I woke up, my eyes a tad bit groggy and my body a little sore, but that didn’t really bother me. I was more nervous since today was my 13th nameday. Today was the day that I had to leave the household. In this past year I had accumulated a total wealth of 1 silver and 221 copper, a small knife and a tiny fire rock.

This was not enough at all, but it would have to do. Today I would have ma and aunt’s breakfast for the last time, I’d be given a handshake by my stern father and uncle as well as a good pat on the back by my Elder Brother and Elder Cousin and then I’d be sent off.

I got up as the smell of bacon and eggs slowly drifted into my room and I buried my head in my hands. I was really nervous.

Pushing myself off of the bed, I took off my cotton night clothes and put on my nice hard leather pants which would provide some decent protection, I then put on my cotton shirt which may not offer much protection at all but at least it would keep me warm at night. I then equipped my final set of clothing, my leather gloves which I had bought for 5 copper each, meaning 10 copper in total.

Standing tall, I stretched and yawned, signifying that I had now properly woken up. I opened my little treasury and removed my money, knife and my tiny fire rock and moved towards my desk where a nice, thick cotton sack sat. I had bought the sack for a good 4 coppers, which was enough to buy a meal for 4 days at any inn.

That aside, I opened the sack and threw my money pouch inside of it, I then put the fire rock which I had bought for 10 copper inside of it. The fire rock was a more simple to use flint, as I simply had to put it near what I needed to set on fire and then rub my knife on it a few times to cause it to spark. It was something I was going to need once I went out to live in the world by myself. I then placed my knife inside of the sack and tightened its entry before gripping it hard and leaving my room.

I made my way down the corridor towards the kitchen, where I knew the rest of my family would be waiting for me.

I sighed and made my way into the kitchen where our rectangular dining table sat. Dad and Uncle were sitting at the head of the table, with ma and aunt sitting on the side’s right next to them, while Elder brother and Elder cousin sitting where sitting next to ma and Aunt.

Dad looked stern, even more so today, his dark black hair, coupled with his large posture made him an intimidating site, and Uncle looked just like him, but with brown hair instead. They both looked like they were mafia or something similar to that.

Elder brother and Elder cousin looked just like each other as well, tall, strapping young men, one with black hair and the other brown. They would most likely look like Dad and Uncle in a few years.

Ma and Aunt looked pretty, but I felt affection for them and not love so I can’t properly rate their beauty, but still, they are quite pretty.

All of them turned to look at me as I entered the room completely silent before ma, who with her long flowing golden hair got up and walked next to me. She gave me a deep hug and then kissed my cheeks. Although she is what any man would called attractive, because to me she was a mother, I didn’t have any of those emotions for her, even being how old I was.

That aside, ma guided me to my seat, which was right next to older brother and then sat next to me, coddling me in her arms. She seemed reluctant to let go, but she eventually did and made her way back to her seat.

I sat there, somewhat awkwardly, as everyone ate their meal in complete silence. I guess the fact that I was finally leaving made it awkward for everyone, or maybe it was the fact that I had no certified future like the rest of my household.

After I finished eating my bacon and eggs, I waited in silence till everyone else finished. After Dad had finished, he got up, followed by Uncle, Elder brother and Elder cousin, and they all began walking outside towards the front porch.

Dad signalled for me to follow so I did so, getting up and following him, leaving ma and aunt to clean the table. As I made it outside onto the front porch, I saw a plethora of items spread onto the couch.

This was the couch that I used to sit on at night with ma as we talked about random things. I sighed as I stared at the items on it. A rough leather jerkin, surprisingly a belt which was also made of leather, a nice, firm looking leather coat, a short brittle iron sword, a piece of paper and a week’s supply of beef jerky, 3 loaves of hard bread with a decently sized water flask.

I looked at my family members who stared at me, a smile on all of their faces.

Dad: “Son” he began to speak with his stern voice causing everyone to look at him “Since neither I, nor ya uncle could getcha a job” he said with what I think was sorrow in his voice “we prepared some gifts for ya” and with that he gestured to the items on the couch.

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Elder Brother: “Da clothin’ was made by ma and aunt” he said gesturing towards them before he walked over to me and patted me on the back. “Da food from ma and da water skin from aunt, da sword be from dad, da belts from uncle, da maps from cousin” as he said that I stared at the piece of folded paper “and this be from me” and with that he placed a small pouch which jingled into my hands.

Then he nodded at dad and they all went back inside one at a time as they shook hands with me and patted me on the back, telling me ‘good luck’ and ‘take care’ as they went back inside.

I stood where I was, somewhat stupefied as I had not expected all of this. It was a simple, fast process, and I’m not even sure whether they did it out of love or fairness. It’s not like it mattered much anyways, I was glad nonetheless.

The pouch of what I knew was money was quickly counted and then added as a total onto my wealth, increasing it from 1 silver and 221 coppers to 1 silver and 251 coppers.

I then stared at the items on the couch before I begun to don them all.

I put the rough leather jerkin on first, followed by the belt. They all looked quite nice, a nice white colour. The coat was a deep black though, not like it mattered much, but it was still quite nice. I equipped it and realized that this would help me immensely in my life as it would keep me ridiculously warm seeing as how it covered my entire body completely and even came with a hood. The only downside was that it might make me look eerie, but it was something that I needed and I don’t care what other people think.

Smiling, I then holstered the short iron sword to my belt, put the jerk and bread into my sack and the placed the water flask into sack. With that everything was sorted leaving me decked out. Thanks to this, I wouldn’t have to visit any of the villages in the surrounding for a good while.

With that I picked up the map that cousin had gotten me and opened it up, only to realize that it was quite a good gift. It was a map of the Branwich region. Smiling I folded it and put it back into my sack before continuing admiring myself for a moment.

All of this was what I had received from my family today, on my 13th nameday. It was much more than what any of my other siblings or cousins had received, as they had been thrown out with their clothes on their backs seeing as how they already had a profession awaiting them and they didn’t need any more help.

Dad and Uncle had already used up all of their favours and connections to guarantee jobs for the others and I received all of this, so I guess Dad and Uncle really did care for his kids. Well whether they cared or not, as least they took care of us till the end.

I sighed and slowly made my way down the front porch’s stairs and begun walking away from the farm house I had spent 13 years growing up in. As I had walked a few metres away from the house, I glanced back at the front door and saw that it was still closed. I had already been given my farewell.

Well I should at least be grateful for the fact that I was given so much to take care of myself. I dropped my sack down to the ground and took the rough cotton coat off and wrapped it around my waist, before I positioned the sack back over my shoulders and continued walking.

It was at least 28 degrees with how the sun blasted heat waves upon me, but I could nothing but walk on. I had already left the farm grounds and had hit the dirt road which headed in two directions, one towards the Helmton villages and the other toward the forest of Ispen as well as the city of Ispen.

It was no short road, as from the map that cousin had given me; it was at least 400 miles away with their only being one village 200 miles between me and Branwich. I massaged my forehead slightly and begun to make my way up the road, north towards first Ispen Village and the Ispen City.

This was going to be one tough journey seeing as I was just a simple farm boy. It would take me months to reach it but at least there I could find a job for myself so that I could gain a living.

I glanced back one final time and sighed before I waved at my old farmstead and then saluted.

This was a good bye as I doubt I’d ever return here.

Or maybe I would as I did like Matt quite a lot. Well there was no rush, maybe someday I’d come back and maybe I wouldn’t.

Starting onto the road I didn’t look back again.