Just then, the voices of the servants grew hushed, their conversations fading swiftly into silence. All attention was drawn to the two figures approaching from the distance. Donald and his wife, who were set to depart today, had finally arrived.
Donald's towering frame moved with brisk authority as he scanned the gathered crowd. His sharp eyes quickly landed on a lone figure standing at the front. The figure stepped forward and gave a small bow.
"Father, you are leaving already, huh?"
Donald let out a hearty chuckle, the sound deep and full of warmth. His large hand came down to rest firmly on Modret's shoulder.
"You brat, is that how you speak to your old man? Maybe I should teach you a lesson before I leave."
Modret scratched the back of his head, a sheepish look on his face. A faint flush of embarrassment colored his cheeks. Around them, the servants couldn't help but smile at the familiar interaction, though none dared to laugh aloud.
Modret shrugged and shifted his gaze toward the elegant Anna. Though she stood tall, trying to appear composed, Modret, with his hundreds of abilities, could sense the truth. There was a slight tremble in her frame, and unshed tears shimmered in her eyes, threatening to fall.
She was trying to be strong in front of everyone, but a mother's love could never truly be hidden.
With a gentle sigh, Modret approached her and wrapped his arms around her in a silent embrace.
"Mother, please take care of yourself. If something happens to you, I honestly don't know how I'll continue living."
Anna nearly broke into tears. Her voice trembled as she playfully scolded him.
"You stinky brat, do you want to embarrass your mother in front of all these people?" She pulled him into a tighter embrace, her words now softer, more emotional. "Do not worry, my son. Because of you… I will prioritize my safety. I don't want you to grow up as an orphan."
Modret chuckled quietly, his voice low. "Mother, I've already grown."
Anna responded with a gentle laugh of her own. "To me, you will always be a child."
Before their heartfelt moment could continue, a sharp whistling sound pierced through the air, slicing across the silence. To everyone's surprise, a black dot appeared in the distant sky, approaching rapidly while whipping up fierce winds.
"It seems our ride is here," Donald said calmly, turning his eyes toward the fast-approaching object.
In a matter of seconds, the dot expanded into a clear form and came to a smooth halt in the air, hovering silently.
The crowd stared in stunned amazement. Even Modret widened his eyes in disbelief.
'What… is that?' he wondered silently.
The object looked like a carriage, sleek and majestic. A beautiful woman sat atop a muscular winged horse at its front. She wore a helmet-like headgear that, Modret guessed, protected her from the wind and airborne insects.
The carriage itself was large enough to accommodate someone of Donald's size, and its surface was decorated with fine engravings. Most striking of all was the sigil carved on its side—an imposing dragon crest.
Modret's eyes narrowed slightly as he took it all in. 'The dragon symbol… that signifies the Axarel royal family,' he recalled from one of the many books he had read.
He stared at the floating carriage, a thoughtful expression forming on his face. Beneath his composed exterior was a ripple of solemn curiosity.
'It seems this world is far more advanced than I initially believed,' he mused. The realization stirred excitement in his chest. One day, he would explore every inch of it.
Donald turned to Modret once more, then to Axel. He gave the latter a light pat on the shoulder.
"Keep doing well, knight. As for you, son, the Awakening Ceremony for you and the others is only a few days away. I expect a letter bearing good news."
With those words, he stepped onto the carriage. Anna lingered a moment longer, hesitating as if she didn't want to leave just yet. She turned back to Modret and embraced him once more.
Then, slowly, she unwrapped the scarf around her neck.
"This is something I made with my own hands," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "I had to give up cultivating for an entire year just to learn how to knit properly. I wanted to create something special for you. Keep it close always. When you see it, remember your beautiful mother."
The scarf was a deep crimson red, adorned with tightly knitted white heart-shaped patterns and delicate flower motifs. Its craftsmanship was immaculate.
Gasps rippled quietly through the surrounding servants. Many of them, skilled in the art of weaving and knitting, could tell from a distance that what they were seeing was nothing short of a masterpiece.
Anna's voice trembled as she handed it to Modret. He gently touched the scarf, then wrapped it around his neck with care. It felt warm, not just in fabric but in meaning. Every thread seemed to carry emotions his mother could not express aloud.
Modret nodded slowly. "I will keep it safe, Mom. Thank you for the gift."
He meant it deeply. His words came from the bottom of his heart. The scarf smelled faintly of her—her unique fragrance, light and soothing. Even though she was leaving, it felt as though a part of her would always remain with him, watching over him from afar.
He smiled at the thought, waving gently as his mother stepped aboard the carriage. Donald and Anna both waved back, joined by Donald's siblings and other nobles in the crowd.
Then, the winged horse began flapping its powerful wings. With a short sprint, it picked up speed and soon launched into the skies. In the blink of an eye, the carriage became a streak of light across the horizon and vanished.
Modret stood still, his eyes following the dot until it faded completely.
A faint look of melancholy settled over his face.
In his previous life, he had been an orphan. But in this one, he had been embraced by love for fifteen full years. That was not something he could dismiss lightly.
He sighed quietly, watching as the servants slowly began to disperse, their faces carrying a mixture of sadness and reverence.
"Young master, are you upset about their departure?" Axel's voice broke through, "Or are you thinking about what kind of ability you might awaken?"
Modret chuckled, the gloom in his heart beginning to lift.
"You always know what to say at the right time," he said with a small smile. "Come, let us head back home. There is still much to prepare."
Modret then said with a slight smirk. "Perhaps I will not be the one to awaken a useless ability after all. And if you end up being the unlucky one, then I suppose I will have to start searching for a new bodyguard. So much work awaits me."
Hearing those words, Axel's eyes widened, and he placed a hand over his chest as if wounded.
"Young master, that genuinely hurts. Right here."
Unnoticed by either of them, three silent figures wearing blue masks watched their departure from the shadows, their presence cloaked in eerie stillness.