Chapter 8

To you the first of us all.

Summer K411.

Hot...It's so hot...It's already past winter and spring now it has become summer. What can I say? I'm so busy right now. This year is hotter than any since we arrived at Buena village. The water reserve that I make that should last us through summer is getting drier and drier every day. That's why I need to fill it up every now and then. Even though Roxy and her saint-rank magic help it will only help a little.

Oh, and the girl I saved...her name is Sylphiette was it? She has been coming and going around me lately. I think she is too shy to talk with me but still wants to get close to me. I tried talking to her but she just ran away. And I got to say for a kid her age she runs really fast.

"Lucy! The villagers need you again!" Ah…Zenith called me. Ahh, I want to play around in the water...Wait, I can just build a pool nearby or go to the river! But there was no one to play with! Ann is starting to hang out with Luke more...and him? He got dragged by his father to do farm work. Well, they are all from a farming family and it seems that Ann got a Feeling for Luke...nuhuhu. I can tease her with this.

"Lucy! Where are you?" Ah, it seems that I daydream too much.

"Coming!" I promptly get up from the grass and walk toward Zenith. "Who is it this time? Johan? Or Reagus?" I asked her.

"No. This time it's Granny Geine." She said while cleaning some dishes.

"Ok, I will go now!" I bid my farewell to Zenith and walked out of the house. On my way here I saw Rudeus and Paul sparring. It seems Rudeus is taking his training seriously.

….

"Yosh! This should be enough for a whole week!" I said, wiping away my sweat.

"Thank you, young miss. Here take this. It's a fresh berry we just pick up this morning." Granny Geine said as she handed me a basket full of berries.

"Wow! Thank you, granny! I will make some jam with this and then I will give you some ok?" I said as I hugged Granny before walking out of her farm.

"HmHm...With this many berries, I can probably make around 3 full jars. 1 jar for granny and the rest is for us." Humming on my way back I feel a light rain start to shower. It seems Roxy is using her magic.

Hmm...I think Roxy and I get along just fine but It feels like she is putting up a wall for some reason. There is nothing like that with Rudeus or others. Maybe it's just me thinking that. Well whatever, no need to think about useless things.

As I start to walk away I feel something flying toward me. I quickly step back to dodge it but because I'm not careful enough some of the berries fall off. I pick up what flies toward me. It is a stone around the size of a fingertip.

"Tch...This again huh? You guys want a beating or what?" I said that out loud so that the people hiding behind the wall could hear. I can hear them panicking and starting to run away.

"Tch, fricking brat. Look at what they did to a perfectly good berry." I slowly pick up the fallen berries and wash them with water before making my way back to the house.

….

It's already been two weeks since those punks tried to throw a rock at me. I want to beat them up but they are just a kid. So I tolerate them. Although it is getting annoying that one of those punks managed to hit the jam jar, I'm going to give Granny Geine. It is not broken or anything. It just gets on my nerves and it seems my annoying leak out a bit as all of them start to run away pale. Well, kids are sensitive to something like this after all.

Anyway, those guys don't come after me anymore. But for some reason after that day, I never see Sylphiette lurking around too. It's like she's trying to avoid me.

"Lucy, please fill up the reserve there. I will start my chant." Roxy's voice wakes me up from my thoughts. I looked around and saw a large hole in front of me. Ah, that's right. Today I'm out with Roxy to refill the water. I usually don't come out with Roxy like this. Maybe it is a chance for me to ask why she has been keeping up a wall around me.

I held my hand out as water started to appear around me. It slowly moves to fill up the reserve. I can feel my mana slowly being drained. Even though I've been training it every day, my mana pool has been growing slowly unlike the first two years.

My mana pool right now should be able to fill up an entire river I think? But still using too much of it at the same time always causes me to have headaches. Rudeus or Roxy doesn't have that problem. It feels like my head is starting to split.

"Tch...damn headache…" I slowly stop my magic. I know that I only use around 5% of my whole mana. But my headaches hurt so much. This is why I took a long time just to fill one reserve. My hand slowly emits light. My headache is slowly getting better. I can't use too much magic without constantly healing myself. This is something I noticed around 3 years ago. I never emptied my magic before except the first few times. I think at that time, I practiced my water magic. I try controlling ice with it but just moving it around drains my mana a lot and I start to feel headaches.

I try asking both Zenith and Roxy but they don't know why either. Zenith says she never saw my Mother use magic. Roxy says that only happens when you drain all your mana. But I never drain my mana even once after 1 year of using magic.

Rain starts to drop. It seems Roxy has finished casting her spell. I quickly got up and finished filling the pool. "I finished. What next?" I asked her.

"Are you really ok? It seems your headache is getting worse. Do you want to stop?"

"It's fine!" Ah...I just yelled at her…" Sorry...but I'm fine. Let's go to the next one." Every time I have headaches it is always like this. I got more violent for some reason. Roxy seemed to still be worried so I gave her a thumbs up and started walking. She hesitated for a bit before reluctantly following me. I just need to Fill up two more places and then we are done.

…

2 hours later.

"Ub…Uwraa…S-shit… This is getting tough." It seems I use up more mana than I expected. Normally this wouldn't even make me feel this bad…But maybe the heat of this year is too much. "UB! Uhwaa…." Ah…. I puke out all my lunch now…Heal…I need to use healing magic…

"Oh merciful mother of gods, please heal this one's wounds, and let him recover with a healthy body. X-Healing" I can feel my headache and stomach getting better in an instant.

"Hu…Thank you, Roxy, that helps a lot."

"Let's go home now," Roxy said. Her face is full of worry. She never saw me in such bad shape before...well me neither. This is the first time that I'm vomiting after using too much mana.

Even when I first hunted that boar with Paul I didn't feel sick at all. Maybe that spell I used just didn't take a lot of my mana.

I begin to stand up but my leg just feels so weak. What's wrong with me… I use healing magic on myself and my leg starts to gain strength again. I start walking slowly back home and Roxy walks slowly behind me.

I should hurry up. I picked my pace a bit but the moment I put strength in my leg, I fell forward. Roxy, who was just a step away, quickly grabbed me from hitting my face first to the floor.

"Lucy, are you alright?! What happened there!"

"I-i don't know…"

"...Can you stand up? If not, I will carry you." I shake my head at her. My legs feel completely numb. It feels like electricity is running through my leg.

Roxy nods and then begins to pick me up. She is giving me a piggyback right now. Our height is around the same. I think she is taller than me by around 3 to 4 centimeters. So around 3 '9 huh? If it is centimeters then around 114 I think? Even though she is this small her bag always seems big. Even Though I should weigh around 21-23 kilograms, she is still able to carry me.

Ah...this...feels so warm…" Hey...Roxy. why are you always so distant toward me…"

"Eh? Lucy wha-"

Thud.

…

Mhhh….So bright.

"Mhhh….So bright."

Eh?

"Eh?"

"Nene, are you there Miss! Are you going to tell the future again?"

Future? Did I ever tell the future?

"That's right! The last time you say it is going to rain for a long time. The rain really came! It has been raining for more than 3 days!"

Is that so? Ummm then this time the wind is going to be a bit strong and the sun is going to be harsh.

"Umu umu! I'm going to tell Mom about this!" As she said that the green hair kid began to run toward her mother.

I feel myself being pulled toward her. My body slowly floated until I was just behind her.

"Mom! Today Miss said that the wind is strong and the sun is harsh!" The kid ran up toward her mother's embrace. Telling everything I just said to the Mother.

"Is that so, Dear? Did you thank the kind, Miss?" The mother said wiping the child's face with a wet towel.

"Oh! Thank you! See you again next time!" The child said with energy. Wave My hand lightly and I start to drift away.

…..

Roxy POV

"Paul! Go prepare hot water! Rudy, get as many towels as you can!" Zenith commanded as she put Lucy toward the bed.

"ARG...COUGH!" Lucy has been coughing out blood nonstop since she collapsed.

"Lilia! Go and get Thorn grass, sanguine Flower, and dried Ash dill. Hurry up!" Lilia quickly ran out to get those herbs.

"Roxy, can you heal her with magic?"

"No...I tried using healing magic on her and Detoxification magic but all of it just made her condition worse."

"I understand...Stay with her I need to prepare the medicine." I nodded at Zenith's command. I never saw any of them panicking before.

"Guh…..R-rain….fall…."

"Eh? Lucy!" Before I can fully hear what she said she starts coughing up blood again.

"Mom! I got the towel!" Rudy comes in with a lot of towels.

"Zenith! Hot water is here!" After that Pual came in too.

"Good! Rudy soaks the towel in the water and hands it to Roxy! Roxy wipe Lucy's body, please! She is sweating too much and her body is too cold right now."

I quickly did as she instructed. Undressing Lucy. I use the towel Rudy handed me to wipe away her sweat. I quickly finish the front and move toward the back. That's when I saw it. The magic circle behind her back. It engraved it onto her skin.

"Miss Zenith! There is a magic circle on her back!"

"What?!" Both Paul and Zenith said at the same time. They quickly ran over to check on her.

"What is this? She never had one of these before…" said Paul. He should have been with Lucy the longest.

"You know what this is, Roxy?" Asked Zenith.

"No...although from the way it is drawn I can say that it is close to summoning magic. But I can't confirm anything."

I have never seen anything drawn like this before. Even when I studied Sharia. Or when I study with my Master.

The way it shines indicates that it is working right now. We can't simply remove it. Because it was engraved upon her skin. And from the look of it, it has been with her since birth. But Paul says that he has never seen anything like this before so how?

"Miss Zenith! I got all the herbs!" Lilia comes in holding onto the cloth with all the herbs.

"Good! Everyone keeps an eye on Lucy while I make the medicine! If she is getting better or worse, report to me immediately!"

Everyone nods and we start to take care of Lucy.

…..

Rudeus POV

It's already been more than a week since Lucy collapsed. She never wakes up and always coughs. Zenith and Paul went out to Roa to get a doctor. Lilia, Roxy, and I are the only ones in the house right now.

Although we try to stay normal, all of us are worried. Lucy always mumbled something. And the next thing I know she starts coughing again. The villager heard of the new drop-by and gave us some vegetables. I even saw two of her friends visiting.

The magic circle that she got still shines and her body that should start to lose weight is still the same. She still looks like the big sis I know.

"R...rain...going to fall…" said this again. This is all she said ever since she collapsed.

"Rudy, you go and study. I will be with her." Roxy who just opened the door said this. In her hand is a book she's been giving me and Lucy to read. It is about the history of how magic and others come to be or so she said.

"I understand," I said taking the book and walking toward the living room. There I saw Lilia carrying a basket full of hot water.

I sat down at one of the chairs and began to read but my mind couldn't focus. I just think about Lucy. Why did she get like this? Paul and Zenith told me that Lucy is adopted. Although at first, I feel happy that this is like a harem game I played in my old life, I have started to stop thinking about it.

Why did I think that everything that happens is a game? Is it because all of this is too unbelievable? I mean this is a world of swords and magic and look I even got a cheat-like silent chanting and a big pool of mana that I can't seem to use it all. I even got a handsome face and a loving parent. A teacher that will teach me what I want to know. A maid who will take care of me.

Yeah...everything makes this feel like a game. But why did I stop thinking like that? Is it because of Lucy? She is the one who always reminds me that this is a reality? I mean when I act stupid she scolds me and when I do something wrong she helps me correct it.

Even when she hurt me too much in a sparring match she always healed me first before asking if I was ok. Lucy feels more like a parent than a big sister. She feels more like a parent than Paul and Zenith.

"We back! We brought a doctor with us." Paul comes in and the door opens loudly. Zenith quickly guides the doctor to Lucy's room.

Paul sat down quietly in front of me." So… how is she doing? Did she wake up or not?" Paul asks and I shake my head.

He sighs lightly...as he slumps into the chair more. "It will be fine...She has been through a lot worse…" Eh? She has been through a lot worse?

"You never really tell me anything about your old party or Lucy. Why is that?" I ask.

"Hmm...It's not that complicated. it is just that when Zenith got pregnant with you We decided to disband the party and come to Buena. At that time Lucy wanted to stay with the Party but Elinalise told her to come with us. You see the ring and wooden charm she always has with her right? The ring on her neck and the charm on her sword? That was a ring from Ghislaine and Charm from Elinalise. The sword made by Talhand and the magic book both you and Lucy use is from Gesse."

Is that so...That's why she always treasures those things and always keeps them clean from dust.

"She...really treasures them," I mutter out and Paul hears it.

"That right...now that I think about it you wanna hear about our journey?"

"About your old party?"

"Yup." I nodded at him and then he started talking about it. We don't know how long it is but when Zenith comes back it is already dinner time.

The doctor that came with her has already left. "What did he say, Zenith?" Paul asks as we slowly eat dinner.

"Her body is normal. And that she should be waking up in about 1 or 2 days. But he said that he never saw anything like this before and said that it was probably the magic circle on her back. And he says that we should get a magician from the magic guild to look at her."

"The magic guild huh? There is no branch in Roa so we need to go to Sharia."

Zenith nod.

"Sorry but can you three look after the house while I and Zenith go to Sharia? It will probably take us around a month to get there."

"Understood. I will keep the house clean while waiting for your return." Lilia said and Roxy and I both nodded our heads.

The next day we all saw them off.

…..

"Nene! Miss, why are you staying with me for so long this time?" The little kid asked me.

I...don't know. Maybe I just like being here.

"Then will you give me your name?"

My name? What is my name?

"Ehhh, you don't even know your own name? Then I will give you my name first!"

The little girl said. Holding her hand out.

"My name is Anashia! Now give me your name!" The girl. Anashia said excitedly.

My name...is...I don't really know. Why don't you give me a name?

"Hmmm? Then...Anna! Because you only appear in front of me and you look like me too, so Anna!"

My...name is Anna. Huh...this feels weird...like it's not my name.

"You don't like it? Then the next time you come you will be having your own name right?"

Next time?

"I mean your body has already started to fade so you're going to go back now right?"

I look at My transparent body. It is really starting to fade.

Next time...I will give you my name.

I said giving the girl one last head pat before I felt myself fading.

….

"Huah! Ha...ha...ha...W-where am I?" I look around and it seems like I'm in some kind of room. I feel like I just woke up from a long dream…

Click.

I heard the sound of the door opening and I saw a woman in a robe walking inside. She stopped the moment she saw me waking up and quickly ran out.

And in just a few minutes I see both Paul and Zenith running toward me and holding me in a hug.

"Thank god...you ok," Zenith said, holding me harder. Gah! She is holding on too hard! Can't breathe!

"Z-zenith, I-i can't breathe," I said. Zenith realizing what she just did slowly released her hug.

I took a deep breath." So...what happened? " I ask her.

"After you and Roxy go fill the water reservoir. Roxy carried your unconscious body back to the house and since then you have been sleeping for more than 2 months."

"Eh? 2 months?" I ask and Zenith nods at my question. " I've been sleeping for 2 months? But it feels like yesterday when I filled that reservoir...and where are we anyway?"

"We are at a magic guild in Sharia," Paul said.

"S-sharia!? Isn't traveling alone already taking a month?! And what's more, the cost of staying here is High too! Let's go back home!" God why are we in Sharia anyway! This city is one of the highest cost cities in the continent and they have been staying here for a month! How many Asura gold coins have they lost already!

Grumble…

Everyone just stops at that sound. Both Zenith and Paul look at me and I look at the dead in the eyes.

"...Can we stop by for food? I feel strangely hungry...ahaha…ha…'' Both of them just held their laughter and took me to eat some of the local specialties.