A Festival And The Training Ground.

The next day..
Clear clouds,
warm sky,
calm winds..

Kurose sleeping on the bed,
Kurose heavily breathing, rapid eyes movement beneath his closed eyelids, cold sweats flowing down to his jaw, his forehead knit together, fingertips tightening..

Kurose opened his eyes rapidly..

He looks around him..

He glances at his right hand palm, his eyes widened,
"A nightmare?." Kurose pondered.

He ran to the window, and gazes at the golden harvests, He let out a quiet breath.

"I'm still getting dreams about my past life?, I thought i have forgotten my past life, but...
Kurose looks at the sky, faint smiled.
"Maybe there were some moments in my past life that even i cannot forget till now."

After few seconds..

While walking to the door of his room,
"Well, it cannot be helped, i cannot control my subconscious mind."

Kurose goes downstairs..

"Good morning, kurose!"
Hely remarked to kurose, she faint smiled..
having food plates in her both hands.

"Good morning!, mother."
Kurose replied.

"Why did you wake up late today?."
Hely asked him, tilting her head slightly, while putting plates out on the table.

"i was reading the grimoire till late night,
that's the reason probably."
He replied, while rubbing the back of his head with right hand.

"You cannot control your excitement?,"
Hely said.

She sighed calmly.

"Well, It's your birthday present, 
Make sure you make full use of it!, and eat lunch."
Hely said to kurose.
Her gaze softed. 

"Yes!, mother."
Kurose replied.
A smile on his face.

After a few seconds..

Hely and kurose sat on the chair.

"I remembered, Kurose,"
Hely said.

"What?, mother?."
He replied.

"Today is a festival in the village."
Hely remarked.

"Really?, but there were no decorations yesterday in the village."
Kurose replied, while eating the food.

"Decorations can be done in one day with the help of magic."
Hely replied.


"Oh!, how amazing!, 
How do they even do that?."
Kurose asked.
His eyes glittering.


"You're interested?,
I presumed you know the answer already!."
placing a hand on her mouth.


"Mother!, i'm not a genius, 
I'm still eight years old,
I still don't know about the world."
Kurose replied.
His posture straightened.


"I see, then who was one who said that he's not a children anymore?.",
Hely asked. with a soft smile on her face, her cheeks slightly red. 

"W-well, 
I have turned into a t-teen."
But i still don't know about the much of the world." He replied,
Looking around, his cheeks slightly reddened.


"I see, you still need your family to support you?, your mother is happy!."
Hely remarked softly.
With a soft gaze.


"L-lets eat the l-lunch n-now, mother!."
He replied.
Trace of sweats on his face. after eating one bite, he added,
"Mother!, what's the festival purpose anyway?."
His shoulders steadied.

"Well, i really don't know much but,
It's a festival for thanking the goddess to give us such blessed and peaceful life."
Hely replied while wondering.
gazing at the ceiling, placing a finger on her lip.

After a few seconds..

Hely looks at kurose, and she added, 
"Yes!, she's the same goddess from the church probably."


"What's the goddess name?."
He asked,
tilting his head slightly.

"I know the goddess name but i can't remember it."
Hely replied.

After few seconds..

"I know,
after eating lunch, you can deliver those papers on the table,
and ask the village secretary about it."
Hely said.
With a calm smile.

After thinking for a few seconds..

"Okay!, i'll ask the village secretary while delivering the papers."
Kurose replied.

After a moment..

Kurose finished the lunch and picked up the papers..

"I'm going to the village, mother!."
Kurose remarked.
His posture composed.

He took a look in the papers. and added, 
"Mother, what's written in those papers anyway?."
He asked hely, while holding the papers in his hand.

"They're from the church, about the upcoming Destined-one ceremony and many things."
Hely replied. 
While tidying up the table.

"Well, okay."
"I'm going by mysel-."


The door opened.

"Ven came from the door."

"Hely, is lunch rea-."
Ven asked hely.
While cleaning the sweats from his face with a towel.

"Oh!, Kurose,
you woke up?,"
Ven remarked.

"Why did you woke up late today?."
Ven asked kurose.

"I was reading the grimoire till late night."
Kurose replied.


"I see!., you're into it already!."
"i'm glad you liked your birthday present."
Ven said while looking at him.
A smile appeared on his face.

"Hely!, is my lunch ready?"

Ven goes and looks on the table.

"Wait, hely?, 
Where my lunch?., I did told you to prepare lunch for us?, am i right?"
Ven asked hely , with a faint smile, while looking at hely with gaze filled with questions.

After a few seconds..

Hely cleared her throat..

"Honey!, go help deliver those papers with kurose!."
Hely replied to ven.
tilting her head, a smile on her face, her eyes narrowing in amusement.

"But, what about my lunc-?."

"Honey!, you were not on time , so kurose ate your lunch.
go deliver these with kurose while i'm making more!."


"But, what about my lunc-?."

After a moment..

Kurose and ven were standing outside the house.


"Mother kicked us out, father."
kurose remarked.
He sighed.

"All because father wanted to eat lunch."


"Tell me, kurose,
i did tell for lunch earlier than you right?, then why did you eat my lunch?."
Ven asked.
looking at kurose.


"Well, what are you talking about?, i don't know."
kurose replied.
Averting his gaze, a faint whistle escaped his lips.

"Bullying?, my own son is bullying me?."
Ven remarked.
His stance grew wary.


"Well, whatever, 
father, mother asked you to deliver these papers with me right?."
Kurose said.

"Well, yes, what's written on those papers anyway?."
Ven replied.

Kurose hands out the papers to ven.

"I don't know the details but, it's about the destined-one ceremony."



"Oh, about the ceremony, huh?"
"It's only few months now."
Ven said.
While gazing at the papers with a faint smile.


"Lets get going, father."
He said.


After a while.

They were walking on the path to the village.

Silently walking...

"Father, you can talk to me."
Kurose said, While looking at ven.

"W-well, i have never been alone with my son ever before,
i don't know w-what to talk about."
Rubbing his back head with his right hand while looking at the sky.

"You're a father, not a children."
Kurose murmured.

"Did you say anything?."
Ven asked.

"N-no."

"Well, kurose, 
you learned a new spell, right?."
Ven asked kurose,
while gazing at him.


"No, i created a spell."
Kurose replied.
He rested his hands together behind the head.

"I see, you created a spe-."

"What?, You created a spell?!."
Ven shouted.
his eyes widened.

"Y-yes, is there a problem?."
Kurose murmured while thinking.
he tilted his head slightly, looking at ven.

"N-no, it's just, even adults take years just to create a new spell,
creating in a early age is amazing."
Ven replied, trace of sweats on his face.

"Is he really my child?, I thought it would take until he would be a adult, but to think create a spell when you just turned teen., Did hely and i gave birth to a genius?."
Ven pondered, gazing at the sky."

After a few seconds..

"Well, kurose, if you want any help, you can tell me, because i'm your father!."
Ven said to kurose,
"He smiled while pointing a finger on himself."

"Okay father, i'll be counting on you when that time comes."
Kurose replied, looking at ven.
A smile appeared on his face.

"Here!, we reached the village gate."

Shortly thereafter..

Ven and kurose went to the village gate.

"Two guards were talking."

"I told you, it will be that guy who will be selected in the destined one ceremony."
A guard said to the another guard.

"No, it will be someone else."
Guard replied.

"They're still stuck on that topic?, years ago, they were talking about it, don't they get bored or something?."
Kurose murmured.
His face slightly shocked.

"I told you it will be ce-."
Guard argued while turning his head around the village gate.
His eyed widened.

Another guard gazed at ven and kurose."
His eyes widened..

"They quickly returned to their position."
Saluted.

"Good morni- , I meant good evening!, Sir ven."
Guard shouted, trace of sweats going down his throat.

"Uhh, G-good e-evening."
Ven replied, with a twitched smile on his face."

"I look up to you, sir ven, i wanna be like a great hero like you!."
Another guard shouted.

"A great hero?, me?, You flatter me!."
Ven replied.
Rubbing his back head with a hand as he smiled, with cheeks slightly reddened.

After talking for a while..

"Well, we'll going be inside the village now., we can talk later."
Ven said.

"Yes!, we'll be waiting here for your return!."
A guard replied, His eyes glittering.

"O-okay, w-we'll be c-counting on y-you."
Ven remarked, trace of sweats on his face with a faint smile.

Shortly thereafter..

Ven and kurose entered the village, walking on the village path.

Village streets were getting decorated.

"Oh!, they're still decorating it, probably it was not a better idea than to decorate it one day earlier."
Ven said, looking around him.

Kurose looks around..

"Wow!, The decorations looks beautiful!." 
Kurose said, his eyes glittering.

Kurose gazes at people decorating streets, using magic to decorate the streets.

"Oh!, father, they're using magic, right!, what magic are they using?."
Kurose asked ven, looking at him, his eyes sparkling.

"I see, you're interested, 
but don't you know the answer?, you created a spell, so you should know about it."
Ven replied and asked kurose, with a wondering smile.

"W-well, i did created a s-spell, but i don't know the elements b-besides f-fire."
Kurose replied. averting his gaze, his cheeks slightly reddened.

Ven laughed a bit..

"I see, you're a fast reader. but don't go too fast kurose, or you will trip by a mere rock."
Ven said.

A thought struck to him.

"Trip by a mere rock... huh?."
Kurose murmured, gazing at the sky.
his eyes narrowed slightly, his face composed.

"Kurose?."
Ven said.

"Y-yes." 

"You okay?"
Ven asked, looking at kurose.


"Y-yes, i'm okay."
Kurose replied.
He faint smiled.

After a moment..

"K-kurose, after delivering those papers, should we go sightseeing the church, where the destined-one ceremony will be happening?, how about it?."
Ven asked., pointing at the church,
his posture straightened, With an unsure smile on his face.

"O-okay."
Kurose replied.
gazing down.

"When we'll return to home, I'll buy you two honey br-."

"I'll go!."
Kurose replied quickly, looking into ven gaze.
His eyes glittering, clenched his fist together.

"My son really loves honey bread."
Ven mused silently.

"But.. father!, i don't understand one thing."
Kurose asked ven.

"What?"

"That if anyone can use magic, then why not all people in the village are helping?, decoration progress would move faster right?."
Kurose asked ven while wondering, tilting his head slightly.
looking at ven.

"Well, that would be good too, but..
Listen.. kurose, Not everyone wants to use magic even if they can use it, if they can live their life peacefully without magic, then people will do that. but.. if this was the era where demonkind was mostly alive, then people will prioritize their safety and magic above the basic needs, but..
five hundred years ago, the demonkind was almost wiped out by the strongest hero of all humankind "yusaka", As time changed, people prioritized the basic needs and magic as secondary because it was not mainly necessary anymore. and not everyone wants to meditate hours to control pure mana. right?

"Y-yes."
Kurose murmured while his head spinning in circles.

"The people you are seeing decorating the streets, smiling?, they are voluntarily doing it just for their own desire, they learned magic because they thought magic is necessary to live and it's interesting. that's why they are having joy even in decorating the streets.

He sighed

"Well, after you will be a grown up, you will understand!."
Ven said to kurose, gazing at him.
A smile appeared on ven's face.


After a while..

Kurose and ven delivered the papers.

Outside the V.S Office.

Ven sighed.

"Now, should we go sightseeing the church now?."
Ven asked kurose.
His hands placed on his waist.

"Yes!."
He replied.
A smile appeared on his face.

On the way to church..

"Kurose, i'll show you something interesting."
Ven said to kurose.

"You see that training ground?, I heard that a mock battle is going to happen between the early teens."
Ven pointed the training grounds.

"Lets go watch the mock battle."
Ven said to kurose.
His eyes glittering.

"O-okay."
He replied.

Shortly thereafter

They arrived at the training grounds fences, looking through the audiences.

"So those are the teens who are training on this training ground."
Kurose mused quietly, narrowing his gaze slightly.

"It's going to begin, kurose.", 
Be make sure to look closely, you might find someone interesting among those teens. someone who is on your par or even.. better."
He faint smiled, narrowed his gaze.
gazing at the candidates selected for mock battle.

Kurose closed his eyes and sighed calmly.

"There's no one who will be interesting, after all, they're all mere kids."
Kurose mused quietly.
He yawned.

"It's going to end quickl-?."
While opening his eyes..


He heard a sound of two swords clashing together..


Kurose saw a kid standing at the center of the training ground, with a sword in his both hands, calming his breath.

He saw another kid, quickly running circles around the training ground, running on a speed where naked eyes can barely see him, controlling his breath, gazing at the kid in the center.

After running circles around the kid in the center, The kid stopped, his stance changed, left leg behind the right leg, knees bending together slightly above the ground, he closed his eyes, calmed his breath, gripping his sword tightly with his hands together, he quickly sped up with a quick speed at the kid in the center.


The kid in the center, calmed his breath, gripped his sword tightly, he sensed that attack is coming from behind. He opened his eyes, calmly moved his steps to behind. parrying the kid's attack.

"The blocked kid quickly moved away from the kid in the center."


Slowing his breath down..

"What's the matter, Alen?, Why did you moved away from me?, you seem stronger and faster now!." The kid in the center asked the kid with high agility.
A smile appeared on his face.

Alen idly walking around the kid in the center..

He sighed..

"I can't beat you, Kein"
He said to the kid in the center.

"With your reflexes to react and perfect timing to parry any attack without having a toll on your body."
It.. 
really is amazing.
but..
"Even you cannot parry this attack."

Alen changed into the same stance as before, controlled his inhaling, closed his eyes. gripping his sword tightly.
After a few seconds..
Winds started moving around him. his sword tinged with wind magic. ., "He moved towards kein with a speed that humans naked eyes were not able to depict where he was."

"After a while.."

Kein standing in the center, controlling his breath. after a few seconds..
"Here it comes!."
Kein mused quietly, while opening his eyes." 

Kein moved right, with gripping his sword tightly with his hands together..
Alen attack on head, 
kein tries to block it, but..
Alen bluffed the attack and attacked from his below towards his feet., with narrowing his gaze.
Kein faint smiled, and blocked the attack..

Alen quickly moved away from kein.
Heavily breathing..
Alen idly walking around kein.
"E-even this was not enough?, your reflexes and your speed to parry are abnormal, kein."
Alen said to kein, gazing at him, sweats around his whole body.


"Your speed is also abnormal too, Alen!."
Kein replied to alen, a smile on his face.
his shoulders relaxed.

"Well these abnormalities comes from training and talent i think."
Kein remarked.

"I can't agree more!."
Alen said. a faint smile appeared on his face.

After a few seconds..


"This is it!, the mock battle time limit is over!.
The match ended in a draw."
The mock battle judge shouted, raising a hand in the air.

They dropped their swords, alen moved towards kein.

"They clasped hands, both smiling!."

"It was a nice match, kein!."

"Yes!, it surely was a interesting match."
kein replied.

"But, next time, i will be one who will win!."
Alen said.

"Bring it on!."
kein replied.

Both gazed into each other eyes..

After a few seconds..

They laughed,

"Well, for today, lets enjoy the festival tonight together!."
Alen said to kein, a smile appeared on his face.

"It's been a while since we had fun together, lets enjoy it to the fullest!, alen!."
Kein replied, his shoulders relaxed.

Shortly thereafter, 
Kein and alen left the training grounds.

"What do you think, kurose?, you find it amusing!, right?"
Ven asked kurose, gazing at him!.

There was no reply from kurose..

"Hey! kurose, you alrig-."
Ven hurried to kurose.

"Father!, this is amazing!."
He turned and gazed into ven eyes.
His eyes glittering, overflowing with excitement.

"They're not better then m-, 
no..
They're on par with me!."

"I see."
Ven replied calmly.
his posture relaxed.

"Those two are going to participate in the ceremony right?"
"I cannot wait!."
Kurose said, voice filled with anticipation.

"O-oh, w-well, do your best till the destined-one ceremony comes."
Ven replied him.
A smile appeared on his face.

After a while..

Kurose and ven walking on the village path.

Kurose eating and holding a honey bread bag in his hands.

"Lets go home now to prepare for the festival!."
Ven said.
gazing up.

"Yes!."
Kurose replied while eating a honey bread.


Ven looks straight and saw cecilia running..

Cecilia passed kurose and ven.

"Wait a minute, cecilia!."
Ven turned around and shouted.
he raised a hand.

Cecilia stopped, turned around and gazes at ven and kurose's eating honey bread..

"Ven and kurose went to her."

"Where are you going in such a hurry?, cecilia."
Ven asked cecilia.

"i-i'm g-going t-to t-train, because i w-was r-running because i-i'm l-late."
Cecilia replied, averting his gaze, her cheeks slightly red.

"I see, where are you going?"
Ven asked.

"T-to m-my t-training a-area f-for training.


"I-i see, it must be a secret place."
ven mused quietly, trace of sweats appeared around his forehead as he faint smiled.

"Well, you didn't finished your training for today, right? kurose."
Ven asked kurose.
gazing at him.

He nodded with a disapproval.

"Then, cecilia, if you don't mind, can u train with kurose?, he also trains alone, i thought it would be a nice idea if you two went to train together."
Ven said, calmly placing a hand on kurose's back, with a smile.

Kurose chocked his honey bread.

"Are you okay?, kurose?."
Ven asked, slightly turned his head.

Kurose ate the honey bread. 

"What are you talking about?, father, of course she would not li-."

"If you d-don't m-mind, it w-would b-be m-my p-pleasure, if we can t-train t-together., i-i would n-not have to t-train a-alone."
Cecilia murmured.
gazing at kurose, her cheeks slightly turned red, her eyes slightly sparkling, she faint smiled.

Ven pushed him towards cecilia..

"Then kurose, go accompany her."
ven said , showing a approval sign with his hand.

"I'm going home now, and make sure to come back before sunset, for the festival!."
Ven said to kurose, and left.

After an awkward silence..

"S-shall we g-go now?"
Cecilia asked kurose, while looking around, 
her cheeks and ears turned slightly red, her fingertips softly touching together.

"Y-yes."
Kurose replied her, his cheeks slightly turned red as he took a gaze on cecilia face.
turning his head slightly.


Cecilia faint smiled as they walked on the village path.