“Master Aaron, where shall I put this?”
“Hmm… Put it in the guest room.”
“Okay.”
Sahara was once again putting her utmost effort into her work. Repairs to Barbatos manor in the royal capital were finished. It looked completely different now, and I felt like I could finally relax for a moment.
Six months had passed since Fate and his friends had gone off to close the Door to Distant Lands. The fallout from that battle—one in which the world itself had been at stake—was slowly healing.
Ancient monsters had attacked, and the dead had returned to life. Seifort had been in complete hysteria. When the ancient monsters began pushing toward us, I wasn’t sure we would be able to hold them off and protect the kingdom for a time. The holy knights around me fled in panic and confusion. It was the two white knights to whom I was most grateful. Because of them, we held off the monster onslaught.
However, Fate still had yet to return. At what I assumed was the end of his battle, the southern skies had lit up, but after that…nothing.
Myne and Eris returned, though it was only to gather up Laine and several of Seifort’s researchers before returning to Galia once more. Even now, technology lay hidden in the depths of the imperial capital of Mercadia.
As a man of the sword, it was all far too difficult for me to grasp its totality, but I at least knew this: They hoped to find a way to locate Fate and Roxy.
I was glad to have Sahara and Memil by my side, but I worried about Aisha, Roxy’s mother.
“You’ll be visiting Lady Aisha today, yes?” asked Sahara.
“Indeed. I’ll need you to look after things while I’m away.”
“You bet! Memil should be back from her shopping trip any moment now. I can’t wait!”
Sahara was in high spirits. She’d always been a sweet, gentle girl, but there was a special reason for her more recent joy. Though one’s skill was something assigned at birth and was meant to be concrete, Sahara’s skill had changed. Her whole life shifted in an instant. Her skill had only caused her misery for so long. It was a true joy to see her so happy. I worried that even I might shed tears at the sight.
What was truly astonishing, however, was that her new skill was the holy sword skill. Sahara told me that the night before it changed, she heard Fate’s voice in a dream. Therefore, she thought her new skill a gift. The claim was impossible to prove either way.
I had yet to hear Fate’s voice myself. I didn’t know where he was nor what he was doing.
“Master Aaron, forgive my tardiness.”
“No, Memil, you’re just on time. We’re going to visit Aisha today, so we’ll be leaving the capital.”
“For the Barbatos estate, I presume?”
“Yes. I’ve been away for too long, and the people of Barbatos continue nagging me to return.”
“It’s proof of how much they love you. Please rest assured that Sahara and I will take care of the manor.”
“Thank you.”
The Barbatos estate had been supplied with technological advancements that Eris had discovered in Galia. Magitech, she called it. Though I knew little about it—old timer that I was—I knew that it would help build the cities of the future. With the true lord of Barbatos gone, it was up to me to take on the mantle of leadership.
Juggling all these new developments at my age was a handful, but it also brought much to enjoy with it. I couldn’t complain.
“You look happy, Master Aaron,” said Memil.
“You can tell?”
“Yes, especially recently. Is it because Sahara will become a holy knight?”
“She is nothing if not enthusiastic. She says she wants to use her power to become a new Blessed Blade.”
“Aiming high, I see.”
“It brings a tear to this old man’s eye.”
There was much to look forward to. It was true that I felt a little lonely with all of my old sparring partners gone. Sahara was still growing and immature, but she had great potential. At our last lesson, I marveled at how quickly she absorbed what I taught her. She reminded me very much of Fate.
Just as I was thinking of her, Sahara appeared in a casual dress.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said, before pausing for a moment. “Is something the matter?”
“No, I was just thinking how pretty you look,” I said.
Sahara giggled. “Thank you.”
She was still very much a child, but it was nice to see her so happy.
Memil gave her a pat on the head. “Aren’t you lucky,” she said.
“Thank you so much for helping me choose the dress.”
Memil shook her head as if to say it was nothing, and a slight blush crept across her cheeks. I was glad to see that she, too, was now comfortable with her life as part of the Barbatos family. Peaceful days were truly good days, I thought. Then, the two girls promptly pushed me out the door so I could make my journey to the Hart family.
As I left, I noticed a pair of birds flying through the sky—one black and one white. Perhaps they were mates. They glided freely around the manor for a time, then headed south in the direction of Galia. Seeing them made me think of Fate and Roxy. For a moment I felt a tremor of worry, but I knew that, as long as they were together, they would be fine. I also knew in my heart that Fate was well. I knew because we had a connection, a special bond.
Memil and Sahara looked up and watched the birds as well. It seemed their thoughts went in the same direction as my own, for a single tear fell from Sahara’s eye.
“Master Fate… He’ll come back, won’t he?” she asked.
“That he will,” I said. “But his life is one of endless strife. Perhaps somewhere out there, he is still fighting for somebody.”
“Maybe, yes…”
I wrapped Sahara in a hug. “We both know Fate is not one to break his promises, yes?” I said.
“Yes! You’re right!”
Sahara, Memil, and I all had the same goal—to protect the Barbatos manor and domain so Fate would always have a place to call home. No matter how far we were separated, we would make sure that he always had a home to return to.
I believed in that. I believed in him.
Come home, Fate, even if such a thing is impossible. I, and all of our people, await the return of the Lord of Barbatos.