“I’m adopted… No, wait, what do you even mean by that?”

Having finished mimicking a plant from the Icy Waste with his wide open jaws, my ward finally regained enough sense to stammer out the question. Seeing this, I could not help but shake my head with a smirk. It appeared that Hiro, despite having relearned a great many things about the world, still hadn’t realized how fortunate his situation was.

And so, for the next few minutes, I told him about the news our watchers just brought back from Humming Hill. Apparently, there was no “throw” that happened in Bright Land during the recent months. No missing poster of a scion named after my ward. Indeed, nothing was amiss, for the only lost noble children were those being culled by the Dreamcatcher Cult.

And, since communication in Bright Land could be done instantly with the crystal phones, there was no chance that anyone actually managed to miss-

“Wait… Wait wait wait! What was that about the Dreamcatcher Cult again!?”

“Oh right, that. For some reason, the cult has decided to pour out from whatever dark holes they hide behind. A huge chunk of Bright Land is pretty much on fire now. Standard stuff whenever these crazies appear, really.”

“... We are talking about the same cult that unleashed their tamed nightmares on New Dreams, razing said city to the ground and turning it into the horror that is Ruin of Dreams?”

“The one and only!”

“... And, they are now actively hunting those with strong divine blood?”

“Using weapons that prevent resurrection, bringing about true death, yes! Here, just look at this old newspaper we just brought back.” I pointed at the headline of Bright New Day that was now haunting every brightlander. “Apparently, since mid July, the cult had been on the warpath. The Night Mare herself even appeared in Eagle’s Landing and bombed the entire royal palace. There is a picture of her holding the former king’s head right here!”

“...”

“Things got so bad that elder Ruink said Wyld’s Heart might need to send some reinforcements, despite the ongoing blood moon. The cult will have most likely gone back into hiding the moment any significant force can be deployed, though. It’s always a game of whack-a-mole with ‘em.” I turned the page which lambasted the royal family for their failed promises. “Still, it’s concerning that they could bypass the security wards so easily again. As if them being able to appear from thin air and flee just as fast isn’t enough… But hey, good thing that we are in Wyld Land, where no cultist could ever dream of invading, amirite?”

“......”

“Anyowl, the important thing is that no Noble Houses report a missing, living heir. This means that you are most likely a child born from some forbidden love, hidden away from the judging eyes of others…”

I sent a sad smile towards the boy in front of me, who was scratching his pure, black hair in puzzlement. Indeed, one of his parents must have been a jester of sorts, given how hilariously baffling his face now looked.

“Having been adopted into a Noble House, yet the infamy of what brought you into this world also bars your family from openly announcing your presence… Truly, a tragic tale… and absolutely perfect for you! After all, you have been raring to become an adventurer and go fight the Dragon, right? Now that the way back home is so dangerous, and since your family has most definitely cast you out, you can just run off into the sunset without needing to fear all the “noble responsibilities” dragging you back! It’s like one of those riches-to-rags-to-questionableriches stories of all time, where a scorned scion flees from home to become a famous adventurer, and now you get to live it!!!”

“.........”

For some reason, Hiro was growing paler and paler the more I talked. How odd, I thought that he would have been jumping in joy by now-

No, wait…

Rhyme and reason! Did I get it all wrong!?

For the past month, my ward had been so fixated on learning anything and everything regarding the Crimson Dragon. Whenever we had our meal together, the big bad red and those unfortunate sandwalkers were all he ever talked about. Plus, given his potent potential for might and magic, I had thought that he would not be able to contain his hot blood for long.

After all, which silly youth hadn’t dreamed of becoming an adventurer at least once in their life? It was not common, but also not rare that some adventurous nobles would travel all the way towards Wyld Land, just for a chance to either find the Vengeful Relic or fight the Crimson One.

Sky be wyld. Just this spring, there were those four that visited Growling Trunk for the exact same reason. Whatever mad quest compelled them to pick the corpse of Horde’s Husk for months on end must have also ensured that it became their final resting place. Poor fools with delusions of glory, no doubt…

“Uhm… I mean, AHEM!”

The sound of a suitably unsubtle cough quickly snapped me out of my musing. Lifting my head up, I was no longer greeted by the sight of a shaking fledgling. Indeed, in front of me now stood a resolute youth.

I see…

Perhaps, it was too hasty to think that Hiro would just turn away from his own kins, despite the chance to finally soar into the sky. Fame? Power? Glory? Some might simply leap at the opportunity, even if leaving their family behind was the price attached.

However, “blood is thicker than water”. Wasn’t there a saying as such?

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

… Of course, the third chosen also used that as an excuse to execute all his enemies, from roots to branches. Still, its meaning remained the same, and it appeared that my ward was one that honored those words.

Perhaps, instead of a scorned scion, I was now looking at an exiled hedge knight.

And, despite being wronged by his own family, despite missing all the memories of a home once had, he would still return to aid them in this moment of need.

With such thought, I returned my ward’s resolution with a nod of my own. This might be where we said our goodbye. However, I would do so with a smile on my face, for it truly had been an honor having this fledgling under my wings.

“Isa-” Hiro finally spoke up, his tone full of determination. “- there is something that I must ask!”

•ㅅ•

“So, yeah. Hiro said that he is most likely an orphan, somehow, and he would like to extend his stay in Growling Trunk for the foreseeable future.”

“Um hum, um hum. Say, is summer taking its toll on us or is it just the hot air from your story?”

“Such a claim!” I could not help but gasp in disbelief. “How could you! Can you not see what an honest and trustworthy bὕnny that is, me~?”

“Isa, dear.” Faced against these purely pure eyes of mine, Imun could not not help but reflect on her baseless accusation. “You might not know this, but your right ear always twitches whenever you try too hard with a tall tale. Plus, one third of what you told me just now sounded so overblown that it could make said ear look like a flapping bird.”

“...”

I immediately checked my right ear for any possible-

“Aha!”

“Rąts! Fine, you got me… Hiro really did choose to stay here instead of running off to Bright Land or some adventurers’ guild, though. So, pay up!”

“Tsk…”

The familiar feeling of a cold, rough rock soon made itself known on my paw, and I could just feel the irritation behind such an impact. No surprise there, given how “tactfully” Imun had mentioned her dwindling savings after so many recent failed bets.

“By the way, did I really have a twitchy tell?”

“Isa, we have known each other for all our lives. After sixteen halfmoons, do you really think that I don’t know when you are trying to put on an act?” My close companion then snorted in amusement. “And yes, your ear does twitch. It’s subtle, but it’s there all right.”

Note to self: if possible, find a way to bluff with this in poker.

With a stretch and a yawn, I lazily leaned against the newly built doorframe. By this point, the old nest was as good as new, and I couldn’t be more proud!

Of course, let’s not think too hard on why it needed to be restored in the first place…

*Clap*Clap*Clap*

Not far away, sounds of cheers were starting to subside, signaling an end to the last story time of the day. As dusk approached, the tide of kits soon split into two. Some bade their friends goodbye and sprinted towards their waiting kins, eager for the rare family time after so long. Most returned to the comfort of their nests, though it was doubtful that they would be napping anytime soon. One, however…

A soft sigh left my lips as I walked towards a lone bὕnny. As if lost in her own world, Ichay was still looking longingly at the sight of a couple swinging their kit by the arms, even after any trace of their silhouette had long vanished. A pat on the head quickly brought her back to reality, and a tilt of my head told her all she needed to know.

With a nod, she took off, despite the slight daze in her sprint.

I waited until the little one was no longer within earshot.

“Still thinking that it’s a good idea to settle down?”

“I already told you.” Imun huffed. “This kind of life, it’s just not for me.”

“At least pick one in this city.”

“No, Isa. I miss the hills, and Crescent Well is the only place with any hill around here.” My closest companion, who would soon be far away, continued. “Idet is a nice buck. We can be happy together.” And she just went on and on. “Remember that? Remember how we boasted about starting our own family before the other could? Remember that happy dream we both had?”

“I am happy!”

“Are you?”

“Yes!!!”

“...”

With that, the topic was buried once more, just like whatever dumb dream some of us used to have.

Soon, the night sky arrived, and we were ready to go our separate way.

“You know…” The hesitation from some faraway footsteps gave me pause. “This is a strange time we’re living in. Dragon, cultists, our mysterious human guest.” I could not help but snort at that last part. “Your fledglings are not here to report what those quiet mouths at the shouting halls are babbling about. And, since I won’t be here to help you for much longer…I figure that I should just tell you something now.”

There was a funny look on the face of my old friend, as if she was about to tell me a humorless joke.

“Some believe that a new chosen one is already with us, in this very city. Guess people could not help but spread rumors whenever coincidences happen, huh?”

“Um hum. People are just funny like that, I guess.” The sound of footsteps resumed once more as we finally bid our goodbye. “Thanks for telling me. I will deal with this tomorrow.”

“Take care, Isa”

“Same to you, Imun.”

•ㅅ•

You know, I must confess something.

Hiro wanting to stay for the long term, understandable.

Big red finally chilled down, prompting elder Ruink to assign someone else as my ward’s tutor for the day since I still had to fix my mess, annoying but acceptable.

My fetcher-in-training told me that he knew his parents, before falling head-first on the ground and said he was definitely an orphan, weird but passable.

“Uuu…”

Now though, the fact that he had once again chosen the floor as his kissing partner certainly brought a grin to my face.

“Hey there, handsome.” I hopped towards the icebox and took out some leftovers. “Having fun with that ebony friend of yours~?”

“Uuuuu… Just help me up, please…”

With a shake of the head, I lent a paw to the mewling mess that was my guest, chuckling all the while.

Yup, there was no way this fella could be the fifth chosen. If that day ever came, I would eat my own darn sling!

•ㅅ•

Once both of us had settled in our seats, I asked the obvious question.

“That bad?”

“Worse… In fact, had I not known any better, I would have thought the tutor had some grudge against me.” Same, buddy, same. “At least I wasn’t dead last in my group, though.”

“You can take pride in that. Back when I was still a fledgling, just a few laps around the hunting ground was enough to leave me bed-ridden for days on end. Judging from your look, sticks and stones were thrown into the mix?”

“Many and plenty, yes.”

“Mine were mousetraps. With spikes. Lots and lots of spikes. And let me tell you this-” I could not help but shudder at the memory. “-even if a druid could easily regenerate people in the hunting ground, the scars will still remain in your mind. Plenty of my fellow fledglings quitted after having a taste of that.”

An audible gulp could be heard from my tablemate as he sent me his silent question. With a smirk, I lifted the lower part of my shirt, showing some marks that once left quite the holes on my stomach.

“Learn to fly or try to live.” The nasty memory was washed down with a slurp of my soup. “Or, as I like to call it, “Learn to use your damn senses, or you will learn what having your insides out feels like!” Good thing that the tutor went easy on your group, huh~?”

Upon hearing so, my ward repeatedly nodded his head like the adorable little fledgling that he was.

Was it mean of me to mess with the boy like this? Perhaps. Was it fun watching him stumble upon a wrong conclusion? Definitely!

After all, I never said that those marks were from the training itself~

Grinning lightly, I finished the rest of my meal with a satisfied smile. Truly, life was all about the little perspectives!