A Bell's Chime of Indignation

Thievery. The action of stealing another person's property.

There are a lot of factors influencing this pardonable yet disorganized activity. It's driven by distinct circumstances that a person has to undergo as part of his nature. Some people steal because they wanted that particular thing, and some often use it as their way of living. Those who don't have jobs—a generation of mass that live on the razor's edge. They're often the driver of such vile and cruel devil's work.

Granted, it's not really their fault. Society works in unimaginable ways where one could simply do this and the other will follow. And if you ask for their reasons, they will only differ according to their needs but the process of doing it will remain the same.

Some might have bad intentions. That commonly leads to robbery prompted by their thirst for money.

But the most sensible and typical reason you will often receive is that: They steal not because of greed but because they need it.

A personal gain. They are deprived of basic resources that trigger their impulse for survival. Most people wouldn't just let themselves crawl and starve.

And of course, children are not an exception to that too. Without the proper guidance of their parents, without exposure to good morals and right conduct, and without the support of the government, as they struggle to live, they will eventually come across executing crimes without them realizing it.

They will do that in order to survive.

That's the effect of injustice and severe poverty in this land. Rin is aware of the lethargic indignation that most people couldn't express. When he saw the little girl begging for her life as she stole food, he knew that it was driven by her instinct to survive. It wasn't intentional. She didn't mean any harm. She didn't want to hurt anyone. She just wanted to help herself and eat a single fruit that would last for the rest of the day.

This instance of poverty-induced actions doesn't only happen in this land. It happens everywhere and every day. It's a daily occurrence that the Damniants have to take care of. The Eliads don't pay any heed to it. It's a problem that they must fix until the day they die.

* * *

Picking up the bags that he left in the nearby slum, Rin walked towards the lake's direction while holding the girl's hand. He figured that if she was exposed to the crowd, she might get uncomfortable and scared after what happened. They need to take a breather and relax somewhere that is peaceful and quiet. And that place is none other than Rin's favorite place to hang out.

The Lake of Fier. It is not that far from the town, an oasis that most fishermen visit to get their daily catch. This was Rin's favorite place of relaxing as it is quiet and tranquil. The serenity of such a large body accompanied by the smooth flow of the wind is the perfect location for some short-term rejuvenation.

"Wah..." The girl let out a dazzling awe as she stared into the pristine realm of nature. The sunrays proliferating into the gaps of the clouds reflected into the lake, giving it a blaring shine that twinkles along the green lush of trees and vegetation.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Rin asked.

"Mhmm!"

"This is my favorite place to relax. Come, let me show the whole lake..." With a smile, Rin led the girl downwards through the slope and made their way to the other side of the lake where they could view the scenery better.

Upon reaching the large oak tree near the water, Rin removed his boots and walked through the lake. The cold stream of water soaked his feet instantly. The lake's temperature varies accordingly to its exposure to the current season and its limitation when it comes to its mass and how large it is. Since the winter season has just ended, although the lake looked pretty warm from the viewpoint, the temperature is not.

Rin knelt down and started washing his hands and face. He took a handful of it and splashed it around, waves managed to reach the edge as the little girl received droplets of it.

"Haha! The lake is so cold..." Rin turned to her and extended his hand. "Do you want to play?"

The girl stared at him in surprise. Does she want to play? Is it fine to play in the lake? Wouldn't the other people scold them for it? She was hesitating but seeing Rin enjoy himself like that made her wonder if it was fine.

"Hmm?" Rin titled his head.

"I umm..." The girl was fidgeting. And then...

"Kyah!" A splash of water came running down to the girl's position, wetting her dress and hair. Rin didn't hesitate as he swerved more cold water in her direction.

"S-Stop it...! Hey!" It was an invitation to a fun little game. Without realizing it, the girl rushed into the lake and started splashing water around Rin's position, which made both of them chuckle in delight.

"Hahaha!"

It was only temporary—this enjoyable moment. It's something that most children in the land of the Damniants have never got to share with each other. A fun childhood experience. The most unbiased and standard way of coping with their young nature. In reality, this was not the case. Their childhood is bathed in dreaded gloom that eats away their delusional yet happy fantasies.

The two of them ran around the shallow oasis, forgetting the incident that have occurred just a while ago. It was part of Rin's goal. He wanted her to disregard the feeling of fear and anxiousness, and make it so that she would invest all her emotion in this graceful bliss.

After some time, they finally exhausted themselves and sat near the rock to get some rest. It was only afternoon and the wind was catching up. They stared right into the horizon, watching the birds flock together and soar to the azure sky.

If the children of the royal families indulge themselves in exorbitant luxuries and clothes to be happy, for the Damniants, this was their luxury. Nature itself and the happy memories they get to bring after a short time.

"Fuwah~!" The girl stretched her arms widely. "Hee hee, that was so fun..." She turned to Rin and gave him a genuine smile. It was so cute that Rin thought she was a different person unlike a while ago.

Now that he thinks about it, this girl does have a cute and bubbly face. Although her black hair is frizzy and disheveled and generally dirty, her outward appearance seemed to be all-natural. She had a pair of golden eyes all too similar to a citrine jewel that emphasizes striking beauty and brilliance.

While Rin was observing her, he heard a sound of a rumbling stomach and when he traced where it came from, he found the girl holding her body in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry..." She apologized.

"Haha! I'm sure you're hungry after all of that. Here..." Rin opened one of the bags that he had brought with his mother containing meals and gave the girl a portion of it.

"Wait wait, this is a lot! Are you sure it's okay to give it to me?" She asked.

"Yep, feel free to eat it all..." Rin nodded.

The girl looked back and forth to see if he was joking but Rin held his static smile, waiting for her to open the plastic. Then, without any hesitation, she opened the plastic bag and took the bread inside. She instantly ate and covered half of it which made Rin gape in awe.

"—!" And because of that, she also chokes herself instantly.

Rin gave her a full bottle of water and she immediately pushed it back.

"Ha... Ha... Phew..."

"Take it slowly. No one's going to snatch that from you..." The girl nodded and continued eating. After a couple of minutes, she finally finished her meal and went to empty the water bottle all by herself. She made a quick glance toward Rin, a signal of her asking if it is okay to which Rin wholeheartedly approved.

"Hey umm..." Curious about the girl's background, Rin tried to ask her some questions but stopped midway. He didn't know the girl's name whatsoever.

Sensing his awkwardness, the girl smiled and told him her name. "It's Bell."

"Hm?"

"My name is Bellona Meriel..."

(What a pretty name.) He thought.

"Big brother, what's your name...?" She asked.

"Oh! My name is Rin. Rin Einfried. Nice to meet you, Bell."

The two shook hands with a smile on their faces. This was their first-ever meeting.

Since Rin disregarded his childhood experience for the sake of helping his mother, he didn't really have the opportunity to go meet the other kids in the town, let alone play with them. For him, the way he considered this meeting is somewhat lovable and cute. She was his first friend.

"So umm, Bell? Why did you steal that fruit earlier?" Rin was already aware that he was about to tackle a sensitive topic right now. He was already considering the reasons why Bell would steal but he wanted to confirm it.

Bell frowned and didn't answer for a while. She turned around to look at the lake and clenched her fist.

"I... I need food to feed my other friends..."

His eyes widened the moment he heard her reason. Why is it that he felt something crushing his chest even though he already assumed that was the case?

"You see, Bell's home is full of sick children. That's why I must help them... they're hungry. I promised that I will come back with lots of food..." She continued.

"What about your parents?" Rin asked.

"Parents?"

"Your Mama and Papa..." He gritted his teeth, prepared for Bell's answer.

"I don't know..." she turned to him. "They said Mama and Papa are somewhere in the sky and watching over me. Maybe if Bell does her best, they will come back down?"

What was the best way to tell a child that she is wrong? Rin asked himself.

What would be the right approach? What words will he use to broach it to her?

What decision will he choose so that he could keep her smiling?

"Hah..." Composing himself, Rin slowly pulled Bell and embraced her tightly.

"Eh? Big brother Rin...?" Bell could only keep herself in as she received Rin's warmth. She doesn't know the reason for this unexpected hug but it calmed her down.

"Mhmm... I'm sure they'll come back. As long as Bell is healthy and not in trouble, they will definitely be with you all the time..." Rin was always careful with his choice of words but this time, it came out naturally. There was no thought about that. He just comforted her innocent upbringing.

"Yeah..." Feeling relaxed, Bell beamed and returned Rin's embrace by coiling her arms around his back.

"If you need more food, you can have all of this..." Rin said, giving her the rest of the plastic.

"A-Are you sure?"

"Yep. I will help you get some food but I have one condition..." Bell straightened her body as she listened attentively.

Rin flicked her forehead with his finger. "Aw!"

"From now on, promise me that you won't steal anymore, got it?"

"Uuu... Yes, I promise."

"Alright then! Shall we go back?"

Upon reaching the Town Square, Rin said goodbye to Bell and returned back to the entrance. He then saw his mother waiting for him and noticed that she was smiling at him. It was a peaceful expression, soft and gentle. Rin then realized the meaning of it.

She probably saw his son made his first-ever friend and didn't bother them. It was cute and wholesome. She had longed for this development to come but she didn't expect that it would happen this day.

"Let's go home..."

"Yes, Mother!"

* * *

Evening came and the world shut itself down after a long day of work. The sky that was filled with shining light a moment ago is now covered with millions of stars subtly sparkling together.

There wasn't that much light in the village. This was because they are deprived of lamps that are often released in the capital and through the central district. Some of them use old torches and would set campfires somewhere to provide some luminosity during the night.

Though it may look dim, Rin didn't necessarily think so. He gazed upon the maw of the forest, watching how the fireflies lit up nature with their body's chemical reaction called bioluminescence. Most people call this light "Forest's ward" as if it is pertaining that the fireflies are like guardians overseeing the whole field.

The glow itself, for most people living here, depicts it as a luminous guide that will help keep themselves on track.

Science—most particularly, botany and other branches—generally doesn't exist in this world. All explanations for the environment are deeply rooted based on their own imagination and impression, or even interpretation.

It will take them another hundred years or maybe a thousand before they could reach a logical explanation for all of the phenomena. That's assuming that humanity will not wield Divine Arts in the future and not tamper with the natural laws of the world.

While watching the fireflies, Rin saw a faint flick of candlelight near the door. He slowly entered the next room and saw his Mother paying respect to his late father.

Next to his small tombstone constructed with a stack of pebbles and dirt was a memento that he left for the two of them.

As Rin approached Auelina, he picked a flower near the window and placed it on the ground. He then knelt down beside her and prayed.

Silence shrouded the Einfried household for a couple of minutes. After that, they moved to the living room and sat on the sofa.

Rin leaned his head to Auelina's shoulder and squeezed her hand. He was still thinking about Bell's condition and her background which made him feel weak and sad. Although he is not literally related to her, he relates to the feeling of losing someone. The only difference is that Bell hasn't faced the whole truth yet.

As he thought about their interaction a while ago, Rin noticed the memento that Auelina was holding for quite some time now.

"Hey, mother..."

"Hmm?"

"That red jewel that you are holding... Does it belong to Father?" He asked.

The memento exuded a strong crimson color. The whole crystal is attached to a string with a binder behind it, making it look like a pendant.

"Yes, you're right. It is an important artifact that your father gave to me when we were still together." Auelina answered with a sober look. Perhaps she was remembering the day when she received it for the first time.

"Your father and I met each when the Guild ordered an expedition outside the Kingdom years ago..."

"Oh, I think you mentioned one time that you were once an adventurer." Rin turned to her.

"That's right. Although we Damniants can't use magic, with the help from the Guild, we were able to take the job of hunting down monsters outside the unexplored area. Your father was assigned to lead the front lines while I took the rear for support." She recalled.

"I see, so the father is a leader, huh...?" Rin whispered.

"Yes... Your father is a strong and kindhearted man with endless determination. Without him, the expedition group wouldn't last long."

"So where did that memento come from?"

"When we were heading back to the Kingdom, your father gave this to me. I knew that it was just an excuse to talk to me but I still took it because it was so precious. He said that he found it somewhere during our battle in the dungeons. And after that, we started seeing each other..." Auelina chuckled as she told the rest.

"What a great introduction for himself. He literally just gave you that expensive-looking stone just to date you..." Rin grinned.

"Haha! I know, right? Our relationship didn't start that early though... I may have recalled giving him some tough assignment before he could take my hand..." She added.

"You made Father work hard for you?"

"Yes, I think it was customary according to my grandparents. They told me that a Man should take the small steps in a relationship and build a foundation first before starting a family. If you don't know what that signifies, it means he needs to court me first..."

"Oh..."

"Without courtship, most relationships wouldn't work. Remember that when you found someone you like, Rin."

"I get the process now but why is courtship important?" Rin asked.

"The purpose of courtship is to develop long-term relationship and affection for each other. It's like you're trying to know each other first... What that person likes, what he or she hates or doesn't like. Everything. You wouldn't want to marry a girl that you don't know well, right?"

"I guess that's true..."

"Building your own family shouldn't be taken lightly. Because it is one of the most important stages of your life. With respect to that, Marriage is also an important occasion in your life as well. That is true for both men and women. Don't rush it... cherish your moments together."

Rin listened carefully to his mother's advice, noting down everything she had said in his mind. This kind of talk is rare for them since Rin is always tired at work so he's grateful that he gets to spend some time with his mother.

"If you are successful in your love life, you will be rewarded..." Auelina added.

"A reward...? What's the reward for you and Father then?"

"You... Rin, you are the most precious reward we could ever receive. It's because we love each other that you came out of this world." Their love for each other bloomed, and that sprout of happiness was none other than their son, Rin.

"I don't really understand that but oh well..."

"Haha! Well, you'll understand it when you grow up..."

As Rin nestled against her arm, Auelina stroked his hair and sang a familiar lullaby to help him sleep. Rin wished that this moment would last forever. And so does Auelina herself.

"As long as we're both healthy and living together, your Father will be happy up there..." She whispered.

* * *

The next day, Rin woke up quite early to tend to the garden outside.

Since he still doesn't have any work for the workshop, he figured that it would be better if he can help Auelina clean the house and so he volunteered for some general cleaning and told his mother to take it easy.

"Right... This room is done and the garden is also good as well, all that's left is..."

Though they live in a rundown village, their house wasn't that really bad. Rin stared at the room that he hasn't touched yet. It was a storage room that is used to keep their old furniture and things and he figured that he should clean it as well.

After gathering the cleaning materials, he opened the door and entered inside. As expected, the room was full of cobwebs and an exorbitant amount of thick specks of dust and dirt. Even the furniture that they have stored recently was wrapped in rats' feces.

"Ugh..." He moved the large cabinet aside and sorted some equipment. After that, he started rummaging through the old closet that once belonged to his father.

"Hmm? What is this?" When he pulled the drawer below the compartment, he saw a large book that seemed to have belonged to ancient times. The front cover, back, spine, and even the gutter and joint were tightly sealed with a rough leather cover.

There is a large text on the cover but Rin couldn't read it. It was so old that he needs to wipe out the dust and cobwebs to see the illustration clearly.

"I wonder if I could read this..." Curious about its content, Rin opened the seal and flipped a few pages before getting into the center. From there, he noticed that there was a linear set of words that is arranged downwards. It wasn't clear because some of the pages were decayed but he could point out some familiar words.

"T-Tiniest? Tiniest f-fairy of the charged wind... let thy gale... gale sour through the world... Witness your master's command... Uh... Portum?"

Without realizing it, Rin unknowingly channeled a portion of mana from his body into the book and a small wave of gale slashed the cabinet in half, producing a loud thud. Green particles wafted around the room accompanied by a small pressure that made Rin step back in fear. A glowing light whirred around the air for a second before dissipating.

"Rin?! What happened?!" Hearing the loud noise, Auelina quickly entered the storage room only to witness a strange orb hanging around Rin's hands.

"No way..." She dropped the basin that she was carrying and stared at Rin with her jaw dropped.

What was this unexpected scene that she is seeing right now?

Why is a Descendant of the Cursed King like Rin able to use Divine Arts?