Gifts and Resolve.

"Oho. Is Mister Calm and Composed turning pink right now?"

"Oi, Elio, if you don't shut your trap, I’m gonna beat you," I said coldly.

"Oh, how scary. I shouldn’t get on your bad side, should I?" Elio teased.

Ahem. My dad interrupted.

"I'm glad to see you embrace your marriage, Velanova," he said with a smile.

"Well, past that, it’s time for you to get my gift, isn’t it? Hey honey, don’t forget—it’s my gift too."

"Oh yeah, I forgot. My fault, Muri." My mom laughed. "Well, don’t mind that right now. Our child should open his birthday gift."

My parents said in unison, "Happy birthday, son!"

I opened their gift, and as expected, parents always know their children best. It was a beautiful ring—it looked amazing.

"Do you know what that is, Velanova?" I inspected the engravings and the gem carefully.

"Wait… isn’t this one of our family heirlooms?!"

"I’m glad you at least know our family history," my dad said. "And I expect that if you know what it is, you know what it means to receive it."

"Yes. It means you expect me—and hope for me—to live up to our family name before I inherit the family, right?"

"Yes. As expected from my son. You may not like politics, but at least you know your history. We are extremely proud of you, Velanova," my mom said as she gave me a hug.

"Well, since all the adults who know you closely have given their gifts, the adults will move to the second floor to enjoy the adult meals."

"Everyone, let’s go upstairs and enjoy it as adults, and let the kids enjoy their time together."

Just like that, all the adults left upstairs, leaving only the children downstairs. Then began all the gifts and birthday wishes from everyone.

Most were plain, normal gifts you’d expect from nobles. Some noble children left gifts in tune with their family heritage.

Like Seren, for example. She gave me an ice rose blade. It was nice and smooth.

"Here’s my gift," she said, smiling. "Hope we’ll get along."

I think we will because she is genuinely nice and calm. I like her as a person.

Naomi was another one. She gave me a lightning-infused wind sword.

"I don’t know how well it’d serve in combat, but at least it looks nice, right?"

Naomi is a funny one, though. I think I’ll get along fine with her.

But the next one gave me the creeps a little—Kael Vortess. He gave me a weird black sphere and just looked at me calculatively. He just gives me the creeps.

Liora Veyne gave me something actually useful for daily life—a light orb.

"This orb makes it so you can see in the dark, Velanova. I hope you’ll make great use of it."

"Whoa, thanks, Liora. This is actually useful." She is really easy to talk to.

Next, Felix and Selric. They both gave me the same challenge.

"When we are in the academy, I’ll top you—just you wait. Don’t let yourself get too high, Velanova."

"Of course," I said. "Fine, if you want to fight, let’s fight. As men, I expect you two to fight me back as men—not as cowards."

"Ha. You’re on, Velanova."

It seems I somehow ended up with rivals before I even got to the academy. Well, no matter. It seems I also made friends because of it.

But before I finished thinking, someone else approached. It was Orin Blackwood. I think he’s one of the only commoners.

As he walked up to me, a lot of noble children looked with disgust. I heard adults talking trash too, but I didn’t understand them, so I ignored it.

"Hello, Velanova. I am Orin Blackwood. I wanted to say happy birthday. And if you’d accept, I got a gift for you too."

"Of course," I said.

"Well then, here is my gift."

It was a nice sword infused with fire magic.

"Wow, this feels really good in my hands."

"I made it myself."

"Wow! That’s dope, man." I fist-bumped him—not hard, of course.

"You’re chill, man. I hope we’ll be friends."

Suddenly every noble child was looking at me as if I said something weird.

Orin looked uncomfortable and said, "I don’t think we should, Lord Velanova."

"Why?"

"Because of everyone here."

Adults started looking too. As my father was going to step in, I spoke up.

"I don’t give a damn about these idiots. If they judge you purely based on being a commoner, they should get treated the same by me, I guess."

The room fell into silence. Everyone avoided my gaze.

"Hmm, pathetic, really." I looked up at the adults on the second floor.

"You are all low. You know that? It’s pathetic that you think you’re in a position to judge people based on their background."

When I finished speaking my mind, I took a good look around. My friends were all looking approvingly at me. Lyra fully supported me. Yuna and Alistair looked at me with the biggest smiles, both giving me thumbs up.

My dad and mom looked proud and glad I spoke up. Orin’s parents mouthed their thanks to me, so not everyone could hear it. Auntie Elara and Uncle Orion looked pleased with my statements.

"I think the young man finally said something that should have been addressed long ago," Auntie Selene said.

"I agree, Sel," Mom added.

"The past years, their twisted mindset was getting out of control," she continued. "As adults, we can’t say this—but if a child says it, we can’t do anything, can we?"

Auntie Elara looked at me and winked.

I got what they meant.

That was the first time I truly understood what it meant to fight—not just with magic, but with my voice.