Chapter 21 - Tenth Birthday

—-- Rudeus Greyrat —--

It was evening when I arrived in Roa, and just like Leon had said, it was a cool city to see in person, with large walls and a fortified castle in the centre.

As we got into the city, Ghislaine told me about all the places I pointed out, such as the Adventurer's Guild, the main weapon smith, and the brothel.

She was a stern, but kind woman. Just like Leon said.

As I entered the manor, a butler led us to what looked to be a reception room, where I was then pointed to two sofas that were facing each other.

Okay… this would be my first interview, I guess. I didn't want to know what would happen if I failed it, but I knew I wouldn't want to see Paul's teasing face upon my return after getting rejected.

So let's do this!

As I waited, it didn't take long for someone to open the door, revealing a thin, lightweight man with sleek brown hair.

Standing up, I hastily bow while lowering my head.

Introductions were key, after all.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Rudeus Greyrat," I say respectfully.

"Ah, yes. And I am Philip Boreas Greyrat. It seems like you are just as polite as Leon said, but for your information, nobles greet each other by putting their right hand on their chest and bowing slightly," he says.

"Like this?" I say, repeating his movement.

"Yes. Quite right. Even my father would be pleased to see a worker greet him like that. Now please, take a seat," Philip said, flouncing on the sofa with a thud.

"Now… how much have you heard?" he asks, steepling his fingers.

"I was told I would be spending the next five years teaching the Young Mistress, taking over my brother's position. Speaking of… why exactly did he leave?" I say.

"He simply thought it would be best for you to see the wider world, and for him to spend time with his family. Or at least, that's what he told me," Philip answers with a shrug.

Hmm… was he trying to steal the 'cool older brother' title from me?

Well, considering he was already a Sword Saint, I didn't think he had to use such shrewd methods.

"But yes. In return, you will be compensated with free tuition to Ranoa as well as a noble family's support upon completion of Eris' education. I believe you've already met her, yes?" he says.

"Umm… yes, I have," I say, thinking back to when that redheaded mad dog smacked me around with a sword.

"And? Do I have to worry about becoming a grandfather?" he asks.

What? 

Well… Paul did mention he lost his virginity at ten, so the standards were quite different from my old world.

But Eris?

"No. I am not like my father," I say.

Even if she wasn't head over heels for my natural flirt of a brother, I didn't want anywhere near that ball of violent anger.

A nice girl that I could form into my perfect future wife would be best for me, thank you very much.

Someone like Sylphy, but with a bit more stats in the breast department.

"Oh really? Then you pass. I'll be honest, while I don't expect much from you, but since Leon recommended you, I decided to give you a try," he says with a shrug.

That was quite honest. A little bit too much, in my opinion.

"Leon recommended me, huh?" I say.

"Yes. Are you confident?" he asks.

"I won't know until I meet her again. This time as her tutor," I answer.

"Very well," Philip nods. "Thomas, can you take him up to Eris' room?"

And so, with the large man leading me through the halls of the manor, I found myself in front of a closed door.

"Miss Eris," Thomas said, knocking on the door. "Please open the door."

Hearing the tussle of bedsheets and a following set of stomps, the door is slammed open to reveal a familiar face with blazing red hair and an arrogant expression.

Except… different from what I remembered, Eris' eyes were reddened as if she had just finished crying.

Oh… I see. She must be pretty upset.

"Rudeus? What the heck are you doing here?" she asks with a glare.

Right. I didn't exactly make a good first impression, considering I tried to catch a glimpse of her and Sylphy showering by 'accident'.

Although unlike how Leon would usually quell those attempts with Roxy, that time it was Eris catching me in the act, landing a sharp blow on my cheek.

And I hadn't even seen anything!

"I-It's nice to see you again, Lady Eris. I'm your new tutor. Please treat me kindly," I say with the bow Philip taught me.

"What!?" she shouts, eyes narrowed in rage. "Don't kid with me!"

"Unfortunately, I am not kidding-"

My words were interrupted by a slamming door, leaving me standing there still.

Haa… this wasn't going to be easy, huh?

"Having some trouble there?" Philip says cheerfully from the side.

Tsk. How could he be so casual about this?

She's quite obviously heartbroken about that stupid brother of mine leaving, and I would be surprised if she ever picked up another book because of it.

"Yes, I am. But I won't give up so easily," I say.

"Is that so? Well, if you want to warm up to her and earn her respect, it might be best to take her out into the town for a practical lesson. That always seemed to put a smile on her face, after all," Philip shrugs.

A practical lesson… that sounded good.

"Anyway, ask Thomas, the manor's butler, about that," he says, walking away. "Meanwhile, I have some work to do."

Looking over at the butler, his eyes gleam before he bows to me.

—-- Information on the Six-Faced World —--

First Great Human-Demon War

Around 7000 years ago, the first war between the Human Race and the Demon Race began, lasting nearly 1000 years. This war was fought with the introduction of magic and martial arts and when the Central Continent and Demon Continent were joined together into one landmass known as the Great Continent.

The war was a period that constantly shifted between fierce battle and relaxation, until finally, the hero of humanity Ars and his six comrades ended the long war, having defeated the Five Great Demon Kings and the Demon Empress Kishirika.

—-- Rudeus Greyrat —--

Things had somehow turned out okay, and while I had expected Ghislaine to come join us as a guard, the butler said there was no need for such a thing.

I guess the city was pretty safe, huh?

That makes sense. You wouldn't want to cause trouble in a city that had a Sword King around.

"Hmph!" 

The Young Mistress Eris, though, was still very reluctant about the whole thing. Especially about me.

But the most pissed-off of people needed fresh air, so she accepted my offer without much of a fuss.

With Eris having purchased a few skewers and having looked around a few of the shops, we were now on our way back to the manor. It was quite obvious that I didn't try to add any lessons to our time unless I wanted to risk being hit in anger.

I could now understand why Leon didn't get me any books. After all, even the most basic of them were five gold coins. That was way out of my price range.

As we began walking back through the darkened streets, I couldn't help but feel like something was a little… off.

A feeling of anxiety and apprehension, like when a big reveal was about to happen in an anime. The air tasted heavy, and it was quiet. 

Too quiet.

"Eris. L-Let's hurry on back, okay?" I say.

"Huh? What do you think we're doing!?" she shouts.

"J-Just…"

My words trail off as I notice a group of four people walking toward us under the cover of shadows.

They were, for lack of a better word, extremely shady-looking fellows.

People I did not want to be associated with.

"Hey!? What the hell are you doing!?" Eris shouts.

"Just shut up, Eris. Not now."

I grab her arm before increasing our walking pace, and to my pleasure, Eris seems to get the idea as she follows me without any fuss, though she does shake off my hold.

Looking behind me, I saw that the four were still following us, and in fact, had increased their pace in turn.

Not good.

"In here."

I suddenly turn into an alley, pulling Eris along with me, hoping to lose the pursuers in the city sprawl, or at least make them lose interest in whatever they were following us for.

But to my displeasure, all I heard was the sound of thumping footsteps as the pursuers in question were now running our way.

Well… this wasn't great.

I spotted a sword at the hip of each of those guys, so thinking that they were some insistent peddlers was… probably wishful thinking.

Hoping that my sporadic running would lead us to the manor, or at least lose the people chasing after us, I soon found my hopes dashed as I reached a wall, blocking off our escape.

Shit… not good.

"Fucking brats. But at least now we won't have to worry about any prying eyes."

Turning around, I watch as the four men pull out their swords.

The man at the front, who I could only assume to be their leader, points his sword toward me, "I'll keep it simple. Hand over the girl, and we'll let you go. Good?"

"I can't do that," I say, summoning a ball of fire in my hand.

"Eh? Did they hire another guard or something?" he asks.

"No. At least not yet," I say, trying to buy time.

Shit. What do I do?

Do I fight?

No. Not only did I have no experience fighting an actual battle, it wasn't only my life on the line.

"'Not yet'? What do ya mean?" he asks.

"I'm currently on a probation period," I answer.

"'Probation'? The hell does that mean? Whatever. If you don't have a reason to be here, then leave," he says, jerking his head to the side. "Just hand over the little missy over there, and all will be good."

That seems to break the state of calm that Eris had been in.

"N-No! Ghislaine! Leon! Help-Mmff!"

I quickly cover her mouth as the leader's face turns irritated.

"Fuck… the beast bitch probably heard that," he mumbles. "You should've listened to me, stupid brat."

The leader then sets himself in a crouch with his sword held to the side.

Okay… let's hope this works.

"Hold onto me, Eris!"

Letting go of Eris' mouth and wrapping it around her waist, I then bring my other hand to the ground, preparing to make a pillar of earth to shoot us over the wall.

"Oh no you don't!"

Hearing a yell, I look up to see a sword twirling through the air right toward my face.

Right… mercenaries, thugs, and people like this usually used the North God style. And in that style, there is a whole branch of techniques about sword throwing.

Time slows to a crawl as I feel the somewhat familiar cold embrace of death wash over me.

Familiar because of how my father decided to send me off, but unlike then, this was real.

Was I really about to die a second time?

I doubt I'd get so lucky as to reincarnate again.

Was this… the end? But… I hadn't even done anything-!

Clang!

The sword shatters into a cloud of metal shards as someone then lands in front of us in a crouch. With golden hair that reaches their shoulder while the back is tied into a messy ponytail, much like Paul's, and a red scarf that was tied around their neck, with the ends drifting in the air.

Seeing that familiar figure, I felt an immediate wave of relief wash over me as I recognized who exactly it was.

Thank god~ 

I didn't want to die a virgin again~

"Rudy," he says. "Which one's the leader?"

Swallowing down my freight, I quickly answer, "T-The one in the back. I think."

"Okay," he answers

Leon then holds his sword to the side, and I feel an indescribable pressure descend on the alley as blue flames begin to coat his blade.

"The fuck!? Who the hell are you-?"

The world is then enveloped in a bright flash as a sonic boom echoes across the walls.

My ears ringing, I looked up to see the heads of three of the pursuers rolling to a stop as their bodies slowly crumpled to the ground meters away from where I was standing.

As for the leader that I pointed out, while he wasn't decapitated like his friends, his arms were cut off from the shoulder, leaving no chance of resisting.

But despite the carnage, no blood was spilled, as the flames dancing across Leon's blade seemed to have instantly cauterized the cuts as they were made.

My brother, who was now standing at the end of the alley, sheathed his sword before slowly walking over to the shocked leader and punching him in the head, instantly knocking him out.

And with that, the short confrontation came to an abrupt end.

"L-Leon!" Eris says, getting up and rushing over to my brother.

I, on the other hand, could only sit there dumbfounded as my brain slowly caught up to the world around me.

It didn't seem real.

The thugs… they were dead. Their twitching bodies are a testament to this fact.

They were dead, but… it could have easily been me.

If my brother had arrived a moment later, I would be the corpse lying on the ground right now.

This world was not as kind as my old one. Here, death was a common occurrence. Simply a part of everyday life.

Only because I had been shielded in the safety of Buena Village did I not already understand this.

If I had made one single mistake… I would have died.

At this thought, a chill of indescribable fear ran up my spine.

—-- Leon Greyrat —--

"L-Leon!"

Quickly wrapping my arms around the approaching Eris, I soothingly run my hand through her hair.

"Shh. It's okay. You're safe now," I say.

"Not that, you idiot!"

She then kicks my shin.

Ouch. I just saved you, you know?

"W-Why are you leaving me? D-Do you… hate me? Are you tired of me?" she asks.

Looking down, I see her face mixed with a myriad of emotions.

Anger, annoyance, sadness, fear, worry… it seemed our little trap had hurt her more than I thought.

I shake my head, "No. I don't hate you at all."

"Then why are you leaving me!?" she says with tears in her eyes.

"I'm not! That was just… a little ploy, to draw these guys out," I say, kicking the unconscious leader beside me.

At that, Eris' eyes seem to brighten.

"It's not all a lie though. Rudy will be taking over as your tutor," she punches me in the chest, "but I'm not completely cutting ties with you. I'll still be around most of the time to teach and spend time with you," I say softly, "I still have lots to learn in regards to swordsmanship, after all."

"So then… why aren't you staying all the time? Like before?" she asks with a pout.

"I wanted to visit home some more. Especially since my sisters are getting older. And I don't want Sylphy to be alone with Rudy staying here," I explain.

She glares at me, "Idiot."

"Sorry," I say in response.

At that moment, Ghislaine lands in front of us, casting a quick glance at the surrounding signs of battle before nodding to me.

"It seems everything is cleared up here," she says.

"Yeah. How'd you know?" I ask.

"I heard Miss Eris' shout. I was previously told by the head butler to attend to Master Sauros, but once I arrived, he said he never asked for such a thing. So I knew something was wrong," she says.

"I see. So it was Thomas then… did you catch him?" I ask.

She nods, "I found him trying to escape through the back entrance. Considering you were tailing these two, I decided to capture him before making my way over."

"Good job. Hopefully with him and this guy," I once again kick the unarmed kidnapper, "we'll get a better understanding of the situation."

"Mmm."

As Ghislaine goes to pick up the unconscious leader, I let Eris go before heading over to my brother, who was looking at his hands in fear.

"Are you alright?" I ask gently as I crouch down in front of him.

"Huh?" he flinches before staring up at me. "Y-Yeah. It was just a little scary… is all."

Hmm… he didn't seem that traumatized at least, so that was good. Just a little shaken.

Ah. Right. This was his first brush with death, huh?

"Sorry for not coming sooner. I wanted to see if they would slip up and reveal who hired them in their arrogance," I say, patting his head.

"No, it's fine. It's just… did you really have to wait that long?" he asks.

"No. But I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn about the world. Do you feel enlightened?" I ask teasingly.

"Yeah… very."

And with that, the day came to a long and tedious end.

Although considering we would need to get the information out of the two criminals, I might be called down to help out in the dungeon.

You see, as I've come to learn with my time serving Philip, the scariest type of magic wasn't a school of elementary magic or anything, rather, it was healing magic.

Sometimes it was better to succumb to your injuries, after all.

—-- Leon Greyrat —--

A few months had passed since Rudy became Eris' official tutor, and with me splitting my time up in Roa and at home, I had been given a horse of my own from Philip, so I used that as my mode of transportation rather than being reliant on the peddler, allowing me to finally put my horseriding lessons to good use.

Philip had hired a new head butler, as after the whole Eris kidnapping debacle, Thomas, the previous one, had been promptly tortured and executed. But not before we found out the one behind him.

One Darius Silva Ganius. A perverted noble who had set his sights on Eris after seeing her during a visit to Roa.

The good news was that we were now certain there were no traitors among the current employees, and now, we could be mindful of the movements of this vile man in the future.

The bad news, however, was that Darius was the Prime Minister of the Asura Kingdom, and thus, was way too powerful to get punishment with the evidence we had. In fact, even if we had a written document of his involvement, he could probably pressure the King to give him leniency.

However, if I ever saw the man in person, I promised myself that he would soon find himself in the afterlife.

A person like that in power was something I did not want for my cute sisters as they grew older, and it would also clear out any problems Eris might have with him in the future.

Eris, while she still didn't like Rudy and often didn't listen to his lessons, had warmed up a bit to my brother. And she was especially glad to have him around for sword training.

It made sense. After all, the two were close in ability, so their spars were somewhat equal, unlike whenever Eris tried sparring with Ghislaine and me.

Currently, Eris has the upper hand in both strength and natural abilities, with Rudy having the edge in pure technique. But soon enough, Rudy's edge would be overthrown as Eris got more practice in, and then the girl would become the undisputed strongest of the two.

While she had hidden it well, she certainly didn't like training with me, as while she was just in the early stages of the Intermediate rank, I was a Sword Saint. 

We were simply on a different level. And Eris did not like to lose.

But now that she had someone to lord her strength over, the tension in our spars had disappeared, instead transforming into a fun exchange of strikes rather than the desperate fight it was before.

But that also meant that she went extra hard on Rudy as a way to vent her competitiveness.

Sorry, little brother.

As for home, things had been going well, with my sisters now being one year old and slowly starting to show their personality traits.

Aisha, while not as much as Rudy and I, seemed to be a gifted kid, and was growing at a faster rate than her sister. 

She could now walk, and was quite obviously a very curious child, as she loved seeing new applications of my magic. Not for their pretty effects like Norn, but rather for the sake of seeing new things. She had also recently begun saying short sentences and was already potty trained.

Norn, on the other hand, was… how to say, a normal kid. 

Ah, and she was very shy. Though she opened up around Lilia, Mama, and me.

They had both already said their first words, which were some form of 'Mama', but to my utter glee, their second words were both 'Leon'.

Suck on that, Paul.

Anyway, slowly, I had transformed from 'Leon' into 'Brother' in their minds, and even though Mama and Lilia always talked about their other brother Rudy, since they hadn't seen him in a long while, they were only confused about this mysterious figure.

But that would hopefully change once they grew up a bit and Rudy visited home more.

And then… Sylphy.

I had kept up with her teaching, but after a while, it had transformed into simple playtime. Seeing as she was a kid who could already silently cast Intermediate magic, I don't think this was anything bad.

I also realized something during this time.

She… liked me. She liked me in the same way I liked Roxy, though still a bit childish.

I figured this out before Paul gave me 'the talk' about girls, sex, pregnancy, and all that stuff I already knew. And… I didn't plan on answering her feelings. At least not yet.

I felt that shifting my view of her as a sister into something more of a friend was the extent of what I could do at the moment. And when we got older and more sure of ourselves and our feelings… then, I would decide what to do.

Feelings were… difficult. And it seemed that my enhanced knowledge didn't help as much with them as it did with magic and arithmetic.

Anyway, despite that, things were going well, and while I didn't have anything in my future planned to save for marrying Roxy and growing my fighting strength, I was content with my current lifestyle.

With the landscape coated in snow, and the nobles returning from reporting the year's harvest to the capital, it meant that today was a special day.

"Happy birthday, Leon!"

It was, as they said, my birthday. More specifically, my tenth birthday.

Usually, this day would be followed by an apprenticeship for a trade, or starting small jobs on a farm, but since I was already employed with quite a good salary, I didn't have to go through all that.

"Thanks, everyone. It looks really good."

Beaming at the feast laid out before me, I feel my sides get pressed by two bodies as Lilia and Mama both give me a hug.

"Well, it's your special day, sweetie. So dig in!" Mama says. "Ah, wait! Presents first!"

Rudy and I had come back home for my birthday, much to Eris' annoyance, but at least the girl was quick to understand that my family would want to see me on such a big day. 

Unfortunately, she couldn't come with us, but oddly enough, she didn't seem to mind this fact. Instead, she actually insisted on staying at the manor.

Weird.

Mama then comes back from her room, holding a very exquisite-looking book.

"Since you could get any little things on your own, we decided to purchase one big thing as a family. So here you go, Leon!"

Taking the book, I let my hands glide over the leather-bound spine as well as the metal latch that kept it closed.

…It was very high quality. And if the outside was this amazing, the inside was bound to be doubly so.

Slowly opening the book, I instantly feel my jaw drop at the title.

Advanced Healing Magic: A Textbook for Prestigious Healers

"T-This-"

"Is something you deserve, Leon," Lilia cuts me off. "Do not worry. With your constant support, your sisters already have more than enough money for their futures. You should have nice things too, Leon."

Looking down at the book, I trace my fingers gently across the pages before closing it and hugging both mothers.

"Thank you!"

"Of course," Mama says, returning my hug. "Maybe once you learn it, you can teach your old Mama here."

"You're not old, Mama," I say back.

"Fufu, such a charmer, my little Leon is… Don't say that stuff too often, understood?" her hand that was caressing my hair increased in strength.

"G-Got it!" I hastily reply.

Letting go of her, I then looked down at my two sisters who were standing next to my seat.

"Oh? Did you two get me something too?" I ask teasingly.

Norn's eyes widened in worry as Aisha was in a similar state of distress.

"I'm just joking. The only present I need from you two is hugs, so? Are you gonna give me a present?" I say, opening my arms.

They both show smiles of relief before simultaneously jumping into my arms.

"Of course, Brother!" Aisha cheers.

"B-Brother…" Norn adds.

Ahh~ Pure bliss~

I was always in a constant state of debate with myself, wondering if I would rather them stay this small and cute forever, or watch them grow up into the beautiful women I was sure they would be.

It was a question I had yet to find the answer to.

For now, though, I decided to simply enjoy the moment.

"Leon?" Sylphy says. "C-Can hold out your arm, please?"

Complying with her request, I adjusted Aisha so she rested against my chest while holding out my left arm.

"I got you this…"

Sylphy then wraps a small bracelet around my wrist. From what I could see, the cord was braided twine, with a small green gem in the center.

"Aww!"

"Zenith, please. You'll embarrass the girl," Lilia says.

"But it's so cute!"

Sylphy, with her cheeks burning red, finishes tying off the ends, "T-There! I-It's not much compared to a book, but-"

"It's wonderful, Sylphy," I say, interrupting her rambling.

I didn't know what the future held for us, but I knew that I appreciated her gift deeply. And I also knew that I wanted her to know that.

"I'll make sure to cherish it."

Examining the bracelet, I couldn't help but notice how the green gemstone sparkled under the candlelight.

"How did you get this, though?" I ask, gesturing to the gem.

"I, uhh… did some chores around the village, just like Miss Roxy, and then a merchant showed me that after seeing my necklace, so…"

I see. She really put a lot of work into this.

"I love it. Thank you," I say, pulling her into a hug.

"Y-You're welcome!" she squeals.

Lilia then leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"Lilia?" I say, confused.

"Although I do not know what results my personal gift will bear, I apologize that it will take a while to see what comes of it," she says.

Huh?

"What do you mean?" I ask.

She shakes her head, "It's a secret. But I will tell you a hint: it has to do with my father."

Huh? Her father?

"Umm okay? Thanks?"

She simply smiles in response.

How odd.

—-- Leon Greyrat —--

The next day, upon my horse ride back to Roa with Rudy, I was welcomed with a large feast, one fit for a noble party. Only without the guests, much to my pleasure.

Throughout my time as a guard and healer, which had increased with Rudy formally taking over Eris' education, I had met many nobles and their associates.

Suffice it to say, I didn't like it very much.

It made me have a new appreciation for how carefree and enjoyable the nobles I had met so far were.

But I guess that this must have been why Eris was so eager about getting me out of the manor… how nice of her.

"Leon!"

The booming voice of Sauros echoes through the hall as I find myself hoisted upon the large man's shoulder.

"Let this celebration be thanks for your constant good work! Enjoy it to your heart's content!"

"Thank you, Lord Sauros," I say politely.

"Good man!"

With him placing me down and patting my head, the party then began in earnest. Although 'dinner' would be more appropriate for what it was.

As I was making my way through some duck, Eris' mother, Hilda, came up to me.

Over the few years I had been at the manor, she seemed to have warmed up to me, if only slightly. This was probably due to me somewhat repairing her relationship with her daughter, as well as all the time we spent reading together in the library.

"Happy birthday, Leon," she says, hugging me.

As I was now ten, I had grown tall enough that my face reached Mama's shoulder rather than her breast when we hugged, but due to Hilda's… assets, I was once again reminded of the feeling of suffocation.

I was really glad Paul never met Hilda in person. He would definitely do something stupid if he did.

"Thank you, Miss Hilda," I say happily.

"Just call me Hilda, dear. Anyway, I am not the one presenting your gift. Eris?" she says.

Turning my head, I noticed Eris standing tall, her feet spread wide apart as her hands were held behind her back.

I suppose she was hiding this 'gift', huh?

"You look nice with your hair like that, Eris," I say.

It was true.

She usually had her hair down and loose, but for today, she had decided to pin it up in a bun with locks resting on either shoulder, much like how Mama did her hair.

It was very pretty.

"I-Is that so? Thanks, I guess," she says, averting her eyes.

"Eris?" Hilda then says.

"Ah! Right!" Eris turns back to me. "A-Ahem! T-This! I got this for you! Take it graciously!"

She seemed to have somewhat reverted to her old way of speaking, but with her cheeks flushed red and her chest puffed out with pride, I could only find it extremely adorable.

She then took out the gift from behind her back, revealing a sheathed sword, which she then passed to me.

Taking it into my hands, I gripped the handle, instantly noticing how comfortable it felt as I looked at the ornate design of the guard that had a large red gem in the center.

Standing up, I slowly unsheathe it to reveal a sleek, straight, double-edged blade. Looking at it, the word 'Jian' came to mind.

Taking a light swing, I instantly felt the perfect balance of the sword. Well… almost perfect balance. 

It was still a bit too big for me, but considering how I was still going to continue growing, that was more of a good thing than a bad one.

But, while I did notice the balance and general quality of the sword, I also felt something else. My mana… it felt freer to use, especially around the sword. Much like a wand.

Whoa…

"Eris, this… this is amazing," I say, my lips widening into a smile.

"I-Is that so? Good then! Few craftsmen could make a spellsword, after all!" she says pridefully.

A spellsword… it was more of a gimmick than a practical weapon, as few people would learn both the sword and magic, and if they did, they would not use it interchangeably in battle.

But I wasn't exactly normal.

But to get something like this made… and with such quality…

I had noticed Eris hadn't been spending much of her money, but thinking that she was saving for something to give to me…

"Thank you," I say.

"H-Hmph! It's only nat-"

Her words are caught in her throat as I sheath my new sword before wrapping my arms around her in a swift movement.

Was it ill-mannered for me to do this to a noble lady?

Probably.

But it was my birthday, so I didn't really care.

"Thank you, Eris. I promise to use it well in protecting you," I whisper.

"W-Who said I needed protecting!?" she shouts angrily.

But even though she seemed peeved, she still wrapped her arms around me in kind, placing her chin on my shoulder.

And that was how I celebrated my tenth birthday.