On our way to the general goods store we had to go straight trough the village square. Marks house was a bit off to the side so we weren't on public display. But now every one can see us, it doesn't help that its past midday. My mom and dad just ignore the hateful stares and stroll on forward.

The store is two storey, best guess is that the second floor is storage and living accommodations. The walls on the first floor were made of logs and on the second from planks. The door looked massive, probably to deter intruders. Our entrance was announced by soft ring of a bell. As we got to the counter, behind it sat a girl around Sams age, around 11-13, and she didn't seem happy to see us. She made a scowl, and up and left somewhere deeper withing the store. Soon enough and old lady appears.

Old Lady>"Oh my , Jhon, its good to see you again. What can i do for you today?"

Johnathan>"Hello Rose. Have your bones been holding up?" dad said smiling

Rose>"You don't want me to start complaining about my age, do you?" she said with a smirk

Johnathan>"Nope, just wondering if you need the medicine Mark just gave me. He said that you have been having some problems, but considering you are as healthy as a bull I'll just leave it right here." With a smirk he put the medicine on the corner of the counter.

Johnathan>"AS for why I'm here, I came to pick up my order"

Rose>"Ohh you did order some books last month." She looked under the counter and took out a few books."Lets see, you ordered a book about the 'Immortal Hero', 'Basics of Magic' and one 'Encyclopedia of the world and its races'. Did i forget something?"

Johnathan>"No that's everything. But could you add a journal and a few pencils?"

Rose>"Sure my dear, just give me a moment to crunch the numbers." She took out a piece of paper and what looked like a crude pencil and started t scribble down some numbers.

The numbers in this world are different but they follow the same 10 letter structure so math is easy, though i haven't shown my parents yet. I did try it when no one was watching. I just need to learn math symbols and I'm all set.

Rose>"Lets see the books are 90 for the Story one 250 for the magic one, 125 for the encyclopedia, 45 for the journal and 10 for 5 pencils. It comes down to 5 silver and 10 coppers. My my we are spending a lot today aren't we?" She said with a warm smile

Johnathan>"Today is my sons birthday, and we have to buy him books to study with. We cant always teach him everything, he has to learn to do it himself."

Wow dad thinks quite ahead, gotta give him credit for that. Though i do find it quite fun to study with mom and dad I can't have them know what knowledge i bring from my previous life. And yes i liked physics class especially fission and fusion. Keeping that knowledge locked is a nobrainer....from the public that is i sure can use it.

As i was in the middle in my monologue, Dad pated my head. This focused Rose attention on me. I didn't take a good look at her before, you know a store with bunch of items i don't know nothing about, kinda shortens the attention span. She looks old...i don't know how much I've seen grannies in their 70's looking 50 and some grannies in their 60 looking like the grim reapers prom date. So she looks like the old granny type. Shoulder length white hair, wrinkled skin and even has a pair of small glasses which she uses now and again. She is wearing blue robes. I'm guessing robes are a fashion statement around here.

Rose>"Oh how cute you are!!" God i hope she doesn't pinch my cheeks. She goes around the counter and does exactly that. She turned to Dad and told him in a motherly voice "Kids these days grow fast, enjoy every moment you can."

She went to the door, opened it and said.

"Now go and have some fun, its his birthday. You probably were stuck with Mark until now."

Dad just smiled. He left a pouch with, what i can guess is coins, took the books and headed out.

This time around i didn't even notice the people. Guess my former anti-social attitude is back.

We headed towards the village edge in to a forest. I i though it was, we went through a dirt road and what greeted me was Jacks smithy. However the no smoke was coming from it. Once we got to the smithing area i saw Sam chopping some vegetables on the counter, you know t the usual carrots, peppers, onions. Jack on the other hand was making a big fire, and on supports was a metal pole with a crank and on the pole was skewered a skinned boar. How do i know? The tusks gave it away.

Jack>"What took you so long?"

Johnathan>"The evaluation took longer than expected"

Jack>"So a mage, knight , cleric or..?"

Dad just smiled idiotically with pride and answered.

Johnathan>"None of the above. He doesn't have an affinity."

Jack>"Thats rare. Though you boy is always full of surprises. With your smile he probably has a lot more than average mana."

Johnathan>"Nope doesn't have even a drop." During the conversation Jack came closer. Dad just grabbed him and got him closer. "He is a genius at controlling it though. All it took was for Clair to give him a hint and he almost drained Mark. He used his mana to make a small high grade core."

Being so close allowed me to hear the conversation and to grieve over my soon to be bursted eardrums. Just as he heard the last sentence Jack jumped in surprise and screamed as much as his lungs would allow

Jack>"HE WHAT?"

Dad just hit him on head with his fist and said in annoyance.

Johnathan>"Keep it quiet[. You want the whole village to hear you."

Jack>"Sorry but you have to admit. It is quite surpassing someone his age to have such control. Not to mention the only one who knows how to make cores is the royal mage and his are average at best. And he is what 2?"

Johnathan>"That why i told you to keep quite. Who knows what Sarah will do if she found out."

Jack"True..true. Bah look what you did. Turning the atmosphere sour on your sons birthday. Lets leave the heavy stuff for later now we have to celebrate. Bit first we have to make the food."

A looked around for mom and saw her helping Sam, he didn't look ate her the same way as before, now i see a bit of admiration. Wait a moment when did mom get there? I didn't even notice her moving. Oh well ill ask later.

Time went on and the boar was roasting nicely while drolling at it i got hit by the inspiration train. I got up and went to the kitchen which nobody was using at the moment. I searched trough the cupboards and found some herbs, onions, tomatoes, sugar and some vinegar. I guess Jack got a pretty stocked up kitchen. I took a mortar and mashed the tomatoes to paste even the seeds, then i used a clan cloth to remove part of the water and add some salt and sugar to make ketchup, taste testing it several times i made sure it was nice, though not up to my old standards it was still nice. I finely chopped the onions with the smallest knife and added them to the mix with some of the herbs. The herbs were the ones mom used regularly when making meat so they should work. Finally a touch of vinegar.

As i finish my culinary masterpiece Dad has just started to cut the boar to size and put it into plates mom ads salad and places them on the table next to the river. You will be surprised how fast Dad and Jack made it. Sam sees me holding the mortar and asks me.

Sam>"Hey buddy. what you got there?"

I just smirk at him. I sit on the table and he follows. I take a crispy piece from the boar and dip it into the sauce. My expression changes to that of bliss. I push the mortar closer to Sam to let him try it. He imitates what i did and he has a shocked expression.

Sam>"Holy.. Dad get over here you gotta try this."

Jack comes slowly whipping his hands in something. He takes a bite and his eyes shine like diamonds. He looks at Sam with his mouth still full

Jack>"Did you make this?"

Sam>""Nope. Sal did. I guess we now know what he was doing back there."

Jack laughed like a happy old man and pated me on the head.

Jack>"Buahaha... Damn kid you are full of surprises."

The sun was starting to set and we just started eating when three figures walked down the dirt road. It was Mark,Rose and her granddaughter. When mark saw them his stopped eating and swallowed loudly. Ohhh.. i get it. I nick him in the ribs with my elbow and move my eyebrows up and down rapidly a few time. He just looks at me and reddens a bit. I guess i should give them some time alone later, whats her name didn't seem to like me or my parents or both.

Mark>"Good evening. Sorry were late the potion took longer then expected" He took out a potion and put it on the table in front of me. As i reach for it he stopped me. "I recommend drinking it on an empty stomach" I pulled my arm back with disappointment.

Rose>"Hello again. This is my granddaughter Arlie. I believe you already met?"

Salion>"Hi I'm Salion." I said with a cheerful smile, i don't have anything to be unhappy about so it was easy.

The look she gave was that of annoyance, no hate though. She sits right next to me.

Jack>"Damn almost forgot. Sam go get the box."

Rose sit next to my parents and Mark next to Sam. Sam was to my left and to my right was miss sour...Arlie.

Rose>"Here a present from me." Rose gives me a small pouch. When i take it i feel something rigid in it. Opening it i see stones. One big and about a dozen smaller. "These are mana stones. They are low quality but should help with your training once you know.." She is trying to be delicate. Mark probably told her on the way here.

I see Sam coming so nudge myself to Mark. He looks at me and i just wink at him. Looking around for a bit he notices what I'm up to, yet again, and smiles. As sam puts puts a wooden box on the table he notices that his spot has conveniently relocated. Man i wish i had a camera his face is priceless, somewhere between confusion and embarrassment. His dad ads fuel to the fire, with a mischievous smirk.

Jack>"Why are you still standing? Sit down."

We all have a little laugh and even manage to provoke a reaction from Arlie. Jack takes the lid of the box and in it is a knife with a leather wrapped handle, a guard longer on the edge side, curved blade with another two edge lines on the tip and side. The edge ends with a small inward curve. It even comes with a scabbard with what looks a small leather latch that fits on the short side of the guard. Next to them are several tools with a wooden mallet.

Jack>"Boy i know you asked for a carving knife, but at your age you wont be able to use it properly, so i made one for when you get older. In the mean time Sam made some carpentry tools to help pass the time. The knife would be useful for wood carving, skinning and cutting in general."

I took the knife to feel the balance and it was heavier at the tip, so I'm guessing when i hit something, hit it with the pointy end.

The rest of the night passes with cheer after Dad goes off to somewhere and brings a barrel of ale or something. Whatever it was it got the mood going. It even game Sam some courage to strike a conversation with Arlie. They had a nice mood going for the whole night. As the moon reached the middle of the sky it was time to say our goodbyes. We went our separate ways. It was a fun birthday. I got lots of gifts, cant wait to dig into the books and experiment with the mana stones.

I did some light editing cuz its getting late if you spot something comment.

P.S. The knife looks better on paper