the one who remembers

"You look completely different today", Fengari remarked from the doorway, rubbing her eyes. The sun had yet to rise, but Cale was already on his feet, preparing for the day's meeting. He wore fine clothes, and his blond, slightly wavy hair had been neatly slicked back.

"I'm meeting a duke, so it's necessary fitting to present myself properly."

"Like how we have to follow the dress code at school?"

"Exactly", Cale replied with a nod, studying his reflection in the mirror.

It was strange to see himself with this face. Lightly tanned skin with bright freckles, bright blue eyes, and short blond hair. Nothing like his real appearance, which he had grown accustomed to by now. Not to mention his physique. The only thing that remained was his voice.

"What about the sword?", the dragon asked, gesturing toward the dark blade at his hip. "Weren't you planning to hide the fact it's a Kama sword?"

"I never intended to put it on public display, but I also never planned to hide it completely. But Karekama... is a different matter altogether."

"Sometimes you're hard to figure out", she said, stepping toward him.

Cale watched curiously as Fengari untied the red ribbon from her arm and wrapped it around the hilt. At first, he didn't understand why - until he realized she was covering the engraving. She tied a small, firm knot and grinned in satisfaction.

"Isn't that the ribbon from your school entrance ceremony?"

"Yes. I liked it, so I kept it. This way, nosy strangers won't be able to tell it's a sword from Linus Kama. Will it bother you to use the sword like this?"

"It shouldn't", Cale answered, examining her handiwork. She had tied it only over the engraving, leaving the grip clear for his hand. It was fastened neatly, with no loose threads hanging in the way. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me."

With a casual wave, she left the bathroom, and Cale followed her into the hallway. Together, they went downstairs, where Cale began preparing breakfast while the girl set the table. Though Fengari had woken earlier than usual, she didn't want to miss the first meal of the day. She loved human food, especially Cale's varied creations. As he stood at the kitchen counter, he sensed someone approaching the house - and realized it was Sir Meyrl.

"We have a visitor?", the girl asked curiously as Cale went to the front door.

Opening it, he saw the red-haired man standing in the street, scanning the area. He appeared to be checking house numbers, which were difficult to read through the light fog.

"Mamoru?"

The man turned in surprise, lowering the paper in his hand before looking at his protégé with relief.

"Morning, Zod!"

"What brings you here?", Cale asked, watching Mamoru open the garden gate and step onto the property.

"Did you already forgot that I'm accompanying you today?"

"No, but it's not even five o'clock yet. I didn't expect you to come pick me up. You didn't need to go through the trouble."

"It's no trouble at all", Mamoru said with a laugh.

Cale stepped aside, holding the door open to invite him in. At first, he hadn't noticed, but the man seemed a bit tense. Mamoru had probably never met Sir Freigoud either, which made the occasion exciting for him as well.

"Ahri, come and greet our guest."

Fengari padded over in her long white nightgown, stopping a meter from the tall soldier. Any ordinary child might have been intimidated by a stranger like him, but Fengari didn't care in the least. She bowed gracefully and introduced herself politely.

"It's an honor. My name is Ahri Adenia."

"It's an honor to meet you as well. I'm Mamoru Meyrl, your father's advisor and group leader", he said warmly. Ahri straightened and glanced at Cale.

"Make yourself at home. Have you eaten?", Cale asked, ushering Fengari gently back into the main room.

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<Would you do me a favor and fetch an oil lamp?>

<Sure!>, the dragon answered in his mind, darting to the other side of the room.

Cale still hadn't gotten around to installing the usual magic crystals, but if he was going to have visitors more often, it was probably time.

"I'm fine, thank you. Seems I came at an inconvenient hour."

"Not at all. You're always welcome here", Cale replied with a smile, motioning for him to take a seat.

Moments later, Fengari reappeared with an oil lamp, setting it in the center of the table. Cale extended a hand, summoning a small flame to light it. It was nothing unusual for ordinary people to know a bit of magic, so he made no effort to hide it from Mamoru. Fengari climbed onto a chair across from the soldier while Cale returned to the kitchen to fill their plates.

"How old are you, Ahri?"

"I'm six years old."

"Already? I heard you attend the State Institute for Youth Education?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Do you like it there?"

"Yes, I love it!", she said brightly. "We do such fun things, and my teachers are always nice to me when I don't know something."

"That sounds lovely."

"Do you have children, Mamoru?", Cale called from the kitchen, setting the pan aside and bringing two plates to the table.

"Not yet. My position makes having a family difficult, so I admire anyone who manages it."

"You have to sacrifice a lot, that's true", Cale said with a faint smile, setting a plate before the blond-haired girl. As she'd been taught, she waited for Cale to sit, wished everyone a good meal, and then began eating with a wide grin. "The wife of a friend of mine once told me that it's sometimes hard to keep her marriage going. She said she's married to his work as well."

"Your friend must be very lucky with his wife."

"That's exactly what I told her", Cale replied with a laugh, thinking of the time he'd visited Grischa's family.

A flicker of sadness touched him at the thought that, in this life, that moment for Grischa and Ibellina had never happened - they likely hadn't even met yet. Grischa had only been a High-Magician for a little over five years, and Ibellina was probably twenty or twenty-one now. He didn't know how they'd met, but he was cautious about what he said and did around Grischa. Ruining his family happiness was the last thing Cale wanted. After all, it was the first thing he'd seen of him.

"You're not married, are you?"

"Not yet, but I live with my girlfriend, Linnea."

"In the capital?"

"No, south of the walls, but not far from here. If there's a chance, I'd be happy to introduce you sometime."

"I'd like that", Cale said, finishing his breakfast. They would need to leave within fifteen minutes to avoid arriving late at the palace. "How did you end up becoming a royal soldier, Mamoru?"

"I'd decided as a child that I'd become a soldier, but I originally planned to stay in Caplens. When I was younger, my parents and I visited the capital. I fell so in love with Bellator that I stayed. I took the entrance exams - same as you - trained here, got better over time, and eventually joined the 2nd Company. Nothing unusual, really", Mamoru explained, as Cale and Ahri listened over their meal.

"How long have you been in the 2nd Company, if I may ask, Sir Meyrl?", Ahri asked innocently, putting on her best wide-eyed look.

"About twelve years."

"That's quite a while", Cale noted.

"It is, yes. The time flies when you enjoy what you do."

"I guess...", Cale said simply, taking another bite.

He had spent far more of his lives surviving than living. Joy had only come in moments with the people he loved - but even that had been bittersweet. Sometimes he wished he could simply leave the world altogether.

"And you? What brought you to Sylve?"

"Family problems", Cale replied quietly. "And the safety of certain people who are important to me."

Mamoru's gaze instinctively flicked to Ahri, though Cale hadn't meant Fengari. He didn't correct the assumption, seeing that Mamoru seemed content with the answer. They spoke for a few more minutes about the life of a soldier before they finished eating and cleared the table. Cale quickly washed his face and hands, then reached for his cloak and came back downstairs. His guardian was playing a finger game with Ahri - one she didn't know - which made Cale smile.

<If only life is always this simple.>

"We can go", he said, and both turned to him. Fengari ran up, wrapped her arms around his leg, and looked up at him expectantly. "Mind the time and don't be late for school."

"I've never been late, Father. That would ruin my perfect attendance."

"Well, as long as you're aware of that. Be careful and behave."

"I will", Ahri replied cheerfully as Cale ruffled her hair before opening the door.

"Until next time, Ahri."

"Until next time, Sir Meyrl", the dragon said, stepping aside, so the two men could leave.

She stood in the doorway, waving until they were out of sight. Side by side, Cale and Mamoru walked through the empty streets at first light, heading down the gentle slope toward the lake. In the distance, the palace loomed above the thin morning mist, the first to catch the day's light.

"You have a lovely daughter", the soldier remarked after a while.

"Thank you", Cale replied, glancing back in surprise when Mamoru suddenly stopped. He halted as well, and the two stood silently in the deserted street.

"There's something I want to tell to you", Mamoru began, and Cale realized at once his guardian hadn't come without reason. "You should keep a close watch on your daughter."

"Why do you say it like I wouldn't?"

"For the past few weeks, children have been disappearing in the capital."

Cale froze, at a loss for words. Children were disappearing from the capital? Were they being abducted - or something worse? And why was the royal household not doing anything about it?

"Wh-?" Cale began, but stopped. Normally, he wouldn't care much about the affairs of others, but this… what was going on with these missing children? And - more important - why hadn't he heard about it before?

Had his interference in the timeline caused this? If so, what had been the catalyst that set things on this course? What other events had been unfolding in the background, hidden from him, while he was occupied with other matters? Or could it be that his actions had made people aware that children were going missing in the first place?

Only one thing came to mind that he had changed in this life.

Groka.