Kira looked up from her glowing screen and tapped her stylus against the edge of the tablet. "For the official administrative records, could you please provide your full names? We need to add the family name to the registry."

In modern society, surnames held very little practical weight. Historically, only royals and high-ranking nobles possessed the exclusive privilege of having their full family names officially documented and recognized.

For ordinary civilians, merchants, and even seasoned military commanders, family names were functionally useless and rarely brought up in daily conversation.

Johan exchanged a brief, subtle glance with his wife before turning his attention back to the students. "Our family name is Ketzer."

Kira quickly typed the name, which was an old word rooted in the meaning of a heretic or dissenter into the academy database without batting an eye.

"Thank you," Jax said, pulling up the next section of the background check. "Have either of you had any experience in the adventuring field? Did you ever work directly with any combat guilds, support organizations, or logistics teams in your younger days, or perhaps even now?"

"Oh, nothing dangerous," Elara chuckled gently, waving her hand to dismiss the notion. "About twenty-five years ago, long before Johan and I got married, I worked as a general helper and a chef for a local guild. I just cooked meals for the active parties."

Johan scooped a small spoonful of his ice cream and leaned back against the couch. "I grew up living far out in the countryside. I spent my youth working the land as a simple farmer."

"And when did you move to the city?" Kira asked, her fingers hovering over the digital keyboard.

"We only came to Blue York about ten years ago," Johan replied.

Jax and Kira frowned slightly, exchanging a visibly confused look. The logistical timeline did not make immediate sense to them. A city-based guild chef and a remote countryside farmer crossing paths over two decades ago seemed highly unlikely given the travel restrictions of that era.

Seeing their confusion, Elara offered a warm, nostalgic smile to clarify the situation. "It sounds a bit odd at first, I know. While I was working as a chef, the guild was dispatched to a remote village to provide relief after a huge catastrophe struck the area. I traveled with the support team to cook for the frontline workers. That is exactly where I met Johan. We hit it off pretty fast, so I ended up leaving the guild entirely, moving to his village, and marrying him."

"That makes perfect sense," Jax nodded, his tablet chiming softly as he saved the input. He scrolled down to the employment tab. "And what kind of work do you both do now to support the family?"

"We run a small diner down in the local commercial district," Johan answered, resting his spoon inside his empty bowl. "We also manage a little attached shop where we sell pre-packaged, instant-food items for busy commuters."

"Moving on to the personal history section," Jax said, swiping to a new digital page on his tablet. "Do you happen to have any pictures of Solomon from his childhood days? Or perhaps any specific information about his upbringing that you would like the academy to know? It is perfectly fine if you wish to keep those memories private." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Elara and Johan shared a brief, knowing look, seemingly a silent conversation passing between them that entirely escaped the students’ notice. Johan smiled softly and pushed himself off the couch.

"I will go fetch the family photo album from the study," Johan said, patting his wife’s shoulder. "I will be right back."

As Johan walked down the hallway, Elara leaned forward and clasped her hands together. "While he grabs that, I do have one particular story about Solomon that I would love to share. It might actually explain some of his current physical capabilities to you all."

Marco paused halfway through another spoonful of ice cream, suddenly leaning in with keen interest. "Oh? We absolutely love embarrassing childhood stories."

Elara chuckled softly, a fond, maternal light entering her eyes. "This happened back when we were still living out in the countryside. Solomon used to run around the farms all day, playing in the dirt with the other village kids. One afternoon, we tasked him with looking after a small herd of cattle near the grazing fields. Out of nowhere, a massive bull just went completely insane. It broke through the wooden fence, locked its eyes on Solomon, and charged."

Kira gasped lightly, covering her mouth. "That is terrifying! Was he hurt?"

"Not at all, but only because he absolutely refused to stop moving," Elara laughed, shaking her head at the ridiculous memory. "That stubborn boy was chased by the enraged bull across the plains, and he sprinted for three solid hours straight before he finally managed to lose the beast in a dense thicket. He came home covered in mud and completely out of breath. Ever since that exact day, he flatly refused to set foot near a farm ever again."

Jax raised an eyebrow, quickly typing the ridiculous physical feat into his tablet. ’Running for three hours straight as an unawakened child? His baseline endurance was monstrous even back then.’

"That level of stamina is incredibly impressive," Jax commented, maintaining his professional tone. "Speaking of his personality, how would you describe his general relationship with the family? Does he get along well with you and his sister?"

"He is a bit aloof and tends to keep to himself," Elara admitted, glancing fondly toward the front window where Jasmine had taken the dog. "But he is fiercely protective of Jasmine. He might not show his affection with hugs or warm words, and they bicker quite a lot, but he always makes sure she is safe. He deeply cares for this family in his own quiet way."

"Does he have any specific hobbies or peculiar habits we should be aware of?" Kira asked, her stylus gliding over the screen. "Things that might help his instructors connect with him better in a dormitory setting?"

"He reads quite a bit, mostly ancient history texts," Elara replied thoughtfully. "And he prefers to exercise in total isolation. He highly values his personal space and routine, so if he ever seems distant or unapproachable to his peers, please do not take it personally. That is just how our Solomon operates."

"Speaking of which, how many members are in your family?" Kira asked, her stylus poised over the tablet. "Including pets, of course."

Footsteps echoed from the corridor, interrupting the questionnaire. Johan walked back into the living room, carrying a thick, leather-bound photo album in his hands.

"That would be six in total," Johan responded, taking his seat back next to his wife.

Johan opened the heavy album and laid it flat on the coffee table. The three academy students leaned forward to inspect the collection. The pages were filled with vibrant, heartfelt memories.

Some photographs were clearly posed, while others were perfectly candid shots capturing everyday moments. It painted a very clear picture of a loving, genuinely happy family that deeply cherished their children.

Kira pointed at a series of photographs featuring a young, energetic boy with dark hair running through a grassy field. "Is this Solomon when he was younger?"

Elara shook her head, a soft, melancholic smile touching her lips. "No, that is actually Jacob."

Jax and Kira frowned slightly, scanning the surrounding pages. They quickly realized a glaring anomaly in the collection. Almost every single photograph of a young boy featured Jacob. There were barely any visible childhood pictures of Solomon at all.

"Who exactly is Jacob?" Marco asked, pausing his eating to look up at the parents.

"Jacob was our firstborn," Elara answered softly. "Our oldest son, and Solomon’s older brother."

Kira tapped her stylus against the screen, pulling up a blank family registry tab. "Where is he currently located? Is he an awakened individual affiliated with any official combat guild or exploration organization?"

The warm atmosphere in the living room suddenly plummeted. Johan stared down at the photograph of the young boy running through the field, his expression tightening with a quiet, heavy grief.

"Jacob is dead," Johan responded quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. He gently closed the leather album. "He did possess an awakened talent, yes. But he was killed during one of his official guild missions."