(Loki’s P.O.V)

Please
give it to the staff at the counter in the exit where your guardian is waiting.”

   I nod and
received it.

‘Heh! 4 stars mana affinity and 4 stars illusion magic
affinity huh. It looks like I really need to search for spirit phantasm artifact.
Without system and other kind of cheats it would be a hard mode for me.’

   At the exit I
saw Mother Nortia waiting for us. She waved at me I approach her then she
brought me at the counter. I gave the pass card to the staff and we waited a
little before the staff gave the citizenship card to mother Nortia and wait for
the others to be finished. While we were sitting in the waiting area she
congratulated me while covering our area with magic arts to masked our voice to
be able to talk comfortably and our real conversation won’t be heard our by
others. According to the series this is a high rank magic art that needed a high
level skill that are usually by high ranking nobles. She’s definitely not
normal mother of an orphanage.

   “Congratulations
on your mana awakening and aptitude test. You’re really amazing on having
4stars in both mana and illusion affinity. Unfortunately you don’t have any
elemental affinity. You liked them do you?”

   ‘Yeah this
world is really stingy for not giving me any elemental affinity. Well I can
search for spirit phantasm artifact later after I learned martial art and sword
art at a passable level to dive into a high labyrinth  and great labyrinth.’

   “Not Really I
also like Illusion arts.”

  ‘It was the
strongest mental attack after all. In theory based on other novels if I can
improve it into an spiritual level of attack then It could become a cheat level
skill. It was easier to be said than to be done because it would be a whole new
art but it’s worth a try.

   “Cool kid as
ever huh.”

  She covered
her mouth and laugh elegantly. ‘What are you a noble woman? A former maid of a high
rank noble or a former lady in waiting? I’m curious but I choose to ignored it.
My experience in reading novels told me to not care about it.

    A red haired
kid came out of the crowd. Bern grinning from ear to ear while waving at us.

  ‘Ah! There was
something good happened to him.’

  He ran towards
us and gave his pass card to mother Nortia. She looks so happy even though she
just smiled after she read Bern’s pass card. He was still having his wide grin
when he asked me.

  “Hey Loki!
Guess what?”

  “You’ve got a high affinity with fire
congratulations.”

  I nonchalantly said. Not just Bern even mother
Nortia widened her eyes in shock while looking at me. Bern is still in his jaw
drop jpeg. questioned me.

   “How? How did
you know? Did you get mind reading affinity?”

  “Nah! That was
just too obvious.”

  Bruh! We are in
an anime world. Your name was Bern, your hair and eyes were red and with your
personality? I would laugh hard if you got water affinity.

   “What ever
the reason you guessed it right. He got 3 stars in both mana and fire affinity.”

   I just nod.
Not bad! 1star is bad affinity, 2 stars are average, 3 stars are high affinity
4 stars are prodigies and 5 stars are so called monstrous geniuses like the
protagonist of the series.

   “No no no!
I’m not convinced. Mother Nortia just what the heck is his affinities?”

   He asked impatiently while pointing his index
finger at me. It looks like his language really irritates her. This is the time
I knew he f*cked up. Well he really is lucky this time because we are in public
she just stared at him coldly and said.

  “MANNERS”

 “Eeep! Mother
Nortia could you please tell me his affinities?”

     He
rephrased his question to survive. A wise decision indeed. She looked as if
asking my permission. I just nod. She looked back at Bern and answered.

   “4 stars at both mana and illusion affinity.”

 His eyes and
mouth widened in surprise. He looked at me with worshiping eyes and said.”

  “A legendary
prodigy. Okay let’s play a game.”

  “What game?”

  “Guess what
affinities does others have.”

  “Nope.” I
refused but he keeps pestering me.

  “Oh come on! You guessed mine you should guess
others too.”

  “What kind of
logic is that?”

  We keeps our banter until we saw a blue haired
girl in the crowd. Micia meekly approached us and gave her pass card to mother
Nortia.

   “Now guess
what.”

   “Ok just stop
pestering me. Average water or healing affinity.”

   Looking at us
mother Nortia sighed as if she’s given up on something.

    “Mother
Nortia is he right?

   “Yes 3 stars
at mana affinity and 2 stars at water recovery. A sub attribute of water affinity.”

  “Wow. Nothing
less from a legendary prodigy.”

 Micia tilted
her head not knowing what’s happening.

   Bwahahahaha! I guessed it perfectly. A blue
haired childhood friend with an average healing powers. Hahahaha! I already
know where it leads. I mean she’s always with him and following him around it
only needs a blockhead like Bern to not know that she likes him.

  “Hey Micia did
you know that cool kid is a legendary prodigy?”

  “Means?” She
asked cluelessly.

 “He got 4 stars
in both mana and illusion affinities.”

 “Wow!”

 “Hehe! Cool
right?”

 Micia pouted
after hearing Bern’s praise.

 ‘Hmph! Bern is cooler.’
She thought.

 ‘But this is
not even my final form.’ I thought

 Hahahaha! I
don’t need to be an esper to know what she’s thinking and I’m enjoying this.

    Out of the crowd we saw a kid with blond hair
and taller than me and Bern. Niron walked towards us with a sad face. He gave
his pass card to mother Nortia and let out a sigh of dissatisfaction.

   “Isn’t it sad to bet about him with that kind
of face.”

 I whispered to Bern.

  “Yes but
aren’t you curious about it? You know we cannot cheer him up if we don’t know
the reason why he’s sad.”

   I put my hand on my chin and think.

“I don’t know, I’m not sure. Probably earth. One thing
is for sure he definitely got 1 star magic affinity.”

 “Yeah I thought
so.”

 “You know what
I suddenly felt nervous. I kind of had a bad feeling about Lena.”

   ‘This kind of
pattern gives me a bad feeling.’

 “No way! Don’t
jinx it! Lets just hope that what you’re thinking won’t happen.”

  He got what I’m trying to say. He’s a
blockhead but he got a good intuition. I don’t how does it work. Maybe an anime
logic. He’s not even the protagonist who is not yet even born.

 “I’ll go to cheer
him up what about you?”

  “Just go”

 He patted Niron’s
back and said with a wide smile.

  “Hey buddy
come on cheer up. I am sure that aunt Maya has cooked us a lot of delicious
foods in the orphanage. Let’s just eat until we burst out of satisfaction.”

  He just nod.

 “Don’t think
too much about it just stay strong and positive. I am sure that good things
will come. You have us, mother Nortia, aunt Maya, uncle Gerard, the caretakers
and our friends in the orphanage even senior brothers and sisters out of the
orphanage. We are all family that will help each other anytime so I am sure
that everything will be all right.”

   Tears started to fall from his eyes.

 “Yeah you’re
right.”

   He said while
wiping his eyes continuously with his hands. Then mother Nortia take out a handkerchief
and gave it to him. This kind of scene can be seen everywhere here. Many children
who got a bad affinity had the same reaction. However there is something that
amazed me.

   ‘What did I
just witness? Is that the same of what I’m thinking? The legendary T.N.J.? He
has a charisma stats?’

   Not long
after that a crying blond haired girl Lena ran fast towards to mother Nortia
and hug her tightly and cried loudly. It doesn’t need to be a genius to know
what happened. She has a bad affinity with mana. She continued crying not even mother
Nortia’s hug, Micia’s caressing and Bern’s smooth words can calm her down.

 

Bern looked at me with a panic expression as if saying.

 ‘Bro you jinxed
it. Help!’

   I look back at him and shrug with a helpless smile
and replied in our wordless staring conversation

  ‘I also don’t
know what to do.’

   After mother
Nortia received all of our citizenship cards we searched for brother Jasam in
the parking lot who’s feel very sad about Niron’s and Lena’s test result and
returned back to the orphanage. We ate a lot in the evening, bath and returned
to our room while Misha is still hugging the crying Lena and Niron still had a
sad expression then we fell asleep earlier than usual.

(Mother Nortia’s P.O.V.)

“*Sigh*
what a tiring day.”

   I sighed I’m not tired physically but mentally
because 2 of my children are depressed because of the result of their test, one
felt inferior to her crush and 2 got excellent result but I’m sure that they
will live a life full of danger. Then my maid and friend Maya came to me with a
cup of tea.

  “Good work
madam, here’s the tea.”

  “Thank you, but I thought yesterday is the last
one of this tea so I thought you would buy a cheaper tea.”

  “Yes ma’am
that’s the plan but his excellency has sent this merkada tea and this letter
today.”

   She handed me
the letter and I nod

“Um I received it thank you.”

  I saw a book
in the pocket of her apron.  Florentia : The Vanished Villainess
is written on the title.

 “You’re still reading
that?” I asked.

 “I just like it
like cool boy Loki. We even talking about it when I was teaching him how to
cook. Most girls read Queen Kleatrice and other princess fairy tales and
the boys just read about knights, hunters and adventurers. Loki is the only one
I could talk about it.”

  “Well Queen
Kleatrice Denise Averiala is the current queen so its natural for the young
girls to admire her. Not to mention that it’s the book that was used as a
political campaign for her at that time When elite nobles are against her for becoming
the fiancé of the crown prince and now the king and that annoying incident was
still hot or rather the rumors about it is just becoming more and more
annoying. Also Loki is just as weird as you so I’m glad that you’ve got a
comrade.” I chuckled a little.

  “Eeeeh!? Madam
why?”

 “Are you going
to deny it?”

 “No”

 “Good”

“Now that you mentioned it madam he’s smart, diligent
and considerate but he is weird sometimes. Like when I was teaching him how to cook
because he asked me. While other boys are playing with sticks and pretending to
be knights or adventures. He’s either studying, exercising or asking me how to
cook. There are also times that he’s saying some uncomprehensive words like
when we where talking about the book while cooking he said tsundere? If I’m not
wrong and when I asked him what’s that he said that someone who is stoic, hard
and cold on the outside but actually a warm, soft and kind person. I laugh hard
on how accurate and perfect the description.”

  I can barely
maintain my stoic expression because of her mumblings.

 “I see but
don’t worry about that unlike you who a was born weird to be weird. He’s a
prodigy and not even wrong to call him a genius who is devoid from common
sense.”

 “Madam! You’re
so cruel to me!”

 “Are you going
to deny it?”

 “No”

 “Good”

 “Genius huh, even
my husband said the same he even called him monstrous. I got angry at him for
calling a cute child a monster then he explained why. He said that unlike
others kids that eyes are wondering around and has no direction even Bern who
has a potential surpassing him by a lot is the same. Loki is different because
his eyes are already set on something. Although he don’t know what exactly it
is he guessed that it is power or something related to it whether it is intentional
or it is his fate only Loki and time could tell.”

  “Yes I get
what he’s talking because I also feel the same. I’m someone who got trained by
sword and magic since young age because I am a prodigy with two elements and
you and your husband knows it since you guys are my maid and guard since I was
a young lady so if someone like Gerard could tell so of course I could also
tell. I’m the child’s mother after all but there are still times that I was
surprised by the children’s abilities and behaviors like earlier.

    That child Loki got illusion magic but never
complained unlike other children as if he already knows how he is going to use
his magic before he could learn arts. After that he perfectly predicted
everyone’s affinity in nonchalant manners. I guess it is because of their
personality like how Bern’s personality that is lively and bright like fire and
Micia who has a calm personality but can easily change and influenced by her
environment and people around her just like how water change depending on its
container. It still doesn’t make sense because people has different personalities
and still same affinities. Even if there are multiple affinities and sub
attributes it still doesn’t make sense to me. Also Bern who supposed to be an
energetic blockhead has a surprisingly good intuition. He doubt Loki logically at
first but when he cleared his doubt he trust him with his instinct since he
acknowledged that he is not good with thinking something complicated. Then
those two started whispering to each other. When Loki suddenly felt nervous
because of Lena as he said. I don’t even know what he’s talking about but when
Bern said that don’t jinxed it I connected the dots and finally know what
they’re talking about. I confirmed it after Lena ran to me crying. Then they
started their wordless conversation using their eyes. Bern asking for help and
Loki’s helpless reply. The wordless conversation happens in the military but
that’s after facing countless life and death situation together for decades and
they’re only 7 years old for the damn sake!. Even if I’m also classified as a
prodigy when I’m at their age. I’m not as abnormal as them!.”

  “Madam you
really have change a lot since the first time I served you. I’m so glad and
happy that you could open to me like this and treat me like a friend. That’s straight
371 words from ‘Yes I get what he’s talking’ to ‘I’m not as abnormal as them’
you know hehehe.”

  *Pffft!!* I
spit my tea after I heard her. She’s so weird that I don’t know what to say.

  “Madam are you
okay?”

  “Yes I’m fine
but you’re the last person I want to hear about changing. Heh! I remember two
idiots who were afraid asking permission to get married because they want to
continue to serve me even though I gave up aristocracy and just want to take
care unfortunate children. They thought I have something against marriage even
though I know everything about them and look at you teasing me now.”

  “Tsundere
Hehehe! But madam it’s inevitable for us to get nervous about it after that incident.
You never falls in love again after that. It’s hard to be alone in life without
a partner after all.”

  I changed my demeanor from a mother of an
orphanage to a warrior.

  “Hmph! Don’t
underestimate me Maya. I have a pride of a strong sword mage in strength, power
and experience.

   I have a will that forged by life and death
battles and lead my people into a miraculous victory.

  I leave all
those fame, honor and authority behind my former name and face just like what
you and Gerard did when you decided to follow me to live an ordinary life.

   I have
vowed to raise and protect the abandoned innocent victims of the tragedy of
this world as long as I can reach them. The unfortunate orphans who was
forgotten and abandoned by hope and happiness. I would reach those children and
treat them as my own.

I
will give them love that they need, food to eat, shelter that will be called
home, warm clothes to wear and education that they will use to change their
fate and to succeed in life. I will unflaggingly do that until they are strong
enough to jump in the cliff and fly freely in the vast sky.

  I would rather
take care of them rather than a grown man who can take care of himself. Remember
that Maya.”

   Hearing that Maya bowed in an elegant manner
and smiled.

   “My apologies for my poor choice of words my lady.
It seemed that no matter how much time would pass you are still my lord that I
vowed to accompany until the end of my life. The lady who opened and offered
her hand towards to a quarter breed like me in the darkest times of the mix
breeds even if I am a mother now I would still choose to serve you and my
husband would certainly do the same considering how much he has faith in you.”

  I nod in
acknowledgement and erased my aura.

“You know what Maya sometimes I still regret hearing
the death of my children that I raised because of the dangerous path that they
take. The path that I gave them as a dream. Still I will not stop and continue
what I started. My vow and oath.”

  “I know madam
I also feel the same but it’s not a reason to do everything yourself. You have
me my husband and the caretakers in the orphanage trust us, order us and
believe in us.”

 “Thank you I appreciate
it and it makes me feel better.”

  “I am glad to
help you.”