--- [Academy Main Gate] ---
"Mom!!! Why didn't you tell me you want to come!! My match just ended!" Eva declared while running to mom before they start embracing each other.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I just came back from the hospital to tend to your father. The I went to police station to hear the reports from the investigation on his case. So, I thought of stopping by to watch your tournaments. Plus, Evie just entered an event that I almost confident he won't join!" Mom stated her curiosity.
"Hahaha, well, I think it's maybe good for me to join the event for once or two, finding new acquaintances… maybe…" I made up excuses to hide my true intentions.
"Hahaha, that's fine, I will be cheering for that, do your best, both of you!"
"Yes mom!" Both me and Eva replied.
"Mom!" Eva called and grabbed mom's right arm.
"Let's stroll in the festival! It's still early before Evie's match! Isn't Evie?"
"Yeah, that's a good idea." I answered.
"Okay, let's take a walk then," Mom replied as agreeing with Eva's suggestion.
We embarked our strides around the Blade Festival from the main gate of the Academy. There are several students that join the blade festival to sell foods, drinks, fast foods. The also some exhibition section where the showcase the new gadgets and stuffs from the students.
Here in Azaria Prominent Heroic Academy, we have a lot of programs as general studies, accounting, engineering, and more but there are three main programs that have the most students in it. First is the Blade Mastery Program, which is us, mainly learning on how to self-defence, weapon wielding art, battlefield survival skills, hand to hand combat and monster slaying technique. This program has the largest amount of student among all programs in the academy.
"What is that bright green light? Is there an experiment?" Mom asked while pointing to an accessory which glows with unnaturally bright green colour at a student exhibition booth as we walk.
They are students from the Magic Analysis Program. They study about the magic innovation, magic analytics, and magic origin. They a lot to do in the magical research which hold limitless possibilities for the future. The monster classes, magical power ranks are main in their major, so they are really essential to uncover the nature of the magical energy itself.
"Oh, that gem is a core enhancer mom, an emerald, it holds the ability to increase a core power transmits into it, judged from its brightness, I think it's the core is extracted from a D-class monster, or perhaps a C-class," I explained.
"Eh? C or D-class? That bright?" Eva surprised.
"Yes, emerald is level three core enhancer, there are five types of magic gem enhancer, from the lowest: sapphire, amethyst, emerald, diamond, and ruby. All of them must be the most refined of its kind to be an enhancer, a common one won't work. A level three can upgrade the increase the output by 50%, but emerald is rare so there are not much in production. If I not mistaken, your friend, Helena uses a level two core enhancer gem on her wand."
"Eh… how do you know that?
An abruptly familiar voice came from behind startled me a little.
"Eh Helena?" My sister is surprised by Helena appearance.
"Hehe, I was following you from behind! Hye Mrs. Reinhard, nice to meet you, I hope you are in pink of health."
"Yes, thank you," mom replied.
"So, where are the three of you want to go now? Taking a stroll around the festival? Can I join in?" Helena asked.
"Yes, sure Helena. The more the merrier," mom agreed.
"Thank you, Mrs. Reinhard! Let's walk together Eva!!" She takes Eva hand.
"Yea! I have a lot to see today!" Eva replied.
"Ah, and Evans, about just now, how do you know about my wand being a level two core enhancer?" Helena asked me curiously.
"Oh, hm… the light emitted from your wand was purple, that's how I know," I answered.
"That's so simple and true! Well basically they immersed the fragments of amethyst pieces to the whole wand, that's why!" She explained looking excitable.
"Yes, all the five gem has its own special colour, and each can produce strong output depends on type of gem. If we take sapphire, sapphire have a deep ocean blue colour, it can increase the magical output by 10 percent. An amethyst gem can produce about 30 percent, emerald is about 50 percent, diamond is 70 percent and lastly ruby, 90 percent," Helena clarified further.
"Evie, look at that! The sword is imbued with great magical energy, I think the monster it was extracted is um…"
"B-class Ogre Chieftain." I responded.
"Ah yes! That's quick! How you know that?" Eva surprised with my quick answer.
"A-ah well…."
I know it from my training with grandpa, but I don't think it would do good to say that now.
"You k-know, they t-teach in class…hahaha…"
"Wow, that's great for a Blade Mastery Program student to know such thing instantly," she impressed.
"Yeah, I understand, but those student in Core Technology Program is really something, to be able making such that level of weapon, they are talented. You aren't making something, Eva?"
The students developing the weapon is from the Core Technology Program which mainly learned about the core of the monsters, core-handling, spell programming, magical energy extraction, weapon-magic infusion. They basically handle the parts of magical energy from the retrieved monster core and install them in an item.
"No, I'm not. For this year I am devoted for Hero Armament Championship!"
"But an ogre chieftain is a B-class? That's strong! I always thought an ogre strongest can be as C-class only!" Helena forwarded her thought.
"A normal ogre usually as strong as D-class at least, but even a strong one can reach A-class you know!" Mom added.
"Back in my study time, I learn about the monster classes and their specification. An E-class monster is mostly the typical goblins, gargoyles, and wild beast, they are not really strong but can kill or injure you if you are unarmed. A D-class such as hobgoblin which is stronger than a typical goblin can kill you just by their brawl and is stronger compared to human, it is as strong as a typical ogre. A C-class monster such as a physically trained ogre is usually having special abilities and able to use magic. A B-class monster such as Ogre Chieftain or even a titan, they can use advanced powerful magic and have frightening strength," Mom further her explanation.
"Titan? I haven't seen one in my life… I heard that they are so huge at least 10 meters tall!" Eva informed.
"True, it's that tall if it was only a typical titan. There is one stronger titan called Titan Noble which is two times larger than that. They are at least A-class monster which are as strong as a full-fledged matured dragon. A really powerful one can be as strong as S-class," Mom continues.
"Mom, I always heard when they mention dragon, they will say full-fledged mature dragon, why is that?" I asked.
"That is because the dragons are exceedingly rare among the monsters, and they are most frightening among all monsters. Back in the old times, human tend to find a dragon dent and killed the babies before they grown and become a mature dragon because even a baby dragon can properly produce a serious attack. It does leave a bad taste to kill the babies but for the survival, they had to. I did hear some experiments on taming a dragon but not even one is succeeding, dragon is the most impossible creature to be tame because they are a proud species," mom explained.
"Then a full-fledged mature dragon is a dragon that already big and knows how to kill?" I asked again.
"Basically yes, but a mature dragon is a bit more inexperienced than a full-fledged one. A mature dragon can kill human with just rampaging on any villages or city, but they don't usually do that, because they will learn from their parent how to unleash powerful attacks and fully prepare to be sent to battlefield, they are basically becoming a leader of an army. So, a full-fledged one is 10 times more deadly than a mature dragon." Mom answered.
"Ah… I see, that's scary," I replied.
"True, so don't even think of fighting a dragon alone, okay Evie? You are not a hero like in the novels or movies you always watch at home, hahaha!" Eva made a joke out of me.
How dare you mock my imaginary power. The novels and movies are the thing that keep me alive and makes me believe that I can be a hero that can kill a dragon on my own in the future. Well, that's my 10 years old imagination. For now, of course it's impossible.
"Oh, Evans loves movies? That's cute!" Helena said and tried to pinch my cheeks.
I bet Helena is a doting sister too.
"Helena no! Only me can pinch his cheek!! You are forbidden!!" Eva pulled Helena hands before they reach my cheeks.
"Eh… so stingy!!" Helena said while pouting.
I kind of want to be pinch though, but not from Eva.
"Do you have younger siblings in your family Helena?" I asked.
"No, I'm the only child," she replied.
I see. Maybe that's why she like that.
"You know what, I can be your little bro—"
"Evie!!! NO!!!" Eva cut in.
We all burst into laughing.
"Let's go to the café mom! I'm a little bit hungry," I recommend to mom.
"Okay let's go then, how about you Eva, Helena?" Mom asked to them.
"I think I want to go around the festival a little bit with Helena mom! You can eat with Evans, I afraid he can't do well in his round if he didn't eat something!" Eva teased me.
"Eh, I'm not that hungry alright!" I exclaimed.
"Angry Evans is cute as usual! Hehe, then, I will go now with Helena alright mom. Evie! I am looking forward to your match after this!"
Finally, Eva and Helena go on their own way to find some other, maybe fun? Don't know. I'm actually pretty hungry though.
"Let's go mom humph!" I pouted.
"Aw…sure honey, let's go. It's hard to handle Eve, right?"
"Couldn't agree more."
We walk to the cafeteria for about fifteen minutes. Since the academy grounds is vast, so we have to take some time to go to the cafeteria even with the shortest route. Not long after that tiring walk, we arrived and successfully grabbed a table for four people.
"Ah… so tired… why is there so many people here… it's a festival come on, go enjoy yourself outside more… urgh…" I rambled to myself as seeing so many people in the cafeteria.
"Eh, already? We just walked for fifteen minutes only, Evie. But yeah, it's sure filled with students and visitors…"
"That's why I tired mom…even grabbing this table which we almost barely able to find…hu…" I put my heads on the table we finally able to find.
"Aw, it's okay Evie, we have arrived, that is what matters now, so how about you go take your orders now?" Mom suggested.
"Alright, you just wait here alright, what do you want to eat mom?"
"I guess…"
"Spicy Chicken Fried Rice?" I recommended to mom.
"Oh, that just what crossed my thought just now!"
"I know mom, we both like spicy after all! Okay wait here, I'll be back in no time!"
"Alright Evie."
So, I walked to the food ordering machine which located near the counter. The food ordering machine is a simple and well functioned system to enable the students here to order food just from the machine instead of old style, go to counter and order the food. With the machine we can just choose our food and pay for it using our smartphone application that enable online transaction by scanning the code. But we still can order from the counter.
"Two Spicy Chicken Fried Rice… and what drinks… hm… I guess I will go with just iced chocolate milk, and iced lemon tea for mom…" I muttered to myself while trying to choose the menu.
I clicked on the confirmed button to confirm my order and a code generated, I tried to scan the code with my smartphone by opening an application to pay for the order.
"Titt!"
The screen turned to another page with 'payment succeed' message displayed.
"Um… hello…"
"Yes?" I replied to a girl voice from behind me. A tall, beautiful girl with ponytail hair.
"Can you lend me some m-money? I d-don't have enough money to buy the food… please… I p-promise to pay you back…" the girl pleaded.
"Um, okay sure… how about I just buy a food for you?" I advised.
She nodded in agreement.
"What do you want?" I asked for her preferences.
"Um… the plain bread…" she chose.
"Only that? You don't want to try others?"
"It's okay," she replied.
"Hm… do you like spicy food?" I tried to figure.
"Hm… kind of… I don't know… I have not tried it…"
"Then, how about this one, Spicy Chicken Fried Rice, I am eating it too, care to try?"
"Um… but that is quite expensi…"
"It's on me, don't worry!"
It's not that expensive though, it's one of standard menu here.
"Okay… sure…"
"Alright, so one more Spicy Chicken Fried Rice! Oh, what drinks do you prefer?"
"Um… anything is fine…"
"Then… ice chocolate milk."
"Okay…"
"…"
"Titt!"
"All done! Let's grab the food!"
"I think I know this girl…" I thought to myself.
So, we take our food and drinks together at the counter.
"Thank you, I will make sure to pay you back…"
"Nah don't worry about it. It's on me. So where will you eat?"
"Um… anywhere is fine…" she answered unsurely while searching for any vacant seat.
"Hey, I think it's hard to find an empty seat in this crowded situation, how about you come seat with me and my mother, there is still two open seats there," I invited her.
"O-okay…" she replied embarrassedly.
So, we walked together towards the table where mom who is patiently waiting for her food to be served.
"Thank you for waiting milady, enjoy your food," I put the food for my mother in front of her.
"Aw you are so sweet, thanks sweetie…" mom replied.
"Are you a waiter here?" she asked.
"Eh, I am not hahaha!" I laughed hearing her question.
"Um, you said there was your mother… where was she?" the girl asked.
"This is her," I pointed to mom.
"Eh, you said milady…" she confused.
I see, she confused on why I called mom 'milady'.
"Hahaha, you are quite blank aren't ya! Sorry if I confused you, this is my mom, I just kidding with her" I try to explain.
"Oh… I see, s-sorry for being so clueless..." she apologised while bowing her head.
"Hahaha! It's okay!"
"Who is this Evie, your friend?" Mom asked.
"Well kind of, right?" I forwarded the question to her.
She just nodded several times awkwardly.
"Take a seat," I invited.
She takes upon the seat beside me. So, I thought of having an introduction session for a while.
"By the way, I'm Evans Reinhard, this is my mother. What about you?"
She just looked intently at the food before responding to my question.
"A-ah! Y-yes… my name is Lilith… Lilith Midnight…"
"Oh, Lilith… um… are you working as a nurse here?"
"Eh? How do you know that?"
"Because I remembered your face in the treatment room before when you treat my injuries… remember?"
"Eh, you are? Hm…"
She is thinking for a while before finally remember it.
"Ah, you are the guy who tried to walk out from the treatment room before I completely treat on your ankle with tough acting on that evening!"
"Hahaha yes that's right… Eh what did you say?"
"Um… the guy who walk out from the room before I completed the treatment?"
"Eh, really? I thought…"
"Didn't I say wait before?"
"Ah… well I guess I misheard it…"
"Serves you right, you should wait until a treatment is complete before start moving around. You don't have to act cool in front of every beautiful girl you meet—" mom joined in.
"I get it, I get it mom, let's eat okay!" I interrupt her embarrassedly.
When I silently glancing at Lilith, her face turns red. I wonder why… Wait! Perhaps she is one of my harem characters?