Chapter 9: Fourth Year Exposures... Caught ya
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So far, so good. Elara seemed like quite a good girl. Especially during lessons with Ruthar, she would sit in silence and listen wholeheartedly. But once the lessons were over, she'd revert to her violent behavior.
Ruthar's magic training had turned into reading massive tomes with no magic practice at all. He couldn't risk Elara witnessing his abilities.
That was the decision he made, until he was sure of her thoughts toward him, he needed to conceal his magic.
Sword training, on the other hand, had become more competitive. With Elara knowing how to wield a sword, she mostly trained with Hendricks while Ruthar watched from the sidelines.
She was already five and had sturdy bones, which was to be expected.
At least Ruthar learned how to form a steady grasp around his sword's hilt—a small achievement he acknowledged.
Though he was Elara's all-around tutor, she didn't live in the castle but in the main Blackwood castle. Sometimes she would visit and narrate how she and his sister trained hard during their free time.
'From what Elara explained, Rotexa is as cold as ice and can use a wooden sword to split a rock apart,' Ruthar mused.
According to the novel, this was steady growth for Rotexa. She was almost four, and so was Ruthar.
'The moment we turn four is when I need to make a move. If Rotexa turns five and gains her magic, getting to her would be impossible because of the people, trainers and elders who would start swarming towards her!' Ruthar placed his hand on his chin and formulated a plan.
It would be hard for him to enter the kingdom even though he was a Darkdawn by blood.
The guards would mistake him for a feign, and he would end up having a confrontation with the main family. Sneaking in would not be good.
'I plan to make myself very popular by four, by announcing my Awakened magic to the world and gaining the upper hand over my sister. This would catch Kithara's attention, but if I can't use a sword properly, I would lose that enigmatic presence in seconds so I am still down to training like crazy.'
Ruthar turned in his bed again. It was barely morning, his usual time to think. He was still in bed because he was waiting for the privilege of breakfast in bed, which was taking forever.
'The main birthdays celebrated in this world are five, ten, and fifteen. When you turn fifteen, you are considered an adult.'
Ruthar rose from his bed, tired of waiting for breakfast, and settled his legs in his soft flip-flops.
'I might not be accepted by Kithara, but my birthday is still Rotexa's, so we would celebrate it together. But I would get lower privileges,' Ruthar sighed in exhaustion he could live with that, it's not like he understood what high privileges meant. Even in his previous life, he never had to work this hard for anything.
'I have become smarter than my sister, more adept in magic beyond her imagination, but I lack in swordsmanship. I have to use the system and test the theory of me copying her sword skills.'
Ruthar opened his palms wide and muttered a few words like a whisper.
In tge next moment, his palms exuded beautiful purple, blue, and red flickering lights that flew to the ceiling of his room, giving it a wonderful color. The ceiling seemed like a starry sky, and the beauty of it made Ruthar smile.
'The only harmless spell I found in Kimara's tome. She must really love stars!'
This made Ruthar recall times when she would sit alone on the roof and stare into the sky.
'This novel is truly beautiful...'
"Lord Ruthar!"
The door swung open abruptly, knocked by none other than Elara. She looked worried and anxious, but those feelings turned into awe and bliss as she realized what she had just barged in on.
"Why didn't you knock?" Ruthar screamed, perplexed, hiding his hands and stopping the lights from exiting his hand. Although he couldn't properly hide the evidence of the lights glowing on the roof.
"You have magic! Haaahg! So cool!" Elara shut the door, jumping around happily and staring at the ceiling before she eventually crashed into Ruthar, knocking him down to his bottom.
'Baka! I closed the windows but forgot about the door. Now I've been exposed, having magic at three years of age... I'm dead.'
"You unlocked magic at four years of age!" Elara seemed mesmerized, but to Ruthar, she was delusional.
'Wait, four? What does she mean?'
"Happy fourth birthday, Ruthar!" Elara praised him for a while before turning to watch the lights on the ceiling slowly fade away.
'I am already four? When did that happen? My plans are drawing closer, and I am unprepared...'
"Get up, you stupid scholar!" Elara kicked him in the groin, knocking him back to reality as he held his precious manhood and squirmed on the floor.
'Shit! Violent moron Elf! Aren't you supposed to be a peaceful creation?'
Ruthar watched her storm off to the door with her violent face on. "I give you ten minutes to come downstairs, Ruthar."
With that, she left him to tend to his pain.
'Man, why don't men have titanium balls? She's hit me here too many times to count.'
Ruthar sat himself up and took off his sleeping pajamas slowly. The real training would start at five. If he failed to grow his magic and swordsmanship, he would eventually die as a slave. But if he succeeded, he would get into the Royal family once again as a member.
'Elara would be staying until she's ten or eleven. Seems rather a joke, I think... The reason why she's here is not mainly to learn from me, but she's betrothed to a family member.'
Ruthar sighed very sadly. "She is too scared to even tell me because she probably hates not having a choice. Well, that's bad for her, especially when I know who she was in the novel."
Ruthar was already dressed and unprepared to take another blow to his groin, so he rushed out of his room and into the large hallway, when...
"Surprise! Happy fourth birthday!"
He entered this dilemma.
Ruthar's eyes sparkled as he saw every slave, Gandara, Hendricks holding a bottle of beer and drunk as though this was his own day, Kimara, and the most excited—Elara.
Elara hopped over to him, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him to the table where they saw a very large cake.
"Happy birthday, Lord Ruthar."
Ruthar froze at the sight of the cake, which was very large and exuded wonderful scents.
'Somehow, I feel light. Recalling my life until now, nobody has ever celebrated my birthday. Back at the orphanage, that word did not even exist.'
'I reincarnated and all I did was work hard, but I have... I have friends, family, and a lot of them... They care for me...'
Tears began to roll down Ruthar's eyes, and he quickly attempted to wipe them off, but it wouldn't stop.
'Damn do not cry, Ruthar... man up.'
"T-thank you, everyone." He managed to mutter, letting his eyes be. He got drenched by his own tears and smiled proudly.
"Hey Ruthar, I have a gift! Hot chicks at the brothel, how does that sound...?" Hendricks draped his hand around Ruthar's neck, handing him the bottle of ale.
'Bingo! Beer and chicks on the same day, I feel like I am turning eighteen!'
Ruthar celebrated, raising the ale to take a sip, but he felt a hand restrict him from his movements.
"Insane scholar!"
Seeing the monstrous look on Elara's face, he released the bottle to her and smiled bitterly. To his surprise, her expression softened when he was expecting a blow to the groin.
"And no one goes to the brothel if you don't want to die!" Kimara whispered into their ears, jolting them both.
'Shit, virgin's pride remains standing! Forever virgin!'
Ruthar smiled bitterly, pushing Hendricks' hand off his shoulder in detest.
"This party was all Gandara and Elara's idea. Enjoy it, kid." Kimara shoved Ruthar to Gandara's side, and he immediately understood why.
He bowed his head like the classic home culture he knew and spoke, "Thank you, little sister."
Gandara reddened, smiling and directing him to the cake.
'Though this isn't earth anymore, everyone is more friendly, and most importantly, we all love cake.'
'This is my birthday, I will do what everyone does on this day.... I will savor it.'