Narretar
The afternoon sun slowly moved across the sky.
Its warm light slipped between the enormous branches of the ancient banyan tree at the centre of Restart Village.
Rustle...
Rustle...
The leaves swayed gently in the breeze.
A few golden leaves drifted down...
Slowly...
Almost as if the tree itself were quietly watching the children beneath it.
Three familiar figures sat beneath its shade.
V.
Kai.
And Nefi.
They had spent most of their childhood together.
But today...
They weren't talking about games.
They weren't arguing about who was stronger.
They weren't planning their next prank.
Today, they were talking about something that would decide the beginning of their future.
Kai leaned against the massive tree trunk, his hands resting behind his head.
"So..."
He looked toward V.
"Have you decided?"
V smiled.
"Yeah."
"I'll become an Adventurer."
Kai immediately pointed at him.
"Hah!"
"You copied me!"
V blinked.
"What?"
"You just want an excuse to keep travelling with me forever!"
Kai puffed out his chest proudly.
"I knew it!"
"You can't survive without your best friend!"
Thump!
"Ow!"
V lightly punched him on the shoulder.
"You idiot."
"You wish!"
Kai rubbed his shoulder while laughing.
"Hahaha!"
"I was only joking!"
V rolled his eyes.
But the smile remained on his face.
Nefi watched the two of them.
Her lips slowly curved into a small smile.
Then she quietly spoke.
"I..."
"I'll become an Adventurer too."
Kai looked toward her.
His expression immediately brightened.
"So you don't want to leave me either?"
"You also want to travel together?"
Nefi froze.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"...!"
The meaning behind his words slowly reached her.
Her cheeks became warm.
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"N-No..."
"I..."
She looked away.
Her fingers nervously played with a small blade of grass.
She didn't understand why her heart suddenly felt strange.
She only knew that when Kai talked about travelling...
Her eyes always seemed to find him first.
Why?
She didn't know.
And she didn't want to think about it.
V noticed her reaction.
His lips twitched.
He tried to hold it back.
He failed.
"Pfft..."
"Hahahahaha!"
Nefi's face became even redder.
"V!"
She rushed toward him.
"Stop laughing!"
V immediately stood up.
"You'll never catch me!"
"Oh, really?!"
Nefi chased after him.
Tap!
Tap!
Tap!
Their footsteps scattered across the grass.
Kai stared after them.
"...Seriously."
"Why is everyone laughing?"
He shrugged.
Then ran after them.
"Wait for me!"
Their laughter filled the peaceful afternoon.
The banyan tree swayed above them.
Its enormous branches stretched toward the sky...
As though sheltering a moment that would one day become a precious memory.
Later...
The three children finally stopped beneath the tree.
V looked toward the distant village.
The world beyond Restart Village suddenly seemed much larger than it had before.
He could imagine mountains.
Forests.
Cities.
Ruins.
Unknown roads.
Maybe even places where nobody had ever heard the name White.
Kai looked at him.
"Imagine it."
"One day we'll actually travel beyond the village."
V smiled.
"Yeah."
Nefi quietly looked toward the horizon.
"What do you think we'll find?"
Kai grinned.
"Monsters."
V smiled.
"Treasure."
Nefi thought for a moment.
"Maybe..."
"People we've never met."
The three became quiet.
The wind moved through the grass.
Somewhere above them, a bird flew toward the distant hills.
T had once asked whether the moon followed someone who walked beneath it.
Perhaps the world was a little like that.
The farther you walked...
The more the horizon seemed to move with you.
And perhaps...
That was what adventure really meant.
Not knowing what waited ahead.
But wanting to find out anyway.
As evening arrived...
The children returned home.
Inside the White family's house...
The warm smell of dinner filled the room.
Brald sat at the dining table.
Lily placed another dish on the table.
V sat nearby.
T sat beside him.
The orange light of sunset entered through the window.
It painted the wooden table with a soft golden glow.
T looked at V.
Then at Brald.
Then suddenly asked,
"Papa?"
Brald looked at her.
"Hm?"
"What happens when someone becomes ten?"
Brald smiled.
"Ah."
"So that's what you're curious about."
T nodded.
"What happens?"
Brald leaned back slightly.
"When a child reaches ten years old, they can officially choose what kind of work they want to pursue."
T's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Like what?"
"Many things."
"You can become an Adventurer."
"A soldier."
"A craftsman."
"A scholar."
"You can study magic."
"Or choose another profession that suits you."
T looked toward V.
"So..."
She pointed at him.
"Brother can choose now?"
Brald nodded.
"Yes."
T's eyes sparkled.
"Then can he go on adventures?"
V smiled.
"If I want to."
T immediately became interested.
"What kind?"
V thought.
"Any kind."
"Can you go into a giant forest?"
"Yes."
"Can you climb a mountain?"
"Yes."
"Can you find treasure?"
"Maybe."
"Can you fight monsters?"
"If necessary."
T leaned closer.
"Can you find a dragon?"
V smiled.
"Maybe."
T's excitement grew.
"Can you find a hidden kingdom?"
"Maybe."
"Can you go somewhere nobody has ever gone before?"
V paused.
Then smiled.
"That's what I'd like."
T stared at him for a moment.
Her little eyes shone with curiosity.
"Then..."
"Can you come back and tell me everything?"
V smiled.
"Of course."
T nodded proudly.
"Then you should become an Adventurer."
V laughed softly.
"I already decided."
Brald looked at his son.
"So..."
"What profession did you choose, V?"
V answered without hesitation.
"I chose to become an Adventurer."
A proud smile slowly appeared on Brald's face.
"Good choice."
V looked at him.
"You really think so?"
"Of course."
"Being an Adventurer isn't simply about fighting monsters."
"It means freedom."
"You can travel wherever you wish."
"You can return home whenever you want."
"And you'll still be able to stay close to your family."
V smiled.
Brald gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"And if one day you decide to study advanced magic..."
"You can still enrol in a Magic Academy."
"Nothing will stop you."
V nodded.
He already possessed an invitation from the prestigious Holy Magic Academy.
Whenever he wished...
Its gates would be open to him.
T suddenly crossed her arms.
"Hmph."
"See?"
"My big brother doesn't want to leave me."
"He loves me the most."
Lily immediately looked at her.
"Oh?"
"Who said he loves you the most?"
T pointed at herself.
"Me."
Lily smiled.
"My son obviously loves his mother more."
"No!"
"Brother loves me!"
"He always listens to me."
"So clearly I win."
"You don't!"
"I do!"
"You don't!"
"I do!"
V slowly lowered his head.
"...Again?"
Brald folded his arms.
"Hmm..."
"This is indeed a difficult matter."
Both Lily and T immediately turned toward him.
"Tell us!"
"Who does V love more?"
Brald stroked his chin dramatically.
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then he smiled.
"I think..."
"...he loves the person who gives him the biggest dessert after dinner."
T's eyes widened.
Lily stared at Brald.
V looked at him.
Silence.
Then—
"Pfft..."
V started laughing.
Lily covered her mouth.
T looked suspiciously at Brald.
"Papa..."
"What?"
"You're trying to cheat."
Brald laughed.
"I simply gave a reasonable answer."
Lily narrowed her eyes.
"Wait."
Brald stopped.
Lily pointed at him.
"You're not even planning to give the dessert to T, are you?"
Brald blinked.
"What?"
"You don't want the dessert yourself."
T gasped.
"Papa!"
Lily laughed.
"You're just using V as an excuse."
"You'll give V the dessert..."
"Then somehow you'll end up eating half of it."
Brald looked offended.
"That's an accusation."
Lily smiled.
"Is it?"
T immediately joined her.
"Papa is cheating!"
Brald raised both hands.
"I haven't done anything!"
V laughed harder.
Lily looked at him.
"See?"
"Even V knows."
Brald sighed dramatically.
"Fine."
"I'll give the dessert to T."
T immediately smiled.
"Yay!"
Lily added,
"After V gets his."
T's smile disappeared.
"What?!"
V laughed.
"Looks like Mom wins."
T puffed out her cheeks.
"No fair!"
The room filled with laughter again.
The dinner continued.
Warm food.
Soft conversation.
Small jokes.
Nothing extraordinary.
And perhaps that was what made it special.
Outside the window...
The sunset slowly disappeared.
The golden light faded into deep orange.
Then pink.
Then purple.
The first stars appeared.
One by one.
Like tiny lights opening across an endless sky.
Inside...
T suddenly looked at V.
"Brother?"
"Hm?"
"When you become an Adventurer..."
"Can I come with you?"
V smiled.
"You're still too young."
T frowned.
"I'm going to grow."
"I know."
"Then I'll become strong."
V nodded.
"I believe you."
T smiled.
"Then I'll go with you."
V looked toward the window.
The wind gently moved the curtains.
"Maybe one day."
T smiled.
That answer was enough for her.
For now.
Later that night...
The White family house became quiet.
The dinner dishes were cleared.
The laughter faded.
The village slowly settled beneath the night sky.
Far away from the warm lights of Restart Village...
A horse-drawn carriage moved along the road near the edge of the Death Forest.
Its wheels rolled over the uneven ground.
Clack...
Clack...
Clack...
Alistair sat at the front.
The reins rested firmly in his hands.
Beside him...
The forest stood like a wall of darkness.
The trees were silent.
Too silent.
Inside the carriage...
Someone sat hidden beneath the darkness.
The curtains remained closed.
No face could be seen.
No voice came from within.
Alistair glanced toward the carriage for only a moment.
Then looked back at the road.
The horses continued forward.
Clack...
Clack...
Clack...
The Death Forest slowly disappeared behind them.
Who was inside the carriage?
Where had they come from?
And why had Alistair brought them toward Restart Village?
Those answers...
Would have to wait.
For tonight...
The carriage simply continued through the darkness.
Toward a new path.
Toward an unknown future.
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