A Small Change

"NOOO!!! SAVE ME!!!"

"DIE! YOU LITTLE!!!"

"AH! IT'S STRUGGLING!!"

"AAH! IT HURTS!!!"

Within a nearby forest, we were trying to hunt a few Twin Horned Boars. The Twin Horned Boars were a violent variant among the normal wild boars, and no one usually hunted it as it would charge towards any person it sees. However, I brought the children here—including the other four—to teach them how to hunt. And the result...

"AAARGH!!! DAMN IT! Am I really gonna die right here...I refuse!!"

"Hey! Rayle! Stop charging and taking on the boars alone!!"

"W-What is this! They're too fast!"

Well...Rayle was stubborn on taking on the boar, despite clearly lacking in both techniques and strength, Siri had her hands tied from scolding others, and Lina was frustrated that her shots weren't hitting.

As for the other four, they were even worse, as they ran around in panic. Seriously, it was as if they weren't adapted about the current reality, where remaining weak would get you killed.

I only intended to watch at first, but this was too painful to watch. I guess it was bad of me to expect something from them who never hunted before.

I didn't materialize Arkenvalle, but instead picked up a stone and ran in front of the boy who's name I don't know who was about to get rammed by a Twin Horned Boars.

I aimed carefully, and then threw the stone right into its right eye. The boar suddenly stopped as it flailed around in pain. It took the rusted sword from the boy's hand, and the moment I held its handle, an extremely unpleasant sensation suddenly crawled from my hand that held the handle. I dropped the sword involuntarily as it fell into the ground with a clang.

'What was that...? Just now?'

The boar had already recovered and was already charging towards me, but I threw Arkenvalle and it sunk into the boar's skull as it then vanished into white particles.

With my attention still focused on the sword that was on the ground. I picked it up once more. An unpleasant sensation pervaded my hand, but it wasn't as unpleasant as before. It was a feeling that made me involuntarily want to let go as a weird feeling of inconsistency also was mixed in the sensation. And then I realized...

'I see...I understand now. I've been wielding Arkenvalle for so long to the point I'd instinctively reject other swords, huh?'

Arkenvalle was a sword that adjusted its form into the most ideal and optimized for the owner as it was a Divine Weapon. That's why other than the first time I held it since my return through time, it had never felt unpleasant nor unfamiliar. So perhaps that was the reason I can't wield other swords.

"Lancell? What are you doing?" Asked Rayle. I didn't notice him sit beside me due to my earlier daze.

"It's nothing. I was just testing something." I said as I handed the sword to the boy from earlier.

"T-Thank you, Lancell." Thanked the boy I saved.

"It's fine." I said as I went to check on the others.

And so, after another few hours, the sun had set, and we finished their first hunting.

◇◇◇

I sat in front of the table as meat dishes were laid out in front of me. I wanted to ask why they brought me here, but before I could speak, they all shouted.

"""HAPPY BIRTHDAY! LANCELL!!"""

My eyes widened in surprise as I suddenly remembered.

'I see. So the real reason Rayle followed me to the river was to stall for time, huh?'

A birthday celebration for me. I wonder when was the last time I had one. 20 years? Well, ever since mom had disappeared, I never had one anymore. It was just Lina who kept bringing me a bunch of homemade cookies every year.

My lips curled into a smile as I lowered my head a bit, and then spoke.

"So this was why you were all giddy since morning? Hell, I even forgot it was my birthday."

"A-Ahahaha...so you really noticed? Was that the reason why you brought us to hunt boars?" Asked Rayled.

"Actually, that was a coincidence. I had no idea it was my birthday."

"So did we surprise you?" A girl asked. She had short blond hair that extended just above her shoulders. She seemed like a lively person.

'If I remember...her name was Sally.'

"Yeah." I affirmed.

"Yey! You see, this was Lina's idea!"

"It was?" I asked as I then looked into Lina's direction.

She averted her face as she had a blush on her cheeks. She then excused. "Well, I usually baked cookies for you every year so..."

"But we volunteered to cook dishes!" Sally suddenly added.

"Umm...Are we...bother..?" Asked a boy. It was the one I helped earlier.

"And what was your name again?" I asked bluntly.

"Umm!...I-It's...S-Shin..." Shin said. He seems like a quiet guy.

'But he doesn't look like a pushover either...' I added in my mind. Sure, he seemed meek, but I could see ferocity in his eyes.

"Can I ask to join your lessons tomorrow too?" Another boy asked. He was the second oldest among all the children. He had black hair, and he had average build.

"And you are? Oh. And her name too." I said as I pointed to a little girl, about eight years of age, and the youngest in the group. She was hiding behind the boy.

"Err...I'm Argos, and this is Ludivine." He answered.

"H-Hello." She greeted shyly. It seems she was bad at dealing with other people.

And the seven children, who I had saved on a whim, was for some reason, celebrating my 13th birthday. Lina still wouldn't meet my eyes, Rayle was all smiles, Siri was looking at everyone with gentle eyes, Sally looked ready to pounce on the food, Shin seemed contemplating about something, and Argos was still waiting for me to answer his question while Ludivine hid behind him.

I had never been surrounded my so much people before, and I had never celebrated my birthday like this with friends. During my time as a Hero, all I did was fight to the point I even forgot my birthday.

'Come to think of it, Aria once gave me a candy.' I thought comically as I remembered the pinky sized candy she gave me. It seemed she had made it herself that time, and it tasted really bitter.

I smiled as a warm fuzzy feeling filled my chest.

"Alright. However, I won't adjust my lessons just because you're new. Also, if there's something you don't know, ask your classmates. Not me, got it?"

"Really?! I don't mind at all! Thanks Lancell!"

"Never mind that, let's just eat. The food's getting cold."

Ad my words were the trigger, Sally's eyes shone as she suddenly shouted as she started digging in.

"Well! I'll help myself then!" And she started wolfing down the food.

And the others, as if afraid to lose, also joined her.

'Somehow, this feeling's not bad.' I thought.

And so, the day ended with our stomachs filled, and I had changed a tiny bit without me even noticing.