Another 4 months have passed since that little incident with Richard during the Truce Festival, the class has finally established him as the rude kid.
And then our relationship has only gotten more tense because he's more and more arrogant the more we ignore him. At first he'd just sneer at me, but gradually he started targeting Mike and Gerd as well since I never bitten his baits.
And then, our relationship has only grown ever more intense as now he sometimes even shoulder checks us whenever he passes us at the hallway. We told the teacher about them but the teacher never really punishes the trio, all they ever do is just warn them.
Well... Enough about them. Right now, it's mid autumn already and the air is starting to get really cold again, this meant that during winter we won't be attending school because it's too cold.
We don't have a summer break but we do have a winter break which lasts almost 2 and a half months. That's because this city sets in the middle of a mountain side into the northern part of Central Land. This means that our weather is cold, really cold.
I kind of misses the weather of Japan, with 4 seasons. Here we only have 4 seasons in name, the truth is that there's only 2 seasons, snowy or not snowy.
It rarely even rains during the spring and summer. Most of our water comes from magic, or the basins and ice melting up on the mountains near by. Large aqueducts were built to carry these water straight into our city's giant underground reservoir near the center. It's rather well engineered if you ask me, and it's huge capable of storing water that can last for months on end.
Besides having guards guard the water, the church also frequently sends priests to go down into the reservoir and cast 'Cleansing' so that the water will be kept clean. If you need water you can just take it from the wells that extend down here.
"It's getting quite cold isnt it? This part of the world is just like this... "
I mumbled while rubbing my hands together before I wore a fluffy glove to keep warm. I still wore the school uniform but I have the blazer on to keep warm. And then I wore tights on my leg so that it won't freeze as well. I had a scarf on my neck which I sometimes cover my ears with. Finally, I have mom's custom made winter coat on. I didn't have to wear the hood yet because it's still not that cold.
"Yea I agree. We don't really get used to this cold temperature at all. " Gerd mumbled as well, sitting besides me in our class while we just finished lunch.
"I know right? Despite the fact that I have spent all my life here, it stills get stupidly cold for me even when it's still not winter. " Mike sitting next to Gerd joins the chit chat as well.
"Just a few more weeks and we'll be having finals. Are you all prepared for it?" Gerd asked.
"I'm fairly confident that I can keep my second place." I wasn't lying though. I never stopped studying properly, so I was confident.
"Must be nice to be smart huh, Ms NO.2 and Ms NO.3 in class. I think I can pass the test just fine but getting Aces are a bit too much for me... "
"Don't be sad, even I completely fail with miracles."
"As if you will understand the struggle of a normal person... you being that talented after all. But you are humble, that's what many people like about you. "
"Hmm... I don't know if that's a praise or not... "
"Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying you didn't have to work hard for your achievements. It's just that I can't achieve your results no matter how hard I try. "
"It's fine, I get your point that you aren't trying to insult me. "
Finals huh? What I said about me being fairly confident that I can get most Aces with the exception of Miracles, it's true, and I can't deny the fact that it's actually talent. I have been blessed with a good memory in this body, I have never really struggled with Language, History, Arithmetics, Moral, Field Combat, and even the 3 sub class of magic.
Anyway, despite me saying that, I'm still studying extra hard to memorize things from these subjects. But that's just because I had a head start in this magic studies thing with Gondur, that's all. When I reach the third or the fourth grade my grades will start to drop if I slack off now so I mustn't do that.
After school has finished, I went home.
"I'm back. "
"Welcome back onee-chan! "
"Oh! I'm back Marie. "
Everytime I come home, I have a cute little sister greet me. That is rather wholesome and it puts a smile on my face everytime it happens.
"Welcome back Kyrie. "
"Yes, mom. "
"As always there's food in the kitchen if you are hungry. "
"Okay. "
Since recently, me and mom are both getting really busy, we haven't been getting to converse much on normal days. On the weekends things are still normal, but on the weekdays I'm busy with home work and mom's busy with potions. The only real chance we get to talk is when we are having dinner, but we aren't alone when that happens since dad and Marie will join in, so it's less affectionate.
Either way though we still love each other so it's fine I guess.
I put down my bag in my room and then went to prepare a bucket of warm water to wipe my body with. We don't have a bath tub at home, and like all medieval people we have to go to the bath house if we want to clean ourselves properly. Usually we only wipe our body with warm water and cloth at home, so every weekend we will head to the bath house together.
Dad always bathe alone since we are a family of 1 male and 3 female. He says he's lonely and want to join us in our baths, but he then got slapped by mom instead.
"I just want to be with my family...." He was mumbling that on our way back home.
Aside from these occasions where we head out together as a family to cinemas, shopping or somewhere else, I also head out and with my friends, and sometimes I play with my sister instead. I don't want her to grow up into a dull girl like me who doesn't even know what kids of my age plays. Still, she can only play around in the house since she's only 3 year old, that's why I don't bring her out to play.
And just like me, she doesn't cry a lot. Back on earth when I was small, I had a smaller distant cousin that always cried and he's the most annoying kid to take care of. Compared to him, taking care of me or Marielle is way WAY easier.
Soon, it was time for my exam. Just like the entrance test, this one also have field tests for magic, and then there's the written test.
During the exam, I was quite busy studying and so I didn't get to play with my friends a lot.
Right now, sitting together eating lunch, Mike complained about the test.
"Man, that math test was so difficult... Are they supposed to be teaching kids like us how to do division and multiplications? Aren't those challenging even for adults?..." Mike groaned because he struggled in the test.
"That was hard...? " I mumbled under my breath but quickly held back my words. I don't want to appear arrogant afterall.
Like it or not, multiplications and divisions is actually really easy when compared to maths you learn in high school of Earth.
"Did you say something Kyrie? "
"Nothing I was just talking to myself. "
"I see. "
What I said was the truth however. We haven't even studied the third dimension in geometry, and there's no exponents (squares, cubes, square roots and cubic roots) yet, and there's no quadratic equations yet either. This is basic maths at best. That is to be expected though since there isn't calculators in this world yet to help make calculations faster.
Somehow this world's technology is rather weird. There's things like toilet papers, and sometimes rarely there are glasses, and also my school uniform is a fashion that is rather modern. The weirdest thing is how there's toilet papers, but there isn't modern flushing toilets, nor is there water pipes. And then they are still fighting with swords and bows... I'm just really confused about this world's technology.
Besides, muskets are not that advanced of a weapon as far as I know. What's advanced is in those guns with magazines, bolt action to load bullets from those magazines and then those semi automatic rifles as well with all the recoil spring and gun bolt. I know for sure that even with the enchanting technology of this world, I wouldn't be able to make them as I'm talentless in making tools.
"Did you think it was hard?" Gerd, lacking the ability to read the room asked him innocently.
"Yeah it was. "
"I see... You have to work harder then. "
"Grrr... " I could see a vein popping on his temple. I expected him to get angry but then he said something mature that exceeded my expectations.
"...you are right. This test just proves that I'm slacking off in class. "
"But you didn't slack off in class right?" I reassured him.
"Actually I did. When you all are studying I went and read story books. When you all are busy paying attention to the teacher I was dozing off. I slacked off a lot, and now I paid the price. "
"I see... As long as you have the maturity to see your weakness then you will be able to overcome it. Unlike certain people in our class... " I said as I glanced over at the trio troublemakers, sitting at the far back side of the class.
Before I know it, our seats have all been rearranged. We no longer need to sit according to our rankings and we can choose to sit wherever we please. So right now I'm sitting right next to Gerd, who sits next to Mike.
"Hahaha, you are right! Even if I hit rock bottom, I would never fall to that level of shamelessness! "
The bell of the school rang. Unlike back in Japan, the bell here is slow and loud ringing because it's a massive bell at the top of one corner of the school building. It's still less loud than the one from the church which is so loud it could be heard around half the city.
"Ah, lunch time is over already... It's time to go back to studying and preparing for the second math paper then. "
"Yea... ''
That's how my entire exam went. During this period, Richard and his gang didn't provoke us at all since even they are busy studying. After all, we are still kids from the Ace class, the best of the best. Even troublemakers here are good kids that will study.
Once the exam was done, after another week of school it is the winter vacation. Before we head home on the final day, our class held a celebrational tea party.
Zodd is joining this tea party as well. Everyone brought our cup, and then I prepared hot water with my magic. This preparation has somehow became my party trick and also a lecture for the entire class.
"Oh Water heed me, bring forth the beginning of rivers, and of seas. "
"The crest forms and then turns into a water ball which floats mid air. It doesn't fire off because I haven't say the activation word yet, which is the name of this spell. To make a make-shift hot water, as you focus on maintaining the water ball in shape as you cast a mildly powered 'Ember' beneath it. "
"They say our explained it actually makes sense." Zodd praised my explanation. Apparently even he can't do something like this.
"Oh Lord of the light, bring forth warm and... brightness? Ah whatever I forgot the chant since I haven't spoke it for so long. I only casted it chantlessly so.... "
I lighted ember underneath the water ball and then let it burn.
"So this is how you do it. With practise I believe anyone can do it, because most people can simultaneously cast two spells anyway. That's what the teachers told me. "
"That is quite a handy trick indeed, you are really good at this." Even Zodd was impressed.
"Hehehe, thank you for the praise! Anyway let's have the tea party. "
I poured the water into a pot. There's a classmate who's family work at a tea house. The tea they make are really delicious.
With a cup of tea in hand, everyone walked back to the class after I help them pour the tea and finally poured out my own.
"Kyrielle, give everyone a toast." Zodd said that while holding a cup of tea.
"Me?"
"Yea you, who else is the class monitor other than you?"
"You have forgotten the vice monitor! How rude! Mike! " I scolded Zodd before I called for Mike who's sitting back at the seats, unlike me who's standing in front.
"Alright." Mike, from his seat, took his cup of tea and then walked forward.
I held his hand with my own, but it seems that he's flustered.
"What are you doing?! "
"What? Giving everyone a toast, what else?"
"Ah, I see... You had me scared for a moment..."
"Hahaha, what?! Did you think I was gonna announce to everyone that I want to be your girlfriend? Haha you are such a shy boy! "
"Shut up! "
"Anyway..."
I took a deep breath and then raised both of our hands up in the air. With a loud voice, I declared.
"I offer a toast to everyone in this class 1-A, cheers!"
"Yeaaa!"
Everyone raised their tea cup and then we had a toast, not with alcohol but with tea instead. It's still tasty though so.im not complaining.
We played some mini games with the entire class for about an hour. Soon, it's time for us all to leave.
"Thank you for everything, sensei! "
"Ah. It was fun to have you bunch as my students as well. We might not get to be in the same class next year, so I hope everyone good luck. See you everyone!"
"See you sensei!"
We all left the after we packed our things up. I had to lock the door, so I waited for everyone to leave first before I exited the class and locked the door with Mike and Gerd.
I removed my green arm band. Mike did so as well.
"Let's drop this off at the teacher's office then." Mike said that after he removed his armband.
"Yea. Let's go Gerd."
We walked in the hallway towards the office. It seems that despite other class having their own celebrations as well, most of them already left, so the school was oddly empty.
Again, just like during the festival, we bumped into Principal Jack. He's patrolling the hallways this time as well.
"Hello principal. " (3x)
"Hey there, the three kids that I don't remember."
"What do you mean you don't remember?!" I got annoyed at him.
"Hahaha, you are a funny one, Kyrielle student. Out of everyone I have met, only you actively bite into my jokes and make things interesting."
"...that isn't funny!"
"That's what they all say when they got got by a joke. Either way, it has been a long year, good work everybody. Please take a nice rest for this winter before you come back to school. Remember not to neglect your studies during this winter alright? Farewell. "
He continued walking again.
"How cool."
"Is he?" Mike asked again, exactly like he did during the festival.
"He is." I replied just like I did during the festival.
We looked at each other for a while and then laughed together before we continued walking.
"It has been a fun year hasn't it?" Gerd started to chat while we are walking.
"Right?" "I agree."
"During the winter, we won't get to play together because it'd be too cold to go out."
"Yea..." Mike groaned while I remained silent.
"We might not even end up in the same class next year..."
"..." (2x)
"However, we must always stay as friends for as long as possible! We might not get a chance to be together during class, but we could always just hang out together outside, and during school lunch as well!"
"...yea!" (2x)
"So... Don't just suddenly disappear like my old friends okay?"
"We won't, don't worry."
While Gerdur isn't crying, we all could sense a hint of sadness and loneliness in her words. After that, we walked in silence.
We arrived at the office, and there's a designated box for us class presidents to place our armband. Me and Mike put it inside and then we all turned to leave the school.
As we walked, I suddenly had an idea.
"So that we won't forget each other for these 3 months, how about we all walk home, take two gifts to gift to each of us and then meet at the fountain in the central area? You know, the one in front of the church."
The church... Uh oh... I had forgotten to go there every half a year! I messed up big time! I think I'll show up there after I'm done with exchancing gifts.
"Hmm, good idea but what should we exchange?" Gerd asked.
"Amything will do. But if possible, give them something emotionally precious, this way it'll hold more meaning." I elaborated.
"Hmm. I think I have an idea of what to give."
"Anyway, remember, half an hour from now we meet at the fountain in front the church!"
"Alright!" (2x) After saying that, they ran off to their house.
"Sigh..." They ran off to their home... Oh well, I should go as well.
I walked alone on the street. Cold winds blew between my legs, wearing a skirt doesn't help either. I have mom's coat on this time as well so it's less cold.
"Hmm... Did I grow taller?"
When I started this school, the skirt reached halfway of my calves. Now it is slightly above, about between the knee and the middle of the calf. Give me 3 more years and it'll reach slightly above the knee, exactly the length it should be.
I touched my chest as well, but it's still flat. It seems that as I approached the age of 7, I started growing a bit more, but still too slow to call puberty. Why? My chest haven't grown at all. But I am still a kid right now so I shouldn't expect so much.
"Oh, if it isn't Kyrie!"
As I walked on the walk way, quite a few carriages pass by on the main road. Riding on top of one of the carriage passing by is Ghyse.
"Ghyse nee-chan! "
"Hmm, you look really cute in that outfit and that coat, as always. I see you are attending the school at such a young age huh."
"Yea. It's part of my promise with the principal haha!"
"Mmm. "
On the day she left, despite promising us that she'd come and hang out at our house occasionally, she actually never visited us after that time.
"So what are you doing on this carriage?"
"Me? I'm delivering potions to merchants, I was just heading to the outskirts of the city to trade with them. "
"The merchants?"
"Yep. Madam --- your mother has the entire city's people buying from her. I can't keep up at all with her business, so instead I target the people outside, which are merchants. These merchants will buy my potions and then sell it to other clients like villages, farmers and ranchers. They are about to make a final trip before they live in the city for the winter, you can't travel in the snow after all. "
"I see, that is a really innovative idea I must say. Is the business good?"
"It's good. I'm making about as much money as madam right now."
"Do mom make a ton of money doing her work?"
"Not enough to become a noble per say, but enough to feed your family, Marielle included, an extra year for every year she worked. Oh yea, how's your sister?"
"She's growing up. She learned to talk better the other day and now she's crawling around in the house a lot. "
"That sounds just like you Kyrie haha!"
"Well she is less careful than me because she hurts herself a lot more than me!"
"You don't get to talk after that storage room incident haha!"
"It's different! That was an unprecedented accident!"
"Whatever you say, girl. Anyway, I'll have to continue my delivery. I might drop by the shop if I feel like it so goodbye for now. Do give my regards to your mom okay?"
"Okay, goodbye!"
We bid farewell and continued on our way.
It's really cold already. I blew hot air into my palm and then with one hand holding my bag, I grabbed the hood and pulled it up to cover my head. I could feel my thighs freezing now despite me already wearing a stocking that covered it up!
...How lonely... Somehow, everyone is bidding farewell today even though we all live in the same city... Is this what they call 'so close yet so far'?
Back in my old life, almost everyday was this depressing and lonely because no one accepted me again, due to me running away from my guilt. I had no one to blame but myself.
Even so, feeling this loneliness again is a bit much even for me. Because I get the chance to have a fun life again, this made me more and more afraid of feeling this loneliness again. Before I know it, I had become dependent on my friends and families, that is not a good thing.
...I need to stop relying on them so much emotionally. So that when the day comes that I lose them, I won't feel like dirt because I was too dependent on them.
Anyway, I finally finished walking home and the entered home.
"I'm back. "
"Welcome home onee-chan!"
Again, my sister greets me like she usually do. It helped alleviate my loneliness a bit.
"I'm back, Marie. "
"Welcome back Kyrie. Today is the last day for school, did you bid a nice farewell to friends yet? "
"Not yet, I was planning to gift them something so I will head out again, to the fountain in front of the church. "
"I see. Be safe alright? And again, I prepared lunch so if you are hungry you may help yourself to it. "
"Alright mom.... Thanks mom."
"For what?"
"For everything. I was just feeling lonely because I was bidding farewell to everyone just now. I even met Ghyse but she's busy so I bid farewell to her as well. But seeing you, sister, and dad has help ease my loneliness. "
"I see. We will always be here for you Kyrie. Farewells are a normal part of life, you should embrace it. As long as you cherish the moment, your farewells will worth a lot more. Besides, as long as you all are alive, you will have a chance to see each other again... "
I sensed a hint of sadness and nostalgia in her voice. She must've remembered her days with Dad and her leader, Jett was it? I can't remember his name well... Whatever. She really handle things like this well don't she? That's an adult for ya!
"Anyway, Ghyse told me to say hello to you. I'll go and get the gifts now and head out alright?"
"Okay."
I ran upstairs into my room. I took two things, one is the wooden sword that I have practised swordsmanship with over the course of these 4 years. The other is the magical textbook, one that first showed me this world's magic, it also taught me my favorite and the handiest spell, Ember.
Both of these held a lot of meaning for me, I was slightly reluctant to part with them but I need to gift them to Michael and Gerdur.
I took them and then walked downstairs, without even changing my outfit.
"Onee-chan, are you gonna head out again?"
How cute. The way she tilts her head when she asks makes my heart flutter. Now I know my dad's weakness, I had teased him like this after all, back when I was smaller.
"I-I'll head out for a little while. Sit tight, I'll be back really soon okay?"
"Okay! "
"Mom, I'll be going alright?"
"Alright. Be safe. "
"Will do."
I exited the shop with the two things in hand.
I jogged slightly towards my destination. And when I finally arrived, there I saw Gerdur standing there, with her back facing me.
"Hey Gerd!"
"Kyrie!"
I ran up to her.
"Where's Mike?"
"He haven't arrived yet."
"I see. Shall we wait for him before we start exchanging gifts?"
"Okay!"
Me and her sat down on the bench facing the fountain. The fountain had stopped pouring water already because it is time for the mountains nearby to start freezing. Since most of our water supply came from the mountain, this fountain would be stopped when we need to store large amounts of water for the winter. It's a waste of water after all.
This also meant that it's about time to snow, since it's already near the end of autumn. Funnily enough, this world had no names for months or days, we only count the number of days, weeks and months. I had gotten used to this system before I know it. If for example you want to say 'January fifteen' here, it'd be 'Three weeks into Early Spring' in this language.
"So, have Kyrie thought about what to do when you grow up?"
"Hmm... Not really. What about you?"
"Me neither... But I think... I think that I want to become a traveler."
"Why? Isn't it dangerous?"
"Not really. Travelers merely travel the world and see sights! And for every one quest that is dangerous, there's ten more quests that have no danger. As long as you don't wander into dangerous places or accept dangerous quests, you will be safe."
Her long blue hair flows nicely as the wind breezes through.
"I see. "
I went into a deep thought for a while. Since I came from another world, I do want to travel this world and have a nice look at it myself. It's an entirely different world from earth, so it's natural that I would be curious.
While I'm paranoid about the safety of doing so alone, being in a group will increase the safety at least. Besides that, there's the point that Gerd made as well, about how merely travelling the world is usually safe.... usually.
And so, I made my decision as well.
"If you are gonna become a traveller, then count me in!"
Upon hearing my words, her face livens up.
"Really?! I'm so glad, Kyrie, you are the best!"
"Oh? What about me?"
We looked backwards at the extremely familiar voice. It's Michael.
"Oh, Mike!"
"Yo, Kyrie and Gerd. What were you all talking about just now?"
"We were talking about what to be in the future! "
"Ohh... When I'm grown up, I want to be a teacher. "
"Ehh? How lame..." (2x)
"What?! Don't insult other people's passion like that!"
"We want to become travelers when we grow up. We will be traveling the world together while you stay and teach boring kids how to write!"
"Ouch... you don't pull your punches do you? Besides, isn't that dangerous?"
"Not if you are careful!"
"I see. Well, if you two are really heading out then I would like to join as well, but I won't become one if you two don't do it."
"I see! Then that is a promise! Let's do a pinky promise!"
"Mmm!" (2x)
We each held out two of our hands and we hold our pinky fingers together.
"So, what gifts are you all gonna give? I'll start first then."
Mike proceeds to hand the two of us things he felt were precious. He gave Gerd a bracelet made out of a colorful rope, and a roped necklace with a wood carving to me.
"These two are made by my very own hands. It's precious to me but it'll find more use for you both than to me. "
"It looks pretty, thank you!" Gerd thanked him.
"Thank you very much, I'll wear this even while sleeping."
"You don't have to go so far haha."
"Well then, it's my turn then. "
She handed me mini palm size bear plushie. And then an expensive looking pen to Mike.
"Thank you for this." (2x)
"That plushie was with me since I was born. I liked it really much, so I'm giving it to you Kyrie. As for the pen, my dad gave it to me after he didn't want it. Since I rarely get to use it at all, I will give it to you Mike!"
"I see. These two things held a lot of meaning for you huh? It's your turn now Kyrie. "
"Of course. "
Form the side of the fountain, I grabbed the wooden sword and the book. I have Gerdur the book and then gave Mike the wooden sword.
"Thank you for this." "Thank you very much!"
"This book is what led me to discover magic. For years I was fascinated by this book and I learned almost all of my magic starting from this book. It holds a lot of meaning for me. "
"As for this sword... It has a dark history but I had always used this as my training sword when I work out and practised my swordsmanship. It has all my sweat on it, don't do weird things with this knowledge alright? "
"I-I won't! But you said something about a dark history... what is it about?"
"So you are curious huh? Do you want to listen? It's a long story. "
Mike looked at Gerd and then nodded his head.
"Let's sit down then, since this is a long story. "
(Chapter 23 end)