“I’m home.”

“Excuse me.”

Al and Christine enter a 2-storey building.

Al closes the door behind him, but I can pass through it without problems.

Inside is an ordinary pottery shop. There're all kinds of vases in the shelves and there’s a counter on the opposite side of the entrance. Behind it, there're two doors. One on the right and the other a few meters to the left.

"Sis's here!!" A high pitched voice can be heard from upstairs.

"Here he comes." She sighs.

"Hehe..." Al laughs.

*pum pum pum*

Loud noises come from behind the door on the right. It's like someone is running down the stairs.

Then the door opens violently and a little kid comes out running.

"Sis!!!"

"Don't run!"

He ignores her warning and comes running right to her.

He slams into her legs and hugs her.

"I missed you!"

She smiles and embraces him. She caresses his head with one hand.

"Haha, it's been only a week, Manuel."

"Doesn't matter!"

"You're right, you're right. I missed you too."

"Hmmm"

He hugs her harder.

"But more importantly..."

"Huh?" He looks up to his sister's face.

"How many times do I have to tell you to not to run inside the store?" She grabs his ear.

"Ouch ow ow ouch! Sorry! I'm sowwy!"

"Promise that you won't run again inside the store."

"I promise I promich!"

"Do you really promise? I'll be really angry next time." She says so, while smiling.

"I promish please let go! It hurts!"

"Good." She lets go of his ear.

Al just stood back watching, with a nervous smiling expression.

The boy rubs his ear, but then notices Al.

"Hi David!"

"Yo." Al raises his hand.

"So cool that you came today! Can we play later?" The boy asks with enthusiasm.

"Sure, as long your father let's you."

"I think not," Christine intervenes. "it's late. As soon we are done with dinner, you're going to bed."

"Or your sister, I guess." He scratches his head, laughing.

"Oh..." He pouts. "No fair! Why can—"

"It's final. C'mon, let's go upstairs."

"Alright fine!" He replies with an angry voice and goes back to where he came from.

"You sure it's alright?" Al asks. "He's kinda angry."

"It's fine. 5 minutes and he's back to normal."

"If you say so. Oh, please tell your mother to not exaggerate... I already ate dinner back at home."

"Don't worry, I'll tell her to be mindful with her servings."

"Thank you."

They go to the door and head up the stairs.

"Hi mom. Hi dad."

"Good night."

Upstairs, there's a kitchen. There’s also a table in the center big enough for six people.

A fat man with a long beard is sitting by the table and a woman with an apron is cooking.

The man looks at the two.

“Oh, just the man who I wanted to talk!”

He gets up and walks to Al.

“David, I need your help! Come with me.”

“Ah? Yeah, sure.”

“Dad! We only arrived now and you are already bothering him?”

“Shush now. It’s important or else I’m never going to finish it.”

“He can help you AFTER dinner. Why d’ you—”

“There’s still a lot of time until dinner’s ready. Right dear?”

“You keep me out of your fight.” The woman replies.

I never cooked before, but I think I can safely say that he is right. The pot on the stove only has water boiling.

“Thanks dear! Now c’mon, let’s go.”

He gently pushes Al towards the stairs.

“Dad!”

“It’s fine Christine. It doesn’t bother me.” Al replies.

She sighs. “Whatever.”

“Alright, let’s go David. I need your help with something.”

Al nods and both walk down the stairs.

Should I follow them? Or stay here?

“Where’s Manuel?” Christine asks.

“In his room, making a tantrum.”

“*sigh*, that kid.” She looks at the corridor on the left side of the kitchen.

“Christine, how’re you holding up?”

“It’s fine mom.”

Al kept saying that Christine was important to him. I should stay for a while.

“Is everything… Alright?”

“Mom, please.” Christine picks up a knife and starts to peel potatoes.

“I can’t help but worry.”

“Mom, please don’t start again.”

The woman starts crying. “How could I not start again!? There’s not a day that I don’t blame myself! How could I sell my own daughter!”

“Mom, look at me.”

Her smile completely disappeared. She turns to the woman and grabs her hands.

“Mom, I admit. I was angry that day. I felt betrayed. I felt lonely. I thought that the master was going to be some brat who would do whatever he wanted with me. But,” She wipes away her mother tears. “I forgive you. I don’t care anymore. You did what you had to do, for Manuel. Besides, he’s really a good person. He never took advantage of me, he never looked down on me, he never ordered me to do anything, he let’s me call him by his first name… He’s exactly what we need.”

“Dear?”

“Mom, he… He can fix things! He can make this country, no, this world a better place! He can give us our rights! He can give us more freedom! He can… He can make everything right!”

“What are you saying!? Don’t say anything else! They’re going to kill you if you keep saying stupid things.”

“Mom—!”

“I don’t want to hear it. Help me or go play with your brother, but don’t say those things anymore!”

Christine looks down. “I’ll help you…”

She starts peeling the potatoes again.

Seems like they won’t say anything else for now. I should go see where Al is.

I go down the stairs.

So Christine was sold to the Dovin family?

Today that’s forbidden. There might be nobles who take advantage of black hairs but technically, they can’t own a human.

And Al wasn’t here to hear this conversation. That means that he can’t remember this event. In other words, whatever this dream is, it’s not from his memories.

...

I’m inside the store.

Where are they? Maybe behind the other door?

I walk towards it. Then I put my hand on the handle.

… Right.

Being a ghost is a weird experience.

I pass through the door.

“Wow, this time you really worked hard mr. Valen.”

Inside there’s more shelves. Like in the store, they are full of pottery but some are unfinished.

“I know right?” A voice comes from the end of the room.

Al is looking at the shelves.

“Anyway, come here boy, I want your help with this.”

“Coming.”

Al goes towards the back of the room and I follow him.

The man is by a small round table.

On top of that table, there’s a vase covered by a piece of cloth.

“Is that one valuable or something mr. Valen?” Al asks as soon he sees it.

“Very.” He leans forward. “A green noble asked me to do this.”

“A green noble? Seriously?”

“Yes. He was very precise too. He gave me a piece of paper with instructions on how to do every little detail, the form, size, what to paint, what colors… I love clients like that. Make my job a lot easier.”

Al has a difficult expression, but he’s trying to keep his smile. Maybe he’s doubting the man’s story?

“But, are you sure it was a green noble?”

“Yup. He’s going to pay me a gold coin.”

“That’s, a lot…”

“Yeah it is. Only four more to go.” He murmurs to himself.

Four gold coins?

“So, what do you need me to do?”

“Well, the man was very precise with his instructions, but he asked me to write this on the bottom of the vase in the old language, but I have no idea how to write it.”

“I think I can help then, what is it?”

“Forever strong, forever brave.”

“Huh?”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Ah… Was that green mage from the Dovin family?”

“I don’t think so, I would know if he was. But what’s wrong?”

“That’s the Dovin family's motto.”

“Wait, are you sure?”

“Pretty sure. Let me see the vase.”

“Yeah, alright.” The man nervously nods.

He takes the cloth off of the vase.

The vase is beautiful. The figures are painted in blue and the vase itself is painted in white. There’s a man holding a sword and a knife, looking at the sun.

But Al’s reaction wasn’t like mine.

“Break that thing. Now.”

“Wha— Why!?”

“It’s exactly like the Dovin’s one. If they find this…”

“Wait, are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?”

“I am sure! Break it and get rid of it!”

The man hesitates a little, but he grabs the vase and throws it to the ground.

It shatters in pieces.

“That vase is from the Dovin family foundation. It represents the family’s strength.”

“I see…” The man looks down at the pieces, dejected.

“I’m really sorry mr. Valen.”

“No, it’s alright. Thanks for telling me. The offer was too good to be true, I should have known better. Besides, it was a green noble. Why did I even think that a noble would bother with folk like us? He was just planning to destroy my family or my shop, I'm sure.”

Al looks down, but then looks at him again.

“Did he tell you who he was or anything relevant?”

“No. He only told me that he was from another country.”

“Are you sure? There’s really nothing that he said?”

“I’m sure David. Look, I’m really grateful, I really am, but I need some time alone. I hope you don’t mind…”

“Ah, no, of course not! I’ll go upstairs.”

Al leaves the room. I follow him. But just before I left the room, I hear Valen saying something.

“At this rate, I’ll never be able to pay off the debt. Damnit.”

He said he needed only four more, counting with the gold coin that he would get from that vase. Then his debt is five gold coins.

That’s probably what the Dovins payed for Christine.

I pass through the door.

Al is in the store, clenching his hands.

“This feeling of frustration… I hate it. I can’t do anything to help them. If I try to find that green mage, father will discover that I sneaked out, and Christine dies. I can’t help her with her debt. If I try to help her, she will die if I'm found out. I can’t do anything.”

Al…

A moment passes.

He shakes his head.

“That’s right. Tonight we are supposed to have fun. C’mon.”

He puts up his smile and goes upstairs.

…

…..

…….

“Your mother…”

“I told her to not serve you too much, but you know how she is~.” She laughs.

We are now on the street heading Al’s home.

Although there were depressing moments before the dinner, the dinner itself was fun and animated.

Christine’s mother forced Al to eat a lot. He tried to explain multiple times that he already ate dinner but she refused to listen. And if Al tried to refuse, she would start saying that he is a man and that he has to eat a lot, or that if he didn’t eat it he would be wasting food. The former argument didn’t convince Al that much, but as soon she talked about ‘wasting’, he would give in and just eat.

Al and the man shared jokes. Al played a little with Manuel. And Christine sometimes pranked Al.

“I don’t feel well…”

“Do you have to throw up? Let’s go to that corner.”

“No, I’m fine. I think. Maybe. I’ll say something if I need to…”

“Don’t force yourself.”

We keep walking through the streets.

They aren’t empty, but they are not as full as before.

At least now I don’t have people passing through me.

“Where are we going? This is not the way home.”

“You’ll see.” She answers.

“Hmm.”

…

Minutes later, we reach a crossing.

“Al, look over there.”

“What?”

He looks at where she is pointing.

There’s a group of ten people in a circle, talking and laughing.

Among them, there’s one man around the same age as Al, with a huge scar on his face.

“B-Burniel…” Al murmurs. “And everyone…”

Despite the scar, he’s having fun and seems to be popular, as everyone listens to him when he speaks.

“I asked around about a boy with a scar, and discovered that he usually hangs around here.” Christine comments.

“B-but, how did you…?”

“Know about him? It might not seem like it, but what happened years ago is hardly a secret between the house maids.”

Al looks again at them.

“Want to go talk to them?”

Al hesitates.

“... No. I have done enough already. I don’t have the right to involve them with me again. Besides,” he smiles “I got to see them. That’s good enough for me.”

The group notices Al and Christine.

“C’mon, let’s go home Christine.”

“As you wish.”

They turn their back to the group and walk away.

Al wipes his eyes with his sleeve.

“Are you crying?” Christine asks with a daring voice.

“Shut up. I’m not.”

“Oh yes you are~.”

“Go away.”

“Awww! You’re so cute!”

“Leave me alone!”

“Hahaha.”

…

…..

…....

We are now climbing up the hill.

The road is made of stone and there’s lamps all the way to the mansion.

“Hey, Christine.”

“Yes?”

Al stops and she looks at him.

“Thank you. For everything.”

“Aw, you don’t need to thank me.”

“No, really, I mean it.” He slightly tilts his head and says once more with a smile. “Thank you, Christine.”

Christine cheeks turn red and she looks away.

“What’s the matter?” He asks.

“Don’t speak to me. Just give me a minute.”

“Uh? Why?”

“I can’t, I just can’t. I can’t help it.” She looks back at Al again. “Oh my god you’re so cute!!!”

“Uh!?”

She hugs him and rubs her face in his.

“H-Hey! Knock it off!!!” He yells.

He tries to get away from her but she doesn’t give him the chance. She’s grabbing him in place with one arm and rubbing his hair with the other hand.

“Get away from me woman!!”

His expression is priceless. He’s so red with embarrassment!

“Oh?” She stops what she was doing and looks down. “Oh~~?”

Al’s face is red all over. He doesn’t even know what to do.

“W-w-w-what did you expect!?!? Y-y-you are hugging me so hard that I can feel your body! Let me go!!”

She grabs his chin.

And kisses him.

“Hm!?”

He struggles a little, but then stops.

She backs away a little from his face.

“Are you against it?”

“... I…” He hesitates to answer. “... No, I’m not.”

He leans his head forward and kisses her.

************************

The floor is trembling.

I open my eyes.

I’m inside some kind of room. The floor is made of wood and the walls and ceiling are made of cloth. There’s a few small boxes and some pelts.

I see, I’m inside a caravan.

Where’s Al?

I get up from my ‘bed’ made of pelts and head towards to what I think to be the front of the caravan.

I push the cloth away and look outside.

It’s afternoon. The caravan is moving on a dirt road and I can see the sea in the distance to my left.

There’s a white horse pushing the caravan and someone is driving it.

“You’re finally awake princess.”

Al’s driving it.

“Al?”

“Yes?”

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere between your home and Hullbeck.”

“Hullbeck… What happened?”

“You fell unconscious. You wasted too much mana.”

“Then?”

“Then I had to carry you back to a village near Hullbeck. There, I found a trader and we played cards. We bet money and with a few drinks I managed to convince him to bet his caravan. You can pretty much guess what happened next. At least I gave him most of his merchandise back.”

“I see… How long I was out?”

“Two days.”

“I see…”

“Not really that long, considering that a red mage like you can be unconscious for a week.”

“True.”

I get out and sit next to Al.

“I’m thirsty.”

“Here.”

He hands me a canteen.

“Thanks.” I gulp down the water.

“We have some food back there if you want. I managed to make you drink while you were out but I couldn’t do anything about food.”

“Thanks.” I hand him back the canteen.

“No problem.”

A moment passes.

I’m still kinda out of it.

“Hmm, my chest hurts.”

“That’s hardly surprising.” He replies.

“Huh?”

I put my hands on my chest.

Nothing.

I look down.

Volume is missing.

“Wha—!”

I look down behind the shirt.

There’s straps around my chest! They are squeezing my breasts!

“Al… What did you do!?”

“They are searching pretty much any couple that consists of a man and a teenage girl. So, let’s turn that teenage girl into a teenage boy.”

“Couldn’t you wait until I woke up!?”

“Nope.”

“You pervert!!”

I try to slap him in the face but he avoids it.

“Hey knock it off!”

“You idiot! You stupid!”

I keep slapping him anywhere I can. In the arm, shoulder, head…

“Hey stop it!”

“No! You—!”

He grabs my hand and looks me in the eyes.

“I played it safe, ok!? Look, I didn’t do anything to you. I promise that I didn’t take advantage. I just put the straps and that’s it!”

“...”

“If nothing else, at least trust me on this.”

“... Alright, sorry.”

He let’s go of my hand.

I look away.

“I’m just going to… Adjust this inside. This is too tight.”

“I uh… Yeah. Just make sure that it’s not noticeable.”

“What about my hair?”

“It’s fine. It’s not that long. But you should start practicing your voice.”

“My voice…” I try to hoarse it. “Like this?”

A weird voice came out.

“Phu—!”

“Don’t laugh!”

“Alright alright sorry!” He tries to hold his laugh. “Just go inside and do what you have to do. Then we try to… Work on that.”

“Fine.”

I get inside the caravan.

First I get a scar on my leg, then he wants to make my breasts smaller and now I have to talk like a guy.

What’s next? Will I have to shave my hair too if he feels that it’s necessary?

…

Over my dead body!