Invisible Power

The next morning, I woke up to a light knock on my room door, followed by Carla's soft voice: "Luke, wake up, it's time to work. I've prepared breakfast for you."

I opened the door lazily, and found her standing in front of me, wearing a short house dress that accentuated the contours of her body in a way I couldn't ignore. Her hair was draped over one shoulder, and her eyes were sparkling with a look I didn't fully understand, but it made me feel like she was more accustomed to me than she should be.

"Good morning, Carla," I said, groggily rubbing my eyes.

She smiled mischievously and tilted her head slightly. "Good morning, lazy sleeper." Then she gestured toward the table where breakfast was ready. "Come on, eat before it gets cold."

I sat at the table and began eating, while Carla sat across from me, resting her head on her hand, her eyes fixed on me as if she were watching every move I made.

I raised an eyebrow and said mischievously: "You're staring at me a lot, Carla-san."

She laughed softly and said, "Because you're looking more handsome every day, I think the girls in the village will start chasing after you soon."

I shook my head and smiled mischievously: "Who knows? Maybe there's another beautiful woman who has stolen my thoughts."

Her eyes widened for a moment, but she quickly hid her surprise with a calm smile, placing her teacup aside. "Oh? And who is this lucky one?"

I didn't answer, just continued eating while feeling her gaze following me, as if trying to pierce my thoughts. After finishing my meal, I got ready to head to the workshop, but she stopped me at the door.

"Luke."

I turned toward her, and she took a step closer, extending her hand to slowly adjust the collar of my shirt, then smiled. "Don't be late today."

 ---

In the carpentry workshop, the day was pretty ordinary, with only me and Tavis around. He was busy carving a piece of wood while I was preparing some boards for cutting.

The air was filled with the scent of sawdust, and the sound of hand tools echoed through the space.

I stood in front of the table saw, holding a heavy wooden board, trying to place it in the right position, but suddenly, I felt my foot slip on the pile of sawdust on the floor.

I lost my balance entirely, and my hand slipped from the board, but it didn't fall onto the table. Instead, it veered straight toward me at speed!

"Luke, watch out!!" Tavis' shout was the last thing I heard before I froze in place.

I didn't have time to move, all I thought was: "Stop!!"

And suddenly... Instead of hitting me, the board stopped in mid-air, as if it was suspended there for no reason.

My eyes widened in shock, and I felt a strange energy surge in my head, like it was an extension of my mind. I didn't understand how, but I was sure I was the one who stopped it... with my mind alone!

But it didn't last long; I felt the energy slip from my hands, and the board fell to the ground with a thud.

"What just happened?" I murmured quietly, my hands trembling slightly. Luckily, Tavis didn't notice anything strange. He walked up to me, concerned.

"Are you okay? That board nearly hit you!" I nodded quickly, trying to regain my composure.

"Yeah, I just lost my balance, don't worry." He scratched his head and said, "Be more careful, we don't want any injuries here."

Then he went back to his work, completely unaware of what had just happened.

As for me, I stood there, my breath quickening, my mind buzzing with questions. "How…? How did I do that? Do I... do I have some kind of superpower?" It wasn't the right time to share what I had discovered.

I looked at Tavis as he worked, then at the fallen board, and decided right then… to keep this secret to myself.

---

When I returned home, I was still lost in thought, my steps heavy, my mind preoccupied with what had happened in the workshop.

When I walked in, I found Carla sitting on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, slowly sipping her tea.

Her eyes sparkled with a gleam that made me feel like she had been waiting for me.

"Welcome back, Luke," she said in a soft voice, but there was a hidden warmth in it.

"I'm here," I answered, sitting next to her, trying to hide my nervousness.

She raised an eyebrow and studied my face, then asked in a low voice: "You look distracted… did something happen in the workshop?"

I tensed for a moment, but she didn't understand the real reason. so I smiled and pretended to be calm. "Nothing important, just a tough day."

She tilted her head slightly, and her smile never left her lips. "Hmm... well, if something's bothering you, you can tell me, Luke." There was warmth in her words that made me want to talk, to share everything, but I wasn't ready yet. I just smiled and said, "I know, Carla... thank you."

She chuckled softly, placed her teacup aside, then leaned slightly toward me, closing the distance between us intentionally. "By the way, I washed your clothes again today... don't you think I should be rewarded for this effort?"

she said in a soft voice, her gaze carrying more than her words let on. I smiled mischievously and said, "And what do you want as a reward?"

She put her finger on her chin, pretending to think, then looked at me with that smile I was starting to understand well.

"I'll think about it later..." she whispered softly, as if leaving the door open for any possibilities. I looked at her, and in her eyes, I saw that familiar spark, but tonight wasn't the time for anything else. I had discovered a power I still didn't understand, and I had to figure it out... on my own.