Chapter 001 : A Not So Normal Family, Part.4 (End)

*Crickets*

After dinner is done, Father Paul calls everyone to hold a meeting downstairs.

Sitting around the dining table, the elders of the house are discussing what we should train on, Magic or Swordsmanship.

With the dim orange lights of the candles surrounding us, I feel soothed by them because of how I used to feel useless on how many LEDs and other man-made lights because of how they destroy its surroundings, like how our retinas got red eyes and sleeping schedule disturbed is the most common problem caused by them.

Paul : "So, Eynor, do you have a word on this?". Father Paul who's holding his hands like a cards player looks at me with a slight concern, worrying that I might be saddened by his harsh and condescending but truthful words again.

Me : "… Can I have a Slingshot and my own Notebook?". I utter to them another thing that acts as a replacement for Archeries, but still belonging in the same group of Ranged projectiles; and a Notebook for me to write what kind of journey I may walk on from day to day, or as to write lists that I might consider like re-doing Pencak Silat Martial Arts moves and Survival guides in case my mind is in shambles or the likes.

*Plaps*

They, even my brother who's sitting beside me, questions at each other on what should they say regarding my demand as they all facepalm themselves. 'Is Magic really the option I got here?'

*Tap, tap, tap*

Father keeps on thinking the answer that he'd give to me, tapping the table on and on.

And just now, Father Paul explains that just the same for me, and the input I gave just now was already disorienting them all.

Unlike me, Brother Rudeus already agreed that he'll keep learning and practicing Magic in the morning; some breaks in between in the middle of the day until noon; a practical Swordsmanship lesson with Father Paul in the afternoon; and a few intermediaries of Common Sense, Ethics, Civility, and other lessons for kindergartners in the night. 'I don't think kids my age from the 2020'a would be able to hols on for so long with that many topics to cover up'

The reason for my obsession over Archeries, excluding Modern Firearms and Pencak Silat Martial Arts, is that back when we're off-duty on Earth, I used to go to the nearest green open-space park for my morning and afternoon exercise routine that happens to have a shooting target for Bows and Arrows, in which case I most often participate.

There, you can borrow the equipment needed to partake in the practice and also staffs that'd guide you through the process, Young and Old alike.

Something that differentiate this activity from Modern Firearms, is the effort that is miles harder than just pulling the trigger, might as well be the reward for achieving the milestones in itself.

The stance you have to set your body as, the force your hands have to keep at from making the string go out of your reach, and the focus both physical and mental needed that corresponds to how you should let go off the strings when you need it to be.

I can only guess it as : Serenity, putting your all-in-one thing after closing your mind from the others you can think of.

And the effect is starting to wear me off, and I'm restless now since if I want to be an Archer in this period of time, I have to train twice as much since everything is very different from when I used to live. 'Honestly, I still can't get over the gripe that I'll be punished in the Afterlife by God because I have the thoughts of learning Magic and that maybe my beliefs from my previous life still holds… If He exists and His teachings still stands, that is'

*Tap*

He stops his tapping and a little sense of relief is seen on his smirking face.

Paul : " *sighs*… I'll have both of them of it for you two"

I got up a little in excitement as I get to think of what I go and shoot at in the near-future.

Eynor : "Really? Then-"

Paul : "BUT, you will at least put efforts in either or both Swordsmanship and Magic.

How's that sounds, Eyn?". He has his arm tucked in his chest, waiting for my response.

I bow my heads down as I consider this more than enough thanks for me to have something to play with.

Me : "… Yes, Dad. I'll do both if I can, since Rudeus will do them too, right?". I look at my brother as he sighs a little, and then nods to me with a subtle smile, showing that he is going willing to learn with me alongside him.

Father Paul turns to my side, facing the older brother.

Paul : "And Rudeus, if you don't mind, maybe you can go and teach him how you were able to… You know, do Magic?". His left hand mimic like a gaping mouth, which is how Rudy does it just then on the forest where he showed me the Attack Magic spell : Water Ball.

Rudy is confident that he'll be able to teach me, as seen in his smile that mirrors Father Paul's.

Rudeus : " *snickers* Yes, Father. I'll have him learn how to launch water before you can go back home from posting the request!"

By Request, is that Father Paul will go on and assign a request for a tutor of at least Advanced level magic or higher for us two.

*Clap!*

Mother Zenith killed the silence atmosphere by clapping her hands, which shook me a little.

Zenith : "Well! Since we all have our agreements in this, why don't we get some sleep?". She glances at Father Paul while looking as if she knows that we two have had enough for a day.

A hand is raised, which turns out to be our housemaid's as she tries to interlope in between the meeting.

Lilia : "I agree with Madam as we all are tired in the meantime, and it is time for the Lord to put this to a halt, don't you think so too?". She looks at Father Paul with a near-lifeless and disinterested eyes, which I can relate to since from my observation, it's basically 10 P.M or more in the night.

The sleeping schedule of this time period is severely different from when I used to live. At midnight, around 0 to 3 A.M, people woke up and does their things, but most often it's some rudimentary stuff like reading or writing.

And I'm always the one to wake Rudeus up where we get to be read fairy tale, legends, folklore, and the likes as kids by our parents.

Paul : "Well, I guess it does, so let me make this brief. In conclusion, Don't try to do any other dangerous thing when I'm out of the house tomorrow, you two.

Sounds Good?"

We both look at each other and nods in agreement.

Me and Rudeus : "Yes, Father / Yes, Father". I got startled when we both said the same thing albeit with a different tone of voice, in which I turn to face him and vice versa, and we giggled at each other for it.

. . .

. . . Minutes Later. . .

. . .

The courtesy of sleeping with pajamas apparently isn't a rare thing in this world, as far as I know.

Inside our bedroom, getting ready to sleep, I'm already tucked in my own bed and blankets with the pillows below my head.

Both me and Rudeus got changed to white pajamas, and he is out from taking a break in the toilet downstairs, in which is a wooden hole that was set up to be flushed with a water bucket and I don't know whether our wastes were redirected to the river or somewhere to be made as compost.

*Clack*

With Rudeus closing the door's handle, he approaches the candle as he is planning to blow it before we get to sleep.

Me : "I wonder what kind of Magic I should learn first"

He halt himself from turning out the candles on the tables that have some drawers on them.

Rudeus : "That's up to you, but since you're so fond of shooting things from all the stories we were read, I'd suggest you Wind element-focused magic spells"

*Blows*

With the lights now out, I get to feel drowsy, as I can't wait for when I get to learn of Wind magic and the springs of ideas that come up from them.

Me : "Ooh! Maybe I can guide a rock to go far away with some blowing winds?"

He climbs to his bed as he waves a good night.

Rudeus : "Sleep Well, Eyn"

In respond, I wave back at him a good night too.

Me : "Yeah, you too, Rudy"

And so I wander my mind a little on what I could be doing tomorrow, like how a little kid should.

. . .