We all had brunch together at Kianna’s Soft buns bakery, We were eating freshly baked toasts and raspberry muffins which were splattered with blueberry jam and chocolate while drinking warm tea and coffee respectively.

 

“Alright then, first order of business is have you two fully explored that shipwreck?” Lugh inquired. While sitting across from me and Hotaru.

 

“I’m very curious as well, Let’s at least establish how much you guys have scavenged there.” Sora Stretches his arms and adjusted his coat before sitting next to Lugh.

 

“Well Me and Itsuki have explored quite a bit there,” Hotaru answered the question.

 

“The most we found there are the dead crews’ corpses and skeletons so we took their clothes and belongings.” I followed.

 

“And where did you guys find the corpses?” Lugh followed with a second question.

 

“We also found a bunch of old scrolls, a hammer, a pickaxe, a grappling hooks, a pair flintlock pistols with 16 ammunition, a pair of old cutlass sabers, and that's about it sorry if that’s disappointing,” I responded to the question.

 

“Were there any doors you couldn’t open? Such as locked rooms and chests?” Sora asked in a carefree manner before resting his arm on Lugh’s shoulder much to his annoyance.

 

“Not that I recall but it’s worth a shot to double check! But what if we don't find anything at all?” Hotaru happily cheered before asking her own question.

 

“Well we’re not really expecting to see much, for all we know we can just harvest the scrapped wood, rope and crates.” Lugh responded.

 

“Exactly as long as we can salvage something out of that wrecked we could sell them off, and of course 40% for us and 60% for you guys.” Sora proudly said before smacking the back of Lugh’s head only for Kianna to throw a butter knife in his direction but both men easily avoided it.

 

“Lay another finger on him Sora and I will wear your entrails as a sweater…” Kianna said in the most innocently passive aggressive tone You wouldn’t expect from a girl with her petite height and appearance.

 

“R-right sorry…” Sora said before hiding behind Lugh.

 

“Damn….” Hotaru muttered in shock.

 

“Does she usually get that violent with “potential love rivals?” I followed up.

 

“Only to Sora.” Lugh said before pulling the butter knife off the brick wall it struck.

 

“I’m actually more curious how she was able to dent that brick wall.” Hotaru snickered with sparkling eyes and excitement.

 

“It’s because she is a mage.” Lugh answered before dipping a cookie in his coffee and eating said cookie.

 

Her eyes widened in surprise before getting excited by the revelation.

 

“So she has mana!?” She excitedly looked at Lugh.

 

“Yes she is! Same with Lugh and Yours truly!” Sora Proudly followed up on.

 

“When You guys first brought me here in the bakery yesterday, I only then noticed that Lugh has a single silver earring with a topaz gemstone embedded on it, I’m guessing thats what he uses channel his mana right?”

 

“That is correct Itsuki, these are the “emblems” that mages used to use their elemental affinities. Sora has one too just look.” He calmly explained as he pointed at Sora’s silver necklace with an embedded amethyst.

 

Sora’s necklace wasn’t that long it has a diamond cut amethyst gemstone, it was beautiful, albeit Lugh’s earring has star shaped topaz gemstone.

 

“Wait so what magic do you guys have?” Hotaru’s voice was holding back her childish side.

 

“Lugh’s topaz earring controls “Geo” while my amethyst necklace let’s me control electricity.

 

“I’m guessing only specific gemstones lets you use “specific” types of elements?” Hotaru looked a bit disappointed.

 

“Correct but no one is stopping you from stockpiling emblems you have if you can manage to find any of course.”

 

“Find any?” Hotaru and I asked in unison as we both got caught off guard by the finer details.

 

“It’s because emblems are crazy rare to find, and having a professional craft one for you could cost a fortune, I’d say it’s better to just steal or swindle them from others, such as bandits, robbers or from pirate’s booty.” Sora happily said before he ate a muffin.

 

I looked at Hotaru who seemed to be genuinely contemplating the prospects of taking emblems from others.

 

“Anyway~ How do we know if we have mana like you guys?” Hotaru snapped back to reality from her tiny mindscape.

 

“Sora take the moonstones or sunstones out.” Lugh signalled to which he obliged.

 

Sora took out a sunstone and a moonstone orbs the size of a small marble and placed it on the table.

 

“What are these for?” I questioned.

 

“Sunstones are used to check if you have mana, Moonstones can indicate what element you would be good at wielding.” Lugh answered.

 

“So. Who are we checking first?” Sora happily announced.

 

“Ladies fir-.” I said but got cut off by Hotaru.

 

“We’re checking Itsuki first!” She proudly exclaimed.

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yeah you can go first.”

 

I guess it was gentlemen’s first, well she said it.

 

“So how should I start?”

 

“Focus your mind on the sunstone to see if it glows or not.

 

“I see, thank you…”

 

I took a deep breath before holding the sunstone in my hand and closed my eyes. My mind felt a bit drowsy from what was happening and after 5 seconds I opened my eyes and the sunstone was glowing calmly.

 

“Congratulations Comrade! Your mana capacity is quite high.” Sora announced in excitement before handing me the moonstone.

 

I repeated what I did with the sunstone and saw that the moonstone and saw that it was partially glowing in a light green and sharp cerulean color.

 

“So what does this indicate?” I got very curious.

 

“It means you have a good affinity for wind and ice.” Lugh said before refilling his cup with tea.

 

“Alright, ladies next.” I handed both orb stones to Hotaru.

 

“Thank You~!!” she gleefully took them from my hands.

 

“Good luck older sis.” I joked.

 

Hotaru closed her eyes and she repeated my actions. To our surprise the sunstone glowed like a comet but it was fluctuating between glowing bright and dimming out.

 

“It seems her mana isn’t fully stable yet, but if it does stabilize she has a high mana capacity.” Lugh pointed and explained.

 

“I see! Well, moonstone next!” Hotaru immediately focused on the moonstone.

 

To our surprise, the moonstone shined red and purple.

 

“It seems that Hotaru has a particular affinity for Fire or electricity,” Sora explained.

 

“Oh wow! This means I can burn Itsuki’s butt if he ever steals my snacks again!” She proudly announced.

 

“Hey, I stopped doing that in high school!” I retorted.

 

Everyone shared a laugh before Hotaru handed the orb stones back.

 

“Well then when can we “salvage” the shipwreck,” I asked.

 

“How about 2 days after tomorrow so everyone can prepare their stuff? I’ll ask a buddy I know for assistance on pulling it apart.” Sora suggested.

 

“That’s fine with us.” i said before Hotaru agreed.

 

“It’s settled then, let’s meet up at the docks when the time comes, until then take care.” Lugh announced.

 

“Right!” Everyone answered, just as Kianna arrived with more freshly baked muffins and breadsticks for us to eat.

 

I’m starting to think she is trying to make Lugh over eat so Sora backs off from her man.