Oh, I hate when he calls my name. He will always order me around like I'm his slave or something.
"White! Come down and chop some wood!"
There it goes again. That voice that is calling my name is my master, Lyncon. Although we have lived together for a long time, I hated it when he just ordered me around.
Well, to be fair, I was living here for free... this should be the payment... but for fuck sake, can you at least do the simple chores around this small house?
I was furious as I went down to the living room where he sat in the chair, enjoying his nice little tea. Hah, how I wish I could live on my own... wait... ohh I can't live on my own yet.
What he taught me is that, in order to live your own happy life, you need to have money! But... I don't have any right now. What's worse is that I'm living in a place where there are no neighbors around!
No neighbors, no business! No business, no job! No job, no money!!!
"What are you standing there for, White?" Lyncon asked me with his eyebrow slanted. Oh, how I wish I could punch him! It's pissing me off!
"Uh.. nothing, master. I was just wondering where you put the axe this time?" I answered in a manner... fuck this!
Lyncon looks at me, wondering... I know in his mind it goes like this, "Have this kid lost his mind?" because it's painted all over his face!
"Are you okay? Or are you plotting something again? Oh, let me guess... trying to go outside the forest?" Lyncon said as he smiled. He then took a sip of his tea and continued, "If you have the balls, then do it," saying it like it made him cool or whatever.
Hell no!
Last time you said that to me and caught me, you made me spar you 3 times a day... 3 times a DAY!!!! You hear me!
After breakfast, we spar, after lunch we spar, and after dinner we spar again! For a whole year!!! WHOLE YEAR!!!
"What are you talking about, master? I wouldn't do that, ever." I answered, but then he made fun of me again!
"Well, you keep complaining to me about the time I caught you trying to get out in the forest, ehh? Your face is seriously trying to hide it, and it's so funny..." He then burst out laughing at me.
In this desolate forest where life is rarely seen, his voice echoed far and wide in the forest. Oh, how glad I am now for not having neighbors... wait, should I be glad? Oh, whatever, let's just go down and chop down a tree.
If you're wondering what our(?) house looked like, well, you see it's just a tree house. Oh, how do we cook our food when it's just a tree house? Of course, my master had a portable hearth. He said he bought it at the time his moving into this forest.
Why does he move you, ask? Well, damn if I know. He doesn't share a damn thing with me, so I got upset at it one time... He doesn't really care about it much, so I didn't bother to ask.
"Ol- I mean master! I finished up chopping some wood!" I shouted so Lyncon could hear above the tree house.
"Then pick it up and get it here!" Lyncon shouted back. Oh, how I wish... Hm... Is that?
Not far from our tree house, I saw a big frog. Its size is at least 100 times bigger than the normal frog. The name of this frog is "Kroaka", which originated in the forest.
Some said it evolved when the Great War happened 5 centuries ago. Due to its size, people categorize this frog as a "Monster", and they're right to treat it like one.
Because Kroaka's favorite food is human flesh.
"For fuck sake..." Do I need to deal with it now? The old man... My master is going to be annoyed if I call him to kill a frog.
I will just use this wooden sword... I hope it's enough.
I walk towards the Kroaka, and it instantly notices me approaching. I can see its face craving the one in front of him, in its eyes, it looks like a food coming to him.
My master taught me one thing when facing this kind of monster. It is never the first. Kroaka's attack mainly comes from its absurdly fast and long tongue. So moving first will put me in disadvantage because it will just read my movements and use its surprisingly fast tongue.
Koaka, craving for flesh cannot hold back its gluttony and attacks White first. White, not daring to even blink his eyes, barely dodges the attack.
Damn, this is bad. This wooden sword is not meant for actual combat.
Kroaka's big feature makes it both an advantage and a disadvantage. Being big means it has more extra slump of meat to protect its body. But that also means the core is much bigger, making it easier to kill a monster like this.
Well... that's it if I got a real weapon. That old man isn't even trying to help. He's pretending not to notice this monster. Well, looks like I don't have a choice.
"Damn it! I call forth my spirit, Lutheria!" I cast a spell to call forth a spirit that I already tamed. Lutheria is a fiery spirit that mainly specializes in fire attacks.
A small circle portal appeared beside me, and a small spirit of fire appeared. The appearance it chose right now is a bird... You can call it a miniature version of a phoenix. Without a word from me, it opened its beak and summoned a large ball of fire that didn't suit its size... I'm not insulting it to be honest.
In a matter of seconds, the Kroaka vanished in the thin air, turning it to ash... also the area behind it. Well, I cannot say that I completely tame the spirit because it just goes back after unleashing that attack.
"What the hell, White! You destroyed my backyard???" Lyncon shouts as he stands at the window above the treehouse. Oh, shut up already! If you just come down and kill that frog, it will be the easiest task you can do today! Instead, you choose to ignore me!
"Well, technically it's not me... It's the spirit's fault," I calmly explained, even though I knew that he knew it already, and was playing dumb. Such an old trick in the book.
Well, these kinds of days are natural in this small house we live in. I hate it... At the same time, I don't... He raised, fed me, and clothed me even though I'm not his child. I just know someday, I have to leave this forest.
2 years later.
"White! Come down," and chop some trees! Ha, I knew it, like it's in the back of my head. Hm... he's not saying I have to chop something?
I go down from my room and meet him drinking his tea. But something is not right this time. The atmosphere looks somber... I wonder what it is.
"What is it, master?" I asked. But then he said, "Stop calling me master when you didn't even feel like it." his eyes looked at his cup, he then continued saying, "You should embark on your journey. You can't be living here all your life".
I don't know what this old man is saying. Is he really serious about me going out??? Then let me go!
"But master-", the old man stopped me from speaking, "I said, don't call me master when you didn't feel like it." What is this? Has this old man ever liked this before? He doesn't really mind it and even likes to be called master... what have change?
"Ok... m- I mean lyncon," I answered as I asked myself, what I going to do after I go out of the forest.
"Ok then, go up and pack your things," Lyncon ordered me, and I hurried up the stairs. As I step closer to my door. It struck me... Am I really leaving?
Thinking about all these years. Even if I deeply hated his attitude sometimes, his constant orders, and his lazy ass... I'm used to it now. But is he gonna be okay to be alone?
As I opened the door of my room. I see all the things that the old man gave me. The clothes I wear, the room I use, the bed I sleep in, the mirror he buys for me, even the chair he built for me when I was a child.
I was surrounded by his kindness but blind to it. But the old man's eyes never lie. Even if he scolds me, the joy in his eyes is like an open book. His eyes right now are as serious as they can be.
I hesitated for a moment, but I knew this day would come, and I never thought it would be too soon. I packed my clothes with a heavy heart, feeling like as I stuffed my clothes, the heavier my whole body is becoming.
"This is the last time, huh?" I mumbled to myself, looking at the room I lived in all my life.
I went down to the living room and noticed that the old man had gone down below the treehouse. I followed down, the old man saw me and said, "A man should not be limited. For a man's potential to shine, they need to explore the vast world."
"Lyncon... I packed all my stuff..." I said as I clenched the bag tightly. I am excited to explore the world, but I too am sad that the world I live until now needs to be left behind.
The old man... just nodded his head. It's a signal, it's time for me to go. I slowly walk away. Waiting for something... then the old man says, "The outside might be ugly... but don't lose yourself." The word that my master... my father said to me. His word is itched inside my head.
I just answered, "Yes, Master."
Lyncon smiled at me. It's warm and cold.
I hope... I will get to visit him again sometime.