Chapter 10
Graduation Part 2
Rudeus pov
The night went by quickly and before long the sun had already risen. Today is the day that Roxy will test me. The magic that I learn from her and the Final magic that she will teach me. Last night I didn't get a good sleep because I was thinking about graduation. Does this mean Roxy won't stay with us anymore? Will she leave us? Should I just fail this and make her stay with us?
"Rudy. Are you ready?" Lucy's voice suddenly rang in my ear. That's when I realized that we were already outside the house. I was hiding behind Zenith while Roxy was taking care of the horse.
"Come, Rudy let us go outside" As Roxy said that My body instantly moved behind Zenith more. It was instinct...My fear of the outside has been rooted this deeply. Even though I know that outside is not scary. But deep inside I feel like this is all a dream. What if the moment I went outside, I became my old self? In my old ugly body mooching off my parents in my trash-filled room playing games and masturbating day after day? What if I never change at all?
I...am scared. I don't want to go out. I just want to stay here. In my safe space forever.
"Rudy? Don't tell me you're scared of horses? So you still have a Child-like attitude." Roxy said as she smirked a bit.
"N-no...Why would I be scared...of horses?"
Without a warning, Roxy picked me up and put me on the horse. I want to protest but before I can say anything She already starts moving the horse toward the gate.
"M-master...I..don't think….I can do this!"
I start to feel my breathing getting rougher and my eye instinctively shuts itself. As we slowly move toward the gate I slowly feel like something bad is going to happen. I want to leave but Roxy's body is preventing me from falling off.
Then as we approach the gate. Nothing. Nothing is happening. I look around to see the scenery I've seen before from our backyard.
"It's ok Rudy. Caravaggio isn't scary at all. Look, he even seems happy that Rudy rode him."
"Really?" I started to look around but a guy on a horse was walking toward us. He stared at me. Shit, don't stare at me damn it.
"Good Morning Roxy. Today the young lady didn't come with you?"
"Good morning Mr. Faust. Lucy is staying behind today."
He is not staring at me? But at Roxy? They exchanged some words and then he just went away. What…This is not how I imagined it. What am I scared of?
"How is it, Rudy? Caravaggio isn't scary at all right?"
"...Yes, It's not scary at all," I replied as my body began to relax a little. I feel my breathing become more stable. As we rode our way toward the outside of the village we continued to see many villagers. We greet them all as they greet us back. Then our little journey comes to an end when we reach a Plain field.
"Master, why do we come this far? Is it because the spell is a secret?" I ask Roxy as she steps down the horse and slowly takes me down too.
"No. The reason we came this far is that the spell is very destructive. It will damage the Field and may hurt the villagers." She said, "Rudy. Watch closely and remember it well. I will only use this once and then You will have to do it."
As she said that she slowly walked toward the field. holding her staff up into the air she slowly starts the incantation.
"Grand spirit of water and imperial prince of lightning who ascends the heavens, grant my wish and bring about a savage blessing. Display your might to insignificant beings. Strike awe with a blow of your divine hammer on the anvil, and cover the land in water! Ah, Rain! Sweep all else away and expel everything! Cumulonimbus!"
The moment she finished the Incantation The cloud that slowly gathered during the Incantation started to pour rain down. The rain that comes down actually hurts me. I move my arm to cover my face and in that moment lightning strikes and I hear the cry of a horse.
"AH! Caravaggio! W-what do we do, Rudy!"
"Master, calm down! Use healing magic!" We both panicked from a sudden Lighting strike. Roxy quickly uses healing magic on Caravaggio. He slowly gets up and both of us breathe a sigh of relief.
"Ahem…Now go, Rudy! I will be Protecting Caravaggio. So go and perform that spell."
I smiled lightly as I began to walk toward the Plain field. Alright since this may be the last time or not but I want to send her away without worrying about me. So let's do this!
"Huuuu….I will start now!"
…..
Clang!
The sword between me and Paul clashes against each other as My sword slowly pushes him back. Paul quickly did a leg swipe but I jumped backward and avoided it on time. He didn't give me a moment to rest as he approached me in a matter of seconds. With a wide swing of his sword, the tip of it almost reached my throat.
I kicked up the sand straight to his eye but he backed away with a quick jump.
"Are you trying to kill me? That was a real sword ya know?" I asked while ready my stance for our next exchange.
"If you get killed like this then I will lose my face you know? My own daughter who I teach can't even handle this much. Oh poor me!" Paul said with a smirk as he continued to mock me. I can feel the blood rushing to my head as I try to calm down.
"...Ok I will get serious!" As I said that. Ice starts to form around me. In the shape of a Lance, I launch them toward Paul without hesitation. Paul smiled a bit as he rushed at me while destroying all my magic with his sword.
I cast more and more spells at him but he still keeps moving forward toward me. Just as we were about to face each other Paul fell down head first to the ground.
"Hehe...Ahahaha! You really are an idiot! I mean you are so focused on moving forward that you forgot your footwork!" As I laugh at him Paul gets up and his face is red to the point that it almost resembles a Tomato.
"Oi! You're playing dirty, Lucy!" He said that as he chased me but I ran away from him. We run around like this until we start to feel tired.
As we just fell down toward the ground I made two cups with Earth magic, filled them up with Ice cold water, and handed one cup to Paul.
Paul took it and began to gulp it down quickly." Ha...Magic is convenient huh? Anyway, why didn't you go with Rudy and Roxy? You are her disciple too, right?"
"Nah. I'm not. At most, I just learn a bit of magic with her. And most importantly I have no talent for other magic than water and healing magic." I said as I slowly drank the water. Paul handed me the cup again so I refilled it.
"That's not the reason, right?" Paul said as he looked at the gate Rudy just went out of.
"...This is not my moment. It's Rudy. He finally went outside after all. I want him to know that outside is not scary and who can do the job better than Roxy who taught him for two years?" I said while looking at my cup. "And I already talked with Roxy before this too."
As we talk about other things while resting I suddenly feel something approaching me at high speed. I pick my sword up and be on guard but there is nothing there.
"What the matter Lucy?"
"...No I'm just paranoid I think?"
What is that? I was sure that I felt something approaching me.
I sheath my sword and sit down again. "Hah...I feel really tired today. Maybe just another round of spar and stop for today?"
"Sure, let's finish this quickly and go inside. I feel like it's going to rain." Paul said as he pointed at the dark cloud gathering around the village.
I nodded at him and started our sparring sessions.
….
Rainy day, rainy day, I like it;
My mother will come here with my umbrella,
Pitch pitch, chap chap, run run run!
Bag on my shoulder, I follow my mother;
A bell is ringing somewhere,
Pitch pitch, chap chap, run run run!
Oh oh, that girl is dripping wet;
She is crying under the willow,
Pitch pitch, chap chap, run run run!
Mother, mother, I'll lend my umbrella;
"Hi girl, use this umbrella,"
Pitch pitch, chap chap, run run run!
I am all right, don't worry,
Mother will take me in her big umbrella,
Pitch pitch, chap chap, run run run!
Ahahah! What is this song?! It is from her memory and what more it is not in any language we know! Heee...where does this song come from? But it's quite a good song, right?
Oh, look! She felt me approaching her! She finally started to feel us right, Mother?
The little girl ran around the backyard of the Greyrat household. But nobody even saw her. No one even felt her.
Stop that Ann. The woman who was sitting still like a doll suddenly spoke up. She was a beautiful woman but her eyes were lifeless to the point that even a doll looked more alive than her. Her body was bound with many chains and magic circles.
Ehhhh? But I am your Real daughter, aren't I? I mean she is just a byproduct of your magic. If only she was not here then I would be out there having fun…
The little girl who looks exactly like Lucelia suddenly stops running. She slowly approaches the Woman. As her hand touches the woman's face lightly a light shines from her hand and all of the chains tighten up in an instant. The woman just looked at her without any expression and no sound came out of her mouth.
You're the one who keeps me here. The one who takes My life away from me and now you will even take my fun time away from me? Who do you think you are? You are just a broken doll that no one will pick up. So shut up and just watch.
When the girl finished speaking a smile returned to her as she began to run around the field again.
…..
Rain fell a bit. It is already evening when Roxy comes back with Rudy. He had a smile on his face. I never saw him smile like that before. It was a childish smile that fit him.
"Well then Everyone. Thank you for taking care of me these past two years." Roxy said as she bowed down toward us. Next to her is all of her stuff.
"You can stay here longer you know, Roxy. There are still a lot of recipes I haven't taught you yet." Zenith said.
"Although I appreciate your offer. These past two years have made me realize that there is still a lot to learn out there. So I will be traveling around and learning more things." Roxy said with a smile.
"Here. I made this for you this afternoon so eat it quickly." I handed her a box made out of magic. Inside is the food I prepare for her.
"Thank you, Lucy." Roxy takes it and smiles at me.
Rudeus is the one who looks the most depressed. He held onto the wand that Roxy gave him yesterday. "Do you need to go?" He asked.
Roxy just sighs lightly and kneels down in front of Rudeus. She takes out her necklace and slowly wears it for Rudeus. "Rudy, If it is you I know you will surpass me one day. That's why don't be sad. Because I acknowledge you. Let's meet again in the future."
As she said that she slowly walked away. We all silently watch as Roxy's small body is getting smaller. Suddenly Rudy ran after her and stopped just a few 20 meters away from her.
"Master! Thank you so much! Let us meet again!" He yells out loud but Roxy never turns back and just keeps walking forward.
Boring…!
"Huh?" I suddenly heard someone. The voice that feels familiar to me for some reason. It's like I know this voice.
"What's wrong, Lucy?" Zenith asks me in a worrying voice but I just shake my head and walk back to the house.
I just think to myself that's all. That's right I just think to myself.