The usual morning comes in the village of Eisvel. The sun rose up and comes out of hiding behind the tall mountain, giving light to the lively and wonderful land of Eisvel. the skies were as blue as the ocean, but the billowing clouds underneath it conceals its unwavering beauty.
Over the valley of mountains, tinted in green and highlighted by the dazzling light of the sun, the village of Eisvel is there, standing tall in the middle as though it was a border that cuts the land apart from one another. In the skies overhead, birds were flying, fluttering their wings vigorously as they cheerfully sing their song over the village. The gentle cold wind howls gracefully as though it's trying to be in sync with the birds that rides with them, while the green meadows, filled with the sparkling colors of small flowers were cheering and dancing as they follow the rhythm of the cold breeze.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the outskirts not far from the village, the mayor and the other villagers were carrying piles of firewood they took from the woods. Tagging along with them is the two sisters, Aina and Christa, carrying their own share of firewood. Although Aina's carrying a little lesser than the others, her little sister was able to carry more than what the others could.
"So the reason for the boar hunt last night was for your birthday, huh? I didn't know that was the case, mayor." Christa spoke as she carries the large pile of firewood that she could barely see what's in front. Although she sure is quite skilled to not hit a rock stuck on the ground, nor getting tripped with the weight of the firewood she's handling.
"Yes, I'm sorry that I forgot to tell you before. In any case, this day is not just for me, but to remember this exact day, from 8 years ago, where the village was saved from the outbreak." The mayor responded as she moves forward on the same pace as Aina and Christa.
"That day... It felt like a dream. That time when my family went ahead before me, when I thought I was about to follow them, I opened my eyes and realized that I was still in this world. Together with the villagers who worked together to get back up on their feet." The mayor continues to speak as she tells the two what happened 8 years ago.
"So you also lost your family in the same plague, huh? Mayor." Christa spoke with a question towards the mayor. Which then the mayor answered in a rather calm manner.
"Yes. Seeing them passing away with my own two eyes really is heart-wrenching. I even remember asking Angelika everytime after that moment: "Why did my family have to die? Why did you save me and when you couldn't save them?" I blurted out those words on her out of pure emotions, I didn't mean to tell her about how I feel, but then she answered me..."
Days after the plague disappeared and the village were starting to recover from the deadly outbreak. The same questions were stuck in the current Mayor's head. "Why was she saved? Why did she have to live but not her family?" For days, she kept contemplating the words inside her head, yet she couldn't find the answer. Until one day the same person who saved the village saw the devastated look on her face and decided to talk to her.
The person approached her and asks her what bothers her. Because the person who asks her is the one who saved her and also the one who couldn't save her late mother and father, she was not able to suppress her emotions on her, her sorrow, pain, and her anger, she let it all out and told the girl everything.
As she was able to talk to the lady who saved her and released everything that is building up inside her, the person answered the questions that kept lingering inside the mayor's head.
"I'm sorry if I couldn't save everyone in the village. But... I'm not a hero. I may be able to save many, but I cannot save everyone."
"I may be able to save many, but I cannot save everyone, huh..."
"Those last few words she told me was heartbreaking. It was so painful that I couldn't accept being the only one in my family who were lucky enough to stay in this world..." The mayor responded to Christa.
"But then I realized, this is the reality, not everything goes the way everyone wanted, even if you wanted to save the dead, it's impossible. So I tried to keep moving forward. Though it was too hard at first, thanks to everyone in this village, I managed to get through it all."
As the village was standing from the horizon, the mayor stopped in realization, she then apologizes to everyone about her past.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to tell you all a sad story! This day was meant to celebrate, after all." The mayor looked at them with an awkward expression.
"It's fine! I am glad you managed to move forward like I did."
"I think so, too." The two sisters responded with a smile on their faces. The mayor also performed a warm smile, as if she was contented to be able to let go every last bit of what happened to the past after she talked to them.
After a few minutes of walking from the woods, the group has finally returned in the village. The village welcomes them with the crowd of young villagers who came across their path.
"Welcome back!"
"Welcome back, mayor!"
"We're back!"
"Oh, what are you guys playing?"
"We're playing tag, big-sis Aina!"
"Sounds like fun! Make sure you don't get tripped or your parents will scold you pretty bad, okay?"
"Yes!"
Christa watches from behind as the mayor and Aina, the two lady who seem to be fond with the children sends them away to continue their play of tag. And just when they were about to continue on their own way, the mayor turns to Christa as she was about to speak.
"Hey, I just realized. I haven't given you my name yet, Christa. Isn't that right?"
"Ah... Yes." The girl with the crimson red eyes answered.
"I don't know why the creator introduced me without giving out my name back then, but I guess you can call me Mitou now."
"I don't know what you mean by the creator introducing you back then, but that doesn't matter anymore I guess."
After their short talk with each other, the three along with the other villagers went back on their way as they are going to a storage room for the village's firewood. Shortly after, they arrived at the said storage room just beside another one that is used to store the weapons they use to hunt. Moreover, it was in the middle of a little renovation.
"So they were fixing the weapon storage, huh?" Aina spoke to Mitou that which she answered.
"Yes, every part is going to be fixed, from the doors, to the exterior wall, and into the inside, so that we will not be robbed on our backs again. That door of metal won't open unless someone has the key. And the wall of refined hallow block that is strengthened with magic will not be broken easily now." The mayor said so with a satisfied and confident look.
As the other villagers who are carrying firewood have put theirs inside the storage room, the three followed suit as the they put their share on top of the mountain of neatly organized and properly arranged firewood. After doing so, Mitou told the villagers to help around the village.
"Alright, we're done here. You guys can go and help the others in the village!"
"Yes!" The villagers accepted their mayor's words without hesitation as they all went on their way to give the other villagers a helping hand.
Right after that moment, the three decided to go to the center of the village, where most of the villagers are busy doing work they were tasked to do. The ladies of Eisvel were all busy preparing ingredients, slicing, crushing, cleaning, and cooking. Each one of them cooks different dishes, but the main ingredients were the vampire boar meat and its blood.
Meanwhile, the strong fellows uses their strength to do the muscle work. Such as carrying the rectangular wooden tables and putting all of them in one perfect line, bamboo trees that they will use as a stand to place the magic lanterns that will be used along with the firewood to give light to the area when the night comes.
While they were watching it all happening, the mayor talks to Christa about the wood cutters and about what she said to her back in the woods last night.
"Christa..."
"Yes?"
"Last night, you said you're going to take care of the illegal wood cutters, right?"
"Yes, I did." Christa answered the mayor's question right away.
"Well, if they really did go away, our village will be the one who will benefit mostly to it. That's why I thought we should at least give you something in return."
"Giving me something in return, huh?" Christa started pondering over it as she tries to think carefully what she wanted. However, in Christa's mind, there's nothing in particular that she really wanted to have at all.
She knows she can get the money from quests in the Adventurer's Guild. Especially the high ranked quests that she can now take, where she could spend the reward to whatever she needs or whatever she wants, she also has a home to get to in the capital. One would say, she has everything she needs in her everyday life.
But when she was about to answer the mayor, her eyes caught Aina's curious looking face. And as both of them sees each other from eye to eye, Christa found the right answer she can give to the mayor. Coincidentally, a woman approach them to call Aina for help.
"Aina, you're here. Can you come and help us with the cooking?"
"Me?" The Snow-white haired girl points on to herself as she turns to Christa and Mitou, looking at them as if she wanted to stay with them, but Christa was the one to tell her to follow the woman.
"Why don't you follow her? You're good at cooking yourself."
"Yes, but..." Aina tries to talk back to Christa to stay, but eventually, she gives in as the girl with the red eyes bribes her.
"I'm staying here for another day, so you don't have to worry about me leaving without notice, so just go, big-sister."
"Seriously? I thought you're leaving early today. That's a great relief, then I'll go and help them. Later!"
Christa sends off her sister with a content look on her face. And right after Aina left the both of them alone, Christa finds the opportunity to answer Mitou's previous words.
"Mayor Mitou, there's nothing I really wanted to have." Mitou looks at Christa as she continues to talk. "I got everything I need just from being an Adventurer. Though, I think I just found something that might be more important than anything. That is... Having a Family."