The kitchen was already warm when Eis finished lighting the stove.

  She had started early—long before dawn—moving with quiet purpose as pots filled, herbs were chopped, and skewers were laid out in neat rows. The table was crowded with food already prepared, and more waited by the counter, covered and resting.

  It was… a lot.

  Eis paused, hands braced on the edge of the table, and frowned at the sheer volume.

  Maybe too much, she thought.

  A memory surfaced uninvited.

  “Festival of Renewal’s next week,” Ronan had said, leaning against the doorframe after a long day. “City shuts down. Whole place turns loud and cheerful.”

  Eis had looked up from cutting vegetables. “And?”

  “And,” he continued, amused, “you should go. Take the kids. Have fun.”

  She’d blinked. “I’ll be back by nightfall.”

  Ronan laughed softly. “Not what I meant.” Then, more gently, “You’re allowed to stop sometimes, Eis. Especially now.”

  She’d hesitated.

  Team Argent would be there. The kids too.

  “…I’ll think about it,” she’d said.

  Footsteps on the stairs pulled her back.

  Elara came down first, hair still loose. Fourteen now, taller than she’d been, shoulders carrying responsibility she hadn’t been given but had taken anyway.

  She hovered at the bottom step.

  “Good morning, Miss Eis.”

  Eis turned, surprised—and smiled.

  “Good morning,” she replied easily. “You’re up early. Breakfast first.”

  Elara smiled and nodded, sitting at the table.

  Not long after, Nia thundered down the stairs, orange hair bouncing, eyes immediately locking onto the food.

  “Is all of that for today?”

  “Yes,” Eis said calmly.

  Nia gasped like she’d been told a secret.

  Tomm followed more slowly, rubbing sleep from his eyes, nine years old and still half in yesterday until properly awake.

  Eis set plates in front of them. “Eat,” she said. “Then I need your help.”

  Nia paused mid-bite. “Help how?”

  “Important mission,” Eis replied.

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  That did it. They finished eating faster than necessary.

  “What’s the mission?” Tomm asked, serious now.

  Eis gestured to the window where the outside table waited. “I need something made. A sign. Strong enough to stand all day.”

  “A sign?” Nia echoed.

  “Yes,” Eis said. “It should ask people to only take what they need—so everyone can eat.”

  The two exchanged a look.

  Then they were gone, already arguing about wood thickness and paint color.

  By the time Team Argent arrived, the sign stood proudly on the table outside, letters bold and slightly crooked.

  PLEASE TAKE ONLY WHAT YOU NEED

  SO OTHERS MAY EAT TOO

  The food was laid out. Everything was ready.

  “Looks like it’s time,” Kael said, stretching.

  They stepped out into the cold morning air—and Eis immediately frowned.

  The coats.

  Too thin. All of them.

  She stopped mid-street. “We’re fixing that.”

  They ended up at a tailor with ready-made festival wear. Eis deferred entirely to Lira, who examined sleeves and linings with a critical eye.

  “They’re still growing,” Ronan added. “Bigger sizes.”

  Eis nodded—and bought coats a few sizes too large.

  The result was immediate.

  Nia’s sleeves swallowed her hands. Tomm looked like he was wearing someone else’s future. Elara tried to pretend she wasn’t smiling.

  Kael laughed openly.

  “Perfect,” Eis declared.

  They headed for the stalls.

  “Don’t hold back,” Eis told the kids. “If you want something, we stop.”

  Kael suggested the game stalls first.

  They didn’t get far before Nia stopped cold.

  “There!” she said, pointing.

  A doll sat on a shelf—silver hair, calm expression.

  “That one,” Nia said firmly. “I want that one.”

  The stall owner gestured to the knives. “Three bullseyes.”

  Kael stepped up first.

  The first knife landed clean.

  The second shifted oddly in his grip. He made a show of it—twirling, grinning for Nia—then stuck it dead center.

  The third felt… normal.

  Too normal.

  He threw.

  It landed low.

  Kael stared. “That should’ve—”

  Lira smirked. “Didn’t.”

  Ronan tried next. Clean first. Barely second. Low third.

  Lira leaned toward Eis. “Enchantment. I can’t tell what kind.”

  Eis nodded.

  When it was her turn, she landed the first two without effort.

  For the third, she casually reached into her spell pouch.

  A card activated—brief, silent.

  Lira noticed.

  The knife flew true.

  “Prize,” Eis said.

  Nia hugged the doll instantly. “I knew you were the greatest.”

  Eis murmured, “Thank you,” toward Lira.

  Lira smiled—wide and genuine.

  Later, Eis noticed Elara lingering near a painting set—eyes tracing it, hands folded behind her back.

  Eis called her aside.

  “These are expensive,” Elara said quickly. “I don’t need—”

  “It’s okay to be selfish sometimes,” Eis said gently. “This is one of those times.”

  Elara chose the set she’d been watching.

  She hugged it like it might vanish.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Eis rested a hand on her head. “Of course.”

  The day passed in color and sound.

  Tomm ignored most stalls—until a small adventurer booth selling tiny mana crystals. Eis bought him a batch. His eyes lit up like he’d been handed a future.

  They watched the ceremony. Ate until full in ways that had nothing to do with food.

  By nightfall, they returned home together.

  The table was empty.

  The sign still stood.

  She didn’t know yet that peace had a way of drawing eyes toward it.