A new day was beginning, and Kael started his morning completely exhausted. He had stayed awake until very late at night, making plans, notes, and documenting every part of the project. His head felt heavy, his eyes still burned from the lack of sleep, and there was an annoying feeling that he had not advanced enough.

  // -- how wonderful. You left a world where you had to meet goals and contracts, document everything, and train people… only to die and come here to do exactly the same thing -- //

  Kael (pensamiento): damn it… and even so, we’ve barely moved forward… we haven’t even been able to train the dimensional cube skill…

  While he kept organizing strategies for the day in his mind, Kael did not notice two small shadows quietly approaching him from behind. Suddenly, each one grabbed one of his arms with force.

  —AAAA! —he shouted, startled—. Lysandra!? Althea!? What’s going on!?

  —Kel… why don’t you play with us anymore? —Lysandra asked, puffing her cheeks slightly.

  —U-umm… —Kael hesitated for a moment—. I’ve been busy polishing skills… yeah, that.

  —Kel, do you want to go play today? —Althea asked, looking at him with shining eyes.

  —Mmm… I’d like to, but I have several things to do…

  The two girls looked at him with clear pouts, on the verge of tears.

  —Ahhh… no… —Kael said, bringing a hand to his head—. There really is too much to do…

  The girls were already about to start crying when, suddenly, Kael lifted his head with a determined expression.

  —I’VE GOT IT! —he exclaimed—. How about I make you a very nice gift? You’re going to love it!

  —Really!? —Lysandra and Althea asked in unison.

  —Really. Of course, my little ones.

  The morning work in the mansion was barely beginning, and there were already three children running through the corridors, leaving laughter and hurried footsteps behind them.

  Jacki and Lasan were starting to prepare breakfast when they were practically invaded by the children.

  —Hello, kids —Jacki said with a smile—. What do you need?

  —Aunt Jacki —Kael said urgently—, I need sap from the Nadu tree, sheep wool, fabric, and thread for sewing.

  Jacki was left perplexed by the request, but without saying anything, she began to look for the sap, while Lasan headed to the storage room to bring the fabric and wool that were requested.

  While the materials were being gathered, the two girls waited impatiently, jumping with excitement. Kael, who was mentally analyzing what he would need, felt someone grab his arm again.

  —AAAA! —he shouted—. Ronan!? What’s wrong?

  —Kel… what are you doing? Aren’t you training today? —Ronan asked in a timid voice.

  —Ah… no —Kael replied—. I promised Lysandra and Althea that I would make them something special today.

  —From the way they’re jumping… are you making them a gift? —Ronan commented.

  —Yes. Something small and simple so they can have fun.

  Ronan, faithful to his quiet nature, nodded in silence and lowered his gaze, with an obvious pout. Kael understood immediately.

  —Do you want a gift too? —he asked.

  —You’ll really give me something!? —Ronan exclaimed, lifting his head suddenly.

  —Of course —Kael replied with a smile—. Between brothers, we help each other.

  Jacki and Lasan finally returned with the materials in their arms.

  First, Kael used his magic to move the threads through the fabric, guiding them as if they were alive. In just a few minutes, he had already sewn the basic shape of the body: arms, legs, and torso, all made with firm, well-fitted cloth.

  Then he took the wool that Jacki had given him and pulled it apart between his fingers until it became soft and fluffy, almost like cotton. Carefully, he filled the body, giving it the typical shape of a cloth doll.

  Then came the main part.

  With his magic fully focused, Kael took the milky resin from the tree, the one with a texture similar to rubber, and began shaping it into a hollow sphere. With a small, steady flame, precisely controlled in the palm of his hand, he hardened the surface layer by layer, making the resin firm without turning it rigid.

  The result was a light, soft, and resistant head, very similar to the plastic dolls he vaguely remembered.

  With a small stick and some natural dye, he painted round eyes, simple but adorable. Then he attached the head to the body using more hot resin, which acted like a strong glue once it dried.

  And then came the final detail.

  Kael, who had never cut his hair before, took a kitchen knife and, without thinking too much, roughly cut off a large lock of hair.

  Jacki let out a scream.

  —YOUNG MASTER, WHAT DID YOU DO!? —she shouted in horror.

  —Calm down, Aunt Jacki… —Kael replied calmly as he picked up the hair from the floor—. It’s just hair. It will grow back.

  Using precise magic, he began inserting the strands into small pores he opened in the resin head. Then he applied a thin layer of liquid resin to fix them in place. Little by little, strand by strand, the doll came to life with soft, real, and surprisingly beautiful hair.

  The girls watched the scene completely amazed, unable to hide their excitement.

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  When he finished the base doll, Kael approached them with two rather rustic dolls, but clearly made with care. They were not perfect or delicate, but they had a special charm, as if every stitch and every imperfection carried intention.

  —These are special and magical dolls —Kael said in a solemn tone—. They will always protect you… but remember that you must take care of them and make clothes for them.

  The girls looked at him with eyes shining with excitement.

  —And how do we make clothes for them!? —Lysandra and Althea asked, almost jumping in place.

  —I know two experts for that —Kael replied with a smile—: Aunt Isadora and Teacher Freya. Tell them you need help making clothes for dolls. When they make you nice dresses, we’ll play something. What do you think?

  —YESSS! Thank you, Kel! —both shouted at the same time.

  The two girls ran over and kissed him on the cheek before happily leaving, walking down the corridor with their dolls tightly held in their arms.

  Lasan watched the scene with a half smile.

  —Young master… you really know how to drive women crazy…

  —That’s not true! —Kael replied immediately—. And get ready, because I’ll need your fire, Lasan.

  —Again…? —he asked, resigned.

  —Yes… a lot of fire.

  —Well… then let’s do it.

  Kael motioned for Ronan to follow him and led him straight to the courtyard, where the soldiers had set up an improvised smelting furnace. There, the materials for the sanitation project were also piled up. Among those purchases were several stones with visible copper veins, so Kael began selecting the ones richest in metal.

  Ronan watched him without understanding anything.

  —Kel… what are we going to do? —he asked cautiously.

  Kael turned toward him with a huge smile.

  —A magical replica of a unique sword!

  Ronan’s eyes opened wide.

  —A sword!?

  —That’s right —Kael replied—, but not just any sword…

  —The sword of Aldebaran, the Knight of Taurus!

  Ronan’s eyes shone as if he had just been told about the existence of a real dragon.

  Kael, now fully immersed in his role as an epic storyteller, began to tell the story:

  —I’ll tell you. In a very, very distant world, there was a goddess named Athena.

  —At her service were twelve golden knights, warriors whose shine was like the sun itself.

  —One of them was the Knight of Taurus… Aldebaran.

  —A giant! A hero! The bearer of an incredible sword!

  // — THIS CAN’T BE… ALDEBARAN NEVER USED A SWORD IN SAINT SEIYA! — //

  Kael (pensamiento): right… I can already see the obsessive chronicler of this world coming to correct me. Because they surely watched Saint Seiya on television here… Relax. If Ronan gets excited, the story works.

  —And why him? —Ronan asked—. Why that knight in particular?

  Kael leaned forward and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

  —Because you were born in mid-May, Ronan. Your zodiac sign is Taurus.

  —Your constellation… is the Bull.

  —You are strong like him.

  Ronan was completely hypnotized.

  —It’s… incredible… —he murmured, unable to hide his emotion.

  With the stones already selected, Kael called Lasan and Enta.

  —Lasan! Feed the charcoal with fire!

  Then he turned his head toward Enta.

  —Enta! I need you to use wind magic, like a bellows. Keep the air flowing.

  With the fire fueled by magical wind, the furnace temperature rose quickly. The copper began to melt, still with visible impurities, but completely liquid.

  Kael extended his hand, and a current of magic wrapped around the molten metal, lifting it as if it were bright red honey.

  —Good… —he said—. Now the interesting part begins.

  With precise movements, Kael poured the liquid copper into an improvised clay mold he had prepared beforehand. Then, using the fine control of his magic, he began shaping the metal from the outside, forming a short, sturdy sword, without an edge, but perfectly defined.

  The copper shone like solidified fire.

  —Ronan… get ready —Kael said solemnly—.

  —Your sword is being born.

  Enta and Lasan began to grow tired from the constant effort of maintaining the temperature and airflow. Kael, on the other hand, remained focused, applying his magic to remove impurities, ordering every particle of copper until it became perfectly polished and smooth, with a spectacular finish.

  When the sword finally cooled, Kael took it with both hands and handed it to Ronan.

  —This is the sword of Aldebaran of Taurus, a saint of the goddess Athena —he said in a deep voice—. Tell me, Ronan… are you worthy of carrying this sword?

  —I-I… well, I… —the boy stammered.

  —You cannot hesitate! —Kael interrupted him—. A knight, a saint of Athena, cannot hesitate. He must always be firm, disciplined, and never give up. He must be strong to protect others.

  —When you leave this place for the city of Taratios… who will protect Lysandra and Althea?

  —Me…? —Ronan replied with insecurity.

  —Of course! —Kael affirmed—. That’s why we train every day with the soldiers. You are already a warrior!

  —Yes! I’m a warrior! —Ronan shouted, gripping the sword tightly.

  —Then go tell Aunt Liora that you are a holy knight and that you will protect her from evildoers while Uncle Lucian is not here —Kael added.

  Ronan, his eyes full of light and completely encouraged, replied:

  —Thank you, brother Kel! I’ll go show my power to Mom!

  And so, little Ronan ran off to show his gift, leaving behind the courtyard filled with heat, ashes, and magic.

  Ronan disappeared in a hurry across the courtyard, sword in hand, leaving behind a trail of childish excitement. Kael watched him for a few seconds with a satisfied smile, until silence settled over the place once more.

  Only Enta, Lasan, and Kael remained.

  Kael slowly turned toward both of them, adopting an almost conspiratorial tone.

  —Uncle Enta… Uncle Lasan… —he said cautiously—. Would you help me with one last thing…?

  They looked at each other, already experienced enough to be suspicious.

  —Sigh… what is it now, young master? —they asked almost at the same time.

  —Would you help me cross the border…?

  Before either of them could answer, a tremor began to shake the ground, as if a gigantic beast were advancing straight toward them. The air became heavy, and a familiar pressure spread across the courtyard.

  It was Caria.

  She was completely furious.

  She had found out from Jacki that Kael had cut his hair.

  —COME HERE, YOU LITTLE DEMON! —she roared—. HOW DARE YOU CUT YOUR HAIR!?

  .

  ..

  …

  ….

  It was already lunchtime, and at the main table everyone was starting to gather. Between plates, laughter, and conversations, Kael could be seen clearly distressed, with several bumps on his head and his hair already fixed by Tana.

  —Listen to me carefully, boy —Caria said with her arms crossed—. If you ever do something like that again without consulting me, you will regret it.

  —I’m sorry, Mom… —Kael murmured, lowering his head.

  —Oh, young master… —Ken commented with an amused laugh—. You wouldn’t receive so many punishments if you didn’t act so impulsively.

  —Don’t say nonsense —Holley replied—. You’re the first one to do things without thinking.

  While they argued and more people from the mansion kept arriving to sit down to eat, two women suddenly burst through the main doors, completely agitated.

  —KAEL, WHERE ARE YOU!? —they shouted at the same time.

  It was Isadora and Freya.

  Caria, who had Kael sitting right next to her, looked at them with a deep frown.

  —And what is wrong with you two to come in so agitated? —she asked with clear annoyance.

  —Lysandra came to my room asking me for clothes for the daughter she had with Kael! —Freya exclaimed, pointing at him.

  —And Althea came saying exactly the same thing! —Isadora added, completely indignant.

  Tana and Caria slowly turned their heads toward Kael, their looks filled with contained fury. Ken and Laret, on the other hand, looked at each other, struggling not to laugh.

  —What did I do with who!? —Kael exclaimed, completely confused.

  At that moment, Lysandra and Althea entered happily, each one proudly carrying her dressed doll. They approached Kael without noticing the tension dominating the room.

  —Look, Kel! —Lysandra said—. Our daughter has a blue dress, like Aunt Caria’s.

  —Look, Kel! —Althea added—. Our daughter has a long red dress. She looks very pretty!

  The girls’ mothers looked at them with severe and accusing expressions. Caria and Tana did not look any better.

  —This is completely out of control… —Kael murmured—. I’m fucked… Grandpa, can I go live at the border…?

  He did not finish the sentence.

  Three mothers and a maid immediately jumped on him to deliver punishment.

  —What do you mean conquering girls!? —Tana shouted—. You should be thinking about marrying me!

  —Little demon! —Caria roared—. Using that kind of language! I didn’t teach you to talk like that!

  —You may make the best ointments —Isadora added—, but you cannot go around playing with the hearts of every girl you meet!

  —Was it not enough that I taught you magic!? —Freya finished—. Now you also want to take my daughter, dwarf!

  And so, Kael suffered the consequences of trying to calm some children who only wanted to play… using gifts.

  —AAAAAA! This is child abuse! —he screamed in despair.

  // -- boy, we are almost in the Middle Ages. Adults don’t care about your condition -- //

  Kael (pensamiento): damn it… this feels way too familiar… like in Latin America (T-T).