Chapter 16: While It Wasn’t Yet Daybreak

While it wasn’t yet daybreak, the sky was beginning to faintly light up, dividing the earth and heavens into distinct black and white hues. The air was cold and clear, and prickly on the skin.

Belgrieve took care not to disturb Angeline—who had been clinging to him when he woke—as he got out of bed. He excavated the embers buried in the ash, then piled splints and firewood over them. With a puff of his breath, the flames came back to life. Even so, the house was terribly cold, and each exhalation came out white.

Anessa and Miriam were resting near the fire. They were sound asleep, clinging to one another for warmth under layers of covers. I’m glad they got some proper sleep, Belgrieve thought with a sigh.

As he rummaged around, preparing for his morning walk and patrol, Angeline rose, rubbing her eyes. “Dad...I want to go too.”

“Did I wake you...? You can sleep some more.”

“I’m fine... I want to go with you more than I want to sleep.” She deftly donned her travel clothes and a jacket over them.

Father and daughter ventured out. It had been cold inside the house, but even more so outside of it. Angeline sucked in a deep breath of Turnera’s frosty morning air for the first time in a long while. Her long exhalation streamed out behind her.

“I can feel it in my lungs...”

“Ha ha, too cold for a city girl?”

“Nah... It feels nice.”

The distant horizon grew steadily lighter, but there were still stars dotting the sky overhead, and the brighter it became above, the thicker the darkness seemed on earth. There was no wind; it was as if the air had fallen stagnant. A rooster cried out in the distance.

There were ice needles of all sizes dotting the ground. They would crunch noisily each time they were tread upon. Angeline would purposely raise her feet higher and stomp so she could enjoy their texture. She had done this ever since she was a child.

The two of them walked slowly around the village. What little snow remained in the corners of each yard and the sides of the path was frozen solid by the wintry nights. There was ice sticking to the banks of the creeks.

Angeline jumped ahead of Belgrieve, enjoying the feeling of crushing the ice needles. She had grown bigger, but she was still his daughter. Belgrieve felt a strange sense of relief.

“How nostalgic... I used to do this all the time.”

“That’s right... Even when it was cold, you did your best to wake up every morning.”

“Heh heh...” Angeline returned with a skip in her step, latching onto him. She rubbed her cheek against his beard.

“Nice and coarse...”

“There you go again.” Belgrieve smiled and patted her on the head.

They reached a small hill from which they could overlook the village. The ground was littered with stones, big and small, and covered with withered grass that had held strong through the winter. New sprouts had already begun emerging between the stalks.

Turnera was quiet. However, a number of households were already awake, their chimneys emitting smoke from cooking breakfast. The air was punctuated by the bleating of sheep and goats, and the barking of sheepdogs.

Jumping two steps, then three, Angeline turned to face him.

“I like it here. You can see everything...”

“Right... Watch your step, Ange.”

Morning would soon be upon them. The eastern horizon was already ablaze with a blinding light, and the moment that ball of light poked its head out, what had previously been dark, featureless scenery immediately began forming shadows, giving it all a sense of depth and form. Birds erupted into song. The world was rapidly opening its eyes. The frost that had descended on the rocks now glistened under the sun.

They stood side by side, watching the heavenly body’s slow ascent.

“Sigh... How beautiful.” Angeline’s breath lingered a moment, twisting into all manner of shapes, before ascending and fading. She sniffled, bringing her hands to her exposed ears, and rubbed them to warm up.

“Turnera hasn’t changed one bit...”

“It’s not gonna change... It probably hasn’t changed since before your dad was born.”

“Good... That’s a relief. It’s lively in Orphen, but it’s always so hectic.”

“Hmm... It’s not fun there?”

“Yeah, but that’s not what I meant. I just like Turnera.”

“Ha ha, I see... But now, the roads are going to be redone. I don’t know what will happen after that...”

“The roads?”

“The countess said she wanted the road to Turnera properly serviced. When that happens, it might be a little easier for you to come home.”

“Seren and Sasha’s house, huh...”

“Oh, that’s right. I got a hundred gold coins from Sasha as thanks for saving Seren.”

“I see...”

“Take it with you when you return to Orphen.”

“No... You keep it, dad. I’m not wanting for money.”

“Hmm... I see. Then I’ll hold onto it for now. Reach out to me if you ever need it.”

“I will... Hey, dad.”

“What is it?”

“Did you make Sasha your apprentice?”

Belgrieve scratched his cheek. “I didn’t intend to, but... Well, we’ve sparred only twice. She decided to call me her master on her own whim.”

“I see...” Angeline grabbed Belgrieve’s arm and hugged it tightly, looking somewhat happy. “Is she...strong?”

“Hmm?”

“Sasha.”

“Yeah, she’s strong. I’m thinking I’ll lose the next match.”

“You can’t lose... Don’t lose to anyone until I beat you.”

“Be reasonable. And Ange, you need to fix some of your bad sword fighting habits. If you’re losing to your old man here, I’ll be worried whenever I hear about you fighting S-Ranks and demons...”

Angeline sullenly stuck out her lips. “That demon wasn’t as strong as you...”

“Oh c’mon, that can’t be true...” Belgrieve gave a bitter smile and stroked his beard. “What sort of fiend was the demon?”

“It was, well...like this sort of black, shadowy thing.”

Belgrieve’s hand stopped. He narrowed his eyes dubiously and looked at Angeline.

“A shadow... What was it shaped like?”

“Hmm... it was kinda human-ish, for what it’s worth. But it was small, only about up to my waist.”

Belgrieve grimaced at the aching pains running down his absent leg as he thought, That sounds familiar. But while that one had been a shadow too, it was more like a four-legged beast.

“It can’t be... If that was a demon, we’d have all been killed...”

“Huh...? What’s wrong, dad?”

“No, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”

Angeline was looking up at his face with worry, so he laughed and patted her on the head. The pains were gone before he knew it. Now that the sun was up, he could see that his daughter’s cheeks had turned rosy from the cold. He placed his palms against them.

“You’re freezing... Let’s go home, okay?”

“All right...hup.” Angeline leaped onto Belgrieve’s back. She happily buried her mouth in his hair. Her breath was ticklish.

“Were you lonely without me, dad...?”

“Of course I was. I’m happy you’re home.”

“Hee hee hee... I’m glad to be back...” She ruffled up his hair, satisfied.

“Good grief... Some things never change...” Belgrieve smiled wryly as he began the slow journey down with his daughter on his back.

○

As the sun rose above the forest, the birds strutted around, pecking at the insects and worms that had revealed themselves over the soil. Spring was when various forms of life awakened, and even the trees sprouted soft and supple sprigs.

A black lump loomed in the shadow of a fallen tree, small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand. It shivered, perhaps from the cold.

A lone bird peeked under the shadows of the trees and rocks for its meal, poking its beak at the ground. When it spotted the lump, it tested it with a peck. Suddenly, the black substance was stuck to its beak. The bird began flapping in shock, but the mass coiled around it until it was completely enveloped. The whole mass collapsed as if the bird inside had been completely dissolved. The mass increased by about the size of that bird now, fluidly changing its form as it shook. It seemed to be alive, but it had no limbs and the boundary between its head and torso was uncertain—it was merely a round thing.

The black mass wormed as far into the depths of its crevice as it could—it seemed to detest the light of the sun. While it had no discernible mouth, it seemed to be muttering something.

“Where...? Why am...I...here? Who...am I? Master...mas...ter...? Who was...my master...” It flickered and shook like a mirage.

Before long, a wild rabbit hopped over and peered into the shadows. The black thing shot forth and stuck to it. While the rabbit thrashed in shock, the mass sealed the rabbit’s mouth, eyes, and then before long, its entire body.

It had grown larger once again. For a while, it simply trembled, but eventually, parts of it swelled and took shape. They looked almost like a pair of wings.

“Am I...bird...? No...”

Its wing-like appendages slowly changed form. Soon, they were arms with distinct hands.

“Am I...human...? What am I...”

Eventually, it had taken on a humanoid form, with a head, hands, and legs. However, it was only the size of a baby. It seemed unaccustomed to walking, as it struggled with every step. It crawled on all fours into the furthest corner, where it quietly cowered in the shadows of the fallen tree.

“Lone...ly...”

○

“Straw, and fire and...what else? Maybe wool? Dried beans?”

“Yeah, I don’t know. There are plenty of unfamiliar smells here...but it’s kinda calming.”

Miriam and Anessa sat, huddled up by the fireplace with the blanket over their shoulders. The sun was up now, and the light streaming in through the gaps in the closed door and shuttered windows made the room bright enough. There was an occasional creaking as the roof and walls that had frozen in the night warmed up.

The father and daughter weren’t back yet, not that the girls particularly minded being left behind. They simply didn’t know how they would pass the time, and they didn’t want to leave the fireplace.

A country home was filled with various smells. They had both been raised in Orphen, yet something about it felt strangely nostalgic. Were these ancestral memories that had been imbued into the very blood flowing through their veins?

Miriam’s ears were lowered, and she wormed closer to Anessa, who smiled mischievously.

“Heh heh, are your ears cold? Need a hat?”

“Oh, sure! You’re going to make me laugh again!” she said, and she was already giggling.

They both took to Belgrieve’s straightforward, yet somewhat oblivious personality quite favorably. His eyes, which filled with fatherly kindness when they fell upon Angeline, came off as heartwarming. They could understand why Angeline yearned to reunite with him so badly.

Miriam grinned as she peered into Anessa’s face. “Having a dad is pretty nice. I’m growing jealous of Ange.”

“You may...be right... Yep, you have a point.”

A sister from the church had played the part of their mother. The sister was harsh but showered the children with as much love as a real mother would. Both Anessa and Miriam were grateful and loved the sister even now. However, her relation to them was distinctly motherly—neither girl had ever felt what it was like to have a father. They still couldn’t quite grasp what it was like to have a man as a parent.

At times, philanthropists would drop by to adopt one of the orphans. The two of them had never felt any fondness towards any of the rich men who stopped by. It felt more like they were looking for pets to cherish rather than children to raise—though of course, the sister did not accept any adoption offers that seemed even remotely suspicious.

And yet, while they had only known Belgrieve for less than a day, they could feel a great deal of paternal love. As a single father, he had developed a bit of a motherly side to him, of course, but he was still a man. It showed especially in how he dueled with Ange, scolding her for her mistakes, and rejoicing in her growth—he was truly a father. This was a different sort of warmth from a mother’s affection.

Anessa and Miriam were somewhat bewildered by this sensation they had never known before, but they did not find it unpleasant. Rather, it spurred them to imagine what it would be like if they had a father of their own.

“Aah, if only Mr. Bell was our dad too... I’d like to be spoiled rotten like Ange.”

“What are you saying...”

“Hmm, aren’t you thinking the same, Anne? I can tell.”

“O-Of course not! Who said I wanted to be given a ride on his shoulders...” she stopped mid-sentence and turned away, mortified. Miriam was grinning smugly.

“What did I tell you?”

“Sh-Shut up!”

Anessa’s bright red cheeks puffed up into a pout, and she smacked her palm against Miriam’s head. That was when the door opened, and Angeline burst in with firewood in her hands.

“I’m back... You’re up already?”

Angeline’s breath came out in an icy fog as she made her way to the fireplace. Her cheeks were red, and her youthful face looked even younger than usual.

“More or less. You were up even earlier though.”

“It’s routine... I went on patrol with dad every morning when I was still in Turnera.”

“What about Mr. Bell?”

“He’s practicing swings. That’s also routine...” Angeline placed a few logs in the fire, then pulled her coat off and picked up her sword. “Want to come with?” she said, looking at them.

They exchanged a look but were quickly on their feet.

The yard sparkled with frost. The morning mist rising off the ground reflected the sunlight, making it impossible to see far. Belgrieve was there, swinging his sword. He had taken off his coat and his shirt, uncovering countless old scars across his body. He stood with his left leg a bit back, holding his sword in both hands, and swinging down from a high stance. He seemed so relaxed when in his stance that there was a frightening intensity the moment his blade fell. This was a powerful strike making full use not only of his hands, but his hips and back as well.

He would enter his stance, swing, and return to his stance again. Each swing was performed methodically as though he were testing something anew. However, the speed which he had fostered for over twenty years had reached the realm of mastery, and to any normal person, it would look as if he was swinging again and again in one continuous motion.

Angeline jogged over, lined up beside him, and began performing the same swings. Her movements were identical; in terms of speed, perhaps she held the upper hand, but there could be no doubt whatsoever that Belgrieve had been her master.

Anessa and Miriam watched with bated breath. This was where Angeline’s fast and fierce swordplay originated.

“But Mr. Bell has a fake leg, right?” Miriam whispered to Anessa. “This is incredible...”

“Yeah, it is. If he hadn’t retired early, he might have reached S-Rank... A bit of a waste, if you ask me.”

When his practice finally ended, Belgrieve let out a deep breath. He had worked up a sweat, and there was steam rising off his body. When he noticed the two of them, he jovially raised a hand.

“Hey, morning.”

“Good morning.”

“Gooood morning, Mr. Bell.”

Belgrieve walked up, wiping his forehead with a hand towel.

“It was cold, wasn’t it? Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, it was warmer than I expected...”

“But pretty cold by morning. We really are up north.”

“Ha ha, I thought so. But I’m glad to hear you got some sleep... Merry, are you sure you aren’t cold without your hat?”

“Pfft... Heh, heh heh, I’m fine!”

He was so earnest about it that both Miriam and Anessa had to contain their laughter.

Belgrieve looked at them quizzically as he put his shirt on, then lifted the board to the compartment where he stored his vegetables and began rummaging. Angeline had also finished, so he called out to her. “Ange, I’m going to steam some potatoes, could you get a pot boiling...? Also, add some barley to yesterday’s stew and set it over the fire.”

“Gooot it!” Angeline entered the house with her sword over her shoulder. Belgrieve picked out a few potatoes, placing them in a basket he had set to the side.

“Umm, Mr. Belgrieve, have you ever thought about becoming an adventurer again?”

“Me? Well, let’s see... Back when I first returned to Turnera, a part of me was still thinking about it, but I gave that up the moment I got Ange. I had my hands full raising her.”

“What about now? You’re incredibly strong, Mr. Bell! I’m sure you’d reach a high rank if you came back.”

At Miriam’s proclamation, Belgrieve awkwardly scratched his cheek. “I wouldn’t be so sure; I’ve still got a long way to go...and I’ve already gotten used to life out here. I don’t think I could get back to living day by day as an adventurer. Sure, it was fun—I had comrades and dreams...just like you three,” Belgrieve acknowledged with a jovial shrug. “You might not believe it, but I used to be a teenager.”

The girls laughed.

Belgrieve stood with his basket of potatoes and was about to enter the house when a thought struck Miriam.

“Umm... Mr. Bell.”

“Hmm? What’s up, Merry?”

“Yes, well, you know. Could you try patting my head for a second?”

“Oh... I don’t see why not.”

Looking quite perplexed, Belgrieve reached out his free hand and placed it on Miriam’s head and gently stroked it. His palm was rough and calloused, but it was warm and large enough to envelop her. Miriam let out a deep sigh, and she could feel her tail coiling beneath her clothes.

“Wow...this is...”

“Was that meaningful to you somehow?”

“Yes! Thank you! Heh heh... So this is a father...”

Belgrieve continued patting Miriam as he looked quizzically at Anessa.

Anessa gave a bitter smile and said, “She can be a bit strange at times...”

This caused Miriam to sullenly narrow her eyes. This immediately changed to a mischievous face, and she turned to Belgrieve.

“Mr. Bell, Mr. Bell, can I put in another request?”

“If you want...”

“Heh heh, well, you see, please lift Anne up on your shoulders!”

“You want me...to carry Anne?”

Belgrieve looked at Anessa, no less befuddled than before. Anessa looked back blankly until her cheeks suddenly turned red and she waved her hands.

“No, no, no, no! I’m fine! You don’t have to! I’m perfectly fine!”

“She told me no,” he relayed to Merry after a pause.

“She’s just embarrassed. C’mon now, up on his shoulders, just like that!”

“Umm... What do you want me to do?” he asked Anessa.

“I’m fine! Honest-to-goodness fine!”

While Belgrieve was standing there, looking confused, Angeline appeared from the house without a sound. She appeared behind Anessa and grabbed her by the shoulder.

“What are you getting up to when I’m not watching?”

“Wha—W-Wait! It’s not me, it’s Merry!”

“What are you talking about? You were the one who said you wanted to ride his shoulders, Anne.”

“Wrong! It was just a passing thought.”

“If you wish to ride my father’s shoulders, you must first defeat me...”

“I’m telling you, that ain’t it!”

Seeing the girls break into lively banter, Belgrieve scratched his head, perplexed.

“I don’t understand what goes through the young’uns’ heads these days.”