Sitting in the room waiting, I try to find the right words. I don’t remember my parents from my past life, but I can more or less understand how worried they must have been thanks to one occasion when I defended a friend from some boys five years older than us.

  My uncle was quite upset because I fought with older kids. I remember that moment as the one where I saw the most concern from someone who was usually cold with everyone. My current parents are very affectionate and love me deeply, so of course they’re going to be mad at me.

  Thirty minutes passed as I sat, lost in thought. I returned to reality when I sensed two people behind the door. Within my domain, I recognized their silhouettes—they were my parents.

  They entered without knocking. My mother ran in and threw herself at me, wrapping me in a strong hug.

  Huh? That’s not what I expected. My mother’s reaction took me by surprise, and it made my heart ache a little, feeling the warmth of her embrace. My mind began to waver from the intensity of my emotions, but my Cold Mind ability kept working to help me stay calm.

  My father stood at the door, looking quite happy and relaxed, although his smile didn’t reach his eyes.

  “I’m so glad you’re safe, Maki.” My mother’s first words almost shattered my calm fa?ade. I turned to look at her—she was still clinging to me, her head buried in my chest.

  “When Randy arrived at our office and told us everything that happened, I panicked. At first, I imagined the worst. I’m so happy to see you in one piece.”

  “Son, I’m glad you’re okay. It’s only been a few days, and you’ve already gotten into trouble.” My father, as usual, was more laid-back, showing his concern and joy in his own way.

  My mother finally let go of me, and they both sat on chairs in front of me.

  “Maki, although we’ve already heard Randy’s version of the story, we need to hear it from you. You’ll be able to tell us the full details and from your own perspective.” My mother looked at me with intense eyes, while my father simply rested his elbows on the table and his head on his hands.

  I began telling the story from the moment we heard the screams. I didn’t skip any details—I tried to mention even the tiniest things. After several long minutes, I brought them up to the present.

  “We had already heard about the two Hobgoblins. That was truly dangerous,” my father said, looking at me with eyes that were hard to read. “As your father, I’m both proud and upset. I’m glad to see you safe and sound, but upset because you didn’t prioritize your health.”

  He sighed, and his gaze grew more intense. “It makes me happy to see the kind of person I’ve raised. Even though you were afraid, you didn’t abandon Rendo. You fought to survive—and you won. That’s not something normal for a child your age.”

  “You?” My mother rolled her eyes at my father. “I’m the one who raised him to be this strong and kind. I shaped him into the person he is.”

  “If it’s your upbringing, then you also have to take responsibility for how reckless and impulsive it was not to run away.”

  “No, that part he got from you. That suicidal behavior is clearly in your genes.” The two of them started laughing. My father lowered his arms from the table, and thanks to my pseudo-domain, I noticed them holding hands underneath it.

  “Maki, your father is right on both counts. We’re proud of how kind you are, but also worried about that same kindness.” My mother looked up at the ceiling. “It’s hard to think clearly when your child’s life is at risk.”

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  My father continued. “We thought about punishing you for not fleeing. Rendo’s duty was to protect you no matter the cost—and he knows it. But we just can’t bring ourselves to punish you knowing what you did. Without you, Rendo likely would have died.”

  His words struck a chord in me. I could only clasp my hands and stare at the table, thinking about all the different outcomes if I had made another decision.

  “Even without a punishment, we can already see how remorseful you are. You’re clearly the one most affected by this, and that feeling alone is enough of a punishment.”

  When I looked at my mother after hearing her words, I could clearly see both of their faces for the first time. They looked very tired. No one has an easy life.

  “We’ve sent people to thoroughly investigate the area. We can’t have this kind of problem next week. If we discover anything, we’ll let you know. You deserve to understand the reason you nearly died.”

  I thanked them for their concern, and then my mind remembered something about next week.

  “Next week… Baron Camux will be visiting our villages, right?” My question didn’t surprise them—it didn’t seem to be a secret.

  “Yes, the Baron and two of his children will be visiting our territory. We must be very careful and keep things secure at all times. A group of goblins or even larger relatives isn’t a big problem. We just need to check if they’ve built a town or city nearby. That could make everything much more complicated.”

  They began explaining the dangers of a Goblin city. Grade 4 monsters could start appearing. While humans are generally stronger than their monster counterparts, you won’t find Ruby-rank humans just anywhere.

  They explained who Baron Camux is and why he’s important. He’s our neighbor, also under the governance of Marquess Timal. His territory is prosperous thanks to the sale of freshwater fish and other products from around a large lake in his lands. It seems they want to form a strategic alliance.

  His children are older. The boy is four years older than me, and the girl is two years older—they’re twelve and ten. Apparently, I’ll have to spend a lot of time with them during those days. I don’t want to, but I have to.

  “Let’s stop talking about boring stuff, son. Tell us about your abilities.” My father abruptly changed the subject, and both their eyes lit up, eager to hear how much I had improved.

  “Give me a moment. I received some mental notifications after the fight, but I haven’t had time to check them. I’ll look now and let you know.” The suggestion reminded me of something important—how much I had improved during such a tough fight.

  I was surprised by the progress I’d made. The fight hadn’t been long, but it had been intense. That must have had a big impact.

  “All my abilities leveled up during that encounter.” I explained what level they were at before and where they are now. My status looked like this:

  Maki: 8 years old – Basic Amethyst

  ABILITIES:

  Sword Reinforcement (II) – Level 6 → Level 8

  Pseudo-Domain (II) – Level 4 → Level 5

  Lightning Step (II) – Level 4 → Level 5

  Concentrated Spherical Formation (II) – Level 3 → Level 4

  Cold Mind – Level 5 → Level 8

  “That’s incredible, son. In less than a year, you already have four Tier-Two abilities, and they’re leveling up fast.” I could hear the excitement, surprise, and joy in my father’s voice.

  “Yes, Maki. I can see all the effort and dedication you’ve put in. It’s not easy to level up as quickly as you have.” My mother was still staring at me, wide-eyed, her smile betraying just how proud she was of her son.

  It was time to be honest and show my gratitude. It wasn’t just my effort.

  “It’s not just my determination and will to improve, Mom, Dad. You and Grandma have helped me so much. You’ve given me the conditions and opportunities to become who I am now. Without your support, I’d be lost with no direction, struggling to learn everything blindly.”

  My parents stared at me for a few seconds. They didn’t speak, didn’t move—just looked at me with unreadable expressions.

  My mother broke the silence. “Sometimes you make me forget your age, Maki. If I heard you through a wall, I’d never think you were eight years old. It’s good to know you inherited your mother’s maturity and not your father’s carefree nature.”

  My father looked at her with a “Why do I get the short end of the stick?” expression. From his smile, I could tell he wasn’t upset—just caught off guard.

  “Your mother’s right, son. Sometimes you speak so naturally and fluently that it’s hard to say, ‘He’s just a child.’” Their deeply loving gazes made me feel shy.

  I looked down for a moment, then looked back up and gave them the happiest smile I could manage.

  “Maki, I just have one small observation about your abilities. They’re all offensive. You need to find a good defensive skill. You can use your Imra or mana as a base.” My father reminded me—I need to improve my defenses. That Hobgoblin’s strike could have broken my arm if I hadn’t blocked it with my sword at the last second.

  “I can give you some advice when I have some free time—after the Baron’s visit. That’ll help you get ready to reach Emerald rank.” He must have noticed my excitement at the idea of ranking up. “Would you like to know the requirements for advancing in rank?”