Lara's Point of View

  As the man stepped into the cozy apartment, my gaze was instantly drawn to the striking resemblance he bore to Lian.

  They both had the same tousled brown hair, but it was his piercing blue eyes that amaze me. There was something warm and inviting about them, yet they held a depth that hinted at untold stories.

  Lian herself was stunning, her flowing brown hair cascading over her shoulders, framing her face perfectly. It was clear that beauty ran in the family.

  As our eyes met, I offered him a polite smile, trying to convey warmth in this unexpected situation. Lian, ever the enthusiastic sister, wasted no time in introducing me.

  "Oh, brother! This is Amelia. She helped Jilian earlier—she almost got kidnapped!" Her words spilled out in a rush, filled with the urgency of her earlier panic.

  She just obviously spilled everything without any mix of adjustment

  Liam's eyes widened in alarm, a mix of confusion and concern flickering across his face as he registered what Lian had just said. "Kidnapped? Who tried to take her?" he asked, his voice tight with worry, while little Jilian rushed over to him, her small hands gripping his leg as if drawing strength from him.

  A few moments later...

  "Thank you so much for helping her," Liam said, his tone sincere, his worry slowly dissipating as he focused on me.

  I shrugged, attempting to downplay the situation.

  "It was nothing, really. Plus, I got a nice meal out of it," I joked, flashing a playful grin to lighten the mood, even as the gravity of the situation lingered in the air.

  Lian's eyes sparkled with mischief as she chimed in, "Oh, and Liam, she's an adventurer too!"

  Liam's brows shot up in surprise, and curiosity ignited in his blue eyes. "An adventurer, huh? Is that true?"

  "Yeah I was," I confirmed with a nod, feeling a swell of pride at the label, even though my heart was still racing from the earlier chaos.

  But before I could delve deeper into my experiences, my communication system suddenly lit up, interrupting the moment. Thailon's voice boomed through my earpiece, filled with a mixture of annoyance and concern.

  "Where are you?!" Thailon shouted, his voice echoing with urgency.

  "Can you not shout?" Caelum interjected, his tone a calmer contrast to Thailon's.

  They're in panic as usual.

  "We've been looking for you everywhere! Where are you?" Caelum asked, the worry so obvious in his tone.

  I let out a sigh. "I'm not a child," I said.

  "You may not be, but you still managed to get lost!" Thailon grumbled, frustration creeping into his voice.

  Why is he so angry???

  "Where are you right now? We're coming to get you. We're heading back home," Thailon added, his tone softening slightly.

  Glancing over at Lian, who watched me with keen interest, I asked, "What's the name of this place?"

  "Luna Street, Poblacion 8," she replied, I thank her without a tone.

  I relayed the information back to my friends. "You guys heard that?"

  "Yeah, stay put. We'll be there soon," Thailon assured me before cutting the connection.

  Turning back to Lian and Liam, I felt a wave of apology wash over me.

  "My friends are on their way here. I hope that's okay—they've been looking for me."

  Lian raised an inquisitive brow, a hint of excitement in her voice.

  "Oh, are they part of your party? They're both men, right?"

  "Yeah," I confirmed, my heart fluttering slightly at the thought of my companions.

  "But we're not really active adventurers anymore."

  "Not active? You're not hunting monsters, then?" Liam asked, he is curious/

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  I shook my head, the tension in my shoulders easing a bit. "No, I'm not."

  "Then why are you using synthesis?"

  The question hit me like a jolt. I froze, my spoon hovering mid-air, heart racing as I stared at him, trying to gauge his intentions. How does he know about synthesis? The air around us thickened with unspoken questions, and I set my spoon down, feeling the weight of his gaze.

  He is literally looking at me intently as if he is waiting to ask that question.

  "How do you know?" I asked, my voice steady, though I am really nervous in this situation.

  Liam smiled softly, rubbing the back of his neck as if the question had caught him off guard. "Oh, well... I'm also a mage."

  "A mage?" I echoed, astonished.

  Only high-ranking mages or those with significant talent could detect someone using synthesis. If Liam could sense it, he wasn't just an ordinary person. He was someone with skill and experience, someone who understood the complexities of magic.

  He is young but he can sense my synthesis.

  His blue eyes, now tinged with a hint of mystery, made him seem even more enigmatic. The atmosphere in the room shifted, an electric charge filling the space between us. This was getting more interesting by the second. What else was Liam capable of? And how did I manage to stumble into a family with such hidden talents? The thought ignited a spark of curiosity within me, mingling with my earlier tension. I had a feeling my evening was about to take an unexpected turn.

  "Yeah, I work in the police department here," Liam said, his voice steady, though I sensed an undercurrent of pride.

  His ability to notice my synthesis hinted at his own skills, making me wonder just how much we might have in common. He could have more potential to grow considering his age.

  "Well, you've got a nice job," I replied, trying to keep the atmosphere light.

  Lian added, "I'm a librarian."

  I nodded, appreciating her earnestness. "It's good that you two have clean jobs," I said, my tone softening. "In a world like this, it makes a difference."

  Liam then asked, "Can I ask how old you are, if you don't mind?"

  "Twenty," I answered, feeling a bit self-conscious.

  "Seriously?" Both of them echoed, their surprise evident.

  "Yeah, why? Is there anything wrong?" I asked, genuinely curious.

  "N-no! It's just that the way you speak, I thought you were much older," Lian stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief.

  "Right, but it seems I'm older," Liam added, his expression contemplative.

  "Well, I do get a lot of that," I said, brushing it off with a smile. "If I added up all my experiences, I might just seem ancient."

  Just then, a sudden knock at the door broke our conversation.

  "Oh, it must be them," I said, a mix of relief and anticipation flooding through me.

  "They're fast," Lian observed, her voice tinged with admiration.

  I couldn't help but think they were usually slow in finding me, as my sense of direction had always been a challenge and they get used to me and usually finds me just an hour before I get lost.

  "I'll open the door," Liam offered, standing up. As he reached for the doorknob, I felt a pang of uncertainty but chose to let him handle it.

  He opened the door, and his expression shifted from casual to astonished. I leaned slightly to see what caused his reaction. It was the two haggard as if they were tired.

  "We finally found you!" they both exclaimed, bursting into the house with an air of excitement.

  "Manners!" I said, glancing back at Liam, who stood at the door, his expression a mix of surprise and amusement.

  "Is that your party member?" Lian asked, her eyebrows arching in curiosity.

  "Yes, they are," I replied, noticing the hint of nostalgia in her tone. It made sense—Thailon was an elf, tall and elegant, with long, flowing hair that shimmered in the light, while Caelum, with his warm, comforting aura, hailed from the esteemed Hennessy family. It must have been shocking for her to see a human like me among such extraordinary beings.

  "Pardon us, but can we enter?" Caelum asked, a hint of eagerness in his voice as he gestured toward the interior.

  "A-ah, yeah," Liam stammered, stepping aside to let them in.

  "Thank you," Thailon said, his voice smooth as silk, as they rushed past Liam, filling the room with their energy.

  "We've been looking for you everywhere!" Thailon declared, his eyes scanning my face, filled with concern. Caelum, his healer instincts kicking in, immediately approached me, his hands moving as if to check for injuries.

  "Oi, I don't have any injuries!" I protested, feeling a warm flush creep up my cheeks as he paused, slightly embarrassed, his hands retreating.

  "Are you two okay?" I asked, my voice softening as I looked between them.

  "Are you seriously worried about us when you were the one who parted ways with us?" Thailon challenged, crossing his arms defiantly, a hint of frustration flickering in his emerald-green eyes.

  "Child, I did not part ways; I was dragged away!" I retorted, my own irritation rising.

  "That doesn't change the fact," he said, shaking his head.

  "Let's talk about it later. Allow me to introduce you to Lian, Julian, and Liam." I gestured toward my friends, feeling the need to diffuse the tension.

  " This is Thailon and Caelum, also adventurers like me. Thailon is an elf, and Caelum is a healer."

  "Hi!" Lian said brightly, her smile infectious.

  "Nice to meet you," Thailon responded, extending a hand in greeting.

  "Thank you for collecting our leader," Caelum added, his tone sincere and grateful.

  Collecting who? I thought, confusion knitting my brow. Am I a lost thing?

  "No, no, she's the one who helped my sister, Julian," Lian clarified, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

  "Yeah, that's true. She was a big help to my sister," Liam agreed, nodding appreciatively.

  "As expected," Caelum remarked, a glint of respect in his gaze.

  "Since you two are here, I'm going to get a plate for you to eat as well," Lian said, her enthusiasm bubbling over.

  Now we caused a disturbance.

  "If it's not too much trouble," Lara added politely, giving Lian a hopeful smile.

  "No, of course it's not," Lian replied, her cheeks flushing slightly.

  "You can take a seat," Liam instructed them, gesturing toward the dining table, where the remnants of a meal still lingered.

  "Just so you know, I also helped with cooking," Lara whispered conspiratorially to the two, her eyes twinkling. They exchanged glances, chuckling as they found their seats, settling into the warm atmosphere.

  Lara noticed Julian sitting quietly, a hint of fear in her wide eyes.

  "They're not bad guys; they're friends," she reassured her, leaning closer.

  "Right? You two are friends?"

  "Yeah, we're friends," Caelum said sweetly, his voice warm like a comforting blanket.

  "We're nice brothers," Thailon chimed in, a playful grin spreading across his face.

  "See? They're not bad," Lara said, her voice soothing as she ruffled Julian's hair gently, trying to ease her fear.