Winter is almost over. The cold breath of nature is leaving -not all at once but little by little like unveiling a curtain.

  The snow that once covered everything in white had started to melt, leaving behind patch of brown earth and wet stone.

  The sunlight stays longer each day, and all the melted snow has formed small streams that run downhill, joining the once frozen rivers and kes, bringing the ndscape back to life.

  Elio sat by the window,a book beside him that he had long forgotten. His face lifted toward the sun, enjoying the warmth of sun and nature. The air still held a bit of winter chill but it didn't bite hard anymore. It brushes gently against his skin like a fading away.

  This year winter was not as harsh as previous years. All around him, the world was waking up.

  Tiny green buds peeked out from the tree brunch. New and colorful leaves are beginning to grow from once skeleton looking tree. A few early bdes of grass and wildflowers poked up through the wet soil. Some birds chipped nearby, hopping from one brunch to another.

  Elio loved the time between seasons.

  It wasn't winter anymore but spring hasn't fully arrived either. It felt like mother nature is taking a big breath before moving forward.

  As he slipped on his drink,he felt that breath inside him too calm, peaceful.

  He didn't speak as there is nobody to listen. He just watched the snow melt.

  Elio moved to this barony seven years ago. After his grandfather passed away, he decided to come and live with his grandmother. She never asked, but he didn’t want her to be alone and lonely. The rest of the family used to visit sometimes—especially during New Year—but Elio stayed, because he wanted to be there for her—not just for a few days, but for the rest of her life.

  His father and aunt often asked his grandmother to move back to the capital. They worried about her living in such a quiet pce all by herself. But she always responded with a firm no.

  This was her home—her father and husband were buried here. She used to say she would stay until her st breath—and that’s exactly what she did.

  Last spring, she passed away peacefully in the same house where she had lived her whole life. Elio was with her until her final moment.

  Since then, everything had felt adrift like a leaf on water, swaying in unfamiliar waters.

  The house, once filled with warmth and ughter, now stood still. Lonely, but not empty. There was peace.

  Almost a year had passed since his grandfather's death.

  He often caught himself staring out the window, and he finds himself unsure of what to do next.

  He had come here for his grandmother, but over the year, he grew to love this pce.

  The calm of the sea and mountains, the slow rhythm of life. It was so different from the capital. People remembered his name. They asked how he was and waited to hear the answer.

  Not like the capital, where obody cares anything about anybody.

  He wasn’t sure whether to stay or leave.

  The rest of his family still lives in the city. Sometimes, he misses them—but he also hates the chaotic life of the capital.

  At his grandmother’s funeral, the house was full of people. Retives had come from near and far, sharing their concern for Elio. Some elder family members suggested it was time for him to settle down—after all, he was nearly twenty-six and should start thinking about marriage.

  His father invited him to the capital, asking for help with the family business. Even a few of his younger cousins invited him to join them on an adventure: hunting monsters, diving into dungeons, and seeking the unseen.

  Elio listened kindly but didn’t agree to anything.

  Marriage sounded nice in theory, but he didn’t feel ready not yet. He had moved here at the age of eighteen, and now, nearly twenty-six, he still had no fiancée or girlfriend. Over the years, some retives had tried to arrange matches for him, but the idea of marrying a complete stranger and spending the rest of his life with someone he barely knew never sat well with him. So marriage was off the table, for now.

  The idea of running a business didn’t appeal to him either. He had always been a free-spirited person, preferring to live life as he like. A life tied to strict routines and repeating schedules simply wasn’t for him. His elder brother was far more capable for the family business. With both his brother and father still healthy, he didn’t need to worry about the family business.

  They could handle it perfectly well without him.

  Adventuring was also out of the question. He knew his limits. Though his skill was slightly above average, it wasn’t anything extraordinary. He cked the confidence to risk his life on it and more importantly, he had no desire to risk his precious life in pursuit of glory.

  Luckily, money wasn’t a problem. The inheritance he received from his grandparents was enough to live comfortably. It wasn’t a fortune, but it was enough to support a humble, peaceful life without the need to work.