40. Mysteries Abound (Part 2)

The Arc family didn't stay indoors for too long.

The moment everyone was settled, showered, and semi-presentable, they piled into two cars and set off for the heart of Ansel's old town—a quiet, cobblestoned district that was lined with brick cafés, weathered bookstores, and a few mom-and-pop diners that had stood there since Jaune was a toddler. The smell of wafting foods and loam-stone still clung to the air like memory half-forgotten.

Their destination for today was Hearth & Stone, a small Atlas-style bakery and lunch café that his mother adored.

It was quaint and charming, with slate-colored walls and wide windows that let the sunlight pool in like warm honey. A huge stone oven dominated one side of the open kitchen, and the air was heavy with the comforting scent of roasted garlic, herbed butter, and fresh bread crust.

"God, I missed this place," Mom sighed, pressing a hand to her chest as they stepped inside. "One bite and I'm twelve years old again."

"We're twelve right now," Celeste whispered to Violet. "Do you think we'll start having memories?"

They sat across two long wooden tables near the window, with half the family already poring over menus with greedy eyes.

"Okay, okay—what's good again?" Jaune asked, peering at the chalkboard menu hung above the counter.

"You have to get the stone-baked shepherd's fold," Jade said without looking up from her phone. "It's like a meat pie had a baby with a croissant."

"I'm getting the arctic bramble tart with duck," Eden flatly drolled, snapping a photo of the kitchen. "Because the guy behind the counter is hot and I want him to see me eating something fancy."

"You're unwell," muttered Violet, already halfway through ordering a bowl of smoked haddock stew baked into a rye bread bowl.

"Mom," Jaune said, scooting into the corner of the bench seat beside her. "What's that thing you used to get?"

"The snow-spiced root pie," she said, immediately. "Carrots, turnip, roasted shallots and pepperberry glaze. No meat, though. Your father always said it looked like something you'd feed a rabbit, but I liked it."

"Ugh," Celeste groaned. "You would."

"What's wrong with vegetables?" their mom sniffed.

"They're not pie, that's what."

Eventually, orders were made: fluffy parsnip rolls, charred leek loaves, roasted garlic cream buns, salmon herb flatbread, even a couple of pine-needle lemonades (which were better than they sounded). The table quickly filled with food that was soft, golden, and steaming in the way only oven-baked northern-style Atlas food could be.

"Alright," Mom said, between bites of her root pie. "Let's hear it, Jaune."

"Hear what?"

"You. New school. New friends. You're glowing like a boy with a secret and I want details."

Jaune hesitated, then glanced around the table. His sisters were watching him—some curious, some even smug.

He decided to just roll with it.

"Well," he said, "there's my first friend, Ruby. She's kind of…chaotic good, I guess? Sort of like a puppy. But she's really easy to talk to. She dragged me around on tour of Beacon, day one."

"A girl dragged you around?" Celeste asked, grinning. "You sure this isn't a girlfriend story?"

"Not even a little," Jaune sighed. "Then there's Yang, Ruby's sister."

"Another girl," Violet whispered.

"She's…uh... bombastic, I guess."

"Meaning you like her?" Eden said flatly.

Jaune scowled into his bread. "Why are you so weird? She's quite funny actually. Like, terrible puns, funny. But somehow it works."

"She sounds like Jade," Amber offered.

Jade looked up slowly. "I will physically move you into the pool later."

Amber stuck out her tongue.

"What about boys?"

"There's one. Ren. He's a quiet guy. Likes tea, practices martial arts an apparently meditation. He's uh... dating a really hyperactive girl whos kind of fun to be around. At least, I think they're dating. I've never asked. She's a real extrovert, though. Oh, her name's Nora. We had an interesting chemistry class together where she was my partner... although the result was... well..."

Jaune trailed off.

"Hmm, so Ren and Nora huh? So you do have a boyfriend, after all?" Eden teased.

"I hate all of you." Jaune's eye twitched but continued, nonetheless.

"There's also Blake," Jaune continued. "I haven't had too much of an interaction with her yet. Kind of like a mysterious cat. Has the same energy, too. Just… her vibes, I guess. But she's pretty cool too."

"And this is your little harem?" Celeste asked with mock seriousness.

"Stop it," Jaune groaned, burying his face in his hands. "They're friends. Mostly. I think."

His mom smiled. "So… you like them? They're treating you okay?"

Jaune paused. Looked down at his half-eaten shepherd's fold, and smiled.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "I think I really do like them."

"Tell them about that athlete girl." His father interjected

"Oh, right. There's another girl who I've met. Her name is Pyrrha. You guys remember the Pumpkin Pete cereal that we always ate? Yeah, apparently she was the spokes-model for a time. She's big in the MMA world, supposedly. An athlete true and true." Jaune nodded, impressed with his own speech.

"Oh man, really? You used to love that crap!" Amber offer, wagging her finger. "You're making a lot of girlfriends, Jaune. Are you sure you didn't get laid?"

"This again? You're like a broken record at this point..."

His family kept teasing and asking him many questions. Afterwards, Jade offered, almost grudgingly:

"That's good. You were kind of a nervous wreck last year. I was getting worried I'd have to come up there and beat some confidence into you."

"Thanks," Jaune said, deadpan. "Really heartfelt."

"Anyone else?

Lunch continued with dessert—maple cream cheese pastries and spiced apple loaves—and more light teasing. But Jaune didn't mind it.

Not today. Not with the sun warm on his back and his family all around him. He even let them steal bites of his food without protest.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a pleasant blur.

After lunch, the Arc family split up into groups and drove out to the mall on the edge of Ansel to grab some last-minute things before the return trip to Vale. Between ten people and a long list of "essentials," it took several hours.

Jade found a new pair of wedge boots she claimed were necessary for "walking up Vale University's stupid steps." Their mom bought Jaune a handful of new t-shirts—half of which were practical colors, and the other half made him wince.

"That orange one is not going in my school wardrobe," Jaune said, holding it at arm's length.

"You'll wear it," his mom replied knowingly, already moving to the next rack.

They grabbed travel snacks, spare chargers, and toiletries. Celeste insisted on getting a cartoon-themed toothbrush. Violet spent ten minutes arguing with Eden over which gummy worms were superior. Even their dad managed to snag a new thermos and a pack of bungee cords "just in case the trunk decides to misbehave again."

By the time they got back home, the sun had begun to sink toward the horizon, painting the Arc homestead in lazy gold light.

Jaune helped unload the bags, but his thoughts had already drifted toward the basement.

"Hey Dad," he said once most of the chaos had died down. "Can I check out the sword?"

His father looked up from the toolbox he'd been sorting in the garage. "Crocea Mors? Sure. You remember where I told you I stashed it?"

"Back left wall, wrapped in the canvas?"

"That's the one. Don't hurt yourself swinging it around like an anime protagonist."

"No promises."

The basement was cool and dusty, but well organized. Shelves lined the walls with old projects and odd tools. His dad used to have a hobby of metalworking, blacksmithing, but his life was now too busy to pick it up again. His love for crafting was obvious in the clutter. Jaune walked past a heavy battle-axe that looked like it belonged to a viking, a few prototype helmets (one had an actual metal duck on top), and a set of iron bracers that were way too big for anyone in the family.

A minute later, he found it.

Wrapped in a thick canvas cloth and secured with leather ties.

He undid them gently and pulled it free.

Crocea Mors wasn't flashy but the craftsmanship was precise. It had clean lines, a sturdy crossguard, and a blade that had a quiet, steel-colored dignity to it. It felt… right in his hands.

He brought it outside.

The field behind the house was modest, with a worn garden path and a few spots of grass where vegetables used to grow. The pool shimmered with light nearby, in the evening sun, still and unused.

He stepped onto the flattened lawn space, took a breath, and began moving through the sword forms Grise had taught him—slow at first, then gradually quicker. The blade wasn't too heavy but it was still solid enough to carry momentum.

He swept through a shaky rising cut, turned it into a spin, transitioned into a guard position, then a reverse step and thrust. The motions weren't perfect—but they were cleaner than they'd been a day ago.

"Whoaaa."

He paused mid-swing and turned his head.

Celeste and Violet were sitting cross-legged at the edge of the grass, munching on some licorice sticks and watching him with wide eyes.

"Did you see that jump spin thing?" Celeste asked. "That was so cool."

"You looked like a knight!" Violet added. "But, like, a not so handsome one."

Jaune deadpanned at them but couldn't help but grin despite himself. "You guys are easily impressed."

"Do another one!" Celeste cheered.

Jaune shrugged and reset his stance. "Alright. But if I pull something, you're carrying me to dinner."

He moved again—this time faster, more fluid. He didn't think, simply letting his body remember the moves and let the sword follow.

Jaune felt good that day.

Just a boy, his blade, and a pair of little sisters clapping for him in the golden hour light.