problems with bullies

Things have progressed in the six months since Roxy's departure. I'm improving my swordsmanship and learning how to use my mana to get diverse effects with my spells from Rudy. Most importantly, my brother Rudy can now leave the house, and I couldn't be happier for him. Rudy enjoys spending time outside with his plant book, studying the names of the various plants and their medical properties. I spend the majority of my time training with the sword. I even get up extra early to get extra practice in. Aside from sword training, I spend the majority of my time with Sylphiette, my adorable half-elf friend.

Today starts like any other day: I get up before the sun comes up and put on my workout attire. I make my way down the stairs to welcome Mom, Dad, and Lilia, and then I exit the house. The first thing I do is run around the village with my wooden sword. I am not permitted to use the sword I received for my fifth birthday without the supervision of my dad. I had also promised my father that I would not leave the village by myself.

After my run, I return to the house and begin swinging my sword. I do around a hundred for each technique I am familiar with. After that, I get ready for breakfast, eat, and chat happily with my family. After breakfast, I return outside for more swordsmanship training, this time focusing on sword swings and blocking. There are times when Dad has Rudy hurl a few magic spells at me, and Dad teaches me how to reflect and block them. Then it's sparring time. My sparring partner most of the time is Rudy, who is completely incapable when it comes to sword exercise. I gave him every piece of advise I could think of, but he hasn't changed.

Deflecting magic is difficult, especially since Rudy can cast it swiftly. Manipulate the spells to make them faster and softer, so they pain less when they hit me. But I believe that with time, I will improve.

I'm wondering whether there's a method to combine silent spellcasting with swordsmanship, which should give me a slight advantage. Maybe I'll ask Rudy to assist me come up with a few magic-infused techniques.

"Can we go out and play now?" I and Rudy ask after training. "I don't have a problem with it," dad adds as he leans on his sword. Mom, who is working in the garden, expresses the same sentiment. and as Rudy and I are leaving. "Perhaps this time you could bring back a few girlfriends," dad replies, a sly grin on his face. Mom didn't appear pleased when she heard dad mention this. I come to a halt and turn around, saying, "So you want me to be insincere and shallow?" "That is some bad advice," I continue. I'm not going to stoop so low like you, Dad; I'm not going to hit on anything that moves I prefer to be more sincere."

After hearing this, the mother jumps up and exclaims, "Look at my little Ryan." Paul, there are a few things you could learn from him." Dad gulps after hearing mom say this dad stutters a little as he responds "yes that was very good Ryan" began nodding to himself seemingly conflicted about something as to what it could be I don't know. After that, Rudy and I left the house and made our way towards the village center.

As we made our way to the town center, I decided to strike up a conversation with Rudy. "Rudy, those Stone sculptures you make are probably going to fetch you some decent money," I add "I don't think there are many people who can make those kinds of details like you can by hand," and everything I said is true; he can make some extremely detailed statues utilizing Earth magic, which is quite amazing. Rudy says, "maybe when I get a little better at it, I'll start selling them." I just replied, "no time like the present." Rudy smiles and says, "maybe I'll bring one next time just to see how much it would sell for."

We were strolling down the road when we heard voices shouting, so Rudy and I rushed to check what was going on. What I saw made my blood boil. Sylphiette was curled up on the ground, shielding herself and something else I couldn't make out. from dirt and rocks hurled at her by five boys, the eldest of them was seven and the others were between the ages of five and six. Joel is the name of the oldest. "Stop what you're doing right now!" I yell. Joe looks at me and says, "Who the hell do you think you are?" Right after that, one of his underlings whispers in his ear, and he yells, "I don't care if he's the knight's kid, if he interferes, I'll pound him into the ground!"

I start cracking my knuckles as I step forward towards Joel. I say my voice is deep as I can make it considering that I'm a 5-year-old child. "you have one option to settle this peacefully all you have to do is apologize to Sylphiette now!"

Joel laughed and said "you and what army that brother of yours seems like he's going to wet himself" he starts laughing at my brother I look at my brother and indeed his knees are shaking and he's looking quite terrified I simply tell him "don't worry Rudy I got this!"

I raced off quickly, and with the wooden sword in my hand, I smacked Joel in the head. I proceeded to beat his goons with my wooden sword. I considered using magic to hurt them, but I have a more difficult time controlling my magic than Rudy does, so if I used magic on them, things may go very wrong for them, and I would have nightmares if I accidently murdered any of them. So I'll stick to wielding the wooden sword, where I have more control over my strength than I do over my magic.

Joel and his goons, on the other hand, were no match for me; it was utterly one-sided.

They tried to flee after the smackdown I dealt them, but I wouldn't let them get away that easily. I converted the ground into a quagmire, causing Joel and his goons to sink into it. They were buried up to their mouths, leaving just their noses exposed to breathe. I then shifted my focus to Sylphiette and approached her. "Are you okay?" I inquired. I gently patted her back as she continued to cry. I tried to console her by saying, "it's okay, you're all right now." Sylphiette sniffed again before replying, "I'm a little sore, but I think I'm okay."

"I'm just glad they didn't hit my father's lunch," adds Sylphiette. I tell Sylphiette to "sit down on that log and let me see your ankle" as she struggles to get up. Sylphiette does as she is requested and sits on the log. I take a look at her and notice that she has bruises on her ankles, which I treated with healing magic. "Is there anywhere else you're hurt?" I inquired. "If it's somewhere I shouldn't be touching, I can take you to the village healers if you want." Sylphiette shakes her head and says, "No, just some spots on my arms and back." I say "good" and I intend to them with healing magic.

After I finished healing Sylphiette, I took a handkerchief from my breast pocket and cleaned her face with it and some water magic because she still had a lot of tears and snot hanging from her. "I'm going to get the mud out of your hair, can you bend down so I can pour water on you?" I said. Sylphiette nodded and did as she was ordered. I used window magic to create a warm breeze to quickly dry her hair.

"Why are they bullying you?" I asked Sylphiette. "They keep making fun of my green hair and calling me a demon," Sylphiette remarked. "It's okay, don't worry about what they think, you're fine just the way you are, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise," I gently hold her. Sylphiette nods silently. I move my attention to the boys who are still buried in the dirt and use Earth magic to open their mouths so they can talk. "Why were you guys picking on Sylphiette?" I inquire. "Because she's a filthy demon, and we want her out of our village," Joel says. I shake my head, disappointed.

"Apologize now, and I'll let you guys go and heal your injuries; refuse, and I'll bury your mouth again and leave you here," I tell Joel. Joel grunted and said, "So you're joining the demons, huh?" I gave him a nasty gaze and added, "There's nothing wrong with being a demon; they're people just like you and me!" My yell appeared to startle Joel, as he responded, "okay fine, I'm sorry we threw rocks and mud at you." The remainder of the kids apologized after Joel, and being a man of my word, I released them from the Earth, healed them, and sent them on their way.

When I see Rudy still standing there dumbfounded, I signal for him to come over here, and when he does, I say, "Sylphiette, this is my brother Rudy, he is an absolute genius when it comes to magic." "Is it magic how you turned the ground the way you did?" Sylphiette asks. "Yes, it was." Sylphiette appears to want to say something, and after a few moments of her staring at me, I finally responded, "If there's anything you want to ask, ask it." "Can you teach me magic and how you pulled off those cool sword moves?" Sylphiette asks. "I can teach you swordsmanship easily, but my brother Rudy is a better magician." Rudy nervously says "I can teach you magic if you want" Sylphiette smiles and says "I would have loved that" I caught my hands together and I say "okay first we deliver your father his lunch then we move on to practicing some magic and sword play." we were all in agreement head off to deliver Laws lunch. I was thinking that there was no way this day could get worse but little did I know that there was a storm brewing at home.