„Happy 16th birthday, my children!" I heard my mom say.
Still half-asleep, I opened my eyes and immediately jumped out of bed, wide awake.
"Yes! Finally! I'm an adult!" I exclaimed with joy.
My siblings also woke up and looked at my mother and me with bleary eyes.
Robert, my brother, shook his head and yawned. "How can someone have so much energy this early in the morning?"
"Let him be, Robert," my mom interjected. "Come on, your gifts are waiting!"
Since I was already up, I quickly shed my sleepwear, simple woolen garments, and put on my daytime clothes.
Now that I was 201 cm tall, my mom had to order custom-made clothing from the tailor, which was a bit expensive.
As I left the room, I accidentally bumped my head on the door frame.
"Ouch," I mumbled as I rubbed my forehead, but I quickly forgot the pain when I stepped into the living room, which also served as our kitchen.
Inside, I had to stoop a bit due to my height, as the house was too small for me, but my excitement overshadowed any discomfort.
There, I watched my mom cooking some eggs.
"Eggs?" I asked with wide eyes.
Mom smiled, "Yes, you can't have porridge like every other day on your birthday. Go ahead, have a seat!"
„That is a great gift! Thank you!" I said and sat down, eagerly wiggling in my chair.
My siblings slowly joined me at the table, and once they heard that we weren't having oatmeal for breakfast today, they, too, became excited.
After everyone was seated, it didn't take long.
My mom came to the table with a pot, wearing woolen gloves and a big smile.
I couldn't help but smile too.
"Just a moment!" my mom said, and she quickly ran outside to fetch some fresh rolls.
"Rolls!" my sisters exclaimed.
"Still warm!" my mom announced when she returned.
We ate in contented silence. Even though we didn't speak during the meal, I could see the joy in my family's faces.
After breakfast, we cleared the table, and my mom said, "I have a little something for all of you."
My siblings and I looked at her in surprise.
Then, my mom retrieved five small wooden boxes, giving one to Robert, one to each of my sisters, and two to me.
I looked at her with curiosity.
"The extra one is for Hilde," she explained.
I was confused since Hilde had returned to the Circle of Rebirth.
"She probably wants you to leave it at her grave," Mama added.
Ah, now I understood. "I will, and thank you very much!"
I accepted both boxes and opened one.
"Wow..." I murmured, "Beautiful."
"I found these glittering stones on the coast a few weeks ago and thought of making necklaces for all of you."
I carefully removed the necklace and put the leather cord over my head.
Then I took the slightly violet, yet translucent stone into my hand and examined it up close.
"I slightly moved it, and it glistened in the light. "Thank you!" I exclaimed and jumped up, accidentally hitting my head on the ceiling. I ignored the pain and hugged my mom.
"Not so tight," she said, patting me gently on the back.
I let go of her and apologized. My siblings then thanked and hugged her as well.
"Wasn't this all quite expensive?" Robert asked.
My mom gave him a stern look. "So what? Today, you're adults, and that's special. You can start your own families now so we don't see us so often anymore in the future!"
She paused for a moment. "And some of you, I may never see again..."
"With these necklaces, we'll always be connected," she added, showing us that she also had a necklace, but with two stones. "See, I have one too!"
My brother and sister nodded thoughtfully, and I wondered who my mom was talking about, but she looked sad, so I didn't ask.
Instead, I said, "Thank you; the necklace is beautiful!"
My mom smiled again, though her eyes seemed a bit teary. "I hope you won't forget us through the necklace."
"Why would I forget you?" I asked, puzzled.
Mom and the others looked at me, smiling and shaking their heads slightly, but they didn't say anything.
"Shouldn't you be going soon?"
"You're right, Mom! Thank you and see you later!"
I left our small house and walked toward the temple. It had been a while since I last met Emma at the Melting Point, as she came irregularly.
As I walked along the path I had probably traveled a thousand times, I thought deeply for the first time in a while.
Over the past six years, I had grown significantly, spending each day with Phillip to learn various skills.
I had been cutting wood and exchanging it for the necessary supplies for my journey.
I had also learned to cook, so that I can cook for my mom and siblings. I had learned a bit about hunting and camping from Phillip, but...
*Thud*
What was that? I asked myself. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt an unfamiliar emotion. What was this feeling?
Nevertheless, I was at the temple now and saw Phillip tending to some weeds. I decided to ask him about it.
"Good morning, Phillip! I have a question."
He turned to me.
"Oh, good morning, birthday child!" he smiled. "What's on your mind?"
"Well, I was thinking about something..."
"You were thinking?" Phillip interrupted, laughing.
I gave him a bewildered look. "Of course!"
"Alright, go ahead, ask your question." He said with a light chuckle
"If you hadn't interrupted me, I would've already!"
"So?"
"Well, I've been thinking about the future, the past, my family, and my journey more specifically. Suddenly, I felt this weird feeling..."
"Hahaha," Phillip laughed. "I've been wondering when you would think about it. Tell me, Läry, what were the two main goals, let's call them that, that you've been working towards?"
"Hmm, I just said it. To support my family and to journey through the Dungeon," I replied.
"And it never occurred to you that these things might be at odds?"
"No, why?"
"It seems like your body knows more than your mind," Phillip said, smiling with a touch of sympathy, I think.
"What do you mean?"
"I think you had a surge of uncertainty or loneliness. I make it short; You can only focus on one goal: either exploring the Dungeon or taking care of your family."
When Phillip said this, it was as if a switch had been flipped within me. I was torn.
"W-What... I-I... I'm so dumb! No wonder Emma always says that and is better than me at everything!" I felt tears welling up, even though I hadn't cried since Hilde's death. I could hardly hold them back. My inner desires were tearing me apart.
Then, Phillip came over and placed his hand on my chest; I was too tall for him to reach my shoulder.
"You may consider yourself foolish and see it as a weakness, but I've always seen it as a strength."
I looked at him questioningly.
"Do you remember when you noticed that Emma is much smarter? Do you remember what I told you then?"
I shook my head.
"What I meant that time is, due to your limited thinking ability, you don't overanalyze things. You don't overthink or overcomplicate matters. When you set your mind to something, you go all in, heart and soul, without second-guessing yourself."
I stared at him with wide eyes.
"Do you mean it?" I asked softly.
"Yes! In my opinion, you've already surpassed Emma. When you know something or can do something, you understand it, or you act on instinct, because you learned it intensively. Emma, on the other hand, memorizes facts but doesn't necessarily have a deeper connection to the subjects."
"Thank you, Phillip; you're very kind!" I said.
"I'm not kind; I'm just speaking the truth. For Emma, being intelligent is a curse, but for you, being not-so-smart is a blessing," he laughed and gestured for me to follow him.
As we walked, he said, "Now, you need to decide which path you will wholeheartedly pursue—family or the Dungeon. Keep in mind that your siblings are adults now too."
I stopped and pondered.
I hadn't been wearing the necklace Mama gave me for long, so I could clearly feel it around my neck.
I pulled it out from under my shirt and looked thoughtfully at the violet, shimmering stone.
I thought about my mother's words, how the necklace would ensure that we'd never forget each other and remain connected.
"So, that's what she meant..." I murmured. "They knew that we might never see each other again..."
I looked down as a tear escaped my eye.
I clasped the stone in my hand and looked up with determination in my eyes and voice.
"I will embark on the journey!"
I could feel Phillip waiting for me.
He nodded, and we continued walking, this time in a different direction, with me following.
We passed by the Rebirth Sites, where I placed Hilde's wooden box by her grave and chatted for a short while with her.
...
We stopped behind the temple, where we had been training for several years.
This was the place where I could develop my skills.
"So, you've made your decision?" Phillip asked.
"Yes!"
"Good. You passed the theoretical part a while ago. Would you like to complete the practical part now and officially become a Faith Ambassador?"
I nodded with unwavering determination.
"Show me what I want to see," he said.
I proceeded to demonstrate my control over mana, my progress in the art of the green flame, my sense of atmospheric mana, and my fist-fighting techniques.
Phillip observed me intently and even tested me by throwing invisible mana balls at me.
"Good," he said after two hours. "While not everything was a criterion, and we could have easily checked it with your status, I saw what I needed. Congratulations on your promotion to Faith Ambassador!"
He grinned broadly, showing his missing teeth.
"Congratulations!" we heard a female voice.
We turned around and saw that Emma had finally arrived.
"Nice to see you found your way here!" I said exhausted.
"Nice to see you're finally a Faith Ambassador!" Emma replied.
I grumbled a little but tried to ignore her mockery.
Phillip shook his head and ignored us.
...
"Ouch!" I winced slightly.
"Don't be such a wimp," Emma commented.
We were now in Phillip's house, and he had just finished tattooing my third Eternal Flame symbol beneath my left eye.
"That's it. You're officially a Faith Ambassador now. Congratulations!" he said.
"Thank you," I replied and looked at myself in a sort of a mirror.
Phillip briefly disappeared into an adjoining room and returned with two items.
"Here's a large backpack and some decent shoes."
"Wow! Thanks a lot, Phillip!"
I jumped up and hugged him. In the corner of my eye, I noticed Emma shaking her head, but I ignored her.
"You're finally on your way!" Emma remarked.
I had learned to ignore Emma in most situations, and I did just that.
"Okay, time to go home! Tomorrow is a big day!" Phillip said.
"Really? What's happening tomorrow?" I asked.
"It's the start of a new chapter in your life. Tomorrow, you'll take your first steps, won't you?" He asked grinning.
During his grinning I saw his old teeth and that some of them are missing. Nevermind.
Then I thought about his words for a moment and decided, "You're right!"
I smiled and said my goodbyes.
"Then see you at the gate at sunrise tomorrow!" I called out as I ran off.
Phillip waved goodbye with a smile.
On that summer evening, my family broke the silence rule during dinner for the first time.
I had returned right during dinner time and couldn't keep my thoughts to myself.
As I sat down and informed my family that I would be starting my journey tomorrow, the mood was a strange mix of joy and sorrow.
They all supported me and said they had been waiting for this message, but somehow it sounded sad.
Because of this I couldn't quite understand my mother. She cried and smiled simultaneously.
Then she hugged me and said something about being proud, being sad, and that she would miss me. I would miss them too.
Now I lay in bed, trying to fall asleep. To take my mind off things, I checked my status:
——
[Status]
Name: Läry Potter
Title: Disciple of Rebirth
Age: 16 Years 0 Months
Species: Scalari
Level: 1/3
Exp: 64/200
Mana: 221/221
Muscle Strength: 13
Muscle Agility: 12
Body Control: 10
Stamina: 16
Skills: [Green Fire Magic; Competency 3], [Atmospheric Mana Sensing; Competency 3], [Fist-fighting techniques; Competency 2]
——
I smiled slightly at my progress and thought that it could be seen physically auswellt , then I was now a bit more muscular and not as slender like in the past.
However, I still liked the name Läry.
As my thoughts shifted, I eventually fell asleep.
I woke up very early, even before the sun had risen. Although I had already packed everything at the evening , I decided to double-check everything to be sure.
I hadn't dressed yet, but I had everything laid out. Fortunately, everything fit into the large backpack that Phillip had given me.
It had numerous pockets and plenty of storage space, and he mentioned it was waterproof.
I had a tent, several knives, fire-starting flints, four one-liter water bottles made from processed wood, a pot and a pan, spare clothes for warm,cold or rainy weather, unwritten cowhides, wooden utensils, a sleeping bag, some firewood, and of course a condensed version of "The Chronicles of the Eternal Cycle."
Additionally, there was a mana lamp that my mother had given me; it was very valuable as it could be illuminated with mana infusion. She had it from her hometown outside the Dungeons.
The knives, pot, and pan were the most expensive items, made from newly discovered iron, which was challenging to process.
I worked a long time for them, but it will pay itself back.
There was still a lot of space in the backpack for me to fill during my journey.
Having gone through the inventory one last time, I went to the creek for a final wash. I brought my daily clothes to change directly there.
At the creek, I undressed and washed myself thoroughly.
My reflection showed in the water, the moon, and my imperfect body still afflicted by the disease.
"Argh!" I shouted at my reflection as I always did, swinging my arms and letting them fall into the water, destroying the reflection.
Afterwards, I stepped out of the creek, which had become somewhat shallow for me, and dried myself with a green flame.
I dressed and, for the first time, put on the boots, which felt very comfortable on my feet.
When I stood before our house, something prevented me from entering and grabbing my backpack.
"Will I never see this house again?" I asked with sorrow.
"Läry!" I heard my mother calling from inside the house in a desperate tone.
"Calm down, Mama!" I heard Robert say. "His backpack is still here; he hasn't left yet."
I heard nothing more, as I was thrown into some kind of trance. I stood in front of the house, and everything seemed so unreal.
Would I never experience and see all of this again?
Doubts crept in, and I began to question Phillip's words.
Then, when the door opened, and I saw my mother running toward me, tears flowed before I even realized it.
I hugged my mother and whispered, "I will miss you. Should I sta...?"
*Bump!*
My mother interrupted me with a… nudge in the stomach.
She looked at me with eyes that were moist but firm.
"We will miss you too, but you will go your own way. But we don't doubt, I don't doubt, that this is the right path for you!"
She took her necklace and held it up in front of my face.
"See these chains; as I said, we will always be connected and will never forget each other. So, you better not decide otherwise now!" she said.
I only nodded and silently agreed.
My doubts diminished slightly, and I whispered, "Thank you."
"Now go and get your backpack. You are an adventurer, and here, take this as well!" she said, smiling, and handed me a clay pot with a little seawater in it.
"Wow! Thank you!"
I ran into the house, took my backpack, and put it with a proud expression on my shoulders.
My family and I, together we walked to the stone gate, where Philip and Emma were already waiting for me.
Seeing Emma there surprised me, but I was pleased, as despite not getting along well, we had spent a lot of time together.
We all greeted each other with nods and walked in silence through the tunnel, marking the beginning of my journey.
I led the way, and when we reached the other side, the gatekeepers ignored me but greeted the others.
I was used to most people ignoring me due to my appearance or even being scared of me.
"Never mind!" I thought.
I looked at the people who mattered most to me.
I hugged each of them tightly and for a long time, even Emma.
My eyes welled up with tears, but I spoke with determination.
"Although I will miss you, I won't regret my choice. Farewell, and I love you!"
My mother and sisters were in tears, while the other three just smiled faintly.
"Safe travels, and may you have a wonderful life!" all six of them said simultaneously.
"We love you!" my mother added, and I couldn't be sure if that applied to everyone.
I waved and turned around so that no one would see me crying.
A few hundred meters later, I looked back one last time, waved with both arms, and shouted in a melancholic voice, "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, AND FAREWELL!"
Then I put on a smile and looked at the scenery, which I had often seen from the walls and occasionally up close when I went hunting with Philip.
It looked completely new and even more beautiful now.
I felt the warm breeze in the shed, the fresh air in my lungs, the sun on my face, and the grass under my feet.
With the morning birdsong I took my first step of my journey and only Mephisto knows how long it will last.
"I hope it will be long!" I said and had to laugh, nevertheless still sad.
////Authors/Note/////
Sorry for all the crying. I hope you can understand, because Läry may never see his family again.
Thank you for reading and understanding. Have a nice day!