In the blink of an eye, an entire year had passed...
Over the past few months, things had been progressing favorably for Vicente's group. However, for the moment, their focus remained on Martell Village, where more than 80% of the local suppliers had now allied with them.
While he and his group still had opposition within the village and had not yet started their operations in the shadowy networks of nearby cities.
That was soon about to change!
...
Upon waking up in the morning, Vicente typically had breakfast along with Nina and Eve, a routing which he had been doing almost every day since forming an agreement with three local merchants more than a year ago.
In these last few months, Nina had grown significantly, while Vice had come to trust Eve more readily.
They had been through a lot in the last year, allowing Nina to grow a little more. That made Vice feel confident in Eve even when he had to travel outside the village.
He had to get separated from Nina for the first time since the death of their parents two months ago due to a business trip. Since then, Vicente has been giving Eve more responsibilities within this household.
In a few months, Vicente would turn 14, when it would be time for his Awakening. During that period, he would have to be away from home for a few days, and Nina would not be able to go with him, given her classes at the academy.
However, Vicente was no longer worried about putting his sister in danger and was counting on Eve to take care of this little girl daily while he was away.
"Nina, hurry up, or you'll be late." Vicente reminded his sister.
"I know, I'm coming." Replied the nearly 7-year-old girl, as she held a piece of toast in her mouth, putting her backpack on her back while she was prepared to leave.
While Nina could now read lips, her brother and Eve usually used signs with her since it was much easier for her to understand them.
As Eve watched the little girl leave in a hurry, she couldn't help but smile.
Vicente thanked Eve for the breakfast before setting off in the direction of his warehouse.
On his way, Vicente ran into some of his neighbors and exchanged greetings with whoever spoke to him, something he always did.
Vicente was an active member of this society.
The entire village had learned to respect Vicente after he took over the businesses of several local merchants and continued to hire more and more local residents.
Currently, he had more than 50 people working in his family's warehouse, where the locals believed just normal merchant stuff took place.
Those who were part of his armed group blended among these 50 individuals and the armed guards who accompanied those three merchants in their travel.
Only a select few people knew of their existence, allowing Vice and his people to face no problems regarding the royal laws in the last few months.
However, some people in the village knew this young man was not simple and commanded a group of men who were willing to fight for him.
This recognition was one of the reasons he was respected locally!
While walking through the village's central square, Vicente unexpectedly spotted an old acquaintance from his academy days and narrowed his eyes.
A tall, blond young man was smiling and talking loudly to a group of people in front of the building of the Academy of Stars.
Upon seeing the Magic Gem in the shape of an orange pentagon on this young man's forehead, Vicente vividly remembered Darek, the young leader of the group that used to bully Rory.
Not only did Vicente see him, but Darek also seemed to have noticed Vice and glanced towards this black-haired fellow while Rory was approaching his friend.
Rory observed Darek and commented to Vicente, looking at the person who was responsible for him, living several months in disgrace during their days at the academy. "It looks like Darek has just returned from Millfall, where he awakened his magical powers."
"The bastard has a fucking unusual Magic Gem."
Vicente could sense his friend's bitterness in Rory's words as he stood silently watching in that fellow's direction.
Years had passed since Vice and Rory's confrontation against Darek's group. Rory had grown beyond the torment he had faced during their academy days, and by the end of his time at the academy, he had already emerged stronger than Darek.
Nonetheless, seeing Darek with a Magic Gem, the number two in the Fuller family couldn't help but recall some of those dark times of his life.
Vice didn't comment as he quietly observed as Darek walked toward them.
"Well, look at it if it isn't you two, haha," Darek remarked aloud as he stood next to his old friends from academy days. "Where is Ian? He's not in the village anymore?" He asked, acting as if he was just another acquaintance of theirs.
Vicente then replied, "Ian had left the village for some time. His family moved to Saltstar City two years ago."
Ian had not returned to Martell Village since his departure over three years ago.
Less than a year after he began his studies at the Royal Academy of Saltstar City, Ian's family had also left the village for the city, having no intention of returning.
Vicente and Rory knew about this as Ian's sister was a good friend of Lauren's, and she had visited little Nina a few times during these years. When her family left, she had bid farewell to them and warned them that Ian was unlikely to return.
Rory and Vicente understood Ian's situation and did not blame him for not keeping his promise. After all, the trip from that city to the Martell village was very long and dangerous.
Vicente understood this more than anyone else!
As for Darek, despite living in the village for most of the year after Ian's departure, he was not aware of this situation.
"Is that so? What a shame. The three of you were really such great friends at the academy..." He said, smiling and looking at Vicente and Rory with an expression of superiority.
"Darek, we were away from the village for a few months... But I heard that our old acquaintance, Vice, is now like a local boss," a young man who looked like a giant pig said, remembering their brawl of that time.
"Oh? I seem to have heard that before our departure as well... It seems that Vicente is a great merchant," Darek turned to Rory and commented. "But next to this fellow, ah, that is not much of a surprise. Are there any better salesmen than pimps?"
"Darek, don't be so bold in your words. Things between us are very different than they were back at the academy," Rory said, peering into the green eyes of their old rival. "Don't assume that awakening your magical powers puts you in a position where you can face us.
Let me offer you some advice: stay away now so you won't regret it later."
The young men accompanying Darek did not like this and began channeling their mana, preparing for an attack.
Amidst this, the onlookers in the vicinity realized a confrontation would likely happen. They stepped back a bit, creating some distance from the situation, anticipating a spectacle that was about to unfold in the middle of the central square.
"Quick, someone calls for help! These fools are defying Vicente!" A bystander shouted, fearing for these young individuals who had spent a few months outside the village.
At that moment, Vicente raised one of his hands and simply smiled.
Bang!