Chapter Text
It was rumored that only eccentrics lived in the Ancient Tech Lab perched atop the highest hill in Hateno Village.
***
One hundred years had already passed since the Kingdom of Hyrule fell to the sudden resurrection of Calamity Ganon. A century since the four Champions who protected the land lost their lives, and a century since Hyrulian civilization was wiped from existence by the Guardians and monsters under Ganon’s malice. Those who survived the Calamity made lives of their own as best they could in the ruins of the old world.
Hateno Village was one of the few places that had remained relatively unscathed. This was thanks to the Hylian Champion, who had fought to his last breath against the Guardians at Hateno Fort a hundred years ago, and the strategic location of the Fort itself, nestled beyond the valley. Because the Fort held the line, the village was able to maintain its foundation without being overrun by the mechanical beasts or monsters.
The survivors of Hateno worked together to till the land and farm, eventually making the village prosperous enough to be self-sufficient. Purah, a researcher who had once served the Hyrule Royal Family, was among those who had barely escaped the Calamity with her life and sought refuge here. Furthermore, near Hateno Village sat an ancient furnace containing energy that had not flickered out for ten thousand years. The blue flame burning within this furnace was the very source of Sheikah technology. Purah believed that if she settled here and continued her research without giving up, she might one day find a way to defeat Calamity Ganon. Perhaps she could even find a way to save the Princess of Hyrule and awaken the Hylian Champion, who had been put into a long slumber in the Shrine of Resurrection after sustaining fatal wounds.
Because of this, Purah considered herself quite lucky — at least until a small Sheikah boy suddenly barged into her life. He forced her into the role of a guardian she had never asked for and never expected, given her lifelong commitment to celibacy. It was a day of howling winds, torrential rain, and crashing thunder.
"Symin, what on earth did you pick up?"
"Pick up? Director Purah, I am holding a human being, not an object."
Despite the retort from Symin, who had been sent directly from Kakariko Village to assist her, Purah did not hide her displeasure.
"No, that’s not what I meant. Why do you have a child? What, is he your secret kid?"
"No, he isn't. I found him abandoned in front of the Travel Gate outside the lab."
"Abandoned?"
"Yes. I heard a baby crying through the rain, and when I went outside, there were no parents in sight. This baby was just left there on top of the Travel Gate, wailing. I brought him in quickly because I thought he might freeze to death."
The child in Symin’s arms was soaked to the bone, his lips already turning blue. The baby kept burrowing into Symin’s chest for warmth, and Symin, looking flustered, adjusted his hold on the infant. Seeing this, Purah let out a sharp whistle and chuckled.
"Whew, look at you go! Maybe you have a natural talent for childcare?"
"Please don't tease me, Director."
"I’m being serious! Anyway, what do you plan to do with him? Are you going to raise him?"
"I'm not sure. But with the weather this cold, it wouldn't be right to leave him outside."
As Symin answered with a troubled voice, Purah narrowed her wrinkled eyes and peered at the small child in his arms. The boy's face was so young he likely hadn't even started speaking yet. He babbled and tried to make eye contact, seemingly looking for his missing parents. Purah clicked her tongue. Children were, frankly, a nuisance. They were exactly the type of thing she disliked.
However, one thing caught her eye: the boy had pale, ash-grey hair. His eyes were a vivid, clear crimson, as striking as gems extracted from ruby ore. The sight reminded her so much of her younger sister in Kakariko Village that she couldn't bring herself to turn a blind eye. Come to think of it, wasn't her sister expecting a granddaughter soon?
"Is he Sheikah? I haven't heard any news of a new birth in Kakariko Village."
"If he were from Kakariko, there’s no way he would have been abandoned in front of the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab. No parent there would do such a thing."
"Hmm, maybe he was unwanted? Someone could have dumped him in the rain to get rid of him quietly."
"Director!"
"It’s just a guess, a guess. Nothing is certain. Besides, if they wanted the kid dead, it’s a bit strange to come all the way from Kakariko to this lab just to leave him. They could have just left him in the mountains. Why here of all places?"
"Do you think they wanted someone to raise him instead?"
"As I said, it's all speculation. Maybe they felt a twinge of guilt about letting him die. Or maybe there were other circumstances. Symin, was there anything else? Anything left by the parents?"
"Wait a moment…. Oh."
"What is it?"
"I found this note tucked inside the swaddling clothes."
Symin pulled out a small, folded scrap of paper. Purah snatched the note from his hand and read the contents aloud.
"'The child’s name is Aron. To whoever finds him, please take good care of Aron.' …Huh? Is that all?"
"It seems to be a note left by his parents."
"Hmph. I don't know what their story is, but they’re incredibly irresponsible. 'Take good care of him' and that's it? What if no one found him and he died of hypothermia?"
"Director…."
Despite Symin’s worried attempt to stop her, Purah continued her sharp critique. Her eyes held a fierce, piercing intensity that belied her age of over 120 years.
"If they abandoned him on purpose, I doubt any reason would satisfy me. But as you said, we can't just let him die. For now, the parents might come back for him, so until then…. Symin, you look after him."
"What? Me?"
"Then who? Me?"
Don't even try it, she thought. Impertinent little— The unspoken threat in Purah’s eyes made Symin flinch and shrink back.
Purah was already far too old to raise a child herself, even if her spirit and energy were more vibrant than most young people these days.
Symin let out a sigh and rocked the whimpering child. He had come to the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab as an assistant for researching ancient Sheikah technology; he never imagined he would end up in charge of childcare. Whether the child knew his new guardian's heart or not, he soon fell into a peaceful sleep in Symin’s arms, breathing softly.
And so, seventeen years passed since the boy first arrived at the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab.