Chapter 5
He smiles and silently walks past me
What do I take with me?
As I surveyed my grandmother's study, filled with books and artifacts, I couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty.
If I were to take anything, I'd need Ewin's help to conceal it; the size of the artifacts made them impractical to hide under my dress. And with the books, I'd have to carefully consider which one held the most significance.
Glancing at my smartphone, I noted that I had about ten minutes left.
The first prospective buyers were already gathering outside, signaling the imminent dispersal of my grandmother's possessions.
I needed to act quickly before Mother ushered them in.
My eyes drifted to the fireplace, a focal point of warmth and nostalgia in the room.
I sit down in the rocking chair and imagine the flames.
It was where my grandfather's stories had come alive, weaving tales that captivated my imagination.
Unfortunately, that time is long gone and will soon be forgotten.
Suddenly, I notice the frame above the fireplace.
This can't be true.
A framed photo that I hadn't noticed before shows my grandmother and a group of young people in front of a temple in Japan.
Grandma really was in Japan.
I'm baffled - why had she never mentioned this trip when she was alive?
Memories of my strange dream surface, but I push them aside; now was not the time for distractions.
This can't be true.
A framed photo that I hadn't noticed before shows my grandmother and a group of young people in front of a temple in Japan.
Grandma really was in Japan.
I'm baffled - why had she never mentioned this trip when she was alive?
Memories of my strange dream surface, but I push them aside; now was not the time for distractions.
Suddenly I feel a presence, as if someone is watching me.
"Ewin? Lauren?" I call out, hoping that a familiar face would dispel my unease.
But there was no answer and the feeling persists.
A thud interrupts the silence just as I put the frame back in its place.
I flinch briefly.
A book is lying on the floor and seems to have fallen by itself.
Another crash follows and I rush to the bookshelf, poker in hand, ready to face any intruders.
You should always be ready for anyone.
To my surprise, there is no one there - just a small book now hidden under the shelf.
Strange.
How can a book fall like that?
I pick up the book.
In contrast to its fallen counterpart, this book arouses little curiosity; its plain exterior offers no clues as to its contents. In other words, you wouldn't pay any further attention to it if it wasn't lying here.
Wait a minute, surely that can't be right?
However, upon closer inspection, I discover that it is not a book at all, but a secret compartment with a coded lock.
Strange.
How can a book fall like that?
I pick up the book.
In contrast to its fallen counterpart, this book arouses little curiosity; its plain exterior offers no clues as to its contents. In other words, you wouldn't pay any further attention to it if it wasn't lying here.
Wait a minute, surely that can't be right?
However, upon closer inspection, I discover that it is not a book at all, but a secret compartment with a coded lock.
What does that mean?
"Excuse me." I hear a woman's voice say.
I flinch and quickly hide the book behind my back.
"How much do you want for this statue?"
"Excuse me." I hear a woman's voice say.
I flinch and quickly hide the book behind my back.
"How much do you want for this statue?"
Hours later......
"I'm really proud of you," says my mum, her voice containing both pride and tiredness as she meticulously feeds the notes into the counting machine.
The mechanical whirring echoes through the room, contrasting sharply with the emotional tension hanging in the air.
To my suprise everthing was sold.
Even the knight statues I had wagered on with Ewin have found new owners.
I can't help but marvel at my grandparents' impeccable taste, evident even in their choice of possessions.
As Mother notes the dwindling earnings and feeds another bundle into the machine, I find myself growing increasingly impatient. Even i know i need to wait like my Brothers.
Exhaustion weighs heavily on my shoulders, and I long to retreat to the solace of my room, eager to delve into my newfound secret.
"Mother, I'm leaving," Ewin declares, the first of us three to speak up.
Lauren exits the room silently, leaving me alone with my mother.
My sign to go.
"Asta," she calls out.
I stop and turn to her.
"You didn't take anything, did you?" she asks suspiciously, her tone tinged with doubt.
I had been anticipating this question. Despite selecting me for the task, she still harbors mistrust.
"Mother, you deliberately put me in the study, a room where I can hardly steal anything without you seeing it," I explain, trying to diffuse her suspicion.
My mother is not foolish; she can see through anyone who betrays her, but I am no longer naive.
I've honed my ability to deceive her.
"I suppose you're right," she concedes, letting the matter drop.
To my suprise. I think my Brother Ewin talked with her.
"Good night, mother," I bid her farewell before leaving the room, breathing a sigh of relief.
"So?" Ewin inquires, catching me by surprise as I reach the stairs.
"Nothing. She just asked me if I had grabbed anything," I reply, contemplating whether to tell him the truth or not.
"Did you grab anything?" he probes further.
Should I lie or tell him the truth? What are the pros and cons?
"Nothing, I'm afraid," I decide to tell him, maintaining my composure as I respond.
I'm sorry, Ewin, but you'll never unmask me.
"Pity, at least I thought you might be able to steal a book. But apparently you didn't even trust yourself to do that. Pity really," he remarks, his tone laced with irony.
He doesn't trust me, but he can't prove otherwise.
That means I have to be very careful over the next few days. Or not?
He smiles and walks past me in silence, leaving me to ponder my next move.
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