Graduation and Departure

[Third POV]

It is early in the morning and the whole family are outside of the house.

Paul is preparing his horse named Caravaggio for Roxy to use, Zenith and Lilia were at the background watching everyone doing their own thing and lastly, Roxy, Rudeus and Rebecca are all waiting for their ride.

"I'm getting nervous about this" Rudeus worriedly says as he is holding Rebecca's hand.

"Don't worry, Onii-chan. As long as you hold our hands very tight, you can overcome your fear of the outside, right Roxy-san?" Rebecca reassures Rudeus and calls Roxy to back her up.

"Ah, yes. She's right you know, Rudy. As long as we are here, there is nothing to be afraid of" Roxy gave her reassurance as well.

Paul then guides Caravaggio towards the three people holding hands.

"Alright, everything is set. You can now use him to ride to wherever you guys are heading. Just be careful with him. He's quite sensitive and bit feisty but Caravaggio is good and lovely horse, isn't that right, Caravaggio?" Paul said as he strokes the horse's neck.

"Neigh" the horse agrees to Paul and neighs proudly.

The true laughs wryly at the intimate relationship of Paul and Caravaggio. They seem to be close buddies in their adventurer days.

Roxy broke off their hand holding and she guides the horse outside the gate. Then returns toward the twins.

"Rudy, it's time to go. Let's get moving." Roxy says she was about grab Rudeus's hand again. However, he hid behind Rebecca but she resisted and look Rudeus in the eyes.

"Come on, bro. We talked about this, didn't we? Why are still afraid to go outside?" Rebecca says with a slight annoyance in her face.

"Huhu, I am guessing Rudy wasn't afraid of the outside, but rather the horse, wasn't that right, Caravaggio?" Roxy teased Rudeus, saying he has fear of horses.

"Neigh!" Caravaggio neighs loudly, taking offense with the words said about him.

" Yeah right, like hell he was scary. Caravaggio is a handsome horse. Even perhaps more handsome than father over there, hehehe" "Hey!" Rebecca compliments Caravaggio's appearance while lowkey insulted Paul's, who heard her clearly.

"I think the horse wasn't the issue here" Rudeus says in a fluster.

"Then there's no problem after all. Roxy, if you do the honor to hold his other hands" Rebecca says as she grabs Rudeus's left hand towards Roxy.

Roxy then holds his hand and the three starts walking to the gate.

Then suddenly, the image of a school gate with him hanged flashes before his eyes. He was terrified and was about to stop walking.

"Sensei, Rebecca, I can't do it" Rudeus says reluctantly as she tries to back off, but Rebecca pulls him back to them and glared at him.

"Rudeus, I know you can do it, you have to trust me, trust on Roxy. We are here holding your hands to reassure you that everything will be okay. So, come on and take another step." Rebecca says as she and Roxy are tugging him towards the gate. Rudeus is still hesitant but did not resist being dragged.

"If you are scared to look at the appearance of the outside, close your eyes and hold our hand tightly" Rebecca prompts Rudeus to do what she told him.

Rudeus followed the instructions, he close his eyes and hold the hands of Roxy and Rebecca tightly.

One step, two step, three step. He counts the steps he made in his mind, and was hoping that nothing wrong will happen if he opens his eyes.

He kept walking with his eyes close and holding the hands of his companions.

Then after few more steps, they suddenly let go of his hands and he was confused. After that, he heard a whisper at his right ear.

"What are you doing in the middle of the road.... fat guy~"

*gasp*

Rudeus then abruptly opens his eyes wide and saw Rebecca and Roxy's teasing faces. Then looks at his surroundings, it seems that he made it to the side of the gate and was in front of Caravaggio.

Roxy and Rebecca laugh at Rudeus priceless reaction and he just glared at them while pouting.

"See, Rudeus. I told you it will be okay. So... I welcome you to the outside world, brother. There's more where that came from up ahead." She then climbs Caravaggio with Roxy's assistance.

"Hop on" Rebecca patted the spot behind her and prompts Rudeus to climb the horse.

Roxy hoist Rudeus up to the horse's back, and sat behind Rebecca.

Then Roxy also climbs the horse's back and sat behind the two. She then tugs Caravaggio's rein and he moves forward to the dirt road ahead.

"Take care, you two" Zenith says her goodbye as she watches them moving away from the house.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Rebecca's POV]

Moving brother out of the house is quite tiring work. It took him a while to convinced him to step outside of the gate and prompt him to ride the horse.

*sigh* Am I really the little sister between us two? Oh well, as long as he is feeling better now, I am satisfied with the result.

We are now currently heading towards the direction of an open field on the far distance. While we are riding the horse, we passed some of the neighbors that are walking on the road.

I can see that Rudeus looks visibly uncomfortable when he sees a villager in his peripheral. I assume that he hates social interaction and was extremely introverted.

I could sympathize with him as I was also a socially awkward introvert in my previous life. I didn't talk to people back then, not because I don't want to, but because majority of the school people I met were such assholes and mistreated me like garbage.

However, when I first came outside the house, I was also uncomfortable looking at people as I think they will mistreat me like those people back then. But as time goes by, that discomfort slowly dissipated and I start thinking that the people of this world were not bad as I thought they're be.

I think I should convince my brother to change his perspective about the people of this world.

"Hey, Onii-chan. Do you know that people here were quite nice and friendly" I strike a conversation to break the tension

"I-is that so?"

"Yeah, there's one time an old dude gave me free fruits from the tree he was growing. It's quite crunchy but it delicious nonetheless" I cheerfully told him a scenario.

"Oh. That's nice"

"You should try it sometimes and... Oh! Hello Mr. Robinson! How do you do?" I then greeted an old tall man who is passing by.

"Oh? Who do we have here? It's little miss Rebecca Greyrat. How are you, dear?" Mr. Robinson greeted me and I smiled while nodding

"I am fine, thank you. We are currently riding our way towards the open area with my brother and Roxy-san" I replied cheerfully

"I see. Take care of yourselves out there, and also, thank you for the rain a while back, Roxy"

"Ah, it's nothing, sir Robinson. I am just happy to help"

Mr. Robinson then says his goodbye and walks at the opposite direction where we are heading to.

"See, bro. Talking to the people here wasn't that bad" I buoyantly said to Rudeus.

"Ah, I see now. Thanks, Rebecca" he wraps his arms around my waist and rest his head onto mine. I giggle at his actions. "You're welcome"

"Also, do you also help them with the crops, Roxy-sensei?" Rudeus then asked Roxy.

"Ah, I use water magic to make it rain for their crops" She nonchalantly replied.

"Wow, you're really helpful, sensei. I didn't know you are willing to help other people"

"No, I am just doing it to get some few coins from them" She bluntly says.

"Eh?! You are charging them?" I exclaimed as I didn't know she could do something like that.

"Of course, I do. I just don't help for free" She again flat out said it.

'Damn, this person is such a workaholic. I didn't know she could do extra jobs just like that. She must be desperate for money or something'

We continued riding the horse for several more minutes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Once we got to our destination, Roxy parks Caravaggio under a single tree.

The spot we picked for Rudeus's graduation is a plain with no vegetation and houses whatsoever.

"This place feels nice. The air smells good and the breeze feels cool." I said as I immerse myself with the environment I am standing on.

"Yeah, it does feels pleasant out here" Rudeus also joins the immersion of the field.

Then Roxy comes towards us after tying the leash of Carivaggio to the tree.

"Okay, Rudy, let's start with the graduation. Are you ready?" Roxy preps Rudeus with the things he needs to do in the graduation. He nodded in confirmation and Roxy starts her instructions.

"I'll be performing the Saint class water spell [Cumulonimbus]. I am going to chant the magic spell and then you will copy what I did. As you are doing the spell, you have to keep the magic going for an hour. Do you understand?" He nodded in confirmation, then Roxy moved forward with her staff on her hand.

Then she stands there for a bit, she raised her staff and then start chanting.

"Oh, great water spirit, the son of the lightning emperor who ascended to the skies!! Fulfill my wishes, rain down your ferocious blessings, and show me your strength to this tiny existence!"

When she keeps on chanting, I noticed that the say becomes darker and clouds suddenly manifested in swirling motion.

'What the! Is that a thundercloud? Is she manipulating the weather like Storm from X-men?!'

"Let your godly hammer strike the anvil, and demonstrate your authority, and devour the earth with water!!"

Thunder roars and lightning sparkles at the swirling thundercloud. Strong breeze blows from the surrounding.

'HOLY SHET! The wind is getting to my eyes! I can't see shit, Captain!'

"Ah, the rain!! Destroy and wash everything away!!"

Then rain falls one by one making us soaking wet.

'Urggh! Dammit! My clothes are now soaked in the rain. This is the second time my clothes are getting soak in water!'

"[Cumulonimbus!]"

After finishing the spell, the rain becomes stronger and the wind blew harder.

When the wind blew, I felt like I am being dragged away.

"ah" Correction, I really am being blowen away

'OH SHIT!!'

"REBECCA!" Rudeus yells as he reaches out to me.

I grabbed his hand, then pulls me closer and hugged me close to protect me from the heavy stormy wind. "Thank you, Onii-chan" I thanked him for saving my ass

Then suddenly,

*KRASH*

A single lightning strike at the tree behind us.

When the impact of the lightning hits the ground, a ringing noise resounds in my ear.

I feel like my nose is bleeding and almost fainted.

Then the dust has settled and the clouds dissipated.

"AH!" Roxy then screams for some reason.

"Wai... what happen? What's going on?" I felt disoriented and confused after experiencing a nose bleed. I cast voiceless healing magic on myself and recovered.

I then turn around to the direction of Roxy is looking at.

'Oh shit....'

When the smoke from the lightning strike fades away, we saw Caravaggio lying down on the ground

'CRAP! CARAVAGGIO! DAD IS GONNA KILL US!'

"Caravaggio!" I yelled at the fallen horse.

"Uwawawawa" Roxy is panicking.

"Oh no! Sensei! Rebecca! Hurry! Cast healing spell on him!" Rudeus then instructed us to heal Caravaggio

""Right!"" We both rush towards Caravaggio and heal him.

Since my magic is faster I casted [X-healing] voicelessly and the horse was miraculously recovered.

"Phew, that was a close one" I sighed in relief after the save.

"Yeah, I thought he was goner. Thank you, Rebecca"

"Nah, it's nothing. It is all in the days work" I proudly said. Roxy giggles and she recovered from the anxiety.

"Please don't tell this your parents, okay? Let this be a secret between us three, is that clear?" Roxy says while putting her finger over her mouth.

"Sure thing, sensei." "Don't worry, we will never tell a soul" We agreed to not talk about the incident.

Roxy sighs in relief and shakes her head. Then slaps her face with both hands to wake her senses.

"Okay, it's your turn, Rudy. Cast the spell I did and keep it going for an hour" Roxy instructed Rudeus

"Okay, but how about you guys?" He worried that the same thing will happen if he cast the saint water spell.

"Don't worry, Rudy. I will cast [Earth Fortress] to protect us from the heavy storm" Roxy reassures Rudeus.

Rudeus complies and runs of towards the opening.

"[Earth Fortress]" Roxy then finished chanting the protective barrier for us to shelter for me and Caravaggio.

Then Rudeus stands on the middle of the field holding his wand and begins the incantation.

--------------------------------------------------------

[Roxy's POV]

After I cast the earth fortress, me, Rebecca and Caravaggio hid inside the protective dome.

Seeing Rudy waving his wand, I watched him start casting the saint water magic.

*sigh* I never knew that my student is actually becoming a greater mage than expected to be. He grows up so fast and learned all the magic I taught him.

He explains few of the things that he just learnt very well and made few suggestions that I never thought was possible.

He really is a genius, just like what his parents told me about.

"Hey, Roxy-san.." I look at the small girl besides me.

This girl, she is Rudy's little sister. She also another conspicuous individual.

She is very cheerful and flamboyant person. However, there are some occasions that she was a bit hotheaded and violent, especially towards her brother.

"Roxy-san...."

I don't know why she constantly changing personalities whenever there is someone watching her or not. This made me feel strange and I couldn't figure out how does she suddenly went from a happy little child to violent person very quick.

"Hey, Roxy-san..."

The other thing is that she is very powerful swordsman. She learnt three sword styles within the span of two years, which is the same rate as Rudy's development. This made me think that they really are twins, both in appearance and achievements.

"ROXY-SAN!"

"Huh?" I snapped out of my thoughts when Rebecca angrily calls out to me.

She glares at me with frustration in her eyes. There she is again. She suddenly becomes hotheaded after being cheerful few minutes ago. I mean it was fair since she was calling for me while I am thinking to myself.

"Y-yes, what is it?" I panickily replied to avoid her getting angrier.

"Geez, what are you spacing out for? Anyway, Rudeus is done casting the saint water magic and he is now heading towards us" Rebecca reports to me

'Wait, who is heading towards us? Rudy? Hold on, didn't I told him to keep controlling the magic or else it will dissipate immediately.'

"Yo, sis. How are you guys doing here?" Rudy casually greeted us while being soaking wet.

"Wassup, Onii-chan. Damn, you're soaking wet. You will might get sick with that. Don't think you can let me cast detoxification spell on you that easily" Rebecca argues with Rudy.

"Urggh"

"Wait, Rudy?! What are you doing here? I thought I said that you're supposed to stay over there for an hour or else the clouds will dissipate and fail doing the spell? " I reprimand Rudy for not following the instruction.

"Don't worry, Sensei. I did something so I made it won't disperse and continues to rain without the need of my input. So, that means I can sit back here while waiting for an hour" Rudeus explains the reason to be here.

What does he mean by that? He did something to prevent the thunderclouds from scattering? Hold on!

I then run out of the Earth Fortress and saw something marvelous.

"I see, he used wind magic to create spinning current of wind to keep the storm clouds together. Amazing" I admired the genius piece of creativity I am looking at.

"What do you look at that. It seems brother thought of something quite mindboggling today" I then look at Rebecca who proudly looks at the [Cumulonimbus] that Rudeus made.

"Yeah, it truly is fascinating, hehe. I guess your brother really did it. He passed the exam."

"Huh?! It is not even an hour yet. You're passing him already?" Rebecca voiced out her complaints

"No, Rebecca. I passed him because he showed me something very ingenious and resourceful. Even if we waited for an hour, I will pass him anyway because the thing he showed will last for a while." I explained to her my point. She then acknowledges my explanation and we walked back to Rudeus to tell him he passed the gradation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

[Third POV]

"So how is it? Very cool, right?" Rudeus nonchalantly said

"Yeah! It was sick, Onii-chan! Fist bump me, Bro!" Rebecca then extends her fist towards Rudeus

"Oh, okay" Redeus fist bumps with Rebecca.

Then she opens her palm forward, Redeus knew this and slaps her palm

She then slaps Redeus's palm next, then they bump each other's forearm.

Then they put their finger towards their lips and raised it, and finally,

A solid high five as a finisher.

<image>

"HELL YEAH! I always wanted to do that! I will call that the [Special Greyrat Handshake] " Rebecca boisterously cheers

"Pfft, I never knew you were such a nerd" Rudeus happily snorts

"Says you!" "Says you" The two then argued together while Roxy walks towards them

"Now, you two. Settle down. Rudy, would you please dispel the storm clouds please." Roxy settles down the twins and tells Rudeus to stop the rain. Rudeus was surprised that Roxy decided to end the spell's session immediately.

"Huh?! But I haven't got to an hour yet"

"No, bro. You did it. You passed the graduation exam! " Rebecca cheers for Rudeus.

"What? Really? Is that true, sensei?" Rudeus turns to Roxy and asked for confirmation.

"Yes, Rudy. You did it. You successfully become a [Water Saint Mage]. Congratulation" Roxy congratulates Rudeus.

When Rudeus heard that, something within Rudeus raised to the surface. It was his sense of accomplishment.

"Woah! That's so cool! Onii-chan is a water saint mage! Hey bro, hit me up with another one!" Rebecca was astounded and excited, then she extended her fist for another handshake.

"Eh? But we did it alread-"

"Do it or I'll punch you!"

"Okay, Fine! Geez!"

Roxy laughs at Rebecca's enthusiasm but she then made a solemn face.

------------------------------------------------------------

[Rebecca's POV]

After brother's graduation, we went back home.

We were greeted by our family when we arrived.

Father eventually finds out about the incident because the water saint magic can be seen from here, well, according to mother.

We explained what happened and father calm down but not completely.

The family then made a congratulatory feast for Rudeus and we ate merrily.

On the next day, we all woke up really early.

The sky was still dark, so the sun hasn't raised up yet.

Today is the day where Roxy finally finished her magic tutor job.

The whole family went to see Roxy departs and my parents were trying to convince her to stay.

"Roxy-chan, you can stay here whenever you want, you know. I still have a lot of dishes to teach you"

"Yeah, that's right. Everyone here in the village like you here"

They plead to make Roxy stay at our home, even I wanted her to be here too. However,

"Thank you for the offer. But I plan to travel around the world and improve my magic skill even further" Roxy declines my parent's plead and plans on travelling to different places.

"I see. Well, we're sorry that our son and daughter here seems to have made you lose your confidence" Paul apologetically says, which made me and brother offended by him.

'Wow~ Really? Do you think so, dad? What a great way to put to it~ Look, even Onii-chan think the same as me' I sarcastically thought to myself.

"Rudy, I tried my best, but It seems that I am not capable enough to teach you." She says to Rudeus, depreciating herself again.

"That's not true, Mast-"

"Again, with this, Roxy-san? Do you still not appreciate your capabilities as a magic tutor?" I said as I cross my arms and spread out my legs.

"It's not like that, Rebecca-san, I do appreciate my capabilities. However, Rudeus has the capacities that can surpass mines. So, I have to improve in order to become the master that he looks up to" Roxy genuinely says her honest thoughts.

"I see. Well, good luck out there, Roxy-san. Take care out there and stay safe" I said my good luck to Roxy. She nodded and turns to Rudy.

"Rudy, this is farewell, however, we will meet again someday. So, please don't stop pursuing for greater heights as me. I'm sure you will become a great magician in the future" She earnestly say her farewell to Rudy.

"Yes, I do my best, Master" Rudeus wholeheartedly swears at Roxy. She smiled and want to pat his head, but she stops her hand midway and retracts it.

However, she then took something from her breast pocket. It is an amulet of some sort. It was a green ornament that looks like three arrows that spirals together.

She then put the amulet at Rudeus's neck. Rudeus looks at the necklace curiously.

"What is this, Master?" Rudeus questions Roxy about what she gave to him.

"That is an amulet from my hometown, I usually pray at it for good luck. So, I give it to you as remembrance. If you come across with a demon, just show this and say my name to them. They will immediately know the name of Roxy Migurdia" Roxy explains the amulet to Rudeus.

"Wow, thank you very much, Master. I will take care of it" Rudeus thanked Roxy for the gift and she smiled at him.

Then she turns towards me and put something around my neck. I take a look at the thing put on me and I see that it is a necklace.

The necklace has an aqua blue teardrop shaped gem attached to a string.

<Image>

"Um, Roxy-san. What's this?" I asked to what is this necklace she gave me.

"That is a necklace I found inside a treasure chest within a dungeon I explored long ago. I believe it was called [Sole Heart] when I researched about it. So, I decided give it to you as remembrance as well" Roxy explains the teardrop necklace.

"I see, thank you, Roxy-san. I will take care of it as well" I thanked Roxy for the gift she gave me. She nodded and stood up.

"Well, I guess this farewell. I have to go now" She picks up her luggage and staff, then walks away from us.

We watch her leave with a sorrowful feeling. My parent held back their tears as they watch her goes off to the distance.

Such a melancholy atmosphere. Why do I feel this kind of feeling anyway? She said we will meet her again someday. So, why? Why do I feel sad seeing her off like this?

Ah!

I remembered now. It was long time since I remember such a scene.

It is when both REAL parents from my previous life departs to go work, the day where they both died that day.

Long ago, it was a fine afternoon that time. My parents told me farewell and they have to leave me in the house. I refused to let them go and want them to stay with me.

They said that they will come back after they are done with work. So, let them go and they departed from the house. I waited for them to come home. I kept on waiting until it was nighttime.

However, they never came back. The neighbor told me that my parents both died in a car crash and didn't make it in time to the hospital.

I cried a lot that day.

So, that's why, this feeling of departure is making me anxious.

'Roxy-san, please be safe out there. I beg you'

I then held Rudeus's hand. He looks at me and we stared each other.

I convey my thoughts with my eyes and he seems to get it. We nodded each other.

Then we both run forward. We run and run. Because of my stamina, Rudeus is being pulled behind.

After that, we stop and take a deep breath.

""MASTER/ROXY-SAN! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!"" we shouted our very hearts out towards the far distance.

'We shall meet again, Roxy-san. We will grow up big and strong for you, and when we meet again, we will help you out when you are in need.'

Farewell,

Master...