The morning sun spilled into the cabin, scattering gold across the wooden floor in shifting patterns as the light filtered through the windows. Dust motes floated lazily in the beams, and the faint creak of the wood echoed like a gentle morning song. Alden stretched, wincing at the familiar ache that tugged across his shoulders and arms. Yesterday's training session with Joey had been merciless, leaving his muscles sore, but beneath the ache was a spring in his step... a warmth in his chest. A sense of purpose. One that had taken years to find and was finally settling into him like a steady current of the River Blade itself.
Joey was already awake, of course. Ever alert, he sat in the shop area with his elbows propped on the counter, carefully counting the day's earnings from both their monster subjugation rewards and the shop's sales. His dark blue hair was slightly tousled, several strands sticking out at odd angles from a restless sleep, and his crimson eyes glinted with quiet satisfaction as he tallied the numbers. Coins clinked against the wood in a steady rhythm, his lips twitching in concentration.
"Morning," Alden said, leaning on the counter and nudging him. "You awake, or just staring at coins for moral support?"
Joey didn't look up, his tongue poking out slightly as he counted. "If I stare hard enough, maybe the coins will multiply on their own."
Alden barked a laugh. "Not how it works, genius. You're supposed to earn them."
Joey finally looked up, his grin wry and sharp. "And I am. By counting them carefully. Precision is a skill, Alden. You should try it sometime."
"You mean after I wrestle a troll to the ground or slice through a goblin?" Alden countered, crossing his arms smugly. "I think I've earned the right to relax my brain cells."
Joey snorted. "Relaxing your brain cells won't buy food for the shop, river boy."
Alden chuckled, shaking his head. Joey might have been new to the idea of a home, but already he had a sharp mind for business that rivaled anyone Alden had seen back in Atlas. And Alden, of course, was proud of it.
After breakfast, the two boys gathered around the large, well-worn table. The surface was spread with sketches and papers, maps of possibility scattered like treasure charts. Alden had drawn rough outlines of the cabin and shop, his pen strokes bold and uneven, while Joey had added precise notes in small, neat handwriting that crawled around the edges.
"I think the shop needs an upstairs storage room," Joey said, tapping the corner of the page. "Right now, everything's crowded. We keep tripping over boxes of herbs and crystals. Look... if we add this here, it clears the floor space."
Alden squinted at the drawing, rubbing his chin. "And we'll have room to expand the counter too. Maybe even a display area for high-value magical items?"
Joey's grin spread like wildfire. "Exactly! We need something flashy. Something that makes travelers stop and go, 'Wow, I need that potion!'"
Alden laughed, putting on a mock-merchant voice. "Step right up! Enchanted beans! Magical thread! Guaranteed to stick..., or your money back!"
Joey shot him a playful glare. "Hey, don't mock the master salesman. I'll have you know I could charm anyone into buying a rotten apple if I wanted to."
"Right…" Alden smirked. "And you'll enchant it too?"
"Only if necessary," Joey said with a wink.
At that moment, Grandpa entered, his massive frame filling the doorway. He set his hands on the table, leaning forward, his shadow spilling over their sketches. His eyes, sharp but softened by amusement, scanned their plans. "Planning our little empire again, are we?" His voice rumbled like distant thunder. "I suppose I should give you a few pointers. First..., land isn't just soil and trees. It's freedom. Make sure you use every corner wisely."
Joey blinked, caught off guard. "Freedom?"
Grandpa's gaze softened, deepening with memory. "You two have worked hard, and now you have the means to shape your lives. You can buy tools, expand the cabin, even add a training yard. But remember, land is not just a place to live. It's a canvas. Treat it like one."
Alden's eyes lit up. "So… we can make it however we want?"
Grandpa chuckled, shaking his head. "Exactly. But learn to start small and build over time. Don't try to do everything at once."
Joey tilted his head thoughtfully. "Start small… got it. So first, shop expansion. Then house renovation. Then… maybe a training ground?"
"Exactly," Alden said with a grin. "And then… a giant kitchen for all of Grandpa's recipes!"
Grandpa laughed, a deep, booming sound. "A giant kitchen for two bottomless stomachs? You really are ambitious."
Joey leaned forward suddenly, eyes narrowing with curiosity. "By the way, how much land do you actually own, Grandpa?"
Grandpa gave a calm shrug, as if it were no big deal. "Oh… this entire edge of the town, including the mountain behind us."
Alden nearly choked on his fork. "No kidding, Grandpa?"
Grandpa nodded with a small smile. "When I left the Royal Knights, I used almost all my savings to buy this land. I wanted a quiet life, away from the capital, no neighbors, and enough room to train without disturbance."
Joey's jaw dropped. "So that's why no one's nearby… Got it."
"Yes," Grandpa said simply, sipping his stew. "You boys can use as much of it as you want."
The hours that followed filled the cabin with laughter, playful arguments, and the sound of coins clinking as Joey adjusted calculations.
"Wait, we need windows here," Joey argued, jabbing the sketch with his quill. "If we don't, how are people supposed to see our beautiful products?"
"Or worse," Alden replied, "how will we see them ourselves? I don't want to trip over a cursed crystal because it was hidden in the shadows!"
Joey laughed, tossing his quill like a dagger. "Fine, windows it is. But we also need a trapdoor for emergencies. You know..., in case a troll sneaks upstairs while we're gone."
Alden snorted. "Trolls? Joey, you watch too many training sessions."
"You never know," Joey said with mock seriousness. "Better to be prepared. And besides… trapdoors are cool."
Grandpa chuckled from his chair, shaking his head. "You two argue like seasoned merchants. But it's good. Planning is important, and I see you're both thinking ahead."
By midday, the sketches had transformed into an actionable plan. Joey and Alden assigned themselves roles. Joey would manage inventory and keep the records meticulous, while Alden would oversee construction, ensuring the renovations stayed true to the "River Blade aesthetic" he whimsically insisted should flow through the shop layout. Grandpa, of course, supervised, offering wisdom here and there, though mostly he just chuckled at their antics.
"Alright," Alden said, stretching back in his chair. "Joey, you track profits. I'll track construction. And Grandpa…" He grinned. "You supervise. And maybe teach me another sword trick."
Grandpa rolled his eyes, though his lips twitched upward. "Another sword trick? Your priorities haven't changed. Fine. But don't cry when your profits vanish while you're swinging a blade."
Joey smirked. "You know, I think I like this family. Everyone's a little crazy in their own way."
Alden laughed. "Exactly. Chaos, magic, and profit... all in one house."
By mid-afternoon, Alden somehow convinced Joey to help test a pulley system for hoisting crates into the attic. Predictably, disaster struck within minutes. Herbs spilled across the floor like confetti, Joey got tangled upside down in the rope, and Alden nearly dropped a glowing crate of moonvine that shimmered like bottled starlight.
"Next time," Joey said, dangling midair before cutting himself loose and landing in a catlike crouch, "we make the counterweight heavier. Otherwise, we'll launch the shop into orbit."
"Agreed," Alden said, wiping tears from laughing so hard. "But admit it, it was spectacular."
That night, the three of them gathered by the hearth. The sketches and notes were stacked neatly on the table, glowing faintly in the firelight. Joey, for the first time, paused long enough to really take it all in: the flicker of the fire, the smell of stew simmering in the pot, the gentle creak of the wooden walls, even the faint herbal tang drifting from the shop.
"This feels… nice," Joey murmured, almost to himself. "It feels like home. I didn't think I'd ever have a place like this."
Alden smiled, nudging him with his shoulder. "Welcome to the family, Joey."
Grandpa nodded, his eyes softening. "You've worked hard to earn it. Don't forget that. And remember, home is what you make of it. Not just walls and furniture."
Joey leaned back, crimson eyes gleaming in the firelight. "Yeah… I think I'm starting to understand that."
Alden grinned. "Tomorrow, we start the renovations. And after that... training! River Blade waits for no one."
Joey groaned, flopping against his chair. "Do we have to train after building walls?"
"Yes," Alden said firmly. "But don't worry, we'll sneak in aura lessons too. Grandpa says they're important."
Grandpa snorted. "You two are lucky I'm tired. Otherwise, I'd have you sparring until midnight."
The cabin erupted in laughter..., the warm, unguarded kind that felt like it could last forever. Outside, the forest whispered in the breeze, as if echoing their joy. The first sparks of a new dream, the empire Alden, Joey, and Grandpa were building..., flickered to life.
For the first time in his life, Joey felt like he truly belonged. And for Alden, that sense of family, accomplishment, and possibility was more precious than any sword, treasure, or beast they had faced.