“MY MOTHER’S A PRINCESS!?” I get up, slamming the desk hard.

People inside the guilds’ tavern avert their eyes onto me. Embarrassed, I held my hands up in apology. “Really, Mr Barlog? My mother is a princess? You’re not lying to me, are you?”

Barlog looks at me, amused, “Who knows? Maybe I’m just spouting nonsense.” He whistles away, clearly avoiding the topic and tormenting me at the same time.

Tch, I clicked my tongue. “What do you want?”

Barlog grin from ear to ear. “Start from telling me where you live.” He sat down beside me as I tell him my story.

As soon as I finished my story, he grabs me by the collar then jetting out from the guilds’ building. “Wait, where are you going? Why are you bringing me along?” I tried to struggle; alas, Barlog’s strength outclasses my own. I can only helplessly resign to my fate.

“You said Bora, right? Show me the way. That bastard, living so close but never sent a word. Wait until I get my hands on him, hmmph.” Barlog sulked while carrying me at high speed.

“How about my tests? What if I don’t pass?” I protest to Barlog

“Nah, you’ll pass, don’t worry. If your dad teaches you decently, that is. Even if you don’t, I’ll tell that lad Yuya to pass you.”

My eyes went wide. “You can do that?”

“Yes, so just shut up.”

We arrived at Bora at light speed; not even thirty minutes has passed. “How strong are you?” Flabbergasted, I looked at the man who carries me like a piece of luggage as some sort of monster.

“Where to kid?” completely ignoring my questions, he hastily asked me.

“Up the hill, right past Bora Forest. Just follow the path, and you’ll see my home.”

===

Rudy enters his house, bringing groceries from their farm. “Honey, today’s yield was not bad. I managed to harvest few vegetables, and the cows’ milk is done processing.”

His eyes go wide when he sees who his wife talking with.

“Hello, big brother.” Barlog smile was scary. If looks could kill, his smile would kill Rudy so many times by now.

Rudy grimaced, ”H-how come you’re here?” he slowly edges closer to the door, preparing to escape anytime.

Barlog quickly moved in front of the door, blocking Rudy’s escape route. “Where are you going, big brother? Why don’t we sit down and talked like a grown adult? We haven’t met in a long time after all.”

My dad’s eyes met me. He said with his eyes, ‘It’s you, isn’t it?.’ I only shrug my shoulder, ‘He’s too strong. I can do nothing.’ My dad’s eyes then go towards my mother, ‘Help, please.’ He pleads with his eyes. Unfortunately, my mother pretended to not notice my dad’s plea and continue to smile.

My dad’s hung his head low before depressingly sat down on the sofa. Barlog patted my dad’s shoulder before sitting near him. “Now, why don’t we talk….”

===

I sat inside the training ground, pouting. When my dad was finally about to talk about his past, he told me to go outside and said I’m not old and strong enough yet. Seeing my mother look says it all, really. It must’ve been a private matter between the three of them. That doesn’t stop me from sulking, though. Although everybody has their own secret, seeing them hiding it blatantly right in front of me hurts.

I let out my frustration on the dummy in the training room. Unknown to me, three people were watching me swings my sword.

“So that’s your son, huh?” Barlog said to my dad. “Yeah,” My dad replied, he proudly added, “He’s like me. Doesn’t have a squat of talent in magic, but learning swordsmanship was like second nature to him.”

Barlog looked at my mom, “And your other two?”

“They’re probably adventuring somewhere.” My mother sigh, “Although both of them take after me in looks, their personality was much like their father.” Barlog and my mother both looked at my dad and sigh at the same time.

“Hey!” my dad protest, feeling offended.

As my frustration grows, I think about many things. A really old game I used to play popped into my head. The protagonist in that game split himself into four before slashing the enemy repeatedly.

I widen my stance, holding my sword beside me with its tip pointing at the ground. I close my eyes and focused. Rousing my Aura as much as I could, I open my eyes and go. Using my Aura, I created a clone of myself before repeatedly slashing at the dummy. Every time my clone slash high, I cut low and vice versa. Even though it looks simple on the outside, it requires tremendous concertation to control your Aura, maintaining the sharpness of your Aura, alongside attacking your enemy together using your own sword and your Aura.

By the time I’m done, I’m left with exhaustion. My consciousness is fading, but then I see the dummy was cut into pieces. ‘Huh, I did it,’ I thought before passing out, smiling.

“Y-you…, You teaches this to your son?” Barlog stood dumbfounded. Barlog’s not the only one who dumbfounded; Rudy and Anna’s mouth gaped open before pride replaced their expression. “No, that was all him.” Rudy smugly said. Anna approached her son, stroking his cheek with love before using a spell to lift him up into the sky. “I’m proud of you, son.”The smile on her son’s face appears to be wider after she said those words.