"He passed," Gilbert said simply. "From tomorrow on, have him come at the same time every day. Apply this to his arms once you get home."
Selina stood frozen for a moment, then nodded repeatedly, gratitude and worry mingling in her eyes.
After resting for an hour, Ray regained much of his energy, though his arms still throbbed so badly that lifting them was impossible. Even so, Gilbert's words about forging echoed vividly in his mind.
"Forging and casting are not the same," Gilbert had said. "Casting uses molds and machines. Forging is done by hand, from beginning to end. Metal is alive. Machines cannot understand their veins. That is why the finest machine components are always forged by true craftsmen. A great blacksmith holds a status no lower than a Spirit/Soul Master."
Spirit Master.
Machine Master.
These were the dreams of boys everywhere.
"Ouch!" Ray cried as Selina tugged his hand on the way home.
Only then did she notice the damage to his palms. Her breath hitched, and tears immediately welled up. "He… he did this to you?"
Ray shook his head vigorously. "No! Uncle Gilbert didn't hurt me. He tested me, and I passed. I'm strong, right, Mom? It really doesn't hurt!"
Selina turned away, wiping her eyes. "Let's go home."
Despite her worry, Ray's face was filled with joy. "I'm really happy, Mom. Dad said this feeling is called achievement. Isn't it?"
"Yes," she said softly. "I'm happy too."
When they returned home, Ray immediately spotted Vivienne sitting quietly inside.
Forgetting the pain in his arms, he rushed over to her as Selina headed to the kitchen.
"Vivi! I passed Uncle Gilbert's test today," he said excitedly. "I can learn forging now. When I earn money, I'll buy a spirit soul, and I'll buy you lots of food too!"
Vivienne listened quietly, her expression attentive, though a faint trace of confusion sometimes passed through her eyes.
After he finished, Ray hesitated before asking, "Vivi… do you really not remember anything about your family?"
She shook her head slowly. "I only remember my name. Everything else feels blurry. Big Brother Ray... am I stupid?"
Ray's answer came immediately. "Of course not! You're not stupid at all. It doesn't matter if you can't remember. This is your home now. My parents are your parents. You're my little sister."
Vivienne looked at him for a long moment before a gentle smile bloomed across her face. It was the first time she had smiled since coming here.
"Wow," Ray said, stunned. "Vivi, your smile is really pretty. I promise I'll become a strong Soul Master and protect you, okay?"
"Yes," she replied softly.
When Wilheim returned, dinner was already ready.
"Honey, come with me," Selina said calmly, glancing at him before heading into their room.
Wilheim looked at his son questioningly. Ray could only shrug, equally confused.
At the table, Vivienne ate heartily, while Ray twisted uncomfortably in his seat, his arms throbbing.
"Big brother, what's wrong?" Vivienne asked.
"My arms hurt too much. I can't lift them," Ray admitted miserably.
Vivienne blinked. "Then I'll feed you."
Ray's eyes lit up. "Really? Okay!"
With small, careful movements, Vivienne fed him spoonful after spoonful.
In that modest home, beneath warm lights, two children shared a simple meal and an even simpler happiness.
"Vivi," Ray said softly, smiling, "you're the best."
Meanwhile, in the kitchen;
"No. Absolutely not. No matter what you say, I will not allow Ray to work under Gilbert again."
Selina's voice trembled as she spoke, every word pressed low and tight so the two children outside would not hear. She clenched her hands together, forcing the sob in her throat back down, but the redness in her eyes betrayed her emotions.
Wilheim stood opposite her, silent. He did not interrupt, nor did he argue immediately.
He knew his wife too well.
When she spoke like this, it was not anger that drove her, but fear. Fear born from watching their child return home injured, fear born from imagining pain she could not bear in his place.
His heart ached just as fiercely, but he also knew that retreating now would only postpone a greater hardship.
After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice calm but heavy. "Without enduring wind and rain, how can one ever see a rainbow? No one succeeds simply by wishing for it. Dear, do you think it doesn't pain me to see Ray suffer? Every ache he bears feels like a knife in my own chest. But if he doesn't shoulder these hardships now, then when he grows up, the burdens waiting for him will be far heavier."
Selina's shoulders trembled.
"When I visited Gilbert," Wilheim continued, "I could tell he was reluctant. He is a proud blacksmith, one who values his craft above all else. And yet Ray earned his approval. Do you understand what that means? Our son is not ordinary. He is a gift we never expected."
He took a step closer, his eyes steady. "Gilbert told me on my way home that our son possesses a frightening talent. Strength enough to rival an adult, and more importantly, a will that refuses to break. With Silverfalls Vine as his martial soul, his road as a Soul Master will be narrow and difficult. But if he becomes a great blacksmith, then no matter what, he will never go hungry. Our child is not weak. If we, his parents, retreat first, how can we expect him to stand tall?"
Selina wiped her eyes with trembling fingers.
"Gilbert is a six-star blacksmith," Wilheim added firmly. "He knows how to teach. He would never harm a child. Let our Ray try. If it truly hurts him, then I will stop it myself, no matter what."
Silence lingered between them.
At last, Selina nodded slowly. Her voice was hoarse when she spoke. "Alright… we'll let him try."
When they returned to the living room, the scene before them made both adults freeze.
Ray sat at the table, cheeks puffed out as he chewed enthusiastically, his eyes bright with laughter. Beside him, Vivienne carefully lifted a spoon, feeding him bite by bite with a serious little expression, as though it were the most important task in the world.
The sight struck Wilheim and Selina deeply.
Two children, bathed in warm lamplight, radiated an innocent harmony that seemed almost unreal.
Wilheim murmured softly, "We'll adopt Vivienne. Growing up together… it will be good for Ray."
Selina nodded, a gentle smile finally appearing on her face.
That night's dinner ended in warmth and laughter, though once again, the appetites of the two children left the parents stunned. Watching bowl after bowl emptied, Wilheim and Selina silently realized that feeding these two would soon become a serious challenge.
Afterwards, they discussed quietly and decided that Selina would look for work as well. Relying on Wilheim's income alone would no longer be enough.
Later, Ray struggled to raise his arm and proudly summoned his martial soul. A slender strand of blue grass appeared in his palm, glowing faintly as it swayed.
"Look, Vivienne. This is my martial soul," he said.
Vivienne gazed at it with wonder, her fingers lightly brushing the glowing grass. "Big brother… will I have a martial soul too?"