Rose is officially 11 years old now. I always assumed that we were about four years apart but as it turns out, it was only three. Perhaps it is time for me to fulfil my promise to her seeing that she had delivered on hers. Truth be told, she is what one would call a genius. Capable of doing just about anything albeit not perfectly. Not to mention her stats are off the charts for an 11 year old. You thought John, Lily or even me had good stats? Wait till you see hers.
We had breakfast together before heading out. I did my very best to whip up a delicious meal for her today and it turned out— pretty good actually. Rose praised the meal that I cooked today. I believe her exactly words were "Pretty good, not great, and nowhere one would call delicious yet". I guess it is way better than the bland ones that I've cooked so far. I guess skill stat do affect your daily activities. Or perhaps practice just makes perfect. I am so close to unlocking the first hidden spell now. Just a few more to go.
I brought Rose to the main townhouse to get a recommendation on what guild is suitable for her. As we were strolling, I noticed that Rose had gained some height. She also does not look frail any longer and gained some weight. I would had been worried if she maintained her frail petite self. And no, I am not saying she's fat. If you've seen her previously then you would be thinking the same.
"Onii-chan? Why are you walking behind me?" She asked while turning her head.
"Hm? Oh, I was just thinking to myself that you had gained height recently and no longer looked frail and petite like before. You might be hitting puberty soon," I said as I put on a thinking face.
Rose placed her hand on her mouth and smirked at me.
"Onii-chan~ Are you perhaps getting interested in your little sister? Heh heh~" she said with a cheeky smile.
Bonk!
"Get moving, young lady," I told her after I've hit her gently on her head.
We reached the townhouse. It looked exactly as it was three years ago. It certainly brought back memories when the three of us started out. I found it strange that within these three years, I had not seen Lily even once. Where exactly did she go? How is it possible for us to not stumble upon one another by chance? Is she no longer inside the city and moved elsewhere?
The very thought of not seeing her is killing me. How and when did I get this obsessed with her? I mean, yea she left an impression on me, but how did it turned into this obsession in wanting to see her? Damn it. A part of me wishes that I've accepted her that time.
"Onii-chan? Shall we head in?" asked Rose.
I clapped my cheeks with both of my hands. My face cheeks, mind you, not the other one. I followed after Rose. To my surprise, it was relatively empty. Perhaps it due to the fact that it is still early in the day and not many new adventurers are early birds. Unlike this little adorable angel that is so eager to join a guild today.
A couple of receptionist were waving at us. I gave Rose the option to decide on which one she preferred. I was surprised when she chose the exact same receptionist as the one that served us. What are the odds?
"Good day, how may I serve you?" asked the receptionist. Aw, what happened to the previous greeting?
"Hi, pretty lady. I am here for a guild recommendation," said Rose.
"My, aren't you adorable? Are you sure you're 11? I'm just kidding. Allow me to brief you on what services we'll be providing you," smiled the receptionist.
She gave Rose a similar briefing that I heard before last time. She had probably memorised everything by now. What I was more curious about was Rose's stats. The receptionist handed the scroll to Rose and waited for her to blow. I held my breath as I waited for the results.
Rose quickly rolled back the scroll before it even showed anything. Hey, what?
"Rose? Why did you roll your scroll without even looking? How are you going to know what is your results?" I asked her.
"I already know what my stats are. No need for me to see it again," she answered.
"Do you mind if I were to see it then? I don't know what your current stats are," I asked her with a polite tone.
"W— why, why would you want to see mine? There's nothing special about it," she looked away.
I squinted at her. Something is awfully suspicious right now.
"Rose?~ You saw mine before, right? Can you let your brother see yours, please?" I asked as politely as possible.
She fidgeted but eventually gave in. She unrolled the scroll to see the results herself as though she needed to make sure. Then she lowered her scroll until I could only see her eyes.
"Alright, but you won't laugh, right? Mine is not as great as yours," she squinted at me.
Why is she comparing with mine in the first place? I am three years older than her.
"I am not going to laugh at my little sister, don't worry about it," I told her.
She handed me her scroll. My mouth flung wide opened as I read through her stats.
Rose Starr
Strength - 18
Skill - 25
Agility - 20
Constitution - 15
Her stats were way higher than mine when I was at her age! And what is with her skill stat? It is even higher than Lily's. Bloody hell, she had already hit the requirements to wield my gauntlets now. I rolled back her scroll and sighed. Rose looked worried upon seeing my reaction. She must had thought I was disappointed with her stats. I gestured her to come closer. I placed both my knuckles at the side of her head and pushed them together while twisting it. She struggled and kept telling me "I give up, I give up!".
"You little twerp, how dare you acted like a sweet innocent child earlier," I pouted at her.
"Huh? What do you mean?" She asked as she tilted her head.
I handed the scroll to the receptionist which she read through. It took her a few seconds to register what she had read as she let out a loud "Ehhhhhh?!". She started riffling through her book. Rose is probably someone extraordinary that she needed to check her book. All her primary stats were way above the level of an 11 year old. I wonder if she'll be recommended to join the Elemental guild instead.
"Um— what I can recommend you is the Elemental guild. But seeing as most of your primary stats are high, you are technically allowed to join any of the five guilds should you wish. Do you have a preference in mind?" asked the receptionist.
"I would like to join the Light guild. Please provide me with a recommendation for that guild," bowed Rose to the receptionist.
"Are you sure? The Elemental guild have special requirements that you fulfil and they don't simply allow any normal adventurers to join. You have a good opportunity with our recommendation, should you wish," asked the receptionist.
I sort of understand why she's insisting Rose to join. I mean, have you seen their guild? If I had forced myself to join the Elemental guild, I would had been set for life. The elves certainly knows how to appreciate their members well.
"Yes, I'm sure. The Light guild is the only one I wish to join or I won't be join any," answered Rose. Woah, Rose is determined I can tell you that.
The receptionist hesitated at first but eventually gave in. Is the Elemental guild giving the townhouse some sort of incentives for any additional member that joins the guild? How sus. Well, the decision is up to Rose. She gave it her all and deserves to join whichever guild she wishes. And after this, she'll have a whole private life to herself.
The receptionist passed us the scroll and I brought Rose to the Light guild directly. Rose can use her rapier one-handed now as she is finally strong enough to wield it. I will only be escorting her to the Light guild and then I'll be heading home. I doubt I'll be invited to watch Rose in her initiation test.
Rose knocked on the door of the Light guild. I am glad that the building was somewhat similar in size as compared to the Dark guild. With one glance, you will know this is the Light guild as it gave off that vibe. At least I don't feel inferior after joining the Dark guild. It would seemed that only the Elemental guild gave off the rich man's vibe.
A voice called us to "Come in" which we obliged. A beautiful lady dressed in white stood at the reception counter. She is beautiful indeed but there is no 'doki doki' feeling unlike the— Ahh, damn it. This pretty much confirms my fetish for female elves. There is no denying it now. Sigh
"Good morning, how can I help you?" asked the receptionist with a smile.
"I intent to join this guild," said Rose as she handed her scroll for the receptionist to read.
"O— oh my.. are you certain you wished to join us? You can pretty much join any guild within this city," said the receptionist.
That's odd. Shouldn't you be jumping at the opportunity to have more members in your guild? Especially someone as special as Rose? Or perhaps they are understanding enough to give potential adventurers a chance to change their mind.
"Yes, I'm certain. The Light guild is the only guild that can provide direct support to their allies. Please allow me to join this guild," bowed Rose.
The receptionist smiled and agreed to proceed with the paperwork. She gestured us to take a seat while she proceeded with the necessary process needed for the initiation test. I informed the receptionist that I'll be heading out as I would not be able to view the test anyway; I'll come back later to check on Rose.
"You're Zen, right? I believe the guildmaster is interested in meeting with you. Would you be willing to indulge in his request as you wait for a while?" asked the receptionist.
Huh? The Paladin Lord wishes to see me? Colour me intrigued. Did I do something that gained his attention? Perhaps I am famous among the guilds that I am not aware of? Things are getting interesting now.
"Alright, I'll indulge in his request and wait here," I told her.
She smiled at me and proceeded to process Rose's application. Rose sat at my side and I noticed that her hands were shaking. I gave her a little pet on the head to try and calm her.
"You must be nervous, aren't you? There there," I continued to pet her head.
"I am actually excited, Onii-chan. This is the first step for me to be able to follow you when you head out on quests," she said.
Sigh, she is like an overprotective clingy little sister. I hope she doesn't turn into some Yandere in the future when I start dating someone.
***
"Hold on, is mommy either Lily or Rose, right? Are there some other women in this story that could potentially be mom?" Daisy raised her eyebrow.
"O— of course. I assure you that your daddy is not some playboy. Mommy is definitely either Rose or Lily, okay? Don't get mad now," I explained.
Glad she accepted my explanation and calmed down. I guess I need to cut out some parts where I got involved with some other women if I wish to live to tell the entirety of this story.
***
The receptionist came back to deliver the news. She informed Rose to proceed to the arena for her initiation test while she gestured me to follow after her. Guess I'll be meeting the 'White Boss' after all.
The receptionist led me along and gestured me to enter some room with a smile. I opened the door and it was an enclosed area with glasses overlooking the arena. The Paladin Lord was alone here. I hope I'm not getting interrogated. Or is he plotting to kill me? I am from his rival guild and it might be a good opportunity for him to get rid of me without other guilds knowing. Perhaps he is going to blame it on some misfortune that I met on my journey which led to my death. Damn it, I was a fool to be led by the carrot here. I am not going down without a fight, I assure you.
"Ah, you must be Zen. You really looked like your father. Although I thought that…" he trailed off at the end. What was it that he wanted to say?
"H— huh?" Was all I could uttered out. I was caught off-guard by his choice of words.
"I have met your father before and we fought together in the Demon War. I can definitely see his features in you. You are really his child," he placed his hand on my shoulder.
"From what I heard, you're quite remarkable on your own. Never have I heard the Dark Lord praising an individual this much. Who knew that his son was still alive. Have no fear, the Dark Lord and I will never leak your family name. Your father was a hero to all of us. But the Queen made him a heretical figure and decimated the entire Hawthorn bloodline. We still do not know why the Queen acted this way until now," he sighed as he continued.
The Paladin Lord looked like he's in his eighties. Perhaps he really did meet my father before. Since Kirin is so hesitant in talking about my father, perhaps I can gain some information about him.
"Mister Paladin Lord sir, I would really like to hear more about my father— and mother if possible. I barely knew them and grandfather spoke very little about them," I said to him.
"Why of course, of course. It's the least I can do for the son of a war hero. But before we continue, come closer, the initiation is about to begin," he gestured me to come closer.
"Is that your lover down there?" he asked.
"What? No. She happened to be a little girl that I rescued from a horrible caretaker. I treat her like a little sister," I told him.
"Huh, I see. Well, you're not blood related so anything can happen. She is going to be a real beauty when she gets older. You might even start feeling jealous eventually. Heh heh," he chuckled.
What is he insinuating? That I would eventually see Rose as a woman? I don't see that happening as I don't feel any attraction to her at all. If anything, I think of Lily more of a potential than Rose. Damn it, I need to get over her. For all I know, she might be dating right now.
"I don't see that happening. She is just a little sister to me and nothing more. I will just be protecting her and treat her like what an older brother should,' I told him.
"Hmm, give it time. Let us see what your little sister is made of," he lifted a small glass window.
"Will the contestants enter the arena?" shouted the Paladin Lord.
I see Rose coming in from the right. Seems like she had changed into a training outfit and is holding a wooden sword. Who is her opponent going to be? W— what the? That guy is freaking huge! Are they seriously expecting her to spar with such a huge dude? As her first contestant too?! Oh lord above, please protect her.
The Paladin Lord shouted "Begin!" and I focused my full attention on her test. A moment later, the match was over. Rose was victorious while the huge dude was lying flat on the floor. The Paladin Lord squinted at me.
"I see you taught her well. Let's make things more interesting, shall we? From what I've heard, you fought a Shadow Knight during your test and almost won. I wonder if your sister is capable of doing the same?" he made an evil smirk.
"Um, sir? I don't think that'll be necessary," I said.
"Henry, head up to the stage. Feel free to use your spells too," said the Paladin Lord.
Hey wait, are you crazy? That would give Rose a huge disadvantage! Not to mention that guy looked like Superman too!
"Excuse me sir, is this really necessary? I won't stand by idly and watch my little sister getting hurt for your entertainment," I warned the Paladin Lord.
"The Dark Lord did the same but did you rejected his proposal? No, you faced your opponent head-on despite knowing that fact. You saw her stats. You think your little sister is weak because you saved her from the caretaker. But I can very much assure you that your little sister is going to be the one protecting you in the future," he glanced at Rose.
"Begin!" shouted the Paladin Lord.
Rose readied her stance. She knew her opponent is strong so she shouldn't rush in blindly. Her opponent began chanting and shouted "Accelerate". A spell that doubles your speed, will Rose react quickly enough to block his attacks?
***
Since when was Onii-chan so chummy with the guildmaster? Now he's staring at me from above. I'll show you what I'm capable of doing today, Onii-chan. I will show you that I am fit to stand by your side.
The guildmaster called someone called Henry to the stage. This person is strong and handsome. I suspect he is the same rank as Onii-chan. Perhaps I can finally test and see how strong I've gotten from my training. Alright, enough of talking to myself, time to focus on my opponent.
He seems to be chanting some spell. I should ready myself. The guildmaster did say he is allowed to use any spell he wishes which means I am in a huge disadvantage. I really need to be careful and only attack when there is an opening. Henry chanted "Accelerate!" and got ready. Here he comes.
Huh? He's— gone? I blinked and he is no longer there! Don't panic Rose, don't panic. Remember your training with Onii-chan. Breathe, breathe— your opponent will always aim for your vitals. There!
Clank!
I managed to block his attack. This guy was aiming for my collar bone. That would had hurt badly if it hits me, even with a wooden sword. He leapt back and rushed in for another attack. Look at his smug face, he thinks he's going to win since I could barely block his attack. I'll show you what I'm capable of. Onii-chan's speed is way faster than you. He can even run fast on snowy terrain until my eyes couldn't even follow. I will parry your next attack. Bring it on!
Clank clank clank!
He started attacking me from all angles, aiming for my vitals with speed. But my eyes can follow his movements now. I am gaining more combat experience the longer I'm fighting this person. Fighting a stronger opponent is forcing my body to react faster. I just need to hang on and find an opportunity to catch him off guard.
There! His movement had slowed down! His spell must have ended. Now is my chance to attack him. His side is exposed!
Clank!
Damn it, he blocked it! I wasn't fast enough! There he is looking all smug again with his handsome face. Why you— I'll show you! Eat my leg sweep!
He lost balance and fell to the ground. Now's my chance! I was tempted to beat him up but held back. I don't want the guild or Onii-chan to be terrified of me when they see me going apeshit. I should just point my wooden sword at his face.
"Yield!" I shouted at him.
***
"Hahaha! Your little sister is ferocious indeed. Henry was certainly not expecting a leg sweep from her. Her tenacity to win is incredible, which is going to make her a dangerous opponent. Keep that in mind when you train with her in the future." said the Paladin Lord.
"You might have heard people calling you a genius. But your little sister, ho, she's a prodigy. This is the first time I had ever seen any human with such high stats for her age. She is going to powerful," he continued.
I was speechless. Rose actually won against her strong opponent. Although I was fairly certain that her opponent caught off guard and wasn't going all out on her. Her quick thinking was fast enough to catch her opponent off guard. Rose is definitely strong.
"Alright, I've made my decision! Rose Starr, starting today, you are officially a member of the Light guild. Come up here and we'll talk more," shouted the Paladin Lord.
"I'm sure you wouldn't mind waiting for your sister? You don't really mind if I speak of your story with her presence? I believe she should be allowed to know about your history at the very least," asked the Paladin Lord.
"Of course, I am fine with it. Rose have every right to know about my story. Let us wait for her," I bowed to him.
***
Rose arrived with her normal clothing. I approached her, placed my hand on her left shoulder and gave her a thumbs up. She made an awkward smile.
"Now then, take a seat the both of you," said the Paladin Lord.
"Guildmaster, with all sincere respect, I have only one request, now that I've joined the Light guild," she bowed to the Paladin Lord.
"Ho, and what would that request be, young lady?" he asked.
"For any quest that involves party members, I wish to follow Onii-chan in all of them those," said Rose. What the hell did you just say, Rose?