My daily routine changed a bit. I didn’t need to study mindlessly, whether about the church or just prepping for the next term.

I didn’t really need to help much at the library either. Mostly because kids didn’t bother showing up in the first place, so the librarian just gave me time off. For someone who was so intent on making me work overtime and make up for lost time and all that shit, she was being awfully lenient. I guess old age does help with wisdom and kindness?

The constant back and forth was starting to annoy me though.

I had way more time to exercise and train and all that stuff. But my body wasn’t keeping up. It was recovering sure, but it wasn’t keeping up. So, I ended up mostly just resting for days on end, visiting the festival at times and just lazing some more.

I took time to read some local tales and folklore.

There were hundreds if not thousands available, so I didn’t have any shortage of entertainment.

Considering I came from a world of games and novels and movies, I didn’t find most of this world’s entertainment, entertaining. Yet for some reason, I was utterly drawn to the folklore stuff. Folklore in general felt like I was reading a fantasy novel (which I kind of was). General stuff about dragons and lizards and snakes and even possums. Apparently, this world had a possum problem, or at least Slunten had that problem. Their Possums were about as tall as a grown child (whatever the hell that meant) and could devour babies whole.

Scary stuff but one of my favorite bits was about the Northern Ghost ships. They roamed the Snile River for thousands of years and continue to just flow with the wind even today. Apparently, a demigod named Sylversa cursed them after being betrayed by them. But some sources claimed Sylversa wasn’t betrayed by the captains but rather just by one deserter who actually didn’t get cursed.

I was kind of interested in ghosts but I wasn’t stupid enough to blitz in there. I did know a young lady who would though. Part of why I never mentioned much about the ships to her.

Speaking of the young lady, she’d invited me today to witness the finale of the festival. Basically, we were going to see the lanterns float up and disappear in the night sky. Which was fun and all, but wouldn’t it have been better to watch them from the white tower, rather than the city?

Well… I guess she wants to spend some time with family.

She hadn’t actually gone back home this whole holiday week. Partly because there were plenty of things to do on campus. But I had a feeling she was just being considerate to me. Which was commendable sure, but wouldn’t she eventually get sick of me and… I didn’t want to think about it.

Some things were better left unthought. The day would eventually come and I’d deal with everything then. For now, I just wanted to live in peace. I just wanted to enjoy, no, I just wanted to live.

***

“That’s the Workkoa. You’ve never ridden it, right?” Shia said.

Where was she pointing? At a guillotine. Yes, a fucking guillotine where if you pulled your head a second late, you’d die; sharp shiny blade with some bloody smears too. How the fuck is that a ride?

It was designed in a way that you couldn’t pull your head back before the blade above got released. You had roughly three seconds before it cleaved your fucking head off.

“I think I’d rather go sit in a corner and just enjoy the show.”

The festival was bustling and there were even some visitors from the nearby villages. The event would end by midnight, so we had a few hours.

“Don’t be a wimp. I’ll go first.” Shia snorted smugly and placed her head and arms in the wooden bracket. They placed the top bracket on and a guy wearing executor’s helmet (a seminude guy with a bag over his head with some holes) pulled a lever.

The damn blade fell quick, really quick but Shia pulled her head back quickly enough for it to only cut some hair. “See, no big deal. Now you try!”

We got some claps. They even have a crowd….

“Are you trying to kill me!?” I screamed, trying to get away, but she’d grabbed me and we’d attracted an even bigger crowd, both students and residents. They were even cheering us on.

“You’ll be fine,” she rolled her eyes, reassuring me.

I was not reassured. Not even a little.

“Sol, Sol, Sol!” Shia started.

The rest followed.

They really want me dead.

My head touched the still warm wooden surface. Another wooden bracket forced my neck to stay in place and… I watched the man pull the lever.

All the while being perfectly in a daze. What in the actual fuck was happening? What-

The blade… started falling. Time slowed as my heart raced. I could have sworn I’d felt this before. Multiple times mind you!

Still- this wasn’t the end. I could just pull… I’m stuck… The mechanism was stuck and I couldn’t pull my head back without ripping it off….

I’m dead…

Shing!

My head rolled as blood splattered and the world spun… a sharp pain in my neck….

I was dead.

“Oh boy,” Shia sighed. “Well, that sucks.”

The people were cheering no more; they were laughing instead. And… and… it didn’t hurt?

Huh? I could have sworn I felt a sharp pain on my neck and- “Oh?” Wait, how did I see my head roll?

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Huh. A fucking cabbage… and tomato juice.

The executioner guy removed the wooden plank and sighed. “Sorry kid, didn’t think the damn thing would get stuck.” He seemed to be a rather good mood though, desperately trying to suppress that chuckle.

I had no idea who got me out of there or what was even happening. I couldn’t feel my feet or fingers.

“You got pranked hard kid,” Shia said, pulling me aside. “Didn’t think he’d have the nerve to pull that though, that damn Sib.” She was basically carrying me at this point.

“That was Sibrian?” I mumbled. I was still in some sort of trance.

The words around me felt distant, as did the world. Things were just… weird. My fingers were all tingly and it felt like I’d just devoured some manafish because I was really ready to shit myself.

I might have accidentally leaked a drop or two too… accidentally mind you.

“Who else would have the nerve to mess with you?” She laughed and pulled me along. “Let’s go try some more!”

Yeah… she’s definitely trying to kill me.

***

We spent about an hour trying different rides and to my surprise, I wasn’t dead. I didn’t have a wet patch on my pants, so that was a plus too.

Some spun around like those tea cup things, some went up, fell down, some even let us float for about five seconds or so. Almost all of them were either just magical devices or achieved through a lot of mana expenditure. They were using gems for external mana. Maybe mana really was just a form of energy.

I only knew the basics but apparently, people of this world could feel the mana within gems. I sadly couldn’t. Particularly why I was stuck.

Anyway, after that, I went to the Barack estate and had dinner with them. Despite everything Mrs. Alayla’s cooking really was good. No one talked. Partly because it was family tradition. Also because things were awkward as fuck.

The kids had mostly fallen asleep and I didn't really see them. One kid I did see, ran away first thing, so yeah....

Despite the awkwardness dinner ended fairly naturally.

At the end though, they were exchanging gifts?

So, it’s kind of like Christmas? But instead of just receiving gifts, you were also supposed to bring your own and gift your family.

Sigh…

Let’s see… All I had on me, was some peanuts; they weren’t even roasted. Well, it’s not like they’re going to gift me something and-

Shia gave me a new shirt. White.

Mrs. Barack gave me a blue bracelet with a white gem on it. I didn’t know much about gems but that shit looked expensive.

And finally, Barack Senior gave me a…

“What even is this?” I said.

A pyramid. Small enough to fit in the palm of my hand but… but weirdly captivating… and black!

“It’s a Tronce Mid. Reacts to high spirits and houses them. You’ll need one soon,” he said, albeit begrudgingly. He had not forgiven me, no.

They were looking expectantly at me though. Fuck…

“Here,” I said, giving them all a peanut. “Your one-time Manafish Token. If you give me the peanut, I’m obliged to give you One Manafish within 48 hours.”

I expected them to just shrug and throw the stuff away and pretend like it never happened. I didn’t know about Shia or Mrs. Alayla but Barack senior was kind of thrilled?

Well, guy does like Manafish.

Phew.

With that, we were heading back to the dorms. No, we weren’t going to spend the night here.

At least I wasn’t even if they’d told me to.

“Maybe try harder than food next time? I prefer jewelry or clothes, even undergarments are fine,” Shia said, winked and patted my shoulder. “Though I suppose you did win them both over, so it’s fine.”

Who gifts their sister undergarments? Miss you’re barely fourteen, no need to be that insensitive!

“With a promise of Manafish?”

“Mom loves cooking them, Dad loves eating them. Rumor has it, Dad only married her just because he loved her cooking.”

I snickered without meaning to. “I could see that happening.” Controlling myself, I stared around. Most of the shops were closing. They were preparing to set everything lose. “What did you give them?”

“Nothing,” she said.

“I thought-”

“It is expected to receive gifts from your children but, most kids don’t have money, remember? Besides, it’s the first son’s job to do that.”

Huh.

Fuck.

Buying a good Manafish was going to be pretty expensive. Maybe I’ll suck up to Nisa and… yeah, maybe not.

But I did have connections with the Count’s daughter now that she was in my club. I could surely ask them to let me fish in their lake for a cheaper than market rate.

Might just work.

“Well,” Shia slapped my back. “Kind of irks me that you had something to give them and I didn’t.” She laughed. “Roof of the white tower. Don’t be late.” She dashed off.

Weren’t we like… not supposed to even enter that building?

Sigh…. Anyway, I slowly made way for the academy, and on my way I met Mike, who was waiting by the gates.

After what I’d said I honestly didn’t expect him to see him again tonight. He didn’t say anything as I was passing by. So maybe he was waiting for someone else?

“I won’t stop,” he said. I didn’t look back, but I did stop. “I considered what you said. But it’s my decision to go on. It’s my decision to not be here. I feel suffocated here, and doesn’t matter what anyone says; I will do this. I will be an adventurer.”

“I see…” Kinda stung. I used to think in similar lines and I thought I was damn right in whatever I was doing. I wasn’t; I was hardly ever right. “I’ll always be your friend, Mike.” I walked away. “Good luck.”

***

The guards didn’t even bother blocking my way. They just let me in like usual. Instead of going down though, I was going up.

Stairs!

I had to climb like ten floors?

Arghh…

My tiny legs were dying, honestly. Somehow, I still managed to climb and eventually reach the very top floor; wheezing. No, this wasn’t the roof. To access the roof, I had to take a ladder from the next room, and climb up. Which I did.

White tiles, almost glowing even in this dark night… no, it wasn’t dark. The sky was littered with color. Mostly just orange lanterns but… some colorful ones too. And the tiles were reflecting that light.

Hundreds of thousands of lanterns.

“You’re late,” Shia said, by the edge, sitting, legs dangling. I saw some other kids here too. But they were mostly staying away from the edges, and in turn, away from her.

“I’m never late. I arrived precisely when I meant to.” I was hella out of breath though, so I couldn’t pull off a proper impression.

“Sure, sure,” she rolled her eyes and patted the seat next to her. “Sit.”

Are you sure, sure, you’re not trying to kill me?

Courage… it took a lot of courage to sit next to her and not look down. Good thing the view from above was beautiful, huh?

“Are you going to leave the family?” Shia said.

Where the fuck did that come from?

I was distant from her family. Her father didn’t like me, her mother had nearly murdered me (okay maybe not) but she was the reason for most of it. From Shia’s perspective, I probably hated her family now and would leave the first chance I got.

“Not really. Your- Our, family has issues. But as a family, it’s our job to sort things out between ourselves, not just run away the first chance we got.” Even if they weren’t my actual family, I didn’t want to run away.

Not again.

A faint smile; Her face illuminated by the thousands of lights, looked beautiful. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” I traced her gaze and found the sky, and the disappearing the lights. But I will eventually leave though.

Yet, I didn’t want this to end. I wanted to relish these days. These peaceful, sometimes absolutely depressing, days.

I guess I was just that selfish.

[A/N] From Patreon (from the past)

Gentlemen, looks like this is the end for Vol 3. Originally I hadn't planned for this chapter and was about to end the volume when the priest showed up. Den and Lin's story was the epilogue but I decided to expand on the volume at the very last moment and yeah, stuff happened. Kind of why the first chapter of the next volume is becoming the epilogue for this volume.

I'm actually going back to the uni area for house hunting and will be away from home for like 2 days. I was going to take a break anyway, so this works.

Expect an update on Monday. (This is like two weeks old at this point though, right?)

Meanwhile, my Yuri (yes I tried Yuri kekw) 30-page short story is available on Amazon. If you have KU, you can read it for free (if you're paying for KU, technically that's not free but you know what I mean XD). With this story in particular, I'm starting a new pen name. Nr_Pendragon. Mostly for Romance. This is a very wholesome story imo.

Overflowing Juices!

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0CWXR837X

Thank you for reading. I wish you all a good day.