Although Benny wanted to help out in the kitchen he was immediately denied by NIa and told to head back up and rest. At least, that was what he was supposed to do.

“I want to show you something.”

Tenryu leads him to closet. At first, he thought that Tenryu had kept something precious in there. But he was well aware that they cleaned out the closet along the rest of the room at that time. So there was nothing much in that closet apart from spare bed sheets and clothes. That was until Tenryu pulled a long, hidden cord in a corner of their room. A hidden ceiling door pops open and a long ladder falls down.

“It’s been awhile since I climbed up here. Come on!”

Following Tenryu up the ladder, Benny found himself up on the roof of the house.

Here, Benny was greeted with a wonderful sight: the view of Amberose City at night.

Lights from the homes gave the whole city a soft illuminating glow. Even from here, Benny could see the golden spires of Milagros Cathedral, illuminated from the lights below as though a spotlight was shining upon the cathedral. And up above the sky, seven moons were glistening into beautiful luminous crescents.

“Wow!”

“Does the night sky in your world looks like this one?”

“It’s a little different but almost similar. We only have one moon in the sky not seven.”

“Huh? There’s only one moon? Oh, yeah, I saw that in my dreams.”

“Just how much of my world where you peeking in your dreams? Well, the stars are not as bright as here. Because the cities in my world have way too many lights at night that you can’t even see them anymore unless you’re in the mountains.”

“Is that so? Weird.”

“Hey! Don’t call the normal scene from my home world weird!”

Tenryu looks up at the moons he has always seen since he was a young child.

“So you come up here often, Tenryu?”

“It’s a place I like to hang around back before when my room…”

“…was a total disaster zone?”

“Y-You didn’t have to put it that way!”

“But it’s true though.”

“Uuu…”

Benny grins at him and though annoyed at first Tenryu grins back at him. For a while, both of them stared out at the night sky in silence. A cool breeze blew by which made sitting there quite comfortable.

“Say Benny?”

“Hmm?”

“That Spell you used against Loquat earlier…was it something you’ve read from that Spellbook?”

“Ah? Yeah. I’ve read that Spell a couple of nights back.” Benny scratched his cheek uncomfortably. “To be honest, it was the first time that I used that Spell. Didn’t think I could successfully pull it off though~”

“No, you’ve done it before.”

“H-Huh?”

Tenryu looked at him with hard stare, “You know? The thing with Cajun Bun.”

Tenryu is still messing up that Bandit’s name. Benny thought with a sweatdrop.

“You’ve used that Spell back before at Marblewood Town. That what really defeated him.”

Tenryu’s words left him dumbstruck. That was the first time Benny heard that. He couldn’t remember that part.

“Eh? But I don’t remember doing any of that.”

“You were out of it at that time. Nia says you were so exhausted from using Magic for the first time that using a big Spell at that state affected your memories or something.”

And come to think of it, he couldn’t remember how they managed to defeat Cactus Hun. But he has heard of people forgetting the last thing they did after passing out of exhaustion. So probably that may have been the case.

“Well, you got me worried there for a moment because you went and used that against Loquat and look what happened.”

“S-Sorry…”

“At least you didn’t pass out this time! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

Benny frowned at him. This was probably payback for his earlier quip. But Tenryu’s laughter already became subdued.

“Speaking of that guy…What made you not to accept Loquat’s offer to become a retainer for his family?”

“Is there a reason why I should do something as stupid as that?”

“Well, isn’t it obvious? Flare-ate and Nia says that being retainers to a noble family can get you a lot benefits like financial support and influence. They may be a bunch of foolish nobles but I thought you might be able to use that to your advantage in finding a method back to your world.”

Benny blinked a couple of times, “I didn’t expect you’d be able to think that much Tenryu.”

“W-What the blitz?! I’m being serious here!”

“Well, either way, there’s no way I’d go and work for that jerk. He and his family are obviously more trouble than what they could help me. Besides…you think I’d rather be with a manipulative and selfish bunch like that rather than with a friend who genuinely cares for me?”

Tenryu felt happy being called a friend by Benny however he still couldn’t shake of the feeling that Benny wasted an opportunity.

“Well, I’m not in a hurry.”

“But don’t you want to go back home? I mean that’s where your family and friends are?”

Benny avoided his gaze and fell silent for a moment. “I-I do…but I’m trying to be at least realistic at the same time.”

Tenryu stared at him in silence before speaking again, “You know…I’ve been meaning to ask. Do you have something going on with your family?”

That sudden question from out of the blue threw Benny, “E-Eh? Why do ask?”

“Well, you seem uncomfortable whenever the subject comes up.”

“Wouldn’t you be feeling that way if you’re in another world and someone suddenly asks you that? It’s an awkward thing.”

“I guess so but I always felt that there was actually more to it than it seems.”

“Ah…um…” Benny felt tongue-tied as to what to say.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But just so you’d know you’re not the only one he feels awkward when it comes to family. I mean, I do too.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Benny was surprised about this. It always seemed that Tenryu was very close to Aunt Magma and despite Flare’s rather harsh strictness towards her brother it seemed like a typical sibling bantering and no true ill will. At least, that’s how Benny was able to gouge it through the Aura Sight and his personal opinion.

“I’m adopted.”

Tenryu suddenly let out a word bomb.

“Adopted?”

Tenryu grinned but in a hollow sort of way, “Yeah...”

“R-Really? I couldn’t tell! I thought you guys were really blood relatives. I mean with the red hair and all plus the personality.”

“Well, we’re not. My “dad” Draykon Fyreroar took me in when I was seven. I don’t know where I came from or where I was at that time or who I was for that matter…”

“You mean you had amnesia?”

“Am-what?”

“It’s a fancy medical term for memory loss from our world. Anyway, you were saying?”

“Uh, yeah I guess that is what happened to me…I don’t really know what happened. I just woke up without knowing who I was. And with my arm…”

Tenryu rubbed his right arm uncomfortably.

“Well, one thing had led to another and dad adopted me.”

Tenryu completely skipped that part. It only made Benny curious but he did not press it out of respect for Tenryu’s privacy.

“He brought me home to his aunt and niece. Thus, I became family with Magma-tia and Flare-ate. He immediately started to train me as a Swordsmage not long after.”

Benny sat silent as he listened to all of this.

“Although…he soon left on a journey and never heard a word from him ever since…at least, not directly. We keep getting news of his exploits from time to time but he never contacts us. But stories about him are blazingly amazing!”

Tenryu looked at Benny as though he expected him to agree but guy simply tilted his head rather than having that exited look of admirers whenever Draykon’s name came up.

“You know, as I’m not from this world I don’t really know much about that. But care to tell more about your foster dad in your own description?”

“Ah…well, he’s done many amazing things as a Swordsmage! Ever since I first saw him use his sword I was inspired to become an Adventurer and Swordsmage too. Actually, it wasn’t just him. They may not look like it, Magma-tia and Flare-ate are also amazing Swordsmages.”

“Wha-?! Well, I did notice Ate Flare had pulled out a pair of daggers earlier so I assumed she must be good at them. But I didn’t know Aunt Magma was one! So they follow the Dragon Sword Style too?”

“No, they follow Rabbit Sword Style. Those techniques emphasize on speed and quick strikes. This is probably why Flare-ate is so quick to strike me before I even notice. She did learn it from Magma-tia after all and they say her knife work is one the fastest around. Actually, now that I think of it, Magma-tia was once called the Dancing Daggers.” (Tenryu)

“W-Whoa!”

“But Dad was different. He learned his style from Cardinal Heartau as his apprentice.”

Benny was shocked once more, “Cardinal Heartau? The guy who’s the Zentoran Prelate of Medea?”

“Nia and Ricardo told you back then that he was an Adventurer before becoming a Magister then a Cardinal, right?”

Ah, so you were still able to listen despite looking like you were about to throw up at that time? Benny thought.

“I’m starting to get really confused about his occupation or his affiliations.”

“Well, when he was an Adventurer he was a Swordsmage. He’s one of the few in history to receive the title of ‘Legendary Blade.’”

“Sounds like an honor.”

“It is. And dad was his apprentice. But he soon made great strides on his own when he was not much older than us. They say they are even considering giving him the same title of ‘Legendary Blade’ as well.”

Tenryu looked up to the moons wistfully.

“I wanted to be like him and Cardinal Heartau. Like all of them. Someone brave, strong, amazing and dependable... Well, I take that last part back about dad. But in the end, I wanted to show that I can do amazing stuff like that! I mean these things don’t need to run in the blood. Dad and Cardinal Heartau weren’t relatives. So I thought I can do it too. Even better than them actually...”

“That’s a good goal for you, isn’t it? So you wanted to surpass your adoptive dad and his master? Seeing what you’re capable of, you’re probably already catching up to them!”

“Right...about that…” Tenryu scratched his cheek awkwardly. “I always wound up making a mess out of things. In fact, every job I go on has a bit of destruction in my wake. You’ve heard the rumors by now?”

By now, Benny did hear some rumors of Tenryu’s exploits. And they usually ended up with something blown up.

“Yeah, I’ve heard.”

“Because of that people gave me that stupid nickname “Wildfire” and I really hated it.”

“Why not? It sounds amazing.”

“Huh?! Are you blitzing kidding me?! Who wants to be called Wildfire huh? It makes me sound like some rampaging maniac!”

That’s because you are one. Benny thought but kept it silent.

“Actually, to me it sounds like an amazing nickname. It describes you quite well: destructive, wild and uncontrollable…”

Tenryu frowned at him, “Benny…are you picking a fight?”

“…but also strong, powerful and unrestrained. I think it’s quite an amazing nickname, if you ask me.”

Tenryu scratched his cheek again, “Well, if you put it that way I guess…”

“So you feel awkward because you feel as though you couldn’t live up to them.”

Tenryu nods in response.

“I know it’s silly and that I shouldn’t feel this way to the people who cared for me. But I really feel that I don’t fit in. I try to make an effort but all people does is point out my mistakes.”

“That’s probably because your mistakes cause collateral damage? And that brings terrible inconvenience to everyone.”

“Guhu!” Tenryu felt a word arrow stab him.

“But I kind of get what you are feeling… I mean I’m the black sheep of my family.”

“A black sheep? You don’t look like a sheep-dog.”

“Not literally. And what the blitz is a sheep dog?”

“Eh?” Tenryu blinked.

“Well, anyway it is a saying used to describe someone in the family who is the odd one out. And in my case, I’m the oddest one of them all.”

Another cool breeze blew and Benny felt the wind chilled his already cold feeling body. Tenryu stared blankly in shock at Benny revealing another major fact about himself.

“My family is a bunch of overachievers.”

“You mean they’re crazy powerful in Magic too?!”

“No, not in Magic but in many other things like being scholars, politicians, businessmen. You get the picture?”

Tenryu simply nodded but Benny was not sure if he got it.

“Basically from where I came from they were always well-known and very high achievers in their various fields of expertise. As a result, I had a lot to live up for. Everyone single one of my siblings achieved something great or were very talented at what they do but me…I was just the ordinary guy in the family.”

Benny hugged his knees tightly.

“It was like being sandwiched in pressure. I tried to do my best but I’ve never felt as though could be on their level. No matter what I tried I always stuck in the average or even suck at it. That’s what it means to be a black sheep. I felt...pathetic and out of place...”

For the first time, he actually said what he felt towards his family and himself. Benny was stunned to hear himself say that but he couldn’t help feel as though heavily locked doors in his heart were finally opened.

“B-but Benny, you’re not pathetic! I mean you’re blazingly amazing in Magic!”

Tenryu tries to say otherwise. Once again, it should be pointed out that he wasn’t good at dealing with these kinds of things.

Benny smiled wryly at Tenryu.

“And what use is that in a world without Magic? To put it in your case, think of it like being a Swordsmage in a world were swords aren’t allowed.”

Tenryu couldn’t say anything in response to that.

In Tenryu’s honest opinion, Benny was one of the most amazing people he has ever met but he had that annoying characteristic of downplaying or denying his own abilities. However, what he said just now did explain a lot of things about the guy in front of him.

Most of the amazing things Benny has done were all related to Magic. But Benny reminded him that his world didn’t have any Magic in any form. And a person who is skilled in Magic in a world where there isn’t Magic would definitely feel as though he were nothing.

“In the end, without Magic I’m practically nobody. Heh…What was I thinking trying to make the effort to be like them? No matter what I did I could never be up to their expectations… I only get criticized for not making more effort. Blast it…”

Benny was actually muttering these things to himself. But he wounded up muttering these things out loud. He was unaware that Tenryu could hear him clearly nor the fact that he was releasing a dark atmosphere over himself.

“Umm…Benny?”

“Ah! Sorry…I guess I started muttering to myself.”

Tenryu sighs loudly, “I guess we both really feel out of place in our families. But you know even if say nobody really gives an ash about. They’re still the people who support me. Magma-tia especially and Flare-ate…when she isn’t hitting me.”

Benny felt silent for a moment before speaking up again, “I guess for me there’s Abuela...”

“Abuela?”

“I believe I told you before. She’s my great-grandmother.”

"Ah, yeah, I forgot..."

Benny shook his head exasperatedly.

"Anyway...she always encouraged me to do my best unlike the rest of my family who simply criticize me or rub their awards in my face."

Althouh Beny said that lighheartedly, Tenryu notice the cramped and difficult expression on his face.

"Well, then there's my friends Ace, Anna & Terri who also cheered me on even though they can be a little hard to handle. And there’s my little brother...”

“You have a brother?”

“Yeah, I just said I had siblings, didn’t I?”

“Oh, yeah right... What’s his name?”

“His name is Thomas Estrella or Tommy for short. He’s a timid little thing though. I wonder how he and the rest of them are…” Benny sighs sadly while looking up the seven moons.

“So you do miss them?”

“Deep down, I really do…”

Benny found himself saying without him realizing it.

“Still though…why are you telling me all this? I mean I can understand that you want to relate to my feelings. But there were some really touchy info included there.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s fair for you to tell me this big secret of yours. Besides it’s like a load off my shoulders.”

“I don’t really think there’s a give-and-take thing for sharing secrets. But the last part being a huge weight off you…Yeah, I can agree with that.”

The both of them sat silently once more.

“So what are you going to do now? I mean I know you said you wanted to live life to the fullest here but what are you going to do from here on out?”

Benny for once brightened up, “About that…I’m gonna be an Adventurer.”

“Eh? Eh?”

Tenryu looked as though he didn’t hear him right.

“I said I’m gonna become an Adventurer.”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!!!”

Tenryu suddenly yelled so loudly that it caused Benny to flinch from that reaction.

“Why the blitz are you suddenly yelling like that, Tenryu?”

Tenryu’s eyes became dots for a second, “Eh? No, no, why the blitz are you suddenly saying you want to be an Adventurer?! Weren’t you the one who says you weren’t sure of being one?!”

“Aren’t you the one who has been trying to convince me to become an Adventurer? Besides, I’ve been thinking about it ever since Marblewood.”

Tenryu settled down after that.

“So? What made you finally decide on becoming an Adventurer?”

“Well, I know it’s gonna sound weird but what made me decide…was because of you.”

“H-Huh?”

“Well, apart from that, obviously I need to support myself financially and I can’t just keep leeching off from your goodwill.”

“W-Wait Benny-”

“And being an Adventurer allows me experience amazing adventurers that I can never hope to have in my old world. I also get to learn to do amazing stuff and hone my skills in Magic!”

“Benny, hang on a minute-”

“And Adventurers get to travel far and wide. They get to explore and see places. In a way, that proves to be an advantage for my situation. I can gather more information necessary to achieve my goal-”

“Let me speak BLAST IT!”

Benny knew what Tenryu was about to ask him but was actually just teasing him by ignoring him. To be able to receive that reaction caused Benny snicker a bit.

“Okay, okay. What were you going to say?”

Tenryu suddenly made an expression of being embarrassed and fumbled with what to say, “Well, it’s just you know…”

“You’re wondering why I said you inspired me to be an adventurer? Well, maybe because you were persistent in trying to convince me to become one.”

“Ah…yeah…” Tenryu was averting his eyes at that.

“Well, that just part of it. Like I said before, you’re like an ideal hero who inspires others despite the challenges he face. And that’s what I sincerely felt.”

Tenryu turned bright red, “H-Hey! D-Don’t make me out as something like a hero…”

“Well, you saved from many things Tenryu. More than you know. Isn’t that what a hero does?”

Tenryu fell silent.

Benny turned his gaze towards the city. “Well, I know it’s not going to be easy as an Adventurer and the challenges I will face are tougher than I would imagine. But I decided that I really want to push forward to stand on my own two feet.”

Tenryu stared at him for a moment before he wordlessly threw his arm over Benny’s shoulder similar to brotherly, one-arm hug.

“T-Tenryu?”

“Don’t forget you have me here to help you out! And I need to move forward and improve myself.”

So I can protect my friends and not feel that powerlessness ever again, Tenryu thought to himself while clenching his fist.

Benny smiled back at him, “Yeah, thanks.”

Tenryu suddenly turned his face and gave him a serious gaze that caused Benny to flinch with cold sweat, “And while you’re at it, try to improve yourself so you wouldn’t get so heavily done in by an opponent.”

“…Ok…I got it.”

SMACK!!!

Tenryu had given Benny a head butt. Apparently Tenryu drew him close so he could launch a sneak attack.

“Ow!”

“And that’s so you forget it!”

Tenryu grinned while his own forehead was red.

“What the blitz, man!? That’s a little too much!” Benny snaps at him while rubbing his forehead. “What if I knock some sense into you? Blistering Blazes, I think you don’t have single ounce of common sense!”

But Tenryu’s response was simply staring dumbfounded at Benny.

“Benny… did you say just now?”

“Huh?”

“Just now… You just said “what the blitz” and “Blistering Blazes “at me!”

“No, I did not!”

“You did, didn’t you?”

“No, I didn’t!” Benny denied, turning bright red. Catchphrases weren’t his thing.

“Yeah, you did. I heard it.”

Benny was turning redder than an apple.

“Blistering Blazes! I said I did not-Ah!” Benny clamped his hands towards his mouth.

“See! You know everyone noticed you been doing that.”

“Eh?! Huh?!”

No…no, no, no, no, NO! Did I pick up Tenryu’s speaking habits? He thought in horror.

“Well, with everything that’s been going on we never had a chance to point it out. We usually don’t hear that from outside the family.”

“N-No! I…” Benny felt his face was burning so hot as though steam was coming out of his face.

“Well, you’re practically considered family to us so it’s fine.”

“No, picking up your weird speaking habits is not fine!”

“W-Weird?”

At that moment, the door to their room slides open and Nia walked in.

“I thought you two were up here. What’s going on here?”

“Hey Nia, get this, Benny finally decided to become Adventurer!”

“E-Eh? Really?!”

“Oi, Tenryu, I’m supposed to announce it myself. But err…Yeah, I decided to become one.”

“Oh, that’s great Benjamin! Good for you!”

“Well, apart from that can you tell him? Benny’s been speaking like-mprgh!”

Benny had clamped a hand on Tenryu’s mouth to keep it shut while at the same time he was pinning Tenryu in a chicken-wing-face-lock hold. Hey, if you hung around a guy who likes practicing his MMA fighting moves on you, you’d pick up a few things.

“Nothing!” says Benny quickly, “Nothing at all!”

“Um, okay... I’m just here to tell you that dinner’s ready. It was a little hectic in the kitchen but we’ve made a lot food.”

Tenryu managed to break free. He was obviously physically stronger than him but Benny could see he had turned pale. Did he nearly choke him?

“N-Nia...D-Don’t tell me…you helped out in the kitchen?!” he stammered. Benny could hear a tone of dread.

“Oh, yes! I thought I’d lend a little hand. Aunt Magma and Flare tried to stop me for some reason but I knew I couldn’t let them do all the work.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you, Nia.”

Although, Benny couldn’t see so well in the dark but he could’ve sworn her cheeks reddened.

“Well, we can have another cake afterwards for dessert.”

“Oh, there’s another one?” Nia says with eyes glittering.

“Yeah, I actually made two. The one earlier was just a sample. The cake we’re having for dessert is much bigger. We can eat that right after dinner!”

“I’m looking forward to that! You two better hurry up! You must be hungry after today!” And with that she walked off, humming happily.

As she climbed back down the ladder, Benny saw her Green Aura appear...but then he noticed a slight streak of ominous dark color appeared in her Aura. What was that? Why did he feel sweaty all of a sudden?

Tenryu groaned as he collapsed on all fours.

“T-Tenryu?” says Benny in alarm, “What’s wrong?”

“We’re doomed...”

“W-Why?”

Tenryu looked at him with a ghostly face. “Whatever you do... Don’t eat any of her cooking!”

“And why is that?”

Tenryu shook his head. “You’ll know soon enough…”

Benny did found out the reason why and let’s just say he spent the rest of the night and whole of next day sick in bed with Tenryu also suffering.

Aunt Magma and Flare managed to avoid that fate by pretending to eat later. Nia had to call her colleagues since she had no idea what caused it. It would seem she was blissfully unaware of the true cause.

The reason: food poisoning.

Sadly, Tenryu and Benny never got to eat the cake Benny made for dessert. Though the ladies decided not to let the cake got to waste.