The Baringer airport still lingered in Sorey's mind, the strange encounter with Megami and Neko leaving an unsettling impression. Keldo had sensed a danger Sorey couldn't quite grasp, and that intuition weighed on him. After his friend's departure, Sorey returned to his too-quiet house, missing the usual clatter of Keldo's tools. The living room, bathed in soft morning light filtering through the curtains, smelled of polished wood and cooled tea. As he poured himself a glass of water, his phone buzzed on the coffee table, breaking the silence.
"Hey, Dad, you good?" Sorey said, setting the glass on the counter.
"Doing fine, son," his father replied, his warm voice tinged with slight fatigue. "How about you? How's the holiday going?"
"Eh, it's alright. Just hot," Sorey said, leaning against the wall. "What about you? Things busy at the ministry?"
"Got a visit from Atar Sendaris. Remember him?" his father asked.
