Several moments later, Ray had returned home and the sun had set.
The village was quiet, and smoke rose from the chimneys of different houses as various families prepared dinner.
Ray arrived home and opened the door. This caught Helen's attention as she looked up from the stove and her eyes lit up the moment she realized that Ray was home.
"Ray! You're back!! I was starting to worry." Helen hurried over to him with a worried look on her face.
Although she knew he had awakened a class and she had expected him to be excited about fighting against monsters, Helen couldn't help but feel worried about her son spending so much time in the forest alone.
Just like any other mother, Helen knew what her son had always wanted to achieve.
His dream had always been to join the elite warrior party to fight against the demons that threatened their kingdom.
Although it was a dangerous goal for a child to have, Helen had grown accustomed to the fact that most children nowadays were always eager to be part of any team that protected the kingdom against evil.
She had also been one of those optimistic children during her youth, but after being slapped by the reality of the world, Helen had given up on those dreams ages ago.
Right now, all she wanted to do was make sure that her children grew old, got married, had children, and lived a happy, joy-filled life.
However, she would never be in their way or prevent her children from following their dreams, and that was why she hadn't stopped Ray from heading into the forest with his rusted sword.
But the moment she watched Ray fade into the distance as he walked deeper into the forest, Helen had been worried ever since. And that was why she hurried over to him the moment she realized he had returned home.
"Ray, are you sure you're not hurt anywhere?" Helen asked as she spun her son around, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
"Yes, Mom. I'm fine. I promise." Ray replied calmly as he settled his sword by the door.
"Are you really sure that you're not hurt or injured anywhere?" Helen asked once again, just to be sure.
"I'm sure, Mom."
"Then why are you just returning home?"
"I'm sorry. I got caught up hunting the monsters I saw in the forest, that's all." Ray replied with a sheepish smile before noticing his little sister bouncing into the living room with a look of excitement on her face.
"Big brother!! You're back!! Everyone has been talking about you in the village!!"
"Oh really?" Ray smiled as he shifted his attention to Emma, after seeing how calm his mother had become after he had reassured her of his safety.
"So, what was everyone saying about me?" Ray asked Emma.
"They said you're the first person in the village to have ever awakened a class, isn't that amazing?!" Emma exclaimed with stars sparkling in her eyes.
Ray had always been an amazing big brother in Emma's eyes, but seeing how everyone in the village was acknowledging his uniqueness, made her even more proud to be his sister.
"Yes, Emma. It really is amazing."
"I heard big brother went into the forest this morning, is it true?"
"Yes, it is true."
"What did you find? Did you battle against monsters? Like a wolf? How many wolves did you find? Two? Three? Ten? A hundred?"
Ray smiled before ruffling her hair gently. "I didn't fight against a hundred wolves."
"Then that means you fought against some other kind of monsters?"
"Yes, I did."
"What kind?"
"Goblins, but only a few. It wasn't really anything exciting."
"Goblins?! You fought against goblins?! That is so cool!! Big brother, you're like a hero, fighting against monsters with your sword, giving them some pow pow pow!!" Emma gestured with her fists as she fought against an invisible opponent.
Ray smiled as he stared at her indulgently.
The word 'hero' had caused his smile to falter a bit though, because he recalled how his goal had always been to become a hero in the eyes of the women he cared about.
However, chasing after that dream had led to the demise of the three precious women in his life and Ray didn't want that to happen a second time.
The title 'Hero' can go fuck itself for all he cared, because right now, what mattered the most to him was the safety of Helen, Mira, and Emma, and that was not going to change anytime soon.
Emma continued to giggle as Ray ruffled her hair then began tickling her all over because she didn't want to stop asking him questions.
Her laughter echoed loudly in the room and Helen couldn't help but chuckle as she watched the two of them playing in front of her.
However, Ray suddenly stopped when he heard his name being called from behind.
"Ray?" It was Mira's voice and Ray looked up to see her standing in the kitchen doorway.
Her hands were clasped in front of her chest and Mira had a worried look on her face as she uttered quietly. "Ray, you're covered in blood."
Hearing this, Ray glanced down and noticed that his shirt and pants were stained dark red.
They were stained with the blood of the goblins he had slain in the forest and he hadn't even noticed it until now.
"I'm fine, Mira. The blood is not mine." Ray reassured her but Mira swiftly crossed the room before taking his hand.
Her hand was warm and soft but Ray wondered why she was holding his hand.
Before he could open his mouth to ask why she had held his hand, Mira immediately said. "It's almost time for dinner. You can't eat while being dressed like that. Come with me and let's get you cleaned up."
Mira then tugged on his hand and led him to the back of the house. Ray also noticed the small wooden tub that sat near the well.
Helen had already filled it with water earlier in the day, because she was used to doing it every day whenever Ray had gone out to work on the farm.
Initially, it was always reserved for both Ray and his father, but ever since his father was killed by a monster a year ago, Ray had been the only one working late in the fields with Mira and Helen helping him out once in a while.