Eric gazed out of the carriage window as it continued along the road. It was a familiar sight for him - the way people would instinctively part, granting the carriage an unhindered passage. Faces turned towards him with awe and respect because everyone knew that this carriage belonged exclusively to Eric. Such occurrences had become a daily routine for him, not only because he was the most beloved and compassionate village chief in the history of their community, but also because he had once been an ordinary villager himself. To most, Eric's life resembled a fairy tale, akin to a rags-to-riches story, and many saw him as a character straight out of such a narrative, a testament to the transformative power of luck.