As a resident of Brighton City, Arthur lived his life with little disruption from the war. He celebrated the New Year in a regular rhythm, occasionally receiving letters from George in the army. Captain Dodge, however, remained missing. From information gathered at the Etzikri Street Enforcement Office, Mrs. Lily learned that Josh had taken over Dodge's position, and Livlan had returned to the Elf Forest at the Queen's request.
Likewise, the water mage Parish, who took the dwarf Hobick on that night under the moon, also disappeared without a trace. Arthur volunteered as part of the Charity School and helped with cleanup tasks at the North District Tribunal, but he neither heard any news about Parish nor saw Rastel, the bear-masked captain of the Bears Squad.
It was as if the mage had never entered Arthur's life. Without George, the White House felt less lively. Katerina was quieter without George to tease, spending her days discussing studies or sharing insights with Arthur. Lizzy, now old enough to attend school, studied regularly. When Mrs. Lily's application for a subsidy from the Enforcers went through, the Charity House enjoyed a period of stew and lamb tail soup. Life continued this way for quite some time, while the war between humans, elves, and orcs persisted. And so, four years passed, and Arthur turned twelve.
...
Year 106 of the New Calendar. It had been four years since George left the White House.
In the attic bedroom he now occupied alone, Arthur, dressed in a suspender jumpsuit, stood by the large corner window, tidying his messy brown hair. The boy, shedding the last traces of his childhood, was taller and looked more spirited, standing about 150 centimeters and giving off a scholarly air as he adjusted himself in the mirror.
Today was Lightning Moon Day, and Arthur had promised to take little seven-year-old Lizzy to buy a new backpack.
"Arthur, are you ready yet?" Katerina's voice called from downstairs. Seventeen years old now, Katerina had grown into a beautiful young woman.
Arthur dashed down three flights of stairs, fingers hooked onto his suspenders, and replied, "Ready to go, Katerina." Lizzy hugged him from behind and joked, "You're so slow, Arthur! If you keep this up, the post office will close, and we won't get George's letter!" George was due to send a letter today, so Mrs. Lily had gone early to the market to buy fresh lamb.
For four years, the war between humans, elves, and orcs had dragged on. Two years ago, the Eastern Continent reported an orc invasion. These orcs differed from purebred orcs; they had a humanoid appearance similar to humans and elves, save for animal heads and certain traits—such as leopard-headed beings with lion heads for hands. These hybrids, known as "Synth Beasts," overwhelmed the Eastern Continent to such a degree that it could not support the Southern Continent.
The war's extended duration was largely due to the deployment of the Gaia Relic—a man-sized clay jar said to hold the blessing of the Earth Goddess—by Brighton City's Enforcers at Sunset Town. With this artifact, any orc approaching the human-elf alliance encampments was repelled by an oppressive, mountain-like force.
Arthur learned this from George's letters and the newspapers, although the war felt distant to him. This year, he would finally be of age to register for the Brighton City military draft in the fall, which was only two months away. For now, he treasured every day with his family.
One of the biggest changes in Brighton City was the addition of a new mode of transport—a large, four-horse-drawn carriage with fixed routes. Another improvement was the local market. In the past, Mrs. Lily had to go all the way to Franklin Street in the West District to buy groceries, visiting various stalls along the way. Now, Mayor Edwards had designated several areas as markets, consolidating everything in one place, saving residents the long trek.
Today, Arthur, Katerina, and Lizzy headed to a shop at 137 Etzikri Street, where they could buy a new backpack for Lizzy. The shop was an old establishment specializing in handmade goods owned by Old John, a friend of Mrs. Lily, renowned for his craftsmanship.
Upon entering, Arthur overheard a familiar voice bantering with Old John about stitching a pocket more stylishly. Katerina and Lizzy, lost in laughter over a catfolk merchant they had seen earlier, didn't notice the smile spreading across Arthur's face.
Pushing the door open, Arthur called out excitedly, "Old Ford, what brings you to Brighton City?"
Old Ford, the former mayor of Ford Town, had handed over his position to Little Ford, who, since the recent fighting, had served under a captain and helped garrison Ford Town.
"Well, look who's here! Little Arthur! You've grown so tall!" Exclaiming fondly, Old Ford opened his arms for a hug. He looked much healthier and happier now than in his days working at the post office.
Ignoring the reunion, Old John led Lizzy and Katerina to choose her new backpack.
Making himself comfortable, Old Ford settled into a rocking chair and grinned at Arthur, "You look happier, and it's good to see. I heard Josh mention that you're staying with Mrs. Lily now. I never thought the Etzikri Charity would actually take off!"
"Yes, just like Captain Dodge said. He even got me into school." Seeing an old friend's face, Arthur's smile lit up his eyes. Arthur had often visited Ford Town with his parents as a child, frequently seeing Old Ford with his wife.
After catching up, Old Ford brought up a subject that made Arthur pause:
"Dodge—he's been missing for four years now, hasn't he?"