Euryale, Lyra, and Silas ran toward the house, hearts pounding, feet pounding even harder on the sandy path. Each carried a small pouch of treasure—gold coins, silver trinkets, and a few gemstones glinting in the sun. The map had been rolled back up, tucked safely under Lyra's arm like a secret too big to keep quiet.
"Pa! Ma! We found it!" Silas yelled before they even reached the door.
Ma nearly dropped the bowl of porridge in her hands.
"You found what?" she shouted back, already bracing herself like this was about to be bad.
"The treasure!" Lyra cried, skidding to a stop and nearly tripping over her own feet. "It's real! Gold and coins and shiny things!"
Ma blinked once.
Then twice.
"…What?"
Pa stepped out from the side of the house, spear resting against his shoulder. He took one look at their faces—too excited, too wild—and sighed.
"Alright," he said slowly. "Who dug up whose garden this time?"
"We didn't dig!" Silas protested. "We explored!"
"That's worse," Ma muttered.
Euryale, trying very hard to sound calm and responsible, held up a pouch and loosened the string.
Coins spilled into his palm.
Gold. Real gold. Bright even under the cloudy morning light.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Ma laughed.
A short, disbelieving laugh.
"Oh, that's funny," she said. "Very funny. Where did you get these? Who did you borrow them from?"
"We didn't borrow!" Lyra insisted. "We found them! In a cave! With a map!"
Pa frowned. "…A map."
"Yes," Euryale added quickly. "An old one. With symbols. Wave markings. Possibly ancient."
Pa stared at the gold.
Then at the children.
Then back at the gold.
"…Those are real," he said quietly.
Ma shook her head. "No. No, they're not. Someone's playing a joke. Silas, did you paint these?"
Silas looked offended. "Do you think I'm that talented?"
Pa took one coin, bit it—then immediately winced.
"Still hurts," he said. "Definitely real."
Ma sat down very suddenly on the doorstep.
"…You're telling me," she said slowly, "that the three of you walked out this morning… and came back with treasure."
"Yes!" Lyra said proudly.
"No," Ma said firmly. "Try again."
Euryale sighed. "We found ancient treasure tied to sea myths."
Pa rubbed his face with his free hand. "Of course you did."
Ma pointed at Euryale. "You. Explain. Slowly. Preferably starting with how you're still alive."
So they did.
They explained the cave. The map. The symbols. The way the water had moved without him forcing it. How the treasure hadn't felt dangerous—just… waiting.
When they finished, there was a long silence.
Then Ma said, very softly, "Absolutely not."
"Not… what?" Silas asked.
"Not selling it. Not touching it. Not telling anyone. And definitely not buying candy towers."
Silas gasped. "You're crushing my dreams."
Pa crouched down and picked up a gemstone, rolling it between his fingers. "This much gold could change everything," he said carefully. "And that's exactly why we don't rush."
"But—" Lyra began.
Ma looked at her. "Treasure brings attention. Attention brings trouble."
Euryale nodded. "That's why I think we should study it first. Understand it."
Ma studied her eldest son's face—really studied it. The calm. The seriousness. The way the water behind him shifted gently, like it was listening.
"…You didn't force it," she said.
Euryale shook his head. "I didn't need to."
Pa exchanged a glance with Ma. Something unspoken passed between them.
"Well," Pa said slowly, "if the sea trusted you enough to hand this over…"
Ma exhaled. "…Then we trust you too. Just not Silas."
"HEY—"
"You'd sell it for chocolate boots."
"They'd be legendary boots!"
Lyra leaned in, whispering loudly, "Can we at least buy ice cream?"
Ma hesitated.
"…One scoop," she said. "And that's only because I need time to process the fact that my children casually found a fortune."
Silas cheered. "WE'RE TEMPORARILY RICH!"
"Cautiously," Euryale corrected.
The rest of the morning was chaos.
Coins were counted. Gems were inspected. Euryale tried to use polite water to stack them neatly—but the water had other plans. Coins spun, clinked, and scattered like mischievous fish.
"Polite," Euryale hissed. "Not playful."
A coin zipped toward Lyra. She snatched it midair.
"HA! The gold likes me!"
Pa groaned. "I should've stayed at sea."
Ma laughed despite herself. "Too late now."
As the sun climbed higher, Euryale looked at the treasure spread across the table—and then at his family.
The gold could make them rich.
But right now?
What mattered more was this moment. The laughter. The disbelief. The way his family still felt like home.
"Treasure stays here," Euryale said firmly. "We learn first. Spend later. Maybe much later."
Silas sighed dramatically. "Fine. But I still call dibs on naming the coins."
Lyra grinned. "This one's Sparkle."
"That's not a name," Euryale said.
"Yes it is."
Pa shook his head, smiling. "It's going to be a very long year."