The morning began like any other.
Quiet. Calm.
Deceptively normal.
Aarav stood in the field, staring at the tool in his hand like it had personally betrayed him.
"…I'm starting to think this is my destiny now."
Daren didn't even look up.
"You're holding it wrong."
Aarav sighed.
"Of course I am."
Daren stepped closer and adjusted his grip.
"Like this."
Aarav copied him carefully.
"…If I become a farmer, I'm blaming you."
"That would still be your fault."
"…Unbelievable."
Still—
A faint smile stayed on Aarav's face.
Because somehow… this routine didn't feel as strange anymore.
A few days ago, he would've been complaining non-stop.
Now?
He just… adapted.
*That's either growth…*
*…or I've given up.*
He wasn't sure which one it was.
---
For a brief moment—
Everything felt simple again.
Work. Sunlight. Normal life.
Then—
"They're coming!"
The shout echoed from the village road.
Aarav looked up immediately.
"…Why does that never mean anything good?"
Daren had already turned.
His expression changed—not fear, not shock.
Something sharper.
Alert.
"…Stay here," Daren said.
"Yeah, that never works."
Aarav followed anyway.
---
By the time they reached the road—
A crowd had already gathered.
Villagers stood on both sides.
Some stepped back.
Some lowered their heads slightly.
Aarav noticed that instantly.
*That's not respect.*
*That's pressure.*
Then—
He saw them.
A group of young fighters walked into the village.
Uniform. Clean. Precise.
Every step aligned.
Every movement controlled.
Aarav narrowed his eyes.
"…They're not just strong."
"They're trained," Daren said beside him.
"They're Royal Knight trainees."
Aarav watched them carefully.
"…So these are the people who deal with the forest?"
"Yes."
As the group passed—
The air changed.
Subtly.
Not physically heavy—
But something pressed against the mind.
Quiet. Invisible. Unavoidable.
Aarav felt it clearly.
A faint tension settled in his chest.
*…Yeah.*
*This is different.*
*This is real.*
Without thinking, his mind flickered—
A ruined sky.
A presence too large to understand.
That same distant feeling—
Watching. Measuring.
Then—
It was gone.
Just like always.
Aarav frowned slightly.
*…Why does it feel familiar?*
---
One of the trainees slowed down.
Just slightly.
His gaze shifted—
Directly toward Aarav.
For a single second—
Their eyes met.
Aarav felt it.
Sharp. Cold. Evaluating.
Like being weighed.
Then—
The knight looked away and continued walking.
"…Okay," Aarav muttered.
"…I definitely got judged."
Daren said nothing.
Because he felt it too.
---
From the side—
Meera stood near the house.
Watching.
Unlike Rian—who was practically vibrating with excitement—
She was quiet.
Focused.
Her eyes followed the knights carefully.
"…You know them?" Aarav asked.
"They're from the academy," Meera replied.
"They train near the forest."
Aarav glanced back at the road.
"You can go there, right?"
A small pause.
"…Only if I'm accepted."
Her tone was calm.
But underneath—
There was something firm.
Unshakable.
Aarav looked at her for a moment.
Then smiled slightly.
"…You will be."
Meera didn't reply.
But she didn't reject it either.
That alone said enough.
---
The knights moved on.
Their presence faded.
But not completely.
Something lingered.
The village felt smaller now.
Quieter.
Like it had just been reminded—
Of how far it was from that world.
---
Later—
Aarav sat near the edge of the field, watching the empty road.
"…So that's what real strength looks like."
Daren stood beside him.
"…Strength isn't just power."
"Yeah," Aarav said.
"…But it helps."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Aarav spoke again, quieter this time.
"…I don't even know if I can use anything like that."
Daren looked at him.
"You will."
Aarav let out a small breath.
"…You sound very confident."
Daren's voice remained steady.
"You're still standing after what you went through."
"That's not normal."
Aarav paused.
The ruined city flashed faintly again.
Pain. Impact. That impossible survival.
"…Fair point."
But even then—
Something didn't sit right.
He had tried before.
Nothing happened.
No energy.
No response.
No "core awakening."
Nothing.
Just… silence.
Aarav looked at his hand.
Slowly.
"…Or maybe…"
He muttered under his breath—
"…some witch fell in love with me and sealed my powers."
A pause.
"…Yeah, that explains everything."
He nodded to himself.
Completely unserious.
Then sighed.
"…Or I'm just weak."
That part—
He didn't say out loud.
---
From the house—
"AARAV! Come eat!"
Rian's voice echoed loudly.
Aarav stood up immediately.
"…Yeah, I'm definitely stronger when food is involved."
Daren shook his head slightly.
"You recover fast."
"I have priorities."
---
As Aarav walked back—
He glanced once more toward the road.
Empty now.
Silent.
But the feeling they left behind—
Hadn't disappeared.
"…This world is bigger than I thought," he murmured.
And this time—
That thought didn't feel exciting.
Not adventurous.
Not hopeful.
Just—
Uncertain.
---
End of Chapter 11