Emily gazed at the large chunk of meat in front of her, her knife slicing through it with a swift, precise motion, applying just a bit more pressure than usual.

"I thought I told you not to put yourself in danger again?" she asked, her tone firm yet laced with concern.

Mav paused, his hands still submerged in the basin as the vegetables he was washing drifted under the water. He glanced at her, watching her continue with her task before responding.

"I know, Mom. I'm sorry. It's just… when I saw her like that, she reminded me of you. It broke my heart."

Emily's hand froze in midair, the knife held limply for a moment before she gently set it down. She approached Mav, wrapping her arms around him in a careful embrace, mindful not to soil his clothes with the blood still staining her palms.

"Oh, son," she murmured. "I’m not angry. Just tell us next time, alright? Your father and I nearly had a heart attack when we saw that entourage, especially the man in full armor looking for you. We thought you were in serious trouble." Her voice trembled with a nervous laugh.

"Okay," Mav replied, his voice quiet but resolute. "I promise."

As she pulled back from the embrace, Emily looked him over carefully. "By the way, where did you even get this Giant Boar meat? You didn’t go hunting on your own, did you?" she asked, one eyebrow raised suspiciously.

"N-No, I didn’t. Father Organos gave it to me when I visited him at the temple."

Before Emily could reply, a soft, eager voice chimed in from behind them.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

They both turned toward the sound, finding Adelfi standing nearby, rocking from side to side, her arms tucked shyly behind her back as her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"I’m afraid not, sweetie," Emily said kindly. "It’s a bit dangerous in here. And besides, I’m not sure a princess should be getting her hands dirty with chores."

"Pleaseee," Adelfi pleaded, clasping her tiny hands together, her eyes squinting in determination.

Mav smiled. "Alright. How about you help me wash these vegetables instead? Just promise me you won’t tell Voithos or your knights outside."

Adelfi's face lit up as she nodded enthusiastically, her hair bouncing with each movement. "I promise!" she said with a resolute nod.

Mav grabbed a small stool and placed it beside him, lifting Adelfi up and securing her on top. He then untied his apron and carefully fastened it around her, pulling its edges tightly to cover her elegant blue dress.

"We can’t have you ruining that expensive gown," he thought with a smirk.

Adelfi eagerly set to work, her giggles bubbling up as her small hands splashed water with more enthusiasm than skill, sending droplets flying with each swipe. Emily watched with a soft smile, a mix of amusement and affection in her gaze.

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

As they became increasingly absorbed in their tasks, Mav shifted his attention to the table, where the village chief, Princess Chloe, and Nacht sat. A thick, uncomfortable silence filled the air as Chloe’s gaze lingered on the others, who avoided eye contact.

"Great… here we go," Mav thought to himself.

"Mind if I join?" he asked, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

"Go ahead," Nacht replied, glancing up briefly.

Mav pulled out a chair, the wooden legs scraping lightly against the floor as he sat down, dusting the surface with his hand before settling in.

"Mav," Princess Chloe said, breaking the silence. "Let’s finish this." She opened her item box, and a small pouch appeared out of thin air, landing on the table with a solid thump.

"Here’s your reward—500 gold coins. Feel free to count it if you'd like."

"500 gold coins?!" the village chief and Nacht exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Mav scratched his head awkwardly. "Yeah, I had the same reaction," he admitted with a sheepish grin. "I even told the king it was too much."

"It’s nothing compared to what you did for my sister," Chloe said firmly, her tone brooking no argument.

"She really is her father’s daughter," Mav thought, suppressing a smile.

"Now that you’ve received your reward, it’s time for us to leave," Chloe added. "We’ve already imposed enough on your family."

"As I thought, my cooking isn’t good enough for royalty," a voice said from behind, clearly amused.

"That’s not true at all! I can practically taste the stew from here! It smells even better than what our chefs make!" Adelfi chimed in, her voice bright and eager.

Chloe let out a reluctant sigh, shaking her head. "Alright, you win. We’ll stay for one meal—but only one. Then we really must go," she said, casting a glance at her sister.

Emily and Adelfi exchanged a quick, triumphant grin before giving each other a playful high-five.

"Not even a few hours after their first meeting, and they’re already acting like mother and child," Mav thought, stifling a chuckle.

----------------------------------------

"Thank you again for the meal, Mrs. Rose. It was delicious," Chloe said later, standing just outside the house with her sister by her side.

"Thank you, Princess, but you can just call me Emily," she replied.

"Alright. Then you can call me Chloe."

"And me Adelfi!" the younger princess added, beaming.

"If you say so, Chloe, Adelfi. You’re welcome here anytime. Just let me know if you’re ever craving my cooking again."

Chloe nodded slightly, then turned to Mav. "Mav, I’ll never forget what you’ve done for my sister. Don’t hesitate to ask if you ever need my help," she said, extending her hand.

Mav shook it firmly. "I won’t, Your Highness."

"You can just call me Chloe too," she said with a smile.

"Alright, Chloe."

As the royal carriage began to roll away, Mav's mind drifted back to the events of the day. The sudden commotion and the visitors had pushed everything else aside, but now that the excitement was gone, his thoughts returned to a single name.

"Kastanos."

Nacht’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "250 gold coins, huh? What are we even going to do with this?"

Mav had already handed over most of his reward to his parents, insisting they handle it. They had resisted at first, saying it was his money, but eventually relented when he suggested splitting it between them. He only needed a small portion for mana potions, after all.

"Well, for starters," Mav began, "how about we prepare a big feast tomorrow night? Chief, think you can manage that?"

The chief chuckled, shaking his head. "You’ve really grown up. Feels like just yesterday we were having a feast to celebrate your birth, and now here you are organizing one."

"Please, Chief, don’t say that," Emily said, as she playfully wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "You’ll make me cry."

The laughter filled the air around them, but Mav barely registered it. The soft afternoon sun bathed the vegetable garden in a golden glow, the light filtering through the leaves like a warm embrace. Yet, no matter how peaceful it seemed, his mind was elsewhere, focused on one burning thought.

"I need to get stronger."