Chapter 12: The Hidden Giant

Taren stood at the edge of the forest, glancing nervously at Lord Kestrel beside him. The morning air was cool and silent, broken only by the distant rustle of leaves.

“Are you certain about this?” Kestrel asked, his tone measured but calm.

Taren swallowed hard and nodded. “If you’re going to keep this a secret… then you should see it yourself.”

Kestrel raised an eyebrow but said nothing, following as Taren led him through a narrow, winding path that climbed into the hills above Crofton.

They walked for nearly half an hour before reaching a secluded clearing. The trees opened up to reveal a flat patch of ground, carefully hidden from view.

And there it was.

The GS516M stood silent, its massive frame gleaming faintly in the filtered sunlight. Its blade rested low, tires half-caked in dried mud from its last work. It looked almost like it was sleeping.

Kestrel stopped dead, his eyes widening. “…By the stars.”

He stepped forward slowly, studying every bolt and curve. “I thought I was prepared,” he murmured, “but seeing it up close…”

Taren watched nervously as Kestrel circled the grader, examining its blade, its cabin, even the strange symbols faintly etched into its steel surface.

“This is no smith’s work,” Kestrel said quietly. “No craftsman in this land could forge such a thing.”

Taren hesitated, then nodded. “You’re right. It’s… not from here.”

Kestrel turned toward him sharply. “Not from here?”

Taren shifted uneasily. “I can’t explain everything. Not yet. But… I can show you what it can do.”

He climbed into the GS516M’s cabin, familiar motions guiding his hands over the controls. The machine roared to life, startling even Kestrel, who instinctively stepped back at the deep, thunderous hum of its engine.

Then, with practiced ease, Taren lowered the blade and drove forward, smoothing a rough patch of uneven dirt near the clearing. In minutes, the ground transformed flat, level, and clean.

Kestrel’s jaw tightened. “…Incredible.”

When Taren shut down the engine and climbed down, Kestrel remained silent for a moment, simply staring at the levelled ground.

“I see now,” Kestrel said finally, his voice quiet. “This is how you repaired the roads so quickly. Alone, at night…”

Taren nodded. “That’s why I hid it. I didn’t want anyone to see. I didn’t know how people would react.”

Kestrel’s gaze lingered on the machine, then returned to Taren. “They’d panic, perhaps. Or worse, try to take it.”

The noble placed a hand on Taren’s shoulder. “You’ve done well to keep this secret. And I will keep it, too.”

Taren blinked, surprised. “You… believe me?”

“I don’t know what this machine truly is,” Kestrel admitted, glancing back at GS516M. “But I know what I’ve seen. And I know what Crofton owes to you.”

He met Taren’s eyes firmly. “If this is your secret, I’ll guard it as if it were my own.”

Taren exhaled in relief, a weight lifting from his chest.

They stood together in the clearing, the grader looming silently beside them like a steel sentinel.

“Thank you, my lord,” Taren said quietly.

Kestrel smirked faintly. “Hmph. You’ve given me more questions than answers, boy… but I’ll wait for those answers in time. For now, let’s focus on the roads.”

And for the first time, Taren felt that maybe just maybe he wasn’t carrying this burden alone anymore.