15 Chapter 15: I Sure Was Surprised Back Then

{Whoa … did I sleep until the evening?}

The sun was setting by the time I woke up. I was sure I had messed up my internal clock and would not get some good sleep that night, but that was the least of my concerns. The outside was quiet, which meant the people who were there making that racket a while ago finally left, but the near-deafening silence was too much for my comfort.

{Did nobody come to check up on me?}

<"We woke up and hid when your mom came and called for you. She saw you sleeping and left you alone,"> Cinder answered.

{That's it? She didn't do anything at all?}

<"Well, she did kneel to your side, brushed your bangs, and kissed your forehead before she left,"> Shadina said.

{… That could either be really good or really, really bad. Did any of you check and see what she was doing afterward?}

<"We didn't feel like it was safe enough to leave you alone around that time, even if we only sent one of us over to check in on them. If something happened, we'd rather be together and ready to protect you.">

<"More like we want to sleep with you more than check outside. Mist and others not want to leave,"> Mist corrected, uncovering the truth Breezy hid.

<"Onelri and Fila have been fiddling outside your door for a while, though,"> Cinder said.

I stiffened up a little from hearing that. With 'what could they want?' in my mind, I quietly put on my shoes and approached the door. My Companions hovered right above it as I turned the knob and opened a crack.

"Ah! Soar! You're finally up!"

"You must have been tired to sleep that long. Well, considering your performance earlier, I suppose that is to be expected."

Fila and Onelri delivered their greetings while I opened the door fully. "How long have you been out here?"

"Not for very long," Fila answered.

<"That's a lie. The two of them have been standing in front of the door taking shifts at first before waiting together,"> Cinder refuted.

{What are they, post guards?} "What happened to the people that came here and made all of that noise earlier?" I asked despite my doubts.

"Your father and his former party managed to settle things down and covered for you before they left. I suppose they have experience handling that much being hunters for so long, huh?"

After Onelri answered, I exchanged glances with the both of them. I was at a loss for what to say.

"Are you okay, Soar?" Fila asked.

"I'm fine, but … what about you two?"

"What about us?"

"Aren't you … I don't know, scared of me? Cautious at least, after the stunt I pulled?"

"Well, seeing how you were last night and getting all of those fairies' powers, those of us who were there that time sort of expected you to have quite the power-up, but not that much. We did not expect your family and their friends to be so shocked, though. Have they never seen that extent of your power up to then?" Onelri asked.

I shook my head. "I held myself back up to that point so I wouldn't draw any suspicion and only conjured enough to show improvement from the last time they saw it."

"Wow! It's just like you said, Onelri!" Fila exclaimed with excitement. I only stood there with a quirked brow.

"So, why did you pick then to let off more than usual?" Onelri asked.

"I think what happened last night had still left me on edge. I wanted to deal with it on my own but Agnes' interference didn't help at all. I wanted her to stop having anything to do with me and leave, to not bother me again. That, and I was honestly starting to get tired of holding myself back for so long. I didn't account for how much I had powered up after last night, though."

"Did you really have to say something so harsh to Agnes after that, though?" Fila asked.

"… So, you heard that huh? I tried to be really quiet about it, too."

"Mama and I have really good senses of hearing."

"Though, to be fair, for someone like her, she needed quite the blow to her pride to even get the message. Heck, I thought the world might have gone upside down seeing how someone of my age can actually be on par with one of my hometown's elders and they were the greatest Magicians I have seen, emphasis on 'were,'" Onelri said.

"What happened to Agnes?" I asked. "After reflecting on it, I really should apologize to her for that uncalled for comment."

"She left a while ago, but … you might want to come down with us."

"Huh?"

With knowing smirks on their faces, each of the girls took one of my hands and led me down the stairs like they did when they took me to the backyard for my 'interrogation.' My Companions followed close behind, but still out of sight and close to the ceiling.

By the time we reached the bottom and made the turn …

"There's my young man!"

"W-Whoa! Dad?!" I exclaimed in shock as I was suddenly lifted from the ground and set on his arm, putting me on the same level as him.

"Boy, you've really gotten bigger. I have to start using strength enhancement magic to even carry you now."

"I didn't even ask you to carry me! What's going … on?" I trailed off as I looked over to the lobby and my eyes widened.

In the center of the lobby, everybody was there with smiles and waves. There's one more among them, a girl some years older than me with black hair cut in a bob, who I was unfamiliar with as she tried to hide in the crowd while peeking out of it. In the middle of them was a table with a large cake and some other sweets. Another table had many appetizers that were already starting to get eaten and I could smell more food was being cooked from the kitchen. Everyone was in the lobby, so I wondered who was even cooking. Finally, on one more table was a pile of objects in various sizes wrapped in thin brown paper and string. That was how most gifts in that world were wrapped and presented on special occasions. There were ways to color the paper to make the wrapped gifts look better along with some accessories like ribbons, but they cost more due to the process of making them more complicated than just regular brown paper and string. You'd see more gifts like those in parties held by nobles compared to commoners like me and my family.

Other than that, there were decorations of little flags hung above me, a banner on the wall that read 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOAR!', and a couple small tables and chairs set up with empty plates and silverware, ready for people to occupy. There was one table in particular that only had four seats, and one of the chairs had a sign that read 'FOR SOAR ONLY' in this country's main language of Auran that hung from the back. Like the banner, the sign was drawn with charcoal pencils that had some cute pictures and images spread around, including five faces at the top with simple-drawn hair and ears that bore a striking resemblance to me and the girls, plus Agnes and the new unfamiliar girl who hid in the crowd. The sign practically screamed it was made by a kid or two. Then there was one table with many tiny tables and chairs on top of it, along with some toothpicks and leaves that are likely used for 'tableware' for a fairy's use, taking all of the people's Companion guests into account to partake in the celebration.

My previous birthdays were never that extravagant, and while it seemed big enough already with just my parents and their friends, the additions of Fila's and Onelri's families along with the new girl made the party even bigger.

"W-What is … this? Aren't I in trouble?" I asked, at a loss for what was going on.

"Well, from seeing your expression earlier, you were just as surprised by that outcome as the rest of us. It caused quite a stir from the other townsfolk, but thankfully, nobody got hurt," Dad answered as he carried me to the center of the lobby.

"I'm probably gonna have to do a lot of chores to repair the yard and those dummies I broke, right?"

"I think 'broke' would be an understatement here," Weiss comments.

"Your old man knows how to use Earth Magic to repair damages like that in a jiffy. Honestly, I've seen much worse, and there's always more lumber for us to make into more training dummies," Dad said.

"Soar, you've done a lot more for us over the years than you might think. It would be one thing if a neighbor's belongings and property got damaged, but we're well off enough to pay for our own things, no problem. Most importantly, we have much to apologize for as we're partially to blame for how that turned out," Mom added.

"Wait, what?"

"We're going to have a talk about what happened today and where things will go later. For now, though, you got a birthday you need to enjoy with your new friends and that is something we cannot overlook!" Dad said before laughing heartily.

"Food's on!"

"Feast for the birthday boy, coming through!"

"Wait, Wallace?! And Enya, too?! They were the ones cooking in the kitchen?!" I exclaimed as the husband-and-wife owners of the popular restaurant in Lunargrove, the Hungry Wolf, walked in with large dishes of freshly-cooked food. Wallace had a large build that was more on the rotund side compared to Dad. He was the main founder of the restaurant I paid regular visits to over my magic studies and eating out for dinner on occasion. I got to know him personally because he was the only other person in town who had distinguishable, matching hair and eye color he was born with like mine—his features were light green with mine being sky blue—that he had a bit of a complex over, and so we made a camaraderie from that. His wife, Enya, was more youthful, fitter, and is of the wolfkin from the beastman race with light gray hair, wolf ears, and tail. She had a bulging stomach that wasn't hindering her work in the slightest, but it was clear she was expecting.

I had sometimes seen one or both of them in the market picking up ingredients for the restaurant, but that was the first I ever saw both of them in my own home and cooking our food, no less.

"Surprised? This was a bit of a last-minute thing for us, too, you know?" Enya asked.

"It was an interesting change of pace, though, catering for an occasion. That rich red-headed lass really brought up some good ideas for business opportunities," Wallace added.

"… Rich red-headed lass?" {They couldn't have meant …}

"It's just what you're thinking, Soar. The food, cake, sweets, decorations, too. The lass provided all of it while we set everything up," Dad answered for me as he gestured the lobby's current condition.

"… Why? Doesn't she hate me? Being a 'filthy, ignorant commoner?'" I asked.

"I might have to apologize for that," Seal said as he approached me, his soft smile was a little awkward and apologetic. "I was sort of aware of how Lady Agnes was with other noble kids that's completely different from how she behaved around me when I gave her lessons. I thought Lady Agnes would be different this time when she would meet you since she brought up the idea first, but I didn't think it would come to what transpired today, especially when I had her come along for my own selfish reasons."

"Where is she? And her butler?"

"They left after finishing these arrangements. Lady Agnes even told me to take my time on my return before we start another lesson, and she said she would not prohibit me from coming to see you with yours as well."

"Huh …"

"Soar, things may not have started out the way I had hoped, but I think you did a good thing with Lady Agnes today. From what Melissa had told me, she had not been so humble and mellow throughout the rest of her time here before she even met you. Today's events might have really opened her eyes, something that she desperately needed."

"Yeah! Agnes even apologized to Onelri and me, too! She asked us to watch over and distract you for a while until the party was set up."

"Though she did not directly insult us, while the thought was fine, I told her I would rather she apologized to you directly. I thought how she handled things after you left was kind of mixed, but I suppose I could understand why she did it this way," Fila and Onelri voiced their own points on the matter.

I was at a loss for what to say, for that brat to go to such lengths after I said something so awful to her, even if my feelings towards her during that time were true.

"Lady Agnes also wanted me to give this to you before she left," Seal then said while holding up an envelope towards me.

With Dad supporting me on his arm as my seat, I opened up the envelope and read the contents of the folded letter found inside.

[I will work hard to become 'something' to you.

Until then, while we both work towards our goals, let us cross paths again, so that I can show you how hard I trained to catch up to you.

Happy Birthday, and may the gods bless you another good year and more.

Agnes Zanri]

The writing that was made in the letter looked refined, practiced, and clean while it was done in ink. I didn't know what Agnes used to write it, or if she even wrote it herself at all and had her butler do it for her instead, but one could see how much care and thought was put into writing each letter in this short message.

"…"

"What do you think, Soar?" Dad asked. Since I was next to him, he could've very well seen the contents of the letter as well, but I could tell he looked away for my own sake of discretion.

"… I have a lot to think over for a while." {Now I really need to apologize next time I see her.}

"I understand."

"Well, enough with the sappy stuff! The man of the hour is here, the food's hot, so let's party!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Easy, playboy, there's still one matter left to take care of."

"Et tu, Renne?!"

Ms. Renne ignored Weiss' comeback and looked over to me with a mature smile. "Soar … isn't it about time you introduce us?"

"Who?"

Ms. Renne looked up to her right, her gaze pointing at the three fairies I had seen from her class, her three own Companions that are of Wind, Darkness, and Fire. I couldn't tell if they had their hide-detection spell off for others to see since I could see them regardless of my magic-enhanced vision, but they all look to me with knowing smug smirks.

I looked around the lobby and the majority of them had similar expressions. Wallace and Enya were confused to what was going on and felt out of the loop, but they all noticed their gaze directed at me, and so they did the same, silently asking me to fill them in.

"… Why's everybody looking at me like that?"

"Come on, Soar, it should be obvious to everyone here at this point," Lilia said.

"That, would not have been possible by your own magic alone," Seal added while pointing his thumb back behind him, to the backyard where the destruction I left from my magic demonstration was still there.

"I was wondering what happened with that!"

"Wait, that was you, Soar?! Did you finally make a contract with a fairy?!" Enya and Wallace pretty much asked the question for everybody in the room. Fila's and Onelri's families weren't as invested in the question since they knew the answer already.

My face still paled from that question as I broke into a cold sweat. I didn't know how likely it was for an experienced Magician with no fairies to be able to pull off what I did, but it would be more than stupid for anybody to believe a kid around my [physical] age to do that same thing under those circumstances (even though that was sort of the case as I had my Companions to move as far away from me as possible beforehand).

I knew I would be questioned after that but I didn't have a chance to come up with a convincing story. As I tried to come up with some good excuse, Ms. Renne walked up and cupped a hand over my ear. "Don't even try to refute, Soar~. I've known for a while~, and I told your parents about it, too~."

The whisper that was surely meant to tease me seemed seductive the way she phrased it and how her hot breath hit my ear, making me redden a little. I'm sure a prepubescent boy who got caught ogling a woman's large breasts would react something similar.

"Soar," Mom said, making me jump a little since I didn't see her get so close to me until then. She brushed my bangs to the side and cupped my face with a warm smile. "I'm sure you have your reasons for keeping them a secret up to now and we'll go over it after the party, but for now, we really want to meet your Companions. They've looked after you all this time, right? We want to thank them properly and accept them as part of the family, like Dew and Tyra."

"Yeah, Soar! Introduce us! I've been ripping my hair out pretending not to know all this time!"

"Mm. Please, do." Dew and Tyra also made their own statements as they both hovered next to my face.

Since Dad was carrying me, I was basically cornered from all sides with no way out.

<"Soar … you've been frustrated keeping it a secret this whole time, too, weren't you? Don't you think it's time?"> Breeze asked in my mind through telepathy. They had to have been hiding off to the side with their hide-detection spell on full blast, to keep themselves from being noticed by other people and fairies alike.

With that, I sighed in defeat. "… Breezy, Mist, Shadina, Cinder, would you all come in, please?" I asked.

"Wait, what—?" Dad asked first when my Companions came in from the stairs and appeared themselves before everyone in the lobby. They all uttered a collective gasp, including the adults' fairies and even Fila's and Onelri's parents when they were already aware of my circumstances. They were likely shocked by the drastic growth spurt my Companions went through compared to what they saw last night. The four fairies hovered together as they slowly spun around in a circle so everyone would have a good look at them.

"Everyone … these are my fairies. Three of them I made a contract with all at once when I was 5, I made one with the fourth just recently."

"Hello, everybody, I'm Breezy! Nice to finally meet you all properly! We've gotten much bigger due to recent circumstances but I hope we get along!"

"I am Shadina. There's nothing more I and the rest of us want than our adorable Soar's happiness. We hope you all can help provide it as much as we have."

"Mist's name is Mist. Soar took great care of us. Will become awesome Magician one day. Mist will do best to help make happen, like rest of us."

"Yo, name's Cinder, I just joined the group recently after some stuff happened. We have yet to see what he can do with Fire Magic, but with how talented he is, I don't think he'll have much trouble."

""…""

The lobby fell into deathly silence for a brief moment until a loud thud broke it.

"Ms. Renne!" I exclaimed.

For the second time in my life, I saw Ms. Renne fall from going faint.

With that, one of my many secrets was known by everyone in the lobby that evening, and honestly? I was relieved more people knew about it then. Keeping such a heavy secret hidden can take a big toll out of you. I can now sympathize a little on what superheroes have gone through to keep their identities hidden. It kind of makes us lonelier than what others might think. I was lucky I even have my Companions to confide into at times, but it still made me feel out of place that others didn't know about it, or at least I thought they didn't know, since Ms. Renne and my parents knew about it for a while then.

Regardless, putting the approaching serious talk I'd have with my family and Ms. Renne on the backburner, I continued with my most colorful and eventful birthday yet.