Kael walked through the village, the scent of freshly cut wood and turned earth filling the air. The sound of chatter, of hammers meeting stone, of people moving and working together—it was a sound he wasn't used to.
He had grown up in this village hearing murmurs of regret, whispers of resentment. The people of Hestia's House were once pitied at best, ignored at worst.
But now?
Now the village was alive.
Theo stood in the center of it all, directing groups of villagers as they unloaded crates, stacked supplies, and reinforced damaged buildings. The boar lumbered past, carrying logs twice its size. The goat pulled a small cart, as if offended it wasn't given a grander task. The massive bird perched on the roof of an unfinished building, watching everything with piercing eyes.
Kael slowed his pace, taking it all in.
Was this really the same place?
For months, all he had focused on was getting stronger. Training. Fighting. Pushing himself forward so he wouldn't be the weak, powerless version of himself from his past life.
But without realizing it, something else had changed, too.
The village. The people. Their perception of him.
And yet, amidst all the motion, one figure sat still.
Kael spotted his mother sitting on a bench near the well, her hands folded in her lap as she quietly watched over everything.
She wasn't smiling, exactly, but her face wasn't weighed down by worry for once.
That alone was rare enough that Kael found himself walking toward her.
He took a seat beside her, stretching out his legs with a sigh. "Taking a break?"
Calia hummed softly, her gaze never leaving the village. "Something like that."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Kael followed her line of sight—watching Theo bark orders, villagers respond without hesitation, and beasts of legend casually assist as if this were their natural place.
It was surreal.
"This isn't what I expected," she admitted.
Kael turned to her. "What do you mean?"
She exhaled. "To see the village like this. Working together. Smiling. It's been so long since I've seen it like this… if ever."
Kael frowned. "Was it always that bad?"
She shook her head. "No. But it was never… this. There was always tension, always a weight in the air. People resented our family. They resented the past. Some of them even resented themselves for staying in this place."
Her fingers curled slightly in her lap. "But today, they look forward instead of back."
Kael followed her gaze again.
She was right.
The village wasn't just rebuilding its walls—it was rebuilding its spirit.
And somehow, without meaning to, he had played a part in that.
Kael let the moment settle before speaking. "Theo swore to our House."
Calia blinked, finally turning to look at him. "He… what?"
"He swore himself to the House of Hestia," Kael repeated, leaning back. "Said he wanted to follow me. Help rebuild."
Calia stared at him, really looking at him now.
For months, she had watched him train. She had watched him struggle, watched him grow stronger, watched him throw himself into battle after battle. She had been proud of him for his resolve, for his strength, for his perseverance.
But now—for the first time—she saw the bigger picture.
Everything Kael had been doing…
The training. The fights. The alliances.
He wasn't just preparing himself for survival.
He was trying to reestablish their House.
Her breath caught slightly, a realization settling over her like a warm flame.
She had spent so many years believing that the House of Hestia was nothing more than a dying ember, a relic of a past that no one cared to remember.
But now?
Now she could see the spark growing again.
A few months ago, she wouldn't have believed it possible.
But watching Kael now, seeing the village stand behind him—she believed.
Her hand reached out, settling gently on his shoulder.
Kael glanced at her, confused. "What?"
She smiled softly. "I'm proud of you."
Kael opened his mouth, then closed it.
He wasn't sure why those words hit as hard as they did, but suddenly, everything he had been working toward felt real.
Calia let her hand drop, looking back at the village. "I just wish… I wish it could always be like this."
Kael followed her gaze again.
He wished the same.
But he knew better.
This peace wouldn't last.
And if he wanted to keep it—if he wanted to protect what they were building—he had to be ready for everything he knew was coming.
For a while, Kael and his mother simply sat together, watching the village move around them.
The steady rhythm of footsteps on dirt, the rustling of unpacked supplies, the occasional grunt of effort as villagers worked—it all blended into the background, settling into a steady, natural hum.
Kael stretched his legs out in front of him, feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin. It had been a while since he just... sat and took everything in.
Then, a shadow loomed over him.
"You done sitting around, or do we need to bring you a cushion?"
Kael tilted his head back and found Theo standing over him, arms crossed, smirking like he had personally conquered the entire village in a single afternoon.
Kael let out a slow breath. "You sound awfully bossy for someone who showed up here just this morning."
Theo grinned. "Yeah, well, someone's gotta get things moving."
Kael clicked his tongue. "Right, right. Can't have you doing all the work yourself." He pushed himself up with a lazy stretch. "Alright, boss man. Where do you need me?"
Theo gave an exaggerated nod of approval. "Now that's the attitude I like to see."
Kael rolled his shoulders, glancing around at the still half-unpacked supplies. "You organizing all this, or just making it look like you are?"
Theo scoffed. "Please, everything's going exactly where it needs to. I run a tight operation."
Kael hummed. "You sure? Because I swear I saw some old guy trying to carry a sack of grain into his house."
Theo spun around immediately. "What?! Who?!"
Kael smirked. "Relax, I made that up. Just testing your leadership skills."
Theo shot him a flat look. "You're lucky I have work to do, or I'd shove you in one of these crates."
Kael chuckled, shaking his head before moving to help.
Together, they joined the rest of the village—unpacking, moving supplies, sorting through what was needed most.
For once, there were no fights to win. No battles to prepare for.
Just work.
And Kael was okay with that.
By the time the sun dipped low, streaking the sky in deep oranges and soft purples, the village had finally started to settle.
The work had taken the better part of the day—unpacking, moving, sorting. It was tiring, sure, but it felt good.
For once, Kael didn't feel like he was dragging the village forward alone. People were working together. Talking. Laughing. Even Theo, who had been an enemy just days ago, was now barking orders like he'd lived here all his life.
It was weird.
But... it wasn't bad.
Kael stretched his arms behind his head, letting out a slow breath as he watched the last few crates being stored away. "Alright, boss man, things are finally looking decent around here. But where exactly are we supposed to keep your oversized farm animals?"
Theo scoffed, wiping sweat from his brow. "First off, they're not farm animals. Second, they're fine where they are."
Kael frowned, glancing at the massive creatures. "Yeah? And where exactly is that supposed to be?"
Theo patted the boar's thick hide. "The boar can patrol the forest. No way anyone's sneaking past it. The goat? It can guard the crops, make sure no pests or animals get in. And the bird? It can watch from above, spot trouble before it even gets close."
Kael hummed, eyeing the creatures. "...You're really just letting them roam around, huh?"
Theo smirked. "You got a better idea?"
Kael didn't.
Calia, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "And you? Where exactly are you planning to stay?"
Theo shrugged. "I dunno. Probably out near the forest with the boar."
Kael blinked. "What."
Calia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Theo, you are not sleeping outside."
Theo frowned. "It's not a big deal."
"It is," she said firmly. "We've already prepared the spare room for you."
Theo froze.
For a second, he just looked at her, like the words didn't quite process.
"...You what?"
Kael smirked. "Yeah, what, you thought we'd just let you wander around like some stray? You're part of the family now. Deal with it."
Theo hesitated. His mouth opened slightly, then closed.
For a moment, he didn't say anything.
Then, finally, he huffed, rubbing the back of his neck. "...Right. Yeah. I guess that works."
Kael rolled his eyes. "Glad you approve. Now let's get inside before my mother starts fussing over you like you're some lost puppy."
Theo snorted, shaking his head as they started walking.
For the first time in a long time, he wasn't walking alone.