CHAPTER 3

HOME AND THE LETTER  

As Hans lay there, cradled in the gentle embrace of his grandmother's healing touch, a question surfaced in his mind. Why was Rudolf, a man with the power to bend anyone to his will, so submissive in her grandma's presence? It was a curious and intriguing thing that he couldn't quite comprehend. Hans couldn't help but look at his grandmother as she tended to him. Despite her age, she was still a strikingly beautiful woman, a testament to the idea that a man could win over a woman beyond his league. Sierra doted on Hans, always putting his whims and desires above her own, except for the one thing he longed for most - to leave this place.

As he pondered these things, Hans couldn't help but marvel at how much younger Sierra looked compared to Rudolf. She was supposedly a year older than his grandpa. But it was hard to believe that this beautiful woman could look half the age of the grizzled, weathered man who appeared to be well beyond his fifty years. Rudolf shot Hans a withering glare as the boy continued to tease him, seeking refuge behind Sierra's protective presence. After he endured an hour of Sierra's ceaseless nagging, the trio finally gathered around the dinner table. Sierra clasped her hands together, and the others followed suit in a gesture of prayer to Yudwin, the goddess of life whom she deeply believed in.

Despite his hunger pangs, Hans found the waiting period before the meal the most trying. Sierra had a steadfast rule regarding these prayers that no one dared to question. Having grown up in the devoutly religious nation of Indu and having served in the Yudvin temple in her youth, Sierra had instilled the teachings of Yudwin in Hans since his birth. Yet, the idea of praying to an unseen deity always irritated him. Rather than arguing with Sierra, Hans found it easier to simply shut his mind and follow her lead, choosing the path of least resistance. It was a choice he made often. After the tedious dinner prayer, Hans managed to snatch the puffed bread that Rudolf had been eyeing. As he savoured his victory, his mind wandered back to Rudolf's earlier question. Seeking an easy answer, he turned to Sierra for guidance.

Quickly finishing the food in his mouth and taking a few sips of water, Hans posed the question to his grandmother. "Grandma, the sword is strongest in the sheath. What does it mean?" But before she could answer, Rudolf interjected with annoyance. "Hey, brat! I told you to find the answer on your own."

"I remember someone saying; The experiences of your elders are the answers to your questions." Hans mocked, slamming Rudolf with his own words. "You told me that a while ago. So why should I waste my precious brain on it?" Rudolf was left speechless. At times like this, when Hans acted so defiantly, he could even see the shadow of his dead son in the boy's behaviour. Sierra reached out to stroke Hans's head and spoke gently. "My child, the answer is for you to realize on your own."

Sierra gazed at Hans with a mix of concern and sadness. Despite consuming nutritious meals and rare creatures that promoted growth in adults, he remained short and skinny for his age. Even at eight years old, he had yet to display his mana property, which was a common occurrence among human children between six to eight years of age. Noticing her worry, Rudolf reassured her that everything would be fine. He reminded her that Hans's condition was already bad when they took him in, and the fact that he had survived was a miracle in itself.

As Hans listened in, Sierra tried to divert his attention by asking if he had done anything fun besides his training. Hans eagerly shared his adventure of chasing a lizard down the hill until it left its tail behind in fear of Rudolf. His adventure tale continued and she listened with rapt attention, hanging on his every word as if it were the most important thing in the world. And for Hans, it was. He continued to speak, each sentence punctuated by a yawn until he could feel the pull of sleep tugging at his consciousness.

After tucking Hans into bed, Sierra informed Rudolf about a letter that had arrived for him. Rudolf was surprised, knowing how expensive it was for someone to send a letter to their remote location. He asked as if it was a formality rather than his curiosity "A letter, here? They must be desperate. You know how costly it is, Who is the bastard?"

Sierra seated next to him, lowering her eyes, she said, "It's more like a summon."

Rudolf inquired eagerly, "Is that fucking Norwin dead?"But as much as he wanted to hear it turn true, Sierra shook her head denying it, adding, "No, the Barrier got breached."

Rudolf furrowed his brow, not wanting what he was thinking to turn true this time, "Which one?"

"How many barriers are there to make you think that deeply? Sierra's annoyance was palpable as she retorted. "Ah no, please no, "Rudolf's mind clicked as he questioned, "Do you mean The Grand Utar?" Sierra nodded her head in affirmation, confirming his suspicions. "Not my circus, not my monkeys," Rudolf stated, convincing himself chuckling, "Serves those bastards right." As he continued to force himself to laugh, Sierra looked at him, busy sorting the plates. His laughter puzzled her, and she couldn't help but ask, "Are you really laughing right now?"

In a serious voice, Rudolf replied, "They took our son for granted and even snatched his credit for creating that massive barrier, and now they are calling us back when there's a sign of another red demon invasion."

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Sierra understood her husband's true feelings, despite his attempt to put on a façade. She knew that he deeply cared for the people. He might have risen to the ranks of nobles, but his origin was of commoners. She also knew his inner thoughts and agreed with them. If the barrier was breached, the powerful would only protect themselves, leaving the weaker individuals to suffer collateral damage.

Rudolf was like the protagonist who had risen from the rubble and made a name for himself. His tendency to help those in need sometimes made him an easy target for those who took advantage of his kindness, but that was precisely the charm that had captivated Sierra. As Rudolf looked at his wife, he could sense her inner turmoil. He spoke up to ease her worries. "I am not leaving this place." he assured her, "It all ended when they let our son die,"

Sierra felt guilty for wanting to leave the common people behind and confided in her husband, "King Norwin has abdicated the throne to his second son Samwell, So the Grimgar kingdom has a new king now."

Rudolf stroked his beard in thought and mused, "Samwell, hmm... He was a fine fellow, right? Did he send the letter here?"

Sierra confirmed that the new king himself had sent the letter, prompting Rudolf to suggest, "You can write him back to seek help from their new Elven friends. When the barrier breaches, I will enjoy the red demons slaughtering the 'pointy ears'."Sierra was quick to reject his words, telling him not to say what he didn't mean. She stopped at those words, so Rudolf diverted the topic. "By the way," he asked, "why did that power-hungry bastard stop his reign?"

Sierra replied, "Samwell wrote that he couldn't manage the Alliance and the kingdom together. The frequent breaches were a wake-up call, but this one was too big to ignore."

Rudolf noticed the guilt in Sierra's eyes and drew her close, reassuring her, "Stop overthinking. The barrier will still stand, and they are not weak people. Have you heard any news about your temple?" Surprisingly, Sierra hadn't heard anything for weeks. "What if they abandon you?" Rudolf asked, concerned. "I will leave before they can," She replied, her irritation palpable.

Rudolf soothed her, "Don't worry, my sweet wife. Let's retire to bed or our petty lord will wake up whining that we are enjoying something nice without him."Sierra laughed at his words and dragged her husband to the bed, affirming, "That's true, so let's hurry."

As Hans awoke the next morning, he was greeted with a sudden downpour. He sat at the door sills with a pout on his face, watching the raindrops crash onto the ground. Hours passed, but there was no sign of the rain stopping. Suddenly, Sierra approached him from behind and chided him gently.

"Didn't I tell you that sitting at the doorstep brings bad luck?" she said.

Hans replied with a grumble, "What worse could happen?"

Sierra shook her head. "Saying that multiplies the bad luck, my little squeaky."

Hans sighed and ignored her, but Sierra was undeterred. "Why don't we read your favourite book, 'The Knight King'?" she suggested, perking Hans's ears. The book chronicled the epic tale of Sir Dietrich and his battle with the evil mage king. And the man was everything that Hans aspired to be. Though the story was thought to be fictional, Sierra claimed that it was based on truth and that she was even a descendant of Sir Dietrich himself.

Sierra retrieved the book and Hans quickly arranged two chairs by the door, eager to continue where they had left off in the story.

> He was a man born to lead. His fiery passion and infectious charisma blazed like a radiant sun, illuminating the path for those who followed him. He was not just a leader of beliefs, but a guide to help others achieve their full potential in all areas of their lives. The sense of fulfilment he felt in seeing others grow was immeasurable.

>

> In a world ruled by silence, the slightest noise can shatter the stillness.

> He quoted as he mounted the griffin.

>

>

> With steely determination, he flew out with his trusted companions, the four generals, to put an end to the atrocities committed by the mage king. The road ahead was perilous, but he was ready. The world needed a hero, and he was ready to answer the call.

Sierra noticed the content look on Hans's face and couldn't resist asking him a question."Tell me, Hans," she said, "if you had as much power as Sir Dietrich, what would you do? Would you choose to live as he did, or would you choose differently?" Hans paused, contemplating the question. Sir Dietrich had defeated the evil Mage King and became the strongest man in the world, but he didn't stop there. He gave away his lands and wealth to his five generals before disappearing from the world. Hans often wondered why he didn't seem to enjoy his life after accomplishing so much.

After some thought, Hans finally responded to Sierra's question. "No way, grandma," he said. "If I defeated the Mage King, I would conquer everything, even the Elves, and become the king of the world."

Sierra couldn't help but laugh at the child's response, explaining, "Conquering and ruling are two different things, child,"

Hans didn't quite understand her, but he was more concerned with another question he had for his grandma. "Why do you think Sir Dietrich renounced everything?" he asked her, curious. Sierra smiled warmly at him and said," Many people believe that after reaching his lifelong goal of defeating the Mage King, there was nothing left for him to live for. He foresaw himself becoming a threat to the stability of the world. So he chose death over becoming another Mage King. Even in the end, he thought of others."

She looked at Hans, teaching him the moral of the story," 'Vengeance won't grant you solace but loneliness', he quoted as he died. That's why he became a legend that you are so fond of." But Hans shook his head in disagreement. "No, Grandma," he said. "I don't like Sir Dietrich because he always put others before himself. I admire him because he turned the impossible into possible. He fought for what he believed was right and won in the end. That's the reason I want to be like him."

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