After another night of training my body and that horrible, cruel lecture, I was back at the village center once more. I sighed as I sat down on the grass, looking around and seeing the kids playing around with each other.

I'd probably be doing the same thing if my body wasn't feeling tired from yesterday's training. I could only sit down and just relax my body as I stared up at the sky.

That was when the poor excuse of a guard, William, came with what appeared to be three random kids. Two boys and one single girl came together with them, with a look of curiosity on their faces.

"Alright, Gregory, Yurov, and Sally, this is Feliza; say hi!" As if they were just puppets following their master's command, the three of them waved hello and said hi. I could tell that this was going to go nowhere really fast.

"Okay, now I want you four to get along since Feliza doesn't exactly have many friends." Yeah, rub it in, asshole. "So, have fun, and keep an open mind!"

The guy began to leave, and I couldn't help but click my tongue at him leaving. The other three looked at each other, and then looked at me, waiting for me to reply.

Ah, I see. This is where the harsh, brutal training comes in, huh? Good thing I was able to fix my own speech before this happened. "Hi. You don't need to stay if you want, you can go out and have fun somewhere else if you want."

The two boys looked at me with a funny look, before they headed off. The girl stayed, however, and she chose to sit down next to me.

I had to wonder: why was this girl choosing to stay here? Her name was Sally, right? What was her deal? Maybe she was pretty and wanted to boast about it?

I took a moment to inspect how she looks. She had dark blue hair, with green eyes and a fair looking face. She was giving me a sad smile, the kind you would see at a funeral, and she didn't seem to be sneering or looking down on me.

"It's not good to be by yourself, you know." Please, don't start this again, I had to go through utter hell yesterday just to deal with that.

"I know." Might as well tell her to just leave me alone. However, I can't do it brutally or harshly, because then my three siblings would possibly give me another cruel training moment, so I may just have to break it to her softly. "But I don't think anyone likes me or even wants to hang out with me, so it's better for you to just leave."

"That's not true!" Immediately, Sally took a grasp of my hands and looked at me directly, showing me her eyes that were drowning in concern. "You're not hated, or ignored! It's just that... just..."

"What is it? Say it or just leave, please. I can just watch the sky that way easily." Sally looked away, before ducking her head down in shame.

"It's because people were scared of how you looked on the first day." I couldn't help but believe that statement was complete and utter bullshit. How the hell was I scary on the first day?

"Everyone watched you argue with William and Johansen, then how you wanted to just go back to the forest. After that, when William was introducing you to us, your eyes were really terrifying..." I could only look at her. Really? That was the excuse?

"That's not a really good excuse..." She seemed to silently back down a little, and I tried to look at her directly in the eyes. "Then, if you were scared, then why are you bothering to even make friends with me right now? Don't you have better people to talk to besides me?"

"I want to be your friend because you look like you don't have anything else in your life." Sally said as she swiftly turned her head, and looked at me right back. I couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth.

"I have my family," I said rather bluntly. "They're all I really need."

"That's not true and you know it." She said as she clasped her hands onto mine again. "You don't seem to be having any kind of fun at all. Look, is it so bad to make a friend!"

"Yes. Yes, it is," I snarled as I ripped my hands from her grip. "Look, if you're only doing this because William asked you to, then just leave. There are no problems if you try to become someone's friend just because another person asked you to try it out."

"I'm not doing this because William asked me to!" She shouted, and clasped her hands on my shoulders. "I'm doing this because I have a chance to help you out for the better!"

"So, what, you're treating me like a puppy?!" I shouted back, as I threw her off me. "Get lost! I don't need your fucking pity!"

"I'm not trying to pity you, I'm trying to freaking help you!" This girl wouldn't give up, she was like a goddamn cockroach. Seriously, just leave already!

"Hey, hey, break it up you two!" Great, the two freaking dumbass guards were coming in to prevent this fight. I swear, if I get in trouble with my sisters and brothers, I am going to make sure you regret this day, Sally.

That was when another kid intervened, to my shock. A young red-haired boy with some freckles pushed us aside, and looked at both of us with an angry look on his face, almost as if he was King Enma judging sinners.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you two! You say you want to be her friend, but you're being super rude about it! Can't you see that she just wants to be alone for now! You can't just blow up at her either just because she doesn't want your friendship, either! Learn some manners!" My savior said as he started to lecture the other girl, who started to look down in shame and began to tremble. Thank you, I shall never forget you!

Then, in a twist of events, I was betrayed by the dog that had come to save the bystander.

"And you!" He shouted as he pointed right at me. I looked at him, as I pointed at myself in utter shock. "Yes, you! How could you be so mean and rude!"

"Huh?" I couldn't react well. What was he blaming me for? I was just trying to get that clingy girl off me, I'm the innocent bystander here!

This kid... no, this man, however, wasn't done with his lecturing. Rather, he was getting into the spirit of the moment now. He wasn't going to stop all that easily.

"If a person offers to be your friend, then you take that chance and you use it to try to get to know them better! You can't just ignore a request like that and treat it like it's nothing! You should be nicer, you know!" I looked at this man that was shooting me down further and further with each word. This... this was too much for me.

I couldn't fight back anymore. My strength was being drastically stolen! I couldn't put up a punch to snipe back against his words, I couldn't! They were like machine-gun fire: impossible to dodge, and improbable to fight back.

"Urk." Just like that, I was defeated strongly and without a chance to bring up a rebuttal. I fell to the ground, defeated and completely beyond salvation. That man was too strong, I could not strike back with my minor knowledge.

Forgive me, my older siblings, I was not able to bring honor to our family. I have been taken down for good.

I laid there, pretending that I was utterly defeated. I looked around and watched as Sally was sitting up with a smile. Curse you, I won't forgive you for this humiliation!

"Enough." The red-haired boy stated firmly as he picked both of our hands up, and forced us into a handshake motion. "Look, call amends now, and learn about each other! That way, you can become friends, okay?"

The two of us looked at each other. Sally was looking at me with a glint in her eye, and I just wanted this to end. Whatever, let's get this done.

"Sure." We both said in unison as we shook the hands, and the strong boy let us both go, before slapping us on the back hard enough that Sally was shoved forward, while I just stood there taking it.

"Good to see you guys are willing to mend relations!" The newcomer finally said with a happy and kind voice. "My name is Buan, and I hope all three of us become strong friends!"

"Who invited you?" Muttered Sally under her breath, and the two of us caught it. Buan simply gave a grim smile as he patted her on the shoulder, obviously not thrilled by that statement.

"I'm not the one that was failing to try to talk to someone." Ouch. That hurt, even when I wasn't the one being addressed. I could watch as Sally's imaginary HP took a critical hit, and she sagged down to the ground.

"Well... nice to meet you Buan," I said as I held out a hand to shake, and he accepted it quickly.

"Thanks, Feliza! I have to say, I was worried there for a moment, but I'm glad you could make friends!" I raised an eyebrow at that statement. What was this guy's problem?

"If you were concerned about making a friend, why didn't you come yesterday?" The guy looked at me as if I was talking nonsense, before sighing.

"I didn't come here yesterday, I was too busy helping my brothers forage for some stuff in the forest." Oho, that seemed like that could be a useful excuse for me to sneak out into the forest. Sally, on the other hand, jumped up quickly and looked bug-eyed right at Buan.

"Wait, what? You went into the forest! But that's dangerous! There are monsters and creatures that live there that won't hesitate to kill you!" The dark blue haired girl stated as she looked at him with big eyes. "How come you were allowed to go in? Not even other four-year-olds are allowed to go inside!"

Wait, these kids were four years of age? Better keep quiet of my age then, otherwise, I'd get big glares at my location. That would be dangerous.

"Hey, not a problem! My bros are strong and smart, they take care of me every time!" He said with a grin, and I slowly started to think of an idea.

Maybe it would be beneficial if I became friends with Buan. But, to do so, I'd have to be associated with Sally too...

Ugh. Better to bite this bullet than regret the options later. I had to get into the forest to train because there I could potentially obtain some combat experience and maybe some more points. I needed to get mana, and I felt like updating my stats with the designated EXP would work.

"Hey, what do you and your brothers forage for in the forest?" The two of them looked at me, with Sally having a look of indignation while Buan was rubbing his chin.

"We just go and pick mushroom, herbs, berries, stuff like that. Most of the time we don't actually fight anything, so it's kind of safe." I nodded, while Sally silently sat there and started to think.

"Maybe we got off the wrong track here," I stated while looking at both Buan and Sally, before silently looking up. "What do you guys want to do then?"

The two of them looked at me and gave me a big, warm smile. Seems like they were happy that they probably made a new 'friend'.

"Alright then, let's play Tag!" Buan shouted as he jumped up, before tapping Sally on the shoulder. "Hey, you're It Sally, you gotta chase us!"

I immediately got up and ran away as soon as his exclamation was made, and I could hear Sally squawk behind me. Even though I felt some muscle pain trying to run, I endured it, primarily due to the fact that this could probably help out my exercise.

I could hear the two laughing out loud behind me. I turned around briefly to witness Buan running away at high speed and Sally chasing after me, with a big goofy smile on her face.

I wish I could laugh too, calling these people my true friends, but I just can't. I've only met them for less than a day, so that can't really be called a 'victory'.

Rather, I think it's somewhat closer to a hurrah. After all, I did make acquaintances, at least. Maybe my siblings will get off my back if I show them I made some connections.

I could only hope.