The next morning, golden sunlight filtered through the sails of the *Sylphana*, the majestic ship of Erestia's Guardians. On board, Saki still slept peacefully, nestled against Latia, who sat cross-legged watching him with amusement.
— "This baby sleeps a lot..." she murmured, intrigued.
Enma, leaning against the railing, smirked.
— "Careful. When he opens his eyes and sees your ogre face, he might scream in terror."
Without hesitation, Latia unleashed a flurry of lightning-fast blows, sending Enma tumbling across the deck.
— "Ow!" he protested, getting up with a grimace. "It was a joke!"
The commotion finally disturbed Saki's sleep. He stirred slightly before slowly opening his eyes.
But at that moment, White calmly raised his hand and, with a subtle use of his light Kiritz, pushed Latia and Enma to opposite sides of the ship, keeping them at a distance.
— "Hey! Are you crazy?!" they shouted in unison.
White looked at them seriously.
— "If he sees you first, he might mistake you for his parents. Let him observe his surroundings before interacting with him."
Silence fell. Latia and Enma exchanged a slightly embarrassed glance but complied.
Lying on the deck, Saki fully opened his eyes. His gaze first settled on the vast blue sky dotted with cotton-like clouds. He remained still for a moment, fascinated, as if discovering the world for the first time.
After a few minutes, White signaled to Latia that they could approach.
— "Oh!" Latia exclaimed, looking closer at the baby's face. "He has green eyes... Like emerald jewels!"
White nodded.
— "It's true, they're beautiful."
But then, a realization struck Latia.
— "Hey! We don't have anything to feed him!"
From the mast, Enma called out:
— "No need to worry! We've arrived at Erestia!"
Latia and White looked up. The port of Erestia stretched before them, bustling with life.
On the docks, the Erestians were going about their business when one of them spotted the imposing ship approaching.
— "Look! It's the *Sylphana*! The Guardians are back!"
In an instant, a large crowd gathered, eager to welcome their heroes.
Enma, observing the commotion, cracked his knuckles.
— "Get ready, we're in for quite the welcoming committee."
Latia hesitated for a moment.
— "Should we hide Saki?"
White, unfazed, replied calmly:
— "No. He deserves to be welcomed just as much as we do."
The ship finally docked, and the Guardians disembarked to thunderous applause and cheers. However, the Erestians' attention quickly turned to Saki, cradled in Latia's arms.
An amused murmur rose from the crowd.
— "Oh, a baby!"
— "Who's the father—White or Enma?"
Latia nearly choked and shouted, red with anger:
— "Neither of them is his father, you idiots!"
A wave of laughter swept through the crowd, easing the tension. Then White spoke solemnly:
— "We found this baby adrift at sea. From today onward, we are adopting him and will watch over him. We count on you to welcome him as a true Erestian."
The crowd listened attentively. But when White added:
— "Ah, and also... He's Kiritzless."
Silence fell over the port.
Many exchanged uncertain glances. Though the Kiritzless were officially recognized, centuries of prejudice still lingered. Enma sensed the unease rippling through the crowd and discreetly clenched his fists.
But before doubt could take hold, Latia raised her voice:
— "Don't worry! I'll train him myself. He'll become a great warrior—just like me!"
Her declaration rang out with strength. Latia, as a Kiritzless who had risen to the rank of Guardian, was a living example of success. Her confidence immediately dispelled the crowd's hesitation.
Gradually, smiles appeared, then voices rose.
— "If Latia's training him, this little one will become formidable!"
— "Welcome to Erestia, Saki!"
Saki flashed a big smile and waved his arms excitedly, clearly happy to be there.
The welcome was warm. In the end, Saki was accepted among them, and the Guardians brought him to the castle, ready to give him a new life.