"It’s okay, Miss Reyu," Kale said softly, his voice steady. "Please, don't cry. We are going to make sure everything turns out right for your family."

  He paused, a question forming in his mind. "But why didn't you ever report this to the police? Or even the military forces?"

  Miss Reyu wiped a tear from her cheek and gave a hollow, bitter laugh. "I tried," she whispered. "But my ex-husband... he has far too much political influence. As for the military, they don't usually interfere in 'public matters.' They only mobilize when a large-scale threat appears. No one cares about a mother and her son’s problems."

  She looked at the distant towers of the valley. "I am honestly fed up with this system. They only help you if you have public support or political power. Other than that, only money can save you. Since I had none of those things, I chose to protect my son by myself, at all costs."

  "That’s cruel!" Izuna shouted, his face reddening with anger. "How could they? The military and security forces were built to protect the people! Those bastards!"

  Kale looked at Izuna’s outraged expression and sighed. "Why do you look so surprised, Izuna?"

  "Because it's wrong, Big Bro!"

  "I told you before," Kale said, his eyes darkening as he remembered his own past. "This is how it always happens. The more political power you have, the more you can get away with. It’s common in the cities and towns. The military protects the country from the outside, but political links rule it from the inside."

  Izuna went silent, clutching his fists. The "heroic" image of the world he had in his head was starting to crack, replaced by the harsh reality Kale already knew too well.

  "This is totally unfair," Izuna muttered, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists. "If that’s how the world works, then there’s no point in me even staying in the Special Forces."

  Kale looked at his friend’s frustrated expression and gave a small, weary nod. "I understand," he replied quietly. "Honestly, I shouldn't even be here myself. If Captain Vergo hadn't forced me to join, I’d probably be anywhere but here."

  The massive gates of the valley loomed closer, casting long shadows over the path. Kale glanced at the sky and let out a dry, short laugh. "I guess it really is amazing to have power and fame, isn't it, Izuna?"

  Izuna didn't answer right away. His mind was racing, trying to reconcile his dreams of being a hero with the dark reality Miss Reyu had just described. Finally, he looked up, his eyes regaining some of their fire.

  "No, Big Bro," Izuna said firmly. "I know Lady Nymeria will help us. She isn’t that type of person. She’s different."

  "I hope so," Kale responded, his voice trailing off. "I hope our Captain really is different from the rest of the system."

  Beside them, Miss Reyu froze. She stopped walking entirely, her eyes widening in pure shock as she looked back and forth between the two young men.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Wait..." she stammered, her voice breathless. "Nymeria? Are you talking about the Nymeria? One of the strongest Captains in the entire military? The Mizer Nymeria?"

  Kale and Izuna stopped, surprised by her reaction.

  "The powerhouse of the Imperial Special Forces..." Reyu whispered, her face pale. "I never imagined... I never dreamed that someone like her would be your Captain."

  For the first time since the boat, a glimmer of real hope appeared in Miss Reyu's eyes. If these boys served under a legend like Nymeria, perhaps her son really was safe.

  Miss Reyu’s face fell, the brief flicker of hope dimming. "Even if she is one of the strongest Captains... why would someone like her help a weak woman like me? Why would they bother with my problems? Even if she did help, I have nothing to offer her in return."

  "No, you’re wrong, Miss Reyu," Izuna said firmly, stepping closer. "She would never refuse to help a citizen. She taught me that we must protect the people around us. She always says that power is built to protect the weak, not to be used against them."

  Izuna’s eyes sparkled as he recalled her teachings. "She told me that respect and love from others are more important than controlling them with strength. Fear isn't true respect. There is no use for power if the people don't truly acknowledge you from their hearts. Those were Lady Nymeria’s words to me when I was young."

  He gave a confident grin. "She might look rude and tough on the outside, but trust me, she’s a good person who cares deeply. We’ll handle this problem in no time!" He finished with a big, energetic thumbs-up to himself.

  Kale couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the sight of Izuna’s radiating energy. It was contagious.

  The change in Reyu was visible; her eyes were finally filling with genuine hope.

  "I’ll bring you back to Kevin safely, no matter what happens," Izuna declared, punching his fist into his palm. "Right, Big Bro?"

  "Yeah," Kale said, his own face lighting up with newfound energy. "You’re definitely right."

  Reyu watched them, her heart swelling. Her reaction was priceless; after years of suffering alone, carrying the weight of her husband's cruelty, she suddenly had two young men carrying that burden for her.

  She realized then that Kale and Izuna were different from anyone she had ever met. They weren't fighting for money, they didn't want anything from her, and they weren't seeking fame. They were helping simply because it was the right thing to do. They were doing it just to see her son smile again.

  "Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "It is truly a blessing that you two came to help me.".

  As the trio finally reached the foot of the massive stone walls of Indevena Valley, the atmosphere changed. The silence of the road was replaced by the clanking of armor and the stern gazes of the Royal Guards.

  Towering above them were two guards in polished silver plate, holding spears that looked like they could pierce a dragon. They looked down at Kale and Izuna—who were dusty, bruised, and looking like they’d just crawled out of a shipwreck.

  "Halt!" the lead guard barked, his voice echoing off the stone. "State your business in the Valley. Refugees and beggars must use the side entrance for processing."

  Izuna’s eye twitched. "Beggars? Do we look like—"

  GGRRRRROOOOAAALLLL!

  A sound like a dying mountain beast erupted from Izuna’s stomach. It was so loud that the guard actually flinched, leveling his spear.

  "What was that sound?!" the guard demanded, looking around for a monster. "A mana-beast? An ambush?"

  "That," Kale sighed, rubbing his temples in embarrassment, "was my partner’s digestive system. He’s not a beast, just a very hungry idiot."

  Izuna clutched his stomach, his face turning a shade of red that matched his hair. "Hey! It’s not my fault! I haven't eaten since we blew up that boat! Miss Reyu, tell them I'm a hero, not a monster!"

  Miss Reyu tried to keep a straight face, but a small giggle escaped her. Even in her sadness, the sight of the "Mighty Special Forces soldier" being defeated by a craving for bread was too much.

  The guard scoffed, looking even more unimpressed. "Hungry or not, move along. We don't have time for children playing soldier