7. Knowing more while working

As I walked outside with Evan, the warm sun cast long shadows across the rundown yard. The grass was growing taller, and the wooden fence that once might have stood proudly now leaned to one side, broken and weathered by time.

Cracked walls, missing roof tiles, and an overgrown garden that had seen better days—this was all that was left of our once-noble home. I couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow as I looked around.

I ran my hand against the rough stone, feeling its coolness beneath my fingertips. "This place must have been beautiful once," I murmured, more to myself than to Evan.

Evan and I worked quietly, gathering the last of the vegetables from our small garden. The task felt relaxing, the soft rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds filling the silence. My mind, however, was anything but quiet.

"How did it come to this, Evan?" I asked, my voice barely louder than a whisper as I pulled a carrot from the ground. "How did we go from being nobles to... this?"

He paused, looking up from his work, his expression thoughtful. "It wasn't just one thing," he began slowly. "After Mother and Father disappeared, everything fell apart. They were deeply in debt, more than we ever knew. The estate, the lands, everything was sold off to pay it back, but it wasn't enough."

I nodded, my heart heavy. The idea of our parents drowning in debt, hiding it from us, was hard to accept. "And their disappearance... it's all connected, isn't it?"

Evan's eyes flickered with something—fear, perhaps, or maybe uncertainty. "I think so. There were rumors, and whispers that they were involved in something dangerous, something that led to their downfall. But no one really knows the truth, Rain. It's like they just... vanished."

A chill ran down my spine at his words. The mystery surrounding our parents hung over us like a dark cloud, and I could feel its weight pressing down on me. "We'll find out the truth one day, Evan. I promise," I said, more to reassure myself than him.

He gave me a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I believe you, Sister."

We continued to harvest the vegetables in silence, each lost in our thoughts. When I pulled up the last of the carrots, I watched in shock as they seemed to disappear into thin air. "Evan, did you see that?" I asked, my voice trembling with surprise.

Evan chuckled at my reaction. "That's just the system, Sister. It automatically stores things for us until we're ready to use them. Everyone in Etherea is born with it."

I blinked, trying to process what he was saying. "The system? Like some kind of magical storage?"

"Exactly," Evan said, smiling at my curiosity. "It's more than just storage, though. When you turn 15, it unlocks your magical element and basic skills. You've already unlocked yours."

My heart skipped a beat. "So, I'm 15 now?"

"Yes," Evan confirmed, his tone becoming gentler. "You turned 15 two weeks ago. But... you were really upset, Sister. Your magic potential was low, and you started blaming yourself. You even stopped looking in the mirror."

My breath caught as the pieces fell into place. 'So that's why the mirror was covered,' I thought, feeling a pang of sympathy for the girl I now was. "Can I see this system?" I asked, eager to learn more.

"Just think about it, and it'll appear," Evan instructed. "It's connected to your mind and soul, so you don't need to speak out loud."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, focusing on the idea of the system. 'System of Etherea,' I called out in my mind. To my surprise, a transparent screen materialized before me, hovering in the air. Its ethereal blueish glow making me excited even more towards the upcoming future events in the world of the Etherea.