So big bro said that he and some workers were out on business, so, I have to be the one to work in the workshop today. Plus it’s Sunday. I also have Shirogane who is playing with Big Sis Brake.

I am currently smelting down some iron for now.

“Hey Dan, it's okay if you don’t smelt the metals and do some registry work. I can take care of that.”

One of the workers says to me. He is an old man called Tyron who has worked for Brake’s father and now works for Brake here.

“Nah Uncle Tryon, I got this. I mean I am here to help you all out you know. I at least gotta do that.”

I say as I continue smelting the iron here.

“Miss Brake! I can’t get this computer working.”

The person at the registry says.

“Let me take a look, Missus Aria.”

Missus Aria also is a worker here. She handles the registry and records of the weapons and stuff. Stuff like who the weapon was sold to when was a certain weapon made and all that good stuff.

I take a look at the PC, “What do you think, Dan?”

Big Sis Brake asks me.

“It seems that there might be some corrupted files in the windows. I will need to boot up a windows setup or something to make it work.”

I state the problem with the PC.

“Will the files in it be alright?”

Big sis Brake asks me.

“Yeah, I just need a Windows setup file so that it can reinstall the files that are corrupted.”

I say.

“Understood, so, why don’t you do that? Missus Aria, for now, uses my laptop to work.”

Big Sis Brake says to Missus Aria.

“Yes, Miss Brake.”

Missus Aria walks to Big Sis Brake’s table and takes her laptop. She sits behind me after that.

I use my mobile to download the setup files using the Workshop’s Wi-Fi. Once that is done, I set it to repair.

I sigh. This is a basic stuff man. I look that Uncle Tyron is having problems with his back.

I walk to him, “Why don’t you take a seat Uncle?”

I ask Uncle Tyron.

Uncle Tyron looks confused, “You are fixing the computer, right?”

Uncle Tyron asks me.

“Yeah but it’s gonna take some time and I am getting bored anyway. So you take a seat and let me smelt the metals.”

I say.

“Yeah Tyron, take a seat, would you? You are always the one working the hardest here.”

Another worker who is working on separating metal types says. That’s Anru, he can recognize what kind of metal is good and bad just by taking a look at it only once. You could call him the researcher of this workshop.

That’s all the workers today. Normally, there are seven including my brother but today there are only 3. That’s why my brother said I needed to be here.

I continue smelting some metals while the PC is getting repaired.

XXXXXX

“I noticed that you bought a kid with you.”

Uncle Tyron says to me.

“Yeah...”

I say.

“Who is she?”

He asks me.

“She is...”

I hesitated at first but...I did accept it so, I will say it.

I smile and reply to his question, “She is my daughter.”

Uncle Tyron gives a sad smile, “You adopted her?”

He asks me.

“Yeah I did but I love her just like I love my brother.”

I say.

“She one of the cursed children isn’t she?”

Uncle Tyron asks me.

I nod.

“Yeah...”

“You still adopted her, huh? Why?”

Uncle Tyron asks.

“That’s because...She reminded me of myself. Always latching to my big brother, always calling him out, always trying to be like him...Always wanting to be by his side.”

I reply to Uncle Tyron’s words.

“You know kid, last time I saw you, you just came back to the town from that long training.”

Tyron says to me.

“Yeah, I remember...”

It was a sad day since Uncle Tyron lost her daughter in an accident on that very day.

“It was a sad day but you were there to cheer me up. You and my little grandsons, I still remember how you managed not only me but those two little kiddos.”

Uncle Tyron thinks so highly of me...Sometimes I don’t feel right that he thinks like that about me.

“You know kiddo, the cursed children, they are said to the children of the devil, they are mistreated, tortured or even worse used as a weapon of war. That is the reason why everyone distant themselves from the cursed children but...If there is anyone who can take care of those cursed children, it’s your kiddo.”

Uncle Tyron says. He seems to be looking at me.

“I heard that you are a teacher and one of your students is also a cursed child.”

Uncle Tyron says to me.

“Yeah.”

I look at Uncle Tyron after I am done with smelting the metal.

“There is a saying, once the children with curse running through their vein gather, the devil arises from the sacrifice.”

Uncle Tyron says to me.

“What?”

I am totally confused.

“It’s just an old saying but I don’t know what it means either. So, I am just saying, if you are getting involved with the cursed children be careful.”

Uncle Tyron says.

“Alright...”

It was weird. It’s almost as if Uncle Tyron knows a lot about me.

XXXXXX

I couldn’t get that thought that Uncle Tyron who I might have met almost like 3 to 4 times knew that much about me. I mean I understand if big bro told about me to him but this felt weird. It almost felt like a warning to me.

The whole day passes with me working in the workshop and thinking about what Uncle Tyron said. I stretch my arms once the day almost came to the end.

Big Sis Brake closes the workshop in front of me.

“Aight, let’s get you home than I am off to my place.”

Big Sis Brake says. She is smiling.

“You don’t need to come all the way to my house-“

Big Sis Brake holds my neck in her armpit and says, “Don’t worry Silver Boi, I gotcha.”

“Yeah, don’t worry Papa Dan! Aunt Brake has gotcha!”

Shirogane is here too...I sigh.

Seriously though, I am not a kid anymore. I smile. The reason for my smile was quite simple. When I was a kid, I was in the workshop one day and big bro was out on some job just like today. That’s when Big Sis Brake walked me home and took care of me until I fell asleep. The next morning, I heard voices that a kid shouldn’t hear.

This time, it’s quite a familiar feeling. Big Sis Brake walks home with me.

“You know, it’s been some time since we have walked like this, right Silver Boi?”

Big Sis Brake asks me.

“Yeah.”

I say.

“So tell your big sister, how is your love life and stuff.”

Big Sis Brake smiles.

“It’s quite fine. I mean Carly is quite a good girlfriend. She is strong and bold. She can be awkward at times but she is quite cute when she is like that. I heard she also took care of me when I was in the hospital.”

I talk about Carly.

“What about big bro? How has he been?”

I ask.

“Yeah, he is just like he normally is. He works hard at the workshop. Talks a lot about you and we have our moments here and there.”

Big Sis says.

“Do you guys often have sex?”

I ask Big Sis Brake.

Big Sis Brake’s face turns red, “Who said that?!” Big Sis Brake questions me. She is embarrassed.

I laugh.

“No one.”

I chuckle as I try to get on her nerves.

“Secondly, don’t you see there is a kid here?!”

Big Sis Brake looks angry.

I chuckle and Shirogane smiles on my back with me.

As we talk, we reach my place.

“Alright, I think I have the key here.”

I notice that Big Sis Brake is right behind me.

I open the door to my house.

*BANG*

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SIR DAN!!!!”

There was confetti all over my face and body but more than anything I notice...

Those are...My students.

Luke, Izumi, Jack, Elena, Horrell. Even Sven, John, Sasha are here. Trisha and James are standing by Luke’s side. Those delinquent kids are here too but the most surprising person was The Little Princess who was right besides Valerie.

Big Sis Brake stood behind me along with big bro who came up behind me with a smile. Even Carly comes out behind me with big bro.

“Happy birthday kiddo.”

Big bro wishes me on my birthday.

“Happy birthday, Silver Boi.”

Big Sis Brake wishes me.

“Happy Birthday, Papa Dan.

Shirogane hugs me tightly on my back.

“Happy Birthday, Dan.”

Carly smiles.

“This...I...”

I am surprised at the fact that not only did my close family members remember my birthday but all my students came, even those who weren’t supporting me.

Sven walks to me and bows in front of me, “I am sorry for my rude behavior. I wasn’t able to learn anything under Tarand but when I started using your teaching, I started too slowly learn things. I want you to teach me more, teach me about how to use the Tree of Artemis.”

Sven is...He is asking me to teach him.

“We also want you to teach us.”

Brenna bows in front of me with the other three delinquents.

“I don’t know if I can be a good support but I wasn’t a good fighter whatsoever. Hell, I didn’t even fight in that tournament, so please teach me to be good support.”

Sasha is bowing in front of me.

“I am here just becau-“

“JUST ASK ALREADY!”

Luke interrupts John and makes him bow in front of me.

“JUST TEACH ME TO BE STRONGER THAN LUKE, ALRIGHT?!”

Everyone laughs a little.

Even Jack and Trisha are bowing in front of me.

The Little Princess walks to me, she uses her fists without any power and hits my gut, “Teach me...Teach me to get stronger, strong enough that I can change my own destiny.”

That Little Princess, I never knew that she could show such determination but her eyes are looking straight into my eyes and that is the determination of someone who is near death.

I smile, “I will teach you all. After all, you all are students.”

“But why did you all suddenly turn towards me?”

I ask.

“You see, there was a certain red-eyed girl who literally started begging that we learn from her teacher since he worked so hard for every one of us.”

John smirks.

Horrell? I look towards Horrell. She looks away with her shy face.

“To be honest even if she didn’t beg us to learn from you, we still would have. At least I know I would have since I never imagined that some weakling like Luke would have grown that strong.”

James says with a smile.

“I just joined because I want to get stronger than Luke.”

John says as he looks away.

“Now, now, don’t be like that John. You and I, we both are pretty strong.”

Luke smirks.

John is getting angry.

I chuckle.

“Let’s go in!”

Everyone walks into the house except for big bro. Do we even have that much space in this house?

Big bro pats me on the back, “Those are your students huh? Big bro asks me.

“Yeah...”

“They are a bunch of good kids. Teach them well boy and they will surely follow you till the very end.”

Big bro says to me.

What does that even mean? I didn’t understand a single word big bro said but I just want to enjoy today since everyone is here for me. I smile.

XXXXXX