrel," Emmod notes.

  "And you're humans. Talking humans. I mean, what are we even talking about?" the squirrel retorts.

  "What exactly do you want with the forehead chain?" Novel asks. "It doesn't even fit you."

  "I'm the one asking the questions, boy!" the squirrel snaps, pointing its human-like finger at Novel.

  Emmod tries to grab the finger, but the squirrel swiftly pulls it back.

  Then, it digs its claws into Emmod's hand, forcing him to release it. Now, it runs up his arm and launches an attack. Novel watches the scene tensely, rooting for his brother and hoping for his victory. After the squirrel leaves a few scratches on Emmod's skin, Emmod manages to grab it by the scruff again, putting a stop to its attacks. Once again, it hangs helplessly from his fingers.

  "Impressive," Novel comments.

  "Please calm down. We don't want to hurt you," Emmod says, trying to soothe it.

  "Oh, and what was that just now?"

  "You don't point fingers at people," Emmod explains quickly.

  Meanwhile, Novel picks up a few hazelnuts from Emmod's bed.

  "Look," he says, offering them to the squirrel. "There are more of these."

  After a brief moment of hesitation, the squirrel is convinced, and Emmod places it on the bed, where it starts devouring the hazelnuts. Emmod and Novel also begin to relax, sitting down on Novel's bed, observing the squirrel closely.

  "You must forgive us. It's not every day you meet a talking squirrel," Novel says.

  "More like never," Emmod adds, still annoyed by the scratches he received.

  "That's why we were just a little surprised..." Novel continues.

  "A little?" Emmod interrupts.

  "...that there are animals who can talk," Novel finishes, barely containing his excitement.

  "What makes you think animals can't talk?" the squirrel asks, its cheeks full.

  "So, all animals can speak?" Novel asks, barely able to contain his excitement.

  "Of course!" the squirrel replies. "In their own language. But human language – that's something they don't know," it explains, dampening Novel's enthusiasm.

  "But you can speak it," Emmod points out. "Are you not an animal?" he asks.

  "It's... complicated," the squirrel answers, looking at its reflection in the window.

  Emmod and Novel wait eagerly for an explanation, but the squirrel seems to drift off.

  "What are your names?" it asks, barely understandable through its full cheeks.

  "Emmod." "Novel," they answer at the same time. "Brymbach."

  'Sounds rehearsed,' the squirrel thinks. 'And familiar.'

  "Do you have a name?"

  The squirrel swallows the hazelnuts, shakes itself off, and sits down on its haunches. It rubs its full belly with its toes.

  "Phew, that was good," it says contentedly, before noticing that the brothers are still staring at it.

  It clears its throat.

  "My name is Mister Red," it says, causing Novel to stifle a small giggle.

  "Tell me, young Brymbachs..." Mister Red continues, ignoring the laughter, "...how did you come into possession of the chain? It's not yours; it belongs to the princess, doesn't it?"

  "You're pretty smart—for a squirrel. How do you know that?" Emmod responds.

  "I was once a human, whose mind is now trapped in a squirrel," Mister Red explains.

  Emmod and Novel feel a chill run down their spines.

  "H-How did that happen?" "Is that even possible?" "C-Can you change back?"

  "I wish I could. Believe me, a squirrel has many enemies, not just humans. Especially this far outside the city. Birds of prey, pine martens, foxes..." he says, "That's why I prefer sleeping indoors rather than out in the wild. I was worried you might live in the forest when I followed you here from the marketplace."

  "Are there more like you?" Emmod asks, noticing that Mister Red is veering off-topic.

  "Not that I know of," Mister Red replies.

  "But how is something like this even possible??" Novel presses further.

  Mister Red rubs his face.

  "Listen, and correct me if I'm wrong," he begins. "You can see in the dark as if it were broad daylight. And you caught me—twice. No one has ever managed that before, although many have tried, I can assure you."

  "I don't know what you're getting at, but catching you wasn't that difficult," Emmod replies calmly.

  "And what about the fly you swatted in your sleep earlier?" Mister Red asks, intrigued.

  Emmod remains impassive.

  Deciding not to delve into the past, Mister Red opts to use the current situation to make his point.

  "Are those scratches of yours healing as if by magic?" he asks, pointing to the fresh scratches on Emmod's hand.

  Emmod quickly covers them with his other hand. Novel's pale reaction confirms Mister Red's suspicion.

  "You two possess special abilities," Mister Red continues. "But that's not the only thing that's supernatural, is it? I had similar abilities when I was still human. I gained these powers through a force—deep within me."

  Emmod and Novel remain silent.

  "You feel that force too, don't you?" he says. "You don't understand why or where it comes from—but deep inside, you know it's there... like an intuition guiding you..."

  Novel recalls the sensation he had when he touched the princess's fingertips.

  "My reflexes, and his ability to see in the dark..." Emmod says, "...Mother strictly forbade us from talking about it with strangers."

  Mister Red takes a deep breath, realizing the gravity of his words.

  "She's right," he says, now reconsidering.

  'It would put them in too much danger at such a young age if they learned the whole truth now,' Mister Red thinks to himself.

  "But if you know this feeling too, then surely you can help us..." Novel begins, but just then, the door bursts open.

  Suddenly, their mother stands before them like an angry bull, steam practically pouring from her mouth and nose.

  She doesn't know what irritates her more: that her sons are still awake, or that a red-brown, bushy-tailed squirrel is sitting across from them, seemingly having a conversation.

  Wordlessly, with only gesturing hands and a questioning look, she demands an explanation.

  "Well, there's a familiar face," remarks Mister Red.

  Emmod and Novel are frozen in place.

  "Aren't you going to say something to your mother?" Mister Red asks, and the brothers silently shake their heads.

  This only fuels Emina's frustration.

  "Are you going to let the squirrel keep talking for you?"

  Her eyes widen in astonishment.

  "Wait a moment," Emmod stammers, "You... you can understand him?"

  "Of course, I can understand him," Emina replies. "Animal language was my favorite subject in school."

  "You're serious??" Novel asks, clearly impressed by her statement.

  "Of course not!" Emina crushes their hopes. "And why are you sitting here with this animal as if you're holding some important council meeting?!"

  "Told you so," says Mister Red, with a resigned expression.

  "You don't understand him?" Novel repeats, his excitement dampened.

  "What's gotten into you two? Have you completely lost your minds?!" Emina bursts out.

  "Wait," Novel interjects, "Maybe you just didn't understand him properly. We'll prove it to you."

  He leans forward and taps Mister Red.

  "Go ahead. Don't be shy. Introduce yourself."

  Emina's feelings shift between sadness and confusion, leaving her watching in silence. Mister Red clears his throat. Then he starts speaking. But now, it's Emmod and Novel who look surprised and confused, as Mister Red mumbles something in animal language that even they can't understand.

  Emmod gives Mister Red a gentle nudge.

  "Why are you talking like that? Speak normally, please," he says, slightly embarrassed.

  Mister Red clears his throat again before saying clearly and distinctly, "Hello, I am Mister Red."

  The two brothers look to their mother with relief, but it doesn't take a genius to decipher her emotions from her expression.

  She simply massages her forehead and eyes.

  "Did you fall out of a tree and hit your heads when you caught that squirrel?" she asks with genuine interest, holding back slightly. "Or did the explosions leave you scatterbrained?"

  Emmod and Novel do not find this funny at all.

  "I think it's your head that's not right," Novel retorts dryly.

  Emmod slowly turns away, fully aware of what's coming next: a lecture and a proper scolding. Afterward, Novel looks as if he's fought and lost ten consecutive wrestling matches.

  "Let the squirrel go free and go to bed, now," she instructs.

  Emmod opens the window, as neither of them dares to say another word to Mister Red. Although he hasn't yet achieved his goal, Mister Red realizes it's not going to happen tonight.

  "Goodbye," he says in parting, while their mother only hears indistinct animal sounds.

  Emmod and Novel give him a brief wave.

  Finally, Mister Red leaps onto the windowsill and from there to the nearby branch of the large tree, disappearing into the darkness.