As I returned to my designated seat at the corner, I could feel the stares of other trainees right at me. Their whispers echoed in the air with each step I take.
Some kept their distance while the rest were plain curious what had happened to me. But amongst those of both, one of them came closer.
Even when he was hidden amongst the crowd, I already saw him inching his way towards me.
It was Renna Heart. The Trainee I almost hit yesterday.
"Umm. He-Hello?" I muttered. Though I have won my first match, and even when it bolstered my confidence by a large margin, I was still the exact same kid as I was yesterday.
The boy who only wanted to read books and had no idea how to start a conversation.
Renna stared down. She stayed still with a poker face, expressionless.
"Do-DO you need something?" I asked again.
At this point I have no idea why he was acting like this. Well, I was never the type of person who can guess what your thinking based on one's emotion, so no biggy.
We stared at each other in for a few seconds. Her eyes darted up and down, probably checking something on my body.
And for a moment, I swore I saw her eyebrows twitch, though I don't know the reason why.
Then after a long lasting stare of five seconds....or probably more, Renna Heart muttered. "I won't lose." And turned to walk away.
"O-Okay?" I replied, but Renna was already a few steps away, and wouldn't have heard my reply that came out like a whisper.
After that, the next fight commenced.
"I will now announce the winners for today!!!" The Bald instructor shouted, opening a small parchment he grabbed from his pocket.
'Today?' The word passed through my head.
'Then, does that mean that, it'll continue tomorrow? Or probably a few more days?'
I asked myself, though no one answered, I already knew.
Seeing as how noon had come, the instructors must be thinking that it was enough for one day. After all, there were a lot of injured children, and only some manage to come out unscathed.
"Xuruz Trueslade!! Lucy Verl!! Hillary Gratios!!! Fraer Sertil!!! Renna Heart!!! Magna Pit! Bane Pyrrus!! Tristan Grete!!! Drake Strat!! Vlaid Craftstor!!! Lanni Zure!! And Xenna Crimson!!!"
One by one, the names of those who won ascended the stairs. Without knowing the reason why, I could only do the same.
The bald instructor placed the small piece of parchment back to his pocket.
"That's all twelve participants!!! Good Job everyone!! Those who lost! Don't be discourage by this one loss!!! People are bound to lose once in their lives! I hope you manage to learn from today's spar~." The bald instructor said with a grin, his eyes fixed on the victorious set of trainees for the day.
'Spar my ass, it's a fucking tournament because of you!'
"It might be early to end this, but we have no choice! REST! And I'll see you all tomorrow! Dismissed!!"
"Yes, SIR!!!" I and the other trainees replied. Thanks to the weeks of training, I was already used to this a little bit. It's like being in the military if you think about it.
"Good! You may do as you want for the rest of the day! Now..." He opened his arms and pulled every single one of us into his arms.
"...go have fun, you rascals!" He pushed us all towards the crowd of people who were standing.
In just a few seconds, we were already surrounded by people. Some asked what kind of training we did whilst the rest were congratulating us from how we fight.
Amidst this, I felt the need to glance back.
My eyes went back to the bald instructor, and for a short moment, before he left, I saw him giving me a smile and a thumbs up.
The corner of my mouths rises. "It look's like he's not all that bad after all."
Contemplating the moment, a hand grabbed my shoulder.
"BANE!" It was Morgana. Throwing herself into my arms, I fell on the floor because of how heavy she was. "I was so worried, you know?"
"Ouch....Nice to see you again, too. How's your studies?"
She raised her head that was previously down on my chest. "It's going great!" She replied.
"Ahem!" Someone cleared their throat from behind her. And there stood Eve, staring down with a scuff face. "Ohh, how great to be young."
"It-It's not like that!" Was the only words I could reply.
I slowly stood up, Morgana on my side darted her head back to me and Eve, her face asking what Eve was talking about.
She's a gullible as always.
I tried to hid the embarrassed side of me, but I remembered that Eve have thes eyes like an eagle.
And as if I had achieved something great, I smiled wide towards Eve. "It's only my first spar, but...I did great, did I?"
"Yep....you did better than I thought." Eve replied, and several others came.
"You were great!" It was Morgana.
"You've done well, considering it's just still your first, but don't let your guard down just yet, there's still some tomorrow after all." Next was Jack who patted my head.
Whilst surrounded by people I care about. The first batch of trainees, one where Aenar belonged to, has also dispersed for the day.
Though it isn't considered a break, everyone was free for the entire day.
Some were already shouting about finally having a break after months, some were stretching their arms in the air while thinking of what they're going to do for the rest of the day, whilst the rest were rushing towards their families, saying that they wanted to visit this kind or that kind of place.
The batch of trainees that lost for the day was down, but their faces didn't show despair. Most were irritated as they glared at me, still refusing to believe how a manaless kid managed to win a spar.
I smiled in a gloat as I caught their gazes.
They made a fist one i did so.
Well, it's better that they have a goal or something instead of blindly training everyday.
This way they can grow more and be more powerful in the future.
I might've won for today, but I'm sure they'll reach a much farther height than I ever will in my life.
I know my limits, but for now...how about I just enjoy this feeling of victory. It's only right since it turned this way, right?
Still smiling towards the losing side, I felt a hand on my shoulder once again. I turned, and Aenar was there.
"B-Brother...." I muttered, having no clue what's going on inside his mind.
He stared for a few seconds then replied.
"You...did good." Without a single expression showing on his face, he turned and started walking away. Though he stopped after a few feet.
"Th-Thanks?"
Though Aenar have definitely changed in the past few months, he was still a caring older brother. And since he also have the day to laze off, he must also wanted to spend it with his family.
He doesn't show it, but I'm sure it'll be alright. He'll grow past whatever problem he have, he's my brother after all.
"So...where should we go?" Eve asked. And everyone I knew waited for my reply.
I cupped my chin and tried to answer, but none came to mind.
I never even thought that we would get the rest of the day off in the first place. It was something that never entered my mind.
So instead, I answered. "Anywhere will do."
Eve smirked. "If you say so."
They slowly walked forward. Morgana pulled me by the arm as we followed.
We were about to leave the training grounds when I happen to see someone on the corner of my eye. Surrounded by a few butlers and a pair of guards, his neck length blond hair stood out like a golden nugget amidst a set of pebbles.
His eyebrows furrowed.
Though I couldn't hear what they were saying, I could somehow guess why he showed such a face.
It was longing.
Being a noble have it's ups and downs.
I've already read too much novel's in my past life to know.
The parent's were too busy to watch their children's event. They might think it's too trivial to watch such a thing, but for a child, just having them around was a bliss.
I've already experience this in my last life. My parent's were too busy whenever an event happened to school, they were always too busy to give me a little bit of their time. And because of this, I felt like I wasn't needed.
Still, I thought of them as the best parent's in the world. It saddens me that they were rarely there on the most important moments of my life, whether it be good or bad, but still....
Looking towards Renna, who was being escorted towards a noble carriage by the road.
I silently prayed that he would be okay the next day.
'It must be hard right now, but you'll realize that what their doing is also for you.....well, that is if my thoughts are right.'
Sometimes reality can be cruel, and the novels I read were figuratively from another person's imagination, but....sometimes it can be true.
It can happen to someone, or even everyone.
I turned back to my family ahead of me,
followed like a moth to a flame.
Without long, the day passes in a quick blur.