Chapter 1 - The Rising of a… Hero?

Chapter 1.1:

Five years later

There was nothing… then there was her smile.

She waved hello to me as she danced around a field of lilies. The sunlight caught her hazelnut hair turning it into a light brown. Her laughter was contagious. She took off her hat and whipped it hard. The wind caught it and it flew far away. I watched its silhouette getting smaller as it disappeared, into the horizon of the setting sun.

She waved me over, still laughing. Her blue dress seemed to come alive with every movement.

I stepped forward slowly until I found myself at a run as I caught her in an embrace.

From afar, she seemed to have been taller than me. But in my arms, she was a small thing. She rested her head and closed her eyes.

“Adi.” She whispered.

My heart leapt for joy at hearing my name escape her lips. I hugged her tighter.

But the harder I hugged, the more she seemed to fold into herself. I gripped harder and harder until she broke in half.

“AGHHHH!” I woke up with a scream.

I looked at my hands and arms. I looked around my dim room then I glanced over at the secondhand pocket watch I bought recently.

Three in the morning… Just a dream.

I let out a deep exhale and shook off the nightmare. I started fixing my bed.

It’s as good a time as any to start working.

I started brushing my teeth and washing up. I changed into my work clothes and grabbed my pocket watch from my night stand. Before long I was out of the room. I did a quick leap over the creaking boards and hurried down the stairs.

I went over to the shop on the ground floor and started doing some inventory.

Hmm… the shipment of medicinal pods hasn’t arrived. I should follow up with the trade hub.

I filled up some request forms and put them on Abram’s counter table.

Then I dusted the shelves and swept the floor. I hammered down some loose nails and started waxing the floor.

“Ah. Perfect.” I remarked while admiring my work. The shop almost sparkled.

I turned off the magic lights and headed down to my workshop. I carefully closed the door to make sure Abram and Paul wouldn’t hear any noise I’d make.

I activated my small forge by channeling mana and adjusted the exhaust pipe to make sure I didn’t fill the room with smoke again.

I brought out the short sword I had been working on for the past few weeks.

“Sorry, friend. I have to re-do you. You’re still not perfect.” I thought I felt the sword vibrate as if protesting my comment. I shook my head. “I need to stop talking to my projects. Pretty soon I’m going to imagine you talking back.”

I channeled fire magic in my hands and melted the blade. I placed the melting magic steel into the crucible and deposited it into the forge.

I poured the liquid metal into the cast iron mold, I channeled mana into my hands and started hammering away. Several strong strikes and a few quick ones. I quenched the blade in the bucket and started examining my work.

I balanced it in my hand and tried to swing a few times.

Good balance and weight.

I channeled mana into the blade to get a sense of its mana capacity.

98? Maybe 99%? It’s still not perfect.

I let out a sigh and put the blade back down.

I wrote another note for Paul: “Please appraise. Will be back later.”

I took the blade and the note and brought it upstairs to Paul’s work station.

I started heading towards the door when I turned around and drew a small smiley face on the note.

I looked at my handiwork and felt satisfied. I took out my pocket watch and looked at the time.

Almost four. Should head over to the bakery.

I grabbed my bag from the hooks near the door and started my daily sprint to the Heavenly Loaf.

“Hey Adi! Good morning!” A man sweeping the sidewalk outside his store yelled out.

“Good morning, Mister Dapp! Hope you make a ton of sales today.” I yelled back as I kept my pace.

I passed by other early birds on my route and gave a greeting or a wave to each one.

In no time, I was in front of the backdoor to the bakery. I fished out the keys in my bag and headed inside.

Did Mister Fleur leave the lights on?

I made my way inside the surprisingly bright room.

I heard the rhythmic thumping of dough being kneaded on a wooden table.

Wow, he’s up earlier than usual.

“Good morning, Mister Fleur.” I greeted as I hung my bag on the rack near the kitchen entrance.

“Good morning, husband.” A female voice replied.

I stopped in my tracks and looked up. I saw Belle looking at me with a huge smile on her face. Her carrot-colored hair was in twin pigtails today and she had a bit of flour on her freckled nose. She was wearing my apron.

I shook my head at her. “Belle, how many times have I asked you not to call me that?”

She looked at me thoughtfully, “more than a hundred, I’m sure. But who’s keeping count?”

I let out a sigh. “Okay, so since I’ve asked a lot. Maybe you could listen for once? And give me back my apron please?” I held out my hand.

She reached out under the wooden table and threw a small pink apron at me. “Let’s switch just for today, hmm?” She winked.

I rubbed my forehead in exasperation. “This won’t fit me. And you know your father doesn’t like it when you make jokes like this.”

She started to pout. “I’m not joking. We’re going to get married some day.”

“We’re not, Belle. You’re just a kid, you don’t know what you want.” I said as I started untying my apron from behind her.

“I’m thirteen, same as you. In three years, we’ll already be of legal age and we CAN get married.” Belle said as she whipped around and glared at me.

I held up my hands in surrender. “Belle, I’ve already told you that I like someone else right?”

She looked a little hurt. “Yes. But you also haven’t told her right? And you don’t even know if she likes you back. So I’m not really getting in the way of anything.”

I put my hand on her head. “Belle, even if I didn’t like Lady Mina…” I felt her wince at the name. “Even if I didn’t have someone I liked… I don’t feel that way about you. We grew up together. Your dad is like a second father to me. And you’re like a little sister. That’s all there is to it.” I said with some finality.

“Hmph! Well, we’ll see.” Belle replied defiantly as she swatted my hand away. She quickly stepped out of the way and started heading to the stairs leading to the second floor.

“Hey wait! My apron!” I called out.

Belle turned around and gave me a mischievous smile. “Oh noo… I guess you’ll have to wear mine for today.” She winked and disappeared up the stairs.

I looked down at the small pink apron and scratched the back of my head.

“Ah, forget it. I have to knead this dough.” I put on the apron and started working.

Around half past four, I could hear heavy footsteps coming down the stairs.

Mister Fleur appeared at the threshold.

He looked down at my apron and frowned. I looked down in embarrassment.

“Belle giving you a hard time, eh?” He said quietly as he entered the room and inspected the trays of kneaded dough.

“Ah, no, sir. We’re just playing a game.” I replied.

He looked up at me and furrowed his eyebrows. “It’s fine, lad. I know she’s been trying to grab your attention.”

I froze and started panicking and waving my hands. “It’s not what you think, sir! I really just see her as a little sister. I would never try anything with your daughter.”

He continued staring at me and then looked away. “Sorry, lad. Whatcha gonna do though, she’s as stubborn and bull-headed as me. She badgers me everyday about you, asking for my blessing.”

I started blushing red. “Sorry, sir.”

“I know, lad, I know.” He said with a resigned wave. “I know it’s not on you. I can’t force her not to like you, and I can’t force you to like her. It’s just something you kids have to figure out.”

I started to open my mouth but closed it right after.

I don’t know what to say. What should I say?

“This one isn’t proofed enough.” Mister Fleur remarked.

“I- what?” I said, a little shook from the sudden shift in topic.

“This third tray hasn’t been proofed enough.” Mister Fleur commented as he inspected the dough. “You also kneaded too hard.”

I started racking my brains trying to recall what I did with the dough.

“Are you sure?” I asked apprehensively.

Mister Fleur’s face snapped up at me and he started narrowing his eyes. “You wanna bet, kid? Today’s wage says this one comes out harder than the others.”

I looked at him and then at the tray in his hand. “You’re on!”

Half an hour later, I sunk to my knees as I chewed on the freshly baked bread.

There goes two silver…

Mister Fleur was chuckling to the side. “Hehehe. Nice doing business widdya, kid. You got a long way to go.”

“I don’t get it. Are you sure you aren’t using magic?” I said grumpily. “How can you tell just from looking at it that it wasn’t like the others?”

Mister Fleur shook his head. “You know I don’t have any capabilities for it. A good baker just knows, kid.”

I lowered my head in defeat.

He then handed me a small bag. “Alright, lad, be on your way. Guy’s gonna be looking for yah.”

I gave Mister Fleur one last look, took the bag, and waved goodbye.