Levi vividly recalled the first time he was struck with a relentless illness. The stifling sensation in his throat, the runny nose, the fever that twisted his very being through the night, and the queasiness that churned in his stomach—every moment and sensation etched into his memory. He was merely five years old at the time, and the severity of the illness had rendered him oblivious to the details.

Photographic memory eluded Levi, allowing him to forget moments like any ordinary person. However, that fever marked one indelible truth for him—the unwavering love of his parents. His family's financial situation was far from comfortable; both his mother and father ran a modest café that struggled to turn a profit. Levi's father even took on a part-time job at night to make ends meet.

Then came the day when Levi fell seriously ill, a mysterious ailment that left him clueless about its cause.

Irina and Tyson sensed Levi remembering something, patiently awaiting his recollection. They observed him as he closed his eyes, a silent storm of memories playing havoc in his mind.

"I remember a time when I was about five or six, gravely ill. It was an experience I never want to relive. We couldn't afford medicine or a doctor's appointment."

"I was on the brink of death, until one day, my parents took me to the hospital and covered all the expenses. Even as a child, I knew they couldn't afford it, so I questioned how they managed to do so."

Tyson and Irina understood the unsaid. Levi was referring to his family.

The image of his parents' relieved faces and his mother's comforting hand on his head filled him with warmth, yet an emptiness lingered.

"My mother had this gold ring, pure gold with her family name engraved on it. It was passed down from my grandmother, and my mother cherished it. She had a special case to keep it, and she'd always take it off while washing dishes so it wouldn't discolor. She loved that ring, but that day, she loved me more than anything."

Tyson and Irina didn't know how to respond, choosing to let Levi pour his heart out.

"I never asked her where the ring went; I didn't have the guts to ask her because there was no way to repay her love for me."

Levi paused, reflecting on the profound sacrifice his mother had made.

"When I saw both of you struggling, and Luna barely able to walk, it reminded me of that time. It was a tough period, no one to help and nothing to rely on, but it was beautiful. Just me and my family. That's all I had wished for."

He looked at Irina, who was trying to hold back tears, and Tyson, already wiping his eyes, hiding his face under cupped palms.

"You looked exactly like my mother when I was sick. She looked at me the same way when I was in my sick bed—those tear-filled eyes, ready to do anything and not ready to lose something precious. To me, in that moment, you were like my mother: strong but weak at the same time, scared but believing. Treating Luna was a way for me to express the utmost gratitude I have for her."

Levi, unfamiliar with gratitude and love, recognized the luck of having a mother like her. You couldn't choose your parents, and that was life's best and worst gamble. Levi had won the gamble, and he reveled in it while he could.

Irina gazed at the thatched roof, tears threatening to escape. If she had known Levi harbored such deep sadness,

'It would have been better not to hear it,'

she thought—not because she lacked sympathy, but as a mother, she couldn't bear the sorrow of a child. For the first time, she sensed a crack in Levi's monotone demeanor. His carefully chosen words now carried a weight of overflowing sadness.

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"Your training starts tomorrow; be here by evening. Now go."

Irina avoided eye contact with Levi, her eyes still fixed on the ceiling.

"By the way, I am trying to recruit a merchant from the business and he is someone you both know. The pira-"

"Just go, make a deal with anyone."

Irina interrupted as she shooed Levi away. She didn't want Levi to see her crying.

Levi said nothing more; he gave Tyson a small smile and left the house.

*Clank*

As his solitary steps faded, beyond Irina's hearing, tears cascaded down her face. She embraced her weeping self in Tyson's shoulder.

Levi, a boy of talents and mysteries, no longer had his family. Yet, through his words, both Tyson and Irina understood that the bell of familial love still resonated in his heart.

******

"Did I say too much?"

Levi reconsidered his revelation. He hadn't intended to use his past as leverage to persuade Irina, nor did he expect them to shed tears. He didn't care if she didn't train him. Yet somehow, it worked, offering him a chance to refine his archery skills.

Leaving the emotional atmosphere behind, he strolled into a different street in the southern side of Hlicia city. Upon arrival, he sensed a distinct atmosphere, a buzz different from the rest of the town. More people, bustling crowds, some shouldering heavy sacks and hurrying to undisclosed destinations, others guiding their horses through the human swarm.

Mana-powered colorful light bulbs adorned the city, reflecting off towering buildings made of newly discovered cement and glass. Levi recognized the trajectory the world was taking.

'Skyscrapers.'

Though the structures resembled modern buildings on Earth, an inexplicable otherworldly quality persisted, mainly due to mana and magic.

Amidst the city sounds, Levi caught the echoes of sailors' shouts, the rhythmic crash of ocean tides against rocks, the annoying squawks of seagulls, and the scent of salty air. A bustling port lay beside the town, opening into the vast Rivera, the largest ocean in the world of Servania.

The port facilitated trade for the town's inhabitants, offering a direct route to the city of Rivera. While this small part of the town could never rival the City of Merchants, it was impressive how far it had flourished solely through maritime trade, without the use of mana teleportation gates.

However, an unwritten rule loomed over the town—a saying passed through the mouths of merchants and sailors alike:

"Take from the ocean, and the ocean drowns you to the never-ending depth."

Not even the king of human kingdom dared to defy this rule. No fishing nets were in sight, and no one dared to scout the area for treasures. To fish from the ocean was to invite a lifetime curse, unless the catch returned to its home alive.

Levi surveyed the surroundings, the tallest building under construction, smaller yet substantial structures surrounding it. Interconnected buildings housed a significant number of customers and workers, creating a vibrant hub of activity.

He entered the area, navigating through the crowds toward a gate that led not to the beautiful shops, but to a different destination.

"Do you have an appointment? If not, we ask you to leave."

One of the guards, fulfilling his duty, addressed Levi with a clear and commanding voice. Strangers needed an appointment or a connection to a powerful noble family to enter.

"Let him in."

A high-pitched, quirky voice intervened as it perched on

Levi's shoulder. A parrot with green feathers and a yellow patch on its stomach, an eye patch on its left eye, and a golden claw spread its wings, asserting dominance.

The guards bowed, opening the gate for Levi, who proceeded with the parrot still on his shoulder, its wings spread beneath his nose.

"Walk faster; a snail walks faster than you."

The parrot incessantly pecked at Levi's forehead, pulled his ears, and scratched his cheek. Annoying was an understatement, but Levi, unacquainted with annoyance, ignored the parrot's antics, proceeding at his own pace and inadvertently provoking the parrot further.

"You little brat! You dare ignore a bird like me, mightier than a dragon. Take this."

The parrot continued its assault, insisting its strength matched that of a dragon—an insult to dragons themselves.

Levi finally reached the small building he sought and entered the room. The overpowering smell of fish assaulted his nose, forcing him to cover it. A large aquarium beneath the room displayed an array of fish, some sharks swimming casually, unaware of potential prey just above them.

As Levi looked forward, he saw a man in his sixties, donning a red hat with a feather, an eye patch covering his left eye, and a pirate's wand replacing his amputated arm. Clad in a red suit and brown boots, he exuded the aura of a typical pirate.

The man, smoking a cigar, looked at Levi as the parrot flew to land on the pirates shoulder.

"Welcome, Levi, or should I call you an F-rank who managed to kill two B-ranks?"