The journey back home seemed like an eternity to Kvolt, despite being nestled in Henry's arms. Each step sent waves of pain through his battered body, making him bite his lip to stifle the groans. There were throbbing burns, lacerated muscles, and an exhaustion so deep it seemed to go beyond the physical, penetrating into his very soul.

When they finally spotted the familiar rooftops of Virtin, Kvolt felt a screeching relief. Home. Safety. Rest.

At last, they reached the modest house, its wooden facade weathered by time and the elements. Henry had no time to knock; the door suddenly opened, revealing Lisai's worried figure.

"Henry, thank heavens, you found him!" she exclaimed, her red eyes widening at the sight of Kvolt's condition. Behind her, little Nessa peeked out, her young face contorted in an expression of confused fear.

Lisai ran forward, her trembling hands reaching for Kvolt. "My baby, what happened? Who did this to you?"

"I... I ran into some trouble in the forest," he admitted, his voice hoarse.

Lisai shook her head. "Come, let's take care of those wounds." She turned and led the way inside, Henry following closely behind.

The interior of the house was a mess, with objects scattered and furniture out of place - evidence of Lisai's agitation as she waited for their return. However, what caught Kvolt's attention the most were the splatters of fresh mud and the strands of straw covering the kitchen floor.

"What happened here?" Kvolt couldn't help but ask.

Lisai shot him a ragged look over her shoulder.

"The Burlak escaped again," she growled. "That damn animal just can't stay where I put it."

Kvolt smiled weakly at the mention of the Burlak, a large cattle-like creature they kept in the back. It was known for its tendency to escape and cause havoc, much to Lisai's constant dismay.

Nessa approached, her large brown eyes studying her injured brother in curious concern. "What happened, Kvolt? Did you fight a monster?"

Before Kvolt could answer, Lisai gently deposited him on the bed and turned to face him, hands on her hips. Despite her stern expression, there was a sense of relief behind her eyes.

"Well, young adventurer? Are you going to tell me what the hell happened, or do I have to guess?"

Kvolt swallowed, suddenly feeling like a child again under his mother's penetrating gaze. He opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. How could he explain everything that had happened? The epic battle, the explosion of power, and the near-fatal damage?

Lisai must have read his hesitation, for her face softened slightly. She knelt beside the bed, reaching out to brush a few strands of hair stuck to Kvolt's sweaty forehead.

"It doesn't matter now," she said softly. "The important thing is that you're home, still alive. We'll take care of the rest later."

Nessa climbed onto the bed next to Kvolt, her eyes wide as she examined each cut and bruise.

"It looks painful."

Kvolt shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "It's not that bad."

Lisai snorted a dry laugh. "Of course it's not. After all, you're a warrior now, aren't you?" She shook her head, the ghost of a smile curving her lips. "I'll go get some herbs to help with the healing. And you," she pointed a finger at Kvolt, "don't move until I get back."

As Lisai left, Henry entered, his boots leaving muddy prints on the floor as he approached. He took a critical look at Kvolt's wounds, then shook his head.

"You certainly stirred up a good one this time, son."

Kvolt opened his mouth, ready to respond with his usual sharp tongue. But then he saw the expression on Henry's face - not anger, but a deep concern that he rarely saw in the usually smiling man.

"I... I'm sorry for worrying you," he mumbled, looking away.

Henry sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "You can't keep doing these reckless things, Kvolt. One day, your luck might run out."

Kvolt bit his lip, tempted to argue. "I..." But something in Henry's tired expression made him reconsider. Instead, he just nodded.

An uncomfortable silence descended upon them, punctuated only by the occasional rustling noises of Nessa shifting beside him.

Finally, Henry cleared his throat. "So... what exactly happened out there? Did you face some kind of wild animal?"

Kvolt hesitated, recalling the surreal events in the clearing. The plant creature, the strange voice in his head, the dark power that had emerged from within him. How could he explain all of that?

"It was... some kind of walking plant," he finally said. "With tentacles and sharp teeth. It almost got me a few times."

Henry frowned, clearly disturbed by this description. "A plant with teeth? That doesn't sound good at all."

"Yeah, well, this world is full of strange things," Kvolt shrugged, then winced as the movement pulled at his sore muscles.

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"Aurora," he called out mentally. "Can you do something about this pain?"

"Certainly," the AI promptly responded. "I am increasing the production of endorphins and other analgesic neurotransmitters in your system. This should temporarily alleviate the perception of pain."

Almost immediately, Kvolt felt a tingling sensation spreading through his body, followed by a wave of relief as the burning agony subsided. He let out a shaky sigh of relief.

Henry shot him a questioning look. "You okay there?"

Kvolt nodded distractedly. "Yeah, just... adjusting."

At that moment, Lisai returned, carrying a small clay pot filled with a thick green ointment. She climbed onto the bed, kneeling beside Kvolt, and began applying the viscous paste to his wounds.

Kvolt grimaced as the ointment came into contact with his burns, sending a jolt of fire through his already injured skin.

"Hey, that stings!" he complained.

"Shut up and take it like a man," Lisai retorted bluntly. "I didn't make this remedy to make things comfortable for you."

Kvolt glanced at Lisai's serious expression. And kept quiet. At least in this life, he had a mother to worry about.

As she worked, slathering each cut and bruise, Kvolt bit his lip to hold back the sounds of discomfort. Beside him, Nessa watched with wide eyes, intertwining her small fingers with Kvolt's in a gesture of silent support.

Finally, Lisai finished, wiping her hands on a cloth. "There," she declared with satisfaction. "That should help with the healing. Now, who's hungry?"

As if in response, Kvolt's stomach emitted a loud growl.

"I guess that answers my question. Henry, prepare something for us to eat. I'll let this young adventurer rest for now."

Henry nodded, rising from the bed and making his way to the kitchen. Lisai snuggled up beside Kvolt, adjusting the pillows behind him so he could sit up more easily.

Nessa immediately nestled against her brother, resting her head on his shoulder with a contented sigh. Kvolt smiled at her, wrapping his arm around her small shoulder in a loose hug.

"Who would have thought that I, a twenty-seven-year-old adult, would be so irresponsible in my reincarnation," Kvolt commented mentally.

"Your situation is certainly unique, Kvolt," Aurora's thoughtful voice responded. "Having a mature mind trapped in a child's body creates an inherent conflict between independence and dependence. Your prefrontal cortex, responsible for planning, decision-making, and inhibitory control, is much more developed than the typical brain of a four-year-old. At the same time, your limbic system, which governs emotions and impulses, is still immature and prone to exaggerated responses."

Kvolt frowned, trying to process Aurora's complicated words. Outside, he just watched his mother carefully wrapping a cloth around his wounds.

"As the philosopher John Locke theorized, that the human mind is initially a blank slate shaped by experience and environment. But your case challenges that notion, as you come with a formed mind, seeking to express itself through a developing brain."

Aurora continued. "And your extraordinary neuroplasticity caused by your past life memories allows your brain to mold and adapt with surprising speed. I have already observed the accelerated development of regions such as the inferior parietal cortex, involved in the integration of multisensory information, and the motor cortex, responsible for the planning and execution of complex movements."

On the one hand, he could understand what she meant - he had the wisdom of an adult but the emotional and physical limitations of a child. It was a frustrating situation, to say the least.

But on the other hand, his nerdy side was intrigued by the wonders of his own body. The way his brain reshaped and adapted to his new circumstances was simply fascinating.

When his mother finally finished, Kvolt observed the lines of concern on her face, the slight tremor in her hands as she cleaned the excess from his wounds. Despite his frustration with the restrictions of his age, he couldn't suppress the sigh for giving more worries than solutions.

For a long moment, mother and children just stayed like that, enjoying each other's warmth and safety. From the other room, the sounds and aromas of Henry cooking filled the air, adding a cozy sense of home.

Kvolt was thinking, he had never had such a feeling in his previous life... His father died very early and his grandmother never had these moments of physical affection with him, despite being a good woman. As for his mother...

Finally, Lisai broke the silence. "So... do you want to tell me what really happened out there?"

Kvolt wrinkled his nose. "I told you, it was a plant..."

"Yes, yes, I heard." Lisai shook her head. "But would any normal plant do this to you? No, it must have been something more. Something... unnatural."

Kvolt opened his mouth to protest, but his mother raised her hand to silence him.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to press you for details. But I expect you to be honest with me in the future, Kvolt. Lies and secrets will only hurt you in the end, we are the ones who care about you the most, my little adventurer."

Kvolt looked away, guilt poking at his chest. He knew his mother was right, of course. But how could he explain the things he had seen and felt in the forest? How could he describe the dark power that had sprouted within him, almost consuming him? And he simply couldn't say that he came from another world, that he was a man almost the same age as Lisai, and that he had now taken on the role of her son.

Instead of responding, he just nodded stiffly. Maybe, one day, when he better understood what had happened, he could share with them. But for now, some secrets were better kept.

Lisai sighed but didn't press the matter further. Instead, she simply stroked Kvolt's hair, her fingers tangling in his fiery red curls.

Some time later, Henry returned from the kitchen, carrying a large steaming pot.

"Burlak meat stewed with roots and herbs," he announced with a crooked smile. "The favorite meal to fortify our warrior for the next mission."

"Henry!" Lisai scolded, swatting him with a dish towel. "Don't encourage that kind of behavior in him!"

But Henry just shrugged, grinning openly. He sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to ruffle Kvolt's hair.

"Ah, let the boy have some fun, Lisai. He's just looking for adventures, like all of us when we were young."

"I don't remember a four-year-old being so irresponsible as to run away from home," Lisai grumbled, shooting Henry a warning look.

Kvolt observed the exchange with a small smile on his lips.

Henry began distributing the meal, filling wooden bowls for each of them. The spicy, salty scent of the stewed meat filled the air, making Kvolt's cheeks puff up in anticipation.

They ate in companionable silence, occasionally punctuated by Henry's casual remarks or Nessa's requests to hear more stories about Kvolt's adventure in the forest. Each time, Kvolt just shook his head, laughing inwardly at his little sister's exaggerated imagination.

Finally, the meals ended and the bowls were pushed aside. Lisai rose from the bed with a sigh, starting to collect the dirty dishes.

"Well, now that we're all fed and rested, I think it's time for some sword lessons," Henry announced, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Lisai turned, the dishes still in her hands. "What? Henry Lefebrev, you're not going to..."

But Henry was already moving, leaning down to grab a hay pillow from the bed and throwing it in the direction of his unsuspecting wife. The soft projectile hit her in the face, eliciting a muffled yelp of surprise.

"Yes, I am!" Henry laughed, already grabbing another pillow. "Nessa, come here and help your old man!"

The little girl let out a squeal of delight and ran to join Henry, grabbing a pillow on each side. Together, father and daughter advanced on Lisai, laughing.

"Oh, so that's how we're going to do this?" Lisai growled in mock indignation. She set the dishes on a shelf and grabbed her own pillow, brandishing it like a sword. "All right then, you two foolish warriors. Prepare to face the fury of Lady Lisai!"

Kvolt smiled wryly, he would enjoy it while he could, though deep down he knew this was not his place.