Wake Up Early

The next day after I got vegetable seeds from Sister Lina.

I woke up earlier than usual.

Nicola was still sleeping in her bed. I didn't want to wake her up so I left the children's room quietly.

I went down the stairs and headed to the kitchen on the first floor.

I saw Dad and Mom were preparing breakfast there.

「Ara, Mark. You wake up early today」Mom

「Un. I want to plant the vegetable seeds I got yesterday. So, can I go to the vacant lot after having breakfast?」Mark

I asked Mom as I grabbed one white bread from a basket in the kitchen.

「Yes, you may go. But, can you clean the front of the store before you go?」Mom

「Okay~」Mark

While eating the bread, I went out of the kitchen to the dining hall.

This was still early in the morning, so there were no customers waiting for breakfast yet.

I passed through the dining hall and opened the front door to go outside.

The cold morning air wrapped my skin once I was outside.

I wanted to take a deep breath, but I gave up, because I was eating bread.

There were still not many people outside.

When I was looking around while chewing my bread, at a distance, I saw a person who looked like Jack, walking toward the gate.

Generally, you can register as an adventurer in the Adventurer Guild from age of 10.

Maybe some children the same age as Jack usually go out to work in the morning.

After I finished eating my bread, I cleaned the front of the store, and then went to the vacant lot to plant the vegetable seeds.

I wondered what cabbage and cucumber grew in the magical field would taste like. I was looking forward to eating them.

Hmm… maybe dogyunzer will be delicious too if I grew it here…?

Nah. Maybe not…

I spent my time in the vacant lot until noon, and went home for lunch.

After having lunch, I went out of the house to go to the vacant lot again, with Nicola this time.

But right after we were out of the house, an around fifteen years old adventurer-like boy called me.

He was Jack's big brother, Luck (Rak).

*/TL : I'm sorry I renamed him >_< but 'Luck' sounds cooler, right?

「Yo, Mark. Did Jack come over here?」Luck

「No, he didn't」Mark

Jack had been avoiding us yesterday at Sunday School, so there's no way he came here.

「I see. He wasn't at home when I woke up. Well, he's not a kid. I'm not worried if he goes out in the early morning. But today is the day when I usually teach him sword every week. He's always looking forward to it, yet he ditched it. And that's what makes me worried. I thought he came here to bully you again」Luck

「Ah, early in the morning I saw a boy who looked like Jack. I thought he was a different person at that time, but maybe he was really Jack」Mark

「Which way did he go?」Luck

「To the gate」Mark

「Did he go outside? Hmm. Jack has already registered with the guild, but he promised me that he won't go outside unless I accompany him… Maybe it was really a different person? I'll go ask the gatekeeper」Luck

「Ah, I'll go too. I'm also kinda worried」Mark

「Okay, let's go」Luck

Then Luck, Nicola and I walked toward the gate.

It only took us a three-minute walk.

「Yo. What an unusual combination you guys together. What's wrong?」Brian

Brian, the gatekeeper, raised his hand at us while the other hand held a spear.

「Brian, did you see my brother?」Luck

「Jack? He said he wants to go to the forest to get herbs」Brian

「Eh? Herbs?」Mark

I unintentionally spoke out.

「Hm? What's wrong with herbs?」Luck

「Yesterday at Sunday School, I was asking a friend to bring me herbs when he goes to the forest next time. He said it'll be next month, but…」Mark

「I see. Maybe Jack was listening」Luck

Lang and I were talking in the classroom, so if Jack were in the classroom that time, he probably heard us.

「But yesterday he was avoiding me all the time, so I don't think he went to the forest to pick herbs for me」Mark

「…..Ah, you know? He was very frustrated after losing to you. Maybe he wanted to impress you」Luck

Luck muttered with a bitter face.

Certainly, if you lose to a child four years younger than you, you might somehow take action to recover your honor.

For not thinking about revenge, maybe he was actually a good guy.

But still, he didn't have to do this far.

「But... I think he's taking too long to just pick herbs…」Brian

Brian rubbed his chin with his hand while making a pondering face.

「This is bad. Maybe he went to get fine herbs that only grow in the depths of the forest. I've told him about this before. Damn it! I also told him there are not only goblins but also kobolds in that area! That stupid Jack…!」Luck

Kobold?

I've heard about it from Celine.

It's a dog-type monster that walks on two legs.

They never leave the forest, but they have higher fighting ability than goblins.

「Haahhh… Well then, I'm going to look for him」Luck

After Luck sighed and scratched his head, he immediately passed through the gate and headed to the forest.

I wanted to follow him looking for Jack, but right after my feet stepped outside, Brian grabbed my head.

「Just leave it to Luck」Brian

Brian stared into my eyes and said so.

I'm sure he won't allow me to go outside.

I nodded to him and turned back.

Then, I entered an alley, and ran along the wall to find a place with no people around.

I made a staircase with earth magic to climb the wall.

「Onii-chan, are you sure you want to go?」Nicola

I completely forgot that Nicola was behind me.

「Yeah, I'm going」Mark

「Why? You should just leave him to Luck」Nicola

「Yeah, but there may be a possibility they will need my help」Mark

「A six-year-old child like onii-chan won't be any help to an adventurer like Luck」Nicola

「Huh? Of course I can help! I recently realized that I'm strong」Mark

「But still, it's dangerous! We could go outside the other day thanks to Celine. But there will be no one to protect you this time」Nicola

「I know. To be honest, I'm scared」Mark

「Then just leave him to Luck. In the first place, Jack isn't our friend, he was bullying us」Nicola

「But when I think it's my fault that he may be in danger, I can't just do nothing. If something bad happens to Jack, I'm sure I'll be regretting it for my entire life… Moreover I'm still six, so it will be a looong regretful life. Haha」Mark

I laughed a little in a drolling manner, but Nicola's expression didn't change.

「I'm scared, but I'll do my best to try to be brave. Of course, I'll definitely be a help to them... So? Do you want to come with me, Nicola?」Mark

I smiled at her. She returned it with a sigh.

「Haaahh... Alright, alright. I'm your support after all. If I let you die young in a place such as a forest, my boss will scold me hard」Nicola

「Thank you! Let's go then!」Mark

「But we can't make papa and mama worried. So let's get home before dinner」Nicola

I nodded at Nicola, and then both of us climbed the staircase I made.

When I was on the top of the wall, I saw Luck running toward the forest in the distance.

「Luck oniichanー!」Mark

I called him with a loud voice.

Luck stopped and looked back.

「Take me with youー!」Mark

Without waiting for Luck's answer, I jumped out of the wallー No, kidding. It might look cool if I jump and land like a superhero, but I didn't want to get hurt, so I made a staircase and went down to the other side.