Kleine Fußspuren means Little foot steps
Sorry~ I felt like this german words fits better for some weird reason~
I will add Elaine's character/Parametre profile later since we are still in her childhood chapter and she isn't fully awaken her power fully.
Anyways enjoy reading dear readers!!!
-
It was a light rainy day in the Ragnvindr manor/Dawn Winery. The ten year old gray haired Demi-Servant stood alone with closed eyes and her outstreched hands were welcomed of the rain openly which she peacefully enjoyed this moment that the raindrops poured her down gently.
Her dress were streched because of the rain but she didn't mind it at all, since it will dry once Elaine wanted to head inside. Her hands trailed down on her chest and she opened her arzure blue eyes that still looking up to the dark cloudy sky then she turned her head to the person who was frozen next to her which she smiled without any meanings behind it.
"Kaeya. How long are standing besides me?" Elaine questioned oblivious that her adoptive brother who just lightly fluttered his eye a bit which reminds her of a lonely star.
"Ah, sorry." Kaeya covered his face and handed her a white umbrella which Elaine gladly took it. She opened up and stepped closer to Kaeya who just didn't know what to do but ask.
"Why are you standing alone without covering yourself? Father and Diluc would scold you for that if you get caught a cold after this."
Elaine just hummed herself and stared the rain instead of looking into Kaeya's eye then she silently sighed.
"Say, Kaeya? What will you gonna to do when you are older?" The Demi-Servant asked which the blue haired boy was surprised over this question but he didn't hesitate to answer her.
"I'm doing what Diluc is going to do, becoming a knight of Favonius. And you?"
Kaeya didn't know why his adoptive sister acting like this way instead of being cheerful and seeing her like this makes his heart clenched in his chest as she looking like she was made of glass, but he knows she isn't.
"I want to be a adventurer." Elaine told him which he was surprised of her answer because Kaeya didn't expected.
"Why do you want to be adventurer? Did you know that this job is alot more harder than the knights of Favonius since the carrier has a unstable income and need a lot of skills to survive from the outside world, also Father will dissaprove this." Said Kaeya and wanted to stop her leaving them behind because he didn't her to be hurt even it was a foolish thought of him and he don't want to lose her.
"I know." She said then Elaine looking him serious in the eye. Her royal blue eyes were filled now in resolve which Kaeya was thinking back, how much his adopive sister changed so much in three years ago, "But my heart has been set in stone that I want to learn more from my own eyes of this world."
Elaine was aware what she will dealing in the future, since Galahad suggested her that it would be for the best that she should journey this world on her own two feets like he did when he was delivered the holy grail to god and didn't want her to be sheltered since her heart was harden from what she had seen, also they don't be belong this world.
Galahad who keep her alive as he still resides her soul and her status of a Demi-Servant, who knows what the planet's will would do to them. The grail knight wanted her atleast gain some experience of this world before some kind of a counter guardian decided to act.
"...There's a competition at the capital in a week."
The Demi-Servant blinked at him in surprised as Kaeya looking at her in serious.
The twelfth years old boy continued, "Show us all what you got to win and I will accept your decisions of yours." He raised his hand at her as Elaine's expression changed into determination and she accepting the challenge from Kaeya.
"It's a Deal then."
They starred at each other for a long time then suddenly Diluc yelled at them.
"Oi~! How long did you two are gonna stay here like this? You guys have to hurry up to get inside or Adelinde would scold you for an hour!"
Kaeya and Elaine widen their eyes as they recalled last time that the Head Maid scolded them like no tomorrow which they got quickly running to their home since they don't want to standing like a statue and listen Adelinde's lecture.
As they are now at the entrance and they looked at the hallway then sighed that the demonic Maid was not here.
Diluc who just first dried Elaine with a towel and scolded them at the same time, "What are you guys thinking? Be glad that the rain wasn't awfull and Adelinde was just heading back to her room, for Anemo Archon's sake!"
The gray haired girl looked at his other adoptive brother in guilt while Kaeya looking in other directions who just pouted.
"I'm sorry, big brother. I just like this sort of rain that washed away my worries and its very pleasant." Elaine lowered her head which the red haired boy cubbed both hands on her cheeks and looked at her with a soft expression.
"Please, promise me that you won't do it again. I don't want you to be sick because of the bad weather here." She nodded at him which Diluc was satisfied then he turned around to Kaeya who just whistle himself that made the red haired boy got annoyed and threw him a towel on his face.
"You can take of yourself Kaeya." Diluc stretched his tongue out as Kaeya put his towel on his head and grinned at him.
"Hey, hey. No need to be so angry like that, Diluc." He teased the red haired boy which Elaine just giggled at them and the boys glanced at her with a smile then they silently agree that they should bickering at each other later.
Diluc smiled brightly over his adorable little sister as he put his hands on her shoulder. "Elaine? You should head over to your room and changed your dress before we going to eat dinner." He told her which the Demi-Servant nodded and headed to upstairs to her bedroom while Diluc and Kaeya eyed at each other silently.
"So... What did you guys actually do at the middle of the rain." Diluc raised his eyebrow at him which Kaeya shrugged his shoulder a little.
"Nothing special. We just talking what we are going to do when we are grow ups." He told him and he also raised his eyebrow at the red haired boy, "Why are you asking? Are you perhaps jealous that I starred at her as she was pretty to be soaked in rain?"
Diluc's face turned into pink and stuttered, "Wha- I'm not jealous you idiot!"
Kaeya just sighed and shake his head. "Oh dear, it looks like you aren't aware of your own feelings for her." He looked at Diluc with a smug face, "Well... looks like I have less opponents which looks very good to me."
The red haired boy glared at him and boxed his shoulder.
"She is our sister!"
Kaeya rubbed his shoulder and looked at him bored as he counter him. "And? What's wrong with that? We aren't related in blood with each other so its fine for us."
Diluc paused himself to think even he wanted to hit his stupid brother one more time then he huffed as head to the dining room which Kaeya tagged along with him with a smug face that red eyes warned at him to shut his mouth up.
-
Meanwhile at Elaine's bedroom.
The gray haired girl glanced various clothes on her own bed as she can't decided to choose which one she wanted to wear.
"Why is your bed so messy with your clothes, Elly? Just pick one and done with it, that man who raised you picked those pretty clothes fit to so well that Gawain couldn't help but cooed you like his own siblings, wait this sounds weird." Galahad ruffled his hair in confusion and Elaine decided to pick a nice simple white sundress with a royal blue ribbon band on her waist which she quickly changed her clothes then looking at the mirror to make sure she was cleaned up.
As she was done, Elaine bring her clothes back to her closet then the Demi-Servant head over to her desk to make sure that her special books that contained her magecraft lessons for self-study were locked up.
Three years ago from that horrified place and living here with her loving adoptive family which she was thankful for their kindness that they supported her in care as she had this nightmare and she still has it even though Galahad show his memories which it didn't work for her because it was branded on her soul.
"You shouldn't look back, Elly. All you need is to look forward for the future." Galahad reassured his vessel who cracked her wooden chair with her bare hand who was anxious of her bad memories and Elaine breathed as calmed down for a bit which her heart resonate with her.
"Sir Galahad? Was it fine to leave here in the future?" The gray haired child asked Galahad, "To be honest I don't to leave this place."
The grail knight said nothing as he closed his eyes for a bit then he spoke. "It's fine to think of this and even you are going to be a adventurer, you can always come back here as you pleased and don't think so much of this since you are still young." Elaine nodded and she decided to give it a shot to become a adventurer even it was going to be hard for her, she didn't want to regret this.
She sighed in relief as a heavy burden were lifted on her heart and Elaine headed back downstairs where her family still waiting for her.
"Thank you Galahad."
The Demi-Servant felt that Galahad smiled at her with a rare smile which she pouted as she can't see it from the outer world.
"Nothing to thank for, Elly."
Elaine quirked up a smile on her face as she was called by this nickname because it was very awkward for Galahad that she has the same name as his mother, the former grail Maiden, but that doesn't bothered her anyways.
-
"What is this?"
Elaine starred at her 'meal' in disbelief while her Father and adoptive brother poked their sticky honey roast in hostile.
Crepus glanced nervously to Adelinde who very proud on her own work.
"What's wrong masters? This is just the usual one but improved so you can all eat it all safe now!"
Diluc and Kaeya looking at each other then shaked their heads that they aren't going to eat 'that'.
"Can you use your pyro magic to make this roast at least... eatable?" The blue haired boy whispered to his brother who just sadly shook his head in disappointment.
"Nope. I don't know how to fully control it yet because it takes alot of concentration and I don't want to burn our house accidently."
They both sighed in despair and they sadly didn't know how to cook.
"We should take a cooking lesson If this happening again in the future." Suggested Kaeya and Diluc nodded in agree.
"Ditto."
"Listen, Adelinde..." Crepus put his right hand on his forehead and sighed, "Who let you cook? I ordered the chefs that they shouldn't let you cook at their kitchen and who is in the kitchen?"
The head maid tittled her head. "Oh? Nobody was there in the Kitchen for some unknown reason, so I decided to take this on my own hands."
The older man just sweated as he remembered HE was the one who let the staff free from their work today since they all have this same strange sickness that they had to go to the church to their check-ups while Crepus was mumbled what he is going to do since he and the boys couldn't cook from theirselves, Elaine decided to took the glance of her suspicious sticky honey roast nervously.
'Is it safe to eat since I am a Demi-Servant?'
She nibbled first the carrots a bit which she was relieved that the vegetable were at least okay.
'I don't think you shouldn't because you are still a human.' Galahad disagreed and he also felt with her as he didn't forgot Gawains cooking which wasn't bad as Adelinde though the sun knight made quantity instead of quality which was boring, but humans need to eat to survive and thankfully he can cook a decent meal as he journeyed for his holy task.
'Can I take over your body?' The holy knight asked which Elaine raised an eyebrow.
'Sir Galahad? Don't you think this raise suspicious on me that I led you my body? Last time, my eyes were the same color as yours.'
Galahad blinked his eyes in realization. 'Oh. I forgot this importent detail, my apologieze. Then you can head over to the kitchen and cook while I instructedyou to make a simple meal then.'
"Adelinde." Crepus called her with a sigh while Elaine quickly left the dinner table unnoticed as she head to the kitchen, "You'r actually banned from the kitchen for the sake of our life of this reason that you cook questionable foods that no one should eat it."
The head maid widen her eyes in shock and nodded in defeat that, "Understood."
Meanwhile at the kitchen.
The Demi-Servant warped her black apron and glanced at the remaining ingredients on the Kitchen Island while Galahad hummed himself.
'First of all, Mince the wild boar meat with two butcher knife and use structure analysis to make this all even then seasoned it well with grounded black pepper and salt.'
She placed one kilogram of meat to the cutting board and minced it with high speed until it got turned into grounded meat then she seasoned with pepper and salt.
'Then mince the onions and then thoroughly panfry the vegetable on low heat.' The difficulty was control the heat since they using a stone stove which was actually dangerous for the children and Elaine cried a little as she minced the white onions into little pieces.
"Why do I have to cry when I mince the onions?" She sniffed her nose and whipped her tears which Galahad sweatdropped on her mind.
'Due chemical reaction? Also sharp knife could prevent this.'
Elaine deadpanned herself as she remembered the textbooks that Zeltrech given to her.
"Right... Moving on then, what's next?"
As the Demi-Servant proceed the next task Diluc and Kaeya watched dumbstrucked that the gray haired girl make food for them and talking herself with her imaginary friend or so they believed since Elaine sometimes talking with someone which they can't not see him or hear him.
Her brothers gluped their salvia as they smelled of onions and hoped that Elaine's cooking would be better than Adelinde's cooking.
"Wait..." Diluc realized something, "How come that she can cook?" He asked himself which Kaeya also had no clue where Elaine learned how to cook.
"Beats me, but whatever she was going to make would be so good and my stomach calling me right now!" His star shaped pupil eyes were gleamed about the food she cooked while Crepus obversed his daughter in unreadable expression and stroked his short beard a little.
"Hmmm."
One hour later. Each plates for each person were filled with meat patties in dark glaze sauce on top and few vegetable on the sides aswell which Diluc and Kaeya yelled.
"Thanks for the food!" They took the piece of meat into their mouth and their eyes their widen, "Delicious!"
Elaine watched them gently as they wolved down their meal while Adelinde sobbed herself that she also have the liberty to eat with them on their table aswell.
"My lady... The food your made is really exquisite than my Sticky Honey Roast *sniff* and I don't know what too say!" The head maid whipped her tears and sniffed which the gray haired girl smiled nervously.
"I believe that you can improve yourselve, afterall cooking is trial and error."
'Don't encourage her!!' The males thought with a sweat on their forehead as Adelinde took Elaine's words in her heart.
"Hmmm." Crepus hummed himself in delight as he tasted a little bit, "Such a nice and warm taste. You really done that well kiddo."
He placed his rough hand on her head as started to pet her which Elaine lightly blushed and pouted.
"Papa! Please stop pet my hair!"
Crepus chuckled lightly and paused as he catched a glimpse that her eyes turned slightly sandy gold and it quickly disappeared which he narrowed his eyes a little.
"Father! Pet my head too! I worked so hard from the training for the competition!" Declared Diluc with a full-mouth which the red haired man chuckled himself and he did as his son told him cutely then Kaeya was next aswell.
"Hai. Hai. Make sure to give your all of this competition since the knights of Favonius oversee children like yourself that may have the potential to enter their organisation, though the percent is very slim." Told Crepus kindly to Diluc and Kaeya who also participate aswell while Elaine watched them in the distance then placed her knife and fork to her plate as she was prepared to tell her loving adoptive father what she had on her mind.
"Father." Elaine called him which Crepus looked at her and he could swear that he saw a older version of his daughter who wears a black armor on her.
'What on Celestia am I seeing?' Her adoptive father thought and this isn't the first time for him since his son, Diluc resembles like a falcon covered in flames, 'Am I getting slowly senile?' He silently questioned himself while he waited an answer from his cute daughter what she had on her mind as her eyes bored into him in determination without any regrets in her.
"Can I participate at this competition awell?"
Everyone was silent as she spoked this sentence which Elaine eyed at them then she continued while Diluc didn't know what to say and Kaeya already knows her future goal.
"I know this came out of blue but... the Knights of Favonius are not the only one to oversee us, the Adventure's Guild also were looking for new recruits and I want to be a adventurer because I want to see the world."
The Demi-Servant bowed her head and silently pleaded on her mind that Crepus accepted her request while he obversed her at the moment then he sighed.
"Is this what you want then I won't stop your goal." Crepus knew that the time has come to her to forging her own path, since she was an outlander without memories before the incidents that Elaine told him about and she had always nightmares about it that his sons sleep with her on her bed which was very comforting to her, "But make sure to grow strong enough to have a long lived life... This is a plea for me."
Elaine was stunned that Galahad nudged her which woked her up. "Yes! I will do my best!" She said with a small smile while Diluc looked at her.
-
As they finished their dinner, Elaine decided to head to her room to study magecraft or . She is a avid hardworking girl that she studying healing first because its also common to magus children to learn that from early age, Reinforcements/Projection, her elements which was oddly Wind, Light and Void while her origin remains unknown for her.
'Originaly, I want to study Astromancy but since we have a bad weather here, then I should study math and physic.' The Demi-Servant thought with a sigh as she headed to her room also there was another reason why she was outside, because she was training to reach her limit since her power wouldn't fully awaken if she didn't do it.
Then suddenly a small hand grabed her arm from behind which she turned around to see that her brother, Diluc looked at her in concern from what she has decided to do in the future.
"...Are you really okay with that, what you want to be adventurer?" He asked which Elaine nodded in confident.
"Yes...I made my mind up." The Demi-Servant said to her adoptive brother which the red haired boy suddenly hugged her which she gladly accepted it. "You know... I was really glad that I lived with you guys. However-" Elaine gazed over his blazing red eyes that told her anything, "This is what I swear for myself that I want to the whole world. No matter how hard it is, I want to fill the hole inside of my heart."
Diluc raised an eyebrow, "A hole?" He questioned which his sister remained silent and smiled while Kaeya hidden himself as he eavesdropping them.
"Well this difficult to explain... but I know every human has it."
"...Is that so?" The red haired boy hummed then he decided to give her some space, "That's it for me then and make sure to train hard for the competition because I will not go easy on you!"
Diluc let her go and headed to his room that Elaine waved a little.
"I will also not going easy on you, Diluc and you aswell Kaeya."
The blue haired boy flinched in surprised that his sister knows that he eavesdropping.
'How did she know that I was here?'
[To be Continued]