Morning arrived. The black sun sank into the horizon as the white sun rose, casting a pale glow over the village. Ren woke up, stepped outside, and cleaned himself with the cold water set aside near the well. After freshening up, he returned to the room.

  Seth entered and said, “The food is ready. Come and eat.”

  Ren nodded silently.

  In the main hall, three people were already gathered: Seth, Eva, and her daughter, Lily. Lily was trying to eat from a wooden plate using her bare hands, smearing food all over her cheeks. She noticed Ren and smiled brightly.

  Ren mimicked the expression, forming a smooth but unnatural smile.

  He still didn’t understand what it meant to be human. Emotions and feelings were strange to him—foreign sensations with unknown weight.

  Eva turned to Seth. “Is Hera coming today?”

  Seth replied, “Yeah. She was asleep when I visited yesterday, but I told Dan. She’ll come after breakfast.”

  Ren, still eating, asked, “Who is Hera?".

  Seth blinked, surprised. “Oh, you can talk.”

  He chuckled. “Hera’s a doctor. You saw Dan right, he is her brother. We asked her to check on you.”

  Ren frowned slightly. “Why?”

  “To make sure you’re healthy. Do you feel any pain or abnormalities?”

  “No,” Ren answered plainly.

  There was a knock at the door. Eva stood and opened it, ushering Hera inside.

  Hera’s eyes quickly scanned the room. “So, he’s Ren?” she asked, striding toward him.

  She examined him closely for a moment, then grabbed his wrist.

  “Are you sure he fell from the sky?” she asked.

  “I saw it myself,” Eva confirmed.

  “Strange,” Hera muttered, running her fingers along his arm. “Not a single wound. He’s in perfect shape.”

  After a few more seconds of silent inspection, Hera nodded. “He’s fine. No need to worry.”

  Eva handed her a single copper note as payment, and Hera departed.

  Seth gestured to Ren. “Come on. Let’s head outside.”

  They walked to the side of the house, where several tools were scattered. Seth picked up a clump of metal and sat on a wooden bench. Placing his hand on the iron, it began to heat up. His palm glowed faintly with warmth.

  Ren’s eyes narrowed. “How are you doing that?”

  Seth paused, remembering Ren’s ignorance. He laughed. “Right. You don’t know anything.” He set the iron down. “Alright, let’s start from the basics.”

  He leaned back and began.

  “This village is called Kareth. We’re part of an alliance with four nearby villages. Every person is born with something called resonance—that’s what determines our nature. Think of it like magic, but rooted in who you are.”

  “I was born with fire resonance,” Seth continued. “So I can generate heat, create flames, and even manipulate them.”

  “Eva has wood resonance. She can accelerate plant growth and control vines.”

  Ren interrupted. “So resonance is based on elements?”

  “Not always,” Seth replied. “The village head has psyche resonance. He can perceive things about people—like truth or intention. But none of it’s absolute. That’s where tiers come in.”

  “Tiers?” Ren asked.

  “Yeah. They measure how refined your resonance is. For example, I’m a mid-tier A-8. That means I can embed fire into materials. The village head is a low-tier A-7. His psyche resonance lets him grasp a person’s intent. That’s how he knew you weren’t lying when you said you couldn’t remember anything.”

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  “You called me a low-tier A-9,” Ren said.

  “How powerful is that? And what is my resonance?”

  “Everyone becomes A-9 when they reach age six. It’s the starting point. As for your resonance… some are rare or unknown. We’ll only know with time.”

  Ren nodded. “What about Dan?”

  “He’s also mid-tier A-8. His resonance is ‘Word.’ It allows him to shape reality through speech—useful in battle and negotiation.”

  Seth picked up a few metal rods and resumed shaping arrows.

  “We pay tax to Lord Zeak’s family—two silver notes a month.”

  Ren asked, “How much is two silver?”

  “Ten copper notes make one bronze. Ten bronze make one silver. Ten silver make one gold. A family can live comfortably on three to four bronze a month. So the tax is manageable.”

  After finishing several arrows, Seth stood. “Let’s keep talking while we hunt.”

  The forest near Kareth stretched vast and dark, called the Black Forest. It spanned over 300 kilometers, but villagers were only allowed to hunt within the first 12 kilometers—up to the river. Beyond that, even Arbiters rarely ventured.

  Seth and Ren moved silently through the underbrush. Seth motioned for quiet, spotting movement ahead.

  He drew a black-coated bow that weighed over two kilograms, notched an arrow, and took aim. A deer, slightly larger and faster than normal, grazed ahead.

  “That deer,” Seth whispered, “has wind resonance. It’s faster than a regular one. We tried hunting it yesterday, but your fall distracted us.”

  He conjured a tiny spark of flame on either side of the arrowhead. The spark didn’t burn—it shimmered faintly.

  Seth drew the bow fully, the string creaking under tension. The forest held its breath.

  He released.

  The deer noticed the attack, trying to conjure wind to escape. Seth snapped his fingers—the sparks flared, doubling the arrow’s speed. It struck hard, but the deer staggered and remained upright.

  Seth snapped again. Flame erupted from the arrow, engulfing the deer in fire. It convulsed, then fell.

  They approached the body. Seth pulled out tools and began dismantling it.

  “The nearest town is called Corvia. That’s where Lord Zeak lives.”

  Ren asked, “Who is the Arbiter the elder mentioned?”

  “Arbiters are elite enforcers under the lord. All of them have powerful, combat-oriented resonances. Don’t mess with them—they enforce law in the villages.”

  Ren asked again, “How does one increase their resonance?”

  “Normally through experience. But nobles use advanced techniques—mind and spiritual training. I don’t know much about that, but it works. Lord Zeak is only forty and already a low-tier A-7 with wind resonance.”

  Seth pointed to the deer’s antlers. “This animal was blessed by wind. Its meat and antlers carry spiritual value. We sell this at the Merc and Hunter Association in Corvia.

  Craftsmen use the antlers to make emilods—tools infused with resonance, used in battle and life.”

  After gathering everything, they returned home.

  Eva took the meat and began preparing lunch. Meanwhile, Seth continued teaching Ren how to handle a bow and sword.

  Days passed.

  Ren learned quickly. He watched, listened, mimicked.

  The strange things—humanity, emotions, bonds—were no longer distant. They were still unfamiliar, but no longer alien.

  Slowly, unknowingly, he began to become one of them.