Afternoon had finally arrived.
I decided to rest in the house a little earlier. My body was tired, and honestly, I hadn't rested properly because of my own carelessness. I should've been more careful—but now it was too late for regrets.
The events that happened earlier in the village were still fresh in my mind. Everything felt like a dream. First, I encountered fearsome monsters and was traumatized by the two witches, and then I was chosen to be a student at the Divine Academy.
(Divine Academy – is one of the most prestigious institutions in the Pallet Kingdom, where chosen youth are trained in Arcane Magic, Psychic abilities, Divine powers, Sacred relics, and weapons. The Academy prepares them to become qualified Adventurers who protect the kingdom from magical threats, monsters, and darkness. Honored and sacred, the Academy stands as a beacon of power, discipline, and destiny for the future defenders of the realm.)
But the surprise and shock hadn't worn off. It all lingered in my thoughts.
After resting for a short while, we proceeded again by taking care of our farm. Everyone slowly made their way back to the wide farm field where the battle had taken place. They moved together quietly, bringing tools and baskets, helping one another.
Together, they began cleaning up the mess left behind from the intense fight between my mother and the two witches. The battle had left deep marks—ruined plants were crushed into the ground, and the soil was torn up and scattered all over the field.
All around, people were working hard. The corpses of the monsters had been dragged and burned together by the five soldiers in one place at the far edge of the field—right at the far side of the statue of Archangel Michael. His statue was glowing softly now, bathed in light. It had started shining the moment the Blood Moon disappeared from the sky.
The strange glow gave us a small sense of peace, as if the Archangel himself was watching over us.
Mother, Alera, and I were busy working in the field.
We were trying to soften the soil that had been flooded by Mother's powerful Water Magic during the battle.
The ground was still wet and heavy, and it made our work harder, but we didn't complain. We were just grateful that the side of this field was only affected.
Earlier, the villagers were shocked by what they saw on this side of the field. It could have been much worse. We were lucky—because the assigned Adventurers arrived just in time.
These Adventurers were the ones sent by the Arcane Court of Justice to protect small villages like ours. Sometimes the assigned Adventurers here were late, and by the time they arrived, the damage had already been done. In the past, we had lost entire patches of corn and other crops planted by my fellow villagers.
It had always been heartbreaking to watch our hard work ruined so quickly.
Our home, Raphen Village, is small and often overlooked. We were unimportant. To many of the other villages and bigger towns and cities in the Pallet Kingdom, they're seen as much more important than ours.That's why we were especially thankful today. These Adventurers didn't just protect the crops—they saved me too.
After the battle, the Village Chief tried to invite them to stay and have breakfast as a token of our gratitude. But they politely refused. I think they had another mission or quest to attend to. They just did their duty and moved on.
As I stood beside Mother and Alera, my hands digging through the muddy earth.
The field was quiet except for the sound of villagers working in the distance.
Suddenly, three people appeared in front of us.
One of them, a man with dirt on his face and eyes full of worry, stepped forward in a hurry. He looked tired, as if he had run all the way from the other side of the village.
His voice trembled as he spoke.
"Please, General Undine, help us! Don't let them take our son!" he cried, standing directly in front of Mother.
I looked up in surprise.
It was the father of the young man who had been chosen by the General earlier today. I remembered how this man had arrived too late to witness what had happened.
Just behind him, a woman stepped forward. Her face was pale, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She looked even more desperate than the man.
"Please, General Undine…" she whispered, her voice weak and full of pain.
The young man beside her was also stunned and hadn't moved on from earlier.
Now, both parents stood side by side, their faces full of fear and sorrow. They were pleading with Mother, hoping she could stop what had already been decided. Hoping she still had the power to change their son's fate.
The pain in their voices made my chest feel heavy.
Mother didn't say anything right away. She looked at them with calm eyes, but I could see the seriousness behind them.
Other villagers began to gather nearby.
Mother spoke. Her voice was strong, but filled with emotion.
"My fellow villagers," she began, turning slightly to look at everyone. "I'm sorry… but I can't do anything for the young man. I no longer have the power to stop it."
She paused, her voice softening.
"I retired from being a General years ago. I gave up my position."
The crowd remained silent. No one dared to interrupt.
"General Vera is not like me," Mother continued. "She holds great power because she serves directly under the Arcane Court of Justice—the highest court where all magic-related crimes and judgments are made. Her orders are final, and I cannot go against them."
"She was also commanded by the King and Queen," Mother added.
Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd.
(Arcane Court of Justice – is one of the highest authorities in the Pallet Kingdom for law, order, and magical judgment, acting directly under the King and Queen. Feared and respected, it handles crimes involving magic, punishes wrongdoers, protects the innocent, and deals with cursed beings and supernatural threats.)
The mother of the young man covered her mouth to keep from crying out loud. Her husband placed a hand on her shoulder, but his eyes were filled with hopelessness.
The life of an Adventurer is tough. It is a dangerous job, with encounters against different kinds of monsters, and the saddest part is that you have to be away from your parents.
I looked up at Mother. Even though her face stayed calm, I could see the sadness in her eyes. She wanted to help, but her hands were tied by the laws and powers far greater than her own.
---
After a long day of hard work and a few conversations with the villagers, the sun finally began to dip below the horizon.
The sky turned a soft orange, painting the field in warm light as evening approached.
We decided to go home now after a tiring work at the farm.
Mother and I, especially, had barely rested since morning. The battle, the clean-up, and the emotions of the day had taken a toll. All I wanted now was to eat and then lie down.
After a long walk, we finally reached our house.
But before I could fully enter, Mother gently stopped me at the doorway. My younger sister had entered the house first.
She placed her hand on my shoulder, and I turned to face her. Her expression was serious—calm, but filled with something deep and personal.
"Since we have no choice, you have to enter the Divine Academy tomorrow," she said.
I nodded slowly. I had already made up my mind.
She took a deep breath, then reached into the pockets of her clothes and pulled out a small object—a glowing purple amulet, shaped like a teardrop and wrapped in silver. She gently placed it in my hands.
"This belonged to your father," she said, her voice trembling just a little. "You didn't know before… but your father and I weren't always simple villagers."
I looked at her, confused.
"We used to be S-Rank Adventurers," she continued. "He was a Psychic, and I was a Mage. We were well-known in the kingdom. But after we married and had you, we chose to leave that life behind.
We wanted peace.
We wanted to raise you without fear, without battles, without the danger that comes with our kind of power."
My eyes widened.
I had never imagined that my quiet, calm mother had once been a powerful adventurer—and Father too.
"But now," she said, her voice steady again, "the truth can no longer be hidden. The world is changing. And if you enter the Academy… you must be ready. Ready to fight, to protect yourself."
She looked deep into my eyes and held my hands tightly around the amulet.
"Promise me this," she said. "Promise me you'll survive. Promise you'll succeed. That you'll grow strong—not just in power, but in heart. Promise me… you'll never give up."
Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn't hold them back. I wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug, feeling the warmth of her body, the strength she carried even after all these years.
"Yes, Mother," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I promise. I won't let you or Father down."
She held me for a moment longer, then pulled away with a gentle smile.
"All right now," she said, wiping her eyes. "Let's eat, my sweeties. You both need rest. It's been a long day." she exclaimed.