You Know Kung-Fu?

It was quite a walk to the main sleeping areas. 

Individual sleeping rooms were a luxury in a place like this. 

Ironically, the fewer bunks in a room, the luckier you were. Ours, of course, was the smallest.

“Thank you so much, Uriel,” Piper said as she went inside, still dragging me behind her.

Uriel—the same girl whose features included jackal ears—stood to the side with surgical posture. If I had to describe her, it’d probably come out as an insult, whether I meant it seriously or not. She was small and slim… almost delicate at a glance.

In other words… a shortie. I got punched by my sister for calling her that.

She gave a curt nod and gestured toward a fresh set of bunker beds.

“No trouble at all, Pied Piper.” Her voice had a professional cheer that reminded me way too much of when I tried too hard to make an impression. “You are, regrettably, cleared for entry.”

Then her gaze locked onto me.

“Do try not to stink up the place too much, elf.”

Aaand there it was. Though… fair enough. After the stunt I pulled in the courtyard, I probably deserved worse.

"So what do you do, Uriel? What's your connection to Piper?"

"The details are not important. Just know that she's very important to me, so don't try anything funny."

I blinked. "I... What?"

"You know what I mean by that."

"URIEL!" Piper blushed.

"I'm so lost," I said.

Uriel snorted. "It's better for your health that you didn't know what Piper really thinks of you, then. It's borderline creepy."

"You still haven't told me anything."

"Just know that you are under my protection too," Uriel finished.

What's a small girl like her gonna protect me from? She reaches my chest at most!

“We better get to bed soon.” Piper declared, much to my dismay. “Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

“More Moonboxes?” I asked.

Piper laughed. “Oh, gods no. I think some people would actually lose it.”

I heard a snort come from Uriel.

“Magical training day,” Piper continued. “Which means a lot of mana use… which means a lot of hungry kids later on begging for manacakes. Which we don’t exactly have in abundance…”

Manacakes? Magical training day?! Yet another test where, if I didn’t stand my ground, no one will take me seriously ever again? No biggie.

On the flip side... I got to use magic.

The thought alone sent a thrill through me.

Terrifying, too—considering I hadn’t even tried yet. I’ve technically not seen a feat of magic as of yet… only teases of them.

But something still tugged at me.

“Hey, Piper… aren’t you, y’know…”

“Pissed off about this afternoon? Of course I am.” Then, Piper smirked. “But I’ll forgive you—if you show up tomorrow. After all, you’re on my combat squad! Hehe.”

The energetic lamia climbed onto her bunk, blanket coiling around her like a shield. For a moment, she didn’t say anything.

“…It’s funny.” Piper's voice was quieter now. “I was supposed to be good at this. Looking after people. That’s what they told me I’d do, sending me here.” She snorted. “Guess they forgot to mention it’d be in a dump like this.”

"You're too good for this place?"

“I had cousins,” she muttered. “Brothers, sisters. All the important types.” She paused, then snorted into her pillow. “Not that it matters here. We’re all in the same dump, right?”

That last part wasn’t for me. I could tell.

Piper buried her face deeper into the pillow. “Someone’s gotta smile and play big sister. Might as well be me. Anyway, you—” she jabbed a finger at me from under the blanket, “—are my responsibility now. So don’t go doing something dumb tomorrow. Got it?”

The shake in her voice wasn’t lost on me.

Did I? Oh, right. The challenge from the girl.

…

Oh no!

I sat upright from my blankets, much to Piper’s dismay. “What’s the matter?”

“I… I can’t…” I began.

“Can’t what?”

…Use magic. Considering my situation, admitting to my lack of knowledge would not only jeapordize everything, it’d ruin my reputation. It wasn’t something I could afford.

I needed to do this alone. So, I said lamely: “…I’ll try not to do anything dumb.”

“Good boy.”

We turned in for the night.

…I probably shouldn’t tell her, but her snores were the stuff of legend.

\\

Why.

Won’t.

It.

Come.

Out?!

My kick cracked through the air. Not metaphorically… the damn air cracked.

Taekwondo classes were all I had. But I was pretty sure those classes weren’t good enough to do that. Even so, I could only manage short bursts before entirely running out of energy. I suppose the Chills had some lingering effects on Cotter’s body.

This was getting ridiculous. I’d been at it for hours, trying—begging—for some kind of magic to spark inside me. Nothing. Not even a flicker.

I knew the book inside and out! Minor spells were cantrips (consuming a recoverable amount of mana), Major spells took much more mana, and Ultimate spells can only be casted once per day unless you had an incredible well of mana stored within you.

Yes, I snuck into the library for a preliminary read, but that was beside the point!

And other than little exceptions in between, that was it. I love the standardized system in this world, where mages have already optimized spell usage to a fine T! But knowing theory meant little when you couldn’t excel in the practical.

I recall a pink-haired mage who had this exact problem… No matter.

So I threw myself into physical training instead. Sure, it wouldn’t earn me any real respect— presumably, since I was an elf… but at least it showed I could defend myself.

My image was on a knife’s edge already. If I couldn’t back it up with something, I’d just be remembered as the arrogant, useless elf who thought he knew better.

My foot slammed down again, breath ragged. The reason why I couldn’t sleep wasn’t simply because of anxiety or Piper’s snores, however.

Our orphanage was located near the city walls, and beyond those walls was a lot of fighting. If I had to guess, the town garrison was defending against goblins or orcs judging by how steel clashing was interspersed with guttural snarls.

It was kind of scary not being able to see the enemy.

“What is with this ruckus?”

I whipped my head to see Mother Martha standing on the courtyard doorway. Of course she was up. And she looked like she was about to tear me a new one!

“Do you have any idea what time it is?!”