Renn woke to the scent of crushed herbs and aged wood.
A dull ache spread through his body the moment consciousness returned. His eyes slowly opened, greeted by a wooden ceiling stained by time and smoke. Light slipped weakly through the cracked shutters beside him, illuminating dust drifting through the quiet room.
For several moments, he simply stared upward. Silent. Empty.
Then—
"…You're awake."
Renn slowly turned his head. Doctor Rowend sat nearby, exhaustion visible beneath his eyes. The old doctor looked far older than he did only days ago.
When their eyes met, Rowend lowered his head.
"…I'm sorry, Renn."
Silence. The old man's hands trembled slightly. "…I couldn't save your mother."
The words settled heavily inside the room. Renn remained still for a long moment. Then slowly looked down at his own hands. The same hands covered in blood that night. The same hands that failed.
"…It's okay, doctor." His voice was quiet. Empty. "…Even I couldn't do anything to save her."
Silence followed.
Neither of them spoke after that. Because there was nothing left to say.
Later that afternoon—
The sky above Eldermire was gray. Clouds drifted slowly across the silent village as the burial ceremony was held atop the hill Renn often visited alone.
The same hill where the wind always blew gently through the grass. The same hill where his mother used to wait for him at sunset.
Now—
A grave stood there.
Fresh earth. Simple flowers. A wooden marker. The villagers gathered quietly around it. No one spoke loudly. Even children remained silent. Because grief itself filled the air.
Renn stood before the grave motionless. His eyes never left it. The village chief offered a prayer. Doctor Rowend stood nearby in silence. The old farmer Renn once helped during harvest season lowered his head quietly.
Everyone there carried the same expression.
Sympathy. Regret. Pain.
Then slowly, one by one. The villagers began leaving. Returning to their homes. Returning to what remained of normal life.
Doctor Rowend paused before leaving. His eyes lingered on Renn briefly, as if wanting to say something. But he couldn't. So instead, he simply placed a hand on Renn's shoulder once. Then walked away.
The old farmer looked back one final time. His weathered face heavy with guilt. Then he too descended the hill.
Until only Renn remained.
The wind blew softly across the grave. Silence surrounded him completely. His mother's final words resurfaced within his mind.
"The stronger you become…the more people you must protect."
Renn slowly lowered his gaze. His fists tightened quietly at his side.
"…I will. Mother."
The wind carried the words away. Then Renn turned and walked down the hill.
That evening—
Several Royal Knights arrived at Eldermire. Their white and gold uniforms stood out sharply against the damaged village streets. The villagers watched quietly as they entered the village chief's house.
Inside—
The Royal Knights waited in silence. As if expecting someone. Then the door opened.
Renn entered.
One of the knights stepped forward immediately. A man slightly older than the others. Calm. Professional.
"…Greetings, Renn." He lowered his head respectfully.
"…We are Royal Knights from the capital. We heard about what happened here." His expression softened slightly. "…And we arrived too late."
Silence filled the room briefly.
"…I'm terribly sorry for your loss."
Renn stood quietly. Then nodded once. "…It's okay."
The knight studied him briefly before continuing. "About the black mist thing you fought last time, they are called Mist Wraith. It is an unstable phenomenon recorded across multiple regions. It does not follow natural law. It erases, distorts, and leaves no predictable aftermath."
A pause followed. Then Renn stood. The movement was calm, certain. As if nothing had changed in this moment—only been accepted.
"I'll participate," he said.
No hesitation. No doubt.
The knight studied him briefly, then nodded once.
"The trial? Gladly hearing it..."
Renn's gaze remained steady. "On one condition." Renn spoke evenly. "Two knights will remain stationed in Eldermire."
The knight lowered his head slightly. "About that... We have already stationed some knights after the incident, so don't worry. It's for the safety of the citizens of Aurelian."
A brief silence followed. Rowend watched quietly, understanding more than he said.
The next morning came without ceremony.
Eldermire felt the same as always—but quieter in a way that couldn't be easily described, as if the village itself had accepted that something had already begun to change.
Renn stood outside Rowend's house with a small pack strapped over his shoulder.
Doctor Rowend leaned against the doorway.
"So that's it," he said. "They're taking you."
Renn adjusted the strap. "They're not taking me," he replied. "I'm going."
Rowend gave a short, knowing exhale.
"Same thing, in the end. Try not to come back in worse condition than last time."
Renn didn't answer, but something familiar passed between them anyway.
A carriage waited at the edge of Eldermire. Royal knights stood in silence beside it. Renn stepped forward once. Then paused.
His eyes lingered on the village behind him—not as farewell, but as something carried forward.
He climbed into the carriage. The doors closed. And as the wheels began to turn, Eldermire slowly disappeared behind him, leaving only the road ahead and the beginning of something far larger than the village he was leaving behind.