Chapter 6

  It had been a couple months after Drakkel and Aurien Wavel returned from So-Ony Village and even more after Drakkel’s fight in Heaven’s Path. For those months, Drakkel had gained a higher reputation due to his performance and they had made quite a bit of money off work requests. So Drakkel thought it would be fine to splurge on some pastries from Ty’s bakery, especially since the Everlasting Love and Friendship Festival was going on today.

  However, he was still young. Aurien Wavel didn’t want him to go out unsupervised so he followed him.

  Before the two left, they asked if the disciples wanted pastries and what type they wanted. Most likely because their funds had been good for a few months and it was festival season, everyone requested a pastry, even Kirora who normally didn’t like sweets. The only exception to this was their master who turned his nose up when they asked about it.

  When they brought it up, he said, “Aurien can bake too! Why should we spend money unnecessarily?”

  His attitude was always the same.

  Festival season was the time when a lot of people were out. If sickness spread, there were a lot of poor people hanging around, or people got injured in the crowds, Drakkel's master wanted to make sure they had the funds.

  But, Drakkel was sure he didn’t mean this behavior. It made sense under normal circumstances, but now they had a good amount of funds and his master knew this. He probably just wanted to make a show of it.

  Around this time, he would always have to push harder to offer his master some pastries, even almost begging. Then, if that didn’t work, his Senior Brother, as kind as he was, had to come close to kneeling to offer it to him. Of course by then, his master would feel too guilty. Often before it got to that point, he would have already begrudgingly accepted.

  So with extra funds, they tried this method again and to their surprise, only a little bit of coaxing got their master to agree.

  Now, Aurien Wavel and Drakkel were making their way through the bustling streets of Immortal Peak.

  As they walked through the crowds of people, Aurien Wavel randomly asked, “How does one fix a broken leg?”

  Drakkel answered quickly, “Place a splint on it and then salve. If one has any other symptoms like fever or infection, herbs or healing pills will help.

  Aurien Wavel nodded. “That's correct.”

  He continued with a round of basic medical questions about what to do in certain situations and Drakkel answered all of them correctly.

  Once he was done, he said he would buy Drakkel an extra pastry as a reward.

  Drakkel was elated and skipped ahead a bit, surveying the area.

  Looking around at the Festival decorations, he commented, “The festival decorations look good, don’t they Senior Brother?”

  Aurien Wavel nodded. “They do.”

  Drakkel continued, “Do you think that we can get Master to let us decorate as well?”

  Aurien Wavel laughed. “Drakkel, you know how he is. It always depends on his mood whether he allows it or not.”

  Drakkel frowned. Of course he knew, but he hoped his Senior Brother would have some way around it. “Do you think his mood won’t be good enough then?”

  Aurien Wavel gave him a bright smile. “How about we give it a try after getting him a pastry?”

  Drakkel nodded. He understood his senior brother’s intent. His master liked to pretend, but really he loved sweets just like Drakkel. However, he was also a stingy penny-pincher.

  Even if it was Drakkel's money that he alone saved up after giving a large chunk to the clan, his master still hated to spend it.

  The decorations for the festivals ranged in price from a few copper coins to a gold coin. Drakkel thought it wouldn’t be bad to buy some lanterns to hang around the manor since each one was only a few copper coins. He was even willing to do the work! But his master wouldn’t allow it under normal circumstances.

  Just getting home to agree to get a pastry was like pulling teeth!

  However, because they had more funds, it wouldn’t be under normal circumstances. If they had him in a good mood, he might actually agree to their request.

  As Drakkel and Aurien Wavel continued to walk, they arrived in Ty’s Bakery in only a few minutes.

  Going to the bakery with His Senior Brother was fun, but besides that, there was another reason that Drakkel was glad to bring him along. His Senior Brother was a medicine practitioner and a prodigy at that, so his memory could be called exceptional. What the several disciples and his master asked for, he could recount without effort. So he ordered the pastries and Drakkel provided the funds.

  He even reminded Drakkel to take special care ordering their master’s pastry.

  For his master, Drakkel picked out a seasonal pastry made only on festival days. The pastry in question was a popular one. Its flavor was so good that it was always sold out before the festival was over and people requested it outside of festival season as well. Because of this, Drakkel knew it would be to his master's tastes.

  As Aurien Wavel promised to buy Drakkel an extra pastry, he happily accepted the offer. So, in addition to his favorite lotus cake, he bought a savory meat-stuffed pastry to enjoy.

  After thanking the owner, he and Aurien Wavel took to the streets, heading back to the manor.

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  Because he was hungry, Drakkel had His Senior Brother hold the pastries for the disciples and their master while he ate his own.

  However, when he looked down to take out his lotus pastry, and looked back up ready to eat it, he found that his Senior Brother was gone.

  It seemed he had lost him in the sea of people. He wasn't worried because he knew the way to the manor, it was just that the people within the crowd were too tall, blocking off his surroundings.

  Drakkel, although known as a beauty from a young age, was actually very short when he was younger. He really only had a growth spurt around the age of 15. But before then, he was short like a girl.

  With looks as delicate and beautiful and height like a young girl’s, along with the praise given to him, a few jealous ones would call him a ‘pampered princess.’

  Actually, when he was very young, Drakkel was extremely emotional, reacting strongly to most things and often in a negative manner. But over time, his master has taught him to control his emotions since he even started to lash out at his fellow disciples who had later joined them. So he learned that brute force should be met with brute force but words should be met with indifference.

  Later, Drakkel found that for most things, there really was no point in getting riled up. After all, who would care if someone called him a name here or there if he already knew what he was? So, per practice, he ignored these neigh-sayers and this actually did help him find peace.

  Stuck in the crowd and trying to find his way back, Drakkel decided to move to the side so he could see better. But once he did, he found himself faced with an alleyway. He was going to turn back, but then he heard a peculiar thing- the sound of a child crying.

  Drakkel was worried, so he decided to take a look.

  When he got to the end of the alleyway, sure enough, he saw a child huddled against the end wall. And it wasn't just any child, but the child that he had seen earlier being bullied in the path between So-Ony village and the village neighboring it. The boy had his legs curled up and his head bowed down, not seeming to notice Drakkel approach him.

  “Are you ok?” Drakkel asked.

  The boy looked up and wiped his tears. Then, he silently shook his head.

  “What happened?” Drakkel questioned.

  The boy shook his head again.

  Now, Drakkel didn’t know what to do. If he didn’t tell him what was wrong, how was he supposed to help him?

  Then, suddenly, he thought of an idea. “If you won’t tell me what’s wrong, then tell me a sentence about how you feel right now. I won’t judge or say anything. I’ll just listen, ok?”

  The blonde-haired boy nodded. “Life is… hard.”

  The way it was said was filled with such anguish, such grief, that Drakkel knew the boy had been through too much. It had been many months since he last saw him. Truly, he was probably still only around 8 or 9 years old and yet he knew such hardship!

  Drakkel was afraid of scaring him away, so he asked in a quiet and gentle voice, “Would you like to hear some advice?”

  The boy looked up at him and nodded.

  “Sometimes misfortune strikes without warning, but you must overcome it. Only when you overcome it, will you realize what you're truly made of.”

  Drakkel walked over and sat next to the boy. “Life isn't fair, but we can work with what we have. If opportunities arise, we should grab them with both hands and never let go.”

  A glimmer of hope could be gleaned in the eyes of the boy who was now looking at Drakkel.

  Knowing he couldn't just leave the young boy like this, Drakkel said, “If you want, I know a place that might be good for you.”

  The boy’s head tilted slightly.

  As Drakkel was about to ask him to join his swords clan, the boy's stomach grumbled loudly.

  Drakkel giggled. “We can finish this talk after you eat something.”

  He grabbed a handkerchief that his Senior Brother made him out of his robes. Since it was getting old anyway and needed to be replaced, he took it out and set the meat pastry inside. Then, he took the bundle and handed it to the young child.

  The child first looked at Drakkel, then at the bundle, then at Drakkel again.

  “Wasn't that your food, beautiful mister? What are you going to eat if you give it to me?”

  Drakkel’s mouth twitched at the boy's referral to him, but he was also surprised by his maturity.

  This young boy who was so thin his bones were showing through his shirt and his muscles were nearly non-existent still had the consideration to think about this?

  Smiling, he pulled out his lotus cake. “This was actually for me. It's my favorite pastry. The other was just an extra.”

  He was happy he decided not to eat it earlier.

  The boy, though, still seemed worried, so Drakkel added, “I bought it for my master. But he needs to lose weight anyway. Just consider eating it as doing a good deed by watching out for his health.”

  Drakkel was sorry to drag his master's name through the dirt, but the boy needed convincing.

  And this seemed to work, for after hearing his words, the boy silently nodded, grabbed the bundle and opened it up. When he did, the delicious scent of the meat-filled pastry began to fill the air.

  After that, the boy really didn't stand a chance. He devoured the pastry bite by bite, quickly stuffing it down his mouth.

  Because he was eating too fast, he nearly choked so Drakkel had to give him some water to help it down with.

  When he was done, the boy’s mouth was covered in crumbs. Drakkel smiled as he grabbed the handkerchief from the boy and used it to wipe his mouth.

  Afterwards, he shook off the item and fished some silver coins from his bag. He knew his master would scold him once he found out, but the boy was truly too pitiful.

  He handed the handkerchief with 10 silver coins to the boy and the boy pushed it back.

  “Beautiful Mister, I can't.” He said.

  Drakkel insisted, “Why not just accept it? It's really nothing to me.”

  With this, he took the bundle and stuffed it in the boy's pocket.

  Seeing how the older boy was so persistent, the younger boy no longer resisted. He kept the handkerchief and coins in his pocket.

  Then, he stood up.

  Drakkel did the same, dusting off the younger boy's clothes before doing so to his own.

  Very grateful for the older boy’s kindness, the younger boy bowed and said, “Beautiful mister, you're so pretty. With your mannerisms and personality, you remind me of my mom.”

  Drakkel's mouth twitched. He wasn't sure if he should take it as a compliment or not.

  The boy continued, grabbing onto Drakkel's hands and looking up into his eyes, “Your advice is similar to what she used to tell me. I think I know what to do now.”

  Drakkel could only nod, not sure what he meant. Then he said, “I don't like owing anyone favors. Could I ask what your name is so I can pay you back at a later date?”

  Drakkel couldn't help but think that the boy was far too mature for his age. He didn't expect anything, but with a thoughtful smile, he answered, “My name is Drakkel. Drakkel Fin.”

  With that, the boy had done something that Drakkel had never seen him do before; his face actually extended into a wide and bright smile.

  Patting Drakkel’s hand, he said, “I have to go now, Beautiful Mister.”

  The boy's referral to him was now making Drakkel uncomfortable so he replied, “You know, there's no need to call me that. We aren't strangers anymore. Why not call me older brother instead?”

  The boy contemplated this for a moment, then he shook his head. With a wide smile, he answered, “No thanks.”

  After saying this, the boy bowed once more and without further explanation, he quickly ran out of the alleyway, Drakkel's handkerchief still slightly hanging out of his small pocket.

  Watching him go, Drakkel just remembered that he was going to ask the boy to get evaluated so he could join his Swords Clan.

  He was about to give chase when the sound of another voice stopped him, calling him from outside the alleyway.

  Because he got distracted, it was too late to chase the boy. So, he could only answer to his Senior Brother’s calls.

  Wishing the boy well, he swiftly left the alleyway. What he was met with, was the worried face of his Senior Brother.

  “Drakkel! Are you ok?”

  Disappointed that the boy disappeared, Drakkel could only nod at his Senior Brother.

  He had never seen such a young child look like they’ve gone through so much.

  Even as he returned to the Manor with his Senior Brother, the thoughts of this wouldn't leave him. He only hoped that the boy could find true happiness in the future.