A week had passed by then.
And just like that, the day arrived, the sixteenth birthday of the village's only remaining children:
Rudy, and the triplets, Lily, Rose, and Mina.
No other children had been born in the village for years. No younger siblings ran beneath the tables.
No older teens laughed in the background. Just the four of them, growing up together, and now, standing at the cusp of adulthood.
The village square had been transformed.
For reasons no one could fully explain, the village had not welcomed a new child in over sixteen years.
Some whispered of a curse, others blamed lingering effects from the war, or the thinning of magic in the land. But no official cause had ever been found. It simply… happened.
And so, Rudy and the triplets—Lily, Rose, and Mina—became something rare.
They were the only children of the village.
Raised not just by their parents, but by everyone. Every elder became a storyteller, every merchant a gift-giver, every neighbor a guardian.
They were watched over, cherished, and gently spoiled—not out of pity, but out of a deep, aching hope.
A need to believe that even if no more children came, these four would carry the village's future in their hearts.
They were the joy that rang through otherwise quiet streets.
The laughter that kept old bones warm in winter.
The reason people still decorated the square during festival nights.
And though none of them said it aloud, many silently feared what would happen when those four eventually left.
Because if they were gone…
The village would fall quiet forever.
Lanterns hung from tree branches, swaying gently as the wind carried the scent of roasted meat and sugared pastries through the air.
Tables brimmed with food and drink. Music filled the open space, played by the few elderly villagers who still remembered the old songs.
It was rare for the entire village to gather like this but this was no ordinary day.
Rudy stood stiffly in a formal coat, the dark fabric brushing against his wrists and collar. He tugged at the neck, uncomfortable but composed, watching as people passed by with laughter and cheers.
Beside him stood Ophelia—his mother.
She wore a soft, ivory sweater dress that clung to her figure and fell loosely from her shoulders, just as in the image.
Her long blonde hair flowed down her back in gentle waves, and her bright blue eyes sparkled like moonlit water.
She looked nothing like any of the other village mothers. In fact… she looked like she had barely aged a day.
"Do I look strange?" she asked suddenly, leaning closer to Rudy with a teasing smile.
Rudy, flustered, looked away. "N-No… just… you stand out."
"Oh~? Is that a bad thing?"
"…No. Just… mom, please don't tease me. Not today."
She laughed gently, brushing a lock of hair behind his ear. "You're sixteen now. That makes you a man, doesn't it?"
Rudy nodded, quiet.
She stood just behind him, smiling warmly as the triplets approached.
"Rudy~" Lily called, practically skipping as she arrived, her short curls bouncing with each step. "Look at you! All tall and serious—trying to act like a grown-up now, huh?"
Rudy grinned. "Trying? I am one now."
"Happy birthday," Mina said softly, her tone calm as always, but the faint smile tugging at her lips was genuine.
"Still taller than us," Rose muttered with a pout, standing next to him and squinting up like she was measuring again.
Rudy chuckled. "And always will be."
"Keep dreaming," Lily said with a playful jab to his ribs. "We'll catch up one day."
"Nope. I've officially claimed the title of 'Tallest Sixteen-Year-Old in the Village,'" Rudy said, puffing out his chest.
"All four of us are sixteen now," Rose said, eyes sparkling a bit. "Feels weird, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Mina added, glancing around at the mostly empty square. "It's just us now."
They fell silent for a second—not sad, just aware. Of how rare this was. How alone, yet how connected they'd always been.
Then Lily clapped her hands. "Anyway! Rudy! Happy birthday, you overgrown tree."
He bowed dramatically. "And happy birthday to the three little forest gremlins I grew up with."
"Hey!" they chorused, shoving him lightly.
The four of them laughed—comfortable, familiar, like always.
But something in his chest stirred again as his eyes get attracted towards his mother.
Her eyes—those beautiful, haunting eyes that sometimes looked like they were inviting him to dream on forever.
Ophelia had noticed it.
The way Rudy's eyes lingered just a little too long.
The way his gaze drifted whenever she leaned too close… or smiled too sweetly.
She wasn't angry—how could she be? He was growing, confused, and caught between the lines of something he didn't yet understand. But still… she knew it wasn't healthy.
Luckily, she had already planned for this.
The banquet faded with the stars.
Most of the village had either stumbled home in laughter or fallen asleep around half-finished plates and empty mugs.
Sixteen was a sacred milestone here—the age of adulthood—and the village had celebrated it with all the food, music, and drink they could manage.
By the time Rudy returned home, he was full, tired, and still smiling.
But when he stepped inside their small, warmly-lit home, the atmosphere shifted.
Ophelia was waiting at the table, her expression calm—but serious.
"Sit down, Rudy."
He paused, blinking. "...Did I do something?"
"No," she said softly. "But we need to talk."
He sat.
She slid a sealed envelope across the table, its surface etched with golden threads and an insignia shaped like a crystalline lotus.
Rudy stared.
"...What's this?"
"A formal invitation," she said, folding her hands. "To the Crystal Jade Royal Academy."
His eyes widened.
"Wait—the Crystal Jade Academy? The royal school?!"
Ophelia nodded, her lips forming the faintest smile. "They've accepted you. You leave in two weeks."
Rudy stood up so fast his chair nearly tipped over.
"Are you serious!? That's… that's the best school in the continent! Only nobles and elite mages get in—how did you—?"
"I have… connections," she said simply, though her eyes told him there was more to the story.
Rudy was practically vibrating with excitement, gripping the envelope like it might vanish. "I—I don't even know what to say. This is—Mom, this is amazing!"
Her smile grew softer, but a shadow passed behind her gaze.
"I know," she said gently. "It's time you saw more of the world, Rudy. Time you met people your age. Found your own path."
Rudy paused. "...Is this because of how I've been acting?"
Ophelia met his eyes for a long moment.
And then, she nodded.
"Yes. But more than that—it's because I love you. And I want you to grow up whole."
Rudy didn't speak right away.
He just clutched the invitation to his chest, and nodded.