THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

The dragon's head and paw fall to the ground with a loud and heavy noise. It raises some dust as well. 

"Hooray!!!" Doggy is the first to scream while brandishing his sword in the air. Why are you celebrating when you did close to nothing? 

Alphonse sits on the ground while making a thumb up at me. You did great, friend. He called me friend so i can call him the same, right? 

"Kevin!" Farner calls my name and I can hear her coming. 

The only problem is why are they all so happy? This thing is still alive, you know? Aside from the crystal in its head, there are still two more in its body that are active. While I prepare to attack it again, I feel him coming: Dilt. I can feel his dragon's energy? How? Why? I can't explain it myself but I just know it is him. I can also feel another dragon's presence now that I think about it. A stronger one, stronger than Dilt.. But somehow, it feels like it isn't just draconic energy that is emitted from there anymore. There is something else. Also, the place where it is emitted from…

"Titanium?" 

"Oh no!!! Run away!!" Right as Farner reaches me, the Saintess warns us. The body of the dragon moves at the same time and without the usual scream, it raises its other paw in our direction. But at the same time, Dilt passes above my head.

"You are late, fucking guide." 

"Hmph. You can't even take care of something so simple."

Without pronouncing any script's name, Dilt's sword starts shining then with a simple movement, the paw of the dragon is down. Dilt lands on the back of the dragon after that, right where there is a crystal. He pulls it out like he is simply fishing. The headless body of the dragon just follow the loss of energy and falls to the ground. There is still one last crystal left, right in his stomach. 

While he goes to that area. I hear a lot of footsteps coming. When I turn around, there are hundreds of men from the eternal army and ten guys in particularly well crafted armors. They must be Dilt's personal guards, I am sure. 

"HOORAY FOR THE HIGH COMMANDER!!! HOORAY FOR THE HEROES AND THE SAINTESS!!! HOORAY FOR OUR GODDESS!!!" 

Once again, doggy starts shouting, singing of those who participated in the battle.

"HOORAY!!!" Well, I never wanted to be recognized anyway. 

As the soldiers answer him, the body of the dragon starts fading. Dilt also appears while holding two crystals in his left hand. He walks to me with a defiant look then as he gets past…

"Don't forget we are in public, miss Farner." 

Farner, who was clinging to me until now, immediately let go and walk away to her sisters. I can see her red and cute ears as she does. At last, with this, I think this battle is over. Though I don't know what happened to Romas.

***

"No way." 

"How?!" 

"Kevin!!!" 

After receiving some clothes, I went with Alphonse to the building where everyone has been evacuated to. On the way, I could tell he wanted to ask something the whole time but he refrained from doing so. When we enter the building, everyone is there: K'nor, Lanuvel, Frankher, Willhem, Keltia…Everyone I left back at the academy. Though I don't see Samson. He should be alive right.

Lanuvel practically jumps on me and we both land outside, on the ground. She is gripping me so hard I cannot breathe normally.

"I…I am back."

Keltia and the others students come out as well and it becomes a general melee with me at the center. 

"Ahem." 

After a few minutes of crying ang joy, Frankher comes and breaks us apart. Then we all enter and like a criminal, he shows me a seat. When I sit on the chair, all eyes are on me. Even Willhem and the other mercenaries who didn't seem interested that was going on are now looking at me with impatience. Only K'nor is sleeping like he truly doesn't care. 

"W-what?" 

"Don't you 'what' us!! What happened?!!" Lanuvel doesn't wait for another second and asks first.

"Could it be that you are an immortal?!"Curiously followed by Alphonse. Me, an immortal? No way!! And where has gone your calm from earlier Alphonse? 

"Nah, no way. I just…" I can feel the tension rising as everyone is locked on my lips, waiting for my next sentence. "Well, I just survived." 

"Ah?!!!" 

In an instant, I am grabbed by the collar by Frankher himself. His eyes are bloodshot and his face is dead serious. 

"Listen there, mate. I have been way too comprehensive with you but you better tell the truth or I wi-"

"But I am telling the truth." 

His eyes go even redder. They swell so much I am sure they are about to pop out of his face then just like it began, it all ends. His face returns to his original calm state, his eyes become white again.

"It must be because of that then."

" 'That' ?" 

"Keltia, you said that before he arrived, five students were sacrificied, correct?" 

"Yes, father." 

"Then that means whatever they were trying to do was ready. It must be the reason why he survived." 

"I see. That does makes sense." 

"Yeah, if you think about it like that…" 

Everyone starts nodding his head like that is the only conclusion they could have reached. While I open my mouth again to speak, I see Willhem shaking his head, telling me not to say anything else. He may be right. If I keep saying I survived without explanations, I might end up in a dire situation.

"In any case, we are all glad that you are alive. Since the dragon has been taken care of, I will go and inquire about the king wellbeing. There will certainly be a banquet and awards for your deeds today so look forward to it." 

Frankher turns around and leave like the wind. Awards? I don't think there will be anything of the sort since Dilt intervened. 

"Now, let us ask the questions." Willhem stands up and walks to me. He has a menacing face and I am sure he is going to do something bad but right when he stands in front of me…

"Ugh…My head." 

"Sis!!" Germinia wakes up and Alphonse pushes through everything to reach her. Not only him, the other students all go to her. 

Thanks, Germinia. You just saved me from a lot of questioning. Willhem sighs as well, seeing as the mood has changed too much to ask me anything Yup, the hero of the day is Germinia. Hooray Germinia!!

***

Taking advantage of the commotion caused by Germinia's awakening, I left the building with K'nor to check on Sophia. She said there was somebody important to her there so I hope that somebody is alive. I arrive at the smithy and find her squeezing a teacher to death. It seems whoever she wanted to save is alive. That's good for her.

"Now, only Rose is left." I walk past her while making sure that she doesn't see me but when I reach the church, I stop. 

The first reason is because I don't think I can just go and tell Rose that her daughter is alive. I mean, if she really is, she would come to tell her herself, right? Me going to tell her can only means something bad has happened. So that's a no.

The second reason is because doggy is here, right at the entrance of the church. And he looks like he has something to say.

"You have come to see Farner, right?" He starts speaking as soon as I put a foot on the church's stairs.

"No, actually. Unlike someone, I don't chase women around like a horny mutt." 

"What are you implying?" 

"Oh, please, we both know what I am implying. I have seen the way you look at the Saintess." 

"Is that so…" I thought he would get angry or do something but no, doggy is for the first time, completely calm. He even smiles.

"That's it. No reaction or anything?" Come on, I know you want to do something. Don't try to put up a front with me, dad.

"You know, when I heard that you died back there. My heart reacted. It jolted like I was happy." 

"Yeah, I am not surprised. You are one piece of shit to begin with." 

"…So, I thought to myself. Why? What have you done that could make me happy to hear about your death? After all, the Saintess said that you were lying about killing my son. I apologize for that by the way." 

"What is your point. I don't like talking to you." 

"My point is that I am glad somebody who the heroes can rely on is alive. They have a lot responsibilities to shoulder alone just like I had too. And I just hope that you will there for them when it really matters, just like today." 

With that, he goes back inside without hearing anything I have to say. 

"What the hell was that for?"