Seven years passed.
Not through great wars.
Not through calamities that shook kingdoms.
But through something far more precious.
Peace.
The days became ordinary.
The mornings became familiar.
The seasons came and went as though the world itself wished to grant the children seven uninterrupted years to simply... grow.
Every morning before sunrise...
The training grounds echoed with the sound of wood striking wood.
Bang!
"Again."
Lucas' voice had never changed.
Calm.
Cold.
Absolute.
Bereshith, now no longer a small child but a young man entering his adolescence, immediately stood back up despite the bruises decorating his body.
"Yes, Mister."
His muscles had grown lean through years of discipline.
His once-fragile body had become sturdy.
His hands had become calloused.
Yet...
He still refused to wield a bladed weapon.
Instead...
Leather wraps covered both of his fists.
Lucas had asked him countless times.
"Why?"
Bereshith's answer never changed.
"I don't want my hands to become tools for taking life."
Lucas no longer argued.
Instead...
He simply trained Bereshith's body until every punch carried the weight of a hammer.
Every dodge became instinct.
Every fall became another lesson.
There were no shortcuts.
No praise.
Only discipline.
And every bruise became proof that Bereshith had survived another morning.
The afternoons belonged to Maria.
Books replaced wooden swords.
Ink replaced sweat.
Grace replaced endurance.
Maria patiently taught both Bereshith and Levanah how to read.
How to write.
How to calculate.
How to speak with dignity.
How to greet nobles.
How to host guests.
How to eat properly.
How to stand.
How to bow.
How to become...
A gentleman.
And a lady.
Whenever Bereshith struggled over difficult words, Maria would simply smile.
"There is no shame in learning."
Meanwhile...
Levanah learned astonishingly fast.
Before long...
She had begun correcting Bereshith's handwriting herself.
"You forgot this letter."
"Oh..."
"Again."
"...Yes."
Their lessons often ended with laughter.
Whenever lessons were finished...
Bereshith always disappeared toward the farmlands inside the manor's vast estate.
Waiting there...
Was the former monster.
The man whom Lucas had once fought to the brink of death.
The man whom God Himself had forgiven.
Years ago, he had confessed every crime committed while under corruption.
Since then...
He refused titles.
Refused honor.
Refused wealth.
Instead...
He chose to live quietly.
Working the soil.
Planting wheat.
Harvesting vegetables.
Repairing fences.
Caring for livestock.
Bereshith often joined him.
Not because he had to.
But because he genuinely enjoyed it.
The two spent countless afternoons side by side.
Sometimes speaking.
Sometimes remaining silent.
There was comfort in the silence.
One afternoon...
The older man handed Bereshith a basket of freshly harvested vegetables.
"You've gotten faster."
Bereshith smiled.
"You taught me."
The man shook his head.
"No."
"I merely showed you."
"You learned."
Bereshith laughed.
"I guess."
The former monster quietly smiled.
For someone who once believed himself beyond forgiveness...
These ordinary days were miracles.
Whenever work finished...
Bereshith always searched for one person.
"Yareach!"
His little sister immediately turned.
"Brother!"
She ran straight toward him without hesitation.
Bereshith effortlessly caught her before spinning her around.
Her laughter filled the gardens.
Not far away...
Levanah watched with a smile before eventually joining them.
The three often spent hours playing beneath the trees.
Sometimes hide-and-seek.
Sometimes tag.
Sometimes simply watching clouds drift across the sky.
To Bereshith...
Those moments were treasures greater than any kingdom.
Years also brought new friendships.
Among them...
Lexy.
Whenever Lucas' relentless training left Bereshith bruised beyond walking...
Lexy was always waiting inside the medical ward.
She cleaned wounds.
Wrapped bandages.
Applied herbal medicine.
Scolded him whenever he ignored injuries.
"You'll make it worse."
Bereshith would scratch his cheek awkwardly.
"...Sorry."
"You always say sorry."
"I know..."
"...Then stop getting hurt."
"I'll try."
"You said that yesterday."
"...Right."
Even Karly eventually laughed every time the same conversation repeated itself.
Naturally...
Bereshith also grew close to Lexy's childhood friends.
Renasu.
Cyse.
And Cyte.
Among the three...
It was Cyte who became closest to him.
The reason...
Was surprisingly simple.
They both admired Lucas.
Years earlier...
Cyte had stood before Lucas countless mornings.
"Mister Lucas!"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
"I'll work harder!"
"No."
"I'll never quit!"
"...No."
Day after day.
Week after week.
Month after month.
Lucas rejected him every single time.
Yet...
Cyte always returned the next morning.
Exactly one year later...
Lucas sighed.
"...You're stubborn."
Cyte grinned.
"I learned from watching you."
Lucas stared silently.
Then finally nodded once.
"...Fine."
Cyte nearly screamed from happiness.
"Really?!"
"Don't make me change my mind."
"Yes, Sir!"
From that day onward...
Every sunrise witnessed three figures training together.
Lucas.
Bereshith.
Cyte.
Bruises tripled.
Complaints doubled.
Lessons never stopped.
Cyse...
Entered Bereshith's life through a completely different path.
Or rather...
Through Levanah.
The young butler apprentice had never hidden his affection.
Every opportunity became another excuse to speak with her.
"Good morning, Lady Levanah."
"Good afternoon."
"Lovely weather."
"Have you eaten?"
Levanah, completely overwhelmed, eventually fled toward the safest person she knew.
Her brother, or what she claimed her closest family she have... Recognizing Bereshith as her brother.
"Brother..."
"Hm?"
"He's following me again..."
Bereshith looked toward Cyse.
Then back toward Levanah.
Then toward Cyse again.
"...Why?"
Cyse immediately bowed politely.
"My apologies."
"I simply admire Lady Levanah."
Bereshith blinked.
"...Why?"
Cyse smiled naturally.
"Because I love her."
"...Love?"
Bereshith tilted his head.
"What is love?"
Cyse froze.
"...Eh?"
Bereshith genuinely didn't understand.
"I love my little sister."
"I love Mister."
"I love God."
"But... your kind of love?"
"...I don't know."
Cyse couldn't help laughing.
From then on...
Whenever Levanah sought refuge behind Bereshith...
Cyse ended up talking with Bereshith instead.
Their conversations wandered through books...
Etiquette...
Dreams...
Faith...
Even philosophy.
Although neither realized it...
A quiet friendship had formed.
Renasu...
Was different.
The first time Bereshith truly met him...
Was during horseback riding lessons.
Lucas had led him toward the stable.
Renasu's father welcomed them warmly.
"Good morning."
"We've come to borrow two horses."
"Certainly."
Turning toward his son...
"Renasu."
"Help Young Master choose a suitable horse."
"...Yes."
Renasu reluctantly obeyed.
After selecting a gentle young filly...
He carefully saddled her before leading her outside.
Lucas had already mounted his own horse and quietly waited.
Upon reaching the training field...
Renasu demonstrated.
"Place your left foot here."
Bereshith nodded.
"Like this?"
"Yes."
The moment Bereshith pushed upward...
His foot slipped.
"Ah!"
He fell backward.
Instinctively...
Renasu lunged forward to catch him.
Unfortunately...
Bereshith had grown considerably during training.
The sudden weight pulled Renasu off balance.
Both boys crashed onto the grass.
"...Ow..."
"...Sorry..."
Then...
Everything became still.
Their faces had landed...
Far too close.
Their lips brushed together for only the briefest instant.
Both boys froze.
Then simultaneously shot backward.
"..."
"..."
Each immediately scrubbed their mouths with the backs of their sleeves.
Bereshith's face turned bright red.
"I-I'M SORRY!"
Renasu's expression...
Darkened beyond words.
His first kiss...
Gone.
Not to a girl.
Not even by choice.
But accidentally...
To the very boy he unknowingly blamed for stealing Lexy's heart.
That memory haunted him for years.
Ironically...
Bereshith believed they had become friends afterward.
Renasu smiled whenever Bereshith was around.
He spoke politely.
He helped whenever asked.
But deep within...
He still carried an embarrassing grudge born from that unforgettable accident.
Time refused to stop.
Bereshith matured into a kind and disciplined young man.
Levanah blossomed into a graceful young lady whose elegance reflected Maria's teachings.
Little Yareach became an intelligent and cheerful young girl, eagerly learning letters, manners, and music beneath Maria's patient guidance.
Life inside the manor also changed.
One day...
Eva finally gathered enough courage to introduce Lexy properly to Lucas.
The truth came unexpectedly.
Lexy...
Was his daughter.
The revelation shook the entire household.
Especially because...
By then...
Lucas had already married Maria.
Not long afterward...
Their own daughter had been born.
Little Mia.
The manor descended into months of confusion.
Arguments.
Meetings.
Whispers among servants.
Even Ascirick admitted it had become one of the most complicated situations the household had ever faced.
Yet...
Maria surprised everyone.
After much prayer and reflection...
She accepted Eva as Lucas's concubine.
She welcomed Lexy into the household.
Not merely as a servant's child...
But as a daughter of the noble house.
The decision silenced countless rumors.
Though imperfect...
Peace eventually returned.
Seven peaceful years did more than allow children to grow.
They changed adults as well.
Lucas, who had once wandered the world with only a sword in his hand and guilt in his heart, slowly learned something far more difficult than war.
He learned how to become a husband.
He learned how to become...
A father.
The once fearsome knight who could face monsters without trembling often found himself defeated by problems much smaller than any battlefield.
Changing a baby's clothes.
Rocking a crying child to sleep.
Remembering which toy belonged to whom.
The servants often smiled whenever they witnessed the great warrior pacing through the manor with a crying infant in his arms.
"Why won't she stop crying...?"
Lucas looked completely helpless.
Then Eva would simply walk over, take the baby from his arms, and within moments...
The crying stopped.
Lucas blinked.
"...How?"
Eva laughed softly.
"She was hungry."
"...Oh."
Maria couldn't help covering her mouth as she laughed.
"The legendary Sir Lucas..."
"...defeated by a baby."
Lucas rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I would rather fight another monster."
The room immediately filled with laughter.
Marriage had changed him.
Not into someone weaker...
But into someone gentler.
Every morning before attending his duties, Lucas always made time to eat breakfast with his family.
Every evening, regardless of how exhausted he became from training Bereshith and Cyte, he always returned home before sunset.
To him...
That was where his greatest treasure waited.
Maria.
Eva.
Lexy.
Little Mia.
And now...
The newest member of the family.
Peter.
Although Maria had formally acknowledged Lexy as a daughter of the noble house, Lexy herself never allowed that title to change her ambitions.
She still spent countless hours inside the medical ward.
Reading.
Studying.
Learning anatomy.
Preparing herbal medicine.
Practicing stitches.
Assisting Karly with every patient who entered.
"I still wish to become a doctor."
Maria smiled proudly.
"And you shall."
Without hesitation, Maria personally sponsored Lexy's education.
Books arrived from distant cities.
Medical manuscripts were purchased.
Rare herbs were brought into the manor specifically for her studies.
Whenever Lexy thanked her...
Maria simply smiled.
"A title is meaningless if it does not help others."
"If becoming a doctor is your dream..."
"Then allow this family to help you reach it."
Lexy's eyes often became misty whenever Maria spoke that way.
"Thank you..."
"...Mother."
Maria would gently embrace her every single time.
Eva, however...
Made a different decision.
Despite now belonging to the Lord's household...
Despite everyone insisting she deserved noble privileges...
She politely refused.
"I was born a maid."
"I wish to remain one."
No amount of persuasion changed her mind.
Eventually...
Everyone respected her choice.
Although she no longer served the entire manor...
She now served only one person.
Her husband.
Lucas.
Whenever his clothes required mending...
Eva prepared them.
Whenever his room needed cleaning...
Eva did it herself.
Whenever he returned exhausted...
She quietly prepared everything before he even asked.
To her...
Those simple acts were enough.
She never desired status.
Only the chance to care for the man she had loved for so many years.
With Eva stepping down from her previous position...
The title of Head Maid passed to another.
Sarah.
The gentle young maid who had cared for little Yareach since infancy.
No one questioned the appointment.
She had earned everyone's trust long ago.
Kind.
Patient.
Reliable.
Even Yareach had long since stopped calling her merely "Miss Sarah."
Instead...
She happily called her...
"Godmother Sarah."
Whenever someone corrected her...
Yareach would simply puff her cheeks.
"But she is!"
Sarah always laughed.
"Not officially, Young Miss."
"But in my heart?"
She smiled warmly before patting the little girl's head.
"I suppose I can be."
From feeding her as a baby...
Teaching her songs...
Reading bedtime stories...
Watching over her when Bereshith trained...
Sarah had become one of the most important people in Yareach's childhood.
Life continued moving forward.
Not long after Lucas and Maria were married...
Joy visited the household once more.
Maria gave birth to their first child.
A beautiful little girl.
They named her...
Mia.
Lucas cried.
Quietly.
Very quietly.
He insisted later that dust had entered his eyes.
No one believed him.
Maria laughed every time the story was mentioned.
Motherhood, however...
Was not as simple as Maria had imagined.
Sleepless nights.
Endless worries.
Questions she had never considered before.
Fortunately...
She was never alone.
Eva remained by her side through every difficult day.
She taught Maria how to soothe a crying infant.
How to prepare milk.
How to recognize fever.
How to calm herself whenever anxiety threatened to overwhelm her.
Whenever Maria apologized for asking too many questions...
Eva smiled.
"You don't have to apologize."
"You are learning."
"Just as I once did."
Their relationship gradually changed.
No longer merely Lady and maid.
No longer simply wife and concubine.
But...
Two mothers helping each other.
Years later...
Joy visited the household again.
Eva announced she was expecting another child.
The news surprised nearly everyone.
Especially Maria.
For a brief moment...
She simply blinked.
Then...
She smiled brightly.
She immediately embraced Eva.
"Congratulations."
Eva looked completely stunned.
"...Milady?"
"I'm truly happy for you."
Tears immediately welled within Eva's eyes.
Months later...
A healthy baby boy was born.
Lucas held the child carefully.
"What shall we call him?"
Eva looked toward Lucas.
Then toward Maria.
Maria smiled warmly.
"Peter."
Lucas nodded.
"A wonderful name."
And so...
The little boy became known as Peter.
Four years younger than his sister Mia.
That evening...
After everyone had gone to sleep...
Maria quietly visited Eva's room.
Eva was gently rocking Peter in his cradle.
The tiny boy slept peacefully.
Maria stood beside her for a long while before smiling.
"You know..."
Eva looked up.
"Yes, Milady?"
Maria laughed softly.
"Next time..."
She gently nudged Eva's shoulder.
"...it will be my turn to have his children again."
For a moment...
Eva simply stared.
Then she burst into quiet laughter through tear-filled eyes.
"Yes, Milady..."
"I hope so."
Maria stepped forward and embraced her.
Not out of obligation.
Not because custom demanded it.
But because she genuinely wished to.
Eva returned the embrace without hesitation.
The two women remained there quietly, smiling through happy tears.
Whatever hardships had once stood between them...
They had long since faded.
They had become something far stronger than rivals.
They had become family.
And in the peaceful halls of the manor...
Where laughter echoed alongside the footsteps of children...
It seemed, if only for a little while longer...
That happiness had finally found a home.
Seven years.
Seven peaceful years.
The children grew.
Friendships deepened.
Old wounds slowly healed.
The manor flourished.
Laughter once again echoed through its halls.
To everyone living there...
It seemed as though this peaceful life might continue forever.
Yet beyond the borders of the estate...
Beyond the cities...
Beyond the kingdoms...
The words spoken years ago had never changed.
"There will be wars... and rumors of wars."
The storm had merely been delayed.
It had not disappeared.
And while those chosen by God quietly matured within the safety of the manor...
Far away...
Darkness had been patiently growing alongside them.
Waiting...
For the day faith would finally be tested.