Chapter 13: End of A Tale

"...And that's how we defeated the mighty monster of the Darkling Woods and saved Elena's dreams."

You have recalled the memory of your experiences inside the Forest of Life! All listeners now have increased stats!

Your STR has increased by 4! Your END has increased by 5!

Your VIT has increased by 5! Your INT has increased by 1!

Your DEX has increased by 4! Your WIS has increased by 2!

As the bearer of the Story Teller title, you now have gained the skill Singing: Level 3!

Your CHA has increased by 10!

With the end of my tale, our surroundings faded away into the orphanage as the effects of my Story Teller title ended. Giving myself a pat on the back, I only sat and watched as my captive audience went into a smattering of applause.

"That was awesome!" "Elena, you never told us you can do that!" "OOOOOOHHH, NOW I REALLY WANT TO LEARN MAGIC!"

Elena blushed as her friends and fellow orphans openly surrounded her, giving her all manner of compliments. I reckoned that by now, it would be impossible for her to be alone as they would refuse to ever leave her behind - especially by one besotted Konan.

I gave a fond smile. Now, Elena wasn't ever going to be lonely.

A hand placed itself on my shoulder. It was no one other than the man who had made the success possible.

Myrddin sent me his terrifying grin. "Hey, you never told me you had that kind of skill."

I rolled my eyes. "Says the swordsman who managed to handle these kids with no problem. I can only tell tales and cook. You, on the other hand, somehow practically turned into their mother the moment you arrived. And hey, they also loved you singing them to sleep at night... even if you're supposed to be a Swordsman."

"Oh, did I hear you say something, Mr. Fool?"

My eyebrow twitched. Sarcasm Mode, activate. "Oh, you just had to say that... Mr. Scaredy-Cat."

A pair of hands landed between us, interrupting our rather childish but still good-natured bickering.

"Now, now, children." One had to notice how Grimm was not looking at the excited kids when he said those words. However, both of us adults only smiled at the now-common situation. "Lunch has already been cooked, and now that Rain over here has finished his story it's time to eat. Now, head off to the kitchen and dig in!"

Like it was choreographed, the children turned as one.

The next second, they were off in a cloud of dust.

"And you, Rain." Grimm turned to me with a smile. "You have to tell me sometime as to why you have the famed title of the legendary Librarians, alright?"

A blush rose to my cheeks at that. "Ah, no. It would be a really anticlimactic story, really."

Myrddin interrupted the conversation by clasping an arm around my shoulder. "All right! Forget the kids, it's time for us to eat as well!"

I laughed, but went along with the swordsman.

Again, it promised to be a nice day.

It was night and when I knew the children and Myrddin the Mothering Horror fell asleep did I choose to finally go up and talk to Grimm again.

"Hello, Rain, how is your sleep tonight?"

My mood was grim, but I had already built up the will to finally tell the man before me the story of that night.

"Mr. Grimm Locke," I started, "I have a story of my own to tell."

There was no Story Teller at work, no magic, no bright lights or amazing tricks. No flashy skills, no awesome equipment or weaponry - just me, my voice that sometimes would threaten to break, and one Grimm who just went silent and listened as I poured my heart out into a story.

It was a rather cliche story of a teen being betrayed by those who he thought his friends, of how he had once fought for those he trusted only to find out later that he was the one who was fed lies. I cried as I continued to tell the tale of how that same teen, after finding out the truth, chose to take revenge for himself alone underneath a moonlit night.

I recalled their names - of the people that the teen had only met for a day at most, but nevertheless trusted with all of his heart as his foolish wish had demanded of him to do. He was truly a fool, I said as I described all of the warning signs he should have noticed, should have not needed another person to point out.

After all, he should have noticed when he opened the poster that contained his glass dust and saw the warnings about the Solidacium Family. He really should have noticed when he took the herbs and found in them the paralytics that would have been used against him instead of the simple herbs that he had asked for.

He really shouldn't have trusted them. Really should've left by the moment they were about to leave Pratumira with him in tow and that old city guard panicking at the sight of Caelum.

But he didn't, because he wanted friends, right? At any cost, right?

...I then finished the tale by telling how the very same hunter who had saved the teen had also saved his spirit, guiding him here where he was now, telling a man had his own worries to bear the story of a Fool who had trusted too easily.

And thus, the night inside the aptly-named Grimm Orphanage turned silent.

It was its owner who broke the forgiving silence.

"It's not your fault, Rain."

My breath hitched. "O-Of course it was my fault. I really should've noticed the signs earlier on-"

"And what would've that have benefited you?" Grimm interrupted me by flicking my forehead. It was almost as if I was a child. "As far as you know, they could've just taken another way if you found out early on. At least this way, you have met that BlkHntr friend of yours."

Friend? Blake? Well, one could maybe consider us friends but...

Grimm narrowed his eyes before me, as if he was reading my thoughts and not liking it one bit.

"Do you regret helping Elena?"

I mentally stumbled at that. "Wait, what? No, I-"

The caretaker continued to interrupt. "Well then, do you regret befriending Myrddin?"

"Of course not!" I blurted out, very much horrified at the thought. "He's my only-"

"Then why are you regretting the past?" Grimm finished, his voice suddenly scolding. "If it weren't for that meeting of yours between those people, if it weren't for you deciding to go randomly outside your starter city, then you wouldn't have done any of the things you have succeeded now. So, I'm telling you - step up, accept it, and move on. You seem to have promised yourself to not give up, but it also seems that you've forgotten to move on."

Move on. Move on from the betrayal, from my failures.

My frantic movements and words stopped. There was nothing else I could say or do. Like Blake, Grimm was right.

I needed to move on.

There was another silence before Grimm broke it again.

"Do you now feel better about it?" His voice was softer now, as if... no, it must be my imagination. "I don't know about those of your age as I'm far more used to children, but I've always heard that talking your problems make them feel a bit easier."

Easier? One could say that.

"I suppose I do, Mr. Grimm..."

Another forehead flick. "No more honorifics, remember?"

A grin lit up my face at that. Good old Grimm.

"That I do, Grimm." I repeated, much brighter this time. "That, I do."

"Well then!" Grimm took a few steps back, heading back to his forgotten tea. "Now, I suppose I have to ask you my next question."

I took a seat beside him.

"When are you planning to leave? Because I'm forcibly kicking you out by the week after next week unless you leave before that."

I immediately fell off my seat.

"That Grimm Locke... he really is a demon of a caretaker. I mean, to actually promise to kick me out by next next week? Or by tomorrow, I guess, considering the time differences from here and that world..."

"While I am pleased by the fact you haven't arrived late today Mr. Walter," Professor Brunnings interrupted into my grumbling with an almost unnoticeable smile on his face. "It is simply not enough for me to allow any kind of noise in the classroom. Or are you willing to say it out loud for the rest of the class?"

A wave of horror and embarrassment came over me.

"A-Ah no, Professor." I vehemently tried to ignore my classmates' snickers at my reaction. "Ignore me please."

Professor Brunnings' spectacles glinted brightly. "That I shall do then, Mr. Walter. That I shall do."

I heaved a sigh.

After that talk with Grimm, I had indeed started to feel better about myself - only until I logged out and remembered the fact that with how things went, there was still something that hadn't changed.

I still had no friends. In the real world at least.

In Fate Online, I could argue differently, as I had Myrddin, the kids, perhaps Blake, or even Grimm himself. But in real life, it still remained that I was an effective loner - and the fact that I still found it hard to grin as Brian made it quite difficult to even try going about it like I did as Rain.

Damn muscle memory.

"Well, at least my mother allowed me to try out Parkour..." I ended up murmuring to myself. "Even if I still get scratched up here and there. Even if I'm still a beginner at it."

"Should I ignore you or not, Mr. Walter?"

Was that... a tinge of teasing in my Uncl- err, Professor's tone?

"Ignore me please." I mumbled, trying to hide. "I'm going to be quiet now."

Folding my arms over my desk, I hid my face inside them. Thus, I wasn't able to see as a student came in late in class, just like I did yesterday. Or was it five days ago? It was all starting to get confusing, what with the warped time inside Fate Online whenever I played.

"Ah, Mr. Emrys. It's good to see at last. Now, where have you been since yesterday?"

"I-I-I was b-busy with s-something, P-Professor."

"Well, that is an absent for your record then, Mr. Mark Emrys. And another tardy for coming late to class."

"I-I'm sorry! I promise I won't repeat it again!"

"Just head to your seat, Mr. Emrys."

Daring to take a peek outside my arms, I raised my head, looking at the latecomer.

In one word, he looked like a scaredy-cat. Thin, scrawny features, combined with rather long black hair for a male and bangs that covered most of his face. His arms literally shook underneath the stares of the entire class, with the bag in his hold threatening to give up its contents as he quaked on his feet.

After Professor Brunning's dismissal, he bowed his head and turned to the rest of the class. Doing so, his eyes met mine.

My 'Best Student' facade immediately rose.

His eyes suddenly widened as he studied my face.

"R-Rain?"

I blinked. Then blinked again.

What.

ARC 1: THE MAGICIAN, THE SWORDSMAN, AND THE ORPHANAGE - END!

Author's Note:

Ah. Now that's the end of this story's first arc. Was it alright? Was it boring? Was it amazing? Well, I won't know until you guys tell me what you think. It feels a bit lonely when nobody leaves ratings or replies with just 'Good chapter, send update faster.' I mean, what is this, Twitter? ;)

And when I found out about the apparent clicheness of my plot (as in I didn't know there were so many betrayal beginnings around here, *facepalm* should've changed it while I could) all I could do was just stare. Outrageous! Me, using overused plot? My mentor (sorry, not Uni this time) must be rolling around in his sleep. This time, I promise next arc would be far more original, and I hope you people would like it!