The next morning, as usual, Nova woke early and stepped outside for his morning run. The crisp air brushed against his skin. By the time he returned home, his breakfast was already laid out, and Maela was quietly preparing tea in the kitchen. Her bed had been made nearby for convenience, so she could respond quickly if Elaine needed anything during the night.
Though Joren and Nova had offered to let her return home, Maela insisted she stay. "I'd rather be here in case anything happens tonight," she had said with a gentle smile.
Nova climbed onto his chair at the table. "Hey Dad," he said, "today for some reason… I'm feeling a bit more tired than usual."
Joren's eyes widened slightly. "Really? That would mean…"
Nova tilted his head, curiosity piqued. "What does that mean, Dad?"
Joren shook his head, trying to hide his concern with a small smile. "Don't worry about it right now. Eat your breakfast first, and I'll explain later."
Nova tilted his head further, as if trying to read his father's mind. "Alright… if you say so."
Breakfast passed quietly, with the morning sun spilling through the windows. Soon, Joren rose to get ready for his work outside.
"Uh, Dad?" Nova called, unable to contain his curiosity. "What about my tiredness?"
Joren paused, then knelt slightly to meet his son's eager gaze. "Ah, yes… well… I suppose it's finally time you learn something more than spelling words."
Nova practically leapt from his seat, his excitement barely contained. "Really? You're going to teach me something new?"
Joren chuckled softly. "Yes. Well… I know I should have told you a long time ago, considering all the training we've been doing, but what I'm about to tell you… it's not a story, not a lesson. It's how the world works for those who want to grow strong."
Nova's eyes widened. "Grow strong? Like… stronger than the bullies in the village?"
Joren smiled gently. "Stronger, yes. But also stronger than most people in the world. There are different levels… different stages, if you will, that a person can reach. We call them cultivation realms."
Nova's head tilted sideways, confusion etched across his face. "Cultivation… realms? What's that?"
Joren inhaled deeply and sat down across from him. "Think of your body and mind as a garden, Nova. At first, you have just soil and a few seeds. If you want to grow something strong — a mighty tree, for example — you must tend to it carefully. Water it, let it bask in the sunlight, pull out the weeds. That's cultivation. You train your body, your energy, and your mind… step by step, stage by stage. Each stage is called a realm."
Nova's eyes sparkled with fascination. "Stage… realm… so there are many?"
"Yes," Joren nodded. "And each realm is more challenging than the last. You begin with the body itself — your muscles, bones, and organs. That's the Body Tempering Realm. You strengthen your body until it's capable of handling more… energy."
"Energy…?" Nova's voice held a note of confusion.
"Yes, but don't worry too much about that for now. Even I am still only at the Body Tempering Realm," Joren said with a faint chuckle. "But the key is your tiredness. You see, when you approach a breakthrough…"
"Breakthrough?" Nova interrupted, still puzzled.
"Yes. A breakthrough is when you progress to the next stage or realm of cultivation. Within the Body Tempering Realm, there are three sub-stages: first, Flesh Tempering; second, Bone Forging; and third, Viscera Refinement."
Nova blinked rapidly, trying to process the information.
"I know it's a lot to take in," Joren continued, placing a comforting hand on Nova's shoulder. "Remember when you felt unusually exhausted while playing with your friends a month ago? Then suddenly, you experienced that burst of energy?"
Nova's eyes widened. "Yeah! I remember! That day was incredible… I felt unstoppable!"
Joren smiled softly. "That burst of energy… that's exactly what happens when you reach a breakthrough. That day, you entered the first stage of cultivation — Flesh Tempering. The tiredness you feel beforehand is your body preparing for it. There's a reason for everything, but you don't need to understand all of it right now."
"Oh! I see. So that explains it. Wait… does that mean…"
"Yes," Joren said. "Right now, you're nearing another breakthrough. But since you feel only slightly tired, it might take some time. Or there might be another reason, but a breakthrough is the most likely explanation."
"So that means… I'll become stronger?! Once I breakthrough, I'll be stronger than I am now?!" Nova's voice quivered with excitement.
"Haha, yes," Joren said with a warm smile.
"Yay! Stronger! Stronger!" Nova jumped in his seat, practically vibrating with energy.
"Haha, don't get too carried away," Joren cautioned, though his eyes twinkled. "There are people far stronger than both of us." 'And from where you come from...' He shook his head with a small chuckle. "Anyways, I should head out now."
"Stronger people, huh… I will meet them someday! And I'll get stronger than them! Then no one will dare mess with my mom, my dad, or my younger sibling!" Nova puffed his chest proudly.
"Haha, ambitious, little one," Joren said, patting his son's head. "Bye for now. I'll see you this evening."
"Alright, bye Dad! Just wait and see!"
Joren gave a small chuckle as he left, the door closing softly behind him.
Nova stepped onto the lawn and resumed his training, his thoughts dancing with images of realms and strong people. When he finished, he took a refreshing bath and waited for lunch.
'Cultivation realms… strong people… I didn't know the world had so much depth…' hethought. 'Strong people… I wonder if they're good or bad…'
"Nova! Lunch is ready!" Maela's voice pulled him from his reverie. He rushed to the table, cheeks still flushed with excitement.
"Thanks, Miss Maela! If not for you, I'd starve in the afternoon," Nova said with a grin.
"Haha, it's nothing, little one. Eat as much as you like," she replied, placing the food before him.
Soon it was evening, Nova went out to spend time with his friends, running and playing as usual.
While Nova was out playing, Joren returned home.
"Ah!"
Clink! Crash!
A scream echoed from Elaine's room. Without hesitation, Joren rushed to the room.
"What happened?!" he called.
Inside, Elaine was lying in bed, wincing in pain, and Maela was comforting her. A broken cup lay on the floor, tea spilled around it.
"It's nothing serious," Maela said quickly. "She just felt a sharp pain and the cup slipped from her hands. I'll make her a new cup of tea. Would you mind staying with her while I clean this up?"
Joren exhaled in relief. "Of course. I'll stay here."
Maela nodded and began gathering the broken fragments. Soon, the floor was clean, and a fresh cup of tea sat beside Elaine.
After a while, Nova returned home as well. The rest of the evening passed quietly, with everyone settling into their routine. Before long, the household was asleep, the moon casting a gentle glow over the village.