A Single Night of Love

A hundred years.

It had taken me nearly a century to finally find my way back. After spending a hundred years fighting, bleeding, dying, and killing, even the cherished scenery of my birthplace had faded from memory. Yet the instant my instincts told me that I had truly arrived, a single tear slipped down my cheek.

"Finally..."

I pulled my gaze from the horizon and began to walk, taking in the weathered wooden cottages so starkly humble compared to the grand, ostentatious architecture of the Empire. Then my eyes caught sight of a small, grassy knoll, and a sharp jolt ran through my mind.

I remembered. It was the very hill where my friends and I had run wild throughout my childhood.

With that single spark, memories of the rest of the village came flooding back one by one. If I turned down this alley, I would find Uncle Zain's cabin. If I kept straight along this path, Aunt Mani's house would appear. And if I walked past that bend...

At the end of the dirt lane stood a woman, moving briskly about her chores.

My eyes burned, a sharp ache seized the bridge of my nose, and fresh tears spilled down my cheeks before I could stop them. Just then, she glanced up and noticed me standing there.

"...Einzel? Is that you, Einzel?"

I pulled down my hood with trembling hands.

"...Yeah. It's me, Mom."

My legs moved on their own, breaking into a desperate run toward her.

"Good heavens! Dear! Come out here right now!"

"Can't you see I'm busy right now?" a gruff voice called from inside.

"Who cares about that! Get out here, hurry!"

At her frantic shouting, a middle-aged man came shuffling out the door, wiping his hands on his trousers.

"...You."

The moment his eyes met mine, his face froze in sheer disbelief.

"Dad."

The dam broke, and a sob tore from my throat. Before I could say another word, both of them threw their arms around me, holding me tight against their chests.

"Lord above, is this really happening?!"

"You ungrateful brat! Disappearing for years without a single letter! ...Thank goodness. Thank goodness you're alive."

My father and mother wept openly as they embraced me, and I buried my face into their shoulders, crying like a lost child who had finally stumbled home.

"Running away from home claiming you'd make a name for yourself in the Empire... Do you have any idea how long it's been...?"

"Mom, Dad... I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠went to the Empire, but... it was so hard... It was just so hard..."

"There, there, my boy. You're home now, and that's all that matters. Merciful gods, what in the world did they put you through to turn your hair so completely white? It's alright now. You're safe."

Hearing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that simple, tender reassurance broke whatever composure I had left, and my tears poured forth in an unending torrent.

"Oh, my poor boy... My precious boy..."

We stood there weeping in each other's arms on the dirt road for what felt like hours, until the sound of brisk footsteps broke through the haze of our reunion.

"Hm? What's all this commotion—wait, who in the world is that!"

It was the lord of our village. In truth, his station was closer to an ordinary village chief than any grand aristocrat, but he held the title nonetheless.

"Einzel! Isn't that young Einzel?! Bless my soul, after running away and worrying your poor parents half to death, you finally crawled back!"

The lord marched over, gently prying my parents aside so he could grab my face with both hands, inspecting me thoroughly.

"Well, look at you! A few years away and you've turned into a proper handsome lad. Grown like a weed, broad in the shoulders, and looking downright ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠formidable! Ha, I've watched you since the day you were born, and I always knew you'd turn out handsome. Welcome back, boy."

Completely devoid of noble pretension, the lord beamed with unadulterated joy at my safe return. Attracted by his booming voice, neighbors began trickling over from their fields and homes.

"What's going on, My Lord?"

"Did our lord hit the bottle early again and start spouting nonsense?"

"Watch your cheeky mouths, you rascals! How dare you speak to your lord that way! ...Never mind that, just look who came back! The runaway Einzel has returned!"

"What? Good heavens, Telier's boy is back?"

"I'm telling you, it's true! Come see for yourselves! He came back looking like a proper warrior!"

"My goodness, it really is him! It's been far too long, lad!"

One neighbor after another gathered around, their faces lit with genuine warmth and delight.

"Well, we can't just stand around gawking!" the lord shouted, clapping his hands. "Someone run over to my castle and slaughter a pig right now! On a day like this, nothing less than a village feast will do!"

"Oh, please. 'Castle,' he says."

At the villagers' dry rejoinder, the lord threw his hands up in indignation. Objectively speaking, his residence was merely a slightly larger timber manor compared to the rest of the rural huts, but he had stubbornly insisted on calling it the 'Lord's Castle' for as long as I could remember.

"Einzel, tell them the truth!" the lord demanded, rounding on me. "You've been all the way to the capital of the Empire, so you've seen the wider world, haven't you? Honestly speaking, wouldn't you say the place I live in is a bona fide castle?"

I looked at his eager, flushed face and offered a gentle smile.

"It is a castle. The finest castle I've ever seen."

His expression brightened instantly, brimming with triumphant pride.

"Hear that?! The boy went out into the great wide world and actually gained some sense!"

"Hah, gained some sense, alright. Just look at him flattering you to keep the peace."

"You insolent scoundrels!"

Laughter rippled through the gathering as the villagers and the lord traded familiar barbs. The lord waved his hand dismissively and turned back to my father.

"Alright, Telier! I'll oversee the banquet preparations myself, so you two take your son inside and catch up on lost time! Go on, now. I'll make sure there's plenty of good food and cold ale waiting for you!"

"Yes, My Lord. Thank you kindly."

My father gave a respectful nod, then led me by the arm into our home. He pulled out a rough wooden chair by the table and sat down, gesturing for me to take the seat across from him.

"Well. How was it, running off to see the world?"

"...I saw a vast, endless world out there. Honestly, I can't say it was an easy or pleasant time. In fact, it was terribly hard... but looking back, I think it was worth doing."

"...Right. If you feel that way, then that's enough. So, life in the Empire was too much to bear, and you decided to throw in the towel and come home?"

"Yes. You could say that."

"...Your hair has gone stark white," Father murmured, his eyes lingering on my temples. "And you've got some strange markings etched into your skin."

"...Ah, the white hair is just hair dye. And the tattoos... well, they're just for fashion. A trend out there."

"Honestly, the boy vanishes for years and comes back marked up like a ruffian..." Mother muttered under her breath, shaking her head.

A sharp pang of guilt lanced through my chest. The white hair was the lingering mark of exhausting my soul through countless cycles of death and regression, and the dark patterns across my body were the etched pathways of dark mana—scars from a desperate war to save humanity. Yet I could say none of that.

"Come now, leave the boy be," Father chided softly, reaching across the table to cover my hand with his rough, calloused palm. "We heard terrible rumors about the Empire fighting brutal battles against the Demon King's army, until the Hero finally struck the monster down. Were you alright? You weren't in any danger, were you?"

The question drove another agonizing spike straight into my heart. It took everything in me to force my voice steady.

"...The Empire is enormous, Dad. I only ever worked in safe places far away from any fighting."

"Is that so? Thank the heavens. That's a relief."

Father exhaled a long breath, and the conversation drifted toward gentler matters. He asked about the strange sights of the distant provinces, and I answered as best I could, spinning mundane tales to hide the horrors of war. Before long, the lord's booming voice echoed from the road outside.

"Everything's ready, so get out here! Come show off your fine, upstanding son to the rest of the village!"

Father let out a hearty chuckle and pushed back his chair.

"Come on. Let's go."

Crackle, snap.

Flames devoured dry firewood beneath a spit where an entire pig roasted over the pit, sizzling and turning a rich, golden brown as mouthwatering aromas filled the village square. Once the meat was cooked through, the lord took up a carving knife and began slicing off generous portions.

"Here, Einzel, you take the first cut. You're the guest of honor today, so it's only right you eat first! Dip it in this special sauce—I whipped it up with my own secret recipe."

I dragged the steaming slab of meat through the sauce and took a massive bite. It was tender, rich, and bursting with flavor. In all honesty, it tasted far better than any exquisite banquet dish I had ever been served in the imperial palace.

"Look at him eat! Seeing a lad dig in with such an appetite does an old man's heart good. Come on, pass the tankards around! We need a proper toast for young Einzel's return!"

"Cheers!"

The villagers clinked their brimming mugs of ale together in cheerful celebration. I tipped my head back, draining the bitter, refreshing drink in long gulps.

"Well, well, the boy can hold his liquor! Let's see if we can put you under the table tonight. Here, drink up!"

The lord promptly refilled my tankard to the rim, and I bowed my head with a grateful grin, accepting every drink pressed into my hands without hesitation.

"Since it's a festival, how about giving us a song, lad?" one of the neighboring farmers called out.

I didn't decline. I stood up and belted out an old village tune. Having never possessed an ounce of musical talent, the notes that tumbled from my throat were hopelessly off-key, but the villagers roared with laughter all the same.

"Bwahaha! Still completely tone-deaf, I see!"

"He's got a handsome, booming voice, but the melody is completely hopeless! Hahaha!"

It was good-natured teasing, warm and free of malice. I downed another full mug of ale, feeling the heat rise pleasantly into my cheeks as a deep, forgotten contentment settled over my spirit.

When I opened my eyes the following morning, it took a moment to realize where I was. Waking up in my own bed, beneath the modest rafters of my childhood home, brought a surge of pure, uncomplicated happiness that eclipsed anything I had felt in decades.

The crisp morning air carried the scent of wet grass and soil, and warm sunlight spilled through the windowpane. But as I stepped outside into the courtyard, the sounds of a noisy dispute caught my ear.

"What do you mean, not a single one of you can go?!"

"My Lord, we've got our hands full with weeding and preparing the fields as it is..."

"And besides, patrolling out there is dangerous work."

"You heartless ingrates!"

A small crowd had gathered near the square, with the lord standing in the center, red-faced and fuming.

"You're telling me not a single soul is willing to walk the village perimeter with me?!"

"My Lord, what do you think we pay our taxes for?"

Listening to their back-and-forth, I quickly pieced together the situation. They were arguing over the boundary patrol meant to keep the village safe. In prominent ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠aristocratic domains, a lord would simply dispatch knights or garrison soldiers to handle security. In a rural backwater like ours, however, such luxuries were nonexistent. Ever since I was a child, the lord had walked the perimeter entirely on his own.

"I'm getting up there in years, and my old joints ache with every step, you merciless wretches!" the lord wailed, sounding genuinely pathetic.

I watched him for a quiet moment, then raised my hand.

"Do you think I walk the boundaries for my own amusement?! It's to protect our homes from roaming monsters and outlaws—wait, Einzel?"

I offered him a relaxed smile.

"I'll go on patrol with you, My Lord."

"Wait... Are you serious, lad?" The lord's face lit up with immediate delight.

Instantly, a chorus of boos and protests erupted from the gathered villagers.

"Boooo!"

"Look at the lord, trying to pawn off dangerous work on a boy who just returned yesterday!"

"Have some shame, My Lord! That's crossing the line!"

The lord flinched, shrinking under their collective glare, and muttered defensively, "Hey, did I force him? He raised his hand first..."

My mother hurried forward, looking at me with deep concern.

"Einzel, standing watch along the outskirts isn't just exhausting—it's dangerous work. You've only just come home, and I don't want to see you put in harm's way."

I understood her protective instincts completely. But to someone who had reached the pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm across swordsmanship, archery, and magic—someone who commanded both holy miracles and high-tier dark sorcery—the idea of common rural beasts posing a threat was almost comical. A soft chuckle escaped my lips.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'm stronger than I look."

"Even so, a wild beast is no joke..."

"Trust me on this one. I happen to be exceptionally good at fighting."

The lord chuckled heartily and slapped me on the back with a broad grin.

"Ha! The moment this lad returns, he brings good fortune right with him! I'll knock a fair chunk off your family's taxes, and I'll pay you a generous wage to boot!"

"Well, obviously! You should be paying him double!"

"Our lord never misses a chance to act like he's doing someone a favor when it's just common sense."

At the villagers' relentless heckling, the lord's ears flushed bright crimson, and he barked at the crowd to save face.

"Silence, the lot of you! It's settled, then! Einzel will be assisting me with the village patrols! Dismissed, all of you, get back to work!"

And just like that, I took on the duty of patrolling the village borders.

"So... you are certain the Hero returned to his ancestral home?"

"Yes, My Lord. Our scouts have confirmed it beyond a doubt."

"Excellent. We march immediately for the Hero's village."