Memorable Anniversary

Four months have passed.

So much has changed since then.

Lucian, of all people, apologized to me. It was strange—he didn’t say much, just that he was wrong to hit me, but for him, that was practically an emotional outburst. Since then, he’s been trying to be… better. More present. More like an actual father.

Most importantly, he found a cure for Grilda’s illness. A mix of rare medicinal herbs and alchemical refinement—it’s not a miracle cure, but it’s working. Grilda’s health has stabilized, and she no longer spends entire days confined to bed. It’s a relief, even if a small part of me still feels uneasy about it.

Lucian has also been working to strengthen ties with the Garthram Empire, improving the Lachius family's standing with the crown. He doesn’t say much about it, but I’ve overheard Mara and Lina talking—apparently, rumors of our family plotting against the king are starting to die down.

And then, before I knew it, today arrived.

My birthday.

I don’t expect much—after all, for the past five years, my birthdays have been simple. Just a small cake, a pat on the head from Grilda, and maybe an extra cookie from Lina if I’m lucky. That’s it.

And that’s fine. It’s not like I’m expecting a grand noble celebration.

So when I head downstairs toward the kitchen, my mind still fogged from afternoon reading, the last thing I expect is—

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

The sudden chorus of voices shakes me awake.

I stop in my tracks, my brain struggling to process the scene in front of me.

Gurstag, Alessa, Arthur, Mara, Lina… and of course, Lucian and Grilda.

They’re all here.

For me.

What?

“W-what’s this?” I ask, blinking in confusion.

Lina grins, her drill-shaped pigtails bouncing as she clasps her hands together. “It’s your birthday, silly! We couldn’t hold back and decided to surprise you.”

The others nod in agreement, their smiles warm and genuine.

For a second, I just… stare.

"But we’re a noble family. We have so many more important things to do, and—"

“Castiel.”

Lucian’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. His sharp blue eyes meet mine as he steps forward, placing a firm hand on my shoulder.

“None of that matters today,” he says, his tone softer than usual. “A lot of good things have happened these past few months. Of course, we have responsibilities, but for today, we celebrate.”

...I don’t know what’s more surprising. The fact that they’re throwing a party for me, or the fact that Lucian is the one saying this.

Before I can process it, Mara steps forward, carrying an elaborate three-tiered cake.

It’s massive.

The creamy white icing glistens under the kitchen’s golden candlelight, decorated with sliced strawberries and—of course—six tiny candles on top.

Lina steps up, extending a hand.

“O great lords of the eternal flame, hear my call. Let your divine wrath ignite the air, and may your sacred fire consume all in its path, Incendium.”

A small flame flickers to life at her fingertips, and with a playful smile, she waves her hand over the cake, lighting each candle in an instant.

She winks at me. “Go on, birthday boy. Make a wish.”

I hesitate.

A wish?

I… don’t think I’ve ever seriously thought about it. Not since I arrived in this world.

But if I had to choose...

I don’t want power. I don’t want glory. I just...

I want friends. A purpose. Maybe even… Love.

Something meaningful.

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and blow out the candles.

A round of applause erupts.

Mara, ever the perfectionist, immediately starts cutting slices of cake with precision, distributing them onto delicate porcelain plates.

I take my first bite, and the rich, creamy texture melts in my mouth.

…This is actually amazing.

Maybe being spoiled isn’t so bad.

After everyone has had their fill, Grilda suddenly claps her hands together.

“But that’s not all!” she says, her violet eyes twinkling. “Lucian, give him his present.”

A present?

That’s new. I’ve never received an actual gift before—just a cake, maybe a new pair of shoes if I was lucky.

Lucian disappears down the hall and returns moments later, carrying something almost as tall as me.

A twisted wooden staff, its deep brown surface coiling like vines, topped with a gleaming purple orb.

He hands it to me, his expression neutral—but there’s a hint of something beneath it. Pride, maybe? Excitement?

“This is Velmora’s Staff,” he explains. “Made of twisted magic oak and an abyssal oyster pearl.”

I grip it carefully, feeling the weight in my small hands. It’s beautiful.

“Velmora?” I ask, tilting my head. The name rings a bell.

“It’s from an old tale,” Grilda says, smiling softly. “A man who searched the depths of the ocean to retrieve a rare pearl for his beloved Velmora… only to be swallowed whole by the abyssal oyster that guarded it.”

Ah. Right.

I remember reading something similar in a book of short stories. A tragic love story.

A staff like this isn’t something you can just buy off a shelf. It’s expensive. Custom-made. A mage without a catalyst can only cast simple spells, which is why my magic lessons with Lina have felt… stagnant.

With this, I can actually start making real progress.

“Thank you,” I say, looking at my parents. “Really.”

Lucian simply nods, but Grilda’s warm smile is enough.

Before I can bask in the moment, a deep booming laugh fills the kitchen.

“Magic is nice and all…” Gurstag’s voice echoes.

I turn to see him grinning, his arms crossed over his massive chest. His red beard shakes as he chuckles, and from his waistband, he pulls—

A sheathed sword.

A real one.

Not a wooden practice sword.

He hands it to me, and I immediately struggle under its weight.

“You’ll grow into it,” Gurstag says with a grin. “That’s a real sword used by the Garthram army—our gift to you.”

Before I can say anything, his massive hand lands on my head, ruffling my hair with excessive force.

I squirm under his grip. “T-thanks…”

Arthur, standing beside him, grins and pumps his fist. “Now we can practice for real!”

I glance at the sword in one hand, and the staff in the other.

Magic. Swordsmanship.

Two completely different paths.

A strange feeling stirs in my chest.

I feel like I’m standing at a crossroads.

The warmth of the celebration still lingered in the air, the taste of cake fresh on my tongue as I held my new staff, Velmora, in my hands. Everyone was in high spirits—well, as high as they could be considering Lucian’s usual stone-faced demeanor.

Then, Lina suddenly clapped her hands together, a mischievous grin stretching across her face.

“Well, young master,” she said, placing her hands on her hips, “since you’ve got yourself a fancy new staff, how about we put it to the test?”

I blinked. “Put it to the test?”

“A little magic duel,” she said playfully. “Nothing dangerous, of course. Just a simple Lumius Challenge.”

Mara sighed, already pinching the bridge of her nose. “Lina, he just got the staff.”

“That’s exactly why this is the perfect time!” Lina argued, turning back to me. “What do you say, birthday boy? Think you can beat me?”

I frowned, gripping my staff a little tighter. A duel with Lina? That sounded… unfair. She was leagues ahead of me in terms of magic. But at the same time, I wasn’t about to back down.

I shrugged, putting on my best cocky smirk. “I mean, you’re kind of old for a magic duel, aren’t you?”

Lina gasped, her hands flying to her chest in mock offense. “Old?! How rude! Now I have to put you in your place.”

Gurstag let out a hearty laugh. “Now this, I want to see.”

Even Lucian looked vaguely interested, which was practically the equivalent of throwing a parade in his name.

And so, the entire group made their way outside to the plains near the mansion. The night air was crisp, the sky a blanket of endless stars. The plains stretched far, a perfect open space with only the occasional lantern from the mansion casting a soft glow over the grass.

Lina tapped her foot impatiently as I took my position a few meters away from her. Everyone else stood around us, watching with anticipation.

She spun her finger in the air. “Alright, here are the rules! We both cast Lumius. The first one whose light flickers loses. No touching each other, no physical interference—just pure concentration. Got it?”

I nodded. “Got it.”

“Then let’s begin.”

I exhaled slowly, adjusting my grip on Velmora.

Alright, Castiel. You’ve got this. It’s just Lumius. The first spell you ever learned. No big deal.

I took a deep breath, feeling the mana flow through me, focusing on the image in my mind.

Light of the heavens, heed my call, and banish the dark—Lumius.

A bright, steady orb of white light flickered to life above my palm. At the same time, Lina’s own Lumius appeared, glowing just as brightly.

For a few seconds, there was silence.

Then, Lina grinned.

And I knew I was in trouble.

Wind.

A sudden breeze picked up, sweeping through the plains.

At first, I thought it was natural. But no. That was definitely Lina. She wasn’t touching me, but she was using the environment to break my concentration.

Oh, so we’re playing dirty?

Fine. Two can play at that game.

I focused, channeling more mana into my Lumius, making it shine even brighter, enough to momentarily disrupt her vision.

Lina flinched, shielding her eyes.

“H-Hey! That’s cheating!”

“Says the one messing with the wind?” I shot back.

She huffed but didn’t deny it. Instead, she adjusted her stance, her lips curving into a smirk.

That was a mistake.

Because then, she started humming.

At first, it seemed harmless. Just a little melody. But the longer it went on, the more irritatingly distracting it became.

My eye twitched.

Oh, for the love of—

Then she started dancing.

Not just any dance. A ridiculous, over-the-top twirl, her maid dress fluttering dramatically in the night breeze.

But that wasn’t what caught my attention.

No. It was the bouncing.

…Oh.

I blinked.

Then blinked again.

Lina’s, uh… assets moved a lot.

Way more than they should.

Wait. Was that even normal? Physics shouldn’t allow that, right?

My brain completely derailed.

What kind of unfair distraction technique is this?!

And just like that—

My Lumius flickered.

“AH-HA!” Lina shouted, pointing at my light. “I WIN!”

I scowled. “That wasn’t fair! You were—”

“Entertaining you?” she grinned.

Damn it.

Gurstag burst into laughter. Even Grilda covered her mouth to suppress a chuckle.

Mara sighed. “Honestly, Lina…”

Lucian, as usual, didn’t react much—but I could see a slight nod of approval.

I sighed, dropping Lumius and rubbing my temple.

I really need to work on my focus…