Dawn Architect

Chapter 23: a past that will not return and a future to be forged

***PVO by :???***

"Hey, open the door, I know you're in there because you haven't been attending classes for the last few weeks,"

echoed an insistent knocking on the door. With each passing moment, the knocking became louder, but no one answered from inside.

Finally, it seemed that the visitor gave up, but after a few minutes, the door opened. Upon entering, the handsome young man with black hair surveyed the room, which was in complete chaos: weeds, monster parts, beasts and bottles scattered on the floor.

The young man nonchalantly began to make his way through the mess, as if accustomed to seeing this kind of sight. Scanning the room in search of his friend, without success, but then he noticed, a hand coming from a pile of debris that caught his attention. In a bit of a panic, he hurried to dig out who the hand belonged to.

"..Whew, you saved me, I thought I would die, I owe you one." The golden-eyed young man stood up and thanked his friend for the rescue.

"No, you don't owe me one, you owe me several, how many times have I told you not to overdo it when creating potions? You've been missing for a week, if I didn't look for you, this room would be a crime scene."

"Come on, you're overreacting. I'm a four star awakened, a little mound of stuff won't kill me."

"Well it didn't seem that way, haaaa... I honestly don't know what you're so passionate about alchemy that you'd risk your life." As these words came out, the golden-eyed young man was thoughtful. After a moment, instead of answering, he threw out a question:

"Hey... hum this may sound abrupt, but if you had something you wanted to achieve at all costs, how much would you be willing to sacrifice?" hearing his friend's serious tone, The black-haired youth pondered on this.

"...Uhm, I don't know, I don't have any big goals in life, all I want is to stop being the center of attention."

"haaa...Well, I really didn't expect much from someone as simple as you," the golden-eyed young man sighed in disappointment at his friend's response, his smile was full of mockery.

"Shut up, if that were the case, all people would be simple before a genius like you," replied the black-haired young man, offended, Then they talked for a while about other topics. What had begun as a serious conversation, turned into a pleasant discussion that lasted until nightfall.

.

.

~Those memories of moments that seemed insignificant come back with great regret.

If he had grasped the gravity hidden behind her question, if only he had answered differently, if only he had perceived the overwhelming weight he carried on his shoulders ... would he have changed anything?, would he have acted differently?, what should he have answered her, what was the right answer, would anything happen differently? What was and what is remains unchanged, irrevocable.

Only remorse remains, that lingering sense of helplessness in the face of a past that cannot be rewritten and a future that is shaped by the echoes of past decisions. Those unanswered questions will continue to echo, without hope of resolution, in the echo of what was not said.'~ ~

****

The sun was just beginning to illuminate the horizon when I awoke, with the fuzzy feeling of a dream I could not remember, leaving me alone with a lingering sense of helplessness. Shaking those shadows of restlessness from my mind, I prepared to face a new day full of unfinished tasks.

The previous day had been exhaustive but fruitful; I spent hours in government offices ensuring that the process of my adoption by Christian would go smoothly. Today, however, I would shift my focus to organizing and training the children who had decided to follow me.

In addition, I took the opportunity to acquire a holographic watch, the latest in technology, which would facilitate my communication with Christian and the gathering of information on the current state of the world. Although I am a regressor, there are many things I don't know or experienced in my past, so it is essential to be aware of any details or opportunities that might arise.

After a quick breakfast, I headed to the three secondary bases where the seventy or so children, all under the age of twelve, were housed. I chose this age limit because in the outlying area, when kids get above that age, they tend to join gangs. I also instructed Clayton and Eirlys to round up only children under this age; including anyone older might complicate the dynamics of my emerging force, which is why I did not extend the offer to the adults I released.

My plan was to set up a physical and mental training program that would strengthen the children and prepare them for any future challenges, teaching them the basics of the elemental knight's art that I had already imparted to the first thirty children; although it was not yet time to awaken their powers. With the help of Clayton and Eirlys, who were already versed in my methods and expectations, we organized the groups and began with basic strength and agility exercises and even knowledge.

As the training progressed, I took a moment to observe the kids. Despite the rigor of the training, I saw a glint of determination in their eyes. I knew that not all of them would become powerful warriors or mages, but each would find their place in this new group I was forging.

This would not only be a haven, but a place of growth and strength, where each child could overcome his or her past and build a promising future.

With the children well on their way, I headed back to Christian's tent. Now that he was formally my stepfather, there were certain plans I needed to discuss with him, plans that would benefit both my group and his business.

"Good morning, Christian," I greeted him as I entered the store, which was now open for business. "I need to talk to you about some future plans you might be interested in."

Christian looked at me, initially surprised by my early morning visit, but nodded and ushered me into his private office. Once there, I sat down across from him and began to lay out my proposal.

"As you know, I now have many children in my care, and many are orphans with no legal identity. My plan is to create orphanages not only to give them a home and an identity, but also to integrate them into our society more effectively."

With that I began to explain what I had in mind.