Continue On, Struggler. | Chapter 10, Onward.

…

Nearly a year had passed.

Guts was now nine years old and was nearing being ten.

Life went on per usual; except now, two babies had been thrown into the mix.

The first few months had been a trying time for the Greyrat family—at least, that was the case for Paul and Zenith, who seemed on the edge of being completely overwhelmed by the two newborns more often than not.

At first, Guts really didn't understand why since this wasn't their first time being parents. But then, Lilia explained it one day.

"See, now this is childrearing!" the maid said while attending to his little sisters, seeming completely unphased by the burden they added. "Things with young Rudeus were far too easy!"

As it turned out, raising newborn children when they weren't secretly a grown man who knew not to piss, shit, and cry all the time.

Who would've thought?

For his part, Guts didn't mind the change. All of their crying took some getting used to, especially when it came in the middle of the night, but not getting adequate amounts of sleep was something he was used to at this point.

Compared to the anguished wails and murderous whispers of spirits drawn to the Brand of Sacrifice; which, he had to cut down before he got cut down. Losing a few hours to a couple of babies wasn't much to complain about.

Besides, still being a child himself, it wasn't like he was expected to help out much.

He would have to keep an eye on Norn and Aisha every once in a while—usually when Zenith and Lilia needed their attention elsewhere, and Paul wasn't home to cover for them—but that wasn't too bad.

Basically, it was just guard duty, but with even fewer steps since he wasn't even expected to do anything if things went wrong. If Norn or Aisha soiled their diapers or started crying, all he had to do was go get Zenith or Lilia—whoever was most available—and they'd take care of it for him.

In short, Guts was in the same boat as Paul, who also didn't do much more than keep an eye on them.

"Don't worry, Rudy," Paul said to him one day, laughing and slapping him on the back in seeming recognition of their uselessness. "As long as you're bringing back enough money to feed everyone, then you don't need to worry about doing any of that."

Out of a mixture of spite and indignation, the very next day, Guts asked Lilia to teach him how to change a baby's diaper.

The mess was worth seeing the look on his father's face.

…

Sylphiette.

…

One day, after finishing up her and Rudy's respective lessons, Miss Roxy asked a question that startled her.

"Your tenth birthday is coming up soon, correct? Did you and your family have anything special planned?"

Sylphie was shocked—utterly shocked! And even that felt like a bit of an understatement. She'd never once mentioned her birthday to anyone, nor had she ever really thought to mention it to anyone either. Despite her parents always insisting otherwise. It just never felt important enough to bring up, for one reason or another, and so it never did get brought up—not to Roxy, Rudy, or Rudy's parents. She didn't peep a word of it to anyone!

So, when her magic tutor suddenly broached the subject up, it felt natural to be shocked! …Or whatever other word might properly get her feelings across.

"Y-Yeah…." Sylphie said, after dredging up enough courage to answer. Coincidentally, the texture of the ground under her became a lot more interesting to her at that moment. "In a few days actually." Realizing that her answer might cause the Migurd undue stress, she rushed to tack on, "But please don't feel like you have to do something for me! My family and I weren't planning on doing anything special anyways—just dinner and some gifts, I think. And that's more than enough for me, so…."

Miss Roxy was nothing, if not kind and accommodating. So, Sylphie expected the Migurd to insist otherwise—and that she would have to try and channel her inner Rudy and fight off that insistence. However, almost disappointingly, it never came.

Instead, all Sylphie got back in response was…

"…"

…silence?

"Um, Sylphie…?"

…and confusion?

The silence ate at Sylphie until she couldn't take it anymore, and she raised her head to see what the problem was.

It became obvious the exact moment she did so.

She had just assumed Miss Roxy had been speaking to her, but the opposite turned out to be true.

In fact, the Migurd was facing the complete opposite direction.

Towards Rudy, who Sylphie knew would be turning ten sometime this year too.

"Oh… Um…" Sylphie could feel the blood rushing to her face as she scrambled for a way to save face. "I… Uh…"

However, before she could dig an even bigger hole for herself, Miss Roxy turned towards her and smiled.

"I guess I have two birthdays to prepare presents for then."

Sylphie couldn't help but smile back a bit; although, she found it difficult to match Miss Roxy's fully.

Her teacher really was too kind.

"My birthday isn't for a few months, though."

"Hrk!"

Of course, Rudy couldn't help but ruin the mood.

…

On that note, ever since Rudy announced his plans to leave the village, things between them have… Well…

"S-So…" Sylphie began, silently cursing her stuttering. After all of the years they spent as friends, she thought she'd be able to grow out of the habit. She thought she had for a little bit, but then… "Y-You said your birthday is in a few months…?"

Rudy hummed in response. All without ever looking back at her.

Their relationship turned into…

This.

Sylphie sighed and let her shoulders slump, exasperated and frustrated.

And whatever this was, she hated it. She despised it. Most days, it felt like she was talking to a giant wall whenever they spoke. Not a wall made out of wood, stone, or bricks either, but a wall made of nothing—which made her hate it even more. She should've been able to walk right on through, but she couldn't. And she really didn't even know why either.

Despite his plans to leave, and his attitude in telling her about it, Sylphie didn't hate Rudy and Rudy didn't seem to hate her either. Things between them just felt awkward. Uneasy. As in, spending time with him had been easy in the past, but now, they weren't. Far from it. Even now, when all they were doing was walking home, she felt like she was speaking to a stranger.

"Uh…" As she usually did, Sylphie struggled to find ways to keep the conversation going. "Did your family have anything planned? L-Like special, I mean."

"Nah," Rudy said.

It felt odd to do. For her, especially. She had never disliked it when things between them got quiet before, but that was then and this was now. And now, it made her skin crawl. It made her feel like an outsider. Out of place. Even in places she felt the most comfortable. Even worse, it made her feel like the past few years never happened at all.

"T-Then, do you think Lord Paul and Lady Zenith would mind if I j-joined?"

Rudy shrugged. "Doubt it."

"R-Really?!"

Rudy shot her a glare from the corner of his eyes. "You're actually surprised by that? It's not like they have a reason to say otherwise."

"I-I guess that's true."

Sylphie sighed again. At least he looked at me this time.

"I-In that case…" Sylphie breathed in deeply and steeled herself for what was to come. "Do you think they'd w-want to come to mine? M-My birthday party, I-I mean? I-I know it's a bit late when it's only a few d-days away, but—"

"—You still haven't figured it out, huh?"

She flinched a bit at the interruption. "Huh? W-What do you mean?"

"Roxy was just bullshitting earlier. She already knew that your birthday was coming up. The same goes for my parents."

"Huh?!"

"Your parents came by my house a month or two ago to invite them."

"T-Then why was she asking you about when your birthday was?"

"How would I know? You should be asking her that." Again, Rudy shrugged. "She already knows when my birthday is, since she was there for my fifth. So, unless her age is finally starting to catch up with her…."

Sylphie nodded. Right then, she understood that she'd been duped.

"If I had to guess, she probably just wanted you to come out and say it," Rudy suggested, his indifference emphasized by a shrug. "It's in a few days and you haven't even brought it up once."

"I guess that makes sense." It really didn't, if she was speaking honestly. However, it was also the only explanation that made sense. "H-How about you then…? D-Did you want to come?"

"Does it matter?"

Sylphie frowned and gulped hard. A part of her wanted to shrink back. A big part of her. There was a good chance that she'd be rejected, she knew, but she wasn't going to let that stop her from asking. Because she knew better. The only way to get Rudy to do anything, or ever consider doing anything, was to be direct with her intentions.

"B-Because I wanted you to come."

Rudy had said it himself, after all. More than anything, she needed to figure out what she wanted.

Rudy huffed and looked back out in front of him. "Talk about a stupid reason."

She deflated a bit, upon hearing that.

"But I guess I'll come."

Sylphie perked up much more than a bit, hearing that.

"I figured that I didn't have much of a choice anyways."

Sylphie smiled. Not quite the reaction she wanted, but it was getting there.

…

Sylphie had never been more nervous in her life, and she knew the exact reason why.

It was because it was her birthday. And, accordingly, her parents had planned a party to celebrate it. A fact that wouldn't have bothered her—if not for the fact the Greyrat family had been invited to it.

Her stomach tied itself into knots thinking about it.

Despite having known the family for years, and them being nothing but friendly to her, it felt odd to have them come to her family's home. For any reason. But, today, she was that reason. And, honestly, that only made the whole situation feel odder.

Deep down, she had always felt lucky to have known them. The Greyrats were nobles, after all, and her family had always been considered one of the poorest families in Buena Village. The difference there had always been apparent to her.

The fact that she could refer to them as the Greyrats was a testament to that, but the list of differences went on and on.

They had a big house where everyone could have their own rooms, which she bet never got cold in the winter even when there was a roaring fire nearby. They had enough money to eat every night; to afford the cost of a live-in maid; and to hire a tutor to teach their son to read, to write, and do math. And, if that wasn't enough, they also had him learn how to cast all sorts of cool magic and swing a sword better than most adults. All in an effort to make sure he had everything he'd ever need the day he decided to leave the village and try to make a life outside of it.

The Greyrats could do all of that. And probably a lot more too. Her family couldn't.

Sylphie didn't dislike the Greyrats for it. Nor did she hate the life she had with her family now. The differences were just too obvious to not acknowledge.

That's probably why she felt so nervous now. It wasn't just because they were coming to the party, but it made her think. About how absurd it was for a family like the Greyrats to come to her birthday party. Not as esteemed guests, but as family friends. Equals, even. All because she happened to run into their son one day.

It felt so absurd that all she could think about now was disappointing them somehow.

Her worrying made no sense, Sylphie already knew that. The two families had interacted for years, long before she and Rudy were even born.

By her father's own words, he and her mother were among the first people to greet the Greyrats upon moving to Buena Village since he and Lord Paul were going to be working together. This naturally led to them being friends—a bond that only deepened after they both became fathers. Her mother and Lady Zenith didn't speak nearly as much but were still friendly with one another. Friendly enough to not care about their differences, at the very least. And Rudy had always seemed to not care, one way or another, about how she and her family lived.

So, realistically, there was no chance they were going to be surprised or disappointed by anything.

To Sylphie, though, it still felt like she had to prove something to them. She really didn't get why, but she did.

It probably had something to do with Rudy. With her, it always came back to him.

For some reason….

…

As it turned out, Sylphie wasn't even allowed to properly worry about it.

"Welcome, everyone!" Her mother called out to the three approaching their family home. Lady Zenith, holding what looked to be a big basket of assorted vegetables, led the group, while the other two—Rudy and Miss Roxy—followed her with crates of cooking supplies. "Thank you again for your help!"

…Because Lady Zenith, Miss Roxy, and Rudy all decided to show up on her doorstep first thing in the morning.

Their responses came in three different waves.

"Hello, Sylvia!" As ever, Lady Zenith was warm and friendly.

"Good morning, Miss Sylvia," Miss Roxy greeted her mother with her usual stoicism—the kind that could be easily mistaken as stony if they all didn't already know any better.

Rudy just nodded.

A part of Sylphie wanted to be annoyed by that, but her panic made it hard to care.

"Oh, is that who I think it is?" Before Sylphie could fret over them being there anymore, Lady Zenith's eyes drifted down to her and flashed her a grin. "Happy birthday, Sylphie! How're you feeling now that you're ten years old?"

"H-Hello, Lady Zenith." Sylphie tried her best to match Lady Zenith's positive energy. She doubted that she did the best job of it, but trying felt like a necessity. "I'm okay. Not much different from usual, i-if I'm being honest. I-I'm happy you're all here, though!"

Lady Zenith giggled. "That's okay. Trust me, I was the same when I turned your age."

"T-Thank you…" Sylphie said, glancing over towards Rudy and Miss Roxy as she did so. "Why are you all here so early, though? I thought the party wasn't until sunset."

"Well, I'm here to help your mother with preparations," Lady Zenith explained. "Lilia would've come here to help too, but she stayed behind to keep an eye on the babies." She then gestured to her son and Miss Roxy. "These two, however, are just here for the usual reason."

From behind her, Miss Roxy nodded to affirm what Lady Zenith was saying.

Sylphie blinked. Oh, I guess that makes sense.

With that question answered, and all the supplies where the two mothers instructed, her mother and Lady Zenith split off from the group and disappeared into the house. To start preparations for the party, if Sylphie had to guess—leaving her, Rudy, and Miss Roxy all alone together.

Miss Roxy wasted no time in surprising her.

Suddenly, her magic tutor closed the distance between them. And, without saying a word, she lowered herself so that they were eye level, put a hand on top of her head, and began petting her lightly.

"Happy birthday, Sylphie," she said, her smile warm enough to rival Lady Zenith's. It was nowhere near as big and bright, of course, but somehow that made it all the more special for Sylphie.

It was so special that Sylphie couldn't help but smile back. Despite having just told Lady Zenith otherwise, she really was starting to feel a bit different now.

But only after she saw their smiles.

…

Sunset came faster than Sylphie expected. Or really wanted.

Maybe it was just her own anxiousness, but it felt like things were moving along at super speed for whatever reason.

Her magic lesson with Rudy and Miss Roxy went about as long as it usually did, from the morning to the afternoon, but it all went by in a flash. It felt like she blinked once; and all of a sudden, the Sun was up in the middle of the sky and Rudy left to go back home. She assumed to go train with the training dummy the Greyrats kept in their front yard.

On a normal day, it would've been to train with Lord Paul, but he and her own father had left town together the day prior—their destination being the nearby city of Roa. "To pick up something important," her father told her in explanation.

Sylphie assumed that it had something to do with her gift.

Anyways, with Rudy gone, it was just her and Miss Roxy left under their usual tree. They sat next to each other in silence. Like they always did. However, today, things didn't feel like they always did.

Not at all.

Probably because of what day it was.

"Is something bothering you, Sylphie?"

"Ah!" Sylphie yelped, startled by the sudden question.

"…I'll take that as a 'yes.'"

As always, she had been too obvious with her worry.

For a moment, Sylphie thought about ways out of the conversation. Thought about lying and saying that something else—something more trivial—was bothering her. Or maybe just shrugging off her magic tutor's concerns and hoping she'd drop them after a bit. But, after weighing both options for a bit, Sylphie decided that neither was really appealing. Nor would they be really convincing coming from her.

In the end, Sylphie decided that it was best to admit it. "I-I guess you could say that."

"Did you want to talk about it at all?" Miss Roxy asked. "You're the birthday girl, after all. We can't have you spend the whole day worrying."

"Um, sure…" Sylphie answered, unsure of how to proceed. Feeling equally unsure as to why she felt that way in the first place. They've known each other for years. And spent so much time with one another. Yet, for one reason or another, actually sharing her worries with Miss Roxy still felt odd.

"I guess…" Sylphie said, breathing out heavily. "I don't know. I just feel anxious. About… About… something. I don't really know."

"'Anxious'?"

Sylphie hummed while burying her head in her knees.

"About anything in particular? Something to do with your birthday party, maybe?"

"I think so?"

"Does it have something to do with a certain someone attending the party?" The Migurd asked, despite clearly having someone in mind.

Sylphie tightened the grip she had on her legs.

"Rudy?"

Sylphie frowned, partially because of how quickly Miss Roxy jumped to that assumption.

"Yeah…"

Mostly because the assumption was right.

"Is this old or new?"

"Huh?" Sylphie picked her head up and turned towards the Migurd, confused as to what she was getting at.

"What's bothering you? Is it an old problem or a new one?"

"…Old, I guess."

"I guessed correctly then." Miss Roxy nodded to herself, seemingly satisfied with herself for guessing right. "Are you still sad about him leaving?"

Sylphie shook her head. "I don't think that's it. Not anymore, at least."

She said it, despite not knowing if she really believed it.

After their talk last year, it had taken a while for the idea to sink in. The thought of Rudy leaving and never coming back—that, in a couple of years, she'd wake up one day and he would be gone. Nowhere to be found. And, despite that, things would go on as always.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Everyone. Everything. All of Buena Village would move on—and live on—as always.

All except those who knew him best. Even then, no one relied on him as Sylphie did.

Sylphie looked up, looked for the Sun, and found it sitting directly over her. She stared at it, thought about it, and maybe—for the first time in her life—she really thought about it. About how it rose and set every day, and how the world seemed to rise and fall with it. And how, if Sylphie ever looked at it directly, it was always indirectly. It always had to be through something. Like the swarm of leaves and branches above her right now. Then, she thought about why it reminded her of Rudy.

For a lot of reasons, Sylphie found the idea off-putting. Just as much as Rudy would, she imagined, if she ever made the mistake of telling him about it.

It had always been so obvious—how much she relied on Rudy. And, almost for as long as they've known each other, she didn't mind it. So, in a sense, he was like her Sun.

Whenever he rose, she tried her best to chase after his light; and whenever he set, it was like she lost all sense of direction. And always, she felt lucky to catch a sliver of his shine.

However, the more Sylphie got to know him, the more wrong the comparison felt.

Not to imply it lacked all sense.

Rudy was like the Sun in a lot of ways. Because, more than anything and everything around him, he shined. He shined bright. And, as a result, he cast a big shadow. The first few months after they met, she felt mesmerized. By him, by every little thing he did. Constantly doing things she could never imagine herself doing at the time—and then, acting like it was no big deal afterward.

He was amazing. Rudy Greyrat was amazing—special—and everyone in the village knew it.

More than anything, Sylphie wanted to be just like him. And she wanted everyone to see her in the same light as they did him.

But then, she started doing some of those things and everything stopped being so simple.

"I'm just wondering, I-I guess." Eventually, as soft-spoken and uncertain as they were, the right words came to her. "About how he can be so okay with it. Leaving, I mean."

Ironically, the more she started to do those special things, the more useless she started to feel. In that, she realized that she'd been following Rudy on his path for so long; she couldn't see where hers started or ended anymore.

Outside of her parents, it felt like everything good in her life could be tied back to Rudy in some way or another. For example, she would've spent her entire life thinking that it'd be impossible for a girl like her to learn magic if he hadn't unknowingly pushed her into doing so. Furthermore, her learning magic was what led to her meeting with Miss Roxy, who taught her to read, write, and do math—on top of helping her refine her skill with magic. So, just like Rudy, she had everything she needed to leave Buena Village and make a successful life for herself.

She wasn't trapped here like she always thought she'd be, like she always feared she'd be. However, the more free she felt, the fewer reasons she had to leave.

And now, the reason she felt that way in the first place wanted to leave.

Even worse? It looked like he couldn't care less about it.

"It's because he wants it more than anything," Miss Roxy explained, speaking as though the answer was obvious. "And wanting something that badly makes the real difficult decisions a lot easier."

"Difficult?" Sylphie scoffed a bit at the word. To her, the word and Rudy didn't mix. At all. Honestly, she had never seen the boy struggle with anything other than when he dueled Lord Paul, but even then, he never seemed to be out of his depth either. An amazing feat in itself, considering how much her father liked to rave about the knight's skills. "I don't know about that…."

"Rudy doesn't make anything seem difficult," Miss Roxy reminded her, smiling a bit, "but I think that's just because he can't keep himself from worrying about things."

Sylphie shot her magic tutor a disbelieving look. "What do you mean?"

Rudy? Worry? That combination made even less sense to her.

"You haven't noticed?" Miss Roxy asked. "Then again, maybe I only noticed because I'm a bit like that myself."

The further Miss Roxy explained—the more confused Sylphie felt.

"Sylphie—tell me—have you ever asked yourself why Rudy practices his swordsmanship so much?"

Sylphie frowned. "Not really, I guess. I just thought he liked doing it."

"I mean, that's probably true too—but someone doesn't practice until their hands are red just because they like doing it. They don't practice for hours and hours until they collapse from exhaustion, and they especially don't sneak out at night just to get more practice in, just because they like it. That's far from liking something, Sylphie. No, it's something else entirely."

Sylphie felt the corners of her lips fall even more. She'd known about the first two things, seen them first hand even, but the last one was news to her. Even worse, she couldn't call it too surprising. Actually, it sounded just like him.

"So, what would you call it then?"

"Fear, if I had to guess."

"'Fear'? You think Rudy's afraid of something?"

Miss Roxy shrugged. "I couldn't say for sure, but it's what would make the most sense to me. A person who isn't afraid of anything doesn't train that hard."

"…Then, what do you think he's so afraid of?"

Again, Miss Roxy shrugged. "If I had to guess, it probably has something to do with why he's leaving the village. Whatever that reason is, he might not think he's strong enough to reach it yet. So, he's doing whatever he can right now to be ready for it. Regardless, he's definitely afraid of something."

"So… Do you think leaving was a hard decision for him?"

"Of course, it was. He might not make it obvious, but he loves his family a lot. In fact, the only time I've ever seen him get angry about anything was the night he found out that his father had an affair with Miss Lilia."

Sylphie frowned. She remembered the day she learned about that from her parents. Also, it had been the day she learned that Miss Lilia would be marrying Lord Paul. As per Lady Zenith's request, apparently.

Still, Sylphie found it hard to look at the knight in the same light. Rudy had never seemed phased by it, so she never really put thought into how he might feel about it.

"And you should see him when he's in charge of keeping an eye on little Norn and Aisha." Miss Roxy let out a chuckle; and then, suddenly, her face got all serious. Like a stone wall. A really serious stone wall at that. "He starts looking like this. So, you'd think he had been put in charge of guarding royalty—not a couple of babies."

Sylphie giggled at the thought.

"Funny, right?"

"Very! Although, it's a bit hard to imagine."

"And that's exactly my point. You can't let how people act cloud the way you see them—for people like Rudy, especially. Because sometimes, it's not what they're really feeling. Not deep down. It's just how they want you to see them act."

Sylphie was about to nod, but then, she remembered something Miss Roxy had brought up earlier. "…Because you were like that too?"

"Not exactly, but enough to understand."

Sylphie nodded, feeling as though she understood her friend a little better now.

"Do you feel any better, Sylphie?" Miss Roxy asked, peeking at her from under the brim of her hat.

Sylphie took one last glance up at the Sun. Her eyes lingered for a moment before she turned back to her magic tutor.

She smiled and nodded.

It had. It really did.

I should talk to Miss Roxy more often.

…

When Sylphie returned home, preparations for the party were nearing completion.

"Sylphie! Miss Roxy! You two are right on time! Everything for the party is almost ready."

Her mother told her as much; however, the results of her and Lady Zenith's efforts were obvious—all of it laid out on a table in front of their house.

Sylphie couldn't help but drool a bit, looking at it. Never in her life had she seen so much food all in one place, and it all looked so delicious too! All her usual favorites were there, but there were a bunch of other foods that she'd never seen before too. And all of the wonderful smells! There were so many! Sweet ones, savory ones, and how the two mixed together. Somehow, they proved even better than the sights! If she could spend the entire night in the presence of the food—not even tasting, just smelling—then she would've thought her birthday was a success. But no! She was going to eat all of it! All of it!

"Now, now, Sylphie," Miss Roxy said, after catching her trying to sneak a taste. "It may be your birthday, but no eating until everyone else arrives."

"Really?" Sylphie whined, hoping that her magic tutor would give her a little leeway. "Not even a little bit?"

"No, not even a little." Miss Roxy was not impressed. "Think about it. If you got invited to a party and you found out they started it without you, how would you feel?"

Sylphie frowned. "I'd feel pretty bad, I guess…."

"My case in point then."

However, before any eating could start, she had to wait for everyone to show—and show they did!

Right as the Sun began to hide behind the trees, her father returned. Although, not as she expected. Lord Paul wasn't with him, for one, but she had expected that. Someone had to go get Rudy, Lady Lilia, Norn, and Aisha. No. The real odd thing was—despite having left to pick up her gift—he seemed largely empty-handed. Not that it discouraged Sylphie. In fact, it only really only made her all the more curious.

Sylphie hadn't expected her father to get her something fancy, but when she learned that he and Lord Paul would be traveling all the way to Roa to go get it, it made her mind race with all sorts of possibilities. Going to and from Roa was no small feat, after all. The trip, even on horseback, was a little around a day away. So, when the two fathers first set off, she figured it had to be something important. Or big. Or maybe even both. And ever since then, she had guess after guess as to what it might be.

Honestly, she had been hoping for a little bit of both. Both important and massive.

From the looks of it, however, it was probably just the latter.

Which was perfectly fine for her! Because…

"Sylphie!" He greeted her, arms spread out wide.

"Welcome back, father!" Of which, she didn't hesitate to jump in.

…She was just happy that he was back home.

All the other attendees—as in, all the remaining Greyrats—arrived a tad later.

Immediately, Sylphie felt her earlier anxiousness return.

Dressed in clothes that felt a tad too fancy for their surroundings, the group was headed by Lord Paul and Lady Lilia—both of which held one of the family's newest members in their arms. Norn sat in her father's arms. Aisha sat pressed against her mother's chest. Both seemed swaddled comfortably in a bundle of blankets. Although, of course, her eyes found and gravitated towards Rudy, who followed his family at a little bit of a distance. A box, longer than he was tall, raised over his head. Assumedly, it was their gift to her.

They wasted no time in approaching her, all greeting her in their own ways.

"Well, if it isn't the birthday girl!" Lord Paul was the first to do so. The man didn't hesitate in leaning forwards and tousling her hair. Cheerful and friendly, as always. "How's it feel to be ten years old?"

"Happy birthday, Sylphie." Lady Lilia was next. In contrast to her husband, her greeting was much more reserved and straightforward—still very much like a maid. Although, it had softened ever since her daughter was born. "I hope your day's been going well so far. My apologies for not being able to assist with preparing the party."

Although it seemed like despite her new position in the Greyrat family, Lady Lilia hadn't changed all too much.

"Norn and Aisha, you two tell her 'happy birthday' too," Lord Paul said. Gently, he took Aisha in his other arm and lowered himself so they were all eye-level with one another. "Go on, you two. Say 'happy birthday'~!"

As expected, the two babies didn't actually say anything—because they couldn't actually say anything. All they did for a while was stare at her. In a way that made it hard to tell if she was interesting enough to keep their attention or not. But, eventually, Aisha grinned and giggled; and Norn started reaching out towards Sylphie with her stubby, little hands.

That was more than good enough for her! "Thanks, you two!"

Rudy's greeting came last.

"Where do your parents want this?" he asked while holding the box out towards her.

And, as expected, he didn't seem to be in the mood to celebrate anything.

"Oh, uh…?" Thankfully, Sylphie had already assumed he'd be this way, so she was able to answer without stuttering. "Over there, next to the food is fine, I guess."

Rudy nodded, then walked away without saying another word.

Sylphie sighed. Although honestly speaking, she didn't feel as bad about it as she thought she would.

"He really never changes, huh?" Lord Paul asked, seemingly to no one in particular, as he shook his head. "Sorry about that, Sylphie."

"It's okay, Lord Paul," she said back, meaning it. "I'm really just happy he's here."

Sylphie had meant that last part too.

…

The party went off without a hitch, despite all Sylphie's worries.

Dinner began once everyone and everything was settled. And as expected, the food was delicious!

The two families—mostly the adults—spoke as they ate. And through their conversations, she learned a lot about a lot of things. Like how much work her mother and Lady Zenith put into preparing the food, and the names of all the foods she'd never seen before. Then, and this was a tad bit embarrassing for her, her parents decided to gush about how they celebrated her fifth birthday. About how cute she was back then, about how it seemed as though she had grown up in a blink of an eye, and how she was so happy to receive their gift—a little doll her mother had sewn together. Sylphie still had it to this day, actually.

All the talk about her fifth birthday prompted the Greyrats to do the same with Rudy; and from that conversation, she learned three things. It's where Rudy got the little magic rod he used during magic lessons, and it's where he got the sword she's seen sheathed in his room from time to time. However, of the three, the most exciting thing she learned about was that Lord Paul knew how to swallow swords. Something he practically jumped out of his seat to demonstrate. And true to his word, Lord Paul unsheathed his sword and, with everyone at the table cheering him on, he put the entire length of it down his throat. Like it was nothing!

It was all really such a great time. She'd probably call it the most fun she's ever had in a day, if not for the time she and Rudy taught Somal and his friends not to mess with them. Now, that had been a good time.

Eventually, the party reached the part she anticipated the most. It was also the part that made her the most anxious.

It was time for gift-giving.

Being the guests, the Greyrats presented their gift first. Doing so as a single unit. All three adults, daughters in hand, stood behind Rudy, who had been given the task of presenting the gift—the large box from earlier—to her. It all felt a bit intimidating if she was being honest. Especially since Rudy had also decided that he wasn't going to smile for this part either.

"Here," Rudy said, shoving the box towards her. "Take it already."

However, he didn't give her much opportunity to feel anxious about it.

Everyone else just chuckled awkwardly at the exchange.

Unceremonious as the whole thing was, Sylphie still found herself hesitant to put the box down and open it. A part of her still couldn't wrap her head around the whole situation for whatever reason. The Greyrats had come to her birthday party, and then went out of their way to get her a gift—and that gift came packaged in one of the biggest boxes she's ever seen! It was all just a lot to take in.

Shakily, she went to place the box down on the ground. However, right in the middle of doing so, she…

"Ah!"

…realized just how heavy it was and nearly face-planted into the dirt.

"Woah there!" Lord Paul jumped forwards, hand extended, to catch her. Fortunately, she had been able to right her balance before she made a fool of herself. "Careful now. That box isn't just for show—" Before he could finish, Lady Zenith elbowed her husband in the ribs. "—Ow!"

"Sorry about that, Sylphie," Lady Zenith said, flashing her trademark smile. "What my husband was trying to say was, 'Happy birthday, Sylphie!"

"Y-Yeah, what she said." Lord Paul nodded, flashing his own—pained—smile. "Happy birthday, Sylphie."

"Now, why don't you go ahead and open it, Sylphie."

"R-Right!" Sylphie said, immediately going to put the box down. Carefully, this time. And once it was safely on the ground, she searched for a seam and basically ripped the lid off the box when she did. She gasped when she saw what was inside. "W-Wait, this is…!"

A staff. It was a staff. A simple one. Painted black with gold trim. Made of wood that felt smooth to the touch. It ran straight for most of its length, all the way to a curved top end, where a big blue gem sat in the middle.

She sat there and stared for a while. Just amazed. By how it looked. How it felt in hand. How it seemed to dwarf her in every way possible. Then, when she felt like she couldn't be any more amazed by it, she turned towards the people who were giving it to her. She saw all their smiles. And a new, but also tortuously, old emotion welled up inside of her. Fear—the deep, inescapable fear that she was wholly undeserving of such a valuable gift.

So, in response, Sylphie did the only thing she could think of doing.

"T-This… This is…"

Blubber and question.

"It's a staff."

However, before she could, Rudy stepped in. Entirely unphased by it.

"I-I know, but w-why are you—? You didn't need to—"

"—It's okay, Sylphie." This time it was Lady Zenith who stepped in, and her voice—just like her smile—fluttered light enough to lift the worries off her shoulders. "Don't think of it as anything you need to deserve. Just think of it as yours. That's all that matters."

"It was Rudy's idea, by the way," Lord Paul chimed in unexpectedly.

"Indeed," Lady Lilia followed immediately after. "The young master was quite adamant about this being your gift."

"Huh?!" Her eyes immediately shot to Rudy, who didn't seem phased by the revelation at all. "You asked your family to get me this?!"

Rudy just blinked. "There a problem with that?"

"But—"

"—Stop overthinking it. My parents asked me for a gift idea and that's what I suggested. That's really all there is to it."

Sylphie shut her mouth after that. Not because of what Rudy said, but because of how he said it—and what that said without him actually saying it. Because, at that moment, he showed that one thing that always drew her towards him.

Confidence, an unceasing certainty. Not a single part of him was embarrassed to admit it. That, despite the disinterest he constantly showed her, he had actually put thought and effort into what would make her the happiest. And he was right.

And that made her happy. So incredibly happy that her first instinct was to turn to habits she hated. Like panicking and questioning her own worthiness. Shrinking so deep down into herself, to where looking at the boy in front of her made her feel like she was staring at the Sun. The worst part was how it almost made her forget that she was happy in the first place.

Sylphie hated it. She hated it so much that she turned that instinct away and did as told.

She breathed in deeply, released it, and stopped overthinking it.

"T-Thank you!" she said, louder than she wanted. She bowed her head in thanks, the staff pressed as close to her chest as possible. First, she bowed to Rudy. And then she bowed to every member of the Greyrat family. "To all of you!"

Of course, Sylphie still needed to work on the confidence part, but all she cared about in that moment was the fact that she was certain about something. Her feelings. And what those feelings said about the people in front of her.

"I'll take good care of it!"

And, even though she was still having trouble voicing it through her words, she was very certain of what was behind it.

"I swear!"

She felt so very lucky to have met them.

…

Miss Roxy was next to give her a gift.

"Huh? What're you…?"

Or, at the very least, she was supposed to. Alone. But then, both her parents got up and stood beside her magic tutor.

Sylphie couldn't help but balk a bit.

"I should probably be the one to explain." It was her father who spoke first, scratching at the back of his head sheepishly. "Since this was my idea and all."

Her father reached into his vest and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

"Our gift to you is something that me, your mother, and Roxy all came up with together," he said, before handing the piece of paper over to her mother. "Would you do the honors, honey?"

Without saying a word, and with the smile on her face betraying an emotion that Sylphie really couldn't place, her mother stepped out from behind Miss Roxy, closed the gap between them, and held her gift out to her.

"It's a letter," her mother told her. "From someone really important."

Sylphie allowed her confusion to hold her a moment. Pausing, blinking, and staring at it. Her curiosity bubbled with the silence, all the way until it boiled over and consumed her confusion. Then, and only then, did she take the paper, unfold it, and read it.

In writing more refined than she'd ever seen, it read:

To Roxy Migurdia,

This letter is from Jinas Halfas, writing to you in response to the letter you sent about your letter of recommendation—on behalf of Sylphiette of Buena Village.

While I am naturally skeptical of your claims, my experience as your teacher reminded me that you are not one to embellish important details such as these.

If young Sylphiette truly is capable of casting magic without the need of an incantation—a feat only the utmost masters of our craft are capable of performing, as you undoubtedly already know—and she is interested in furthering her education, I would like to meet with her and discuss her possible enrollment in the academy.

In regard to your concerns about the financial status of young Sylphiette's family, I do understand that my request will not be a simple one to fulfill. A trip across the Red Wyrm Mountains is not one to take lightly—in terms of time, danger, and money expenditure—but I know you also understand that my status as Vice Principal does not permit me to provide you or your pupil direct financial aid in this scenario. Your claims, while intriguing, are still the claims of one person and must be treated with the utmost scrutiny. However, I am able to offer you and your pupil this:

If you and young Sylphiette come to Ranoa Magic Academy, and she is able to demonstrate her skills to me and the other staff, she will be put under consideration for 'special student' status here at the academy. That is, as long as she is able to meet the program's minimum requirements (of which, there is a list attached to this letter), she will have all of her basic living expenses paid for during her tenure here.

Please discuss your options with young Sylphiette, and I hope to see the two of you at the academy in the near future.

Regards,

Jinas Halfas, Vice Principal of Ranoa Magic Academy.

Sylphie gawked at the letter, staring at it like it was incomprehensible. Like the words on it meant nothing, said nothing, formed nothing but gibberish. Then, she read it again and again and only found herself more shocked by it.

Mister Halfas used some big words that Sylphie didn't fully understand yet, but his intent read loud and clear—and the reason for it read just as clearly. At some point, Miss Roxy had reached out to the man and told them about her ability to use magic without needing an incantation, hoping that it'd be enough to convince the higher-ups there to let her be a student there for free. And, for the most part, it seemed like it was enough.

"I knew you'd react like that," her mother said, giggling. Then, silently, she slipped a hand behind Sylphie's head and brought her in close. "I'm so proud of you, sweetie."

From over her mother's shoulder, Sylphie watched her father get down on one knee and wrap his arms around the both of them. "Same here," he said, whispering. "Truth be told when Paul told me what the letter said, it took me a bit to really believe. I mean, I always knew that you were special, but to think that my daughter would have a shot of being a student at a place like Ranoa…"

Sylphie frowned, feeling conflicted, and feeling terrible for it. She appreciated the praise, but she had been hoping for answers. She looked towards Miss Roxy, hoping that she'd provide them. However, the moment they locked eyes, the Migurd smiled and brought a finger up to her lips—saying, without saying anything at all, "It's okay. Just wait a bit and enjoy the moment."

Sylphie wanted to argue, but soon enough, her attention was ripped back to the hug she had been enveloped in.

It was warm. So warm. And that warmth seeped into every part of her body. It made her arms and legs feel all noodly; and the longer she spent in it, the more she wanted to sink deeper into it.

And so, for the second time that day, she gave in and did as she was told.

She waited and enjoyed the moment.

…

Once the moment passed, and they all separated, Sylphie got her explanation from Miss Roxy.

According to her, the Migurd had come up with the idea a little after Rudy announced his plans to leave the village.

"I just thought it might be something you'd be interested in," she explained, shrugging. "You and Rudy are reaching that age where—at the very least—you should be thinking about what you'd like to do with the rest of your lives. So, as your magic tutor, I figured it was my duty to provide you with as many options as possible. Don't fear, though."

Miss Roxy placed a hand on her shoulder, doing her best to reassure her with her smile. "If you'd rather not spend your life pursuing magic, your parents and I will understand. I just thought it'd be a good idea to show you proof."

"'Proof'?" Sylphie asked. "Proof of what?"

"Proof of how special you are."

Again, Sylphie frowned. While she appreciated not being forced into anything, it was still a lot to take in.

Honestly, the idea intrigued her. A lot.

Because she loved magic. She loved everything about it, really. The studying, the practice, and most of all, she loved how it made her feel.

The first time she ever used it, she felt a rush like no other. It felt like, just for a moment, she had the entire world in her hands. And then, as payback for what he had said to her, she rode that emotional wave into using it against Rudy. She felt guilty then, but more so, she felt power. For the first time in her entire life, she had the power to do something. To stand up against someone. She loved it. Then, she met Miss Roxy and learned how to tap into that feeling more and more. She got stronger; and the stronger she got, the more special she felt.

It only made sense that—with her strength—a door like this would open itself up to her.

A door leading to the opportunity of a lifetime.

…But, to actually step through it, she would have to leave everything she's ever known.

Fear rose up inside her the more she thought about it.

At some point, the question stopped being if she could do it. Then, it stopped being should she do it.

It was now, 'Could she do it?'

She desperately wanted to. However, the more she thought about it, the more she tried to convince herself otherwise.

"But isn't Ranoa really far away?" she asked Miss Roxy.

Her magic tutor shrugged. "I guess that would depend on how you'd define 'far away.' It's far away if you compare it to a city like Roa, which is about a day's trip away from here, but compared to where I come—the Demon Continent—then I'd say it isn't too far at all."

Sylphie's frown deepened at the attempt at humor. "I was being serious, Miss Roxy."

"And so was I—to an extent," she replied, sheepishly, before clearing her throat. "The trip to Ranoa is about two to three weeks away by foot and, if we were to go by carriage, that time would probably be halved. Although, due to the climate in the Northern Regions, it's only really safe to travel to Ranoa a few specific times a year."

"Wouldn't getting there be expensive?"

"Oh, don't worry about the cost, honey," her father chimed in, walking towards them. He had a small, lumpy burlap sack in his hand. "Your mother and I have been saving up for an occasion like this." Now standing in front of her, he held it out towards her—to get her to hold her hands out, she figured, and so she did. He let go of it that next instant, giving her very little time to actually catch it. She did. Barely. And holding it, it took her little time to figure out why it looked the way it did. The thing was filled to the brim and heavy. "Don't be fooled by the weight, by the way. It's mostly copper coins, but all together, it should be enough for you to reach Ranoa."

"You two really did that for me?" Regardless, the heft of the coin pouch still amazed her. It was the most money she's seen at once, after all. However, once she realized what that actually meant, she quickly reverted to panicking. "Hold on, is it really okay if I take all of this?!"

Her father chuckled. "Geez, my daughter really is something. Of course, it's okay for you to take it—your mother and I wouldn't have saved it if we didn't intend for you to take it. Trust me, we'll be just fine without it. Besides, it's not like we're the only ones chipping in."

"Huh?" Now, Sylphie was confused. Her father had glanced off to the side and, when she followed it, she found it resting on Miss Roxy. "What do you mean?"

"My apologies," Miss Roxy said, bowing her head. "It seems as though our intent wasn't as obvious as I first anticipated.

"As the one who recommended you to the academy, and as your tutor, I'll be expected to accompany you to your examination. Naturally, because of that, I will also be paying for a portion of our travel expenses."

"Wait, you want to come with me?!" Sylphie just gawked at the Migurd.

Miss Roxy nodded. "On top of the social obligation, your parents and I felt it necessary to have someone experienced in traveling to Ranoa join you on the trip—and seeing as I fit that description and then some…."

"But what about your job here? And what about Rudy's lessons? Didn't you just say that people are only allowed to travel to and from Ranoa at specific times of the year? Doesn't that basically mean you'd be leaving for a long time?"

"Indeed, it would," her magic tutor said, far too easily. "That's why I've already informed Lord Paul and Lady Zenith of my resignation as his tutor."

"Your 'resignation'?!" Sylphie's eyes immediately shot over to Rudy's parents, who both just grinned and waved back at her.

Miss Roxy nodded again. "I've also discussed it with Rudy and he doesn't mind either."

"But if you're resigning, does that mean you're never coming back?"

"I don't know about never coming back, but yes, that will most likely be the case."

"Why?!" Sylphie yelled, not understanding her tutor's—everyone's—calm. "Don't you like living here?"

"I do, but you must understand, Sylphie; I never took the job expecting to live out the rest of my days here." The statement hit Sylphie like a slap to the face. "From the very start, I only intended to stay here until the day Rudy no longer needed my services, or if another opportunity presented itself that I felt was more enticing. And now, with you leaving, I'm of the opinion that both scenarios have come to fruition."

Sylphie pursed her lips. The logic was sound. So sound that she had no idea how to refute it at all. Or maybe, she was just bothered by the fact that Miss Roxy admitted to planning on leaving them all one day. In a way that felt eerily familiar.

"But, truth be told, even if I was planning on staying," Miss Roxy began, smiling as she placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'd think this trip well worth the time.

Sylphie nodded, not knowing how else to respond. It seemed as though everyone was in agreement. No one would see this as a burden, despite all her worries. They just wanted to help her. Really, all that mattered now was if she wanted to go or not.

"Um…"

However, in the face of that choice, her feet started to shuffle, her hands started to wring, and her eyes couldn't find purchase anywhere. No matter how friendly she found them, she began to crumble under the combined weight of their gazes.

Eventually, though, Sylphie's eyes did find purchase somewhere. On someone, to be more specific. On Rudy.

At some point, the boy went to sit with Lady Lilia and his little sisters at the dining table. He wasn't even looking their way—his green eyes fixed on the former maid as she rocked his sisters in her arms. Overall, he looked wholly, and thoroughly, disinterested in her dilemma.

"Do you mind if I…?"

"Of course, go ahead," Miss Roxy said, following her gaze.

Yet despite his indifference, and herself, Sylphie found herself running to him.

Rudy must've sensed her approach. Because, before she even got halfway to him, his eyes met hers and stopped her dead in her tracks.

And, despite his previous show of indifference, he answered her question before she could even ask it.

"What're you coming here for? Do you want my blessing or something?" He balked at the idea. "Go or stay, it really doesn't matter. It's your life. Go do whatever you want with it."

Sylphie's eyes widened at that. Then, an emotion she hadn't felt in a long time crawled its way up to the surface.

Anger.

Talk about a short-sighted answer! She thought, pouting. There was no way she could just go and do whatever she wanted. Not with all the time, energy, and effort everyone put in! Saying no would basically be the same as spitting on all of it, wouldn't it?! Also, why are you acting like you could care less! If you actually didn't care, you wouldn't have answered in the first place!

Then, in the midst of her ranting, it hit her. All of it. The real meaning behind his words, the reason why the choice had been presented as a gift in the first place, and the reason why everyone kept telling her to stop overthinking things.

The gift wasn't meant to be the opportunity or the choice. It was freedom. The ability to make the choice without having to languish over the minute details. It wasn't about if she deserved it or not; if she was being a burden or not; and if she would be wasting their efforts or not.

Because it was her life, and it was her choice. They just wanted to make it as easy for her as possible.

Sylphie smiled the widest smile she could muster, then turned back to Miss Roxy.

"I'll do it!" She told her magic tutor, nodding with as much fervor as possible. "I'm going to go try out for Ranoa Magic Academy!"

Everyone gave a hearty cheer in response.

…

Sylphie's life in Buena Village might have not always been perfect, but she still counted herself lucky to have been born there anyways. Because, otherwise, she wouldn't have met a lot of really good people.

…

Chapter End.