Kai's twentieth birthday is just around the corner, and his brother has just returned home between missions.
Kai wiped sweat off his jaw with the back of his hand and pretended his lungs were fine. He had the kind of body you earned the hard way: lean, stubborn, built by repetition instead of talent. His messy red hair had slipped loose from its tie again, the short ponytail hanging crooked at the nape of his neck. His amber eyes stayed calm even when his shoulders were shaking.
Ken watched him with a grin that was too loud for how quiet the morning still was.
"Confirmed adventurer," Ken said. "E-Rank."
Kai blinked. "Stop saying it like that."
Ken stepped closer and bumped him lightly with his shoulder. He was a bit taller, broader in presence even if not in muscle. His hands were the first thing you noticed, stained with ink from diagrams, marked by tiny old burns, toughened by focus rings and conductor stones.
"Rank E," Ken repeated. "With one Skill. One. You're actually insane."
Kai took a slow breath. "I'm efficient."
Ken laughed and hooked an arm around Kai's neck.
"I'm serious," Ken said. "You did it. No fancy kit, no stacked Skills. Just you, your training, and your stubborn little brain. You should be proud."
Kai shrugged. "Pride doesn't pay for bandages."
Ken rolled his eyes.
Kai glanced at the street and then at the sun, like checking the time was a habit he couldn't stop. "We should go. They're coming."
Ken's grin slipped. "You still won't tell me who they are?"
Kai didn't answer. They walked home in the same easy rhythm they'd had since they were kids. Ken filled the silence the moment it started to grow teeth.
When they reached the house, the smell of warm bread hit them first. Their mother was in the kitchen. Their father was near the window. The house was still small and worn, but it still held, mostly because of their father.
Their mother turned, flour on her cheek. "Hands. Both of you. Now."
Ken lifted his palms like he was surrendering. "Yes, yes."
Their father cleared his throat. He looked calm, but his eyes weren't. "Ken. Kai. They'll be here soon."
Ken stopped moving. "Who?"
Their mother's voice went a little quieter. "Arthur. And his wife."
Ken stared. "Arthur, the Arthur?"
Kai nodded once. "Yeah."
Ken's mouth opened, then closed. Then opened again. "That's… okay. That's fine. Totally fine."
Their mother gave him a look. "Do not embarrass us."
Ken put a hand on his chest. "Me? Never."
Kai walked past them and poured himself water. He drank like he'd been thirsty for hours, then set the cup down with care, like the sound might matter.
Their father rubbed his hands together once. "Just be polite. Answer properly. And Ken…"
Ken's smile softened. "I know."
A knock came. Their mother jumped like she'd been waiting for it inside her bones. Their father opened the door. Arthur Valen stepped in first.
He was tall, clean, and straight in a way that didn't feel stiff, just trained. He carried himself like someone raised with rules and then tested by real danger. His gaze was sharp and quick, the kind that measured without insulting.
Beside him was Luphina Valen.
She looked like the city's idea of elegance given a heartbeat. Blonde hair, perfectly arranged. A wide pale hat crowned with white roses and a light veil that moved when she breathed. Her dress was white with gold detailing, lace so fine it looked like it could tear from a harsh word, sheer sleeves, pristine gloves, jewelry delicate but obviously expensive. She smiled softly, and the room instantly felt smaller.
Arthur inclined his head. "Sir. Ma'am. Thank you for receiving us."
Their father bowed too fast. "It's an honor. Please. Please, come in."
Luphina's voice was warm, controlled. "Your home is charming. Thank you."
Their mother looked like she didn't know whether to smile or apologize. She chose to smile.
Arthur turned to Ken. "Ken."
Ken stood straight. "Sir."
Arthur's tone stayed formal, but not cold. "I have heard about your work. Your discipline. Your results."
Ken swallowed. "Thank you, sir."
"I will be direct," Arthur said. "I wish to offer you a place in my party."
Their mother's breath caught. Their father went still.
Ken blinked once. "A place… in your party?"
His face shifted. Excitement, disbelief, then the careful calm he used when he wanted to be taken seriously.
"I accept," Ken said. "But I need to finish my current mission with my party. We're close. When I come back, I'll be honored to join you."
Arthur's mouth lifted slightly. "Good."
Luphina added, "That is honorable."
Ken looked like he didn't know what to do with that.
Arthur folded his hands behind his back. "This timing suits us. My twentieth birthday approaches."
Luphina's smile warmed, just a little. "Mine as well," she said. "And Kai's too, isn't it?"
Kai's head snapped up. Their mother flinched, surprised that she knew.
Luphina looked at Kai now. Kai didn't pretend he was comfortable. She studied him for a second. Not with contempt. With something closer to curiosity.
"We heard you reached E-Rank with very little."
Kai didn't deny it. "I trained as hard as I could."
Arthur nodded once. "Respectable."
Luphina turned to their parents. "You've raised two determined sons."
Their mother's eyes shimmered. She forced a smile. "We tried."
Arthur looked back at Ken. "Then we are agreed."
Ken nodded quickly. "Yes, sir."
Arthur's voice turned final. "Ken will join my party after his current duty is complete."
Ken bowed. "Thank you. Truly."
Arthur inclined his head once. "We will not take more of your time."
They left as cleanly as they arrived. The door closed.
For two seconds, nobody moved. Then Ken exhaled so hard it sounded like laughter and panic at the same time.
"That was real," Ken said. "That was actually real."
Their father sat down like his legs forgot their job. "Yes."
Their mother pressed her hands together, then immediately pretended she hadn't.
Ken looked at Kai like Kai was supposed to confirm reality. "Did you see her hat? Did you see her whole… everything?"
Kai shrugged. "She's a princess. That's kind of the point."
Ken turned back to their parents. "But wait. Arthur. That's the same Arthur, right?"
Their father nodded slowly. "Yes."
Ken's eyes widened. "The one who inherited the artifact?"
Their mother's voice dropped. "That's what people say."
Kai leaned against the counter. "The A-rank sword. The one that enchants itself with lightning."
Ken made a helpless sound. "That's ridiculous."
"And he wants you," their father said.
Ken's smile softened into something real. "Yeah."
Their mother touched Ken's arm carefully, like he might vanish if she moved too fast. "Be careful."
Ken nodded. "I will."
Kai watched them. He didn't interrupt. This was Ken's moment, and he had earned it. Still, Kai couldn't stop the thought that slipped in under the joy.
Tomorrow is mine.
⸻
The house settled into quiet. Their parents went to bed early, pretending they weren't watching the clock through their eyelids. Ken stayed up longer, restless, pacing like a dog that sensed a storm.
Kai sat on the edge of his bed, boots off, fingers tapping his thigh.
Ken stopped in front of him. "Ready for tomorrow?"
Kai looked up. "Yeah."
Ken pointed at him like he was accusing him of a crime. "Don't do it."
Kai blinked. "Do what?"
"You know what," Ken said. "Don't pull the same thing. Only one Skill and the 'I'm fine.'"
Kai's mouth barely moved. "Get ready to be mad, then."
Ken stared. "Kai."
Kai's answer was simple. "I've survived ten years for that."
Ken threw his hands up. "That's exactly why you should not be stubborn now."
Kai reached under his mattress and pulled out a worn notebook. The cover was cracked, the pages uneven, the spine repaired twice.
Ken's voice dropped. "That, again?"
He rubbed his face. "Kai, everyone knows you can save your choices. You can hold back at ten or twenty and keep it for later. That's not some secret plan."
"I know," Kai said.
Ken blinked. "Then why are you acting like you cracked the world?"
Kai opened the notebook to a marked page. "Because everyone thinks Thalior's Reserve is fixed."
Ken made a face. "It is. That's what the books say."
Kai looked at him. "The books say a lot of things."
Ken leaned in, eyes narrowing. "Don't tell me you're still on that 'Thalior is secretly good' thing."
Kai spoke like he was reciting a plan he'd repeated so many times it stopped being emotional. "The official definition says Thalior lets you borrow Skills each day up to your Reserve. At the end of the day, the borrowed Skills are removed and the cost is refunded."
Ken nodded. "Yeah. Rental Skill. Everyone laughs at it."
Kai's eyes didn't flinch. "Everyone laughs because everyone treats the Reserve like a locked box."
Ken frowned. "It is."
Kai flipped the notebook around and slid it toward Ken. "Read what he wrote."
Ken's gaze dropped to the page. He read in silence for a few seconds. His expression shifted. Kai didn't rush. He let the words land.
Ken looked up slowly. "He said he could borrow up to Epic."
Kai nodded once.
Ken's voice went sharp. "That's impossible. The Reserve doesn't go that high."
Kai pointed at Ken's chest. "But he did. Because he saved points before."
Ken sat back. "Stop. Explain it properly. Like I'm not living inside your head."
Kai exhaled and spoke fast, like he wanted it over with. "At ten, you get fifteen."
Ken blinked. "Fifteen what?"
"Points. The points we use to choose Skills. We get fifteen at ten, ten at twenty and eight at thirty."
Ken swallowed. "And what does that mean?"
Kai counted on his fingers, precisely. "A common Skill costs two. Uncommon is three. Rare is five. Epic is eight. Legendary is fifteen."
Ken stared at his hands, doing the math without realizing he was moving his lips.
Kai watched him and added, "Now you see why I took one Rare at ten and nothing else."
"You've been saving since ten," said Ken, anger and pride fighting. "And tomorrow you'll take Thalior's Blessing."
"And nothing else."
"You could still take something small. You'll have leftovers."
"No."
Ken shut the notebook, not hard, but with frustration. "Why are you like this?"
"Because if this works, I will need every drop."
"And if it doesn't?"
"Then I lose."
Ken stared at him for a long second, then leaned back and blew air out through his nose. "You're insane."
Kai gave a tired shrug. "I know."
Ken's voice softened. "Whatever happens tomorrow… you did good. You hear me?"
Kai didn't smile. He just nodded once.
Ken's throat tightened. "Good night, brother."
"Good night," Kai said.
Sleep came like a door closing. He was in the dark again. The same organized silence. The same pressure. The same Presence, watching without eyes.
Choose.
Names and concepts floated in front of him. This time there were Blessings, layered and heavy, each one carrying a different kind of weight. Some felt clean. Some felt sharp. Some felt like traps with polite labels. Kai didn't drift. He didn't stare in awe. He moved with purpose.
Then he saw something.
[Common] Providence: Renewal.
It hung there like a word that shouldn't be in the same place as the others. It made his skin tighten. A Providence only at twenty. A single chance to reset your life in one violent step.
Kai didn't touch it. He reached for the Blessing he had chosen ten years ago.
[Epic] Blessing: Thalior
A clean, official line appeared beneath it, like a textbook label.
Each day, you may borrow Skills up to your Reserve. At day's end, all borrowed Skills are removed, and their cost is refunded.
Kai took it. The feeling wasn't warmth. It was structure. Like new rules locking into place inside his bones.
The Presence acknowledged, then waited for more. Kai didn't want more. Not now. So the dream folded.
Kai woke with another dry throat and a strange steadiness in his chest. Morning light slipped into the room. His parents were already there, sitting too still, trying to look normal.
His mother spoke first. "Kai."
His father's voice followed, rough. "Did you… did you get it?"
Kai sat up slowly. "Yeah."
His mother's hands flew to her mouth. She made a sound that was half laugh, half sob, then forced herself to breathe.
His father's shoulders loosened. "Thank the gods."
Their mother blinked. "Is this true?"
Kai nodded.
Ken stepped into the doorway, hair a mess, eyes heavy with no sleep. He looked at Kai and didn't need an explanation.
He just whispered, "Test it."
Kai stood. His hands flexed once, feeling the new blessing inside him.
"I'm going to try it," Kai said.
His mother's smile trembled. "Now?"
Kai nodded. "Now."
His family looked at him. Nothing happened.
For a heartbeat, it looked almost ridiculous. Kai concentrating in silence, the morning light steady on his face, the house still smelling like bread. Then Kai's body jolted, like something had yanked him by the spine. His breath cut off. His eyes snapped open, but there was no time for confusion. He was just… gone.
No flash. No sound. One moment Kai was there, and the next there was only empty air where he'd been standing. His clothes dropped in a soft heap onto the floor, boots toppling sideways, like he'd stepped out of himself and left everything behind.
Ken's voice tore out of him. "Kai!"
Their mother screamed too, sharp and raw. "Kai!"
Their father moved at last, stumbling forward, hands reaching for nothing. There was no answer. Only the quiet of their house, and a pile of fabric on the ground that shouldn't have existed without him inside it.