After finishing their meals, Ernst and Sonia bade each other farewell, heading in separate directions.
Now knowing he had an interview to look forward to, Ernst felt there was no reason to continue his search that day.
Even if it was just a minor gesture, good deeds really do pay off.
I'll need to prepare for tomorrow, of course, but I don't think there's much to consider…
She hadn't explicitly mentioned what the job entails, so I am very curious as to what it could be.
Judging by how she and her colleagues are dressed, it must be a fairly prestigious position… I wouldn't be surprised if they worked with the government.
Stressing about it any further would do no good; for now, I'll try to relax until tomorrow.
Ultimately, Ernst decided to put any thoughts that might induce stress to the back of his mind.
Making his way home, the streets grew busier. Everyone was heading home, so it was natural that many automobiles would occupy the roads.
Waving a motor taxi over, Ernst climbed into the back seat and felt the cushioned leather beneath him. After telling the driver his address, the vehicle fell silent.
As it began to move, he turned to look out the window.
The formerly clear blue sky had been dyed a beautiful reddish-orange.
Although it was fall, traces of summer lingered.
Emilia should be preparing dinner by now… I hope she's alright today.
With Ernst's busy job hunting, his sister was inevitably left alone to tend the bakery. This thought left him uneasy. Regardless, Emilia had always reassured him that she could handle everything herself.
Knowing his sister, such claims often served as a sign that he should act otherwise.
This realization lingered in his chest as the driver slowly pulled up in front of their home. Handing him one marking, Ernst waved farewell and walked to the bakery.
Closing at seven o'clock, the bakery still had about half an hour before letting the remaining customers leave. Opening the door, a familiar chime resounded as he heard a young lady welcome him.
"Welcome!" Emilia exclaimed from behind the counter.
At first, she didn't notice her brother because of his formal outfit. Though he had dressed smartly that morning, she wasn't yet accustomed to seeing him like this.
Regardless, the day's travel had returned his hair to its naturally messy state, and she quickly realized who it was.
"Oh! How was job hunting?" she asked excitedly.
Ernst looked at his sister and saw her familiar, sincere smile.
"I have an interview tomorrow," he replied.
Watching her face light up, he saw her exclaim in excitement.
"That's wonderful!"
"Right? It'll be here as well," Ernst added proudly.
Sharing this news with his sister, he found it slightly strange that she had chosen their bakery as the location of his interview. However, he quickly realized that having the interview at their shop might improve their chances by enticing Sonia with free coffee and sweets.
Using every asset at one's disposal to gain an advantage was something he had learned while helping run the store. Ernst began thinking of other ways he could appear more favourable during the interview.
Although preoccupied with his thoughts, he soon noticed the silence that had grown between him and his sister.
With no customers in the store, the ticking of the clock replaced their voices.
Looking at his sister, Ernst saw her silently smiling.
"What is it?" he asked, a touch concerned.
Her grey-green pupils shifted to his coat.
"Mom and Dad would be proud."
"…."
Ernst felt a solemn pang upon hearing these words. His heartbeat slowed, and his features became neutral. After a moment, he let out a bitter smile, mirroring his sister's expression.
"Yes… they would have…"
No parent should have to bury a child. Yet, no child should have to bury their parents so early.
Emilia and Ernst's parents had been very loving. They adored their life, their customers, and Bauner itself—but most of all, they loved their children.
Because of their efforts, the siblings understood their parents' love in return.
Despite the many scoldings they had received, each was tempered with genuine warmth. Every spanking Ernst endured was followed by a hug. Each yell Emilia heard ended with a soft reminder of love.
They sorely missed their parents since their passing.
Although diseases were rare in Bauner, sickness occasionally claimed victims. Despite living in a large city with the best doctors in Gaudner, finances could still be a concern. This was one of the many struggles lower-class citizens had to accept.
As their parents grew frail, the siblings bore the pain of watching them weaken and succumb to illness.
Nevertheless, Ernst and Emilia strived to become people who no longer needed parental guidance. To honour their parents' efforts, they decided to do their very best in life.
"I'll close up and get dinner ready. Just sit down," Emilia said, snapping out of her melancholy.
Nodding with a smile, Ernst took a seat at the table.
He placed his tweed cap beside him and waited for dinner.
The siblings shared a pleasant meal, exchanging stories and light banter as usual. They upheld their own promises, moving forward proudly in life.
…
Dressed in light loungewear, Ernst locked his door and picked up an old book from his shelf.
Time for some reading…
He sat comfortably by the lamp at his desk, flipping through the pages, searching for where he had left off.
"Isca raised his steel against the tainted beast."
"The beast roared in retaliation as it raised its sword against the King of Iscalvia."
"The two silhouettes clashed as the beast's remaining subordinates became erratic."
"Suddenly, the king's sword began to glow a light-blue hue."
"Lifting it high, the tall monstrous being empowered its slash as he struck downward."
"However, what should've easily squashed an average knight was met with the shattering of its weapon."
"The lonely King leapt toward the demonic figure."
"Swiftly closing the gap between them, Isca sliced the being's head clean off!"
Ernst's eyes quickened with excitement as he read on.
This was easily one of my favourite stories as a child… the king and his mystical sword… Although its name was never mentioned, it appeared in many of his tales.
The beasts, demons, and monsters in these stories were described in great detail, though most had no names.
I wonder if anyone named them later…? Perhaps they've been given names in Iscalvia today.
Though the King's stories were passed down by successive generations, time may have altered the translations. Perhaps the creatures had names once.
The King's tales were compiled into twelve volumes detailing his battles, wisdom, songs, poems, and other stories. While some sections were written by him, most were compiled by those led by him. Songs of the King's deeds were sung by his beloved people throughout taverns and homes.
He truly was a well-respected man… Ernst thought as he finished where he had left off.
The King of Iscalvia was said to be a man of wisdom. Though immensely strong and spiritual, his intellect was unparalleled—a fact Ernst had always known.
Even scholars today would struggle to interpret parts of his works, a topic often discussed in philosophy lectures.
Iscalvian culture revolved heavily around the God of Time's decrees, and King Isca added his own values to the divine teachings. Today, such an act would be considered sacrilege, but at the time, the King's word took precedence over divine rules.
With an entire nation backing their leader's wisdom, challenging his credibility in moral, scientific, or divine matters seemed impossible.
Heh… perhaps we each have the potential to become as strong as the king himself… Ernst thought humorously.
Ernst spent a few more minutes flipping through the pages of his old book. Setting it aside, he remembered his friend Christopher.
He picked up a knife and checked the wooden sheath that encased the hidden blade.
It's not exactly a legendary sword, but it should be enough to ward off a petty thief when I visit. Perhaps I'll go once this interview stuff is over…
The young man put down the switchblade and returned his book to the shelf. Crawling into bed, he gazed at the ceiling, reflecting on how much had happened in just a few days.
Life really does move fast, huh?
…
Three Hours Earlier
"Sonia, you're back." A calm, mature voice echoed across the room.
Dust motes danced in the setting sun's rays as she opened the door.
Looking around, Sonia saw her three colleagues lounging in different areas.
Across the room, a man sat at a desk, sorting through documents.
On the couch, a young silver-haired lady quietly read a book.
Leaning against the window, a listless man appeared to be asleep.
"How was the university?"
"I didn't get much done, unfortunately. No luck on our special person." Sonia sighed and shrugged.
"That's too bad… maybe another time," the gentleman replied.
Sonia collapsed onto the couch beside the silver-haired lady. The Iscalvian girl remained absorbed in her reading.
After a moment, Sonia remembered her meeting with Ernst that day.
"Oh! I did find something else, though!"
"And that is…?"
"A potential hire for our business," Sonia said proudly.
Though the tall gentleman and doll-like Iscalvian lady showed some interest, the listless man in the corner pressed against the window seemed unconcerned with the ongoing discussion.
"His name is Ernst. I feel he'd be a perfect fit to help with our operations."
The gentleman's expression softened. "Sonia… you do remember the nature of our work, right?"
"Of course… but I truly believe he would be a good fit for the job. Genuine, honest—and overall, he seems like a fine young man."
The gentleman gazed out the window as the orange glow of sunset filled the room, deep in thought.
Clasping his hands together, he seemed to reach a decision.
"Well, if his personality makes you have faith in him, I don't see why not."
Smiling softly, he glanced back at Sonia, who remained slumped beside her Iscalvian colleague.