The road to Eldermire felt shorter than Renn remembered.
Or perhaps… he had simply changed.
The wind carried the scent of soil and harvest, the same scent that once clung to his clothes after long days under the sun. The fields stretched wide and golden under the morning light, farmers already at work, their silhouettes bending and rising in a rhythm he knew by heart.
Once, he had been part of that rhythm.
Now—
Steel rested at his side. Gold traced the edges of his uniform. And the faint, controlled hum of Aether moved beneath his skin like a restrained storm.
Renn Valehart had returned. Not as a boy of the fields, but as a Royal Knight.
Word traveled faster than footsteps. By the time Renn reached the village entrance, Eldermire was already gathering. Farmers wiped sweat from their brows, leaving tools behind. Women stepped out from their homes, hands still dusted with flour. Children ran barefoot across the dirt paths, eyes wide with excitement.
"Renn's back!"
"He really made it—!"
"A Royal Knight… from Eldermire…"
The murmurs swelled into cheers. Renn stopped just short of the crowd, his expression caught somewhere between stillness and disbelief. He hadn't expected this. Didn't think he deserved it.
A familiar voice broke through the noise.
"Ohh! You finally decided to come back, huh?"
Old Tarren—the farmer whose fields Renn used to help till—pushed his way forward, his laugh loud and unrestrained.
"You used to wake up early to help me in the fields, and now look at you—wearing gold like some noble hero!"
A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd.
Another voice chimed in.
"Wasn't he the one who said he'd never join the Royal Knights?"
"That's right!" someone added. "Said it was 'too troublesome!'"
Renn exhaled, a faint smile finally breaking through.
"…I still think it is."
The crowd laughed louder this time. Familiar. Warm. Real.
Small figures pushed their way forward next. The children. The same ones who used to chase him down dirt paths, challenge him to races, and beg him to tell exaggerated stories about the outside world. Only now, they looked at him differently.
Not as "Renn." But as something more.
"Is it true?" one boy asked, eyes shining. "You fought in the ceremony?"
"Did you use Aether like the stories?"
"Are you strong now?!"
Renn crouched slightly, meeting their gaze. There was a pause. Then—
"… Yeah, do you wanna see my powers?."
"… Lumindelle."
Lumindelle shows up out of the blue. His cat ears twitched.
"Oh, now you remember my name,"
Lumindelle said, narrowing its glowing eyes.
"You summon me without warning, without preparation, without even the courtesy of intent—"
It paused. Its gaze shifted slowly toward the children. A dozen wide-eyed stares met it, unblinking. Amazed.
"…It's a cat…"
"It's glowing!"
"IT TALKS—!"
The reaction hit all at once.
"Well."
The word came smoother this time. Less sharp. More deliberate.
"If that is the case…"
"I am Lumindelle," it continued, lifting its head slightly, voice carrying a quiet authority that didn't match its size. "A manifestation of refined Aether..."
Renn snapped his finger and Lumindelle was gone. "…Yeah yeah, I get it."
" Hey, lemme finish talking..." Lumindelle got mad.
The children were completely captivated.
"That's so cool…"
They didn't believe him first but now they are truly impressed. To them, the gold on his uniform wasn't just decoration—it was proof. Proof that someone from Eldermire could become something greater.
"I'm gonna be a Royal Knight too!" one of them declared.
"Me too!"
"I'll be stronger than you!"
Renn let out a quiet breath, something softer than laughter.
"…Then I'll be waiting."
The moment shifted when the sound of metal moved through the air.
A sharp, unified step. The crowd parted almost instinctively this time, not out of excitement—but respect.
A small unit approached from the inner post of the village, their movements precise, measured, and disciplined. Their armor was simpler than Renn's, lacking the intricate gold lining or symbolic engravings. Practical. Durable. Made for endurance rather than distinction.
The Royal Guards.
They stopped a few paces before him.
The difference between them was immediate—clear, even without words.
Royal Guards were the shield of the kingdom.
They were recruited from capable men and women, trained to maintain order, to protect villages like Eldermire, to stand their ground against threats that most would never face. Their use of Aether was present, but limited—basic reinforcement, minor enhancements, enough to support their duty but never to define it.
Royal Knights were something else entirely.
They were not recruited. They were chosen. Forged through trial, tested beyond physical limits, and awakened to a deeper connection with Aether itself. Where guards used Aether as a tool, Knights wielded it as an extension of their being—refined, dangerous, and far beyond ordinary control.
It wasn't just a difference in strength. It was a difference in nature.
The captain of the guards stepped forward, his posture straight, his expression firm.
"Sir Renn Valehart."
The title hung in the air.
Then, in perfect unison, the guards raised their fists to their chests and saluted. A clean, practiced motion.
Renn stood still for a moment, the weight of that recognition settling quietly over him. Not pride.
Then he returned the salute.
Renn walked through the quiet path of Eldermire alone.
The village had already settled into evening. Warm lanterns flickered outside repaired homes, and the sound of distant conversations drifted softly through the air. Life had slowly begun returning to normal.
But for Renn—
Nothing felt normal anymore. His steps eventually stopped. There, standing quietly beneath the fading orange sky, was his home.
Renn froze slightly.
The broken walls were gone. The shattered roof had been rebuilt. The scorched wood from the Mist Wraith attack had been replaced carefully, almost lovingly. Even the small porch where his mother used to sit had been restored.
For a moment, Renn simply stared. Then footsteps approached from behind. The Village Chief stopped beside him, hands resting behind his back.
"…It's the least we can do," the chief said quietly. "Everyone in Eldermire is grateful to you for saving our lives."
Renn lowered his gaze slightly. "…Thank you, Chief."
The old man smiled faintly before turning away, giving Renn the silence he needed. Renn stood there for several seconds longer before finally stepping toward the door.
Creak—
The house welcomed him with familiarity. The scent remained. Herbs. Warm wood. The faint fragrance of dried flowers his mother always kept near the window.
Renn's chest tightened.
The room was quiet, yet every corner carried traces of her presence. The folded cloth near the table. The cup she used every morning. The shawl hanging near the wall. This place still felt alive. Still felt like home.
Renn slowly walked deeper inside until—
A soft golden light appeared near the center of the room. His eyes widened.
"…Mother?"
The light shimmered gently. And there, standing before him—
Was his mother, Elira.
Not fully solid. Almost translucent. Like light shaped into memory. Yet her smile remained the same. Warm. Gentle. Loving.
Renn's breath caught.
"…Mother…"
Tears instantly formed in his eyes. He moved before thinking, rushing toward her and embracing her tightly. His arms trembled around her fragile figure as if afraid she would disappear the moment he let go.
"I'm sorry…" his voice broke immediately. "I'm sorry… I couldn't protect you…" His grip tightened.
"If only I came back sooner…"
"If only I was stronger…"
"I failed you…"
Elira slowly raised her hand and rested it gently against his head. "No," she whispered softly.
Renn trembled.
"You came back." Her voice carried no blame. No regret. "Even when you were afraid… even when you were hurting… you still came back for me."
Renn lowered his head against her shoulder like a child once more. "I couldn't save you…"
Elira smiled sadly. "Renn…" Her fingers brushed softly through his hair. "You were never meant to carry everything alone."
Silence filled the room gently. Then her eyes wandered toward the Royal Knight uniform folded nearby.
"You really became a Royal Knight…"
Renn slowly nodded. "…I wanted to become stronger." His voice lowered. "…Strong enough to protect you."
Elira's expression softened deeply at those words. "You already protected me all this time."
Renn looked up slightly.
"When I became sick… you never complained. When the villagers needed help… you were always the first to reach out your hand."
Her hand rested against his cheek.
"You became someone I could always be proud of."
Renn's tears fell harder. Then Elira gently leaned her forehead against his.
"You don't belong only to Eldermire anymore, Renn." His eyes trembled slightly. "You carry something far greater now."
A pause.
"But promise me…" Her voice softened. "No matter how strong you become…don't lose your kindness."
Renn clenched his fists weakly. "I promise…"
The golden light around Elira slowly began to fade. Renn's eyes widened immediately.
"…Mother?"
Her body slowly turned into drifting particles of light. But even then, she smiled.
"The stronger you become…" she whispered softly, "…the more people you must protect."
The room dimmed.
"Use your strength… not for revenge…so no one beside you will ever have to cry again."
"…I will always be by your side."
Then—
The light disappeared completely. Silence returned to the house. Renn stood there alone. His tears continued falling quietly as he stared at the empty space before him.
But this time, the pain no longer felt hollow. Slowly, Renn wiped his eyes. Then turned toward the door.
The hill overlooked all of Eldermire.
It always had.
The wind moved softly through the tall grass as Renn approached the grave alone beneath the darkening sky.
Fresh flowers rested beside the stone. The villagers had visited earlier. Renn stopped before the grave silently. The memories of his mother's voice echoed once more within him.
Renn lowered his head slightly. Then quietly—
"…I promise, Mother."
The wind passed through the hill gently. And for the first time since her death, Renn no longer looked lost.
He turned away from the grave and began walking forward...