The sound of burning wood came from the fireplace. The room was warm, and steam rose from the soup bowls on the dinner table. The sound of spoons hitting bowls added to the quiet atmosphere.

  Titan paused his meal and spoke with a serious face. Candlelight cast shadows on his green skin, and he gripped his spoon so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

  "Father, Mother. They say the Dominator has appeared again at Hell Fortress. I've also heard that the Emperor is recruiting an expedition force."

  His voice was resolute. The room fell silent at Titan's words, and after a moment, only his low voice filled the space.

  Blade and his wife stopped eating and looked at Titan. Worry and fear showed in their eyes.

  On the back of Blade's left hand remained a burn mark from the Dominator's invasion. Though 20 years had passed, the scar still ached when the weather changed, and it was beginning to hurt again now.

  "Titan, defending Westdark Castle is more important right now."

  Blade spoke in a quiet but firm voice. His hand unconsciously pressed against the table.

  "To reach Hell Fortress, one must pass through Westdark Castle. For the expedition to succeed, this castle must remain a safe stronghold."

  Titan nodded, considering his father's words. His eyes held both a desire to leave and fight in distant lands and a sense of duty to protect his family and homeland.

  In his mind, he heard another voice. A whisper in a language he didn't know told him to go to Hell Fortress, but Titan ignored it.

  His mother quietly took his hand. Her hand was warm, bearing traces of years working in the smithy.

  Helena had never discriminated against Titan since the day they found him.

  "Tomorrow morning, let's go to Duke Strider and ask to become part of the castle's defense."

  Titan responded immediately to Blade's suggestion. Determination settled on his face. In his eyes, which were not human, were courage, loyalty, and love no different from a human's.

  "Yes, Father. I'll do as you say. We can't let the tragedy of 20 years ago happen again."

  At Titan's words, his parents looked at each other. The memory of 20 years ago was vivid in their eyes.

  Burning castle walls, screams, and a green baby found in the ashes.

  Only the sound of crackling flames filled the quiet night, and outside the window, the faint footsteps of Westdark Castle's patrol could be heard under the starry sky.

  Titan picked up his spoon again, but his mind was already filled with plans for tomorrow.

  He imagined the moment when he would show the Dominator who he truly was.

  ##############

  The next morning, Titan went with his father to see Duke Strider. The cold morning air brushed against his cheeks, and the sun rising over the castle walls glowed red.

  Westdark Castle looked majestic in the morning mist, and Titan's heart swelled at the thought of defending it.

  As they walked, Titan felt people's gazes. Stares filled with curiosity, fear, and doubt were familiar, but today was different.

  Today, he would not be the blacksmith's strange son, but a defender of Westdark.

  The inside of the castle was busy. The sound of armor clashing and voices shouting orders could be heard. After news of the Dominator, the entire castle was preparing for war. Knights and soldiers inspected the walls, their faces showing anxiety and determination.

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  A young soldier stepped back when he saw Titan. An older knight beside him patted his shoulder and whispered.

  "That's Titan, Blade's son. He's an orc, but he's on our side, so don't worry."

  Blade knelt before Duke Strider and spoke respectfully. As his knees touched the marble floor, Titan realized for the first time that his father's back, which once seemed so strong, had now become stooped.

  "Your Grace, I know you are preparing for the Dominator's invasion. Though our strength is modest, please accept me and my son Titan."

  Duke Strider rose to greet them. Though his eyes showed fatigue, his will remained strong, and his golden crown shone in the sunlight while his blonde hair, now whiter than 20 years ago, was noticeable. In his eyes, longing for his daughter Elina and responsibility for Westdark intertwined.

  "Blacksmith Blade of Westdark and his son Titan will be a great asset to us."

  Titan was moved by the duke's dignity. Duke Strider was the one who, 10 years ago, recognized Titan as a citizen despite much opposition.

  Gratitude and loyalty to the duke filled Titan's heart.

  "Blade, lend your strength to weapon production at the smithy. The most important things in war are strong soldiers and good weapons."

  Blade bowed his head and answered.

  "I will do my best, Your Grace!"

  Duke Strider looked at Titan and continued. His deep gaze swept over Titan's figure, and Titan felt a balance between his strength as an orc and his human heart under that gaze.

  "Titan, from now on, you will be a member of the guard that protects the castle."

  Titan's eyes shone, and his heart beat rapidly.

  The moment he had long dreamed of had become reality.

  "I will serve!"

  Duke Strider laughed heartily. Titan felt both warmth and responsibility in that laughter.

  It was not simply the duty of a guard, but an opportunity to show who he was.

  "Good! If the Dominator appears again, we must all fight together. Westdark will not fall so easily!"

  Courage welled up in Titan's heart, and not fear but strong resolve filled him. He sensed that from this moment, his life would change greatly.

  ##############

  Westdark smithy. Red fire blazed in the forge, and his face felt hot.

  The sound of metal being heated and hammered could be heard. The smell of metal was most familiar to Titan.

  His first memory was also of his father's face and the smell of this smithy.

  Blade looked at Titan with serious eyes. Pride that his son had found his place and worry about the dangers he would soon face were both present in his eyes.

  "Titan, though you haven't specifically trained in swordsmanship, your innate strength and will make you more than a match for most humans in battle."

  Blade took a large sword from one side of the smithy and presented it to Titan. The sword was twice the size of a normal sword and gleamed in the light.

  A blue light emanating from the blade caught Titan's attention.

  "This is a sword I've been crafting whenever I had time, for three years now. It's much larger than the swords knights typically use. I made it to fit your body."

  Titan drew the sword. The feeling of cold metal against his palm was pleasant. Though the sword was larger than an adult human, he lifted it easily. His effortless handling of the heavy sword was overwhelming.

  The blade shone brightly, and the hilt was engraved with the emblem of Westdark Castle and the symbol of the Blade family. When Titan swung the sword, the wind whistled and dust flew around the smithy. With each movement, a faint blue light traced along the blade, and he felt confident that with this sword, he could defeat any enemy.

  Blade smiled happily and said:

  "The sword issued at the castle would be too small for you and useless, so I made this in advance. Use it well."

  Titan bowed his head while firmly gripping the sword. His voice trembled, and tears formed between his eyes. It was not just a simple gift, but a legacy and blessing from Blade to his son. He felt a responsibility as heavy as the sword.

  "Thank you, Father. Thank you always."

  Titan's eyes grew hot. Born with an orc's body but raised as a human's son, he was deeply moved to be both the son of Blade and Helena and a defender of Westdark.

  Swallowing his tears, Titan gripped the sword tightly again. It was a sword filled with his parents' love, a sword to show himself.

  As he lifted the sword, Titan made a vow. With this sword, he would protect Westdark and the people who raised him.

  He had orc blood, but his heart was human.

  ##############

  Several days had passed since Titan was appointed to the guard. Every day, the sound of swords and spears clashing echoed from the training ground, similar to the sound of Titan's heartbeat. There, Titan sweated from dawn until dusk each day. At first, other guards were reluctant to train with an orc, but Titan's serious attitude was lowering their wariness.

  The sword was not a problem. The issue was armor.

  His size was nearly twice that of human knights, so there was no armor that fit him. Blacksmiths tried to make a special one, but as the shadow of war rapidly approached, there wasn't enough time. Blade tried to make armor for his son at night, but Titan stopped him.

  "Father, weapons to defend the castle are more important right now."

  Eventually, they chose to connect various armor pieces to protect his shoulders, chest, and forearms. This hastily assembled armor looked strange, and some soldiers mocked him as a "walking pile of scrap metal." Titan laughed at such jokes. Utility was more important than appearance.

  An orc's body was harder than steel. Even blows that would have injured a human didn't leave bruises on his skin during training.

  The captain of the guard marveled at this.

  "Your skin is as hard as dragon scales. This is a blessing from the gods."

  Titan gave a bitter smile.

  It was not a blessing but evidence that he was different.

  The captain trained Titan specially. "Faster! Your strength is enough. Now you need to learn to control that strength!" As time passed, Titan learned not just brute force but swordsmanship and tactics, and his movements began to harmoniously blend the power of the wild with human technique.

  Whenever he swung his sword, his opponent flew far, and watching soldiers wore expressions mixing surprise and fear.

  "Is that really an orc? He's not an orc but a monster..."

  "Be quiet. He's a person recognized by the Duke. Besides, he's Blade's son."

  Duke Strider was watching the training. There were wrinkles on his forehead, and his gaze looked complex. While satisfied with Titan's growth, he had deep concerns. The guardian mage Helamus approached him.

  "Your Grace, why is your expression so dark?"

  The duke sighed. His shoulders sank heavily, and sadness seeped into his once-sharp gaze.

  "Seeing Titan reminds me of my daughter Elina. It's been 13 years since she left for the imperial capital Karanos..."

  Helamus lightly touched the duke's arm, nodding as if to comfort him.

  "I once told you that the young lady should be sent to the magic school early. Fortunately, I hear that Elina is overcoming the dark energy."

  The duke's hand unconsciously gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist. He took a deep breath and turned his gaze toward the training ground.

  "With such difficult times upon us, I miss my daughter even more. Let's defend this place until the Emperor's expedition arrives, and defeat the Dominator."

  At that moment, Titan's gaze turned toward the duke. The distance was far, but the gazes of the duke and Titan met. The noise of the training ground seemed to pause momentarily. Titan stopped the hand holding his sword, stood straight, and stared at the duke. The duke smiled and nodded almost imperceptibly.

  It was as if they were making a promise through their eyes. In that moment, the distance between them disappeared.

  All that remained was the will of two people determined to protect Westdark.