Chapter 1: Birthday Pie
Third Month Of 2981 Sage Year.
On another hot sunny day at Silver Oak town market. Many merchants are busy selling their goods, the market street quite crowded with people and their beasts mount that come and go leaving only mess on muddy street grounds. Although Silver Oak Town only counts as a small town in the faraway eastern region of the Drainor Kingdom, Silver Oak Town still attracts many people from outside to come and do trading thanks to Silver Mountain's rich nature deposit of rare minerals such as rose amethyst stones. This rose amethyst stone is a type of rare gemstone that can be used for creating magical tools and weapons. Such rare material can only be found in a few places across the Drainor Kingdom and one of them is the Silver Mountain region.
Silver Oak town is also famous for its beast hunting ground because the town is the gates toward Silver Oak Forest. Silver Oak Forest is home to many kinds of low level spirit beasts in eastern regions. Because of Silver Oak Forest, many people came for hunting those Spirit beasts to sell its corpse because they can be used as magical tools and weapons and to tame or sell alive and used as mount or beast companions.
At one miscellaneous item merchant stall on the corner of Silver Oak town market. A middle-aged man is arguing with 12 years old boy. The kid wearing tattered clothes with many dirt on them. His face was covered with dirt but no trace of childishness can be found on his face. From his attire, he looks like people from the lower class with poor backgrounds. But what makes him different from other boys of the same age in the area is he already smoking a pipe and whenever he smokes, his expression is very old and annoying.
This boy's name is Ramus, he lived in a slum area in Silver Oak Town outskirts. He originally lived with only one relative, his one and only uncle name Karth. 12 years ago his uncle Karth is coming with baby Ramus to Silver Oak Town when the first time Karth arrive he was badly injured because ambushed by bandits on the road along the way to Silver Oak town. Karth was forced to stay for a while to recuperate his injuries. When his injuries are healed, seeing the good atmosphere in Silver Oak Town, Karth decides to live there with Ramus and become a mercenary for fulfilling their daily needs. In his early years stay in Silver Oak town, Karth is becoming a famous person as he saves Viscount Marcos's life and helps Viscount Marcos who is the ruler of Silver Oak Town successfully hunt a Silver Wind Leopard, a strong spirit beast from deep Silver Forest area.
For several years Karth's life is quite good and be able to take good care and enough money for Ramus and raised him in good conditions. Whenever Karth almost runs out of money he usually goes out to Silver Mountain and Silver Oak Forrest or nearby areas for doing missions. Life was good for both Ramus and Karth until on one peaceful night when Ramus was 8 years old, Karth suddenly woke up Ramus and tell him that he will be going to do a sudden urgent important mission and must leave soon.
The innocent little Ramus was so confused and scared and begging his uncle not to go and leave him alone. Karth does all he can for calming the young boy and promising Ramus that he will be back immediately after the mission is done. In the end, young Ramus doesn't have any choice but to agree. Before he go Karth gave Ramus some money and a book that contain some kind of breathing techniques and told Ramus to train according to the book secretly, without other people knowing. Since then Ramus has lived alone patiently waiting for his uncle to return.
One day, One Week, One Month, and One year passed, Ramus faithfully waited for his uncle to come back but it never happen. Ramus began to worry that his uncle may have some problem on his mission or have unfortunate encountering outside although he knows Karth is a strong mercenary.
One day Ramus is out of patience and decide to find information about where his uncle goes to several peoples in the town including peoples from Viscount Marcos's house but all of them didn't know where Karth is going and from them, Ramus found out that Karth not taking and doing any mission from the town.
Many people were moved by Ramus's situation and offered him shelter but Ramus kindly refuse their offers and kindness as he choose to live alone. Ramus's stubbornness attracts sympathy from people around his house and many of them is gave Ramus some food every day and care for him. Feeling lonely, Ramus decides to do what Karth said and began to learn the techniques from the book.
After six months of secret training, Ramus feels that he become very full of energy and vitality. Ramus also found out that when he does hard chores, he becomes physically stronger and less tired. Ramus is happy with the changes in his body and Ramus begin imagining himself becoming a strong swordsman like Karth and those strong-looking mercenary from the town. As he progresses with his breathing technique training, one day Ramus feels something burns inside his lower stomach and he suddenly realizes that some kind of energy vortex is forming inside his lower abdomen.
Realizing the weird phenomenon inside his body, Ramus feels scared and secretly decides to find the information about what happened inside his body. Several weeks later he has gathered all information he needs. Ramus found information about something with similar symptoms called the mana gathering process stage that happens to people who possess and train their mana energy inside their bodies.
The people who possess and train their mana is called mana practitioner and the mana gathering process is something normal that happened to mana practitioners in their early phase of training. But what makes Ramus confused about it, these mana practitioners is having a mana vortex inside their hearts instead of the lower abdomen like him. In the end, Ramus is still very happy because from the information he got, out of 1000 people on the Blue Sky continent only 1 people is possessing mana, and few of them that capable to train further to become warriors or mages. Having a chance of becoming mages or swordsmen in the future is making Ramus so excited and he keeps his ability a secret.
Someday Ramus realizes that the money he got from Karth is almost gone and he decides to find the money of his own since then. Sometimes he joined the hunters or mercenaries to Silver Mountain or Silver Oak forest as porters for quick cash but after meeting several very annoying and arrogant mercenaries Ramus always secretly mess with them and stole their goods and then sold them.
Back at Silver Oak Town Market, Ramus is arguing with the merchant.
"Are you kidding me Eron, I got this dagger from the mercenary of Cledor !!" Ramus argues with the merchant.
"No way snort nosed kid like you is acquaintance with those mercenary from Cledor, last time you told me that ax is from Baron Aldrich soldier but its turn out you steal it from Silver Fang mercenary member, I almost lost my life because of you !!" Eron is angry.
"Come on it's just a trivial matter, you got a lot of profit are you from selling that ax, it's made from the horn of iron back beast and I only sell it to you for 5 Silvers !!" Ramus said with an annoying face while breathing the smoke from his mouth.
"Whatever, I don't want to pay 6 Silver for this dagger, the risk is too great my profit will not cover it if something bad happens again like last time" Eron.
"Come on, for the old-time sake with my uncle just buy it for 6 silver," Ramus said.
"Nah…"
"6"
"Never"
"5"
"No Way punk"
"4"
"…"
"Okay 4 silver take it," Ramus said impatiently.
"If you swear in the name King Gilian, I may buy it for 1 silver" Eron said while smirking.
" Are you trying to kill a little kid like me o Eron Son Of Gron Cleen, I'm just 12 years old kid ?" Ramus said with a scared expression.
"Kid my butt, there is no 12 years old kid who smoking a pipe in the entire Drainor except you, you are not a kid but Druuna !!" Eron said.
"Damn your ancestor, you dare to compare to that little shameless demon beast old man !!" Ramus is angry.
The two keep arguing until almost an hour, in the end, Eron buys Ramus's dagger for 1 silver only. Ramus feels very angry but nothing he can do since he direly needs money. After getting his money Ramus comes into the food shop with a neatly attired old who is busy fixing some kind of farming tool.
"Helo Meister Arken" Ramus gave the shop owner a casual greeting when he entered the shop.
"Oh young Ramus, I thought you are following Ben and others for hunting !?" Arken said and put down his tool.
"I am already gathering enough money this week, there is no need for me to go with them," Ramus said while taking out his money.
"It seems your business is going smooth haha" Arken.
"Nope, it's the opposite… it becomes harder and harder" Ramus sighed.
"Here you go, 1 bag of brown wheat, 1 of sugar, and a jar of purple cherry as your order last week," Arken said and took out the goods.
"I want a pack of the dry long bottom leaves too," Ramus said happily.
"Young one, you're very weird, smoking is not good for a kid" Arken shaking his head gave what Ramus want.
"You know what…when I am smoking, I feel I am not alone….okay thank you Meister Arken," Ramus said and exited the shop.
"What a poor kid…such a waste for a smart kid like him…if he wants to become some civil servant in the future, he may succeed…" Arken sighed.
When Ramus exited the shop, he saw a little boy around 3 years old happily holding his both parents' hands. Ramus knows this boy's father, he was one of the soldiers who guard the Silver Oak Town Gate all day.
"Dad today is my birthday you promise me to buy a toy and play with me all day long!!" Said the boy innocently.
"Your father is tired Huberd, mother will play with you instead of your father," Said the mother.
"hahaha it's okay Hela, I am already asking permission from the chief for the day off today and tomorrow, let's celebrate our son's birthday in the old Bernand restaurant I am hungry !!" said the father while carrying his son into his shoulders.
"Yay I want cherry pie !!!!" Said the boy.
"Of course, it's our people of Silver Mountain tradition for celebrating birthdays with cherry pie Hubert and Old Bernard Pie is the best !!" Said the father.
"What did you say?" Said the mother.
"eh…forgive me honey my bad… your cherry pie is the best hehe," Said the father.
The little family is happy and they're walking passing Ramus who accidentally hears their conversations. Ramus is dazed for a while and immediately his heart is washed with the loneliness. Ramus feels very sad and lonely but he immediately takes out his smoking pipe go away.
Ramus leisurely walks with his purchased goods toward his house located on the Silver town outskirts. Along the way, Ramus saw a group of 8 adults preparing their stuff including some chain nets and several dull and old weapons. This group is hunters from his neighbors and Ramus knows them.
"Oi Ramus, you came back early today," a long-bearded middle-aged man said.
"Yeah, the business is good today so I can go home early, you out for hunting razorback boar again this time uncle Ben? " Ramus said while chopping an apple.
"This time we just go for fanged rabbits….Are you stealing apples from Old Jaroth again? Ben giggles after seeing red apples on Ramus's hand.
" Nope, some kind-hearted lady gave me in the town" Ramus smirked.
"Hahaha, Ramus gave me some" the Tall and skinny man beside Ben said and Ramus gave him one.
" Nope my butt, you're stealing again…that cheap jaroth have already complained about you to me, if he found you stole his apple again maybe he will beating you into the pulp…just stopped, if you want some just ask Sapro..he will give you" Ben reprimand Ramus.
" Nah, Jaroth is too fat to catch me haha…beside Sapro apples are not sweet like Jaroths haha," Ramus said and bid farewell to the ben and others.
Ramus arrives at Silver Oak Town Outskirts and along the way, he chats and greets several people like an adult until he arrives at a small stone house with some dry vegetables hanging on its wooden ceiling. Ramus entered the house that only had 3 rooms, the bedroom, the kitchen, and a small bathroom. Ramus immediately takes a couple of buckets of water from the well behind his house and washes. After cleaning himself and taking on clean clothes, Ramus took the ingredients he bought from Arken and start to make some food.
The night comes and Ramus was sitting in front of his simple stone oven, waiting for food to be cooked.
"This is the first time I cook the cherry pie, I hope is not taste bad, although the recipe is something I came out with myself hehe" Ramus murmured while looking at the fire.
The food was ready and Ramus take it to the table, it was half burnt simple crude cherry pie. To others, this cherry pie looks unappetizing but for Ramus, this pie is his medicine for happiness since today is the day he turns 12 years old.
"Happy birthday to me hehe!!" Ramus said while drooling already and taking some wooden fork.
"Uuggh it's hot hot" Ramus have a hard time putting the pie in his mouth.
After finishing the cherry pie Ramus trains his breathing techniques for a couple of hours, he tired and goes to sleep.
Ramus who had already fallen into a deep sleep and snored like rumbling thunder suddenly began to have a weird expression on his face. Immediately a rumbling sound came from his belly and he feel an intense stomach ache that forced him to woke up. Ramus immediately goes to the bathroom.
"DAMN IT I HATE CHERRY PIE!!" Ramus pitiful screams from the bathroom.