The radiance of the warm sunlight shines through the tree leaves, and the sky is dyed with a crimson glow. It was currently 6 am in the morning.
Whoosh~ Whoosh~
A similar sound he had heard many times sounded, it was the sound of a wooden sword cutting through the air; he had gotten completely used to that familiar sound.
Three years had passed by in the blink of an eye since Ellen had left the mansion. Kenta kept his daily routine. He had spent his entire time training.
As a result, his muscles had gotten more developed, his body had become slightly bulkier, and his experience with a sword had also gotten sharper. He was now 14 years old.
His bright blonde hair has also grown slightly longer than it was three years ago.
"I think that's enough for today." He muttered to himself. Kenta then went back inside the mansion. "Kenta, you were training again?" A girl with slightly long, pink-coloured hair said in a gentle tone.
"Yes, I don't want my body to become sluggish, so I made sure not to miss a single day of training." He said with a wry smile on his face.
Within three years, Charlotte's body had become more proportionate, her childish face had become more mature throughout the years, and her usual shy nature had died down. She had become far bolder than she was before. Charlotte had tried to become better friends with Kenta. At first, Kenta find it quite annoying.
However, eventually he had gotten used to her presence beside him, and they could finally converse naturally with each other.
"Oh, fufu… I notice you have actually gotten a bit bulkier recently."
"Is that so… Haha… I didn't notice." Kenta scratch his head awkwardly.
He had indeed gotten a lot stronger since his training. Once he turns 16, he plans to finally leave the orphanage.
'Yes, there is somewhere I want to go. Once I'm finally out, I can go there.' He thought.
"By the way. Shouldn't we go? It seems like everyone is awake now. So, breakfast should be ready soon." She said with a wide smile on her face.
"Sure." Kenta nodded his head gently to her.
…
"Ah, everything here is so dull, I wish. Something was entertaining here besides studying." A handsome boy with long, silky brown hair said.
"When did studying become entertaining?" Kenta said to Rick, who was seated before him.
"Isn't that the only thing we do these days?" He said, complaining.
"Sigh… you're always complaining about something different every day, why can't you be more cheerful?"
A girl with long, wavy blue hair said in a sullen tone, "Nessa, why do you have to retort to everything I say?"
"Because your complaining is really annoying, you know." Watching the two bickering with the other, Kenta let out a short sigh. It's always like that with them. It's amazing how much he has gotten used to this.
"Does everyone here know what they want to do once they leave?" He asked curiously. "Hmm… I honestly never gave it much thought." Rick said while making a pondering gesture.
"I want to attend the medical academy for healers," Nessa said.
"Academy for healers, you say. Do you want to learn healing magic?" Kenta asked curiously.
"Yes, my mother was a healer, so I should be able to become one too, right?"
'Hmm. According to the books I have read so far, Magic is passed down through the bloodline as long as someone in your family has a particular magic power, the chances of the children having it are extremely high.' Kenta mused to himself.
'My mother was also a magic user, so there is a chance I also have inherited her magic.' He thought.
"I think that's a good dream to have." He said, showing a small smile on his face.
"I agree, learning how to use healing magic, you'll be able to save a lot of sick people." Charlotte also praises Nessa with shining eyes. "Do-Don't praise me too much," Nessa said, ducking her head with a red face. It was a cute gesture.
Unimaginable from her usually dauntless self. "What about you, Charlotte?" Nessa inquired in order to divert the topic of the conversation away from herself.
"Me… well, I also haven't given it much thought." She said while making a serious face.
"Well, we still have two more years; there is no need to rush into things," Rick said.
"I agree." Nessa nodded her head.
"And you, Kenta, are you going to say, when I get out, I'll go get revenge?" Nessa said, peering at Kenta's face closely. Hearing her words, Kenta's face became slightly awkward.
"Well, I can't deny that. But I won't, at least not yet. Before that, there are some things I must do first." He muttered.
"Mn, somethings, you say." Nessa sent Kenta a curious look. "Unfortunately, I can't say, please understand." He said with a wry smile on his face.
"…. Sigh, I won't force you, but you owe me one, okay." She said while showing an impish smile.
The talk went on for another hour until Kenta decided to go back towards his room alone. Once he was alone.
He flops down onto his bed while gazing at the white ceiling. He had many thoughts occupying his mind.
"Dreams for the future, huh." He uttered to no one in particular.
"What is it that I want?" He asked himself. His goal of revenge hasn't weakened at all through the last three years; his anger towards the ones who took his parents away from him only grew stronger.
He tried not to think about it too much, but even so, the nightmares he kept having haven't changed.
As though it was reminding him of his goal. And so, his resolve remained unshaken. As time continued, that feeling was slowly growing more and more intense.
Kenta then closed his eyes and allowed his consciousness to be swallowed by the blackness.
…
Inside a small, rundown building, ten bulky men stood there, each carrying a sword that had a small gemstone embedded inside it.
They were well-known to the people of the kingdom of Barat, as they were the most popular group of thieves in the nation. And are a part of various criminal acts.
However, whenever the knights would try to capture one of the members, they would promptly take their own lives, making it difficult to get any information from them.
"It seems we have received a new request." A rather built man wearing a grey suit sat around a table.
"Hmm… request, huh, what kind of request is that?" The man who was standing at the corner of the room asks curiously. Hearing his question, the boss smiled.
"It's an easy job; all we have to do is rob an orphanage." The boss said.
"Rob an orphanage. What exactly is inside the orphanage for us to rob?" Another man standing at the corner of the room asked.
"Apparently, there is a lunar stone somewhere inside the orphanage." The boss replied.
"L-Lunar stone, you say." The man muttered, dumbfounded. Lunar stones were special stones that were worth a billion. They were not that different from diamonds and gold.
Seeing the reaction of his men, the boss smiles from ear to ear. "Now that we are aware that a treasure like that. Is right underneath our nose, won't it be simple to get our hands on it?" The boss said.
"So, you're not going to accept the request then?" Another man asked, staring at his boss in exasperation.
"Ahaha… what's the point of getting a few gold coins, when we could be getting billions instead?" He said in a slightly loud voice.
"I want five of you to sneak into that orphanage and get me that stone." He said, gazing at the men before him. In his eyes, an intense look of greed could be felt.
"Understood." They all said simultaneously. Five of them then left the room together. "Hehe he… to think a valuable item like this was so close by." He muttered in an inaudible voice.