I took a moment to take in the sight of the damage I had caused during my ‘magic trial’ earlier before I walked to the storehouse that was off to the side, the same place where Dad stored the practice dummies among other tools.

I took a seat and leaned against the wall that was the farthest away from my home, blocking any source of light from behind me before I looked up at the sky that had turned dark.

You never see this many stars back home.

I tend to go out there just to look up and see the night sky for any occasion. After the first time I was able to see that sky when I was reincarnated as a baby, considering how I couldn’t see very much through the light pollution the city from my previous world produced, I couldn’t get over how breathtaking it was.

Especially at that moment, as I was looking up at the stars and got engrossed in the view, it was almost like I was floating through the never-ending reaches of space. If I had fallen asleep there, I wouldn’t mind waking up sore the next morning after doing it in an unusual posture.

The crunching of grass that got closer told me something else would happen, however.

“Quite the exit you made back there.”

“Ms. Renne … how much of that did you hear?”

“I heard enough. May I sit with you?”

“… Sure.”

Ms. Renne helped herself and smoothed out her skirt before taking a seat closely next to me, enough that our shoulders touched while her fox tail curled around and moved leisurely. Since we’ve known each other long enough outside of school, we were comfortable enough to make that much contact with each other outside of hugs for greetings. Like a good teacher and friend, she listened to some of my struggles, complaints, and concerns while letting me talk at my own pace, enough that I would drop my ‘mature adult’ façade briefly, just like then.

“I really … don’t like my other classmates very much. I don’t want to play their games, and I wasn’t desperate to make friends. I just want to learn and spend my time the way I want to. I’m not even forcing anyone to do any of that with me, either, and yet they still find one way or another to bother me. I tried to politely refuse them but they just. Won’t. Listen. I tried ignoring them so they’d take a hint, but of course, that doesn’t do much better. So, what does that leave me with? Either walking away, which is what I have usually done with most of the classmates or if they asked for it, be bluntly honest and tell my honest feelings to them straight while looking like a jerk in the process like I did to Claire. I don’t like resorting to this method but I don’t know what else I could do to make it all stop. Is it so wrong that I want to be left alone? Does that really make me so ‘strange and unusual’ enough for them to keep antagonizing me?”

“Of course not, Soar,” Ms. Renne answered as she petted my head. “I’ll admit that I do worry over who and how you make friends with people at times, but I’ve known you enough that that’s just how different you are from others and that doesn’t make you any less of a student, let alone a person. We can’t like everybody and nobody can be liked by everyone, that’s just how things are. This world would be easier to live in, otherwise.”

“You have nooo idea how true that statement is. Some of Dad’s stories as a hunter taught me that much, at the least. Mom’s as a former guild employee helped me just as so.” And then there’s all that I’ve seen, learned, and experienced in my previous life that I’m not even sure where to start comparing with this one, I thought to myself.

Ms. Renne couldn’t help but let out a giggle. “Oh, I’m sure they have. Even so, when you do want to connect with someone of your interest, you really know how to do it with what you can do. Your tutoring session with Fila and Onelri earlier was the most I’ve ever seen of you getting involved with someone else of your age.”

“They’re … a special case. I felt like I had to help them one way or another, you know?” Otherwise, they or their parents might snitch on me for how I really got Cinder and my other fairies’ increased power. I didn’t think about it at the time, but when I thought about it right there with Ms. Renne next to me, that could be a likely possibility. From what I had seen from Onelri especially, she could very well try to pull that on me. Whatever opinion I had of her then got dampened as I remembered that.

“Still, I was impressed with how well you did it in a way they could understand it,” Ms. Renne continued. “It was then I had seen how far you came to be today, Soar. I’m very proud of you, and I’ve always enjoyed our times together, always thankful to know such a bright and kind young man who would spend their time with such an old lady like myself.”

“Ms. Renne, you look anything but old. Even if the foxkin have the longest lifespans out of the other beastmen races, I still wouldn’t believe what your true age is, whatever number that may be above twenty-four … no, twenty-three in human standards.”

“My, such a flatterer you are, but looks can be more deceiving than you might think. Even now, I still wonder what your true age is, Soar.”

From how Ms. Renne phrased that last sentence, I suddenly felt chilly while my stomach dropped.

“… What?” I asked with a slight shudder in my voice.

“Sure, you may be a bit cold to the other kids and I do wish you could get along with them better, but the way you have put yourself through so much to improve in magic and studies, how well you get along with your parents and other adults, even going out of your way to help them out at times, I respect you for that. You’re always so mature and thoughtful, it’s almost like I’m talking to an adult with a child’s body.”

“… H-Ha ha, you think so? That’s kind of funny.” So, that was just a joke. Thank god for that, I thought I was about to die again for a moment there, I thought.

“Anyway, since you are one year older now, I’m going to act like a teacher for a moment and ask what your plans are for the future. Last time, it was in your first class and you only wrote, and I quote, ‘I want to be the greatest Magician like no one ever was.’”

“Huh, is that right? Felt like it’s been so long now.” I said that, but I remembered what she was talking about very well. While it was kind of true at the time, I wrote it like that so I could keep up my child persona in some way while not sounding too adult. I mean, what kind of kid would write about something so complicated like ‘find a stable job that doesn’t involve politics,’ as a sort of example.

“Have your plans changed since then, or are you still pursuing to become ‘the greatest Magician?’” Ms. Renne asked, a little jokingly.

“Well, I do want to be the best I can be with magic, which isn’t too far off from my original goal, but if I were asked what I want to do with that magic … I want to use it to make living as easy as possible. I would make money with a job as a hunter thanks to Dad teaching me all this time, and when I do enough to pay for necessities like food and such, I want to live a simple, slow life. Invest in a hobby like reading and spend time with my Companions, among other things. I don’t have a lot of specifics in mind, but that’s what I can think of from the general standpoint.”

If there was one thing I learned from the previous night’s ‘drama,’ it’s that I want next to nothing to do with heavy stuff. Taking a life, even if they didn’t deserve to live with how cruel they were as criminals, it weighed more on my conscience than I thought after things calmed down. Even when I carefully judged the situation with a clear mind before taking action, I still had some doubts within myself, mostly on whether I had the qualifications to make such a judgment on a person’s fate.

Moral and ethics are not my strong suits, whether it was in my previous life or my new one. I was exposed to enough bullshit of the previous world, especially in retail, to know how hopeless people can be, how much I want some to just die off. That negativity led me to find a new job as an IT where I wouldn’t be exposed as much, where I wouldn’t have to feel so antagonistic against the world. Even after the time I spent there, those thoughts still lingered, and other than going out to see movies or drinking my ass off, I didn’t want to go out much because of it. I just wanted to be at peace and that hasn’t changed when I reincarnated in Manara.

With that said, it was best that I move to some secluded place where I would be oblivious to the true nature of the world around me, to be ignorant of all the drama. To live a simple life with only me and my Companions while using magic to make living as easy as possible. I would only get involved in something if I had to, like if it was part of my job as a hunter or whatnot. Whether I’d find a girl or not is debatable, much less a harem as I was questioning how ‘good’ that was for me, especially if they want to have kids, which reminded me why I didn’t bother finding romance from the beginning. Even at 29 years old back on Earth, I had not once thought of having kids if I got a girl, and after 11 years on Manara with my mental age at 40 then, that hadn’t changed. More like any lack of interest I had left of it dropped to nothing after being surrounded by my classmates, especially after reliving my days as a baby, myself, which was not fun in the slightest.

“Hmm, I see …” Ms. Renne said while crossing her arms and nodding in understanding.

“Of course, that’s after when I get done with school. The most I can do now is hunt monsters as I have and stockpile magic stones to sell back for a large profit.”

“That does sound to be a smart plan, but what would you say if I can help you finish school early?”

I jolted my head to her in shock. “Wait, what was that?”

“I’ve been going over it with the other teachers at school and discussed it with your parents … I would like to give you an opportunity to graduate school early. That is my gift for your 11th birthday.”

I had to restrain my excitement and not make the decision on the spot. “What would I have to do?” I asked.

“First is a final test that goes over everything you have learned, both in Class 1 and Class 2 as you’ve already sat in the latter’s lessons more than anyone there. If you get a passing grade on it, you may stop coming to school and will graduate at the same time as Claire and the other oldest kids in class.”

“I can do that no problem!”

“I know you can, which is why there’s another condition. Are you aware of Fila’s and Onelri’s situations?”

“Well … I believe Fila and her mother were in the middle of moving to a new home, and Onelri’s trying to form a contract with a fairy outside of her village?”

“That’s right. I had brought this idea up to all of the parents while you weren’t present, and if you agree to these terms, they’ll be all for it.”

“… Which is?” I asked, suddenly getting uneasy of where this was heading.

“Fila’s and Onelri’s families will move in with yours while you become the girls’ personal at-home tutor, both for school and magic. During the day, you can do whatever you wish, doing hunter quests or otherwise while the girls attend classes, and after they’re done, you help them with their studies and magical prowess. This will only be for three years, or possibly less if they excel in their studies and you won’t have to step onto school grounds again whatsoever. Would you be interested?”

“… Only the parents are aware of this right now, right? Fila and Onelri aren’t aware of it?”

“Nope. Whatever you decide, they will tell them what will happen accordingly. I will also notify the other teachers about their possible enrollment. You don’t have to decide now, though. You have until the last day of the holiday break to make your decision while the girls’ families will stay with yours for the time being. Think of it as a sort of trial period for staying with them under the same roof. Your parents, of course, are all for this plan.”

Since my home was previously one of Lunargrove’s inns, there were plenty of rooms available to occupy along with a large bath for the guests’ use. Even with Dad’s former hunter party currently staying a few nights with us, there was still enough room for Fila’s and Onelri’s families to stay as well. Heck, once the hunter party left, the girls and their parents could each have their own rooms, if they wanted.

That aside, I figured that arrangement was something Ms. Renne came up with on the fly in hopes that I become friendlier with kids to some extent. I wondered if me getting along with the adults was even enough for me to pass off as a decent citizen. Moreover, if Onelri found out about this deal, despite my benefits, she’d certainly take advantage of that and would likely threaten to blackmail me again if I refused, so I was glad this wasn’t brought to her and Fila yet.

“… I need time to think this over,” I said after thinking.

“That’s fine. In the meantime, I would at least give those girls a chance and get to know them, Claire included. Despite her awkward approach, she was genuinely interested in becoming friends with you, Soar. She even came to me for advice and I suggested spending time with you in the library.”

“So, you were the main cause of that.”

“I admit that I didn’t expect her to be that way and I’m partially to blame for her approach, but she is a bright and kind girl. I understand why you were put off by her advances but please, try not to be too harsh on her. It may have been difficult for her trying to reach out to you knowing how little you involved yourself with your classmates. At least try to view it from her perspective.”

… Well, if I was seeing a guy like that, I know I would have a hard time getting his attention, but I would likely give up quickly if he didn’t budge. It should be pretty obvious how much he wants to distance himself from his classmates, so why would Claire persist in such an awkward and somewhat creepy manner?

“Soar?! Are you out here?!”

“Ah, speak of the devil,” Ms. Renne said before she stood up and held a hand out to me. “Shall we see what she’s up to?”

I couldn’t really come up with an appropriate response so I just took her hand and pulled myself up before she led me out of hiding from behind the storehouse. Claire’s figure perked up after seeing us before jogging over with something in her arms.

“Um … so, your parents sent me to tell you it’s time to open the presents,” Claire started while looking down.

“All right.”

“…”

“… Is there—”

“Please hold on, I’m trying to ready my heart,” she interrupted with a hand up.

What’s she trying to do? Make a confession? She does know I’m only eleven in this body, right? She’s gotta be in her teens by now.

“Please … open mine first,” Claire said meekly after some time before practically thrusting the wrapped gift towards me.

I quirked a brow while gingerly taking it in my hands. The length and width were about the same as a tablet from Earth, but the thickness was almost like a dictionary along with its weight. It looked like she couldn’t say anything else until I opened the gift, and so I untied the string that kept it together before unraveling the paper. My eyes widened at what I was seeing.

“This is … a ‘Book of Understanding Ancient Practices!’” I exclaimed.

After centuries of interpreting and transcribing scriptures written in the ancient language of Shimmerlin by some of history’s greatest scholars, they compiled all of their research into those books that were less than thirty in number at the time. They not only taught readers how to read and speak Shimmerlin, but they also described the studies of much earlier practices in magic that include summoning familiars from the realms ruled by the Two Fathers. It was a practice earlier Magicians used to help support them for survival and other tasks when fairies hadn’t revealed themselves to the world and started forming contracts yet.

“I practically begged the librarian to find some way to get a copy when she first told me about it but these are really hard to come by!” I continued before looking up to Claire. “How did you get this?!”

“Well … my uncle runs a bookstore in Brightlas and knows his away around getting some valuable reads. I asked him to put one on hold for me until I earned enough money to pay for it myself. I know you’ve been wanting to read it for a while, so I thought I might surprise you getting this as a gift.”

This … could not have been cheap.

Do not finish that sentence, Mona! I don’t want to know! “Why … would you go this far for me?” I asked. “What about all that I said? I would’ve second-guessed about gifting a book like this after hearing all of that if I was in your shoes.”

“About that … I didn’t mean what I said earlier to come out like that,” Claire said as she fidgeted in place, still having difficulty making eye contact. “I was a little put off by you not remembering me for a moment and I didn’t think about what I was saying. I didn’t realize it until after everything you said and thinking it over. Fila and Onelri kind of helped me figure that out, too.

“Soar, you’re different from the other kids, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. I’ve been wanting to get to know you for a while now because of it, wanting to really talk to you about the books you’ve read and the things you do, wanting to be friends with you, but I didn’t know how to approach you and it came out as weird as you made it out to be.

“What I’m trying to say is … I’m sorry. I’m sorry for making you so uncomfortable up until now to get that idea, and if possible, I want us to start being friends … in a more normal way.”

I exchanged glances between the large book and Claire who still had her head down, likely out of worry from how I would respond. I then looked over to Ms. Renne who was watching and waiting for my next move, nodding her head in Claire’s direction to urge me on.

I held myself back from letting off an exasperated sigh. Her reasons are still iffy and how she even heard me wanting to get this book is rather concerning, but to even go this far … what kind of person would I be to even refuse it?

“I’m … sorry for what I said back there, too,” I said a little awkwardly, thinking I should start off with that much. Claire jolted her head up in shock. I averted my gaze and scratched my head. “Despite how well I can talk with adults, I’m not used to doing the same with kids around my age and end up saying too much. I don’t really know a lot about what you guys want to talk about or do, so I may not say very much because of it. I think you should know that much about me if you want to be friends, but if you change your mind because of that—”

“I don’t mind at all!” Claire exclaimed with no hesitation, but then reeled herself back when she noticed how excited she got. “I mean, getting to know each other is part of how being friends work, right? I’m more of a bookworm myself, so I don’t really go out much, either.”

“… Right. And, if you’re interested in reading this, I can let you borrow it some time, if you want.”

“I’d like that very much, Soar.” She then smiled in a surprisingly cute way that fitted with the light from my home shining on her from behind. I glanced over to Ms. Renne and she made a thumbs-up in approval.

Fila and Onelri also want to be friends with me, right? Both of them even want me tutoring them in magic, too, and I haven’t really taught anyone anything since I supervised Shannon over the beginning of her employment. Wonder if this is even okay? Well, if they realize I’m not as good to be friends with as they thought and decide to stop being with me after that, I shouldn’t hold anything against them. Aside from practicing magic occupying most of my time, my current interests must be aligned with an old geezer’s right now and that isn’t too far of a stretch to describe me, considering what my ‘true age’ is.

With that, the three of us went back inside so I could open my presents as I was called back in for. What I got went like this:

Weiss got me a new pair of boots that’s good for moving through many terrains while lasting quite a long time and magically enchanted to fit me comfortably no matter how big I would grow; Sam got me light leather armor that included a cuirass, shin guards, and gauntlets, all also magically enchanted to fit me like a glove no matter my age; and Lilia and Seal pitched in together to get me a custom-made dagger wand made of mithril with a green e-stone embedded in the blade, allowing me to channel mana into it to not only increase the power and cutting ability of my attacks, but to also give my spells—my Wind Magic in particular, being my specialty—a bigger oomph than with just my own magic alone. That last one made me want to immediately sell the iron dagger I got from last night’s events for how much it paled in comparison to the beauty and luster of one made especially for me. It was a little big for me then, but I would grow up enough to handle it properly.

All of those gifts, representing each member of Dad’s former hunter party who contributed to my training in some way up to then, were suited together to fit a common theme for me. When I realized what it was, Mom and Dad came up last to bring up the finisher as their ‘gift’ that would complete the theme going for me.

Immediately the next morning, I would be going to the Brightlas Hunter’s Guild with Dad to register myself as an official hunter.