I'm four years old now. My lessons with Roxy-sensei continued smoothly. She was very slowly and meticulously covering advanced spells, making sure to explain the theory behind each spell. It's kind of sad to admit but my lessons with Roxy are the first time between both my lives I've talked with someone my age about my interests, not that she knows she's my age.
Mechamaru had listened to other people talk to him, but he was just a character I played, I can't exactly count that as me. I did talk about the things I hate with that panda but I don't want to count that. I broke character pretty badly in that fight, seeing that thing get to walk around freely was just too much to bear…
Back to Roxy she's really become a part of the family, some days she helps Paul with his knightly duties and Zenith down at the clinic. I need to step up my game or they might start to like her more than me. Maybe that's good though, if they like her enough maybe they will get her to stay once she's taught me all she knows.
After Roxy's lessons I'm thrown back to Paul. I've gotten used to his conditioning but I don't like my whole body hurting like this, it makes me feel like i'm back in the bath. It's a different kind of pain but I doubt I'll ever be able to shake this feeling. As for Paul he seems to be happy about my progress, which was good enough for me.
Recently everyone in the house seems to be sharing some kind of secret. Over the past few months everyone has been making trips to Roa. If it was just Paul that would be one thing, but Zenith and Roxy have been going too. Lilia never goes but whenever I ask her about it she just acts like it's normal. I know there isn't a festival coming up so what is it?
I went a whole year without an answer.
Roxy has been with us for a year and a half now, and today she is helping Lilia and Zenith prepare a feast. A full animal roast, 4 different pies, and a host of other delights. Zenith had brought out every herb in the book for this! Not that we have a book of herbs. Considering they were all busy I decided to ask Paul about it, if we were having important guests I'd like to know.
"Dad, what's this big meal for?"
"Hmm Rudi, isn't it obvious?"
"Not really no"
"Listen Rudi, there are three important times in a boy's childhood." Paul declared. He was getting louder and standing on ceremony, he could be a blowhard sometimes. "When you turn 5 you stop being a baby and stop being treated like one, at 10 you start to find your life's path and at 15 you become a man."
"But dad, didn't you stop treating me like a baby over a year ago?"
"Thats not important… whats important is that we need to celebrate these important milestones in your life."
"Oh…" I wanted to say more but the words got caught in my throat. I've seen birthday celebrations before but never had one. Nobody would want to have a celebration around a deformed and bitter creature like me. Even if they pitied me enough to set it up, my father would have shot down the idea. Misery bred curses and with curses came sorcery. It was a fallacious way to think but it worked for the big three clans. Before I could get deeper into my head Paul spoke up again.
"Rudi you don't need to think so hard about it, today is your day so just enjoy it as it comes." Was my face that telling? I guess he's right though.
"I'll do that dad" I called to him obediently before taking my leave. I would have a while until all of the food was done so I went to get some outdoor magic training done. Paul followed me out. "Dad, do you need something?" In response to my question he walked to the edge of our yard.
"Rudi, come here real quick" as soon as I obeyed he scooped me into his arms.
"Dad, I thought you said turning five meant you wouldn't treat me like a baby anymore!"
"Rudi this will probably be the last time you are ever held like this." His face had suddenly become contemplative as he spoke but he didn't continue. Paul was probably regretting letting me spend so much of my early life unsupervised. Having a kid like me is bound to baffle any parent. It's not really his fault it turned out like this. I'll stay here with him for a while, this is nice.
We watched the village for a while before a call came from the house. I couldn't hear the words but the intention was clear, it was time to eat. Paul put me down and shot me a pained expression.
"Let's go Rudi." With that we made our way inside.
The dining room table had a magnificent spread across it and the smells alone had me salivating. We normally ate fairly sparse meals in the house or at the least nothing this opulent. Which worked out fine because food was never anything special to me. My sense of taste and smell were extremely dull so only the most pungent and strongly flavored foods had any taste for me. Zenith and Lilias cooking had more flavor than any food I had ever tasted but it wasn't by very much. This was different. Quickly after we were seated food was making it every which way across the table. Buttered rolls, meat pies, two roasted animals I had to try a bit of everything. Everything was so good that I couldn't stop. By the time everyone had eaten their fill, I swear I had eaten my body weight in food.
The Girls back at Jujutsu tech would talk about how good the food was at a place they went after a mission, had it been like this. No, Japan had access to international supply chains of the best herbs and spices in the world. Food was almost certainly better back home. How did people not get fat?
Seeing my satisfaction everyone smiled and looked at each other before all saying in tandem… "Happy Birthday Rudeus." Roxy, Zenith, Paul and even the normally distant Lilia all warmly wished me a happy birthday. They had all brought out gifts. It hadn't hit me before now. My whole life before this, had anyone ever been happy that I had been born. My birth parents had driven themselves to debt before giving me to the Muta clan. The Muta clan head just wanted me as a breeding stud. He had never been my father. Here I was loved.
It all came out at once. Tears and loud sobs, I had always been an ugly crier. The shock on everyone's faces was apparent. Rudeus hadn't cried the day he was born, but here now I was like a baby. Roxy, who was the closest to me, freaked out and seized. While Zenith had crossed the room in an instant to embrace me. Just like Paul she was warm and comforting while she whispered niceties into my ear. Paul joined shortly after but I couldn't see him through moms embrace. Right mom not zenith but mom. Paul, shouldn't be thinking of these two like they were just adults I happen to know. These two are my mother and father, the only ones I've ever had.
"Mom, dad, Roxy, Lilia… Thank you so much." I choked out between sobs. After that Mom pulled Lilia and Roxy in for a full family hug. Dad was the first to pull out followed by Lilia as he spoke up.
"Well anyways Rudi I've prepared two gifts for you." Maybe this was his way of changing up the mood but he got back in that forced grandstanding pose as he presented me with a sword. It was heavy, much too heavy for a kid my age. Before I could say anything Paul started another speech.
"Rudi, a man must always carry a sword in his heart. Even if you're too small for this one, when you grow up you'll need it. When you have a wife and kids it will be your duty to protect them." As he spoke the rest of the family let go of me to retrieve their gifts.
You're amazingly talented with magic but in close quarters where the sword excels you'll be at a disadvantage…"
I spotted mom coming up behind him so I decided to cut his speech short. "I see thank you Dad, what was the second gift?"
"Ahem, right it's this." It was a smaller wooden sword. "Starting tomorrow your sword training will begin and this will be your weapon." He finishes with a satisfied smile.
Even though I hadn't finished wiping away tears earlier, I couldn't help but chuckle a little. He wanted me to follow in his footsteps so badly but seeing my talent with magic he was worried I would forsake the sword completely. These gifts were mostly for himself or rather they were something he wanted me to want not something he knew I wanted.
Before mom could step up I hugged dads leg and thanked him again. The sword is definitely meant to be saved for the 15th birthday. It should be something like now that you are a man here is a real sword, use it only to protect the things you love or something like that. Regardless of that I would cherish it.
Next up was mom, who rather than staring above me with her arms crossed squatted down with her arms behind her back. She produced a book from behind her back. "I know Rudi likes books so I got you this." It was a plant encyclopedia and I had an immediate reaction. I think in the corner of my eye I saw Paul make a pained face, he must have seen my face light up.
I wanted some new reading material as I have been reading our five books for years. Not knowing anything about the local area had been a slight source of anxiety for me, but this would change that. "Thank you mom, it's just what I wanted." I had failed to hide my reaction so there was no point in guarding dad's pride now. For that I got another tight hug from her.
Last up was Roxy, Lilia didn't seem to have a gift which made sense. Roxy produced a wand. It was rather plain with a wooden shaft leading to a small metal cage at its head containing a red stone. After handing it to me she spoke up. "Rudi, I made this for you a few days ago. Normally a teacher is meant to give this to a student once they learned to use elementary magic since you had already mastered it. It slipped my mind, sorry." She paused for a moment to let me admire it before she continued,
"Not that you need it, but the magic stone will amplify your spells while you hold it." Roxy had sat down to look at me eye to eye like mom. When I looked at her face more than anything I wanted to say something like, thank you all treasure it forever Master but making her uncomfortable in public would be too much.
So I settled for a hug and "Thank you I'll treasure it Roxy." From there the pleasantries continued until the sun was down and I was left alone in my room. I was lying on my bed staring at the ceiling, wand in hand and sword on top of my chest. I couldn't rest but I couldn't focus enough to do my nightly training. So I drew the blade properly. It was a plain blade but it shined beautifully in the candle light. I've held Miwa-san's blade countless times but mechamaru could never appreciate the weight. Speaking of the weight, it was a good way to tire me out. I did dad a disservice today so I would make it up to him like this. So on the night I turned five years old I did practice swings until my arms were jelly.