For the first time in over twenty years… I felt that warmth again. It felt like coming home after a long, dark exile and being wrapped in my mother's embrace. My tears slowly began to dry as I heard her whisper,

  “…I’m so sorry that I failed you… that I couldn't be there for you… Survivor of Sorrow…”

  Startled, I stumbled back, breaking the embrace. My gaze shot between Lord Rockford, who was looking at me in confusion, and Verity, who now looked as shocked as I felt, her hand covering her mouth.

  “Wh-where did you hear that name?” I asked her, my voice trembling. My gaze then snapped to Lord Rockford, and I raised an accusing finger. “Did you tell her about it?!”

  He just stammered, looking completely bewildered. “N-No… I… I haven't mentioned it to anyone.” Now the tall mage turned to Verity with a deeply puzzled expression. A strange, tense atmosphere hung in the air, thick enough to cut.

  Verity pursed her lips and began to pace back and forth in the small room. Lord Rockford watched her with keen curiosity, and I simply had no idea what was going on. Finally, she stopped and let out a deep breath.

  “I am a Priestess of the Mother of Balance—the Goddess Aelthara. And you, Grim… are one of her children. From the very day I first saw you, I felt her energy within you and heard your name: Survivor of Sorrow. But only now,” she explained, her voice thick with sorrow, “do I understand its true meaning…”

  Verity’s glowing golden eyes seemed to peer into my very soul before she continued.

  “What our Mother has in store for you is a matter between you and Her alone. I would not dare to interfere in her plans. But you and Pip are part of our family now, and therefore, I cannot stand idly by and watch you break. I do not know what your relationship is to Lord Rockford, nor what punishment awaits you, but please, be assured of this: you are not alone. We stand behind you,” she assured me, her voice firm, as she dried her tears.

  Wait… what? She’s a Priestess of Aelthara?

  Suddenly, her words from the day we met echoed in my mind: “I see everything.” Did she know? Did she know that Pip and I weren't from this world? Was reincarnation more common here than I thought?

  I shook my head internally. I wouldn't breathe a word about my rebirth. The last thing I needed was to end up on a pyre. But still, Verity’s words touched me deeply.

  Family. In a way, I felt that too, but it was strange to hear someone else say it. I looked at Verity intently… could I really call people my family in this life? My thoughts were abruptly interrupted.

  Lord Rockford cleared his throat, drawing all attention to himself. “Forgive me, I did not mean to interrupt. Unfortunately, I have obligations that await me, so I would like to briefly explain how we will proceed.”

  Verity just bowed her head apologetically, and I nodded to Lord Rockford.

  “I will get straight to the point,” the Archmage explained. “Grim, you have been sentenced to pay for the damages caused by your actions, the deployment of the City Watch, and a fine. All in all, the sum amounts to thirty gold pieces.”

  Sister Verity’s eyes widened in shock. She looked from Lord Rockford to me and back again before exclaiming, horrified, “THI-THIRTY GO–”

  But Lord Rockford interrupted her with a raised hand. “However, considering the special circumstances, the sum has been reduced to twenty gold. The residents of the slums approached the City Watch in great numbers and vouched for you. They said that the Well of Solace would certainly not follow anyone with a bad heart. Therefore, the city of Aegis has waived the fine. And under one condition, it is possible to pay off the remaining penalty in installments or to work it off in part,” the kind mage explained with a gentle smile.

  Phew… Even twenty gold pieces would take an eternity to pay off. If I immediately paid the ten gold I had received from Lady Ainsworth, I would still be paying off the rest for three years at a wage of one silver per day, assuming I spent every coin on it.

  But that was only if I agreed to the condition.

  “Verity, just so you know,” I said, looking her in the eye, “it is my responsibility to answer for my actions, and I will not shy away from that.” I received a surprised look from both of them. Unconcerned, I continued. “What is this condition you speak of, Lord Rockford?” I bowed my head humbly and waited.

  “You have to pledge the Word of Honor,” Lord Rockford explained slowly and clearly. “It is a magically binding contract. You must pay at least one silver piece per month to reduce your debt, and if I ask for your help, you cannot refuse. Unless, of course, you have a justified fear for your life or doubts about the ethics of the task.”

  Hm. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully while Verity watched me, nervously wringing her hands. Actually, that didn't sound bad at all. I could easily pay one silver a month, and I didn't believe Lord Rockford would knowingly expose me to any real danger. But there had to be a catch. Regardless, the offer was too good to pass up.

  “Just out of curiosity,” I asked, “where’s the catch? What happens if I simply refuse to help you?”

  The Archmage stroked his beard thoughtfully, glancing at Verity before speaking in a serious tone. “Pain. The more and the longer you unlawfully resist a task I give you, the more severe the pain you will experience. The pain is magical in nature; it is not fatal and leaves no lasting damage. Furthermore, the pain will lessen and stop as soon as you attend to the task.”

  If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Hm. I owed the man a great deal and had no intention of defying him, so I would accept. Once again, I bowed my head. “Lord Rockford, I wish to thank you for this chance. I am in your debt and wish to atone for my actions as best I can.”

  Lord Rockford nodded in acknowledgement. “Extend your hand, please, and repeat after me.”

  I took a deep breath. Despite my trust in him, beads of sweat formed on my forehead. Verity looked at me with concern and placed her hand on my arm as I extended it. “Grim, you don’t have to do this if you’re not absolutely sure. We can surely find another solution.”

  Her worried gaze told me everything. Whether it was because I had been blessed by Aelthara or because I was a child of her orphanage, we were family. She would stand by me, no matter what. But that only strengthened my resolve. If she was willing to stand behind me, then I wouldn't burden her with my problems.

  Gently, I placed my free hand on hers. With a self-assured smile, I reassured her, “I am absolutely sure. I’m not just doing this for Lord Rockford and the people of the slums; I’m doing this above all for Pip and for myself.”

  When Sister Verity heard that, she closed her eyes and nodded with a warm smile. She removed her hand from my arm, and I nodded to Lord Rockford, ready. The great mage nodded back and extended his own arm, his palm hovering over mine.

  “Repeat after me,” he instructed. “By the Word of Honor, I, Grim, swear that I will fulfill my sentence. As long as it does not threaten my health or violate my ethics, I will meet my obligations until they are fulfilled, whether in the form of money or service.”

  I repeated the vow. As I spoke, the space between our hands began to glow. A magical, golden ribbon of light formed from the air, linking our hands. I watched with curiosity until the ribbon faded. My gaze lingered on my hand as information seeped into my awareness.

  < Word of Honor initiated with [Augustus Rockford]. > < Binding magical contract detected. [Echo of Life] has halted the binding. > < Confirm pledge to the Word of Honor? >

  Confused, I furrowed my brow and almost had to laugh. I had completely forgotten about that! Even the slave bracelet had been blocked by the Echo of Life. So, it should have no problem blocking a voluntary oath. I answered the question with a firm mental, “Yes.”

  Regardless of whether Lord Rockford could check if the Word of Honor was active, I had sworn on my honor to pay my debt. And since he was meeting me halfway, I wanted to honor that. A new message confirmed it.

  < Oathbound: Augustus Rockford >

  I waited for Lord Rockford to withdraw his hand and then did the same. The deep green eyes of the Archmage seemed to look into my soul. With an appreciative nod, he spoke.

  “Grim, I find it remarkable that you are so dutiful and responsible at your age. I would advise you to dedicate yourself to your magical studies. If you truly wish to help Pip, you will need power and control. An incredibly difficult path lies before you, but I know that you can do it. Should I require your help, I will send for you. But for now, I must take my leave. My duty calls. Verity, Grim, fare well.”

  Before we could say goodbye, the tall mage turned and left the room.

  Sister Verity and I looked at each other, perplexed by his abrupt departure. Why is he helping me so much? As always, I was left with more questions than answers. My thoughts drifted to Pip. We had been separated for four weeks now. It was the longest time I had ever spent without her, and every moment ached bitterly.

  A gentle hand on my shoulder pulled me from my painful thoughts. “Grim, let’s go. You surely need some rest for what awaits you…”

  At her words, I had to swallow hard and gave a weak nod. A long, damn hard road lay ahead.

  We left the bastion of the City Watch and walked directly home. Sister Verity seemed deep in thought, saying nothing the entire way. Only our footsteps, crunching the fallen autumn leaves, echoed in the avenue that led to the orphanage. With every step, a feeling of rejection grew inside me. The Little Garden Orphanage was visible just ahead.

  I took a deep breath and stopped walking. Sister Verity turned in surprise, a certain worry on her face as she asked, “What’s wrong?”

  My hands clenched into fists, and I looked down at the ground in shame. “I don’t know… if I want to return to the orphanage.” Taking another deep breath, I began to pace restlessly. “It feels so wrong, to just go to my bed and sleep. Then I’ll get up tomorrow, have breakfast, and go to Mantris’s to sort goods in his cellar all day while… while I should be doing much more important things…” I explained, my voice unsteady.

  Sister Verity’s eyes softened. “Grim. Realistically, is there anything at all that you could change right now? You heard Lord Rockford; a path lies before you that will demand a great deal. But you won’t be able to change anything if you are exhausted and not of a clear mind. What you need is a plan, a damn good plan. As long as you don’t know all the facts, you can’t calculate all the eventualities. So please, grant yourself some rest and sort your thoughts, okay?”

  Dejected and infinitely tired, I looked at her and managed a mute nod. Gently, she put her hand on my shoulder and guided me towards the orphanage. I was grateful she was there for me… that I didn't have to be alone. And yet, I missed Pip painfully.

  The orphanage grew closer, the cold, damp air accompanying us. The sun had almost set. Between the dark trees, the illuminated windows of the orphanage were visible. I could have sworn I saw a figure in one of them, but when we had a clear view, it was gone. I was probably just overtired.

  A few steps from the entrance, the door opened. Instinctively, I hoped that Arthur, Mara, and Sister Elodie would come out to greet me. But that hope was bitterly shattered.

  In the doorway stood Grimelda. With her arms crossed, she stared at us maliciously, her foot tapping impatiently. My heart sank.

  “Aha… so that’s why you were gone half the day. For the brat who almost destroyed the slums. If it were up to me, I would have let him rot in his cell,” she spat, her orange eyes glowing with hate. That one time she had watched me with the dagger… at the thought, my heart beat hard and fast. This woman hated me, but I just didn't know why.

  Sister Verity sighed heavily. “Grimelda, I forbid you to speak of Grim in that tone. No matter what you think of him, Grim is a part of our family, and I want you to treat him with respect. Is that clear?”

  Apparently, she had hit a sore spot. Grimelda’s eyes now glowed even more intensely, her face contorting into a disgusting grimace.

  “You’ve always thought you were something better since you were accepted into their ranks… haven’t you, Guardian?” she said contemptuously and spat on the ground next to Verity.

  Verity stumbled back a step, her hands clenching into fists. Puzzled, I looked at her.

  She raised a threatening finger, holding it directly in front of Grimelda’s nose. “I am warning you… and I am warning you only this one time, Grimelda.” She spat out the name with emphasis and continued in a cold and merciless tone, “This boy has gone through more in his short life than you can possibly imagine. And even today, after more than forty years, you are still so bitter and just can’t let go. You take out all your anger and hatred on others, and I have tolerated it for many years. But now, it’s over. Should you dare to speak of our family like that one more time, or even dare to raise a hand against them… may the Mother be my witness… then I will kill you. Do you understand me?”

  The glow in Grimelda’s eyes vanished, and she humbly bowed her head. “Yes, Guardian…”