Celebration

As Rei finally regains his full strength after a month of recovery, he finds himself in his room, dressing slowly and carefully to avoid straining his still-healing wounds. As he pulls his shirt on, his eyes catch a glimpse of the diagonal scar running from his right shoulder down to his left waist—a stark reminder of the brutal battle he endured. The sight of it sends a shiver down his spine, and the memories of that fateful day come rushing back: the clash of steel, the cries of pain, the agonizing sting as the bandit's blade tore into his flesh. He shudders, his breath catching in his throat as the trauma of the fight threatens to overwhelm him once more.

Pushing the dark thoughts aside, Rei takes a deep breath and steps out of his room, eager to leave the ghosts of the past behind. Thomas and Lily are waiting for him in the hallway, their faces etched with cheerful smiles and a glimmer of excitement in their eyes. Rei blinks at their unusual demeanor, wondering at the cause of their good spirits.

"Hey, Rei, come with me," Thomas says, his voice filled with a mix of pride and anticipation. "We're going to the village square." Lily nods in agreement, her smile widening as she looks at him. "Yes, it's good that you're ready. Let's go, dear."

Bewildered but curious, Rei follows his parents out of the house and toward the village square. As they approach, he sees a gathering of people—villagers, families, and his friends among them. Kaiser and Luster stand with their parents, a mix of emotions playing across their faces: excitement, nervousness, and a hint of something more, something Rei can't quite put his finger on.

Rei notices Luster's mother saying something to him, her brow furrowed with concern and doubt. "I don't think this is right, my dear," she says, her voice soft but filled with motherly worry. But Luster, determined as ever, shakes his head. "No, just act like we discussed," he says, his voice filled with steadfast resolve. He catches sight of Rei approaching and moves toward him, a slight flush on his cheeks.

"Hey, Rei, how are your wounds now?" Luster asks, his voice filled with genuine concern and a tinge of something more—anticipation, perhaps? His parents follow close behind, their eyes on Rei, their smiles widening into expressions of gratitude and a hint of something else, something almost... knowing.

Rei replies to Luster first, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I'm fine now, thanks to you," he says, meaning it with all his heart. "You helped me a lot when I was wounded, Luster. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Luster's parents step forward, their wry smiles never leaving their faces as his mother speaks. "Is that so? Well, we're very grateful to have a brave boy like you looking out for our Luster," she says, her voice filled with a mix of pride, gratitude, and a hint of something more—a subtle undertone that Rei can't quite decipher.

As Rei stands there, surrounded by the expectant faces of his friends and villagers alike, he can't shake the feeling that something significant is about to happen. The air is thick with a sense of anticipation, and he finds himself wondering what exactly Thomas and the others have in store for him in the village square today.

The village square is abuzz with a flurry of activity as Rei, Kaiser, and Luster gather together with their respective families. The atmosphere is charged with an undercurrent of anticipation and a hint of something more—a sense that the events of that fateful day have set the stage for an announcement or revelation of some kind.

Kaiser bounds over to Rei, a wide grin plastered across his face, his eyes sparkling with the thrill of their shared victory. "Hey, Rei, how are ya doing? You look a lot better now," he says, his voice filled with genuine happiness at Rei's recovery.

Suddenly, Kaiser's father lunges forward, his fist connecting with the back of Kaiser's head in a sharp reprimand. "Is that any way to talk to your friends, young man?" he admonishes, his voice stern and disapproving.

Kaiser's father was a blacksmith who made hoes, axes, and weapons for the village. He was always stern with Kaiser and wanted Kaiser to inherit his blacksmith skills and start his workshop however Kaiser was more interested in fighting than in blacksmithing which made his father forcefully drill all the methods of blacksmithing into his head.

Kaiser's mother steps in, her tone more lenient and understanding. "Oh, don't worry, he's still a kid," she says, offering Rei an apologetic smile.

However, Kaiser's father remains unmoved, his gaze flicking to Rei before turning back to his son. "Still, he should have decent manners," he says, his voice firm with expectation.

Rei quickly comes to Kaiser's defense, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Oh, don't worry, he's my best friend. I like how casual he is," he says, his tone filled with sincerity and appreciation for Kaiser's easygoing nature.

Kaiser, feeling vindicated, puffs out his chest with a smug expression, turning to his father with a triumphant grin. "See, Father? He doesn't mind," he says, hoping to score some points in the argument.

But Kaiser's father is not so easily swayed. He steps forward once more, his fist connecting with the side of Kaiser's head in another sharp reprimand. "And you should be more considerate," he says, his voice filled with exasperation.

Kaiser rubs the sore spot on his head, his grin fading a little as he holds back a wince. "But Father, I still was able to keep an experienced bandit at bay," he says, hoping to remind his parents of his bravery and contributions during the battle.

Rei steps in once more, his voice filled with conviction as he speaks up for his friend. "No, he played a critical role in the fight. He wasn't only able to keep the bandit general at bay, but he also saved us during crucial moments. This shows that he was not only strong but also very aware of his surroundings," Rei says, his words ringing with praise and admiration for Kaiser's actions.

Kaiser's face splits into a proud grin, his chest puffing out even further as he turns to his father with a smug expression. "Did you hear that, Father? I'm stronger than you think," he says, hoping to finally earn some much-coveted parental approval.

However, Kaiser's father remains unyielding, his fist connecting with the back of his son's head in yet another sharp reprimand. "Did you only learn strength? Learn some humbleness from Rei too," he says, his voice filled with a mix of pride and exasperation.

Kaiser's mother, ever the peacemaker, chimes in with her own words of praise for her son. "But Kaiser does deserve some praise for what he did," she says, her voice filled with maternal pride and affection.

Kaiser's father sighs, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he looks at his son, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. "From your mother, perhaps. But not from me. I would only praise him after he defeats a demigod," he says, It was not that he had high expectations but instead he did not want his son to become a fighter.

Kaiser's mother laughs, shaking her head at her husband's lofty expectations. "You have such insane expectations as if our son is made for some glorious purpose," she says, her tone a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Rei turns to Thomas, a curious glance on his face as he hears his words to Kaiser's father. "Now, now, don't forget why we are here. We should just enjoy this moment," Thomas says, his voice filled with a mix of pride and anticipation.