Morning arrived gently over the estate.
The first rays of sunlight slipped across the rooftops, washing the mansion in a warm golden glow.
As always, the estate awakened before its master.
Servants moved quietly through the corridors, each carrying out their duties with practiced precision. The kitchens were already alive with the aroma of freshly prepared breakfast, while guards changed shifts at the gates without disturbing the peaceful atmosphere.
Everything moved according to schedule.
Everything... except the young master.
Kael opened his eyes slowly.
For a brief moment, he stared silently at the ceiling above him.
Another night.
Another restless sleep.
The nightmares had returned, just as they always did.
Nothing had changed.
Nothing had become worse.
But nothing had become better either.
He had long since stopped expecting peaceful nights.
Without complaint, Kael rose from the bed.
After washing away the lingering exhaustion with cold water, he dressed in a simple yet elegant black outfit suited for travel. Every movement was calm, deliberate, as though the sleepless night had never happened.
When he finally descended the stairs, breakfast was already waiting.
He ate quietly, speaking little.
His mind was elsewhere.
Once he finished, he moved to the sitting room and settled onto the sofa, letting out a slow breath.
Only then did Butler Ren approach.
He bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, Young Master."
Kael acknowledged him with a small nod.
"Good morning."
"The preparations have been completed."
"Butler Ren's voice carried its usual composure."
"As instructed, all ten teams have assembled outside the estate."
"They are fully equipped and awaiting your orders."
A brief pause followed.
"Shall we depart now..."
"...or would you prefer to wait a little longer?"
Kael shook his head.
"No."
"We leave now."
He stood, then looked toward Butler Ren.
"The item I requested..."
"...did you prepare it?"
For the first time that morning, a faint smile appeared on Butler Ren's face.
Without a word, he rested his hand upon a large cloth-wrapped bundle placed neatly beside the entrance.
"It has been prepared exactly as you requested, Young Master."
Kael's eyes lingered on the bundle for a moment.
Then...
a small smile appeared on his own face.
"Good."
"Let's go."
Together, they stepped out of the mansion.
...
Outside, ten teams stood in perfect formation beneath the clear morning sky.
The moment Kael appeared, every member bowed in unison.
"Good morning, Young Master."
Their voices rang across the courtyard.
Kael looked at the familiar faces before him.
"Good morning."
His gaze swept across each team.
"Today..."
"We leave the estate together."
"I trust everyone is prepared."
"Yes, Young Master!"
The answer came without hesitation.
A hint of satisfaction crossed Kael's expression.
"Good."
"Then let us begin."
"The task awaiting us today..."
"...starts with a journey."
No one asked where they were going.
No one questioned why.
They simply trusted him.
Butler Ren stepped forward and respectfully opened the door of the estate's most luxurious carriage.
"Young Master."
"The carriage is ready."
Kael gave a quiet nod before stepping inside.
One by one, the escort units took their assigned positions.
The estate gates slowly opened.
With the lead carriage moving first and the ten teams following in disciplined formation...
the convoy departed the mansion.
Their destination...
already known only to one person.
Kael.
And beneath the quiet rhythm of the moving wheels...
the mystery of what tomorrow truly held had finally begun.
"..."
The journey lasted for nearly an hour.
Eventually...
the convoy slowed.
Then, with a gentle creak of wheels against stone—
the carriage came to a halt.
A soft knock sounded from outside.
"Youth Master."
Butler Ren's calm voice reached through the carriage door.
"We have arrived."
Kael opened his eyes.
Without another word, he stepped out.
The morning breeze brushed past him as his gaze slowly swept across the surroundings.
It was...
ordinary.
Nothing about the place stood out.
A small marketplace stretched ahead, its shops just beginning to open for the day. Merchants arranged their goods while customers wandered lazily between the stalls. Children chased one another through the streets, and distant voices blended naturally into the rhythm of the morning.
There was no grand scenery.
No hidden fortress.
No secret entrance.
Just...
an ordinary place.
Behind him, the ten teams silently observed their surroundings.
Confusion quietly spread among them.
This is our destination...?
Why here?
What could possibly require ten elite teams in an ordinary marketplace?
None of them voiced the questions.
Years of discipline had taught them that curiosity could wait.
Orders came first.
Kael walked a few steps forward before stopping.
"Butler Ren."
"Yes, Young Master."
"The bag."
Ren immediately stepped beside him.
"As you command."
He lowered the large cloth-wrapped bundle onto the ground.
With practiced movements, he untied the thick rope securing it.
The cloth slowly unfolded.
Then—
sunlight struck the contents.
A brilliant golden glow burst outward.
"...!"
Several investigators instinctively narrowed their eyes.
Others blinked repeatedly, convinced they had mistaken what they were seeing.
Gold.
An enormous amount of gold.
The cloth bag wasn't filled with documents.
Nor equipment.
Nor weapons.
It was overflowing with neatly stacked gold coins.
Not dozens.
Not hundreds.
Thousands.
For a brief moment...
even the disciplined formation became visibly unsettled.
...Is that...?
That much...?
How much is even inside...?
One investigator quietly swallowed.
Another rubbed his eyes before looking again.
The answer remained unchanged.
It was real.
The amount lying before them was enough to purchase several streets of the market without negotiation.
Low whispers gradually spread through the formation.
"Is Young Master planning to buy this marketplace...?"
"No..."
"Perhaps an estate nearby..."
"Or some rare artifact hidden here..."
"Could this be another test?"
"Maybe he's observing our reactions..."
The murmurs never grew loud.
Yet they traveled quickly.
Kael listened to every assumption.
His expression remained perfectly calm.
Then...
he smiled.
A small smile.
One that revealed absolutely nothing.
"Everyone."
The whispers vanished instantly.
He looked toward Butler Ren.
"Begin."
Ren gave a respectful bow.
"Yes, Young Master."
Kael turned his attention back to the assembled teams.
"Come forward one at a time."
"Take what Butler Ren gives you."
He paused for only a heartbeat.
"Do not hesitate."
"And do not ask why."
"Simply accept it."
Silence followed.
Captain Rowan stepped forward first.
Without speaking, Butler Ren counted the coins with practiced precision.
One pouch.
Then another.
Until exactly...
two hundred gold coins rested in Rowan's hands.
"..."
For the first time in years...
the veteran captain genuinely froze.
Two hundred gold coins.
For a single person.
Before he could recover—
Kael's calm voice sounded again.
"Next."
The second captain stepped forward.
Again...
two hundred gold coins.
Then the third.
The fourth.
Every person...
without exception...
received exactly the same amount.
The weight of the coins settled into their hands.
Yet the greater weight settled inside their minds.
No one understood.
Not a single person.
Is this a reward...?
An investment...?
A test...?
Is he measuring greed...?
Will he ask us to return it later...?
Question after question surfaced.
Yet no one dared ask aloud.
Because they all knew one thing.
If Kael wished to explain...
he would.
And if he remained silent...
then there was a reason.
So they simply accepted the gold...
and waited.
For whatever came next.
"..."
Kael waited until every member had received their pouch.
Only then did he step forward.
His gaze slowly swept across the assembled teams.
"Everyone has received two hundred gold coins."
He smiled faintly.
"Good."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"The real assignment begins now."
Almost every member unconsciously straightened.
So this...
had merely been the preparation.
Kael folded his hands behind his back.
"You have until sunset."
His voice remained calm.
"What I expect from you is simple."
He paused.
"Spend the money."
...
Silence.
Several investigators blinked.
Some thought they had misheard.
Kael continued as though his order was perfectly ordinary.
"Spend as much of it as you wish."
"Most of it..."
"...should be spent on food."
A few expressions stiffened.
"Today..."
"I want every one of you to eat nine meals."
The entire marketplace seemed to fall silent.
Even Butler Ren remained quietly standing beside Kael without changing his expression.
Only because he had already heard the order yesterday.
Everyone else...
could barely believe it.
Nine...
Meals?
Kael continued before anyone could process it.
"Do not rush."
"Visit different food stalls."
"Different restaurants."
"Different bakeries."
"If one place sells something unique..."
"Try it."
"If another shop recommends something..."
"Eat it."
He smiled lightly.
"You may purchase anything else as well."
"Clothes."
"Medicine."
"Ointments."
"Recovery potions."
"Toys."
"Books."
"Jewelry."
"Whatever catches your attention."
"I will not question your choices."
A brief pause.
"And whatever remains..."
"...belongs to you."
Several heads lifted immediately.
"I will not ask for the remaining money."
"So do not hesitate to spend."
His eyes became slightly more serious.
"But..."
"There is one condition."
"Every single one of you..."
"...must eat nine meals before sunset."
"That..."
"...is my order."
Silence.
Utter silence.
No one understood.
Not even slightly.
Spend money...?
Eat...?
Nine meals...?
Is this... training?
Another test?
Or... is Young Master testing our discipline?
Question after question surfaced.
Yet none of them asked.
They simply bowed.
"As you command, Young Master."
Kael nodded once.
"Then..."
"Begin."
...
For the first few minutes...
almost no one moved.
The teams looked at one another awkwardly.
Then finally...
one captain stepped toward a nearby food stall.
Soon another followed.
Then another.
Slowly...
the strange assignment began.
As instructed, they visited shop after shop.
One meal.
Then another.
Every hour...
they stopped somewhere different.
Some sampled noodles from a roadside vendor.
Others tried grilled meat.
Fresh bread.
Sweet pastries.
Fruit juices.
Rice cakes.
Soup.
Tea.
Whatever the marketplace offered...
they tasted.
At the same time...
many began spending on other things.
One investigator carefully chose a small wooden horse for his son.
Another purchased colorful ribbons for his daughter.
Someone bought a warm shawl for his aging mother.
Several stocked up on recovery potions and medicinal ointments.
Others quietly replaced worn-out boots or travel cloaks they had postponed buying for months.
As the hours passed...
the market gradually became livelier than it had ever been.
Merchants laughed.
Children ran through crowded streets.
Shops that normally struggled to sell their goods suddenly welcomed customer after customer.
Even the owners themselves couldn't understand why business had exploded overnight.
Among the investigators...
whispers spread just as quickly.
"Is this some kind of reward?"
"No..."
"Young Master has never rewarded us like this."
"Then perhaps he's observing how we spend money."
"Or testing whether greed clouds our judgment."
"I've stopped trying to understand his methods."
A nearby veteran simply laughed.
"With Young Master..."
"The answer always comes later."
...
Time slipped quietly toward evening.
By the eighth meal...
many investigators were already holding their stomachs with helpless smiles.
"I... can't believe I'm eating again..."
"You've only finished eight."
"Don't remind me."
Laughter echoed among the groups.
By sunset...
only a handful had successfully reached the ninth meal.
The rest hurried to finish before the final rays of sunlight disappeared.
At last...
the ten teams gathered once more at the same meeting place.
Some carried packages.
Others held flower pots.
Medicine.
Books.
Children's toys.
Warm clothes.
And many...
still had a small amount of gold remaining.
Kael quietly observed them.
The morning's confusion had disappeared.
In its place...
there were smiles.
Tired ones.
Satisfied ones.
Honest ones.
After a long moment, Kael finally spoke.
"Did everyone enjoy today?"
The question caught them off guard.
Still...
they answered together.
"Yes, Young Master."
"And..."
"Did everyone eat well?"
This time...
a few people couldn't help but laugh softly.
"Yes, Young Master."
Several bowed deeply.
"Thank you."
Kael shook his head.
"There is no need to thank me."
His expression remained gentle.
"I did not do this out of generosity."
"I had a personal reason."
The words only deepened their curiosity.
Yet he offered no further explanation.
Instead, he continued,
"I have already spoken with the owner of the nearby inn."
"Each of you has been assigned an individual storage rack."
"If you've purchased belongings..."
"Place them there for now."
"They'll remain safe."
The teams acknowledged the order immediately.
One after another...
they walked toward the inn.
Carrying not only the things they had bought...
but also a question that had only grown larger throughout the day.
Why had their young master ordered them... to simply enjoy a day like ordinary people?
"..."
After everyone had stored their belongings, Kael looked toward the darkening sky.
The last traces of sunset disappeared beyond the horizon.
Night quietly descended.
Then he spoke.
"Our final task remains."
The investigators looked up at once.
Final...?
Several of them instinctively glanced at one another.
There was another mission?
Kael's expression remained calm.
"There is no need to look so surprised."
"The remaining task is small."
He smiled faintly.
"Once it is completed..."
"...each of you will receive one week's leave."
A ripple passed through the teams.
A week?
For many of them, such leave was rare.
Curiosity only deepened.
"If that's the case..."
Kael turned toward the waiting carriages.
"...let us not waste any more time."
Nearly an hour later...
The convoy came to a stop once again.
By now...
the town had grown quiet.
Most shops had already closed.
The streets were lit only by scattered lanterns swaying gently in the night breeze.
It was close to eight o'clock.
Few travelers remained outside.
Kael stepped down from the carriage.
The teams followed.
They looked around.
Again...
nothing remarkable.
Just another ordinary road.
Kael slowly turned to face everyone.
"This..."
He looked down the long stone pathway stretching into the darkness.
"...is our destination."
Silence followed.
"As you can see..."
He pointed calmly.
"Two teams will take the eastern road."
"Two teams, the western."
"The next two will cover the northern path."
"And another two..."
"...the southern route."
The captains nodded immediately.
Then Kael gave the order.
"Your task..."
"...is to clean every road."
A pause.
Then, almost as though simplifying it himself...
"To be more precise..."
His eyes lowered to the ground beneath his feet.
"Remove every loose pebble."
"Every loose stone."
"Every shard."
"Every obstacle."
Another pause.
"When dawn arrives..."
"I do not wish to see a single pebble remaining on these roads."
Silence.
Complete silence.
"..."
"..."
Several investigators blinked.
One captain genuinely wondered whether he had heard incorrectly.
Pebbles...?
Another glanced at the perfectly ordinary road beneath his boots.
Elite investigation teams...
...cleaning streets...?
Questions erupted silently through every mind.
Yet no one asked.
Kael continued as though the assignment required no explanation.
"The remaining two teams."
His gaze shifted toward the newest recruits.
"You'll accompany me."
"There's another location."
"You require more practical experience."
"I'll personally oversee your work."
The two teams stepped forward immediately.
"Yes, Young Master."
Kael looked back toward the veteran captains.
"I leave your teams in your hands."
"I expect every assigned road completed..."
"...before four in the morning."
Every captain placed a fist over their chest.
"As you command."
Without hesitation...
they dispersed.
Soon...
the quiet roads filled with investigators crouching beneath lantern light.
One by one...
they picked loose stones from the pathways.
Gathered broken gravel.
Removed scattered debris.
Even the smallest pebble disappeared into collection baskets before being discarded properly.
It was meticulous work.
Almost absurdly meticulous.
Yet not a single complaint could be heard.
...
Kael turned toward Butler Ren.
"I'll leave this side to you."
Ren bowed.
"I understand."
"I'll supervise until completion."
Kael nodded.
"When they're finished..."
"Have everyone retrieve their belongings from the inn."
"And return to the estate."
"I'll arrive before morning."
"As you wish."
Ren hesitated for only a second.
"...Please take care of yourself, Young Master."
A small smile appeared on Kael's face.
"I always do."
With that...
he departed with the two new teams.
It was nearly ten o'clock when they reached the second location.
Unlike the first...
this road was quieter still.
Trees lined both sides.
The moonlight filtered gently through their branches.
Kael stopped.
"This section..."
"...will be yours."
The two teams looked ahead.
"It is the same task."
"Clear every loose stone."
"Every pebble."
"Every obstacle."
"I expect the road completed before four."
"I'll be resting at the inn nearby."
"If you encounter difficulties..."
"Send someone for me."
The two captains bowed.
"We understand."
Without another word...
they began.
Some gathered stones.
Others swept loose gravel toward collection sacks.
A few carried the debris deeper into the forest where it would no longer interfere with travelers.
Kael remained where he was.
Quietly watching.
No one there knew...
why these particular roads had been chosen.
Not Butler Ren.
Not the teams.
Not even the newly recruited members.
Only Kael knew.
One road...
was the path from the academy...
to Elior's dormitory.
The other...
led toward Elior's home.
His eyes slowly lowered to a pebble resting near the edge of the road.
Small.
Ordinary.
Almost impossible to notice.
Yet...
he remembered it.
Or rather...
he remembered something else.
A single stumble.
A hand reaching out.
The feeling of Elior almost losing his balance because of nothing more than a loose stone beneath his foot.
Such a tiny thing.
So insignificant that anyone else would have forgotten it.
Kael hadn't.
He gently nudged the pebble aside with the tip of his shoe.
His expression remained as calm as ever.
How foolish...
Perhaps it really was.
Sending elite investigators to clear roads.
Removing pebbles that most people would simply step over.
But...
if even something that small had the chance to trouble Elior...
Then Kael preferred it not to exist at all.
Even if no one ever understood why.
Even if the world found it ridiculous.
He didn't mind.
Not in the slightest.
"..."
Kael quietly looked down the road stretching into the night, now free of every loose stone and careless obstacle. To anyone else, it would seem meaningless—almost foolish—to spend an entire night removing pebbles no one ever noticed. They would never know that sometimes, the smallest things became the reason someone stumbled. If such a small discomfort could be erased before it ever reached Elior, then this night was worth every moment. He never wished to become the reason behind Elior's smiles; he only wished to quietly remove the reasons that might one day steal them away. Perhaps love was never about extraordinary promises or unforgettable gestures. Perhaps... it was simply noticing what everyone else overlooked, and choosing, without being asked, to make another person's path just a little gentler. Even if no one remembered who had cleared the road by morning... Kael thought that was more than enough.
—by Aurea; "The deepest care is often invisible. It asks for no recognition, leaves behind no name, and is remembered only by the comfort someone never realized they received."