Merchant Caravan

While my first try with fusion magic was successful, it was far from being combat ready. I mean, no enemy would ever wait fifteen plus minutes for me to cast a spell, that was for sure. But now that I had an understanding of the process, I could begin working on a new fusion magic spell, which would work in a universal manner. I wanted to be able to combine any two spells using the same runic equation and only needing to change the elements. 

As the days passed, my new schedule was filled to the brim. In the early mornings, my father's friend, a guard from the town guard, would come over to help train me in swordsmanship. He was actually quite nice and did not treat me any different than he would others.

During the day, I would be off trying to level up and practicing what I learned in swords and magic. At night I would spend a few hours working on my fusion magic with my father. And before bed, I spent much needed mother-daughter time with my mother. 

Eventually, it had become time for the day that most villagers of Wandermere waited for. The day the merchant caravan would roll into town. It was a day that everyone who worked hard every day took time off to come to trade and sell their wares to the merchants to buy what they needed in return. In a way, merchants were actually making a killing because they never really lost any money. Instead, they gained money by selling salt, sugar, and other things at a much higher price than what they bought them for. This was because you could not get such items in the village unless you took the time to run to the nearest city and back, which was at least two weeks or more travel time. 

But besides being a kind of lifeline for certain items, this was going to be my first time actually adventuring into town. I had no idea how people would react toward me, but I did know that I would be with my mother, father, and brother. 

"Faith, are you ready?" My mother asked with a smile. She had made me a white one-piece dress with flowers on it, especially for today. She even put my hair up into pigtails. When I inspected myself in the mirror, I felt I looked pretty cute. 

"Yes, I'm ready!" I said with a smile before running to my mother's side and holding her hand. In truth, I was excited and nervous at the same time. I knew the people of the village did not like demi humans. I did not care too much if they said bad things about me, but if they started cursing my family, I might now be able to control my anger. 

My family has shown me so much love and care that there is no way I would be able to stand people talking badly about them. I rather the words be directed at me and only me. But I think it will be okay. I mean, most people seemed against angering my father. He was big, tall, and strong. To me, he was like a hero who came to the countryside to spend the rest of his days. However, I knew this was not true because my mother tells me stories about their past all the time. 

I loved to listen to such stories as they were mostly about how awkward my father was when he first started trying to court her. He would do silly things like one time he had picked both a batch of flowers and a batch of mushrooms. The mushrooms were for his mother and the flowers for my mother. But being as nervous as he was, he had closed his eyes and held out the batch of mushrooms to my mother, causing her to laugh at him. When he opened his eyes and looked at what he had done, his whole face turned bright red. 

I really could see my father doing something silly like that. He was a man who loved his family very much. I have no idea if one day I will ever fall in love, but if I do, I hope they will love me as much as my father loves my mother. For now, though, I do not think I will ever come to find anyone who will love me for me. I mean, I am kind of a weirdo. Plus, I have a long, long life ahead of me, and I really do not see the need for such matters at this time. Those kinds of things will happen when they happen. 

I mean, let's say I live forever due to what looks to be infinity mana. Then wouldn't it be saddening to always see those you love die? I am not sure I could take such things. I would prefer to stay single forever. That way, I would only have to deal with saying goodbye to my family once, and that is it. Of course, it is not like I can control what happens in the future, so like I said before, those kinds of things will happen when they happen.

When I got outside, my father picked me up and put me on his shoulders. It was much higher than when he carried me on his back. I could see much more even though it was only a few inches higher. I know I should be acting more my age as I am well over twenty if you count my previous life, but being a kid again was truly fun. Times like these can only be enjoyed at this age, and I wish to cherish every minute of it.

We walked down the dirt road towards the village center. For the first time, I really got to get a good look at how the village was laid out. Normally I am too preoccupied to even care to look towards the main part of the village, but it seems to be done in a circle shape with a single main road leading to the village center. There was no grand fountain or large well in the center, just a small flower garden that had a statue of a young woman kneeling down, looking as if she was tending to the flowers themselves. When I asked my mother and father about it, I was told that the statue was a tribute to the village founder's daughter, who died during a monster tide.

The village has been around for hundreds of years, so I was surprised to see how well the statue had been taken care of all these years. But it seems the current village elder is a descendant of the village founder.

As we walked down the road of the village, Auntie Finna spotted us and waved her hand back and forth with a bright smile on her face. "Lilith! Sander! Are you coming down as well? Oh? Eric is pulling the wagon, I see! He has grown to be so handsome and strong. I bet all the village girls will be trying to marry you soon!" 

"Auntie Finna, you just said that the other day!" Eric said while blushing. It seemed Auntie Finna loved to tease my brother. It all started when he was trying to impress one of the village girls down by the wheat fields. Auntie Finna saw him lift large bales of wheat and eyeing the girl who was watching from afar. She found it cute and couldn't resist yelling out at him, praising him for his strength. His whole head turned bright red, and the girl giggled. I kinda wished I was there to see it. I would have teased him right along with her! 

But I do have to say that my brother is quite handsome. I hope whoever he ends up with will love him like how my mother loves my father. But with how kind he is I am afraid he might be bullied by the girls. I guess it will be up to me to make sure any girl he begins to court is up to my standards of who my big brother can marry. I think my current state of mind actually might make me a brocon… Awe well....  I just want him to live a good life. 

"Faith, you are coming too? This is your first time, right?" Auntie Finna asked. She was always one of those people who were able to brighten up anyone's day. She was kind to everyone and always tried to help others. 

"Mmm! I just hope it goes well." I hated sounding like a downer, but everyone knew what I meant. This was my first time actually appearing in front of most of the town. I am sure they have heard all about me by now.

"Humph! Let them talk if they want. It's just because they are jealous of how cute you are." Auntie Finna said while shaking her fist. In truth, I really found her to be cute.

"Mmmm! It is, as Finna says, let them talk. But if they talk too much, my fist might start itching." My father's words were half-joking, half-serious…. No, his words were all serious. There is no doubt in my mind that the first person to say anything will end up being hit.

"Sander, don't go around hitting everyone. We can do things in a much simpler manner. I will just burn them all…" Ah, my mother's scary side is coming out. She was highly skilled with fire magic. So I am sure she can set quite a few people ablaze if she truly felt like it. 

But I felt warm knowing I had so many willing to protect me from the wind and rain. I could not ask for any more than this. I just hoped our family outing would not get ruined.