"After I reached Mother's room, I knocked gently.
"Mother?"
"Come in, Vale," her soft voice replied.
I entered quietly. She looked up from her documents and smiled warmly. "Come here, my boy" she said, patting her lap.
"Hello, Mother. Are you busy?" I asked as I sat down.
"Not for my dear child," she said, smiling and stroking my hair.
"So," she began playfully, "what did you think of my gift?"
"It's beautiful," I replied honestly. "I heard Grandfather went to the Hallowmount border?"
"Oh, yes." She nodded, her smile fading slightly. "Your grandfather went to investigate. Some magic beasts crossed the border recently, so he went to handle it."
"You mean… kill them, right?" I asked, a bit worried.
Aeris smiled sadly. "Yes, something like that." She hugged me gently. "Now, tell me, why did you come here? Did you miss me?"
"Kinda…" I murmured. "But I also wanted to ask something."
Her hand froze for a moment, sensing my unease. "Oh? What does my son want to ask with such a serious face?" she said with a light laugh.
I hesitated, looking down. I'd already come this far there was no turning back.
"Mom… it's about Father," I said quietly. "I want to know where he is, what happened to him."
Her expression instantly dulled. The quill in her hand slipped slightly, and her body stiffened. She had expected this question someday, just not so soon.
After a long silence, she gently patted my hair again. "Why ask so suddenly?"
"Not suddenly," I said. "I'm just… curious."
She sighed softly. "Alright, Vale. I'll tell you."
Her eyes softened with memory. "Your father, Vaelor Lunareth, was a handsome man, with white hair and eyes like winter's moonlight. Even I, a proud daughter of the Elenwyn family, couldn't resist him. We met at the Seraphir Royal Academy in the Sorin Empire one of the greatest academies on the Seraphir continent. All races were welcome there, protected under the academy council's laws. Even Sorin emperor himself could not interfere within its grounds."
She smiled faintly. "Your father was one of the top students there. Over time, we fell in love. But our families that was another matter. The Elenwyn family is one of the six ruling elven council families. You remember the necklace I gave you? The star symbol engraved in the gem, That is our family crest. Before marriage, my name was Aeris Elenwyn the 'Elenwyn family,' known for our mastery of the Starlight Element. I feared my family would reject our union."
"But when they heard your father's surname Lunareth they agreed almost instantly."
"Because of the Eternal War, right?" I asked softly. "The great human hero, Vale Lunareth?"
She blinked in surprise, then smiled wryly. "How much have you been reading in that library of yours?"
I smiled faintly. "A lot."
"Yes," she said quietly. "Even after so many years, elves still respect the name Lunareth. Because of that, our marriage was blessed. But the Sorin royal family wasn't pleased. The current royal line lacked the people's blessing and feared the Lunareths might rise against them. They had Three mythical rankers on their side, but even that wasn't enough to challenge your grandfather and father, who were both mythical rank themselves and have more mythical allies."
"Still," she continued, "we never wanted war. The Lunareths had strong allies, like the Blackwyns, and the people's trust. But the royal family saw our marriage as a political threat. They plotted to stop it, yet your grandfather made sure they couldn't interfere. So your father and I ignored their schemes and came here, to Brindlehallow."
Her voice softened. "For a year, we lived peacefully. Then… something happened. Near the Elderwood border, magic beast began attacking human towns. The Sorin Empire sent out an exploration team to find the cause. Your father joined them, along with another mythical ranked worrior who was a close friend of the Lunareth family.
I swallowed. "That was when…"
She nodded, her eyes trembling. "Yes. I remember it like it was yesterday, my child. If only I had stopped him that day…"
Her tone grew heavy with sorrow. "The night before he left, I told him I was pregnant with you. I can still see his smile how happy he was."
A tear fell on my cheek. It wasn't mine. It was hers. Aeris was crying silently.
I didn't stop her. I just sat there, quiet, feeling the weight of her grief.
Then, suddenly, a familiar voice echoed behind me deep and stern yet gentle.
"You really are something, my grandson. I leave you alone for a while, and you already made your mother cry."
"These magical beasts are such a nuisance," Vandrel grumbled. "Why can't they just stay in the wild and eat grass instead of crossing borders to bother us? They always die like fools."
Dominic gave a nervous smile. "Good work, Dominic. You may go now," Vandrel said, waving him off.
After Dominic left, Vandrel entered the mansion and saw Lucy and Myra in the main hall. He recognized Lucy immediately she was Vale's personal attendant. The two seemed close, but he didn't mind. Lucy had been brought in by Olivia, one of his most trusted staff members.
When both maids noticed him, they straightened and bowed. "Hello, Lucy. Myra. It looks like you two have nothing to do?" he said with a teasing grin.
Both maids froze, offering worried smiles and not daring to reply. Even the knights treated Lord Vandrel with deep respect. He chuckled. "HaHaHa. Just be careful. You know how Olivia gets if she finds you slacking. By the way, where's young master Vale?"
"He went to visit Lady Aeris," Lucy replied respectfully.
"Ah, I see. You can both go now."
Once the two maids left, Vandrel headed upstairs, wondering what those two had discussed earlier. As he neared Aeris's room, he heard voices inside. Normally, no one could hear through those enchanted walls, but Vandrel was a mythical ranker. He listened quietly, and his expression turned serious.
He understood what was happening. Aeris was telling Vale about his father. Vandrel knew this day would come. Vale wasn't like other children he was too curious and intelligent. Vandrel had promised that when the time came, he would help Aeris answer that question.
He listened in silence, his mood somber. Then, when the room went quiet, he sensed that Aeris was crying. Without thinking, he entered the room.
"You really are something, my grandson," Vandrel said with a faint, teasing smile. "I leave you alone for a little while, and you've already made your mother cry."
Vale turned around quickly, startled by his grandfather's sudden appearance. Aeris wiped her tears and whispered, "Sorry, Father. But... I think he has the right to know the truth. We don't know what the future holds for him. When he asked me directly, I couldn't ignore it."
Vandrel sighed softly. "It's fine, my child. I don't blame you or my grandson." He looked at Vale with a serious gaze. "Vale, do you really want to hear the rest of this story? Once you do, there's no turning back. You'll understand the weight you must carry and the responsibilities that may shatter the simple happiness you know now. Are you sure you're ready?"
Vale glanced at his mother and then back at his grandfather. His voice was steady. "Yes. I really want to know."
A proud smile appeared on Vandrel's face. "You have guts, my grandchild. Then come with me I'll tell you the rest. Let your mother rest for a while."
Vale stood and bowed slightly toward Aeris. "Thank you, Mother… for being honest with me."
Then he left the room with Vandrel, leaving Aeris alone. The moment the door closed, she finally let her tears fall freely, unable to hold them back any longer.