Night was slowly losing its battle for dominion over the world. Utterly defeated, the shadows retreated toward the far edges of Kosmos, patiently awaiting the moment when the sun’s rule would fall once more. Little by little, the sun—the star that illuminated the world—rose in triumph, once again prociming itself lord of the light.

  Its gentle, warm golden rays embraced the houses and bathed everything beneath them, marking the beginning of a new day.

  Inside the Hope family’s home, at one of the many windows the house possessed—specifically, the one belonging to Christopher’s room—stood a creature whose body seemed caught between wood and vegetation. Its legs resembled dry twigs, its tiny antennae looked like bdes of grass, and its wings were nothing more than vibrant, living green leaves.

  That magical beast—the Leaf Grasshopper—majestic despite measuring only forty centimeters in length, watched intently as the young Lord of Gignit y fast asleep.

  Christopher let out a long yawn.

  The young Lord of Gignit shifted an arm, signaling his return to the waking world. He opened his eyes and rubbed them gently. He was already used to waking with the first light of day, as if some internal clock compelled him to rise before everyone else and begin his daily routine.

  Still caught between sleep and wakefulness, he slowly pushed himself upright and sat on the edge of his bed, its sheets tangled from a restless night.

  “Wuaaam,” he yawned again, stretching his arms and legs without changing position.

  At st, he shook off his drowsiness, stood up, and walked over to the window. The moment he looked toward the park, he froze.

  “What’s going on…?” he murmured, frowning. “There are so many people gathered in the pza… Ah, right!”

  “Mom and everyone must have already come back!”

  The pza was packed with people. It looked as though all the inhabitants of Gignit—at least the adults—had gathered there.

  “But I don’t see Mom from here… Could she already be home? What is everyone looking at?”

  From that distance, it was hard for him to tell what everyone was staring at with such intense interest.

  “I’ll go look for Mom and Dad, and then we’ll see what’s going on,” he murmured to himself.

  He got dressed quickly, grabbed his sword—as had already become routine—and, after hesitating for a moment about whether to wear it at his waist, decided to strap it to his back.From the window, the Leaf Grasshopper leapt away, vanishing into the surrounding vegetation.

  Christopher left his room, went down the stairs, and reached the ground floor of the house.

  “Dad? Mom? Are you home…?” he called softly. There was no answer.

  “They’re probably in the pza… I’ll go see them. But first…”

  He walked over to a rge magical device used to keep food fresh.They called it a refrigerator.

  “Let’s see… Yes! There are still egg sandwiches and juice that Dad prepared. Thanks, Dad! You saved some for me.”

  He sat down at the table and finished his breakfast in just a few minutes. After that, he gathered the utensils, carried them to the sink, and pced his hand against the wall to activate the magical runes that made the water flow.

  He cleaned everything carefully, put it all back in its pce… and finally set off toward the pza.

  ? ? ?

  He ran without stopping until he reached the pce where everyone had gathered.

  “The whole town is here…” he muttered as he walked forward, watching the astonishment reflected on the faces around him—and listening in on the conversations along the way.

  “So that’s why there was such a commotion st night,” one of the townsfolk remarked.

  “But wasn’t it supposed to be just one…?” another asked, clearly worried.

  “So… there’s a chance more dangerous beasts might be roaming the Gignit forest,” said a rabbit-type semi-human woman with long hair, standing beside her daughter—a girl about the same age as Christopher.

  “Don’t worry. The guards will protect us from any danger,” another woman chimed in, trying to calm everyone down.

  Meanwhile, Christopher kept moving forward, listening to the remarks exchanged around him. Some spoke with fear in their voices, while others remained calm, trusting that they would be kept safe.

  Then he reached the very front—right to the spot that expined why everyone was so armed.

  And there… at st, he understood the reason behind all the uproar.

  He stood completely stunned, his mouth slightly open, breathing slow and steady.The shock overwhelmed him as five Feathered Serpents were id out before his eyes.

  Each one was rger than the st—and each one more dangerous than the previous.

  They had all surprised him… but among the five, there was one that truly made his blood run cold. From the smallest to the most imposing, it was the st one that left him breathless.

  “Is that… an ALPHA-css Feathered Serpent?” he muttered aloud, drawing the attention of two people who had taken part in the subjugation. “That thing looks more like a dragon than a serpent…”

  Of course, they weren’t exactly the same… but they certainly gave off that impression.

  The magical beast still retained the shape and head of a feathered serpent. What made it resemble a dragon was the pair of horns protruding from its skull. It gave the impression of being some kind of “small” dragon.

  “That must’ve been hard to hunt… It’s huge!”

  “The rgest one measures thirty meters in length—and yeah, it wasn’t easy,” commented one of the guards who, just the day before, had seen Alexander and the children off when they left to train.

  It was Tobias, the wolfman—a beastman of the Canine Cn—standing very close to Christopher.

  Christopher looked at him and immediately noticed that the dark fur of the wolfman was stained with blood. A sharp pain stabbed his chest when he saw those marks of battle, and he quickly shifted his gaze back to the magical beasts.

  “I thought it was just one Feathered Serpent… Where did the others come from?”

  Tobias let out a sigh as he lightly rubbed his injured left arm. Christopher noticed a long wound running along the entire length of his forearm.

  “Yes, at first there was only one. But that serpent could use magic… and it also had the other four at its disposal. They ambushed us. Luckily, everything turned out fine… though we all ended up injured.”

  “But… w-what about my Mom?! Where is she?!” Christopher shouted.

  Fear seized his small body, his face twisting into a mask of anguish. Only then did he realize that he couldn’t see his mother anywhere.

  “Where is she?!”

  He shook his head from side to side in desperation, searching for his beloved, gentle mother—until Tobias grabbed him by the shoulders, trying to steady him.

  “Don’t worry. Neither your Mom nor anyone else has died,” he said firmly.

  Then he pointed toward a nearby cluster of trees, where several people were lying down, resting.

  “Look… they’re all over there. Your Mom is resting with your dad.”

  Just by looking, Christopher could tell that everyone—like Tobias himself—was injured and utterly exhausted.

  “Ah… okay… my Mom is fine…” Christopher whispered.

  His eyes filled with tears, and the sight deeply moved Tobias, who couldn’t stand seeing children cry.So he decided to change the subject.

  “The rgest serpent of all could use Racial Magic. It could release a poisonous breath… but that wasn’t all,” Tobias added, noticing how the boy’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “Look at my tail. That magical beast burned it. It could use fire as well. That’s why it was so hard to bring it down.”

  He smiled with a hint of nervousness, but his final words lifted the child’s spirits.

  “Thank the heavens Lady Valentina came with us.”

  “My Mom fought one of them?”

  “Of course. While she fought the rgest one… we took care of the others.”

  “Then my Mom faced the ALPHA-css Feathered Serpent? And she did it alone?!”

  “That’s right,” Tobias replied. “Your Mom is very strong.”

  And just like that, with those simple yet firm words, he managed to calm him.

  “Look, like I told you—your parents are behind those trees,” Tobias said, pointing. “You should go see her… seeing you and getting a hug will surely help her recover her strength.”

  “Yes… I’ll go give her a hug,” Christopher replied with a small bow. “Thank you very much, Mr. Tobias.”

  After thanking him, Christopher moved away from the bustle of the pza and walked toward the trees Tobias had pointed out.

  There, he found his father sitting with his legs stretched out, his back resting against the trunk of a tree.

  Alexander was gently stroking Valentina’s head. She was sleeping deeply, her head resting on his p.

  She was no longer wearing the elven armor she usually used in battle; she had taken it off to rest as comfortably as possible. At a gnce, it was clear that the armor was completely stained with blood, riddled with several holes that looked as though they had been caused by something sharp.

  Christopher remembered the dagger-like tail of the serpent. He looked at his mother’s abdomen… and, with a painful tightening in his chest, confirmed that she had indeed been stabbed.

  He wanted to say something, but Alexander stopped him with a look. From the very first moment, he had already noticed his presence.

  “Don’t worry, son. This is nothing for your mom,” he said as he began braiding Valentina’s hair.

  Alexander loved pying with his wife’s beautiful hair… and she loved it just as much.

  “She’s already been treated. Your mom is out of danger.”

  Both of them looked at Valentina’s peaceful, smiling expression. Surely, even in her dreams, she was enjoying having her hair pyed with—so much so that a few thin strands of drool slipped from the corner of her lips.

  “Mom deserves to be spoiled a lot, don’t you think?” Alexander said, looking at his son. “When she wakes up, we should give her all the affection she likes.”

  “Yes,” Christopher nodded eagerly. “We’ll prepare what she likes the most… and tell her lots of compliments. Mommy is the best!”

  “Well then… take her home. It’s time for her to get some well-deserved rest.”

  Tenderly, Alexander gently squeezed his wife’s ears, making her flinch just a little.

  “Honey… come on. Christopher will take you home.”

  “Nnnnnn…”

  She compined without even having the strength to move a finger.

  “I’m really tired… I want to sleep more.”

  Christopher did his best to hold back a giggle. When his mother was caught between sleep and wakefulness… she tended to say strange things.

  “That’s why, my love… go sleep at home. A bug might bite you here, and then you’ll cry if you get a little bump.”

  “But I’m tiiiiired…” she compined again, without even opening her eyes.

  A heavy bead of sweat ran down Alexander’s temple, while Christopher let out a sigh mixed with ughter. He wanted to tease her a little… but that would be too cruel. His mom was badly hurt and completely exhausted.

  “Very well, Dad… I’ll make the sacrifice,” Christopher murmured with mock solemnity.

  “The Garden of Spirits?” Alexander asked, and Christopher nodded.

  “Mom…” he called softly. “If you listen to me and come home with me, I promise I’ll take care of your Spirit Garden for a whole week. What do you say?”

  “Eh…?” Valentina jolted awake, looking at both of them. “Yes! I’ll teach you the proper way to take care of and clean my spirits’ little house.”

  Christopher couldn’t object. Just as he and his father had agreed, they had to spoil her a little.

  Valentina stood up, took her son’s hand, and the two of them headed toward the house—though not before she gave her husband a kiss.

  “Alright, let’s do this,” Alexander murmured, turning once more to look at the hunted beasts.

  It didn’t surprise him that they had struggled so much to defeat them. An adult Feathered Serpent was a magical beast capable of breathing both fire and poison—and not just any poison. Its venom was lethal. Without a doubt, the adventurers had gone through extremely dangerous moments trying to avoid it.

  But that serpent hadn’t been an adult BETA… it was an ALPHA-css, and therefore far more dangerous.

  The people of Gignit were eager to know what would be done with the remains of such an imposing beast. Alexander already knew what needed to be done… but before making any decisions, he had to give a public commendation to all the teams.

  “Please, may I have your attention for a moment,” he requested.

  The commotion died down instantly. The governor’s words felt—if only for a moment—almost sacred.

  “First, and most importantly…” he said, pointing toward the teams gathered beneath the shade of several trees. “Our deepest gratitude to everyone who took part. True heroes… who protect us.”

  Cheers erupted for those who had participated in the subjugation. From where they stood, they waved back.

  A little flushed, they enjoyed the praise… a well-earned reward after risking their lives against such dangerous magical beasts. And it was only right. They had always been the ones tasked with keeping every threat at bay.

  The peace of the town—so hard-won—was the result of their efforts.

  They deserved it… truly deserved it.

  At the front, Mathias’s parents waved toward their son.

  Sebastián’s father smiled as he looked at his wife, greeting her with his eyes, as if his thoughts alone could reach her:

  I’m back, my dear.

  Seeing him, all she could do was thank the heavens that he had returned—alive.

  Tadeo wouldn’t stop blowing kisses at his beautiful fiancée, a dark elf.

  They were another one of those unique couples in the vilge: a human and an elf bound by love, just like the rulers themselves. As everyone already knew, Tadeo was a guardian of imposing height, an intimidating build, and a bald head. To top it off, he was missing an arm… which only made him look even rougher. And yet, despite all that, he was a kind, hardworking man—and unbearably affectionate with his fiancée.

  She, like all dark elves, possessed that ethereal beauty so characteristic of her race.

  The other young elves who had taken part in the mission were also greeting their friends with smiles. At a gnce, it was clear that many of them were injured… but still standing.

  “What comes next,” Alexander announced, his voice ringing with authority, “is this: these magical beasts… I intend to sell them in the town of Nopal. I know we’ll get a good amount of gold for them—and with that gold, I pn to build a medical clinic.”

  “We truly need one. It’s become urgent.”

  At those words, many of those present felt a deep sense of relief. At st, they would no longer have to rely solely on medicinal herbs… and could have someone dedicated exclusively to medicine.

  Elves possessed vast knowledge regarding medicinal herbs, drawn from countless pnt species. However, those living in the vilge were far more focused on combat. And because of their past—before arriving in Gignit—they had never had the chance to learn the healing arts.

  “Now, as for the rgest one…” he continued, shifting his gaze toward the gigantic serpent, nearly twenty-six meters long. “As you all know, our vilge survives by hunting and exterminating dangerous beasts, and then selling their parts.”

  The vilgers nodded in clear agreement.

  “Unfortunately, we have no other way to make a living… unless you want to join—”

  “NO, NO, NO! NEVER!” several people shouted in unison.

  No one approved of the idea. Had they let him finish, Alexander would have said: joining the Human Empire—Hyuman Land. But there were simply too many differences between them.

  The Empire preached human supremacy—at least the nobility did—whereas this vilge believed in equality among all races.

  “Before the w. Before anything else.”

  Alexander let out a brief ugh.

  “Rex, it was a joke. Or did you forget that my wife is a lovely elf?” he added, tugging pyfully at his own ears and provoking ughter from those present.

  “As for what I pn to do with the rge Feathered Serpent…” he paused to catch his breath.

  “Since it’s an ALPHA-css magical beast, its parts—such as its horn or feathers—will make for very tempting bait. Valuable enough to attract at least a couple of dwarves to our vilge.”

  Little by little, everyone began to grasp Alexander’s idea.

  “We’re hoping that when they come, they’ll set up a forge here. That way, we’ll be able to obtain weapons and armor forged by dwarven hands.”

  It was true that there were many skilled bcksmiths across the empires… but dwarves were famous for the unmatched excellence of their craft.

  “Now…” Alexander said, his tone shifting, “there’s something of vital importance for our vilge.”

  His demeanor changed immediately. The pyful tone vanished, repced by a serious expression.

  “We must conquer new sources of income.”

  The idea instantly captured everyone’s attention. It was an extremely important topic—a constant concern for many.

  “We can’t rely solely on selling the parts of the beasts we hunt,” he said as he began walking through the crowd.

  “For example…” He pointed toward one of his friends. “John—Anita’s father—you make delicious bread, but its fvor is different from what people find in other vilges or cities.”

  John nodded.

  “Thank you very much, Lord Alexander. It’s true that I need to restock supplies from other towns, but when I bake, I use my own recipe… and ingredients made from the herbs we grow here.”

  Everyone already knew where Alexander was going with this.

  “Exactly! Your bread has that extra something. If we manage to sell it in other vilges or cities, our income would increase. You could even open shops elsewhere.”

  It was an idea that had always appealed to John.

  “And what about our incredible tailors?” Alexander continued, prompting a few girls to smile shyly.

  “Their garments are unique and beautiful. They could create their own brand—and if it gains recognition in other vilges, or even cities… they could sell on a rge scale!”

  The girls hugged each other, filled with excitement. They knew they still had much to learn in the art of tailoring—but if they could attract an experienced tailor to take interest in the vilge, everything could change.

  “Do you understand me now?” Alexander asked, raising his voice slightly. “We must do more than simply hunt beasts!”

  Everyone began exchanging gnces, their faces lighting up with excitement.

  “Lord Alexander…” an elf said, stepping forward. “What do you think about selling the vegetables we grow here? Because of the way we cultivate them, they’re usually tastier and more nutritious than those grown elsewhere.”

  “That’s true!”

  “They’re much better than the vegetables from vilges without elves.”

  Those who had already tasted them nodded enthusiastically. Their faces reflected agreement… and hope.

  “Anything that can be traded is welcome,” Alexander added, watching as joy spread through the vilge. “Coffee! Clothing, shoes… skincare products for semi-humans!”

  “Everything is welcome!”

  People jumped with joy, swept up by the shared enthusiasm.

  They were being given the chance to dedicate themselves to something beyond fighting. Even those who weren’t combatants could now contribute ideas to generate income.

  There was only one thing left to do: begin the preparations.

  The warriors, for their part, were already considering the matter of the dwarves. They were beings capable of creating weapons from almost any object or mineral, and their Racial Magic made that work even easier. That was why their weapons and armor were so valuable. In fact, they were among the few non-human races that received fair treatment within the Human Empire.

  Even so, dwarves had always preferred to live in their own nds.

  “In seven days, we’ll depart for the town of Nopal to sell everything we have,” Alexander announced.“So, anyone who wishes can use these days to hunt beasts and earn some extra coins… or prepare vegetables or other products they’d like to sell.”

  “Everyone is welcome to join!”

  “WOOOOOO!” the crowd roared, ignited by excitement.

  The enthusiasm overflowed. Even those who were still resting after the previous night’s battle rose with renewed energy.

  With that trip, they would be able to buy many things for themselves. Even those who had never left the vilge now had the opportunity to do so… if they managed to hunt a beast.

  All the teenagers—humans and semi-humans alike—were excited. They had been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time.

  It was one of those days when the vilge overflowed with activity. Everyone hurried from pce to pce, making the necessary preparations—either to go hunting or to gather materials to create products they could sell.

  That was the case with John, who spent the entire morning searching for a special recipe he could add to his bread… and his coffee.

  The elves, in charge of fruits and vegetables, carefully analyzed which products would be best to sell. They were happy. They knew that the vegetables they cultivated with such care would earn them a great deal of gold.

  Selestia’s parents, although not fighters, knew how to defend themselves if necessary.

  They decided to write a small book of at least twenty pages, expining—in the simplest way possible—the use and application of Elemental Magic.

  Unlike the vilge’s children, they understood just how difficult it was for humble folk to learn magic. That was why they pnned to offer the book at a very affordable price, so it could serve as a helping hand to those who needed it most.

  Others devoted themselves to preparing sweets, juices… and all kinds of treats to sell.