[Moving On]

The rain poured down from the dark, overcast skies, casting a melancholic tone over the funeral scene. Umbrellas opened like a sea of protective shields as the mourners huddled closely together under the canopy, seeking refuge from the downpour. 

Reynold's family stood together, their black clothing now dampened by the rain. Reynold's mother's tears mingled with the raindrops, her grief pouring out like the relentless storm. Her children, standing on either side, clung to her, gently tugging at her garments. 

The rain-soaked flowers adorned the casket, their petals gently wilting under the weight of the water.

As the final moments of the ceremony arrived, the casket was lowered gently into the freshly dug grave. Each person took a moment to offer a final farewell, and Reynold found himself overwhelmed by emotions. The rain mingled with his tears as he said his silent goodbye. As the rain continued to fall, the mourners slowly dispersed, seeking shelter in their own ways. Reynold's family remained. Reynold was still six years old at that time and his sister was 3 years younger than him.

Aviena struggled to maintain a sense of normalcy for her children while grappling with her own grief. Everyday tasks became arduous, and the simplest things could trigger memories that would bring her to tears. Sleep became elusive, as her nights were haunted by dreams of her husband, and waking up to the reality of his absence was like losing him all over again each morning. She often found herself feeling lost and adrift, as though a significant part of her identity was now missing. 

In the presence of her children, Aviena donned a mask of strength, determined to shield them from the depths of her sorrow. But as the day progressed, the burden became too heavy to bear, and the façade began to crack, revealing the weariness etched onto her face. Despite her best efforts, the pain she carried within gradually seeped through the seams of her resilient facade. 

Late at night, when the world was quiet and her family was asleep, Aviena sought solace under the starlit sky. Sitting outside her house, a cigarette in her hand, she gazed at the midnight heavens. In these stolen moments, she allowed herself to be vulnerable, allowing the tears to flow freely and the weight of her grief to be felt fully.

Unknown to Aviena, her son, Reynold, quietly observed from the second floor, peeking through the curtains. He cared deeply for his mother, sensing her pain, but felt unsure about how to ease her burden. The love he held for her filled him with an unspoken desire to help, but he struggled to find the right words or actions to bring her comfort.

As Aviena stared at the stars, Reynold wished he could reach out and hold her hand, to let her know that she wasn't alone in her struggle. 

But he felt trapped, uncertain of how to bridge the gap between their emotions. All he could do was offer his silent presence, hoping that it would provide some semblance of support. As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, every night, under the stars became a private sanctuary for Aviena, a space where she could let go of her grief and find solace in the vastness of the universe. And then, there's Reynold who continued to watch her from afar. 

…

…

…

Following the unfortunate incident, those who had fallen victim to the destruction of their homes found a glimmer of hope in the form of relocation. Their ravaged houses were beyond repair, but a newfound opportunity emerged as they were offered refuge on the eastern outskirts of the town.

A benevolent and affluent individual, proprietor of several estates in the area, extended a generous offer. Portions of his expansive lands were made available as temporary shelter for the displaced victims.

In the days that followed, assistance from Ruonar City had come. A team of dedicated individuals arrived to offer their expertise and resources, working tirelessly to rebuild the shattered remnants of Delrith Town after the monstrous invasion.

Several adventurers arrived to aid in investigating the monster invasion. During the course of their efforts, they discovered that the source of the invasion originated from a newly appeared broken dungeon on the northern edge of Delrith forest.

Numerous lifeless bodies were also discovered; they belonged to the missing adventurers who had embarked on their recent quest. In response, three separate teams of adventurers were assembled to explore the shattered dungeon.

"Do you wish to join the expedition, Aelen?" Miss Elena inquired with enthusiasm.

"Thank you for your offer, Elena, but I've retired from adventuring," Aelen declined politely, accompanied by a respectful smile.

Rather than joining the expedition, Aelen opted to employ his magic in aiding the town's reconstruction.

The dungeon quest was successfully cleared within three days, the teams composed of 7 A-Class, 9 B-Class and 2 C-Class adventurers.

Luckily, only a few individuals sustained injuries; everyone else emerged unscathed. The massive dungeon gate's exit caused the dungeon to vanish instantly, akin to a fleeting shadow with violet aura.

The reconstruction of the northern area of Delrith Town was completed in a mere two weeks. Surprisingly, Aelen and Viora decided to relocate to the city of Ruonar, abandoning their previous residence.

"Is everything packed?" Aelen inquired.

"Absolutely. There's hardly anything to pack," Viora quipped, as a majority of the household items had been sold to the townspeople.

"This is sooner than we'd planned. I was hoping to stay in this town a bit longer," Viora pouted and playfully groaned.

"Sometimes circumstances dictate our actions. Additionally, I believe this move will be advantageous for Raul," Aelen stated, collecting and organizing their belongings before storing them in his dimensional ring.

That really is a dimensional ring.

l remarked, sharing my thoughts with Garen while being carried in my mother's arms.

"When will the carriage arrive?" Viora inquired, her impatience evident.

"It ought to be here by now, but considering Tidric's nature, he might be running a little late," Aelen explained with a sheepish grin aimed at Viora.

"Well, can't do much if it's him," Viora conceded, lifting Raul high into the air.

How's the progress with your talent forge? Garen asked, his weariness apparent as he too was tired of being held in the air.

It has advanced a bit, but the pace is quite slow. l responded inwardly, accompanied by a sigh.

[Progress on "Photographic Memory" has reached 59%...]

I'm struggling to discover an efficient way to train this talent. l complained.

Perhaps forging talents becomes progressively slower with each one you develop. Garen added, sharing his idea.

While that's a possibility, the talent blessing description doesn't indicate such an effect. It's also likely that the complexity of the talent affects the rate of progress. l pondered about that for a while.

What about my mana core?

It was more significant progress than your those talent forge thing. Sooner or later. Garen replied indicating that his hard work is paying off.

"There he is."

While lost in thought, the distinct sound of horse hooves reached his ears. Soon, a peculiar sight came into view. Two creatures resembling a dinosaur, its sinuous body covered in iridescent scales, were harnessed to a modest carriage.

The carriage, while not overly lavish, displayed a sense of tasteful design and craftsmanship. As it arrived at the spot where Raul's family stood waiting, the creature moved with a graceful yet powerful gait, its large eyes radiating an air of intelligence and friendliness.

"Hmm, where's Tidric?" Aelen's expression showed surprise as he noticed the absence of a driver atop the carriage.

After a few moments, a tired scream punctuated by heavy breathing echoed from the direction the carriage had come from.

The driver who emerged into view was a stout figure, clad in worn but practical clothing that bore signs of recent exertion. Sweat-drenched hair clung to a furrowed brow, and his chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath. His eyes held a mixture of fatigue and determination, indicating he had rushed to the scene with urgency.

Quite the entrance. l remarked with a hint of sarcasm as I smirked.

It really was a good one. Garen replied, managing to lend an air of grandeur to the situation. This comment, however, dampened my mood, causing me to sigh after shaking my head.

"Ugh, I-I'm sorry. Darn it, Chunky, Bunky, why didn't you stop? I've been calling the whole time!" The man exclaimed, breathless, as he stood beside the beast.

The dinosaur-like creature emitted a noise as if denying any knowledge of having left him behind.

"It seems like you've had quite the workout all the way here. Since when?" Aelen jokes.

"Haha. Hard to say. Probably a few towns behind before reaching this little place," Tidric replied, opening the back door of the wooden carriage.

"It's been a while, Tidric. You seem to be in better shape," Viora said with a smile.

"Oh, Viora. As you can see, I managed to squeeze in a bit of exercise before arriving," Tidric sarcastically remarked, rubbing his abdomen to imply he'd shed some weight during the journey.

"So, that's your kid? He looks just like you did when I first met you, Viora. He seems gloo—um, mature for his age. Ahem," Tidric stumbled over his words before correcting himself while scrutinizing the infant.

"Haha, well, he might appear that way, but he's quite the active little fellow. He loves exploring around the house on his own," Viora added, chuckling softly.

Heh, it seems like you're the gloomy one here, nasty-beardy guy. l couldn't help but roll my eyes, though it was unintentional.

Tidric caught my reaction, but he shook his head and rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "So, how old is he again?" He chose not to mention it further, thinking he might be hallucinating due to still catching his breath.

"A year and a half," Aelen responded with a hint of pride. The conversation stretched on for a few minutes before they boarded the carriage, commencing their journey towards Ruonar City.

The interior of the pulled carriage was visible from both the front and the back due to the absence of walls on those sides. The rear of the carriage was secured with a half-height wooden plank, offering a view of the surroundings from behind.

"In fact, what really transpired here? You didn't provide a clear explanation when we last met," Tidric inquired, grasping the rope tethered to the beast.

"A dungeon gate suddenly emerged, a broken one," Aelen answered with a grave countenance.

Perfect timing, I was curious about that too. My thoughts chimed in.

"That's not the first time," Aelen concurred with Tidric's observation, acknowledging the rarity of dungeon gates appearing within the borders of the Kiven Kingdom.

"The same incident occurred in another town but immediately the dungeon was promptly cleared upon discovery," Tidric added.

"Has this news reached Duke Folgier Orsen? Both towns fall within his jurisdiction," Tidric questioned, his gaze briefly shifting back to Aelen.

"It'll reach him soon. Since this might escalate into a serious issue," Aelen sighed.

"Agreed. It's possible there's more to it, considering—" Tidric was about to continue, but Aelen instinctively cut him off. "—The last time of a dungeon gate appearing within the Kiven Kingdom's borders was 900 years ago, before the 'Veil's' existence." Aelen's tone shifted, casting an eerie and serious atmosphere.

"Do you think what I think?" Tidric grinned.

"It's only a conjecture. Yes, there's a chance the Veil might be experiencing issues and necessitates investigation," Aelen responded, voicing his hope that the situation wasn't as dire as it he may thought of.

The sunlight filtered through the lush canopy, casting dappled patterns on the ground as they moved along a well-worn path.

As the carriage rolled along, the rhythmic clip-clop of the beast's hooves created a soothing melody. As they gazed out of the open sides of the carriage, they were treated to picturesque views of the lush landscape passing by.

However, I was still pondering about the two adults' conversation. Most of it was related to what I had read from the mysterious book in Aelen's reading room.

From what I learned through their conversation, Ruonar City settled in The Southern Region Of The Kiven Kingdom. And that region was govern by a figure known as Duke Folgier Orsen.

The journey took a few hours, as they drew nearer to the towering walls of Ruonar City, a sense of anticipation filled within me. The forest gradually thinned, giving way to open fields that stretched towards the city's imposing fortifications.

The sight of the city walls, tall and robust, evoked a mix of awe and respect. The guards stationed at the gate stood vigilant, their armor gleaming in the sunlight as they maintained their watchful post. Flags bearing the emblem of Ruonar City fluttered in the gentle breeze.

As the carriage approached the gate, the guards exchanged a few words with Tidric before allowing them passage. The creaking of the carriage wheels and the soft clattering of hooves on the cobblestone road echoed as they passed through the city gate.

The cobblestone streets were alive with people going about their daily routines, their footsteps echoing as they navigated the labyrinthine paths.

Colorful banners and signs adorned the buildings, announcing various businesses and establishments.

The aroma of street food wafted through the air, tempting the senses with an enticing mix of spices and flavors.

As the carriage made its way deeper into the city, the landscape shifted from the bustling gate area to more diverse districts.

The architecture varied, ranging from quaint houses to grand buildings that bore witness to the city's history.

Finally, the journey led them to their new residence. The carriage rolled to a gentle stop in front of a charming house, nestled amidst the lively streets of Ruonar City.

A quaint cobblestone path led up to a charming doorway, flanked by flowering plants. The windows, adorned with delicate shutters, framed glimpses of the interior.The roof displayed a subtle curvature. The front view of their new house captured the essence of their new life in The Ruonar City.

"Welcome to our new home, Raul." Aelen and Viora softly gestured to me.

With gratitude, Aelen expressed his appreciation to Tidric for the ride and had also invited him for dinner but Tidric had politely opposed that offer as he was already occupied.

As the exchange concluded, Aelen turned towards his family, and together, they crossed the threshold into their new abode.

l took in the unfamiliar surroundings of the interior. Aelen and Viora shared a knowing smile as they stepped into their new home.

The main living area was adorned with earthy tones and wooden accents. The interior of the house radiated a blend of rustic charm and modern comfort.

Plush furniture was strategically arranged. The kitchen boasted sleek countertops and state-of-the-art appliances, seamlessly blending practicality with style.

A cozy dining nook provided the perfect spot for family meals, bathed in the soft glow of pendant lights suspended above.

Wow, this is better than the house in that "Delrith Town". l couldn't help but admire the design of this new home.

A staircase led to the upper level, where the other three rooms awaited. A small balcony offered views of the bustling city below.