Elder

"Who is this boy, Abraham?" A deep, hoarse voice emanated from the door behind Felix.

As soon as the youth turned his head, he immediately saw an elderly man with a goatee and a face lined with wrinkles. His blue eyes, somewhat resembling Felix's, stood out. The old man had a slender build, but he couldn't be described as frail.

The most significant sensation that Felix felt was the old man's gaze. Piercing, like a sharp sword without a sheath, expertly honed over decades. The analytical movement of his eyes created a strong and imposing atmosphere that could make inexperienced and timid people tremble with fear.

However, Felix displayed a dignified and commendable reaction, keeping his back straight and showing sufficient respect without staring at the old man for too long.

Abraham, it seemed, also noticed the atmosphere and tension in the room, so he hurriedly stood and respectfully bowed to the elder, expressing his apologies, "Elder, I apologize for this late visit, but the guys wouldn't allow me to simply invite this young man to my home for the night, so I came here."

Abraham's tone was exceptionally respectful, devoid of any arrogance or hidden emotions. Even if you weren't skilled in empathy, you could tell that Abraham genuinely respected the old man, evident in his bow as a greeting.

Upon hearing Abraham's words, the old man displayed a calmer reaction, and it seemed that most of the wrinkles on his face smoothed out when he saw the bow and respectful behavior of the men.

"Enough, enough. I've told you before that you don't need to bow to me. First and foremost, you're a father and a husband, and lastly, a warrior, understand? Your back should always be straight so that no one doubts your greatness. Alright?" the old man grumbled, pushing a chair back and sitting at the table, inviting Felix and Abraham to join him. "Besides, I haven't slept, so it's no big deal. I'm more interested in the reason for this late visit. So, please, have a seat."

"Ah... Elder, you know I couldn't just..." Abraham responded grimly, still smiling politely as he took his seat, and Felix followed suit. Seeing that the elder was looking at him attentively, he began to speak, "It happened like this... today I went into the forest later than usual, and..."

Abraham began to recount their encounter with Felix but shortened the story, not wanting to burden the old man with unnecessary details. The old man, as Felix observed, listened attentively, although he didn't display any emotions.

"His presence is impressive," Felix thought, noticing that the old man didn't hunch over like his peers. "And the atmosphere around him is dangerous... as if I'm standing before an eagle."

And he didn't believe his intuition was deceiving him. It seemed that the old man could understand Felix's very essence with just one glance, without distraction. His sharp gaze exerted strong pressure that few could withstand.

"It's genuinely hard to endure this gaze," Felix thought, and he thanked himself for being able to maintain his composure to some extent. However, a sudden shout even surprised him, and he showed shock on his face.

"IDIOT!"

Regaining his composure, Felix found that the elder had struck the table, leaving a deep mark, while Abraham sat hunched over like a child scolded by his father. Although the old man didn't show anger on his face, his tone revealed irritation.

"Abraham, for the love of all that's holy... you're a father and a husband, you have a family! How many times do I have to tell you not to go into that damn forest alone?" The elder seemed disappointed and upset, repeatedly slamming the table and making a loud noise. "Alright, I'm an old man in deep old age with nothing to lose... but you?! I understand your concern about monsters but remember at last that this isn't the life of an adventurer. Now you're Abraham, a forester and a husband, and also a father!"

"Yes, I understand..." Abraham replied, sighing heavily and changing the subject. "Elder, I admit I was wrong, but... I would like to return to our main topic."

Abraham straightened his posture and looked resolutely at the elder, who appeared irritated but still paid attention to his words. Hearing Abraham's speech and his sincere request, the old man's gaze shifted to Felix, who tried not to show an excessive reaction, then suddenly felt an assessing look upon himself.

"Hmm... you look like someone from the capital of the Ririn Empire," the old man remarked, evaluating Felix's appearance and aura. "Although your talent isn't exceptional... your maximum is Mag Yota."

"Mag Yota?" Felix questioned aloud, hearing the unfamiliar term.

His reaction seemed to further surprise the old man when he realized that Felix had no idea about this. The elder narrowed his eyes and regarded Felix even more carefully, but after a few minutes of silence, he shifted his gaze to Abraham.

"Well, anyway. This boy won't pose any danger to the village, but just in case, I'll say this... keep an eye on his behavior. I don't want any conflicts to arise because of him."

It seemed the elder concluded the discussion on that note, got up, and wished them a good night. Abraham smiled gently and didn't express any dissatisfaction with the elder's gruff behavior, only patting Felix on the shoulder and saying, "You'll get used to it."

A few minutes later, they left the elder's house and made their way deeper into the village, eventually reaching a two-story wooden house with a fence and a garden next to it.

Opening the gate, Abraham stepped inside and walked along the path to the entrance, where a woman was waiting on the porch.

"Where were you, idiot?!" Her loud voice, it seemed, could wake the dead from their slumber, Felix thought. Looking at her, he saw a woman of full stature with black hair pulled back into a braid. She had brown eyes and a gentle face, although it was currently contorted with anger.

"Darling..." Abraham smiled with a caring smile, rushing to her and hugging her, pulling her close to him.

Abraham stood at 5'9, while the woman was 5'1, reaching up to his shoulder. She fell silent abruptly and buried her face in his chest, hugging him tightly. Soon, the two men heard her sobbing.

"Awkward..." Felix thought, turning away and looking at the moon. His gaze was distant, and he felt lost as the background was filled with his wife's sobs, who was fretting about her husband's life.

His existence was only remembered when Felix sneezed from the cold. The couple was embarrassed, and Abraham's wife invited him inside the house.