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Chapter Eight: Departure With a Stranger
The carriage arrived around noon.
Not the kind pulled by horses, but one of those sleek mana-charged vehicles with thin black wheels and a low, humming core at the back. It kicked up dust as it came down the road, stopping just a few feet outside the farmhouse gate.
Everyone looked out from the porch.
The door of the carriage clicked open, and out stepped a man dressed in a long black coat, dark as night, tailored perfectly to his slim frame. His hair was a deep violet, tied loosely at the nape, and his skin was almost unnaturally pale—smooth, with no visible blemish or crease.
His eyes, a matching shade of purple, swept the area with a single glance.
He walked forward slowly, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed.
"Guess this is the place," he said aloud, voice low and smooth.
Eli stood from the porch steps and blinked.
"That your new teacher?" Bram asked, arms crossed, leaning against the wall.
"I think so."
"He looks like he walked out of a painting," Eli muttered.
Bram snorted.
Monroe reached the base of the porch and tilted his head, as if inspecting a strange bird. "You're Eli?"
"Yeah."
"Cool. I'm Monroe. Rank 3. Please don't make me say the full resume."
Eli nodded, unsure what to do with his hands. He gave a half wave.
Monroe's eyes flicked to Bram, then to Eli's father, then back to Eli.
"Alright," he said, "which one of you is most likely to offer me tea?"
"That'd be me," Eli's mother said as she opened the screen door.
Monroe gave a polite smile and followed her inside.
—---
They didn't talk about cultivation. Not right away.
Monroe sat at the kitchen table with one leg crossed over the other, politely sipping the tea but barely drinking any. Eli's siblings peered at him from behind the hallway wall like he was some rare animal. One of the twins whispered, "Is he a noble?"
Monroe turned his head suddenly, locking eyes with her.
She disappeared with a squeak.
"Do you always make children flee?" Eli asked.
"Only the fast ones," Monroe replied without looking up from his cup.
He didn't say much during the short visit. He let Eli's parents talk, nodding once in a while. When asked about his teaching style, he replied with, "Depends on the weather," which didn't help anyone.
But when it came time to leave, he stood and stretched like he'd just woken up from a nap.
"Alright," he said. "You've got everything?"
Eli looked around. Small bag slung over his back, light coat, travel boots.
"Yeah. Think so."
Monroe nodded.
"Good. I don't carry bags."
"Wasn't expecting you to."
"Smart boy."
They stepped outside. Monroe looked up at the sky.
"Good light today," he muttered. "Might stop for ice cream on the way."
"Is that part of the training?"
"No, but I like ice cream."
Bram walked them to the gate. He said nothing until Monroe was already halfway into the vehicle.
He looked at Eli and clapped him on the shoulder. "You'll be fine."
"You sure?"
"No. But you'll still be fine."
Eli gave him a weak grin.
Monroe leaned out from the carriage window.
"You coming?" he asked.
Eli took a breath, waved once to the house, then jogged over and climbed inside.
The door shut with a hiss.
The carriage hummed, turned, and began moving down the dirt road, kicking up dust behind it.
Just like that, Eli was gone.