I am five years old now and I started to understand our family's situations a little bit from the talks mother and father had.
Our house is on a small hill with a big garden, in the front, mother planted some flowers while the backside is the vegetable garden. Oh, there is also a big tree near our house, in its shadow brother and I used to play.
The town center is a little far from our house or it could be said that we are on the outskirt of the town. Our neighbors are also a little far from our house so, it's a little quiet here.
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"Oh, honey, you are preparing dinner today? What happened to Leila?"
"Her mother wasn't feeling well so, she took leave for a few days. For a while, I will be doing the housework. Don't worry, Alex-kun and Ed-kun helped me too."
"Do they? Haha... our sons seem to grow up a lot now."
"Ufufu..... they have. And they are growing up very fast."
"Yes, but I would have liked them to be a child and enjoy their childhood a little more."
With that said, my mother and father looked a little sad, as if they were remembering something very unpleasant. The bitter smile on my father's face is clear as day to a small child like me.
"It's Okay, everything has passed now. We could only hope our sons grow up into fine men." My mother's reassuring words didn't quite reach my father.
"Speaking of growing up, We have to think about their education, Alex and Ed will have to attend the academy in a few years. I think we should start saving some money for that too."
I heard them talking by chance and from the direction the talk was going, I could conclude that we are not well off.
"Yes, the boys will have to go to the academy." My mother seems more depressed by that fact than we will be having a hard time sending me and my brother to the academy for education.
"I think we won't be able to afford other servants by that time. And we have to reduce our expenditure too."
"Well, we have no other choice so, we have to make do with it until our situation improved for the better. But, Leila is a friend who has grown through our hard times and she was also a great help both during my pregnancies and childbirth."
"That's right. We can afford at least one maid, as a family friend we could keep her and also you need a friend."
Leila is about the same age as my mother, she had long red hair, blue eyes, and a bright and cheerful personality. She gave off the aura of a mature and motherly woman. She is the one who took care of me and my brother, and we love her.
"Don't think too much about it, as Ed-kun is already big enough, I think I could also help you out. If I also work now, We could save enough money for both of them."
To tell you the truth, my father is a very great man, he is a great husband to my mother and also a great father to me and my brother. Also, my brother is very gentle and caring he treats me well, his little brother.
Sometimes though, he would try to act like a grown-up man in front of me, which I find very funny, as he is only three years older than me.
Even though my parents have some hard times, for us brothers, we have no problem at all. For us, our parent's love is more than enough for now.
Our family of four is a very happy family. As we live on a small hill, my brother and I are like free birds. We play all day running around or playing hide and seek.
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From what I have learned, our world could be best described as "survival of the fittest", where power and wealth decide one's status in society.
Oh, Magic exists in our world.
Besides, I and my brother are also learning about swordsmanship and magic.