"Wow…"
He blinked again.
"I really have an elf grandpa."
I said it out loud this time. Then I sighed in relief, "Thank god he's not some scammer."
...
...
...Oops...I blurted that out loud.
My cheeks flushed a hot red, and I could feel the awkwardness creeping in like a shadow. Why did I say that out loud?
Thalein—my elf grandpa—blinked at me, his eyes wide for a second, before a soft chuckle escaped his lips. It was a deep sound, like wind rustling through trees—mysterious, calming. And somehow, it made me feel better.
Then he knelt down slowly, one hand reaching out but not quite touching, as if afraid I might vanish if he came too close.
I watched him, the way his ancient yet graceful movements seemed to slow time itself. There was a strength to him, a depth in his eyes that held centuries of secrets and stories. And as he looked at me—his granddaughter, his flesh and blood—something changed in his expression.
