“Just one more minute… I’m still sleepy,” I mumbled to the maid.
She merely replied:
“Young Master, your mother is waiting for you for breakfast.”
The moment I heard those words, it felt as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice-cold water over my head after a night of heavy drinking.
I knew my mother disliked tardiness.
With great reluctance, I climbed out of bed and dressed myself in a simple but clean outfit under the maid’s watchful gaze.
I was already used to it.
Sometimes she helped me, but I preferred doing it myself.
I headed toward the dining room.
My mother was already there, eating boiled potatoes for breakfast.
Six months had passed since the discovery of the potatoes, and the first harvest had finally been gathered.
Everyone had been astonished by their incredible yield and unusual flavor, which changed depending on the method of preparation.
And it wasn’t just their taste.
They had also proven to be an exceptionally energy-rich food, making them perfect for warriors and apprentices alike.
For now, we were focusing solely on meeting the clan’s needs.
Perhaps someday we would export them.
I sat across from my mother.
I had the same side dish as she did, though in a smaller portion.
As soon as I sat down, she looked at me and slowly began speaking.
That alone was unusual.
Most of the time, we ate in silence.
Or I ate alone, since she had countless responsibilities as the clan’s current chief.
“It seems you’ve made a significant contribution to the clan,” she said.
“This food is revolutionary. After only a single harvest, the elder and I recognized its strategic value. If we had enough land, we could feed all of Mandalore.”
I was pleased by her praise.
I was about to declare that everything I did was for the glory and prosperity of the clan, but she noticed I was about to speak and continued before I could.
“However, there is something you haven’t realized yet. As much as it is a blessing, it is also a hidden danger. Do you know what would happen if other clans learned of it?”
Her expression hardened.
“They wouldn’t hesitate to attack us and seize everything we’ve worked for. We would vanish from history.”
Her words sent a chill through me.
Just imagining the extermination of my clan was enough to make my skin crawl.
She noticed my reaction.
Moving closer, she placed a hand on my head.
I could see the tenderness in her eyes, filled with maternal affection.
“Although our clan was once powerful,” she said softly, “war and disease have pushed us to the edge of the abyss. But you brought us a ray of hope. You survived… and you gave me the strength to continue.”
She paused briefly before continuing.
“Even if we are no longer as strong as we once were, we are still Clan Fen’ruus—great hunters and tamers of the ancient Fen Wolves, descendants of the mighty Fenrir.”
I was stunned.
Fenrir.
I remembered him from Norse mythology—a colossal wolf capable of challenging the gods themselves.
Seeing my surprise, my mother allowed herself a faint smile.
“For now, I have only instructed the elder to remain silent and ordered everyone working on the farms not to speak of it. Only our clan will consume this crop until the day comes when we are strong enough to defend ourselves and no longer become easy prey for our enemies.”
I understood her reasoning.
I nodded and told her that I understood.
That one day I would grow strong enough to lead the clan to glory.
In response, she simply embraced me.
Then she quickly left the house.
The gesture left me stunned.
I couldn’t remember the last time she had hugged me.
A smile slowly formed on my face.
At that moment, I silently swore to protect her—and everyone else—in this new life.
Months passed.
I was now four years old and could wander freely through the settlement without fear of being scolded.
My mother only had one condition:
“Don’t bother anyone, and don’t cause trouble.”
To which I had confidently replied:
“Yes, ma’am.”
And so, here I was.
Walking through the village.
I found myself at the training grounds, watching the apprentices train under my aunt’s supervision.
By now, she was accustomed to my visits.
Sometimes she would send her wolf to play with me.
Other times, she would simply warn me not to get too close and risk being injured.
The training grounds were no place for games.
Everyone there was focused on improving their skills.
They needed to graduate and fill the vacancies left behind by the warriors who had died.
As for me, after playing with the she-wolf for a while, I would carefully observe every movement and exercise.
Thanks to my Observation Haki, I could capture every detail.
Combined with my near-perfect memory, I was convinced I could reproduce every technique flawlessly.
Unfortunately, my aunt once caught me imitating the exercises.
She shouted at me, told me I wasn’t ready yet…
And then informed my mother.
As punishment, I wasn’t allowed near the training grounds for an entire week.
Damn it.
That beating really hurt.
Even now, my backside still seemed to remember it.
After that unfortunate incident, I limited myself to training my Observation Haki.
By then, I could sense people within a radius of twenty meters and follow the movements of the apprentices with far greater ease.
After my daily observation session, I usually passed through the marketplace.
It was where the villagers gathered to receive food rations or trade goods brought in from outside by the clan’s warriors.
I still hadn’t seen the starship hangar, but I knew we possessed three ships.
Two of them were used for mercenary missions.
They served as the clan’s primary source of beskar, which was used to forge armor and strengthen our defenses.
I had never met those warriors personally, but everyone said they were highly skilled and always completed their missions.
Above all else, however, they prioritized the lives of their comrades.
Which seemed like an excellent policy, considering how few experienced warriors remained.
I walked through the crowd.
Whenever people noticed me, they stepped aside.
By now, everyone knew who I was—not only because I was the chief’s son, but also because I made a point of greeting everyone and because certain rumors had spread regarding the miraculous food I had discovered.
Eventually, I arrived at a small food stall.
They served skewers made from the meat of an animal resembling a deer, occasionally brought back by our hunters.
I bought a couple using the money my mother gave me.
After thanking the vendor, I continued on my way home.
And so ended another day…
In this strange galaxy.