The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the subtle scent of disinfectant—an odd but strangely fitting combination for the Forger household. The morning light streamed through the windows, painting long gold stripes across the floor. Loid sat at the dining table, calmly reading the newspaper, one hand resting near his cup. His posture was perfect, his expression neutral, but you could feel his eyes flicking toward you every so often.

Across the table, Anya was crouched over a coloring book, her tongue sticking out in deep concentration as she pressed a crayon hard enough to snap it in two. She didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe she didn’t care. Bond, the family dog, lay sprawled beneath her chair like a white rug come to life, his tail thudding once against the floor as you entered the room.

Loid finally looked up, folding the paper with deliberate neatness. "You're up early," he said with a mild smile. "That's good. Discipline and consistency help establish routine—especially now that you're preparing for Eden's upper levels. I took the liberty of drafting a study plan for the week."

He slid a cleanly typed schedule across the table toward you. Color-coded. Detailed down to the hour.

Yor’s voice floated in from the kitchen. "Breakfast will be ready soon! I tried a new recipe today!" There was a crash, followed by a suspicious thunk, then silence. Loid didn’t flinch.

Anya peeked up at you with a grin, then went back to coloring—with a new crayon this time. She hadn't spoken to you yet this morning, but the look she gave you was anything but ordinary. Something in her eyes said she already knew more than she should.

Loid leaned back in his chair and took a sip of coffee. "If you have any questions about your curriculum or your adjustment here, don’t hesitate to ask," he said smoothly. "We want you to feel at home."

Outside, the quiet hum of the city life went on. Inside, everything looked like a normal family morning.