Visiting houses under his lordship 4 times a year was a routine for the lord and his family. Accepting taxes, trading goods and supplies, communicating needs and complaints or praising this year's crop. This can take hours so the lord and his family will visit 3 houses a day during this cycle.
During these visits, the young lady, Halinia has little to do. So from time to time, she was told to keep herself entertained with the children of the house they were visiting, but it was less than fun most of the time.
Trying to play with girls around her age left both in misunderstanding. Playing house was vastly different because of their household and knowledge. Not very eventful but certainly not a satisfying interaction.
She would get picked on by the boys around her age. Getting picked on for wearing clothes not commonly seen by them. Getting her skirt lifted. In the end, she would get physically violent, and Halinia’s mother would have to step in and stop her.
Playing with someone younger than herself was tiring and sometimes even painful. Crying, scratching, hair and clothes pulling, and even dirtying themselves. The mother of the house would have to step in eventually. This is definitely not a fun experience for a 6-year-old child. But Kei is different.
Kei is calm except when he needs food, needs change, or is hurt, which is understandable even for the young lady. Other than these moments Kei would extend his arm toward her. Always with his blank expression, but in Halinia’s eye, she saw doe eyes glistening with unshed tears for her attention. To Halinia this was most irresistibly… adorable.
Halinia holds baby Kei up in her arms with a bit of struggle. Well, she is 6 years old and holding a 9-month-old baby, who is around 20 pounds. She’s a little nervous because of the experiences in the other houses before, but nothing happened so far. No hair pulling, no struggling, no wailing.
She starts with a little hello and Kei tries to imitate her speech, but only, ”He- He-o,” comes out. She finds this fascinating and continues to interest him by saying more words and he continues to try and imitate her. The noisy environment of the adults starts to interfere so she steps outside with Kei in her arms, a single lightly armored guard notices and follows. After a few steps outside the door, into the dirt yard. She puts Kei on the ground as gently as possible while trembling from being worn out. Kei thought this setting was a great opportunity for him.
Kei picks up a stone close by and starts drawing something on the ground. It was a few letters from the English alphabet. She understood right away what Kei was doing even though it was not the alphabet of this world, he was trying to write and spell out words. A 9-month-old baby was writing words and she didn’t think anything was strange about it, she probably didn’t think about it. She picks up a stone for herself and starts writing things on the floor as well. Starting with her name, Kei tries to imitate even with his lack of motor control. When he was done he looked up at Halinia, as if looking for approval. In her mind, she saw a baby thinking “Did I do good?” She felt a spark, her chest tightened, thinking “ADORABLE!!”
The guard was standing tall as the spear he was holding by the doorway the whole time watching and thinking, “That baby can’t even speak yet but is able to write….? Is that normal…!? A genius!?”
She continues to teach him more words with more enthusiasm. She starts having fun and then reminisces about how she grew up.
As Halinia starts to think back on how she learned words She remembers her mother reading her a fairytale book. She remembers how her mother would rub her soft cheeks against hers. She remembers how her mother gave her a tight but gentle hug. She remembers her mother kissing her forehead. At some point without realizing Halinia started to do the same to Kei. Kei’s cheek flushes with the blank expression trying to hold back his embarrassment while trying to brush it off as something a girl her age would do to any baby. Then suddenly a spark came into her eyes, and she came to a realization.
She abruptly picks up Kei, surprising him. Then quickly takes him back inside the house, slamming the door wide open. While Kei was hanging limply in one of Halinia's arms then suddenly shouts, ”I want a baby!”, shocking everyone present.
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Now Kei is 4 years old. Since then Halinia would visit Kei more often than actually necessary. Playing with him, reading books for him, lending books, or even teaching the lessons she learned just a few days before. Math was included in these little lessons but for Kei, of course, it’s all very simple and easy.
As far as he has noticed, she was taught as far as multiplication and division. She would come to visit with a roll of parchment with unfinished equations, it was her homework. She seemed to be having a hard time with these rather easy problems. At first, he wouldn’t show as much interest and she would pout in disappointment. But Kei would see her struggle and get frustrated over time. He thought he, a much younger child teaching her outright would be too suspicious. So he starts to take her “lessons” on basic math. For Halinia, instead of being frustrated the whole time with the difficult topic, taking a break from studying was a refreshing break. While she was teaching Kei, Kei would hint at a good way to solve her issues. Instead of being disheartened from being helped, she was proud of Kei and even thankful because she was having an easier time. Maybe because she saw Kei too much in a positive light, but what was more enthralling to Kei was definitely Magic. But sadly she had stopped visiting starting this year. But he didn’t give up.
Kei is huffing and puffing on a sandy dirt road filled with green fields parallel to it while holding a book under one of his arms. “Why are books so big in this world?” is what he thought. Not only was it because he was small but because the paper in this world was thicker than the paper that he was used to. The good weather with the blazing sun is certainly not helping him with his irritation. After catching his breath he starts running again holding the book above his head, thinking this is the best method for balancing. Though dangerous he thought the book would be a good cushion if he fell.
After stopping to catch his breath and running again he finally reaches a collection of housing in the middle of nowhere farmland.
“I win again,” one crouching guard in front of the stone gate says cheekily with a snicker.
“Damn, you kidding me? You’re not cheating are you?” The guard on the other side of the gate asks.
Kei gives them a disapproving look knowing all too well they were gambling, whether he would come sooner or later than his last visit using their spears as a shadow clock. The winning guard marks the ground to show proof next to the marks of the previous times. Seeing the marks Kei walks with his chest puffed up and head held high. He is proud of his progress. He walks past the 2 guards and the gate.
Finally a civilization, a small village. There were many dwellings dotted the land, mainly for the guards and mages and some for farmers. Kei learned previously that there are monsters in this world. The only reason such a large farmland is absent of monsters is thanks to the lord and the dozens of guards and mages living here. A guard and a mage would pair up to patrol the lands, mostly focusing at night. Most of the time the monsters are dealt with by these pairs. If a monster or monsters the pair can’t handle, the lord steps in. If the lord can’t do the job they send a request for adventurers from the kingdom. That’s just how powerful the lord is.
Even from the gate, Kei can see a tall building from afar. That’s his destination but before he goes, he needs water. As he goes through the village road he’s greeted by the residents and he greets them back with a tired look. They chuckle and laugh because this is not an uncommon sight to them. There is a river passing through the village but what’s closer is the well near the lord’s home. So there is no point in going the roundabout way, he just has to endure a little longer.
The center of town is slightly uphill and on top is the lord’s manor. There is stone fencing that surrounds the manor. In front of the gate is a pair of guards and in front of them is Halinia, now 10. Over the years that has passed she has grown taller and lost some baby fat. After noticing Kei, she starts waving enthusiastically.
“Kei! You’re finally here!” She seemed more excited than normal, she completely forgot the distance Kei had to take to get here.
“Wa-water….” Kei tries to shout out but his exhaustion and dry throat prevents him. It's a miracle he didn’t get a heat stroke already. Halinia finally notices and starts running toward him with her wand in hand. She chants something and a glob of water forms big enough to cover his head and floats following the movement of her wand. Because of her running downhill, there are no signs of her stopping. He can see what’s coming next but he has no energy to evade. Then, SPLASH. She stops, but too late.
“I didn’t get to drink any,” but it was certainly refreshing.
“I’m so sorry!” Halinia was very apologetic. “Here, come here!” She quickly takes the book like it was nothing, grabs his hand with her empty one, and pulls him along. He practically gets dragged toward her home.
As they pass by Kei can see and hear the guards trying to hold back their giggling and chuckling. Are they laughing at what they just witnessed or from their relationship? But that didn’t matter to Kei, at the moment. He didn’t get to drink a drop of water yet.
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He gets changed. He feels different or more so the clothes feel different. He is wearing a long white shirt with a brown vest over top that has gold plant embroidered on, and dark brown pants, all fitting quite nicely. Certainly, much better material than the one wore on his way here, smooth and silky. The maid in black and white had helped him change. The white shirt was too big for him to change into by himself even with his vast knowledge from his previous life, but his small body made everything a little difficult to do.
Kei and the maid are acquainted with one another. She is in her early 20s and they almost always see each other when he comes by for his visits. She was smiling fondly as she was changing him after all. She is wearing nice and neat clothes compared to the villagers. Her posture is elegant, straight, and proper; it’s a surprise she is not the head maid. Her hair is black, smooth, straight, and sways elegantly just as she does.
They are currently in the lord's bedroom, certainly different from his own home. Not only is this single bedroom nearly the same size as Kei’s entire house. The wooden floorboards and walls shine here, even the intricate design of the wooden bedframe and other furnishings. The windows had glass panes, the floorboards were laid smooth as well unlike his home. Kei has tripped in his own home at least a few times.
“Miss Gallia, may I please get some water?” Kei requests, slightly slouching, making his vest pull up awkwardly. The maid giggles, seemingly knowing what happened earlier.
“Of course, sir Kei,” the maid gives a light bow and leaves the room with Kei following not too far behind. She suddenly stops right after the door then bows and continues on.
Right outside waiting was Halinia next to her parents, the lord and lady of the house. He has met them a few times on his visits, but it still surprises him, though he tries to keep a straight face. He forgot he hadn't greeted them yet.
“Ah- good afternoon, Lord Halakar, Lady Salashia,” Kei finally greets them with a bow, “and Lady Halinia.”
“I told you, you don’t have to be so formal with me!” Halinia says sternly.
“You’re asking for the impossible! Me and My family’s lives depend on the lord's mood, you know!” Is what Kei thought. But the parents giggle and so do the few servants that overheard our antics.
“Ho, it fits you nicely,” Lord Halakar says after having a good look at Kei, “I used to wear it when I was around your age,”
“A hand-me-down, no wonder it smelled a little moldy even though it looks clean.” was what Kei thought.
Lord Halakar Kalador certainly is a good man. Kei was wearing his old clothes, whereas normally he wouldn’t even be able to afford the material.
He exudes confidence, but is not pompous or haughty. He has a clean face and is undoubtedly handsome. Black hair with a blue undertone, with amber eyes. The clothes he usually wears are not overcompensating, but enough to show he is of the upper class; made with high-quality materials. Comfortable yet neat but fitting. Lady Salishia also had a similar ambiance.
Salishia was wearing an extravagantly designed long-sleeved, green and gold dress. Tight and loose in the right places that complemented her figure nicely, but were more elegant and refreshing than seductive or suffocating. The dress almost makes her look like she's gliding instead of walkings. Her hair is a light shade of brown and Halinia seems to have gotten her mother's eyes, emerald green. The lord and lady of the house seem to be very comfortable with each other. They remind Kei of those young lovey-dovey couples.
“You can keep those clothes,” Lord Halakar says.
“But you have…” Kei trails off as he looks for a more fitting owner for the clothes. He finds him, a toddler hiding behind his mother’s dress. Salishia picks him up.
“He's still so shy,” Lady Salishia says to Kei. “Kaber, you have met him many times now,” Salishia says as she pokes her son’s soft cheeks.
Kei could think of a few reasons why. One, Kaber doesn’t see Kei every day. Another reason could be Kei’s deadpan look, perhaps finding it unnerving for a young child like him.
Kaber is almost 3 years old. It seems the parents worked really hard after Halinia’s declaration when she was around 6 years old. Kaber has dark brown hair, seemingly a mixture of his father and mothers hair. His eyes are something quite special, taken from his father’s eye on the left and mother’s on the right, heterochromia. “He's going to grow up making so many girls cry,” is what Kei thought.
“Other than that!” Halinia blurted out, “We have big news!” Halinia giggles and says proudly, “Rejoice Kei, you have been permitted to come to watch my approval ceremony.”
Kei thought, “Approval ceremony? What’s that?” He asks what the ceremony is for. Halinia's face seems to brighten and practically glow.
Before she replies, she grabs Kei’s hand and starts dragging him along “It’s a surprise! Normally, those outside of the family aren’t allowed to join the ceremony, but father said you can join us!”
“She said it was a surprise, right?” Kei thought.
“So make sure to come every day, because I don’t know when the ceremonial leader will come,” Halinia said with a big grin.
“Ah, she actually kept it a secret… Wait? EVERYDAY? Are you kidding me?! Do you think these 4-year-old legs are made of iron?! I don’t ride the carriage everywhere like you do!” Kei exclaims inwardly. He would usually visit the Lord's house every 2 to 3 days, but the thought of running around 2 miles every day, for who knows how long, made him slouch all day while he was being babied by Halinia and the others. He was finally able to drink water when he joined to eat lunch with them.
Thankfully, for the next few weeks, Halinia would come over to his house with her family carriage to pick him up everyday.
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The day of the approval ceremony has finally come. It was taking place in the large grand dining hall of the Lord's mansion. There wasn’t only the lord’s family in attendance. There were about 3 other farmer families present and they all had a child around Halinia’s age. Kei was the only child without their relatives with them. There were also some unfamiliar faces among the usual crowd.
There is a man in complete white attire preparing one end of the dining hall with 2 others who are also in white. There is also a pair of unfamiliar guards watching them prepare. While things are getting ready someone calls out to Kei with a tap on his shoulder.
“Thanks for taking care of Halinia,” it was lord Kolodor as he kneeled down to Kei’s height.
“I-I didn’t do anything,” Kei responds. The lord chuckles.
“Then you do not know how much she has matured thanks to you, she’s grown more and more like her mother,” Lord Kolodor says.
“She decided to do that all on her own, though,” Kei thought. Kei understands, after all, Halinia would imitate being a mother in front of Kei many times. But there is something Kei didn’t know of. Halinia has been studying and reading books beyond her age level because Kei has been asking difficult questions. She was certainly more smart and well educated compared to anyone else her age.
Then the dining hall door opened, and entering was Halinia, more extravagant than Kei had ever seen her before. Dressed in white and gold dress, almost like a wedding dress. Halinia gave a proud beaming smile, noticing Kei was looking at her. Kei looks away because he notices Halinia’s mother, Salashia, and maid Gallia behind her. They all started to giggle quietly, seeing his embarrassment.
“We are ready now,” a gruff man’s voice calls out. It was from the leading man in white, almost on cue. “Please, send one child forward at a time.”
Halinia steps forward proudly and is instructed by the man, “Please, put the palm of your hand on this orb.” In front of her are 2 glass orbs. Both with writing engraved in them and placed on top of a small wooden rectangular table. She puts her palm on the first orb. It glows brightly for a few seconds then fades slightly and becomes stagnant at one point, still bright. “Hm, very good,” the man responds. “Please touch the next one.” and she does. This time inside the orb few specks of light start to form and then liquid seems to form and starts to dance along with the light. “Ho, 2 attributes, light, and water.”
Everyone starts to clap and cheer for Halinia, but Kei looks on with wide eyes. He finally realizes this feeling of familiarity he has been having since a long time ago. “This world is A GAME WORLD! WORLD OF ‘TRUE FANTASY’!!”