The weeks following Mori's seventh birthday blurred together in a flurry of quiet preparations. True to his word, Mori stayed through Ancel's birthday, which was kept exactly how Ancel wanted it. low-key, intimate, and entirely free of the extravagant noble crowds that had crashed Mori's own celebration. It was a simple family affair, but the looming departure hung like a quiet shadow over the estate.
A few days before Mori was set to leave, he was walking down a quiet stone hallway on his way to the library. Turning a corner, he ran straight into Ancel. Ancel stopped, leaning his back against the wall and crossing his arms. "So... you're really leaving, huh? It's real this time?"
Mori nodded, offering a small, grounded smile. "Yeah. Don't count the days, though. While I'm gone, take care of our sisters, and do me a favor, please keep Jin out of trouble."
Ancel let out a dry snort, rolling his eyes. "Keep Jin out of trouble? Mori, you're asking for a literal miracle. The kid breathes chaos. Yesterday he tried to scale the courtyard wall because he thought he saw a 'shiny bug.' If anything, you leaving means he's going to double his efforts to burn the training grounds down."
Mori chuckled, shaking his head. "Fair point. Just try to keep the estate standing." He paused, his smile turning a bit more competitive. "One last spar before I go? By the time I get back, I might even be stronger than you." "Yeah, don't count on that," Ancel joked, throwing a playful smirk back. "I'm not exactly going to be sitting around slacking off while you're out fighting beasts. But Next time we do cross swords, we'll see."
Later that evening, Mori was called to the private study to meet with Annot and Sayer. The atmosphere in the room was heavy with a mother's reluctance and his father's silence.
Annot stepped forward immediately, her hands trembling slightly as she placed them on Mori's shoulders. "Please, just stay safe. Promise me." She turned her sharp, fiercely protective gaze toward the shadows where Armin stood. "Armin... swear to me right now. Protect Mori with your life. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing must happen to my boy."
"I took an oath with the lord when I decided to serve this house, Your Grace and intend to uphold it ," Armin replied, bowing, his voice completely unwavering. "The young master will return safely." Mori, wanting to break the heavy tension, offered a small grin. "I might be gone for a while, Mother. So make sure my sisters don't forget me." He joked about the one-year-old twins, who barely knew anything beyond eating and sleeping. Annot caught the joke, a tear almost escaping her eye as she let out a weak, emotional smile. "They won't forget you, Mori. I'll make sure of it."
Sayer walked over, stepping up beside his wife. He reached into his robe and pulled out a heavy, intricately embroidered leather pouch, placing it firmly into Mori's hands. Inside, the unmistakable, heavy clink of coins echoed. "This is for your journey."
Mori opened the pouch, his eyes widening slightly as he caught the glint of wealth. He counted roughly 500 gold coins, alongside tens of bright, pristine platinum coins. "Father... isn't this a bit too much?" "Anything to ensure you're safe," Annot interjected firmly, crossing her arms. "And it's not like we're going to run out of money, Mori. Take it." Mori sighed, realizing there was no winning this argument, and tightly secured the pouch to his belt.
Sayer cleared his throat, getting back to business. "There is one more thing. Due to your age being well below the minimum requirement, you wouldn't have been able to enroll or register normally. So, I called in a few favors. I got you officially registered as an adventurer beforehand. It should save you the hassle of taking the standard entry exams and dealing with spiteful adults as well."
Mori raised an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised. "Really?"
"Yes," Sayer nodded. "There is a guild branch located in the eastern plains. You should be able to walk right in and collect your official card there. Make sure not to draw unnecessary attention." "Thank you, Father," Mori said, bowing respectfully to both of them.
With his final goodbyes to his parents finished, Mori made his way back toward his personal chambers to get some rest before the morning departure. As he approached the entrance to his room, he noticed a small, quiet figure lingering near the doorway, sniffing softly.
It was Jin.
"Is it true you're leaving, big brother?" Jin asked, wiping a fresh tears away with his sleeve. He looked up with wide, pleading eyes. "Take me with you! Please! I want to go too!" He was just about to start throwing a tantrum right there in the hallway.
Mori quickly stepped forward, kneeling down to eye level and catching Jin by the shoulders to calm him down. "Jin, look at me. You shouldn't be up this late." His voice softened, steady and reassuring. "And I won't be gone forever. I need you to do a very important job for me while I'm away. Make sure to take care of yourself, look after our sisters, and stay out of trouble."
Jin sniffled, blinking. "A... a job?"
"Yes," Mori said seriously, tapping Jin's chest. "I trust you to do this. Why else would I give this responsibility to anyone else but you? If you promise to be good. I promise you, when I get back, I can finally teach you that special move you've always wanted to learn." Hearing that, Jin's eyes lit up through his tears. The promise of the secret move instantly halted the upcoming tantrum. Wiping the last of his tears away, Jin lunged forward and wrapped his arms tightly around Mori in a fierce hug.
Mori hugged him back, then patted his shoulder, signaling a nearby maid who had been waiting at a respectful distance. The maid stepped forward, gently taking Jin by the hand to anchor him back to his room for the night.
Standing alone in the quiet corridor, Mori looked out the nearby window at the moonlit horizon, The day was finally here.