Chapter 0: Status Quo (Mr. Hentai and Lusterless Nova)

[Mini Magi]

It was on days like these that Enya actually missed her study room. It was quiet, clean, and she DIDN'T HAVE TO CARRY SOMEONE AROUND! Seriously! How did she deserve this?! Her field studies had barely begun and the next thing she knew was that she was attacked by some... tribesmen? Facepaint, clothes that looked self made (admittingly with good quality however, she had to give them that) and weapons crafted from metal and monster parts. Were they a problem? Not at all, and she would refuse to admit anything else. No, the actual problem was when a sound alerted her, making her shoot a spell at someone who had nothing to do with it.

A little while later, she arrived at the village of Maelin. She'd leave descriptions of it to bards and historians. But to be honest. The way they all knew the boy on her back was kinda... sweet. One of them even guided her to his house after she told them he had an accident. And while she didn't care much about justice, Enya did owe him an apology. So after putting him down, and her hat on a nearby table, she waited... and waited... and waited some more (just how hard did she hit him?) and eventually fell asleep on the lower side of his bed. "Whatever." She thought. "I'll deal with this in a bit." and put her mind to rest.

[Mr. Hentai Banned]

The boy being carried on Enya's back was none other than Kael. Being assigned take out a small pack of stray goblins found in a cave near town, Kael took up the quest to help everyone out. Best make sure the forest stayed safe for the kids in the village, and two or three goblins isn't much of a challenge.  On his way back to the village, he heard a strange noise coming from deeper in the forest. Curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to check it out.

Finding the source of the noise, he witnessed a mysterious girl fighting off a group of tribesmen. What was going on here? Everyone back at the village knew to avoid the tribal people, and they seemingly knew to do the same. However, this girl was currently fighting them, and using a strange magic, it wasn't like anything he's ever seen before (although he's only seen magic a couple of times). Hiding behind a bush, Kael witness the whole fight, watching the girls fight off the tribesmen. When things finally calmed down, he figured it was best to leave before he got involved. As he stepped back, he accidentally stepped on a twig, and then everything went black for him.

Waking up, Kael found himself in a strange place. It was like an empty void, he couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he couldn't really do anything. All he could do was stay still and watch the endless blackness. Then something happened, a twinkle in the distance, than another, and another. Tiny shiny crystals began to appear, filling the emptiness around him. Suddenly, he looked over, his body shifting around, and then he found himself in front of a giant crystal, it looked like it was the size of a mountain. The crystal glowed, and Kael felt something deep within him. "Hear... Feel... Think..." It sounded like the voice was coming from inside of his head. Before Kael could react to anything, the crystal glowed brighter and brighter, filling the void with a blinding lights.

Karl's eyes shot open, and he sat up from the bed. What just happened? Those crystals, was any of that real? That's when he noticed that he wasn't in the forest anymore, or in a void. He was back in the village, in the doctor's home where he treated others, laying in one of his spare beds. Guess he got knocked out after seeing that girl, and someone probably brought him home. And just as he was wondering who it was that brought him in, his question was answered as he looked down at the side of his bed. A familiar, yet still mysterious face. It was the girl he saw earlier, sleeping, bent over his bed. Looks like she was waiting for him to wake up. And judging from the sunset outside, he's been out for a while.

Getting a closer look at her, the girl is actually quite pretty. Way prettier than any of the girls he knows in this village, any of the girls that still love in this village. Still, best not try anything on her just yet, especially seeing how she handled those tribesmen earlier. Still, it was best to wake her up. Reaching out to her, he gently began to poke at her cheek. "Hello? Miss?" He called out to her, his finger pressing into her cheek.

[Mini Magi]

Her little dream got interrupted by the sensation of something poking her. "Mhm..." She stirred, but a moment later her memory kicked in. No other choice. She did have to get up. A shame really. She could use some rest. Her eyes fluttered open, and she leaned back on the floor, sliding off the bed in the process. Judging by her face, she was still pretty much half asleep. But her mood did get a little lift up, and a smile formed on her usually grumpy face when she saw the young man up and awake. "Good evening. Just in case. Can you still turn your head? I might have hit you a tad too hard." It was none of the serious spells since she was already exhausted at that point, but it wouldn't hurt to make sure he was actually fine.

While he checked himself, she got up from the floor, then stretched her arms out. Unintentionally she let her chest puff out in the process, giving him a probably quite good look at her chest size. The shirt was not good at hiding it once she put her back into it. She left out a sigh, then turned to him. "I'm sorry about what happened. When I heard movement, I was sure it was an archer. My name is Enya Pazolite. The circumstances could have been better I suppose, but it's a pleasure to meet you none the less." Come to think if it, she was in his room now, wasn't she? Perhaps it was best to not overstay her welcome. "If you're feeling alright, I guess I should take my leave. Would you point me to the next inn? I don't recall seeing one when I brought you here." Not that she disliked him. Heck, she didn't even get a chance to dislike him yet. But right now? She really could use a bed. It has been a looooong day.

[Mr. Hentai Banned]

The girl would soon wake up. And while she seemed very tired, she still smiled and greeted him. Turns out she was the reason why he was knocked out, although it's kind of hard to blame her. She was jus attacked, and he was awkwardly watching her from the bushes nearby. He probably would've been hostile too.

When she asked him to check himself for any lasting damages, he began checking himself, stretching and making sure nothing was still hurting. His neck felt a little stiff, but that quickly went away after he twisted his neck and felt a satisfying crack. Just as he turned his head back to look at his guest puffing out her chest, giving quite a bit of emphasis on her bust. While it wasn't huge, it was a nice size, and it was hard to look away. Thankfully it seemed that she didn't notice him ogling her chest.

After introducing herself Enya began to excuse herself, not before asking for directions to the closest inn. "Um, we don't really have one. We don't get much in the way of travelers here, so we never really set up an inn. On the rare case we get a traveler, they usually stay in someone's spare room." That's probably how his first crush fell in love with that merchant, Kael was pretty sure he stayed with her. That's when he got an idea. Maybe that'll work for him too, have the beautiful traveler fall in love with him.

"If it's alright with you, you're welcome to stay at my place. We've got a spare bed, since my little sister prefers to sleep with our mom than using her own bed. I just need to make sure it's okay with them, but I'm sure it's fine. Plus, it's free of charge." Most of the villagers had guests stay for free. It's not like money has a whole lot of use for this place. People either traded here, or helped each other out as payment for services. There was very little money exchange here.

[Mini Magi]

When she heard that there were no inns, she already feared she had to make way to the next village. There were sill some hours of sunlight left, and with some luck she could make it if she ran from fights if any occurred. But what came next was... to put it poetic, an offer of kindness. He might not have minded it, but she did not forget that she was the one who knocked him out. She chuckled at him, then put on her hat again and went to his side- "Suddenly I'm glad I hit you of all people. If you'll have me, I'll gladly accept. Kael, correct?" -and offered him a hand to get up. He might not have introduced himself yet, but the villagers knew him, and she happened to be good at memorizing details.

When he reached for her hand, he'd notice that hers were a bit warmer than his own. Was it because of the fire magic she used earlier? On a side note, they were also softer than his. "I have a bit of money on me, so if you want a couple coins in return, that would be fair. Or at least I won't freeload." While she didn't see an inn, she did take note that there was not a market either. This was probably a small community, and picture book example of a village where everyone knew everyone. Odd were she couldn't use most of her money here. "Or how about you just propose something? After all, you did take a bit of a hit because of me. So long as it's not too much work, I'll do it. Sound fair?"

[Mr. Hentai Banned]

Kael laughed a little nervously when she said she was suddenly glad that she hit him. He knew it was a joke, but he would really like to not experience that again. Still, when she offered him a hand, Kael nodded as he took it and got up. Stretching his legs for a moment before leading Enya out of the doctor's home and heading in the direction of his house.

When she offered to pay him for his troubles, he shook his head. It's not like it would be much use. However, when she asked if he could propose something he could do, Kael's cheeks turned pink. Did she mean anything? Of course not, but his mind still went in that direction. He's a teenage boy, most boys his age thought that way. Plus, it's not like there was much in the way of girls that interested him in this village anymore. The people his age were all boys, the oldest girl was a few years younger than him, still considered children. As for the youngest adult women, the youngest one was at least 10 years older than him, she still saw him as a child. It was one of the biggest drawbacks of living in a small village, there wasn't always much in the way of options when it came to the opposite sex. That's why a lot of the young adults left to get married, sometimes never returning. So having a girl that appeared to be about a few years older than him, he was definitely interested in her. However, it's not like he can just ask her for something like that. "W-We'll see. Don't worry about it. You're our guest."

It only took a couple of minutes to reach his home. Standing out front, he held up a hand to Enya. "Give me just a minute. I'll make sure that it's okay for you to stay." He said before running inside to ask his mother for permission. He was gone for maybe two minutes before he came running back out with a big smile on his face. "She said it's fine we'd love to have you. My sister will sleep with my mom, and you can sleep in her room." He assured her that she'll have her own room to sleep in, knowing some people didn't care to share rooms, especially with someone of the opposite sex.

[Mini Magi]

Hm... Considering his stutter, she seemed to have said something that threw him off balance. And reflecting on her own words and the situation as a whole, there wasn't much room for interpretation. "He has his mind in the gutter." Not that she minded. In all honesty, even she thought about boys every now and then. The only thing she didn't like about them are their straight out dumb standards. We play in the same league, I have to impress her with my wealth, and of course the classic: Dicks have to be giant. Just thinking about ridiculous attempts back home made her appreciate this place even more.

When they arrived at his home, he told her to wait outside. Fair enough. She could use some time to turn her thought into some other direction. But then she looked at Kael as he went inside and thought a bit. No ego problems so far despite being knocked out by a girl, kind to the very person who hurt him in the first place, and he wasn't exactly ugly. "Huh..." Now that she thought about it, he might be the first male who didn't register as a nuisance. Maybe... Well it was to early to think of anything like that. For now it would be fine to be friends and see if there is room for more.

When he came back, wearing that big smile on his face, she chuckled. Yeah. Okay. She liked him already. "Sounds like good news to me. Mind to just lead me to my temporary bed so I can rest? No offense, but I don't think your family would like to talk to me while I'm half asleep. I'll make up for it in the morning." If there was one person she knew well, it's herself. She could be a bit cranky when tired, but who wasn't? With some luck they would understand.

[Mr. Hentai Banned]

Sure Kael thought similarly to other boys, but he didn't obsess over certain things that other boys his age did. Perhaps it was due to growing up in a small village instead of a more populated area. His ego wasn't hurt by getting hurt by a girl, there's some tough girls in this village, some girls even participate in hunting and gathering in the forest. He didn't worry about wealth or status, since that didn't really exist in this village. And of course, he thought Enya was way out of his league. She's way prettier than any of the girls in the village, plus she's a traveler, she's seen way more of the world than he ever has. Honestly, there's not much he can think of to impress or woo her. Still, he kind of hopes that the two can somehow hit things off.

When she asked him to lead him to her ro and added that she's quite tired, Kael nodded. "Not a problem. I'll be sure to let the others know that you need your rest." It probably wouldn't be much fun talking to someone who's half asleep, it might even make her look rude.

Stepping inside, his little sister ran to him, a little girl somewhere around ten years old, curious about the traveler staying with him. Before she could get too excited, Kael whispered to her, telling her that now wasn't a good time. Her excited expression disappeared, turning to disappointment, but she nodded in understanding. Afterwards, she ran over to her mother.

The mother, seemingly understood immediately, simply smiling kindly and waving as Kael led Enya by, heading towards the bedrooms.

The room was small, but the bed should be a decent size. There was a dresser with a few dolls on it, and there were a few drawings done by a young child. Aside from that, it looked like a pretty plain room. "Here you go. My room is nextdoor if you need anything. Otherwise, goodnight." He bowed politely before leaving. And with that, Kael returned to his family for the evening, having dinner with them and chatting about their guest, mostly wondering who she was, as well as Kael's mother commenting on how pretty she was and that Kael should take her as his wife. Of course, the teen was a bit bashful at the idea.

Before going to bed, Kael decided to make a quick stop to Enya's room. He had a plate with a few pieces of fruit, and a pitcher of water with a glass. Quietly sneaking into the room, he quickly placed everything on the nightstand beside the bed, in case she wakes up and is a little hungry. As much as he wanted to admire the sleeping beauty, he left, not wanting to disturb her. And with that, he returned to his own room to go to bed for the night.

[Mini Magi]

With Kael again in the lead, Enya followed behind and was pretty much instantly greeted by his little sister. What a cheerful young girl. Even Enya couldn't help but smile at her, and she usually wasn't too fond of children. Nothing personal. It was just that younger students tended to disturb her studies. Enya also waved to his mother when they passed by her, hoping she didn't leave a too rude impression on her.

But at last, they came to the room. And while it wasn't that much to her liking, this was a used room after all. There was no way she would comment on any of the decor considering she was staying for free. "Got it, and thank you. And unless you have other plans, let's talk some more tomorrow." She still hit him after all and had a dept to pay off. When he left, all Enya took time for was to write today's events into a journal, followed by undressing and putting herself to rest.

 

The next morning was as usual announced by the rising sun, as well as the usual hustle and bustle outside. But there was also something new. Something new accompanied the usual routine. The smell of food? When they came to the kitchen one by one, they would notice that Enya somehow put an entire chest into the room somehow, and was buys at the stove frying pancakes, while the fruits Kael put at her door were brewing in a smaller pot. And the most interesting part? She was cheating. Where people usually had to stir the soup, or turn the contents of the pan with a fork, she just had to gesture with her fingers and everything moved on its own.

When she noticed that she involuntarily put on a show, she turned slowly to see curious looks. "...Awkward." But she wasn't going to let that distract her for much longer. She clapped her hands twice, making the chest disappear in a puff of teal sparkles, and then addressed everyone. "Good morning. Everyone please wash your hands. And Kael? You're the only one I know by name, so go first and then help me put out dishes for everyone." Pleasantries would come later. For now it was time to delegate.

A few minutes later, everyone would find themselves in front of a small tower of pancakes in the middle of the table, and everyone was free to pick as many as they liked. Best of all, Enya had made syrup with the fruit that was brought to her. And if it was expected that Enya would eat everything prim and proper, they were in for a surprise. She did take Pancakes to her table with a fork, but then folded them with her right hand to eat them. She wasn't that stiff. "If anything tastes odd, please let me know. I'm not used to cooking." But it was generally fine. Pancakes were supposed to be a bit bland, hence the need for syrup... right?

Edited December 7, 2020 by Lusterless Nova