The Knight Captain's Chaotic Homecoming
Three years wasn't a short time, but it wasn't an eternity either. Yet for Veronica, it had been a full three years—a span during which her daughter, Silveryia Isis, had departed with vows of settling things once and for all, only to vanish without a trace, her very survival unconfirmed. The moment the gatekeeper reported Silveryia's return, Veronica dropped every duty in an instant.
No matter that their relationship had often felt more like superior and subordinate than mother and daughter, Silveryia was undeniably her child—the one she'd carried for ten months and birthed in agony. To live those three years without even knowing if that child lived... What parent wouldn't worry over a kid out of touch for so long? Veronica ached to sprint barefoot to the gates and embrace her returning daughter, but she was the knight guardian of this land, the idol and lord of its people. She couldn't indulge in such personal joy.
Suppressing tears that threatened to spill, she ordered the Silver Lily Knights—Silveryia's order, the elite female knights defending Isis Territory—to assemble at the Lord's Mansion.
"Hurry and prepare! Less than an hour until the Captain arrives!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
In modern terms, it was like rolling out the red carpet for VIPs at a massive film premiere. At the lord's direct command and news of their knight captain's return, the knights assembled in a flash, laying out a luxurious red carpet from the entrance to the mansion. Rookies dashed about like their soles were aflame, yanking weeds, painting the road black—doing everything but sewing new banners.
Normally, such events were handled by the lowest-ranking members in ceremonial dress, but today's order was too sudden, and with their captain Silveryia returning, every Silver Lily Knight poured into the mansion grounds, no exceptions.
Thus perfectly prepared down to the last detail, the knights lined up rigidly on either side of the red carpet, waiting tensely for Silveryia. The clop-clop-clop of hooves echoed, and smiles bloomed on their faces.
Smiling was taboo at such formalities, but this was their captain's return—a big deal. Even the veterans didn't reprimand it. They had no intention of hiding their own joy.
As the hoofbeats grew louder, the knights kept their heads forward toward their comrades but flicked their eyes downhill whence the sound came. Then—clip-clop-clip-clop—???—like the sun rising over the horizon, two horns slowly crested into view.
Not the horse's head they expected—just horns, rising higher. Murmurs rippled through the ranks. No one spoke aloud, but thoughts buzzed: Is the Captain riding a unicorn or something?Unicorns have one horn, right?Don't most have two? One on the head, one between the legs—You lunatic.
"Captain, incoming!"
Debate raged silently over whether it was a horse or unicorn when the youngest's shout snapped everyone to attention, rigid as statues.
Clip-clop-clip—A deer?!Why a deer?!
The stag burst over the hill's horizon, shaking pupils anew and stirring fresh murmurs—until that familiar, radiant silver hair gleamed into view, silencing the knights.
But right behind the dazzling silver locks clung a blue-haired girl riding tandem with Silveryia, sparking a new round of eye-signaled debates: Who's the kid? Eyes telegraphed daughter, distant relative—and from the immature ones, even the lord's secret bastard.
"All hands, draw swords!"
As the troublemaker(?) Silveryia arrived at the carpet's head, the vice captain's order sent swords flashing from hips skyward with a resounding clang!—blades crossing in salute as they bellowed in unison:
"Welcome home, Captain!"
The thunderous cheer startled sparrows picnicking in the nearby grass around the mansion, sending them fluttering skyward in a flock. The sudden avian assault panicked butterflies and bees sipping nectar from the flowerbeds, erupting in chaotic whirrrrrs that scattered every which way.
"Gahhh! Bees!!"
The gardeners, mid-pruning as usual near the beds, fled in terror from the swarming insects and butterflies—tripping, stinging, rolling on the ground. The flowerbeds devolved into pandemonium, but the knights ignored it, focused on welcoming Silveryia.
"Hoo..."
Meanwhile, Silveryia—eyeing the garden fiasco with a headache—hopped nimbly from the stag Bambi's back. A gesture, and her vice captain hustled over.
"Yes, Lady Silveryia!"
"Long time no see, Elsie. You must've had it rough while I was gone."
"Not at all! We're just thrilled you're back!"
Elsie—Silveryia's aide, nearly as devoted as to Veronica herself—fought back tears, beaming with genuine joy at her superior's return. But then:
"Didn't I tell you before? Only pull essential personnel in spring and summer. When everyone's here fussing, this happens. I said keep it moderate, didn't I?"
"W-Well..."
"Talking back?"
"No, ma'am!"
"Then explain yourself."
"I'm sorry!"
"Sorry end your knight career?"
"I'm sorry!"
Grilling her aide while gesturing at the chaos, Silveryia had Elsie sweating and bowing. Normally she'd tease and drop it, but with her daughter Snow White watching starry-eyed from behind, she wanted to look the cool mom. Poor Elsie, clueless, just took the heat. Life's full of unfairness, after all.
Just as Silveryia's boot seemed poised to crack Elsie's shin:
"I gave the order. Full assembly."
"Mother..."
"Enough. Come inside."
Veronica—having anxiously awaited Silveryia, seizing the gate's commotion as her cue—emerged from the mansion. Silveryia had words but held them, glaring at Elsie.
"Watch yourself."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Snow? Get down here."
"Yeah! I mean, yes!"
Hopping from Bambi at her mom's call, Snow White snuggled tight to Silveryia. Veronica—whose face rarely shifted—widened her eyes at the girl.
Who's this? That child?
Save for different hair and eyes, Snow White mirrored Silveryia in build and features. Wide-eyed at this vast new world, Snow gawked everywhere until Silveryia dragged her along by the hand.
Crossing the knights' red carpet to the mansion, Silveryia bowed to her waiting parents—apologizing for three years of silence. Veronica silently patted her shoulder, then paused, sensing something off, and stepped closer—
"Mommy! I'm hungry!"
"W-Wait, Snow?!"
Snow White—quick to redirect attention—flashed a bunny-eyed grin at her wide-eyed grandma, Veronica Isis.
"...Looks like we have much to discuss."
Gazing at Snow White—who resembled Silveryia yet wore the innocent smile young Silveryia, sword-obsessed, never had—Veronica turned and entered the mansion. Silveryia and Snow White followed, and...
"Bambi! Stay by the flowerbeds!"
Bleat?!
The stag, slyly tailing them toward the entrance, got cut off pre-emptively and fled the knights' curious stares to the blooming garden. There, a gardener now sailed through the air on its antlers— the chaos showed no signs of stopping.