Leticia had barely recovered from her dream when a knock echoed at the door.
She exchanged a glance with her mother before walking over and opening it.
On the doorstep stood her friends—Martha, Leon, and Thomas.
Their faces glowed with genuine concern, and in their hands, they carried a basket filled with fresh fruit.
Martha, always the cheerful one, stepped forward with a bright smile.
— Leticia! — she exclaimed happily. — We heard you weren’t feeling well, so we brought you some fruit to help you get better.
Leticia smiled—for the first time in what felt like forever, she felt the warmth of true friendship.
Here, on the outskirts of Eland Village, her home had always been a place where her friends came without hesitation.
— Thank you, — she said, accepting the basket. — Come in, I’m glad to see you.
The friends stepped inside and settled around the wooden table.
Martha, energetic and lively, immediately launched into the latest village news.
Leon, thoughtful and perceptive, quietly scanned the room, as if looking for signs of Leticia’s true condition.
Thomas, the calmest of the three, sat in silence, inspecting the fruit, as if making sure everything was perfect.
Leticia’s mother moved around the kitchen, setting cups of freshly brewed tea on the table. After finishing, she quietly left the room, leaving the young people alone.
For a while, the conversation flowed easily—until Leon’s expression darkened.
— By the way… I heard something troubling.
He paused, his brows furrowing.
— People have started disappearing.
The room grew still.
— More and more, each week. No one knows why. Some say… bandits are involved.
Leticia froze, gripping her cup tightly.
Her mind raced.
"Disappearing? That shouldn’t have happened. Not now."
She tried to recall everything from her past life. She should have known about this. But these events… didn’t match her memories.
"Could my memory be incomplete? Or… did this never happen before?"
Her breathing quickened. Her peaceful life depended on the knowledge she had.
— People just… disappear? Without a trace? — she repeated, her voice quieter now, but carrying an unmistakable tension.
Leon nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line.
— Yes. Three people this week alone. Some vanished overnight. Others… in broad daylight. The hearthstones in their homes remained cold. The horses stayed in their stables. It’s as if they never left on their own.
Leticia felt her heart tighten.
She slowly turned to Martha.
— And no one saw anything? — she asked, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice.
Martha shifted in her seat. Her usual sparkle dimmed with a flicker of worry.
— My father thinks it’s the work of dark mages. Some villagers claim they saw strange shadows near the edge of the village.
Leticia’s fingers tightened around her cup.
Dark mages.
If they were involved, she should have heard about it.
Dark mages were dangerous—unregulated, using their powers for destruction. If there were even whispers of their activity, the capital would have been buzzing with news.
Something wasn’t right.
A heavy silence followed—until Martha suddenly brightened, trying to lift the mood.
— Oh! I almost forgot—I have good news too!
The tension broke slightly.
— My sister is getting married!
Thomas smiled, and Leon gave a nod of approval.
— That’s wonderful. Congratulations to her, — Leon said with a small smile.
— Wait, — Thomas grinned. — Isn’t she marrying that guy who always argued with her about the authenticity of artifacts in her shop?
Martha laughed.
— The very same!
Leticia’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
— Your sister… she’s always been into mysticism, right?
Martha raised an eyebrow.
— Yeah. She loves that stuff. Why do you ask?
Leticia hesitated before replying.
— I… might need her help. With some things I need to figure out.
Martha thought for a moment, then sighed.
— That could be tricky. She’s busy with wedding preparations. Not much free time.
Leticia’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.
But then—
— Wait. Doesn’t she have a shop with mystical items?
Martha nodded.
— She does. If you can’t speak to her directly, maybe you’ll find something useful there.
A spark of hope flickered inside Leticia.
Maybe—just maybe—that shop held answers about the phenomenon with Aya.
She looked at her friends—Martha, ever-spirited and kind, Thomas, calm and steady, and Leon, thoughtful and sharp-eyed.
They were still here. Still by her side.
When it came time for them to leave, Martha gave Leticia a warm hug, promising to bring a herbal infusion from her grandmother.
Leon and Thomas gave short nods, though their gazes remained troubled.
Leticia watched them go, standing by the door, silently thanking them for their visit—for their support.
As their footsteps faded beyond the gate, a strange quiet settled back over the house.
Leticia returned to the table, sinking into her chair, her eyes dropping to the untouched cup in front of her.
And then—
"Do you really trust them?" — Aya’s voice echoed in her mind.
Leticia blinked.
— Of course, — she replied inwardly. — They’re my friends. They care about me.
Aya’s response came after a long pause.
They care about you. But… do they know who you really are?
Leticia stiffened.
— What do you mean?
"If they knew you were an aristocrat… would they still stay?" — Aya whispered.
Leticia froze.
The thought unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.
— They’re my friends, — she repeated firmly. — I won’t let that change.
Aya fell silent—but the weight of her unspoken doubts lingered.
After a long pause, Aya’s voice softly returned:
"You know… I had friends too. In my past life."
Leticia looked up, surprised.
— Tell me about them, — she said gently.
Aya sighed—not with bitterness, but with a warm, distant nostalgia.
"They were… the best people I ever knew. Honest. Kind. They stood by me when I felt like I was completely alone. They defended me when I couldn’t defend myself. And they never betrayed me."
Leticia listened in silence.
There was warmth in Aya’s words—a longing that felt almost tangible.
— You miss them? — Leticia asked softly.
— Yes, — Aya admitted. — But I know they didn’t forget me. And I’ll never forget them.
Leticia smiled gently.
— That’s what matters most.
But deep inside, she knew—
A new goal had appeared.
They needed to visit Martha’s sister’s mystical shop.
Maybe there, hidden among artifacts and old scrolls, lay the answers they both sought.
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