A beautiful baby sister is born! To be honest, I had kinda missed being an only child as in my last life, as Sten and Lod don't seem to be very keen on me. But now I have an incredibly cute baby sister. I may have resisted starting a family in my previous life, but I have always found children to be quite cute. I just didn't want my running career to be ended due to the responsibilities of having a family.
I was not allowed into the temple for the ceremony a few months later. Turns out that children aren't allowed in the temple at all, apart from their own ceremony. I couldn't guess as to why that is the case, seems to me it would be better for a religion the younger they can gather the children?
A few days later, I am out running when 2 girls approximately my age walk up to me. I ignore them while doing my stretches, when one of them speaks up. "Hi", she says.
"Hi" I return curtly.
"I am Ysa and this is Laia" she continues.
"I am Yos" I again try to keep it short.
"What are you doing?"
Stretches may not be a known thing, so I'll try to answer with something nebulous. "I just feel like doing this helps me run faster"
"Yeah, I have seen you run. You are really fast"
This pissed me off. I have seen a few older kids run and they beat me by a little still. Fast? This is fast? Is she mocking me? Why is she mocking? Since she is mocking me, I better say something back, don't want to be bullied. "Well, your eyebrows look weird" The girls freeze, before the one called Ysa start sniffling and runs away. The other called Laia gives me a disapproving look before chasing after her. What's her problem? Did she pick a fight being weak on the defense? So strange.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
The next day, as I was heading out to play after lunch, mother stops me and wants to talk.
"Ana said you made her child cry, Yos. Why would you do something like that?" She started with a stern expression on her face.
"She was mocking me, so I mocked her back". My mother loosens her expression a little.
"What did she say?"
"They just came up to me and started talking, and then she said I was fast even though I am not fast at all" Now my mother looks confused. Is it not bothersome to constantly change your face like that?
"Yos, dear. I think you have misunderstood. I think she was trying to flatter you." My mom explained.
"Why would someone flatter me?" I was genuinely confused.
My mother makes a bitter smile and pauses before starting the conversation up again. "Do you know you are special, Yos?"
"Yeah, I got the gift, I know"
"But do you know what that means?"
I think a little, before remembering the fairy tale. "I am one of God's chosen, right?"
"That's right, but there is more to it than that." Mom says. I simply express my confusion so she continues. "Those with gifts can get more out of life, and share it with the village and those close with them" she explains. "Old man Jorgen, for example, can do much more work in the dungeon than the average person, both carrying stuff and fighting, so he gets a bigger share. That means his wives and his children gets a bigger share too. And the priest, Yuro, he gets gifts and payments in return for his healing, so he and his family can live a comfortable, without ever risking injury or his life in the dungeon"
I grimace. It feels like pressure is being put on me to do stuff I don't wanna do. I wanna run... Wait, it just ocurred to me that I can't run for a living in this world? Does that mean I have to learn to fight in the dungeon and have a family? I don't really want to even think about that, at least not now.
"Ana probably said she should get along with you, in hope that you get closer and regardless" my mother continues, "You were clearly in the wrong here Yos, so we will go apologize together before you get to do play again, okay?" That "okay" feels more like a threat than a confirmation. "okay" i reply silently.
My mother then comes with my little sister in a sling and me in hand to Ana's place, where I sincerely apologize. Geez, human relations are troublesome in this life too.