Felicia is my father's student. My biological one, not my step-father. She originated from Fiordall, and my father took her in as his pupil ever since she was seven years old. Felicia was twelve when my father died, alongside everyone else from the village.

After the incident, I was brought to the fire kingdom's capital and was adopted by the royal family. I became the 'Second Prince' of Fiordall, and that's where I first met Felicia. She was a knight squire when I first met her, but she rose through the ranks very quickly because of her abilities and the knowledge that my father taught her before he died. She then became the personal guard for the royal children, and that's how we ended up spending seven years together.

She is three years older than me, so she pretty much acts like a big sister towards the royal children. But, to me, she was something more.

She was the one who pulled me away from the darkness when I first came to the capital. When I was sulking and crying from remembering the loss of my parents and the village, she was the first who approached me and helped me get over it.

And as we grew up, she taught me all the combat knowledge that I know now. Since she is a student of my father, all of her knowledge was something that was passed down from him, and she made sure I learned it all. But, as I grew older, my talent in combat grew brighter than hers. My growth in using my origin powers was much faster than she ever was, and I arrived around her level after only five years.

She was my savior. My big sister. My teacher, as well as my rival.

And… my first crush.

For seven years, I've chased after her. Even the first prince was very interested in her. But, she never once thought of us as anything other than little brats she needed to take care of.

After being rejected for so long… I finally decided to just carve my own path. Away from her, from the kingdom, and head into the unknown with the elemental academy.

And yet, here she is. Appearing before me again with the most dazzling appearance she ever wore in front of me. Even her short hair was still so nice to look at with the purplish color it has.

"Then, is this really how you're going to treat me from now on? Just as a stranger?" Felicia asked while drinking her coffee that I made, and I let out an annoyed sigh.

"Well, I did meet this one girl--"

"You damn player. I knew it. Womanizer." Felicia immediately stopped drinking and stared angrily at me, and I felt like choking myself.

"Listen, I don't even remember how many times you've rejected me--"

"Pervert. Playboy. Bastard."

"Easy on the insults! I'm just trying to make friends!" I tried reasoning my way out of it, but it seems like Felicia is too annoyed to accept it.

"I can't believe you. We're not going to see each other for a long time, and the last thing you're going to say to me is how you find a girl?" She said while folding her arms at me, and I quickly realized something I've forgotten.

This… might be the last time I'll be seeing her for the next three years. While it is true that the academy students are allowed to go home between semesters, it's very unlikely for me to go home considering the distance between Ellen and Fiordall.

Unless she decided to visit me in Ellen during those holidays. But, knowing how important her role is to the fire kingdom, that won't be very likely.

"Then, this is really the last time…?" I mumbled from remembering, and Felicia let out an annoyed sigh.

"You didn't even know that much?"

"Well, I thought you're allowed to go home during the holidays. Then I remembered how long it took for me to get here…"

"It literally took days to reach Ellen from Fiordall. Plus, I think we're both going to be very busy that we won't have such a time to visit each other." Felicia tried thinking of any chances that might occur, but there are just none.

"I'll try to visit anyway. Even if I only get to stay home for two to three days." I suggested, but Felicia shook her head.

"Better not. I'd rather if you just stay there for three years, then come back once you've become a better man." She returned with a better offer, and I was surprised that she was willing to wait that long.

"You're… willing to wait that long?" I asked out of surprise, and Felicia only laughed at me.

"Of course. I've been waiting for seven years." She said such words so happily, and I could feel my eyeballs nearly popping out.

All this time, I thought she…

"So you were just… waiting for me until--"

"Don't get me wrong. You were very… annoying in the beginning." Felicia started to get rid of a certain misunderstanding. "But as you grew older, I realized that you're becoming more and more… better."

"Better… how?" I asked while folding my hands, and Felicia didn't seem like she wanted to elaborate.

"Just better, I guess."

"In what way? Can you please spill it out for me?"

"I can't tell you. That's for you to figure out." She said with a cheeky grin, and I realized that I had played into her hands.

In that case, I'll play my own game. 

"I've been chasing you for that long, and only now have I heard about something like this. Fine then, if that's what you want, keep your secrets! I'm sure the princess of the water empire can tell me what I wanted to hear without much problem--"

"You're very annoying, I tell you that!!" Felicia barked after I baited her out, and I laughed from seeing her breaking character.

She stood up from her seat and turned her gaze to the streets. From the looks of it, the crown prince's parade has finally arrived in front of our street, and it will continue all the way until the end of this road. The two of us noticed that the customers will soon come back inside, and our moment together is going to disappear very soon.

"Looks like this is it." I said while staring at the window, and Felicia turned her saddened eyes to me. "Whatever you think of me, I don't mind it. You're always going to be irreplaceable for me, Felicia."

Hearing such words from me, she smiled softly. "I'll see you in three years, then. Make sure you get stronger so that our sparring won't be so boring."

"I promise I'll do my best. Just as I always do." I gave her a thumbs up, and Felicia nodded softly before putting on her helmet.

"Ah, should I tell Reju where you are--"

"Don't! The restaurant will get run over by the crowd if he comes over…" I hurriedly stopped Felicia from having such ideas, and she laughed loudly.

"See you in three years, handsome boy." Felicia said as she arrived by the door, and I waved my hand at her.

"You too, Felicia." I said before she opened the door and left, which leaves me alone inside the empty restaurant all by myself.

I sat down at the chair inside the kitchen after the intense talk, and the door was reopened once again. I thought Felicia forgot something, but it seems like it's just everybody else going back in since the parade has passed.

"My god! He is so beautiful!" One of the female customers muttered loudly, and all three of her friends agreed.

"He was certainly handsome. Not more handsome than me, though!" Another customer commented after seeing the crown prince's face.

Uncle Josh arrived inside and headed straight to the kitchen again, and he noticed the empty cup of coffee on the tall table. "What's with the coffee?"

"Oh, I made that." I quickly got up and grabbed the coffee while he went to the stove and started heating it up.

"He was more built than I imagined. I thought he'd be fat and short." Uncle Josh commented after seeing the crown prince, and I giggled upon hearing that.

If only he knew how Reju looked when he was younger…

The evening then continued on, and the time for the store to close has arrived. As always, Uncle Josh and I worked together to clean up the tables and the dirty dishes. But along the way, Uncle Josh handed me a large bag of coins.

"This is…" I muttered after receiving the bag, and Uncle Josh just waved his hand.

"It's your pay. Thanks for helping me out for an entire week. You're heading to the academy starting tomorrow, right? That means you won't be coming back here from then on." Uncle Josh said as he continued mopping the floor, and I can't help but notice just how much he is holding himself back.

"If there's any free time, I'll invite my new friends to eat here. If… anyone wants to be my friend, anyway." I made the promise, and Uncle Josh laughed.

"Bahaha! Well, I guess that would be great. In any case, I hope you study well! It's not cheap to get in there, so don't waste the hard work of your parents for getting you in there!" Uncle Josh said while mopping the floor, and I realized that I've been feeding him with nothing but lies.

During the time I worked with him, I've basically told everybody that I met that I was the son of a merchant and a mercenary from Fiordall. I was born a commoner, and my parents worked so hard in order to pay me so that I can get into the academy. That was the story I told to Uncle Josh and the knights, and now that I'm going to go to the academy, I wonder if I should tell them the truth.

"Then, I'll be visiting once I get any free time, Uncle Josh." I said to him outside the restaurant, right before I headed to the inn.

"Yeah, yeah. Come back with at least ten friends or I will consider you're being bullied at the academy." He said to me while waving his hand, and I grinned widely at him thinking that this timing might be the best.

"That can't happen, because I'm the prince!" I spilled the bean to him, and Uncle Josh turned confused.

"The what?"

"The prince."

"What prince? From where?"

"From Fiordall. I'm the second prince."

Uncle Josh immediately turned silent as he was thinking, and I only grinned at him while waiting to see his reaction. But after a while, he finally made up his mind.

"Yeah, right! Then, I'm the younger brother of the damn mayor!" He joked, not realizing that what I said was the truth.

Well, if he doesn't want to believe me… that's his fault.

"Whatever, old man. I'll be going." I said before walking away, and Uncle Josh waved his hand behind me before going back inside.

During the walk back, I wondered if what I did was the right thing. Sometimes, spilling the truth of my identity to someone doesn't always result in good things. In any case, I hoped that Uncle Josh won't get in trouble for knowing who I am, even if he doesn't believe me.

Speaking of knowing… I wonder if Lily has returned.

Arriving at the inn, I opened the front door with hopes that a pretty young lady was waiting for me at the lobby. But unfortunately, only the scary inn owner was found on the front desk.

"The little girl came back earlier this evening. She said she was very tired from all the work she did outside, so she went to bed earlier and left a message for you. You should've seen her face when she talked to me earlier… who overworked such a young girl?" The old lady explained in such  a caring manner that I became really worried.

"What did she say?" I asked about the message that the old lady mentioned.

"She said she'll be waiting for you tomorrow morning to go to the exam together. You are also taking the entrance examination for the academy, aren't you?" The old lady conveyed the message, and I understood what Lily wanted.

"Yeah. She and I already promised to go together."

"Then, go rest and don't be late. From what I remember, the academy doesn't tolerate the ones who are late, not even rich nobles, so what does that make you?" The old lady gave the advice so sternly that I'd mistake it as if she was being annoying.

I'm surprised. Now that we've seen each other quite a lot, she is actually friendly. It's just that her way of conveying things can sometimes be really stern, so anyone can mistake it as if she was just ranting.

"Then, I'll head upstairs. Thanks for the heads up!" I said while walking to the stairs, and the old lady just hummed at me as a reply.

The exam… is tomorrow!

New faces… new friends. New rivals, hopefully.

And Mom's legacy. I can't wait!

It's finally starting… tomorrow.

My true journey to avenge my family has begun.