Today was my eighth birthday.
I had always been fond of spending my days lost in thought, and before I knew it, eight years had passed.
"There are three types of Emblems," my mother said.
"Types?"
It seemed she was finally going to teach me about them. She called me out to the garden and began sketching diagrams in the dirt with a wooden stick.
"This wheat pattern is the Familia Emblem. Everyone in the village has one, right?"
"Is that an Emblem too? But no one here is particularly strong."
"That’s right. This Emblem doesn't grant the power to fight. Rather, it exists to provide that power to others. An Emblem’s power isn't infinite. The blessings offered up by everyone’s Familia Emblems are what make the others strong."
The Familia Emblem... a mark all citizens were required to receive upon reaching the age of sixteen. It seemed to be the foundation for all Crest Power. Was it like a tax? I wondered. The villagers often mentioned that the "blessings" were increasing lately, as if their very vitality was being siphoned away.
"And this... is the Knight Emblem."
Mom showed me the back of her left hand. It bore the image of a sword. This Emblem enhanced physical strength and ensured the wearer couldn't be harmed by anyone who didn't possess an Emblem of their own.
"Essentially, those are the two main types. Now, this next part is important. Among Knight Emblems, there are 'Masters' and 'Vassals.' You can tell them apart by the brilliance of their light."
"Master and Vassal?"
"Exactly! Mine is a Vassal Knight Emblem. That means it was bestowed upon me by someone holding a Master Knight Emblem."
So, even my mother’s power had a source. A master-servant relationship?
"The person who holds a Master Knight Emblem is called a Knight Commander."
"What’s the difference between the two?" I asked.
"To put it simply, if the Master dies, the Vassal's Emblem vanishes. That’s why enemies target the Knight Commander on the battlefield. If they fall, the Vassal Knights—the entire Knight Order—are neutralized instantly."
"A Knight Order?"
"Yes. A Knight Order is formed by a Commander holding a Master Knight Emblem and the knights they’ve granted Vassal Knight Emblems to. Since the Vassals are supplied with power by the Master, they have to stay close to one another. If the connection is lost and the Crest Power runs out, they’re left defenseless. It’s the same for me; if I overexert myself, the power depletes. I’m being frugal with it now, so it should last for years, but still..."
It seemed Mom was intentionally suppressing her power. It made sense, considering she could spar with an Emblem-less kid like me without breaking a sweat.
She explained that these Master-Vassal units formed the basis of the military. Large-scale battles were essentially clashes between different Knight Orders.
I wondered why they didn't just give everyone a Master Emblem to avoid the "all-or-nothing" weakness, but Mom explained that it was a matter of risk management. A Master Emblem held a massive amount of Crest Power compared to a Vassal, and if that person died, all that energy was lost to the world. Since Crest Power was harvested from the people's Familia Emblems, it was a finite resource. By using Vassal Emblems, they only lost a fraction of that power if a soldier died.
From a strategic standpoint, it was efficient. From a human standpoint, it made the knights look like disposable pawns. A cold reality.
"Is there a Master for the Master?" I asked.
"As expected of Leo. You catch on quick. No, there isn't. The Master-Vassal bond lasts only one generation. As for where a Master Knight Emblem comes from... that brings us to the final type: the Regalia Emblem."
"The King?"
"Precisely. In the Arcadia Sword Kingdom, it is the mark held by the Sword King. It is the source of all Emblems. Only the Regalia Emblem can bring forth Master Knights."
"Then, what if the King dies?"
"All Emblems in the country would lose their power, and the nation would perish. That’s why, when a King retires, they pass the Emblem down to a Prince or Princess."
If the Master died, the Vassals lost their power. If the King died, every Emblem in the country vanished. Without that power, the nation's military strength would drop to zero, leaving them ripe for invasion.
"Exactly. But for now, you only need to remember two rules," Mom said, holding up two fingers. "First: only an Emblem-holder can defeat another Emblem-holder. Second: if a Master falls, all their Vassals lose their power."
"I understand."
"Good! Now, wait right here."
Mom ran back into the house and emerged with a sword. She handed it to me. It wasn't a translucent Crest Sword; it was a real, physical blade. It felt heavy and cold in my hands.
"Nowadays, these are mostly used for training since we have Crest Swords, but this is a real weapon. Let’s use this for our special training from now on. Here, strap it to your waist!"
She had given me a real sword. It was an old model, but sturdy. I was still small, so the sight of a child with a full-sized blade at his hip must have looked absurd.
"Kyaaaaa! You look too cool! I can't take it! I think I'm going to have a nosebleed! My son is way too handsome!"
Well, as long as she was happy, I suppose it was fine.
"Thank you, Mom. I'll treasure it."
"Alright, let's go! This way, this way!"
"Where are we going?"
"It’s a secret! Just follow me!"
Mom placed her hands over my eyes and playfully pushed me toward the front of the house. We usually trained in the backyard to stay out of sight, so I was curious what she had planned.
"Can I open them yet?"
"No, no, just a little further... okay, now!"
I slowly opened my eyes.
"Leo! Happy eighth birthday!"
The entire village had gathered in our front garden. They shouted my name and burst into applause. Tables had been set out, decorated with banners and piled high with bread, drinks, and more food than I’d ever seen in this life.
The village children immediately swarmed me, cheering. I was stunned.
"What is all this? Even for a birthday, this is... a lot."
"I told everyone we were holding Leo's Star Awakening Ceremony, and they all insisted on coming!" Mom beamed.
"Star Awakening Ceremony?"
"That’s right. Your eighth birthday—exactly half the age of adulthood. It’s a very important milestone!"
Star... Come to think of it, this country had a habit of associating knights with stars. The Five Great Generals who served the Sword King were known as the Five Star Sword.
In this world, age sixteen was adulthood, so eight was the midpoint. I suppose it was like a junior coming-of-age ceremony—a local tradition. But still, for the whole village to show up?
"It’s because everyone likes you, Leo. You’re always helping out around the village."
"I was just bored," I muttered.
For the past few years, having nothing better to do, I’d spent my free time wandering the village and helping anyone who looked like they were struggling. Since the village was mostly elderly people, there were always chores to be done. To me, it was just a way to kill time.
"Popularity? Me?"
I tilted my head, skeptical. But Mom just gave me a gentle push forward as the applause continued.
"Everyone loves you, Leo!"
"Love... me?"
"That’s right! Thanks for always helping me with the wood-splitting, little Leo! Congratulations!" Old Man Beard shouted. He was a mountain of a man who handled the village's fuel, but even for him, the labor was exhausting. I’d mostly just helped him haul the logs.
"Leo-chan, you've grown so much. Thank you for always bringing me water."
"He’s a handsome one, just like Nina. You’re going to be a real heartbreaker, Leo!"
"Big brother Leo, let's play tag later!"
Voice after voice called out. I had spent eight years in this tiny village, and I knew every face here. Now, all of them were looking at me. They were calling my name and offering their blessings with such genuine, uncomplicated joy.
Even someone as cynical as I was could tell there was no hidden agenda. They were celebrating my life from the bottom of their hearts. The sound of their clapping resonated deep in my chest.
"Now, Leo, over here!"
Mom beckoned me toward a central table. On it sat something I hadn't seen since my previous life.
"Is that...?"
A cake. It was the first time I’d seen one in this world.
"Be happy, Leo," Old Man Beard said with a wink. "Nina worked herself to the bone to get the ingredients. Eggs, sugar... those aren't easy to find in these parts."
"Mom... you shouldn't have."
"It’s fine, Leo! I just wanted to see you smile. So... please, enjoy it."
A single candle stood in the center. Mom handed me the knife.
"The tradition for the Star Awakening Ceremony is to 'cut' the flame with the blade to put it out. Think you can do it?"
"I'll try."
The flame flickered in the light breeze. I took a breath and swung the knife in a single, clean arc. The flame vanished.
The village erupted in the loudest cheer of the day. Mom sliced the cake and handed me the first piece.
"Leo... Happy eighth birthday. Thank you for being born."
I took a bite.
Since I had been born into this world, I’d had no sense of taste. I had assumed it was a side effect of my reincarnation or some lingering trauma. I didn't mind; as long as I got the nutrients I needed to train, food was just fuel.
I had planned to fake a smile. I wanted to look happy so Mom wouldn't worry. I had prepared a mask of gratitude.
But the moment the cake hit my tongue...
"Why...?"
I was crying.
The cake was sweet. It was a flavor I had only known in the deepest recesses of my memory—a sensation I hadn't felt in a lifetime.
Why was it sweet? Why could I finally taste something?
"Mama's cake is so good it makes you cry, doesn't it?" Mom said, her smile as bright as the sun.
She always looked at me like that. With a gaze that was clear, honest, and filled with nothing but love.
Ah... I see. I finally realized it. To me, she wasn't just "the woman who raised me." She was my mother. Truly, my mother.
The moment I accepted that truth, the tears wouldn't stop. I was happy, yet a part of me felt a profound sadness. My emotions were a tangled mess.
I realized I could no longer remember my mother's face from my previous life. I had spent so long trying not to think about it that the memory had faded. It was a tragic loss, but perhaps a necessary one if I was to move forward.
I realized I hadn't had "that dream" in a long time. The dream where I was a boy crying in a park, waiting for someone who never came. The dream where I threw a ball against a wall until my heart felt like it would break.
I had stopped dreaming of that lonely boy. And it was because...
"I love you so much, Leo!"
Because this woman had stayed by my side. Because she had held me tight whenever I was cold.
"Mom..."
"Yes?"
I looked up at her and gave her what was likely my first genuine smile. It wasn't forced. It wasn't a mask. My lips just moved on their own because my heart was full.
"It’s delicious. Thank you!"
Mom started crying a little too.
After that, I laughed and I ate until I couldn't move. I had never known a day as happy as this one. For the first time, I understood what it meant to be at peace.
But I suppose that’s the nature of happiness. It’s something everyone seeks, something everyone wants to protect, something irreplaceable...
—And in this world of swords and emblems, it was something that could be taken away in an instant.—
BUOOOOOOOOOOOON!!
A horn blasted, the sound so low and powerful it vibrated in my very marrow. I spun toward the source. A cloud of dust was rising in the distance. Men on horseback were galloping toward the village.
They weren't normal horses. They looked like steeds, but they were a ghostly, translucent white.
Mom’s face went pale. "Crest Horses... No... is it the Dragonia Ryurei Kingdom?"
Before we could even process the sight, we were surrounded. Roughly twenty armed men on horseback circled the party. The villagers' cheers turned into screams of terror.
The knights wore heavy armor decorated with intricate dragon motifs. I didn't know who they were or what they wanted, but my heart began to pound so hard it hurt.