The next morning, Harlyn immediately noticed something unusual.

  Her mother was cooking in different clothes.

  Instead of her usual simple white dress, Meryl wore a bright, polka-dot dress that made her look almost… like a big sister, youthful—energetic.

  “Harlyn is awake?”

  Even without turning around, Meryl somehow sensed her daughter’s presence.

  “Come sit at the table, Mom’s almost done cooking!”

  Harlyn quickly climbed on her seat, her eyes couldn’t stop take a shine to her mother’s new look.

  A moment later.

  When the food was brought out, Harlyn didn’t eat right away.

  She just sat there, staring—admiring.

  Meryl noticed, she looked down at her own dress.

  “Does my Harlyn think Mom is beautiful?” Meryl teased with a soft smile.

  Harlyn propped herself up with both hands on the table, rising on her chair as she leaned closer.

  “Mom is very beautiful!”

  She sat back down, tilted her head a little.

  “But… why are you wearing different clothes today mom?”

  Meryl blinked, surprised.

  “Did Harlyn forget? Yesterday, Mom promised we’d go out and play.”

  The memory struck Harlyn like a pebble to the forehead.

  She immediately buried her face in her bowl, cheeks burning.

  Meryl couldn’t help but laugh gently.

  “Eat slowly, little bunny. Mom isn’t going anywhere.”

  ***

  After breakfast, Harlyn grabbed nothing—not a toy, not a book.

  The only thing she held was her mother’s hand.

  “Mom, Mom, let’s go!”

  Meryl, has just finished her bowl—still wiping her mouth.

  “W–wait, wait a minute, let me wipe my mouth first—Harlyn!”

  But her daughter was already dragging her out the door.

  They both goes outside, Meryl tried to lock the door as quickly as possible—while Harlyn bounced impatiently beside her.

  “Done. Let’s go!” Meryl said with mock seriousness.

  ***

  Hand in hand, they ran up the grassy hill together.

  “Harlyn, want to play hide-and-seek?” Meryl turned back with a playful smile.

  “Yes! Yes, I want to play!”

  “Then Mom’s going to count now. Go hide!”

  The hill was so open and flat—it was impossible to hide anywhere.

  Harlyn panicked for a moment… until she spotted a small bush of grass.

  Without thinking, she dove inside and held her breath.

  “...9, 10! Mom is coming to kidnap you!”

  From inside, the leaves were dark enough that she felt completely invisible.

  She tried peeking through the leaves, looking for her mother… but found nothing.

  Suddenly—

  “Graaah—found you!”

  Meryl scooped her up and pressed her face into Harlyn’s stomach, pretending to gobble her.

  Harlyn burst into uncontrollable laughter.

  The sky today stretches out in soft blue, a gentle sunlight with a few scattered clouds.

  Soon after, they were both sitting on the soft grass—Harlyn settled between her mother’s legs while Meryl gently combed her hair.

  “Mom,” Harlyn murmured, looking up in wonder.

  Meryl paused, looked down—tilting her head.

  “What is it, my little angel?”

  “Why does Dad always have to go out adventuring? Why doesn’t he stay home like you?”

  Meryl smiled softly. She turned Harlyn around to face her.

  “The food you eat, the water you drink… the things you love, this home we live in. If your father didn’t work hard out there to earn money and gather things, we wouldn’t have any of it.”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “I want to become strong too,” Harlyn declared confidently.

  “So I can help Dad!”

  “Is that so?” Meryl grinned. “Then… what if Mom is kidnapping you—Grah!”

  Harlyn squealed and took off running, her laugh echoing across the hill.

  Not realizing her mother’s footsteps had faded behind her. The trees grew thicker, the air cooler… and by the time she stopped, the hill was long gone.

  “Mom?” she called out.

  No answer.

  A rustling sound came from a nearby bush.

  Harlyn approached cautiously—alert but curious.

  A white rabbit hopped out, barely able to move.

  An arrow pierced its hind leg, red blood staining its smooth white fur.

  It seems to be reminded Harlyn of the wounds she’d seen on her father.

  She slowly knelt down.

  Gently, she pulled the arrow free.

  Just like what her mother usually does.

  She placed her hands forward, palms hovering over the wound.

  Closed her eyes tightly, her face contorted as she tried to concentrate.

  “Forgive the broken one… return what they have lost…”

  Her voice faded, her face relaxed—focus sharpened on the words in her mind.

  Re-Und only appears when The Welder truly gives their heart—

  A soft green light formed between her palms.

  It grew brighter, then flowed into the rabbit’s wound.

  Just then—

  “Harlyn!? Where are you!?”

  Her mother’s voice cut through the forest.

  The rabbit, now healed, leapt away.

  Harlyn opened her eyes and immediately sprinted toward the voice.

  “Mom! Mom!” she gasped.

  She threw herself into her mother’s arms.

  Meryl hugged her so tightly it hurt.

  “You ran so far… do you know how worried I was?” She couldn’t stop caressing Harlyn's hair as she speak.

  Harlyn looked up proudly.

  “I casted a healing spell!”

  Meryl froze.

  “…Really?”

  “Yes! A creature was hurt, and I healed it!”

  Meryl looked down gently.

  “Then you really are strong enough to protect your father,” She whispered, kissing Harlyn’s forehead.

  ***

  By the time they reached home, it was almost dark.

  “I’m starving~ Where did you two run off to…?” Hale groaned dramatically.

  Harlyn immediately ran to him, hugging his leg.

  “Dad! I casted a healing spell!”

  Hale blinked, lifting her up.

  “Really?!”

  He turned to Meryl as if begging for confirmation.

  Meryl folded her arms, smiled proudly.

  “You don’t believe her? Then let her heal you. You have wounds, don’t you?”

  Hale thought for a bit.

  “Alright then!” He knelt and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a large scratch across his chest.

  “Show me what you can do!”

  Seeing such large wound, Harlyn nodded resolutely to her father.

  She inhaled deep.

  Closed her eyes.

  Raised her hands.

  No chanting—only focus.

  A warm green light bloomed from her palms.

  Hale stared with his eyes and mouth wide opened.

  Even Meryl covered her mouth in shock as the wound slowly closed… then disappeared completely.

  Hale touched his chest again—his hands shaking.

  No pain. No scar. Nothing.

  “Is… Is this real…?” Hale whispered, trembling. Just as he looked up to his wife for an explanation.

  Meryl fainted on the spot.

  “Mom!!”

  “Meryl!!”

  Both father and daughter screamed.

  Hale lunged forward just in time to catch her.

  He tapped her face lightly “Meryl? Meryl!”

  ***

  Night came before we realized

  Harlyn slipped out of her room for the bathroom, only to find her mother still awake on the dinning table—leaning over a sheet of paper, quietly writing next to the dim lantern light.

  “Mom…?”

  The voice made Meryl startled, she quickly turned over.

  “Harlyn?! Why haven’t you slept yet? You scared me you know…” Meryl sighed.

  Harlyn clutched her shirt, her face filled with remorse.

  “I was just going out to the bathroom… sorry mom.”

  Seeing her daughter’s adorable face, Meryl couldn’t bring herself to scold her—even gently. She lifted her up and sat her on her lap.

  She continues her writing, while Harlyn sat there, quietly—intently following each line her mother wrote.

  ...Harlyn can now cast a healing spell. Not only that, but she also doesn’t even need to cast a spell! If you have time, come visit me...

  “Mom, who are you writing this letter to?” Harlyn look up to her mother.

  Meryl didn’t stop the writing, but still replied softly.

  “Jukig, he’s my younger brother—” She stopped her writing a beat to look down at Harlyn.

  “Your uncle.” Meryl smiled.

  Harlyn’s eyes sparkled in joy.

  “Woahh… Really mom!? When can I meet him?”

  Meryl closed her eyes and thought for a moment.

  “The letter gets sent… 1 week trip…” She mumbles.

  Finally, she patted Harlyn’s head. “3 weeks.”

  Harlyn couldn’t hold her joy in, kept repeating “I’ll get to see my uncle, I’ll get to see my uncle…” as she happily headed to the bathroom holding her mother’s hand.

  —