“Ash, are you ready? We’ll be going to see your father's friend. I'll help you pack your things,” she peered through the corner of the door, waiting for my reaction.

  "I thought we were going in a week?" I turned towards her in confusion, walking in

  "Your father wanted to surprise you and your sister." She made way for me, smiling and excited about the new place our family was going.

  "I'll start packing right now, then." I walked up the stairs to my room, where I put a prepared suitcase and filled it with clothes, leaving my watch on. Shortly after I heard my mother calling my name, I dragged my luggage down the stairs and went to the porch. I saw a carriage that had a leather roof and an open back. “Should I put my stuff in right now?” I turned towards my mother, and my family was beside her, too.

  “Yeah, lift the cover of the benches, and there should be storage space.” I followed her into the carriage as she started packing all of our things

  I seated myself near the open backside of the carriage, my family sat as well, and then we embarked.

  I might as well cultivate my mana pretending like I'm asleep. After a couple of hours, I was awoken by my sister.

  “Look, isn't it pretty?” She turned me towards the open side, revealing a large field of crops along with a few slimes that seemed to work as bug killers. Then an all too familiar feeling coursed through my bones.

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  “Look, isn't it pretty?” She turned me towards the open side, revealing a vast field of crops stretching endlessly under the pale sky. A few slimes hopped playfully between the rows, their gelatinous bodies seemingly content with their work as natural bug killers. But as I took it all in, an odd sensation began to creep through me, an all too familiar feeling coursing through my bones.

  Suddenly, a memory, long buried, resurfaced like a weak whisper. The image was hazy at first, but it sharpened quickly—me and someone else standing in a similar field, though it was different, older somehow, with far more untamed plants. There was a warmth to the air, a gentle hum of life all around us.

  I could see myself standing beside the unknown companion, a strange sort of peace between us. The person was saying something, though their voice was faint, like the words were being carried away by the wind. I could feel the weight of their presence, a companion that I didn't fully understand but trusted instinctively.

  "We're almost there, once you go into hibernation, I'll fight my last battle., I said to them, My voice sounded foreign, distant. My fingers grazed the earth beneath us as if anchoring myself to that moment, to that place. "It's been a long journey... we both deserve a rest."