2

Two horses gallop down the road. Not fast—just fast enough not to strain them. Still, quicker than when pulling a carriage.

Five days of that speed—finally, the mountains of home came into view. My chest gave a natural leap, like it had a mind of its own.

"Half a day, more or less?"

Yeah, guess riding’s tiring after all. Want a bath.

"Did the village even have a bath?"

Not that I’d object to making one now…

Gonna sweat like a fool before I even step inside, I reckon.

Now that I think about it, baths—nowadays we use them like it’s nothing—back home we didn’t have those. Just wiped ourselves with a cloth or jumped into the river, that’s all.

I’m struck all over again by the gap between town and village—yet somehow, it feels like home.

Three weeks off from the commander, we started preparing right away the next day, and now here we are, riding down the road on borrowed horses, heading for the village as our vacation begins.

At first, there were villages and towns dotted along the road every so often—plenty of places to stay, no trouble at all. But by the fourth day, it was getting harder just to reach a village in a single day, and even when we did, we’d often be turned away with no room to spare.

Well, maybe that was partly our fault. If we’d been in full knight’s regalia, they probably would’ve made room for us even if we’d asked a bit too much.

But we’re on holiday now. Honestly, it felt too much like being a soldier to push ourselves that way, so we just gave up and camped out under the stars more than once.

Today’s the last day of it. The borrowed horses are in good shape, the weather’s been kind—should make it to the village without a hitch.

“Still, man… it’s a long way. Even if we’re going home, gotta think twice about doing this every time.”

“Not to mention how much of a hassle it is to rent horses every time. Gotta look after them in the village, too.”

“Might as well just buy a magitech cart. That medal should come with a nice reward, right?”

Not just the honor, but the kingdom’s likely to hand out a fat bounty too. With that kind of coin, I could probably keep a magitech cart running just fine.

If we cram the cargo hold full of magi-liquid—magi-liquid, I mean—should last us a round-trip’s worth of fuel.

“Could work. Say, I heard about these new magi-bicycles lately. Compact, and way cheaper to maintain than a full cart.”

“Yeah, I heard. But they don’t seem like they’d carry much, huh?”

Magi-bicycles are basically just bikes. Smaller than magi-carts, so they cost less to keep up and use less fuel. But they don’t go as far, and can only carry as much as a horse can. Still, since I’ll be coming back with Ange anyway, we’ll be carrying double the load—so thinking about it, a magi-cart might actually be better than a magi-bicycle.

“Maybe I should get one… we could go for walks together?”

“Road trip? But Ange, your salary barely covers your rent, right?”

“Hmm… yeah, that’s tight.”

Ange frowned, thinking about her pay and her bills.

Support maids get the same pay if they join the Armunale unit, but even then it’s still a bit tight to cover upkeep. A man might manage, but Ange’s a girl—she’s seen cosmetics in town now, hasn’t she?

Only if she’s captain would she finally be able to get by. I wouldn’t have bought a magic cart without a bonus, either.

“Well, if you do, I’ll let you ride next to me.”

“Hmm… that’s not a bad idea!”

After a moment of thought, Ange nodded and gave a thumbs-up.

“Anyway, it’s still a month away.”

“Who knows when we’ll be back next? Take your time. Gotta find a place to keep it, too.”

“Would be nice to have time to look into all that.”

Word’s coming in from other block defense units—something’s stinking about the Empire’s movements.

Something’s off about this unprecedented large-scale invasion—and the enemy’s sudden flurry of activity’s got me on edge.

Our spies embedded on their side? All wiped out. Don’t know when they were compromised, but judging by the enemy’s numbers, the intelligence unit must’ve been destroyed ages ago.

Given all that, I doubt we’ll get the leisure to dig into things properly anytime soon.

“Maybe we should just focus on getting back to the village and really letting our hair down.”

We’re finally home. If we keep scowling and stewing over things like this, the family’ll only worry. Might be nice to let loose once in a while, you know?

“Yeah… Hey, look—there’s smoke.”

Ange’s voice lifts as she spots white smoke rising from deep in the woods ahead of us. The village—three years since we last saw it—is just around the bend.

After a while, the fields of the village came into view. We dismounted and walked on foot.

No villagers were in the fields—probably already done with their day’s work.

“Same as always.”

“Yeah. Just like when we left.”

Still, the neat, tidy rows of crops were proof the village hadn’t vanished.

Then the entrance to the village came into sight. Voices buzzed from within—laughter, some of it high and light like children’s.

Maybe a child was born after we left. If it was born right after we left, it’d be about three now—running all over, making a fuss.

And then one of the villagers spotted us. He blinked, startled, then bolted off in a hurry—probably to tell the others.

“Sounds like it’s getting lively.”

“Wrote a whole letter, so Eld’ll get plenty of scolding. Should be fun.”

Hey, what’d you write!?

"Sure thing."

Ange stepped into the village with a smile, all delight. I let out a single sigh and followed after her.

Then, from deep in the village, a few villagers came running, flustered.

The sight of her made Ange and me both freeze in place.

Of course. My mum and Ange’s parents, after all.

"Ange!"

"Eld-chan!"

Mama们一溜烟儿就朝我们跑过来，然后直接扑进我们怀里。

I wonder what to do, but I run my hand over my mother’s back anyway. She feels a bit smaller—probably because I’ve grown taller.

I'm home.

Welcome back. You okay? Didn’t catch a chill, did you? Got your coin safe? No one been picking on you at work, have they?

The rapid-fire questions were unmistakably the mother calling her son after he’d arrived in the capital.

Even if the world’s different, worrying’s the same, huh.

I think that, and answer with a smile, saying it’s all fine.

Ange’s family was hugging her, looking happy. They didn’t seem too worried about daily life—probably because they’d been getting letters regularly. Well, she’s got me living in the dorm right next door. No matter what, she’s always showing up at my room.

“Daddy’s hunting?”

“Yes, he’s been trying hard since morning—he hasn’t caught a single beast this year yet.”

“Ah. So he’ll be back in the evening, then?”

“Mm-hmm. Let’s talk plenty before then.”

“Yeah, there’s a lot I want to say.”

After saying goodbye to Ange and the others, I head back to the house where I was born.

“Feels nostalgic. Still the same.”

“Some parts’ve been repaired, though. Not enough to rebuild it all, though.”

“Should I send some money? I’ve got a salary coming in, so I’ve got some spare.”

“What are you talking about? Your dad’s still got it, so spend that money on yourself.”

“Got it. Well, if things get rough, let me know. I’ve got a bit of slack.”

After all, I’m the captain of the Armunale unit!

“Lots of things haven’t changed, but some things have changed a lot, too.”

“Really?”

I can’t imagine a backwater village changing much in just a few years.

I’m still scratching my head when Mom smiles and pushes open the front door, stepping inside.

I follow, still puzzled, and notice the change right away.

“A baby crib?”

There, in the corner of the living room, sits a baby crib. I remember using one just like it—back when I was small. I thought it had been shoved into the attic long ago.

And inside it—tiny movements, a small life stirring.

“Born last year. Her name’s Emi-chan.”

“We’ve got a new family member.”

Eld’s more of a handful, but that’s half the fun. Father’s absolutely smitten, I tell you.

Well, she’s my first girl, after all.

He’s got that scary look on his face—would make a baby cry, wouldn’t it? But then… how does that even work?

Dad, you ain’t cryin’, are you?

"Guess parents really do understand, huh? Whenever Papa picks me up, I always end up laughing."

“Huh.”

Kids are something else, huh. Yeah, I’m a kid too—me and the old man’s boys, right?

Still thinking that, I peer into the baby crib. Emi’s frozen, staring wide-eyed at my face—some strange face that just popped out of nowhere.

And when Mama leaned in from beside me, I grinned up at her, reaching out little arms with a happy squeal.

Mother took her arm and lifted Emyna up.

"Is a year old about the time they start standing?"

That’s right—she’s just holding onto things now, but I think she’ll start walking soon. Emyna seems eager to do it too, she’s really trying.

Hmm.

I wonder how it was for me back then. I think I tried really hard to walk early, too.

As I’m staring at Emyna, lost in memories of my own childhood, Mother asks me, still holding Emyna close.

“Want to try holding Eld?”

“Are you sure? I don’t know…”

I’m nervous. She might slip. Emyna’s calm when Mother holds her, but can she stay calm with someone she’s never met before?

“Don’t worry. Just hold her right, and she won’t fall.”

“Okay.”

Mother says it, and I take Emyna into my arms.

Since her neck’s already steady, I loop one arm under her bottom so she can sit on my arm, leaning her back against my chest, and wrap the other arm around her like a seatbelt.

I do as I’m told, and Emyna fits snugly into my arms. Maybe it’s because Mama’s nearby, but she doesn’t squirm or fuss at all.

“See? Told you so?”

“Yeah… babies are heavier than I thought.”

The weight pressing into my arm isn’t just about her body. There’s something else to it.

“Emyna-chan, you’ve got Onii-chan!”

Mama pokes Emyna’s cheek, talking in baby talk. Emyna, still too young to understand much, giggles happily when she’s touched.

“Look, Eld-chan too!”

“Huh? Me too?!”

“You’re my big brother, so it’s only natural, right? There you go.”

“O-oh…”

I never had a brother in my past life, so I’m not sure how to act, but… is this really okay?

“Emyna, I’m your big brother.”

I nudge her cheek lightly, and she giggles again—kyakkyu, like before.

Is this really how it’s supposed to be?

Then Emyna reaches out toward Mama, so I hand her back over.

She clings to Mama with a happy little sigh, burrowing her face into her chest.

“Guess Mama’s the better hug, huh?”

“Mama’s special privilege. Now, Papa should be home soon—time to get dinner ready.”

“I’ll help.”

“First, go put your things down and air out the room. We’ve been cleaning regularly, but a good airing out’ll feel better, don’t you think?”

“Got it.”

Air gets stale if you don’t use a room for a day. Still, I’ll take whatever help you’re giving, I guess.

I headed straight to the room I’d been using, just like Mom told me.

After airing out the room and tidying up my things, I stood in the living room, watching Mom’s back as she cooked with Emyna. Emyna—she’s started treating me like family now, I think. She even laughs when I pick her up.

“Mom’s unchanged, huh.”

She’s still the same size she was when she gave birth, always smiling, always cheerful. A few lines around her eyes, maybe, but she still looks younger than she actually is.

I was stroking Emyna’s head, lost in thought, when suddenly the front door burst open.

I turned, startled—there stood Dad, breathless, drenched in sweat.

“Eld’s really back?”

Emyna jumped at the sudden noise, her little body tensing up, then started whining. I immediately ran a hand over her head, tickled her chin—just a little—and she perked right back up, grinning like a dandelion in the sun.

Tickling the chin to make someone laugh… reminds me of a cat.

“Dad, you scared Emyna half to death. Could you open the door quieter next time?”

“Ah, ah… sorry. Eld, you’re really back, huh?”

“Just on leave. But I’m home now.”

“Right. I knew from Ange’s letter you’d officially become a pilot for Armunale. But how’s it going?”

“Of course it’s going well. I’m in the same unit as Ange now—working hard, just like her.”

Well, technically I volunteered for her unit. But I didn’t say that.

“How about you, Dad? No injuries from hunting? You’re getting on in years—be careful, okay?”

"Course I am. Got a new hunter in the village—spending most of my time schooling the lad, but I’m still got fire in me."

"Ah, so the village’s changing a bit, huh?"

Looks the same, but little things—like Emi and that new hunter—show it’s shifting, slowly.

Mom comes in from the kitchen, carrying a tray of food.

"Welcome home, dear. Dinner’s ready—let’s talk while we eat. I’ve got plenty I want to hear about Eld, too."

"Yeah, alright."

Over dinner, I told her about how I’d lived these past years.

How Fortran’s been doing. My friends and instructors at the Academy, my mentor Rene, my comrades in the Thirty-First, my first battle, the enemy’s invasion. There were a few military secrets I couldn’t share, but even so, I kept talking past dinner time—right up until Emi started fussing.

Mom took Emi off to bed first, and now it’s just me and Dad, sipping tea and talking like we used to.

“Seems like you’ve been through quite a bit.”

“Yeah. Now I’m a captain. Still don’t know half of what I’m supposed to.”

“But your squad trusts you, right?”

“Hmm… maybe not so much because I’m captain. More like they’ve got no choice now that the old one’s gone.”

Can’t believe I’m trusting a rookie who’s only been in the squad six months with all this. Maybe they’re just following along because the pilot’s the new captain. Still, that doubt sticks with me—like a pebble in my boot.

“Yeah, I get it. But Eld’s got to earn that trust himself from here on out. Everyone’s gotta start somewhere. Are the people in Eld’s unit the kind who’d just give up on someone who can’t do it at first?”

“No.”

We haven’t worked side by side long, but I know that’s not true.

They’re not that narrow-minded.

If they were, they wouldn’t have followed me so fast on the battlefield.

“Then it’s up to Eld. To earn trust, you’ve gotta trust first.”

“Thanks… feels a bit lighter now.”

Maybe it’s the travel fatigue. After the relief, I’m starting to feel drowsy.

I let out a yawn, and Dad gave a wry smile, picking up my cup too and heading off to the kitchen.

"Staying here for a spell, then?"

Three or five days, maybe. Figuring in travel time, we’d want to leave by the seventh day at the latest.

You can’t always count on the road being smooth. If it starts pouring down rain, you’ll be crawling along—no way around that. And don’t even think it won’t happen, some mess’ll come up, sooner or later.

Thinking about it, I’d’ve liked to have about ten days to spare for the move.

So, then you can take your time. The village’s changing a little at a time. Finding those shifts—ain’t that the fun of it?

I’m feeling it now, seeing Emyna. When we heard children’s voices as we entered the village, that means there are kids born besides Emyna, right?

Ah, how many there must’ve been. Folks who got nervous ‘cause you two vanished—no heir left—pushed themselves hard to make up for it.

“Wasn’t it strange how few kids there’d been all along?”

Even though a few had left for the town, the number of children in the village had still been low. Everyone figured they’d all just fade out eventually. That sort of thinking had spread through the place—sure as anything, the village had been teetering on the edge of ruin. But now, somehow, the children were starting to come back.

“This village might just pull through after all. Ange’s been sending letters regularly—thanks to that, merchants started showing up on schedule. A few things from the town trickle in now, and life’s gotten easier.”

“Sorry I didn’t write.”

“Yeah, well. You could’ve at least thought about how worried your mother was.”

Mother had been anxious, real anxious—no letter from me at all. That stress might’ve even made Emyna’s labor harder. She’d been fine afterward, but right after giving birth, she’d been utterly drained.

Hearing that, I finally let myself feel it—really feel it.

I'll make sure to hand it out once a month.

Do it. Well, Mum’s asked Ange to keep an eye on you, so you won’t get away with slacking, I reckon.

"Troublesome..."

I can almost see Ange hovering over me, nagging me to write a letter.

"Y'know, it's getting late. Let's head out for a drink, eh?"

The two glasses and the bottle of liquor my father brought back from the kitchen—

You sure about tomorrow’s hunt?

You’ll help me out, won’t you?

I gave a dry laugh at my father’s answer and took the glass.

I’m typing away on a newly upgraded PC, struggling with the unfamiliar keyboard.

That might slow things down a bit. The enter, backspace, and shift keys are smaller than usual—real hard to press.