I stared at the woman a second longer than necessary. The similarity was undeniable, but there were key differences. Her posture was much stiffer, her eyes seemed harder, and her hair was styled differently. She didn't seem to possess my mother's gentleness.
[Zenith was from Millis, right? Maybe she's a relative. A sister, to be exact. You could tell her about Paul...]
So what? Should I tell her I'm Paul's son? Don't you think that would be dangerous?
[I think that's the problem. Maybe not Paul, but perhaps your mother. Maybe your aunt will just see you as a sweet kid, like the receptionist did, or maybe she simply won't want you around. Are you in danger? Not at all.]
"Hey, kid. Stop staring at me like I'm a ghost," she said. "Besides, 'Mom'? I don't remember having a son. I'm Therese."
"Sorry for staring. It's just... you look a lot like my mother. Though she didn't wear armor, just an apron."
"Right. So, were you playing the hero, thinking you could defeat these guys?"
I sheathed my sword.
"I wasn't playing. I teamed up with someone. They just showed up while I was gathering some herbs. That's all."
"I get that... but it's not enough. I need to know who you are."
"My name is Daiki."
"A rather strange name," she added.
"Yes. I'm only F-Rank, and this is my first time out. As you can see, I'm a swordsman."
"I see... and you don't have a last name?"
[This is your moment. Just tell her.]
Therese tilted her head.
"Do you have one or not?"
"Do I have to say it?"
"Yes, absolutely."
"Daiki Greyrat."
The look in her eyes changed completely.
"Kid... could you tell me your mother's full name?"
"...Zenith Greyrat."
"And your father's name?"
"Paul Greyrat."
"I see..."
She muttered it so quietly I could barely hear her. And then, for some reason, she knelt down and pulled me into a tight hug.
"I can't imagine what you've been through... He threw you out of the house, didn't he? Is that why you came looking for your aunt?"
"No, I just—"
"Poor boy!" she interrupted. "You don't have to lie to your aunt. Of course you can come with me..."
"But..."
"That man... that bastard..." she muttered. "Abandoning his own son just because he didn't inherit his traits... It's unforgivable!"
Ah, she thinks Paul left me to my fate and that I came to Millishion to find my family.
[Yes, and it's better that way. We don't know the full story, but they seem to hate Paul more than their worst enemies. It wouldn't surprise me considering that, from their perspective, he stole their beloved Zenith Latreia and led her down a humbler path, far from the sacred continent.]
You're right... and I'll take advantage of it.
"It was difficult, but I survived."
Therese pulled back just enough to look me in the eye.
"You're strong. You have Latreia blood, after all... Listen, Daiki. I'm in the middle of a patrol and I can't take you with me right now. It would be dangerous."
"Don't worry, I can wait."
She finally let me go, putting her helmet back on.
"Alright. Wait for me in front of the guild. As soon as I finish the report for this area, I'll come for you. Don't move from there, understood? Your aunt will take care of everything: clothes, food... whatever you need."
"Understood."
With one last nod, Therese mounted her horse and rode off.
I looked at the bodies and the wounded. They were so irrelevant that my aunt hadn't even bothered to give them a second glance. To her, they were merely neutralized threats. Never mind that the two left standing were currently tied to a tree.
I looked up and caught sight of some silhouettes. More soldiers.
"I came to gather herbs. Specifically, Blue Moon and Lily," I continued, lifting the full bucket. "I'm an F-Rank adventurer. This is my first mission. These guys attacked me. I don't know why. To be honest, they didn't say a single word."
The soldiers sheathed their swords.
"I-I see... I understand." One of them scanned the scene. "Did you take them all down yourself?"
"Huh? How could I? It was Therese Latreia."
"Right..." he nodded immediately. "She had a patrol assigned here. Makes sense."
He straightened up.
"Even so... how can you be so calm?"
It was true. I was too calm. Not that calm on the inside, but enough to start questioning myself. No child my age should react this way, or rather, have no reaction at all to a scene like this. Still, they also knew I wasn't a normal child.
"This is nothing compared to losing my family. Since then, I haven't really felt much of anything."
He didn't ask any more questions, so I left.
---
I had already turned in the mission.
I held two silver coins in my hands. They were the first coins I would earn in completely unfamiliar territory. That could only mean one thing.
I sat outside to wait for my aunt.
As I stared at the ground, my thoughts finally took hold of me and spilled over. My hunger faded completely, and I could barely feel the exhaustion.
I couldn't tell whether I felt good or terrible about myself. I was still worried, but also hopeful that I might find something.
If I ever see them again, I should prove that the lessons I taught them weren't just empty words to push them forward. That I, too, am following my own path. If I don't live up to them, what will they think?
[Hey, Daiki...]
The voice chose this moment to speak, but far from being helpful, it brought a wave of severe exhaustion. All the accumulated strain of the day finally caught up with my body. And along with the rest, came the darkness.