When Spiro and I stepped out of the forest path and into the open field, the first thing I noticed was the noise.
Half of the Children were laughing. While others are just standing around.
The sound felt… strange.
For a moment, I just stood there behind Spiro, staring at them. My chest felt tight, though I didn't know why. The scene was ordinary, just children gathering in a field, but something about it made my stomach twist.
Maybe it was because they looked normal.
Because they looked like children who still had homes to go back to.
"Brother Spiro, are you finished picking up the last boy?"
A cheerful voice suddenly rang out.
I looked toward the sound and saw a girl with long green hair waving energetically. Her arm moved high above her head as if she were greeting a returning hero instead of a tired man and a silent child.
The moment she called out, the field changed.
The other children who had been chatting or laughing gradually stopped what they were doing. One by one, they stood up and walked toward us.
No one gave orders.
No one shouted instructions.
Yet they naturally formed a straight line in front of us.
It was obvious they had already been training together for some time.
They knew their places.
They knew the routine.
I remained half a step behind Spiro, watching them carefully.
My eyes moved from one child to another automatically.
Checking hands.
Checking distance.
Checking where everyone stood.
I didn't even realize I was doing it until my gaze had already circled the entire group.
Old habits.
Or maybe fear.
Spiro stopped in front of them.
So I stopped too.
For a moment, the field became quiet.
Six pairs of eyes were staring at me.
Curious.
Interested.
Some cautious.
Some friendly.
Spiro cleared his throat and gestured toward me.
"This is the last one," he said simply. "His name is Rick Avenir. Seven years old. His clan's bloodline ability is related to mana perception and control."
The moment he said Avenir, several of the children blinked.
I saw a few glances exchanged between them.
They had heard the name before.
I could tell.
"…Take care of each other," Spiro added calmly.
Then he stepped aside slightly.
That seemed to be the signal.
The children began introducing themselves.
The girl with green hair stepped forward first.
Up close, I could see that she wasn't much taller than me, but the way she stood made her feel bigger. Her shoulders were straight, and her eyes were bright with excitement.
"I'm Margaretha Duvent, nine years old!" she said proudly.
Her voice was loud and clear.
"Our clan specializes in controlling wind."
She puffed her chest slightly when she said that, like a small bird showing off its feathers.
Then she leaned forward slightly and looked at me with a wide grin.
"You should call me big sister, right?" she said with a giggle. "Hehehe."
I blinked.
Big sister.
The word hit somewhere strange inside my chest.
For a brief moment, a memory flickered.
A dinner table.
Warm light.
My mother smiles while placing food on the table.
I quickly looked away.
"…Hello," I said quietly.
Margaretha tilted her head slightly, studying my face, but she didn't say anything else.
The next person stepped forward.
A silver-haired boy.
He was easily the biggest among us. Even though he was only nine years old, his shoulders were broad, and his arms looked strong under his clothes.
He stood straight like a soldier.
"I'm Robert Balcier," he said.
His voice was deep for a child.
"Nine years old."
His eyes briefly scanned me from head to toe. It wasn't hostile, but it was sharp, like he was measuring something.
"Our clan has steel bones," he continued. "So don't mess with us."
He said it plainly.
Not as a joke.
Not as a threat.
Just a statement.
I nodded slowly.
With a body like his, it wasn't hard to imagine what "steel bones" might look like in a fight.
When he stepped back into line, another boy casually walked forward.
Black hair.
Black clothes.
And a relaxed smile that looked slightly mischievous.
"Hello there," he said brightly.
"I'm Theodosys Assombrir. Eight years old. But you can call me Theo."
He gave a little bow like he was greeting an audience.
"Our clan can turn ourselves into shadows and hide inside them," he said proudly. "Very useful skill, right? Especially when escaping, spying, sneaking, stealing snacks—"
He paused.
"Oh, and Brother Spiro is my older brother," he added quickly. "But don't worry! He doesn't treat me specially. Actually, he treats me worse sometimes. Very unfair, honestly."
He scratched his head dramatically.
"I like good meat, by the way," he continued. "And since training here is probably going to be very painful, we should try to enjoy life whenever possible. Oh! Also…"
He kept talking.
And talking.
And talking.
I felt my head start to ache slightly.
Then…
"That's enough, Theo."
Spiro's calm voice cut through the air.
Theo froze mid-sentence.
"…Right," he said awkwardly.
He scratched the back of his head and laughed.
"Hehe."
He quickly returned to the line.
I quietly exhaled.
He talks too much.
Next stepped forward a boy with fiery red hair and sharp eyes.
His gaze was calm, almost cold.
"I'm Agni Lafeu," he said.
"Seven years old."
His voice was steady.
"We can control fire."Then he stepped back.
That was it.
Short.
Simple.
Direct.
For someone with such blazing hair, his personality seemed strangely calm.
The last child hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.
She had red hair like Agni's, but her posture was completely different.
Her shoulders were slightly hunched.
Her hands were gripping the edge of her sleeve nervously.
"I… am… Pritha… Lafeu…"
Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.
"Six… years old…"
She glanced nervously toward Agni.
"Agni's… sister…"
Then she quickly stepped back and half-hid behind him.
Agni didn't react, but he shifted slightly so she was less exposed.
…She's small.
And shy.
Something about the way she hid reminded me of something.
Another memory flashed.
Cave of honor.
I was crying alone quietly.
Frans is telling me to run away.
My chest tightened again.
I pushed the memory down before it could grow.
After everyone finished introducing themselves, Spiro clapped his hands once.
The sharp sound echoed across the field.
"Alright," he said.
"I will explain your training schedule again from the beginning."
All of the children immediately straightened their posture.
Even Theo stopped fidgeting.
...
...
I can't really grasp what Spiro says all the time. It was a long and detailed explanation.
Spiro finished explaining and crossed his arms.
"That is your life now," he said.
No one spoke for a moment.
Then Margaretha suddenly leaned toward me again.
"So, Rick," she said cheerfully, "can you really see mana?"
Theo immediately jumped in.
"Yeah! Can you see ours? Do I look cool? My shadow ability is very cool, you know."
Pritha peeked at me from behind Agni.
Even Robert glanced over quietly.
Their curiosity surrounded me all at once.
Too many eyes.
Too many voices.
My chest tightened slightly.
"…Yes," I said quietly.
Theo leaned closer.
"What color is mine?"
"…Grey."
"Oh! That's boring!"
Margaretha laughed.
Robert said nothing, but he studied my face carefully.
Agni simply watched silently.
Pritha gave a small, shy smile.
For the first time since arriving...
I realized something.
These children were going to be beside me every day.
Training.
Fighting.
Suffering.
Sleeping in the same place.
A strange thought appeared quietly in my mind.
Maybe…
Just maybe…
I wouldn't have to face everything alone anymore.
But I didn't say that out loud.