As the song finished, everyone stood for a long moment together. Then my brother shouted out, “Tonight! We make merry. Everyone to the dining hall!”

Murmuring before a cheer sounded out, the rest of the household dispersed and headed toward the dining hall.

Meanwhile, my brother beckoned me over and looked at me critically.

“What?” I asked, self consciously.

Smiling, my brother said, “Nothing… it’s just that mother and father would be glad to see that you’ve grown up.”

Looking down and then back up at the smiling Aaron, a moment passed as we shared a look of understanding.

Then I reached out my hand and summoned a tube.

Handing it over to my brother, I said, “For you.”

Looking at it, my brother pushed it away, saying, “That’s mother’s gift to you. I can’t take it.”

Smiling, I reached out my other hand and summoned another tube as I said, “Take it. The one I’m giving you is a copy I had made from the one which mother gave me. I figured you don’t have anything to look at when you think of them, so…”

My brother looked at me for a long moment as his eyes glinted with emotion before he reached out and solemnly took the tube.

Unfurling it, he saw on the scroll an image of a beautiful tree under which stood my father and mother, clasping hands together and smiling out at him. In the corner, he saw a depiction of himself sitting on a rock and smiling out.

It was a perfect copy of the scroll that mother had given me, but it didn’t have the emotions mother infused in it.

But, it had the emotions that I had infused in it, and for Aaron, who looked at me with wet eyes; that seemed to be enough.

I watched as my brother carefully furled up his scroll, and then I grinned as he stepped forward and hugged me.

Breaking free of the hug, I reached out and summoned a heavy pouch, which I placed on his hand.

Puzzled, he looked at it before opening the drawstring and gaping at the gold Protons that lay inside.

Looking at me, he asked with bulging eyes, “Tell us whatever it is that you’re doing! Compared to you, our pay is chicken shite!”

Grinning, I told him about the Direwolf and how the money, 50 gold Protons, was his part to do what he wanted with; though for some reason, I kept the golden lump of metal incident to myself. Perhaps it was due to my reluctance to be beaten up by everybody as they lamented their lost chance of rising from poverty.

Looking at me wide eyed, my brother stiffened and asked me, “You said you channeled warforce into your arms, that you’ve become an iron rank?”

Nodding, I was about to speak when my brother suddenly bellowed into the sky, “You hear that?”

As the rest of the mercenary troop turned, and a few curious people walked out of the dining hall, Aaron gestured around as he spoke. “He’s an Iron rank. He’s a baling iron rank!! He advanced!! He advanced!”

Absolute silence fell, before a roar erupted and suddenly, I was fiercely hugged by multiple people all at once as others ruffled my hair and pounded me on any exposed part that they could see.

Grinning so widely that you could fit an egg in my mouth, I bowed and thanked everyone in turn once I had struggled out of the continuous hugs.

Reaching Sia, who stood there with tears streaming down her face, I boldly stepped in and hugged her tightly as she threw her arms around me.

Moving her from side to side, we stood for a long moment as whistles broke the silence, but we didn’t care.

Then, holding her hand, we walked to the teacher, and we bowed to him together.

Sir Leonidas, the man who didn’t make a sound while his arm was being sewn together, stood with wet eyes as he reached out and lifted us up.

Meeting his gaze, my own eyes became wet because of all the people… I had my teachers to thank for the most, and in particular, the teacher who was standing in front of me.

“Good,” He said.

“Good,” He said again.

And just like the first time all those months ago, I felt good inside. Real good.

Grinning, I surprised the teacher by fiercely hugging him, and then letting go. I knelt one more time as I said, “I make my oath before you once again. As your disciple, I will always strive to be on the side of righteousness. In times of honor, and in times of dishonor… I will always fight for what is right.”

Pulling me up, the teacher smiled at me till the corners of his eyes crinkled, and he said one more time, “Good.”

I didn’t have anything that I could give him at the moment, but I had plans, and more importantly; I had the materials.

Thinking about those plans, I bowed to each and every person one last time. Then, stomach rumbling, I headed to the dining hall along with Sia as we held hands.

Heading straight for Madam Amee, I handed her another pouch containing 50 gold coins, and I couldn’t believe my ears when she said in a small voice, “Today, you can eat as much as you want. I won’t say anything and I’ll look the other way.”

I was about to dig my ears and ask her to repeat her words when Sia pinched my palm fiercely, and pulled me away after bidding goodbye to the Madam.

Blinking back the tears, I looked at her as she smiled at me. Pausing, I turned to face her and said, “Don’t go to sleep after this.”

Blinking, she asked, “Terrace?”

Grinning, I nodded, “Terrace.”

Then, it was time for the feast and we feasted till late in the night before the household fell silent as men and women keeled over in a stupor.

Sia and I were wide awake though, as we lay on the terrace, our hands linked together.

“What’re you thinking?” she softly asked.

“I’m thinking that I’m a very lucky boy,” I said as I gazed at her and then at the sky.

Blushing, she fell silent before she said, “Tell me.”

Turning on my side to face her, I cushioned my head underneath my free arm and looked into her eyes as I spoke. “I’m heading to the academy to join it tomorrow. Are you coming?”

Her eyes lighting up, she eagerly said, “Of course I’m coming. I’ve been waiting for the past 2 months for you to say that.”

Puzzled, I asked, “2 months?”

Looking away guiltily, Sia fell silent.

Softly, I spoke, “Sia…”

“Mmh,”

“You got admitted two months ago, didn’t you?”

Meeting my eyes, she slowly nodded and looked away again.

A grin splitting my face apart, I said, “That’s great news! Why didn’t you tell me?”

Looking at me cautiously, she asked, “You’re not mad?”

“Mad? Why would I be mad?” I asked back in turn.

“Because I didn’t tell you and I stayed behind…” she asked guiltily.

Reaching out and flicking her forehead, I said, “I am a little mad, but for the main part, I’m extremely happy. After all, my shieldgirl is amazing and the only reason she stayed behind was to look after this crippled immortal boy!”

Grumbling, she flicked away my finger and said, “Who’s your shieldgirl?”

But the red blush betrayed her, and with a huff, she turned over to the other side; facing away from me.

But her hand never left my hand and if anything, she held on to it even tighter.

Grinning, I gazed at her and I thought, “You really are amazing, Sia. It’s just that this immortal boy was holding you back. But now? Now, this immortal boy will make sure he does everything in his power to walk in front of you.”

Almost as if she could hear my thoughts, she softly said, “I’ll always be your shield. Always.”

Exaggeratedly, I said, “What’s that? I couldn’t hear. Something about you being my shieldgirl always? Yep! I’-oof,” and my words were cut off as she viciously pinched my palm.

“Go to sleep,” she whispered, a hint of a smile still in her voice.

“Goodnight,” I said softly.

“Goodnight,” she replied and then she stiffened up as I raised her hand to my lips and kissed it.

As she turned to face me, I spoke while still holding her hand to my lips and looking at the calluses that lined it. “If you are going to be my shield, I will be your sword. Always.”

Then I smiled as I gazed into her eyes, eyes which were a bit red and glossy.

Turning away from me again, she whispered once more, “Goodnight.”

I squeezed her hand and whispered back, “Goodnight.”

Then we lay, hearts beating, breath misting in the cold air as the darkness was driven away by the stars and the moon.