Chapter 1 (1/2)

Prologue

“Oraa! Walk quickly, you demon!”

The soldier says as he kicks me flying. Because it is just after a rain, the soil on the ground is muddy. I fall into it, dirtying my entire body with mud but, n.o.body said anything. Far from that, they are laughing and saying I deserved it.

……Why am I going through this. All it is, is just getting a peculiar occupation, isn’t it! Despite that, despite just that why do I have to be killed!

“Hardt, quickly wake up! Isn’t today an important day!”

‘Batann!’ The door opens with a loud sound. The person that entered my room energetically, Kaa-san¹ tear off the futon that was covering me.

Not even noticing the sunlight s.h.i.+ning through the window because the futon was covering all the way to my head, I didn’t realize it was morning until Kaa-san came to wake me up.

“Geez, Stella-chan and Lig-kun are already waiting because Hardt is late at waking up! ”

Even though I was still dozing off, I got startled by Kaa-san’s words. I look at Kaa-san with a shocked face but

“I tried waking you up several times. But you kept going five more minutes, five more minutes without waking up.Geez, you’re already 12 so please wake up on your own”

She’s complaining about various things but, this is not the time for that. I jumped out of my futon in a hurry and went to wash my face. I went out the house because the bucket was outside and, as Kaa-san has said, the two of them are already waiting.

Childhood friends of the same age in the village I live in. Stella and Lig. Seeing me rush out the house, they both have respective emotions appearing on their faces.

“As expected It’s as I’ve said, Hardt. You can’t fall asleep because you were excited.”

Sitting on the low stone wall outside the house and giggling is Stella. In the sunlight Stella’s hair that stretches to her waist glitters.

From from being the number one in the village, she has an appearance that’s said to be the number one beauty even within the territory that the village is in, my first love that I’m always thinking of in my heart.

Beside her is an irritated-looking Lig leaning against the wall and glaring at me. He’s the number one in swordsmans.h.i.+p in the village, also skilful at magic, furthermore with an appearance that doesn’t feel out of place beside Stella, or rather handsome to the point where you’d think that they are well-matched.

Said to be the most successful in the village. Completely different from me. I’m a normal villager, far from that I’m said to be lacking to everybody. In reality, I overslept on an important day.

“You’ve been like this since the past. Causing problems only during important times. Quickly get prepared. I won’t forgive you if we miss the horse wagon because we were waiting for you ”

“Sor, sorry alright. I’ll get ready right away.”

I wash my face while apologizing to Lig and returned to my room. On my way back, Kaa-san asked how about breakfast but, I don’t have the time to eat it.

I’m glad I prepared yesterday just in case. I put on the clothes that have been prepared and carry the baggage on my back. Even though I said baggage, it’s a town two hours from here by horse wagon so, it’s nothing much.