-Sylphiette-

  I didn't have a happy childhood. It wasn't because of my family. My father could be strict, but only when I misbehaved. I was happy to inherit his elven ears. My mother was nice and I helped her with chores. I wish I looked more like her, but no one would confuse me for a human. If it had just been us, I would have been content.

  The problem was the other children in Buena Village, where we lived. There were three young boys who took pleasure in tormenting me. Whenever they saw me, they'd start bullying me. Because of my green hair, they thought I was a demon. They would yell, push me, throw mud. I couldn't fight back. I knew I'd just get hurt if I fought them. Even if I tried fighting back, they had more friends. Older and bigger kids, who I wouldn't have a chance of stopping. So, I ran or took the abuse. I hated it, but if they caught me, I had no choice.

  So, I tried staying home whenever possible. My mother did what she could to help. She cut my hair short so it wouldn't stand out and made me shorts so I had an easier time running. My father even went to town to buy me a hooded jacket for my fifth birthday, so I could hide my hair. It didn't help much, but I appreciated the support. Things kept on like this for a long time, until I made a mistake.

  One day, my father forgot his lunch. He protected the village from monsters, so he'd be on the outskirts of town. When mother asked me to bring it to him, I happily accepted. I may have risked running into the other children, but I would be able to make my parents happy. It was the least I could do to repay their kindness. Taking the basket, I rushed out the door.

  “Hey, it's the demon!” Halfway through town, the bullies found me.

  “Leave me alone...” I tried to tell them off, but the shout came out as a mumble.

  “Quick, get him!”

  “Hey, get back here!”

  With them baring down on me, I ran. I thought they might give up after a few minutes, but before I knew it, we were out in the fields. My feet started to get stuck in the mud, freshly soaked by the storm the night before. Looking back, I'd hoped the troublesome terrain would make them give up. Instead, a ball of mud slammed into my face.

  “I got him!”

  “That's ten points!”

  “No, face is fifty!”

  The three boys began gathering handfuls of mud and slinging them at me. This was my chance to run. I tried to flee, holding my father's lunch to my chest to avoid it getting covered in mud. However, it wasn't long before I fell. Still being pelted, I covered the basket, desperate to avoid the food being ruined.

  “Hey, what are you protecting?”

  “It's demon treasure!”

  “Whoever hits that gets a thousand points!”

  “Stop it...”

  My pleading went unheard, although I doubt they would have cared. Their assault intensified as they surrounded me, trying to get at the food. I huddled over the basket, uncertain if any mud had gotten through. When the pelting stopped, I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Gimme that!”

  I had relaxed too soon. As one of the boys pulled me up, another grabbed the basket.

  “What? It's just some food.” Uninterested in the meal, the bully flipped the basket over, dumping my father's lunch onto the ground. “Demon food is probably poison anyway.”

  That's when I made my mistake...

  “STOP!!!” Shrugging off the boy who lifted me to my feet, I ran at the one who stole the basket. Without thinking, I shoved him to the ground, sending mud flying as he crashed down. “That's my fath-”

  A loud crack broke my concentration. My body went limp and I fell. When I regained some composure, I saw one of the boys standing over me, branch in hand. Too frightened by my helplessness, I hadn't even realized he had broken it over my head. A warm sensation covered my head. When I reached for it and pulled my hand back, it was covered in blood.

  “We knew demons were dangerous!” A kick to my stomach stole the air from my lungs.

  “Filthy demon!” A boot stomped my head, throwing off what little sense I had left.

  “Quick, slay the demon before it attacks again!” The boy I shoved, now covered in mud, joined the other two in beating me.

  I lay there, unable to resist as the blows came raining from above. I don't know how long they kept up their attack, but I could tell if it went on much longer, I'd probably die. Tears started to flow, as I realized what that meant. I wouldn't see my parents again. They would be so sad. I tried to cry out for help, but I didn't have the energy. I needed someone, anyone, to save me.

  “What are you doing!?”

  The beating stopped. Forcing open my swollen eyes, I watched as the boys fled.

  “It's that stupid knight!”

  “I knew he was a demon lover!”

  “Run, before he catches us!”

  “God damn it.” I blinked and time seemed to slip. A man was standing over me. He had a pretty face and a rat-tail hanging over his shoulder. I had seen him a few times when my father came home from work. “What were they thinking?” I closed my eyes for only a second, but minutes must have passed. I was in the knight's arms, being carried off, as he ran. I didn't know where though. “Hold on, Sylphie. I'm gonna get you healed.” My consciousness wavered again. Unable to open my eyes, I heard another shout. “Zenith! I need help! Laws' kid is in bad shape!”

  Then, I was gone.

  When I woke, I was in an unfamiliar room. Sitting up, I looked at myself. Despite the beating, I felt fine. It was as if all the injuries had disappeared. Only then did I realize my eyes weren't heavy anymore. Looking around, I was on a large bed, clearly made for a married couple. Hopping up, I walked to the door, timidly opening it.

  On the other side was a woman with red hair. She had stopped just short of knocking. I didn't recognize her, so I started to back away. She seemed a bit stern, but despite that, she smiled at me as if we were family. “Hello, Sylphiette. How are you feeling?”

  “I'm fine...” I reached for my hood, trying to hide my hair before she thought I was a demon. When I found it was gone, I simply covered my head. “Where am I?”

  “It's alright, dear.” Kneeling down, the woman rubbed my head. It reminded me of my mother and how she'd comfort me after being bullied. “This is the Greyrat residence. Paul brought you hear and Zenith healed you.”

  When she said the names, I remembered seeing them before. Paul was a knight who helped my father kill monsters. Zenith was one of my mother's friends and his wife. I had seen both a few times over the years. That left me with another question. “Who are you?”

  “I'm Lilia. I serve the Greyrat family.”

  “Lilia, Haven't we been over this?” From behind her, another woman walked up. She had blonde hair and gentle features. I recognized her as Zenith. She was always in high spirits. From what my mother told me, she always wanted a child like me, so seeing me always brightened hr day. I was certain my mother was just trying to make me happy. This was the first time I'd seen her less than pleased though, as she addressed Lilia. “You're not a housekeeper anymore. You're Paul's wife.”

  “But, I thought you were Paul's wife?” I interrupted Zenith, now a bit more comfortable seeing a familiar face.

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  Turning to me, Zenith broke into her usual warm smile. “Well, that's a bit of a long story. All you need to know is we're both his wives.” A little confused, since I hadn't heard of a man having two wives before, I decided to just accept it as a thing knights did. “Now, it's gotten late. How about you stay for dinner, then we can have Paul take you home.”

  “Alright...”

  The rest of the night was a bit of a blur. I wasn't used to such a lively dinner. I was usually in low spirits from either staying inside all day or being bullied. My parents always cheered me up, but it took up most of their energy, so they never really talked over meals. At the Greyrat house, it was far more energetic. Things started with Paul complaining about the bullies, but quickly moved past it. I think he didn't want me lingering on the memories. His two wives discussed how the day had went, with Zenith using magic to heal me and Lilia watching over me as I slept. I was surprised to hear it had only been a few hours since I had been brought here. The sun was just then setting. The meal ended with Paul switching which of his wives he gave attention too, though both seemed annoyed that he was flirting in front of me. I imagine my embarrassment was showing on my face.

  After we ate, Paul walked with me across town to my home. We remained silent for a long while, since I didn't know how to talk to people outside my family. Eventually, once I started recognizing where we were and growing more comfortable, I decided I needed to speak.

  “Thank you for saving me.”

  “No problem, Sylphie.” He smiled at me. For a second, something about the way he looked at me was uncomfortable. It was like he wasn't looking at me. “If you ever need anything, just let me know.”

  I thought about his offer and remembered how my father talked about him. He was a knight, but one far more skilled than we needed in a small village like Buena. Apparently, he was trained in all sword styles and reached Advanced Rank in them, not that I understood exactly what that meant. But, it did make me realize what I needed from him.

  “Mister Paul, can I ask a favor?”

  “Already? You seemed a bit nervous. I didn't expect you to jump at the chance to make demands.”

  “I'm sorry. I didn't mean-”

  “Hold on! I was just teasing. I'm not used to talking to kids. Never had the chance.” That look again, like he was talking to someone else, flashed across his face. “What's the favor?”

  “I want you...” I mumbled through my request. Even I couldn't hear myself by the end. I was too nervous to be so presumptuous.

  “What was that? I couldn't hear you?”

  Swallowing down my anxiety, I turned to face Paul head on. “I want you to teach me how to use a sword!” Paul looked a bit stunned. Even I was surprised by my outburst. Shyly, I pulled my hood over my head, now that it had been returned to me. “I mean, If it's alright...”

  Paul burst out laughing, then rubbed my head. Over the hood, it was an odd feeling. “You sure ask for a lot given the chance!” Once his laughter subsided, he asked the obvious question. “Why haven't you asked Laws? He's a decent swordsman.”

  “It can't be him.” I remembered my father telling me about the other adults in the town. They had all been understanding about my appearance and avoided discriminating against me. They had even tried to stop the bullies, until the boys learned to harass me outside of their sight. “If father taught me and something happened, it would cause him problems.”

  “So, you've already considered the consequences.” Paul stopped, thinking over my request. Then, he crouched down to my eye level. “I probably would have said no, but after today, it's clear you need to be able to defend yourself. I'll teach you, but you have to promise never to use a sword unless provoked. This is only for self-defense.”

  “Right!” I shouted, unable to hold back. This was the key to gaining a happy life. “I'll train with you every day!”

  “Hold on, I still have a job. I'll train you when I can. You'll need to practice on your own when I'm busy.” Paul reached out his hand, offering it to me. “Deal?”

  “Oh. Right...” I found myself growing self-conscious again. Paul wasn't just going to drop everything to be my trainer. Still, this was enough for now. I took his hand and shook it. “Thank you...”

  With a big grin, he replied. “I'll make sure you become a strong man.”

  And immediately put his foot in his mouth. “I'm a girl...”

  “Guard your left!”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “Watch your footing! You're about to trip!”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “Don't forget to strike back! I'm pinning you down!”

  “Ye-ow!”

  Months had passed. I had been training every day. On his off days, Paul would train me. We focused on handling multiple unarmed opponents at first, but soon, we were working on fighting other swordsmen. At this point, we were sparing any time he gave me lessons. When he was busy, I'd practice basic forms.

  What happened with the bullies? They kept pestering me, but after only a few days, they weren't able to keep up with my swordsmanship. They still attacked on occasion, but it felt more like playing than fighting. Their twigs would shatter against my practice sword. I would avoid any rocks they'd throw, deflecting the few that got too close for comfort. Any time they tried to tackle me, I'd leave them sprawled on the ground. When they were exhausted, they fled, looking excited for the next attempt to overpower me. Oddly enough, it was always the three boys. They never got their older friends to help.

  My real opponent was Paul. When we had started sparring, it was simply me on the attack. However, he said he saw potential in me, so he quickly moved onto defending himself more aggressively. At this point, he was usually on the assault, forcing me to defend and exploit any opening I could find. Even though I hadn't won a match in weeks, I didn't mind. I felt how effective the training was.

  “You're doing good, Sylphie. Just remember, you need to keep your surroundings in mind.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “So, you ready for a break?”

  “Yes, sir! What story will you tell me today?”

  “Let's see. Where did we leave off last time?”

  “Elinalise had disappeared.”

  “Right, the teleportation circle.”

  Whenever we took a break, Paul would tell me about his adventuring days. He was a part of a party called the Fangs of the Black Wolf. They were a party of powerful adventurers from many races. Ghislaine the Beastfolk, Talhand the Dwarf, Geese the Demon and, of course, Elinalise the Elf. The way he talked about it made adventuring seem like the most exciting thing in the world.

  “When we finally joined back up, Elinalise gave me an earful for-”

  “Paul! What have I told you about sparring with Sylphiette?” Zenith stormed out of their house. After we started sparring, she constantly chewed him out for giving me bruises, despite her being able to heal me on the spot. I told her it was just a part of training, but she wouldn't hear it. Now, I went to her at the end of every day to get healed. That time, it seemed we took too long. “And you, little lady. You need to take better care of yourself.”

  “Sylphie's fine, Zenith. We're swordsmen. Getting hurt is part of training.”

  “I'm a swordswoman...” I corrected, but went unheard.

  “That doesn't mean you should be battering her during every lesson.” Zenith began using magic to heal my wounds. As the spell spilled from her hands, what would have usually taken days was healed in seconds. It was truly wonderful magic. “How are you feeling, dear?”

  “Better. Thank you, Miss Zenith.”

  “Oh, you're such a good child! I wish I had a daughter like you!” She hugged me, holding me close as I blushed. It was strange to be embraced by someone besides my parents.

  Maybe it was this sense of closeness that made me bold, but I decided it was time to ask. “Actually, I was wondering...”

  “Yes, Sylphiette?”

  “I know I already get lessons from Paul, but I wanted to know...” I hesitated. I knew it was unreasonable. The Greyrats had already done so much for me. Still, if things got bad again, if the bullies hurt me like they did before, I needed to be able to help myself. “Could you teach me healing magic?”

  “Of course!” Zenith squeezed me tighter, lifting me up as she spun around. “I always knew you were more suited to magic than all this swordplay!”

  “Hey! Sylphie is still my student!” For a second, I was worried I'd have to choose between the two.

  “Oh, hush. You have work to do. I can teach her when you're away.”

  “I guess that's fine. Just don't slack on your practice. Alright?”

  “R-right!” I don't think I ever wore smile that big before. Learning from not just Paul, but also Zenith, was a dream come true.

  A year had passed since I started training with Paul. Now, under Zenith's guidance, I could do some healing magic.

  “Okay, let's try again.” Zenith cut her finger. As the blood started to pool on the surface, I held my hands over the wound and began chanting the incantation. While I could cut my own finger for practice, she insisted. One reason was that using both hands made channeling magic easier, but more important to her, she didn't want me hurting myself. I felt a bit bad at first, but seeing her healed by my magic was an indescribable joy. I imagine she felt much the same, as she always smiled so brightly whenever she saw me make progress in my studies. When the cut fully healed, she smiled with the warmth of the sun. “Very good. You've improved so much in so little time.”

  “Thank you, Miss Zenith.”

  “I think you're ready for a higher tier spells. Let me go find the book.”

  Zenith left, leaving me alone in the Greyrat dinning room.

  Well, alone wasn't quite right. Lilia was sitting across the table from me. She was sewing some damaged clothes, but stopped when she realized it was just the two of us.

  “It seems your lessons are going well.”

  “Yes.” This was usually how our discussions went. She'd make an observation. I'd confirm. It was nice, but a bit awkward. It was probably because I had been keeping my curiosity in check up to that point. However, Zenith seemed like she might be gone a while finding that book. It felt like the best time to ask. “Umm... Miss Lilia?”

  “Yes, Sylphiette?”

  “Why are you Paul's second wife?”

  I knew it was rude to ask. Despite it never being stated, Lilia enforced a clear pecking order in the house. Paul was the head of the household, with Zenith as the lady. Lilia deferred to either of them on decisions. Despite having been taken as his wife, she didn't try to establish herself as Zenith's equal, as much as it annoyed her fellow wife.

  “Well...” Lilia looked upstairs. The sound of shuffling made it clear Zenith was having trouble finding the book. “I guess we have time. I will warn you, it is a sad story.”

  “That's fine. I think I can handle it.”

  Lilia went on to describe how Paul and Zenith had become pregnant, inadvertently breaking up the Fangs of Black Wolf. I was a bit devastated, having been invested in their adventures. That was what lead them settling down in Buena village. Lilia started working for them, partially because of her experience as a midwife. Unfortunately, the child was stillborn. Lilia supported Zenith through the grief, which brought them closer together. Despite many years of trying, Paul and Zenith never managed to become pregnant again. Feeling indebted to Lilia and being unable to birth children, Zenith proposed she become Paul's second wife. Even if Lilia would be the one giving birth, she would also be the baby's mother and they would raise the child together. This arrangement was settled shortly before I started training with Paul.

  “So, that's what happened.” I couldn't look at Lilia. I underestimated how painful a memory I was digging up. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked...”

  “Sylphiette, it's alright.” Reaching over the table, Lilia stroked my hand. Looking up at her, she smiled in that way that reminded me of my mother. “It wasn't easy, but we're moving past it. If anything I should thank you.”

  “What did I do?”

  “Being here, training with Paul and Zenith, you're helping them heal. Their child would have been about your age if he had lived. Getting to experience a small form of parenthood with you means the world to them.”

  “Oh.” I thought for a while. I never understood why they had accepted my selfish requests so easily. They were friends with my parents, but not that close. Now, it made sense. Being able to repay them for everything they had done for me felt like a relief.

  I should have stopped there. It was already more than I had a right to know. But, a part of me was annoyed. Now I understood why Paul sometimes talked to me like I was someone else. It made sense that he saw me as a boy, when I was playing the part of his son. It was the first time I felt envy. I had to know who Paul was looking at when he was looking past me. “Did they have a name for their son?”

  Lilia's smile faded. That caused my heart to ache. I knew I shouldn't have asked. Still, she replied. “His name would have been Rudeus.”