Children laughter echoed across the wide and large meadows of the town. Eri is what the town is called, a town larger than the rest that is located in the land of Erone.

"Meru, Meru, quickly catch it!" A feminine voice sounded, belonging to a little girl about the age of 12. She had ashy blonde hair tangling on her shoulder as her back hair was tied into a long ponytail. Waving her hands in the air, she shouted. 

"Yes, yes!" A male voice replied, youthful and playful portraying it's owner just right. He was a black haired young boy, he was wearing a sleeveless shirt and short pants, he puffed as his short legs ran around.

"Meru, be careful!" Another feminine voice shouted, this time in belonged to a girl with light blue hair. She was wearing a bloused pink dress and her hand former a circle near her mouth, she screamed worriedly for the boy's safety.

"Got it, Sister Lily!" The boy answered as he folded his leg, he then thrusted his hand on the ground as one of his knees sprang straight and the ball that bounced continuously, stopped upon the impact. 

"Thank you, Meru! I would have been yelled at by my father if the ball was lost." The ashy blonde haired girl sighed in relief as she held the ball in her arms. 

"That's nothing." Meru said as he patted his dirtied hands. 

"Meru, Meru, are you hurt?" Lily ran towards the two and inspected the boy's hand. Seeing that it wasn't hurt, she then turned around to face the ashy blonde haired girl and said, "How did the ball ended up so far? Based by your explanation earlier, Bree, you have not bounced the ball so how come?" 

"Big sister Lily, I saw two boys bouncing it. Sorry for not saying about it earlier, the fear of having yelled by my father got into me." The girl named Bree replied, her head hung low as she apologized. 

"Seeing that the mystery was solved, I have no more to inquire. Also, Uncle Bidas wouldn't dare to hit his only daughter, would he?" Lily said. 

Meru looked around, his black hair waved around as it followed his movements. Patting the slender hand that was intertwined with his, he said, "Lily, Aunt Lilac had been calking us a while ago, I think we must go to her right now or we'll be yelled." 

"Ah?" Lily turned her head and asked in surprise, "Mom was calling?!" 

Meru nodded.

"Then, Bree, we'll have to go first." Lily said with panic. She tugged the hems of Meru's clothes and walked in a fast pace. Leaving Bree all on her own.

Watching the back of the two who had gone further, Bree smiled. Waving her right hand up high, she shouted, "See ya!" 

"

"

"Mom, we're home—" 

Lily paused upon her step and stared with wide eyes at the woman before them. The woman was crying, tears filled her face. She wept and wept and only froze on her actions when she heard the familiar voice.

"Lily!" 

The woman screamed. 

"Yes...?" Lily asked, quite dumbfounded. 

"You...!" Pointing her finger at the two who just arrived, the woman turned red in rage. "I've been searching all over to you two, seeing that none of you responded to my calls I already thought..." 

"...We're dead..?" Meru asked. 

"Haaaa...." 

"You two really shook the soul out of me," The woman sighed helplessly, "Anyways, where have you two gone to?!" 

"We were just helping Bree with stopping her ball." Lily replied nonchalantly. 

"And near the forbidden forest?" The woman added. 

"Uh..We might have been a...bit, yes only a bit near the forest, it was a great thing Meru stopped the ball from further rolling downhill." Lily said. 

"And if it didn't, then I'll lose my daughter and nephew." 

The charming and lovely voice became cold. Lily wiped the sweat that formed in her forehead and bowed her head down. Closing her eyes, Lily apologized, "I'm very sorry, mom."

Meru glanced at his cousin as a frown appeared in his face, pouting, he also bowed and apologized, "I'm also sorry, Aunt Lilac." 

Suddenly, a warm soft hug embraces them two. The woman that goes by the name Lilac smiled as she swept away the tears that formed in her eyes before saying, "Good." 

While enjoying the hug, a knocking sound came and disturbed the three. A voice then spoke out, it was a bit husky. "Lilac? Are you there?" 

Lilac withdrew from the hug and walked towards the door. Lily and Meru found themselves a chair and sat in it while eavesdropping on the conversation between the two elders.¹Lilac is a parent, an elder who one must show respect. Also, it's bad to eavesdrop my friend.

After a short while, the sound of creaking as the door closed began echoing. Lily stood up as she rushed towards Lilac asking about what the Auntie next door came to say. 

"An envoy from the castle arrived. Call your cousin, Meru, to get ready." Lilac hurriedly said. 

"The castle?!" Lily gasped in surprise, "It's already that time for the year already? Yes, I'll call Meru to get ready real fast, I don't want to miss the amplitude testing, you know I dream on becoming a mage, right?" 

"Quit chattering, and yes, I know about this dream of yours as you kept on nagging about it two years ago when you found a book about mages that your Aunt used to keep." Lilac placed a hand on her waist as she said. 

"Okay!" 

Lilac watched as her daughter quickly went to change clothes and prepare herself, the same goes for her nephew Meru who had underdid his preparation. 

"Meru, come here." 

Lilac called out as she took a comb from her pocket. 

"Yes, Aunt Lilac." 

Meru ran towards his Aunt and sat on the stool placed in front. Lilac raised the comb and combed Meru's silky black hair and while doing this, she dazedly wandered into the past. 

Meru is the child of her sister and the man she once had a crush on. Deliberately, she lost in confession towards him and her sister won, she surrendered into her defeat but once never had completely given up.

 She envied Lesley, her younger sister who won everything; their parent's love, her crush's heart and such. But upon meeting Leon, most envy and jealousy vanished, and when Lily was born, none remained. 

She wasn't jealous of Lesley anymore, moreover she realized that she also liked Lesley much as a little sister as she was a sweet and lovely person who likes to befriend people, it was no wonder why Martin fell for her. Sadly, when all things gone for the better a tragedy occured.

 Fortunately, Meru was brought to live with them for a while and luckily escaped death. 

Unfortunately, the young child went home to find his parents corpses inside a coffin, Leon and she tried their best to hold Meru up in their house but the child who misses his parents a lot, snuck out. 

And later on, Meru came back to their house and they took him as their adopted son. The sad past regarding his parents have been long hidden inside his young heart and it must have been traumatic as when they asked the little Meru about it back then, he said he doesn't remember. 

"Done." 

Lilac said as she retrieved her hand back. She looked at Meru whose eyes shone upon seeing his hair nicely styled, well, it was dirty a while back and it now looks clean. 

"Thank you Aunt." Meru said. 

Lilac smiled, "That's no problem." 

"

"

Arriving in the town square, Lily nervously held Meru's hand as they followed the children who had formed a long vertical line circling around the large woods stage in the middle. 

"Look, it's Uncle Bidas and Bree. How lucky of her to be there town Mayor's daughter, she's going first." Lily said. 

"It is already expected, Lily." Meru replied. "Anyhow, they were nervous to go first so having Bree courageously try first, the rest won't be so nervous anymore."

 "Oh." 

"Yes, oh."

"......" 

"What?" 

"Nothing."