"I guess there was no need to be concerned after all." I murmured emptily to myself, as I tried to once again tune out, Lana's incessant laughter.
"Take a look! Feast your eyes! It's incredible isn't? ..." She continued to laugh.
To change the earlier mood, I decided to ask Lana regarding magic and her Talent. Then the following reaction was like I pressed a button.
In her hands, rapid trails of golden lightning bounced off her fingers like circuits or conductors. The incessant buzzing of this display would further increase whenever Lana's laughter hit a new note. .it got to the point her fingers were coated entirely in gold bolts of lightning.
This was Lana's Magical Talent and Attribute of the 'Variant Element '; Lightning.
Untop of awakening first signs of magic talent at such an early age, she happens to possess the attributes of a variant element. I asked her more about it but then she started spouting some narcissistic bullshit and whatnot about bloodline, that i regretted asking.
Then she took it a step further to display her attribute for me and was currently now basking in the glow of 'superiority' I guess.
I sighed.
"Yes, yes. You're incredible. Number One, the best. Now let's head back to that skewer stand." Then I casually began walking away.
"Right? It seems you're beginning to understand, you little brat. This is the level between you and Myself." She scoffed and began following behind me.
By this point I had once again tuned Lana out of my world. But internally I was reviewing what I had discovered about magic these two days alone.
Despite restraining the burning ambition from gracing my face, I already had my heart set ablaze from Lana's little display. This was even further multiplied by the fact that I could even get to openly practice magic sooner!
I was five, barely six. If I patiently waited and 'coincidentally' showcased my 'first' signs of magic by the time I turned 7 or even 8, like Lana, I wouldn't be branded as an abomination or whisked off to some lab. I'd be considered a genuis!
But even that will warrant unwanted attention.
Among the ramblings and bullshit that came out of Lana's mouth at some point before, a future was already set for her. Eventually she'll have people coming to find her and be whisked off to God-knows-where. I wouldn't want that.
For that not to happen, I had to at least be strong enough to protect myself in case anything goes south, and there's a limit to how strong I can grow in only two years from now, especially only in swordsmanship.
So I'll have to delay my 'awakening' just a little further. Within that time, I'll learn as much as I could about magic, and grow stronger altogether, and go public when I'm 12.
'Uuggh. But my 12th year is still 7 years away.' it wasn't much, but I had already began to anticipate the progression of my life from now to then, so those seven years could feel like eighty to me.
"Hey. I said, Hey! Are you even listening to me, you brat?!" Breaking out of my thoughts, I heard Lana scream.
"Mmh?" I nonchalantly turned to face the blonde girl, unfazed by her shouts.
"Have you even been listening to what I say? If you keep eating those, you're going to get a bad stomach!" She whined.
Oh, was the snotty Lana Munrow displaying concerns towards my health, I thought amusingly.
I spared a glance at the paper bag in my hand with a number of skewers sticking out of it. While I had been absorbed in my thoughts, my body had instinctively returned back to the stand from before without realizing.
I smiled.
"Thanks for the concern. You want one?" I handed a skewer over to Lana, but she hesitated for a moment, as she stared at me as if a new and different specie.
"...What" I frowned a little.
Lana broke from her stupor then stuttered.
"N-nothing! And no, I don't want one! Myself doesn't eat that, y-you brat!" She swatted my outstretched hand, forcing the skewer out of my grip.
I watched as the skewer fell to the dirty ground.
"Ah." I exclaimed mildly.
"Hey, you know you could have just said "no" and that would have been enough. Also could you cut it with the 'Brat'? I could overlook it before but it's really getting out of hand now. Even my patience runs out." Then I sighed and looked away at the skewer on the ground.
"What a waste of good money." I shook my head dejectedly and moved on, leaving Lana behind.
"H-hey, you bra...where do you think you're going without me?!" Then she rushed after me.
For the rest of the time I walked around, I made sure to savor each bite I took of the skewers. I spent my last card of them after all. And I'd probably have a fierce stomach battle once I got home.
But feast now, suffer later.
"Fancy looking hand you got there, young lad. Mind giving an old man an arm, eh?" An old strained voice reached our ears as we were brought to the attention of an old beggar dressed in rags with a half empty bottle of rum sitting at an alley's entrance.
I paused and took a look to my left then my right. I raised my finger and gestured at me.
"You talking to me, old man?"
The old beggar smiled and revealed rows of brown and cavitiy infested teeth before taking a chug out of his already half empty bottle of rum. Then he raised his finger at me.
"Yes. You." His crooked smile grew bigger and meaningful.
The short silence that prevailed after that shattered at the sound of the beggar's purring stomach, and the man just laughed it off then took another swig at his bottle.
"Tsk. What are you waiting for, let's just go. This man's a known beggar in these parts. Whatever you give him now, he'll just waste it all on rum and return the next day." Lana spat out by my side. Her words were hot with irritation, her gaze venomous with disdain directed at the man.
Once again the old beggar laughed her remark off.
"Well, that is true. This old man's gotta have his rum. But, say, I'm feeling pekish tonight instead." He admitted, then his gaze lingered on me.
No. On a part of me.
I shifted my gaze and looked down at the bag of skewers I held in my hand.
'I-it can't be!' I thought, gasping internally, 'Could he want my sweet land dragon skewers with extra green top mushroom and musk sauce?!'
The old beggar continued to smile. Then his stomach rang in protest once more. While internally I battled with my consciousness.
His stomach purred a third time.
"Alright, fine." I graoaned, resigned. The beggar's smile widened, his rows of brown teeth on full display
"Old man, do you want some?" I raised the bag.
"You're such a considerate young lad, aren't you." He chuckled then took another swig of his bottle.
I furrowed my brows at him, then sighed once more before walking to place the bag of 'My' skewers in his hands.
When, all of a sudden, his dirty old hands grabbed a tight hold of mine before I could retract it. Instantly I was on alert, my other free hand already on the path to my dagger hidden inside of my clothes.
Then he spoke.
"You have nice eyes." His murky dark eyes stared deeply into mine.
"Let go." I warned, staring back unfalteringly into his, my tone icy. My fingers already wrapped around the grip of my dagger inside my clothes.
He maintained a crooked smile all the while. Slowly his grip on my arm loosened, my guard still firm and strong.
"Before you go, I have something to show my appreciation for your kindness." Saying so, he pulled out an old, worn out book from his clothes and handed it over to me.
"This could prove useful." His crooked smile was like a crack on his face now.
I stared warily at the book.
"I don't want it." Was all I said and attempted to pull myself back. But the old beggar grabbed my hand tightly once again and leaned forward.
"No. I insist."
I stared into the beggars murky eyes, the feel and grip of my dagger wrapped by my fingers became more pronounced each passing second, my mind growing cold.
I observed the book closely, warily, then resigned.
"Fine." I took the book and pulled back as soon as I was let go.
The old beggar broke into crazy laughter then took a swig at his bottle only to find it empty. He flicked his wrist and got rid of the bottle then smiled at me.
I found that smile off setting.
"Lana, let's go." I said, turning to leave without a reply.
"Huh? Who do you think you're —" Lana protested.
"Now." I demanded without turning back, before leaving.
My mind felt cold that I failed to recognize the sounds of Lana's footsteps behind me.
'Old beggar...'