“ICHI! NI! ICHI! NI!”, the sound of people shouting out as they swung their practice swords from within the antiquated Dojo in the background could not drown out the girlish laughter of two children, twins who were running about and around the Sakura tree that was planted centuries ago by their ancestor.

“Nee-san! Matte yo! ”, the little girl hitching up her kimono to chase after her twin.

“Iiiii yaaada! ”, the pink haired of the two stuck out her tongue at her sister before laughing…and then tumbling as she tripped on a raised root of the tree, the aged cherry blossom seeming to chuckle as the spring winds rustled its vast branches.

“Tsukamaetta! ” yelled the chasing girl as she leapt ungracefully unto her twin, her long blue hair flying untamed behind her, almost the epitome of a tomboy if she wasn’t so obviously a beautiful Ojou-sama .

“Tsukamatta! ”, giggling as they rolled around the grass in a wild hug, “Masumi hayai ne~”,

Lying on the grass facing the sky after their short bout, “Ano, Mayumi nee-san ”, breathing tiredly Masumi asked, “what are we going to do?”

“Hmmm? Nani o ?”, Mayumi replied lazily with eyes closed.

“Otou-sama wants one of us to be a boy”, Masumi frowned, “but I thought boys need a bushy beard and smell bad”

“Haha Masumi”, her sister laughed, “that’s only the boys in our dojo. The boys from our school don’t smell do they?”

“….Ah!”, as though in revelation, “Honto ”

“Neee ”

“Hmm, I wonder how will Otou-sama choose?”

“Eee, isn’t it better if we choose for ourselves?”

Masumi rolled her head to look at her twin in shock, “D-Demo, Otou-sama-… ”

“Daijyoubu Daijyoubu ”, Mayumi assured her, “Otou-sama likes it when we decide things for ourselves. Something about the way of ‘manliness’ he always talks about”.

“Haaa, sou desu ka ….”

“Jyaaa , how will we do this nee-san?”

Looking at Masumi mischievously, “By Janken , of course. Hehe”

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INTRO SONG: Trust Me

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

Mayumi opened her eyes to find herself back in Royal Road, her twin waiting patiently with the boy, William, as they sat warming themselves by the campfire. Max and that girl, Lydia, still haven't appeared yet although it was quite strange to find that Gerhard was missing. Walking to stand beside her sister before plopping down ungracefully, Mayumi laid her head on her sister's shoulder as they both gazed into the fire. The little boy was nodding drowsily, Masumi gently stroking his head, silence reigning between the both as them, as though lost in thought.

“Nee-san ", Masumi was the first to break the stillness on the moment, "don’t you have-"

"Maa maa", Mayumi interrupted, "it’s a few hours away so let me just play with my cute sister, hmm"

"Hai, nee-san ", Masumi tilting her head down against Mayumi own, smelling the fragrance of her twin, the scent reminding her of the sakura that used to fill their kimonos as they played under their ancestor tree.

"…so how is ojii-san ?", Mayumi asked, her voice low.

"…He misses you…"

"Haha, that’s because he is a closet hentai ~"

"N-nee-san ! There must be a good reason why that…respectable housewife left his home…in the early morning…", although Masumi still managed to blush.

"Oi oi", Mayumi chided, "you are not really defending grandfather very well. We all know he and housewives are closer than BEST friends"

"Haaa ojii-san is a respectable man…most of the time"

"Fufu", chuckling Mayumi pointed out, "Now I know why he was in a rush to shove responsibility to father…so ojii-san can 'train' at night~"

"Eh? I thought it was hard to wield a sword in darkness… N-NEE-SAN !", Masumi scolded as she finally realised what her twin was talking about, "You shouldn’t talk about such… matters in front of a child", indicating to the sleeping William with her chin.

"Eeee, it's ok, the little one is sleeping. But I still don't know why you admire grandfather so much", Mayumi looking up at her sister, "He is just a hentai ojii "

"He is not just a hentai ojii ", Masumi defended him, "he is still a master warrior and the epitome of a samurai"

"…Masumi…if I ever need a lawyer…please don't be mine"

"???"

"Ah! Angel-sama!", causing Masumi to turn suddenly in excitement only to be disappointed, as Mayumi chuckled at tricking her naïve sister.

"Mou!", Masumi puffed her cheeks in annoyance, "That's mean, nee-san !",

"Hehe", Mayumi teased, "so you really do like him. I still don't understand your taste in men. The only good thing about Angel-sama is that at least he looks young in Royal Road".

“Nee-san , it's the soul that counts. And men are like wine: the older they are, the more refine they become"

"…There is so many things I want to say about that analogy…you make me worry about you…"

"And Angel-sama reminds me of the samurai aspects of ojii-san …"

"…Your old man complex seriously needs to be looked at…"

Masumi was about to reply, to point out that old men are much more mature, both in their physical and mental capacities… when they suddenly felt a presence which caused them to glance to their right. They saw Max materialising right before them, finally logging in and yawning as he gazed about until he spotted the twins, waving at them cheerfully as he walked towards them.

"Oooh!", Mayumi stood up, "It's my Gopher-man!"

"…Gopher-man?", Masumi looked up at her sister in query.

"IT has been upgraded to half Gopher, half Man for being all heroic yesterday", Mayumi placing her hands under her cheeks going, "Kyaaaa~", …in a fake sound of adoration.

"Yo! Have you girls seen my grandpa", Max asked, unaware that he had a level up…well, a minor one in Mayumi's eyes.

Masumi just shook her head in the negative while her twin drifted steadily towards Max, before doing a short leap to cling to his arm.

"Yah-hooo", she greeted him, "What has anata been doing?"

For some reason Max felt a shiver race up his spine at this overly affectionate Mayumi, as she leaned in to nibble at his ear lightly.

"M-Max!", Lorelei called out in worry, "Are you dying? Your heart is going crazy!"

"I-I am ok", he managed to reply to both Lorelei and Mayumi, without sounding like he was talking to himself. Saaaafe…for now. He never wants to have the nightmare of that air friend situation repeating itself ever again, considering that it almost got him killed.

"M-max!", Lorelei sounding shy, "Do you remember your promise?"

'Oh crap', he thought to himself, 'I can't discuss this right now with Mayumi acting so…unnatural'

"Ne~", Mayumi whispered in his ear, "Do you want to…lick my shoes?"

"N-no! I mean Yes! I mean….ARGGGH!", Max eyes spun as he tried to answer both girls at the same time.

However he was saved when the figure of his grandfather strode out from the woods, Max escaping from Mayumi's clutches as he raced towards his saviour.

"Lorelei", Max called as he ran, "I do remember. Just give me some time to think about it"

"…o-ok…", she replied obediently.

"Uuuuu, you are such a good girl", Max declared with heartfelt gratitude.

"The old mister has been crying all night", she then said concerned, "Is he all right?"

"….it's fine", Max replying gruffly as he finally reached his grandfather, who looked at Max and smiled in greeting.

"Hi Max", as Gerhard patted the head of his huffing and puffing grandson, who had somehow managed to escape from doing something …obscene with Mayumi. That girl is dangerous.

"Opi ", Max finally able to voice out some words, "Since papa and mama placed you here without explaining anything, I was wondering if I can help teach you about how to use your avatar"

"Oh that?", Gerhard smiled innocently, "It's ok, it's ok, I have perfectly mastered it"

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

Meanwhile, Lydia was late. Extremely late. So much so that she was running with a piece of toast in her mouth that she had bought from the university canteen she was studying at. But Lydia wasn't late to class… she was late to meet back up with everyone in Royal Road. Yup, she was skipping class, like a good modern student should… and ultimately this led her to being distracted and not paying attention as she ran full pelt… into a short Caucasian male dressed…oddly.

"!!!!!! YO! HOE!",Pulling on a fake gangster rap slur, "Watch where ya' goin BIATCH!", the man dressed in an oversized football shirt said.

"……", Lydia thought to herself, 'You have got to be kidding me', as she dusted the rear of her skirt and looked forlornly at the bread lying on the floor. But it was more than five seconds on the floor already and thus was inedible-….WAIT NO LYDIA! DON'T REACH OUT YOUR HAND TO PICK IT UP!!

"YO!YO! I'm talkin' to you!", the irate 'dude' pointed out needlessly. Honestly, stating the obvious is kind of redundant.

"Uuuuu", Lydia mourned as she examined the bread, "Maybe if I blow on it a little…"

"ARE YOU IGNORING ME?! DR. SNOOP PAC?!!"

"What seems to be the problem here?", a well dressed black gentleman asked.

"Hey hey! Brother from another mother!"

"… I am NOT your brother. Furthermore, can you please stop it with that repulsive slang", before the gentleman gently asked Lydia, "Are you ok?"

With tears in her eyes she turned to the newcomer, "I-I...*sniffs*… I have lost something that can never be regained…"

"!!!! What has this beast done to you?!", outraged, he whipped back to glare at the, ummm… 'Dr. Snoop Pac'…

"WOOOOO! Slow down home boy! It was-"

"I am NOT your HOME BOY! Just because I am BLACK doesn’t mean I was RAISED in the HOOD!"

"What is this commotion about", a passing police officer asked… who was Hispanic.

"YA! Listen hombre ! I was just minding my own -"

"… I AM a POLICE officer. Not a hombre, muchaho "

"Officer! This man RAPED this poor young woman!"

"WHAT THE! I DID NO SUCH THING!", the white Caucasian refuted, reverting back to rich upper class English. Amazing what stress can do to a person.

Lydia eventually took a bite into her bread with a, "…*paku*…", before she spat the contents out, "Uweeeh. It's too gritty!", she starting crying. She was so hungry damnit.

"SEE!", The gentlemen pointed, "the poor girl is traumatised!"

"I am going to have to ask you to come to the station with me…"

"WHAT! HELL NO! DON'T MAKE ME CALL MY LAWYERS!"

"I see… resisting arrest…", the police officer grinned, "that's why I love my job"

As things escalated behind Lydia, culminating in the Caucasian man being slammed violently into the floor face first with the officer's knee on his back handcuffing the 'villain', a crowd of gathering onlookers applauded wildly shouting,

"You show that rapist!"

"Keep our streets safe from these hoodlums!"

"Gangsters go to jail!"

"GO TO JAIL!"

"GO TO JAIL!"

"GO TO JAIL!".

And as for Lydia, she just shrugged as she threw the bread aside and walked away from the scene, totally unaware of the man she had bumped into was being hustled into a police car screaming as the vehicle drove away.

It would take her, perhaps, fifteen minutes to get home, after stopping by a café to have a proper lunch on the go, a nice steak sandwich instead of just a single piece of toast, humming happily as the lift to her apartment parted and she leapt out, keys at the ready to open her door. She had only started Royal Road to kill time, but now it seemed that Lydia was quite addicted to it… and she wasn't sure why. Initially it bored her but ever since she travelled with…HIM, the amount of times she had a migraine grew…wait, is that a good cause for an addiction?

Logging in, she was greeted by the sight of Gerhard showing his grandson, Max, his avatar window, which, for some reason, was made available for everyone in the area to view, although it does save time instead of repeating that embarrassing 'phrase' to show people. Mayumi and Masumi, the 'Danger Twins' as Lydia calls them, were gathered with Max around Gerhard's avatar window as he assigned the new points he got from slaying that…Death Panda. She sighed. They start out so cute…and when they grow up, they become hideous.

CHARACTER INFOAvatarGerhard von NatzmerAlignmentGoodLevel85ClassSword SingerTitleKnightFame280StatsHealth3822Mana140Strength240 +25Agility270 +25Vitality99 +25Wisdom10 +20Intelligence10 +20Stamina90 +20Fighting Spirit90 +20Singing34 +80Charisma78 +20Leadership108 +20Luck14 +20Offence177Defence50Magic ResistanceFire0%Water0%Earth0%Air0%Light0%Dark0%

All stats are added extra 20 points.

Singing stat is added extra 80 points.

When singing all stats increase by 20%.

Increases Attack Power for Sword Song.

Decreases Mana Consumption for Sword Song.

Enables you to learn secret skills based on your performance to the Gods.

Increases Fame by performing in front of an audience that's more than 1000.

Unused Stat Points: 0

"Wow, Opi ", Max said sounding impressed, "I didn't know you were able to play a game like Royal Road. You even assigned all your points in the right stats for your melee class!"

Gerhard nodded sagely, "Well it wasn't that hard, if I view this as assigning reinforcements to the varying combat arms of an infantry company, it is actually quite straightforward"

"Oooo!", Masumi clapped her hands in admiration, as though understanding what was just said, with Mayumi and William following along since it seemed amusing. It looks like she had recovered from her fight with Gerhard yesterday.

Lydia felt a blood vessel on her forehead twitch when she heard him spoke, 'And Eric was the one who taught you how to use it…JUST YESTERDAY!', she screamed internally, 'how can anyone be so oblivious?!'. Errr Lydia…that’s kind of ironic…

"Hmmm, but you really need better equipment grandpa", Max said as he noted the damage output, "you are still using such low level gear"

Gerhard shrugged, "Well I have a sword that I am unable to equip before level 100 apparently"

"I have never seen your class before on the forums Opi "

"Me neither", Lydia interrupted, everyone noting her presence… all except Gerhard. He had already waved at her absentmindedly earlier.

"The one thing that bugs me", Lydia continued, as she pointed to a sentence on the avatar window, "just how do you get secret skills by performing to the gods? And by performance, what kind could it be?"

Max placed a hand under his chin in thought as he conjectured, "Perhaps it means doing the performance within a temple? Since we cannot actually physically meet a god I would assume that is what it would mean?"

Masumi tentatively raised a hand as though she was in a classroom, "I-I think", she stuttered, "performance could mean something relating to his class? He is a Sword Singer so that means he must sing…with a sword?", Masumi finally turned to look at Gerhard as though realising for the first time.

"Anoo , mister", Mayumi voiced the question for her twin, "just what is a Sword Singer?"

Gerhard coughed embarrassingly, "I..errrr, ahem..", before he finally sighed, "it seems that I have a tendency to sing in battle..."

"Oo-ooooh!", Masumi sounding intensely excited that she couldn't even formed words properly. This was the first time Max had seen Masumi acting like this…and for some reason he felt depressed. The fact that Masumi was a girl is still mind boggling…considering she looks like an effeminate man…

"Ooo! Demonstrate for us oji-san !", Mayumi once again speaking for her sister, "We are so curious!"

"….Curious!", William parroting Mayumi.

"…I am too Opi "

"Me too!", the unheard voice of Lorelei said unexpectedly, only Max able to hear her.

Scratching the back of his head, Gerhard finally nodded in acquiescent, "Fine, although I am not too sure if I can do it when I am not fighting a real enemy"

"Why not try visualising one?", Lydia suggested, "An enemy that is"

"Hmm", Gerhard stood thinking to himself, "it is worth a shot I suppose".

Walking unto the location of last night's battle, inside the middle of the huge clearing in front of the cave, Gerhard closed his eyes, standing stock still as everyone watched with anticipation. Lydia knew what he can do… but she was always entranced when Gerhard starts fighting. Because it seemed as though his sword flowed with the words of his songs…

Suddenly Gerhard thrust his sword forward in attack, acting as though it was deflected as he spun to avoid an imaginary counter stroke, a single flowing motion that did not seem unnatural in any way. And for the first time, Max saw his grandfather move as though Gerhard was still in his prime; not that of an aged body trapped on a bed in Vienna, but the sight of a real master of the blade with sword, mind and body as one. And it was beautiful. And it wasn't long before Gerhard started singing a slow and graceful tune, however the song was filled with… longing, not one would normally associate with a blade dance.

Vor der Kaserne,

Vor dem großen Tor,

Stand eine Laterne,

Und steht sie noch davor,

So woll'n wir uns da wieder seh'n,

Bei der Laterne wollen wir steh'n,

Wie einst, Lili Marleen.

Wie einst, Lili Marleen.

And with a start, Max recognised the song... a song he remembered his grandfather singing as his grandmother began to slowly slip away... before finally passing on. It's been years since Max had heard him sing this song...and it was still poignant and striking as he remembered it. Max wondered what could have made his grandfather think of grandma at this moment...

Unsere beiden Schatten,

Sah'n wie einer aus,

Daß wir so lieb uns hatten,

Das sah man gleich daraus.

Und alle Leute soll'n es seh'n,

Wenn wir bei der Laterne steh'n,

Wie einst, Lili Marleen.

Wie einst, Lili Marleen.

Unbidden, tears began to appear out of the corner of Max's eyes and glancing unobtrusively towards the girls...he noted that they were all pretending to blink and rub theirs as though something had gotten caught in them. Except for Masumi, she was unashamedly crying, her chin on William's head as she continued to marvel at the sight before her. Max then noticed a strange glow beginning to outwardly surround his grandfather as Gerhard continued to sing.

Schon rief der Posten:

Sie blasen Zapfenstreich,

Es kann drei Tage kosten!

Kamerad, ich komm' ja gleich.

Da sagten wir Aufwiederseh'n.

Wie gerne wollt' ich mit dir geh'n,

Mit dir, Lili Marleen!

Mit dir, Lili Marleen!

The glow kept getting brighter to the amazement of all who were watching, unable to comprehend just what was happening. Wasn't this meant to be a demonstration? Even Lydia has never seen Gerhard in this form before… and she was feeling a bit miffed that everyone else was allowed to see him like this…glowing and radiant. William let out a giggle of delight as infinitesimal portions of this light began floating towards the ground.

Deine Schritte kennt sie,

Deinen zieren Gang.

Alle Abend brennt sie,

Doch mich vergaß sie lang.

Und sollte mir ein Leid gescheh'n,

Wer wird bei der Laterne steh'n,

Mit dir, Lili Marleen!

Mit dir, Lili Marleen!

The radiance seemed to intensify before it leapt from his dancing and weaving figure, his song echoing out and amplified across the clearing as an image started to appear in the ground, weird signs being traced into shimmering glowing life from the focal point that was Gerhard. It began to encompass Gerhard before another set appeared to surround the entire clearing, a clean circle forming with an outer and inner ring filled with symbols of almost alien origin, graceful but still looking like words of power, as though being re-etched into the ground.

Aus dem stillen Raume,

Aus der Erde Grund,

Hebt mich wie im Traume

Dein verliebter Mund.

Wenn sich die späten Nebel dreh'n,

Werd' ich bei der Laterne steh'n

Mit dir, Lili Marleen

Mit dir, Lili Marleen

At the end of his song there was a burst of light, Gerhard finally opening his eyes to stare around himself in astonishment as the air was filled with hundreds, no thousands of tiny green globes that were glowing softly, floating serenely around him as though he was the centre of their world…before in a sudden rush they all flowed forcefully into him. Gazing in his hands in wonder, the glow seemed to permeate throughout his body, casting odd shadows in all directions as everyone looked on amazed, wondering what had just happened. It wasn't long though before a message bubble appeared before Gerhard.

*Ding!

You've leveled up!

You've leveled up!

Luck has risen by 5 points (+5 LCK)

Skill:

You acquired a new skill, Tree Song

"Eh?", was all Gerhard said.

"W-what is it, Opi ?", Max having finally found his voice.

"Well apparently I somehow gained a new skill?"

"It can't be that easy", Lydia objected, "we are not even anywhere near a temple!"

"On the contrary", a voice interrupted from the woods, "you are unwittingly standing on one", the voice so melodious and smooth. It sounded…inhuman.

Instantly Masumi and Mayumi had their guard up, katanas unsheathed however Gerhard just turned towards an area of the woods and gave a light bow.

"I thank you for not interrupting my performance", Gerhard said politely.

"Oh? I am amazed that a human has such acute senses as you do", a figure slowly materialising from the forest, as though walking out from a shadow.

"You meant no harm so I didn’t felt it was necessary to inform my friends", Gerhard arched a brow, "or should we be readying ourselves for battle? From what I can tell, there are perhaps twenty more in hiding with weapons drawn"

"…that won't be necessary, Sainür "

"Sainür ?", everyone echoed the word in bafflement.

Gerhard just shrugged at his companions, "Don't ask me; I have never heard of that title before"

"Roughly translated, it means ‘Tree Friend’ in your tongue, and you became one when you appealed towards our goddess with your ritual, Sainür ", the slender figure dressed in a clothe that seemed to combine both leaf and fabric stood just metres away from Gerhard, face hidden under a hood.

"…May I know your name?", the cowled figure then asked.

"…I am Gerhard von Natzmer. At your service".

Smiling under the cowl, before she lifted it back to reveal the features beneath, "And I am ShadowMist of the Clan of Shadows, and I may yet take you up on that offer"

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Ending Song: Kore wa Koi