The horse carriage slowly stopped. Yoko, who was sleeping, was softly and gently woken up by her mother.
"Hey, we're here, " she murmured as she gently patted Yoko. Her eyelids fluttering, she slowly opened her eyes. The tears she had shed as they left the village remained in her eyes, which were blurry, lingering with remnants of her sadness.
Her mother's warm hug somehow comforted her, but not enough to fully heal her wounded heart.
The door of the carriage opened, revealing a gentleman dressed in a nice suit outside, his hand suspended in the air, signalling them to step out.
"Let's go." The father signalled. Her mother gently tugged her arm, however, Yoko was scared and nervous. Outside was a foreign world to her. Her small, dainty hands gripped the folds of her dress.
She wanted to stay in the carriage. She wanted to go back to the place where she grew up, where her friend, Tsukishiro, was, where the flowers smelled familiar, and to where the world didn't look scary. However, they are already here.
She shut her eyes tightly as she stood up on shaky feet. Guided by her mother, she slowly stepped out of the carriage.
Her eyes widened as it laid on the glamorous city all around her—a city of elegance, buildings embedded with golden accents, their medieval-style architecture standing tall and high. Streets, woven into the city, filled with bright lights and glowing lanterns, casting a warm euphoric feeling.
The city was lively, with merchants selling their goods, with children playing all around, with cloaked magicians running late for their academy school—it was unlike anything she'd seen before.
"The city is beautiful, isn't it?" Her mother said as she carried her in her arms. Yoko's eyes sparked and gleamed in amusement.
"Welcome to the city of golden dreams, a place where dreams could root and grow!" The gentleman said. "This way, please, you'd like to meet your employers." They were guided to the house in front of them.
With arches filled with lights and windows illuminating the light inside, it was straight out of a fantasy castle in their views. The gentlemen opened the door for them, revealing a lively restaurant inside.
People were talking, with smiles on their faces as they feasted over delicious foods and drinks.
"Lady Celestia is waiting upstairs. please head upstairs." The gentlemen signalled, pointing towards the stairs across the room. They thanked the gentlemen and bowed before walking towards the stairs.
Being different, some stares followed them as they shyly walked towards the area. Once upstairs, a quiet hallway with a door at the end greeted them.
"Let's go." Yoko's father slowly walked towards the door while her wife, who was carrying Yoko, followed behind. He knocked three times.
"Come in." A female voice replied.
They opened the door, revealing a quiet room with shelves on the sides and a desk in the middle, where Lady Celestia was sitting down, writing something on a piece of scroll paper. She took a glance at her visitors before she realized it was them.
"The Shimizu family, I've been awaiting your arrival. Please, take a seat." She gestured over the chair on the side. They slowly walked over to the chair, their eyes still in awe at the modern setting around them.
Lady Celestia was a woman around her mid-thirties, with silver-white hair tied into a bun. Her face seemed young, almost like a teenager's. After finishing what she was writing, she turned to the Shimizu family.
"You are the parents of the child prodigy from the mountains, is that correct?" Lady Celestia spoke with the utmost authority, enough to make them nervous.
"Y-Yes, we are." The father replied, his voice clearly tense.
"Welcome to our tavern. I hope that our tavern is up to your liking."
"O-Oh, i-if anything, we should thank you."
"That's quite humble of you. Your village elder talked to me and boasted about the cooking skills of you two."
"T-That's quite an exaggeration..."
"I would like to see it firsthand. But first, I would like to see something first." Lady Celestia's eyes traveled to Yoko, who was still terrified.
"Young one, what is your name?" Celestia asked, her tone remaining imposing and fierce.
Yoko gripped his mother's sleeves, hiding just behind her arms, before replying softly, "Y-Yoko, Yoko Shimizu."
"Yoko, what a beautiful name. Your parents say that you are talented in magic. Could you show me?"
"O-Oh... Yes... Uhm,"
"I have this ball." Celestia grabbed a glass orb from her table and stood up. She walked towards Yoko and gave it to her.
"This is an A-Rank Crystal Orb. I want you to exert magic on it, and it will glow."
"O-Okay..." Although confused and shaky, she looked carefully at the translucent orb. She gazes at her own, nervous reflection.
"Go, make it glow," Celestia instructed.
They all looked in anticipation as Yoko held the ball tightly, waiting for the glow to manifest.
Yoko tried her best; however, even after waiting, the ball didn't glow a single bit.
Lady Celestia let out a disappointed sigh. "I was expecting a miracle. However, she is nothing but a disappointment."
She turned around and was about to deny their application for his tavern when suddenly,
"W-W-Woah, there it is!" Her parents exclaimed in shock. Lady Celestia turned around, and her eyes widened. The orb, which was previously blank, was now glowing ever so brightly in a golden color. Its brightness was enough to fill the whole room with light and even momentarily blind someone.
Even Yoko was surprised by the unexpected happening.
"Y-You can stop now," Lady Celestia said, bringing Yoko back to herself and retracting her magic energy. They were speechless at what just happened; even Lady Celestia was taken aback.
"D-Does that pass?" Yoko's mother asked. Lady Celestia first took her seat and looked at them with serious eyes.
"Indeed, she doesn't disappoint. What I gave her was an A-Ranked Magic Orb, which means that magicians of that aptitude are only those who can do such a thing. And your daughter performed that miracle." She took another look at Yoko before continuing. "Before I built this tavern, I taught at the academy, and she is by far, in terms of that orb exam, the highest to ever score."
"R-Really?!" Both of the parents were ecstatic and overfilled with joy.
"Indeed. I am certain that she won't have a problem entering the academy. I suggest you first enroll her in the Secondary Level. While her magic energy certainly is over the roof, controlling and using it is another topic."
"G-Got it!" The father replied, a smile now forming on his face. A single, proud smile.
"I have a room at the inn I own, and here's the key to that room. You two will start working tomorrow as waiters and waitresses. As for your child, encourage her, and support her."
"Got it! Thank you, Lady Celestia." Her mother thanked her, tears forming in her eyes.
"However, do not mistake my courtesy for kindness. It is that I've walked a similar path. I do this for my compassion in magic and to not waste that kid's talent." Lady Celestia added.
"We understand, Lady Celestia." Her father replied. "Truly, we thank you!" Both of them bowed their heads deeply.
"Raise your heads up."
"Yes, thank you very much." They turned around and were ready to leave Lady Celestia's office when suddenly,
"Oh, another thing." They turned around to the voice of Lady Celestia. "Kindness isn't always in the wind, especially for 'outsiders' like you. Be careful." She warned, her eyes much dead serious than before.
"Thank you for the notice, we sure will be careful." The father replied. Lady Celestia smiled lightly before signaling them to leave.
She turned back to her work and began writing again.
"This is not kindness; It simply is an act of pity, as once, I was also an outsider." She thought to herself, as her past rushed through her mind. She too was an outsider who was treated badly in the city. However, it is only then that she rose through the ranks of magician that she gained respect from the people around her. But even then, what she has gone through was rough.
Paired together, both her skill and passion for magic, she was able to be successful, and seeing a young talent like Youko, she can't help but smile, even though that smile carries the worry that Yoko won't enjoy life, especially if around privileged nobelties.
"That child is an exception. I'm certain she'll succeed."
Elder Ami was the one who endorsed that child to her, seeing that she was a compassionate magician. Although reluctant, she agreed to give them work and to give Yoko the chance to study in the city.
"I hope so," She pondered before writing down on her paper again.
...
The room was spacious enough and warm. With a desk, two beds, and an empty shelf. Going to the left side, there was a kitchen, a bathroom, and everything that a household needs. It was located in the adjacent building next to the tavern, and it was perfect.
A wave of exhaustion washed over them. The journey had been long and tiring. Added to that was the weight of the new city and the new change around them.
Her father placed their small bag of belongings beside the bed and sighed. "Let's think about things tomorrow. We should rest for now." He said as he brushed through his hair, keeping a proud smile.
Yoko's mother sat on the bed. She gently placed Yoko beside her and then ran her fingers through her daughter's soft, silky hair.
"How are you doing, Yoko?" She gently asked.
"I-I'm scared. I miss the village." Yoko replied, her eyes melancholic. She remembered her friend, Tsukishiro. Was he still cutting and picking up wood? Was he still training? How is he doing? Each thought made her even added, and made her even miss her old village.
"Tomorrow, we will start a new life, Yoko. Do not be scared, okay? I know you'll be fine. Your talent is a gift, and this is the place where that talent will grow."
"But what about Tsukishiro? Will he also go here?"
"I don't know. But I know he will continue his magic. Maybe even in the future, you'll be together again, training and playing." Her mother comforted her with a smile. This somehow eases Yoko's worries, however, a hint of sadness is still within.
She buried her head onto her mother's chest as she hugged her tightly. Her mother returned a tight hug and, with a soft, gentle voice, hummed a song that they always sang back at the village.
Soon after, Yoko would eventually drift into a deep sleep.
...