The walk home was quiet.
Leo moved steadily, his steps measured, his breathing slow. His body still ached despite the earlier recovery. Every movement reminded him of the fight—the strain, the impact, the near-death moments that still lingered in his muscles.
From Kael's house, it took about an hour heading west.
The streets gradually changed as he walked. The noise faded. The tension of the outer areas softened into something more familiar. Less dangerous.
More… normal.
By the time he reached his area, the sun had already begun to dip lower in the sky.
Warm light stretched across the small neighborhood, casting long shadows across the ground. The air felt calmer here. Peaceful.
Simple.
Quiet.
Normal.
For a moment, it almost didn't feel like the same world.
When Leo finally arrived, his gaze settled on their house.
A small cabin-style home, worn but still standing strong.
The wooden walls had faded over time, the edges slightly chipped, but it remained sturdy—unchanging despite everything.
It was similar to a Truoba Mini 221—compact, practical, built for a medium-sized family.
Three bedrooms.
A modest dining area.
A small CR.
Nothing luxurious.
Nothing impressive.
But enough.
It had always been enough.
Leo stood there for a moment.
Not moving.
Just looking.
"…Home."
The word felt heavier than usual.
Fragments of the past surfaced in his mind.
When he was six.
Back then… things were different.
It wasn't perfectly clear anymore—but it was enough.
There was always food on the table.
Meat whenever he wanted.
New clothes without worry.
No hesitation. No second thoughts.
Life was… comfortable.
Then—
His father suddenly vanished.
And everything changed.
Now…
Things were different.
They still had savings.
But it was almost gone.
Each day felt tighter than the last.
Carefully counting expenses.
Choosing what to buy—and what to give up.
He stepped inside.
The house was silent.
No footsteps.
No voices.
His sister wasn't home.
She was Ten now.
Still young.
Still trying to live a normal life.
Tonight, she had said she would be staying at a friend's place.
Leo was glad.
At least she could still have that.
He walked toward one of the rooms.
Slowly.
Carefully.
As if afraid to disturb something fragile.
Then he opened the door.
His mother lay on the bed.
Pale.
Weak.
Sleeping.
Leo's chest tightened.
"…Mom…"
His voice barely came out.
She had been struggling for years.
Always smiling.
Always pretending everything was fine.
For him.
For his younger sister.
Even when things got hard.
Even when money became a problem.
Even when she was clearly tired—
She never stopped trying.
But these past few months—
Her illness had worsened.
A lot.
Her movements had slowed.
Her strength faded.
And the smiles—
They didn't come as easily anymore.
Leo stood there quietly.
Watching her.
Listening to her faint breathing.
"…I'll fix this," he whispered.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just… a promise.
He slowly closed the door.
Careful not to make a sound.
After that, Leo went to clean himself.
He removed his torn clothes.
His shirt—completely ruined.
His pants—barely holding together.
Blood stains. Dust. Burn marks.
Without hesitation, he threw them away.
No point keeping them.
They had already served their purpose.
"…At least I got something out of it."
His hand brushed lightly against his bag.
Inside—
The mana core.
Money.
Medicine.
A chance.
Later, Leo stepped outside again briefly.
The sky had darkened slightly, the air cooler now.
He walked to a nearby stall and bought some meat.
Simple.
Cheap.
But enough.
When he returned home, he cooked.
The sound of oil sizzling filled the quiet house.
The smell spread slowly—
Warm.
Familiar.
Comforting.
For a moment—
It felt like before.
Like nothing had changed.
Like everything was still okay.
He ate quietly.
No rush.
No distractions.
Just him and the silence.
After finishing, Leo went to his room.
His own space.
Small.
Simple.
But his.
He sat down slowly on the edge of his bed.
Then leaned back slightly.
Closing his eyes.
"…Aether…"
He whispered the word softly.
He tried to remember the feeling.
That strange presence from earlier.
That deep, heavy current within him.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
Faintly—
It responded.
Still there.
Leo focused.
His breathing slowed.
His mind sharpened.
He reached for it—
Not physically.
But mentally.
Tried to guide it.
Control it.
Move it.
But it wasn't easy.
Not at all.
"It's like…" he muttered quietly.
"…trying to lift a mountain… with a spoon."
The Aether was heavy.
Dense.
Unyielding.
Completely different from mana.
But—
He could feel it.
And that alone—
Was enough.
Slowly…
Very slowly…
He began to guide it.
Not outside.
Not released.
Inside.
Through his body.
His muscles.
His bones.
His core.
A faint change followed.
Subtle.
Barely noticeable.
But real.
A slight strengthening.
A quiet reinforcement.
"…So this is how…"
It wasn't explosive.
Not powerful in appearance.
But it felt…
Deep.
Foundational.
For hours—
Leo continued.
Slowly guiding.
Slowly learning.
Slowly understanding.
His control improved—just a little.
His awareness sharpened—just a bit.
Until—
His body gave in.
Exhaustion took over.
His focus broke.
The Aether slipped from his control.
And just like that—
He fell asleep.
That night—
In the silence of his small room—
Deep within him—
The Aether remained.
Waiting.