"Where are you? And who are you?"

I said as I turn my head around searching for the voice I just heard.

"Common don't treat me like a scary ghost… I'm here."

The girl shows herself in front of me.

She got short hair like mine and her blue eyes and aqua hair resemble Mayu. She's wearing an ordinary villager outfit for girls like I used to wear when I was in Rum town.

"Can you do your fighting stance again? And follow my instructions."

She said.

I look at her with suspicious eyes.

She looks younger than me. She’s suddenly giving me an order? This girl suddenly appearing in the middle of the night was kinda shady.

“Don’t look at me with those eye’s would you? I’m not that shady.”

She reads through my mind.

I sense nothing ill behind her words and just followed what she’s saying.

"... Now concentrate your mana in all over your body. Make the mana flow to the sword naturally and don't forget that you have your natural energy. Grip the sword tight and composed yourself. Take a deep breath and strike down."

I followed everything she said.

"Wind skill: Wind blade!"

My sword started to glow in greenish light and the wind started to bind my sword. The moment, I swing my sword the rock in front of me was a slice.

The rock is not perfectly sliced but I cut the rock.

It made me very happy. I didn’t expect that this old rusty blade was able to do such a thing.

"See, that's the technique. You are just forgetting the natural energy and focusing on mana. Did you want to lose all the time you train to raise your natural stamina and strength? Relying on mana is not enough. You should use your own strength more."

She said as encouragement.

"Yeah you're right, I'm at loss before but looks like I know how to accomplish my task now. Thank you so much."

"Don't sweat it, It's natural for me to teach you. Well, I didn't introduce myself to you yet. My name is Aya."

"My name is Laura, nice to meet you."

"Well, the night is getting deeper maybe it's time for us to depart. I will see you again here when you're training."

"Yes, good night Aya."

I said.

"Same here Laura."

She replies and leaves.

In this vast forest in the night. I never expect to make friends in the forest.

Well, who cares about that?

The important thing is I'm able to make a progress.

I go back home and the next day, I will train again.

Waking in the morning Yaya and Nonon. Make breakfast.

"Eat well Big sis Laura."

Said Nonon.

"Yeah it's delicious, thank you for you too for helping me every morning."

I said and pat their heads.

Yaya is blushing red when I pat her head and said:

"Big sis Laura, I saw you working hard every day, Maybe you should have a day off today."

"Thank you for worrying about me, but I'm perfectly fine seeing you smile and eating your food makes my body stronger than a cow."

"Really?! Then that's a relief."

"Yaya and I will continue supporting you Big sis Laura."

Yaya and Nonon are really kind-hearted girls. I'm lucky for meeting them specially Koyuki-san.

They provide meals and a home for me for free. I need to repay them someday.

After eating, I put the empty bowl on the table and head back to the forest to train.

"Thank you for the food."

I go back to the forest to continue my training.

I will polish my skill more.

When I arrived at the forest I saw the aqua blue-haired girl again and guide me in my training.

...

Many days passed. mY sword training continues.

Sword swing daily, Use magic and test my ability. Sometimes I have a day off and eat fried chicken with Koyuki with her daughters in the restaurant in the village.

I didn’t pay attention much on time, but It's been a year and two months since I started living with Koyuki.

While in the forest with Aya.

"Wind skill: Wind blade!'

The sword cut the big tree in one slash.

"That's good Laura, this tree has steel-like durability and you cut it using your sword. I guess you can finally take the final test."

Hearing Ayu's word makes me really happy.

"Really!? I can really pass the test now."

"Of course, you worked your butt to train every day for that thing right. I guess it's time to settle these things."

"Yeah."

I go to the river back and face the final test Koyuki gave me.

"Ayu just watch… I will slice this rock in half."

I started to remember all my hard work and make my fighting stance.

The sword started to glow light green and the gust of wind started to whirl around me.

This is the time to take the step to the next stage.

"Wind skill: Wind blade--!!"

I didn't hear the sound of me hitting the rock.

I think I lost my focus and missed it.

But the rock started to crack open slowly. In few moments the rock boulder opens up a slice in half.

The mana inside the rock is been released and I can feel it flowing with the wind.

I turn my gaze to Aya with a beaming smile on my face. I was very happy with the result of my training.

"Look Aya I finnaly make it. I cut the big boulder in half. Look... Aya? Aya where are you?"

After slicing the rock. Aya suddenly disappeared without a trace. I was in trouble with her and search for her in the forest until the night comes.

I didn't find her and assumed that she left home.

I go back to Koyuki and tell my achievement.

"I see you finally succeed in the final test, Laura. This time you're ready to travel. I'm sure you have the ability to protect yourself now."

Sad Koyuki.

Meanwhile, the two girls seemed to be crying hearing our conversation.

"Big sis Laura, is it true that you're leaving?"

"Are you going to leave us?"

I feel bad and can't answer them directly. Then Koyuki explains everything to them. The mood slightly improved and then the two girls hugged me tightly.

"Big sister Laura don't forget us and don't forget to brush your teeth every day."

"Big sister Laura... Stay safe and I... I love you-!!"

Said Yaya.

"I love you too Yaya, Also Nonon and Koyuki of course. I love everyone in this house. I won't forget you. I live in this house for a year after all. I won't forget your help and kindness."

"Then before I said my farewell, Laura take this."

Koyuki gave me a new sword.

“Is this really okay? This looks expensive?”

“Don’t sweat it, that sword is left on this house in several years now.”

I pulled the sword and saw its sharp white blade.

Wait? White?

"This blade is so unnatural, why it's pure white?"

"I really don't know the details why that sword is pure white, but I'm sure that sword is previously owned by your own mother herself. Luna is the previous wielder of that sword."

Hearing Koyuki's words make my heart jump.

The sword in my hand was wielded by my mother in the past.

"Laura you seemed to not know a lot of your mother's adventure, I think it's a good thing for me to tell you some stories."

Koyuki started a camp and cook food outside. the two girls seemed to be delighted when they started to roast marshmallows in the campfire.

Meanwhile, Koyuki started telling me stories about their adventures.

While listening to the many stories Master Koyuki telling me. I heard something that caught all my interest.

"... Yeah then my blue-haired comrade uses her water magic to support us, she's really kind and cheerful. She always encourages us to step forward."

"I blue-haired girl… That sounds like Aya."

I muttered.

Koyuki take a glance at me and replied.

"You know Aya?"

"Aya helps me in my practice… She taught me the blending of natural energy and mana. She's a huge help in my training."

Koyuki was astonished and a grim expression on her face was seen.

"... tell me more about her Laura."

Her serious tone makes a chill in my spine and tells me my story about Aya.

Koyuki seemed to figure out things and told me.

"Aya is my previous comrade and she died on the battlefield. I don't know what is happening but the fact that you see and meet Aya is really unexpected."

I'm stunned by what I heard.

"That means, I'm seeing and playing with a ghost all this time? Am I cursed?"

"Aya is a kind girl she won't curse you or anything."

After the camping, we go back and sleep.

Tomorrow will gonna be a big day.

The day of my journey going to the central state finally arrived.

...

The next day.

It's still early in the morning we go to the port.

Nonon and Yaya are crying in my arms saying their farewell.

"Goodbye, Big sis Laura."

"Take care."

"Also to the two of you take care."

I cried and hugged them tightly.

Then Koyuki gives me my bag and then suddenly hugged me.

"It's only a short time you live with me, but I feel like I'm seeing my own daughter depart in my own eyes. For a mother seeing her child starting a journey is really terrifying. But if this is what you want I don't have a right to stop you, Laura. When you feel lonely and sad. You're free to go back here because this is your home."

I started crying even more and a loud crying voice is heard.

"I sad that I lost my Mama before but every time I see you, I feel like she's just around me."

We hugged each other and cry.

People started to gaze toward us weirdly.

"Look at those girls they are too adorable."

"They are touching my heart."

"They're so cute."

Said some people say around us.

I go to the ship and wave my hands to them.

"Koyuki, Nonon, Yaya--!! Someday I will come back."

"We're going to wait big sis Laura."

"Big sis Laura we love you."

"Don't catch a cold okay."

In the end, we finally wave to each other with cheerful expressions on our faces.

The ship starts sailing.

To the nearest port to the state central.

"To the country of magicians, Witchport city."