THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

That was dangerous. I have let myself carried away too easily. I should have anticipated that those guys were aiming for me. I made a bad decision. I go back to our place and enter back by the window. But as I do, I see light shining through the space of the door. Did they wake up?

I hear footsteps coming to my door as well so I enter my bed with my bleeding shoulder and cover myself with the bedsheets. Somebody immediately enters, as if waiting for it.

"Hey, you are still sleeping?! There is a problem outside!"

It's Cordel. Thank goodness, if it was one of those two, they would certainly enter and check me.

"Are we under attack?"

"No, I don't think so but-"

"Then let me sleep. I am tired."

"Huh…Okay." He closes my door silently and I get out of bed after that. I rapidly remove my armor and puts it back in my bracelet then heal my shoulder.

"Shit." I look at my bed and the bedsheet is dirty and with a small puddle of blood near the pillow. If somebody sees that-

My door opens again. I turn around but Lanuvel and Farner have already entered, closing the door behind them.

"You did it again right?"

"No, I…" Their faces are already speaking. I won't get away by lying. "I am sorry."

"Was it worth it at least?" Lanuvel is the first to ask. Since she knows what happened in the morning, she must be more comprehensive.

"Yes, I think so." I have a firm grasp of that guy's strength now so I can't say I wasted all my time.

"Good. Then that what we will put on your grave." That's unnecessary Farner. "Lanuvel told me somebody called you an abandoned child. Is that true?"

"What? The fact that I was called that?"

"No, have you truly been abandoned?"

"Yeah." Farner's face changes from anger to absolute sadness. "Don't look at me like that."

Even if it is her, I still hate it when people look at me with empathy and sadness, like they truly care. Perhaps I liked Excafol and Selene because they never did. They never once said or did something that would make me feel pathetic. They kept being themselves, until the end.

"I-I am sorry. It's just…"

"Like I told you guys earlier. There is no need to be compassionate. What has happened happened and is in the past. Plus, I hate it more than anything when you look at me like that. So don't do it, please."

"I will try not to." Her face finally changes back to normal but she still comes to me and starts patting my head.

"What are you doing?"

"You are a good boy. You are strong." It hadn't happened in a while but again, as she says that, my head goes adrift.

"Right." I remove her hand and sit on the bed.

"Kevin…" Lanuvel also comes and they stand in front of me together. "Can I ask you to-"

"No. At least not now."

"But you didn't even hear what she had to say."

"I don't want to tell you guys my story. Not for now at least."

"Do you not trust us?"

"I do. I trust you two more than anybody else in this world now. But still, my story isn't one to be told. There are no merits to hear it."

"Even so, we want to."

"I know. And I know I won't be able to hide it from you. But let me be the one to decide when."

"It's a promise?"

"Yes. It is a promise."

Farner shows her pinky finger then bites on it, making a tear of blood flow out.

"Then swear it." Well, I didn't think you were so adamant about hearing my story.

I bit my pinky finger and so does Lanuvel. We all stick them together and I feel weird for a moment, as if something just forcibly entered my body.

"What was that?"

"Your promise. Before you die. You must absolutely tell us your story or your soul won't ever rest in peace."

"Really?"

"Yes. Although we will have to tell you ours as well."

"So each of us will have to?"

"Yup. That's just how powerful our blood is." Farner places her hands on her waist and puffs her chest out proudly. You really are something else, girl.

***

The next morning, we all wake up and get ready. Today is the opening day of the tournament. We are all supposed to go to the arena of the city where they will hold the ceremony then we will go to our first match.

I put my uniform on then go to the living room. There, I find Frankher and the teachers plus Cordel already sitting, ready to go.

"Good morning."

"Morning." Everybody is silent and waiting. Smith even has his eyes closed and his hair is nicely kept. It is really surprising to see every time.

I sit on a couch and embrace the current mood. Soon after me, Esteressa and Germinia come down. Their joyful faces immediately change as they enter the room. No more precisely, as soon as they see the Frankher. So everybody is like this because of him?

"Good morning, Sir."

"Good morning." He answers them without looking and they just go and sit next to Cordel.

Lanuvel and Keltia and Peter are next, followed closely by Samson, Derkheil, and finally, the rest comes down. But the heroes are nowhere to be seen.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then let's go. They should be outside by now."

Outside, we find carriages already waiting for us and while we enter them, Frankher waves his hands at me. Yup, I guess he knows about yesterday. But who told him? Maye it is those guys. Ever since the trial I had with the church.

There is a group of around five people following me everywhere. I can feel their silent gaze and hear their heartbeat from time to time.