Lyla

Upon reaching the house, Rei retreated to his room, eager to examine the strange magic gem he had received as a reward.

Taking out the glowing stone, Rei held it up to the light, analyzing its properties. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a magic gem specifically a fire gem—a rare and potent magic stone used primarily in the crafting of wands due to its efficient conversion of raw mana.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Rei's face as he remembered his lack of magical ability. While the fire gem was an impressive and valuable artifact, it would be of little use to him without the innate magical talent needed to harness its power.

Rei decided to compare the Fire gem with his water crystallite and the gemstone on his scepter, which you know is called the qi stone. In temperature, the fire gem is hot, the qi stone is cool and the krystallite is neither cool nor hot. In terms of brightness, the fire gem glowed, the qi stone did not even have a luster but seemed to vibrate in darkness and the krystallite even had a luster in darkness. In terms of weight, the Qi stone had the highest weight, followed by the krystallite, and the magic gem was the lightest. Rei recorded these properties in a copy.

Finally, Rei decided to conduct a test and attached the water krystallite with the fire gem then used the water krystallite, and as expected the fire gem reacted but did not produce any magic. Rei wrote about this test and its findings in the copy.

After a moment of contemplation, Rei decided to keep the fire gem. Perhaps, in time, he could find a way to repurpose it for a different purpose, given its unique skills and talents.

With the analysis complete, Rei turned his attention to the language of Zeltrise, one of the many tongues he had studied in his free time. He spent a while reading and practicing the complex script, his mind absorbing the intricate grammar and vocabulary.

As the night grew late, Rei set aside his books and settled down on his bed, the events of the day swimming through his thoughts. With a contented sigh, he allowed his eyes to drift shut, his mind drifting off to a peaceful slumber as the sounds of the village settled down around him.

The next morning, Rei found himself in the training yard, sparring with Thomas as Kaiser looked on. The clash of steel against steel rang out in the crisp morning air as Rei and his father engaged in a fierce duel, their swords moving in a blur of swift, precise strikes.

Amidst the intense exchange, Kaiser suddenly piped up, a note of casual curiosity in his voice. "Hey, Rei, what are you going to do with that magic gem? I mean, it's literally no use to you, right? No offense," he said, lounging on a nearby bench, his relaxed posture a stark contrast to the duel before him.

Rei parried a particularly fierce blow from Thomas, his muscles burning from the exertion as he matched his father strike for strike. "None taken, Kaiser. I was thinking of using the magic gem along with a krystallite to use magic," Rei replied, his voice steady despite the intensity of the fight.

Thomas, a seasoned warrior with years of experience, paused for a moment, a mix of amusement and exasperation on his face. "You enjoy doing everything unconventionally, don't you, Rei?" he said, a hint of pride mingling with his words.

Seizing the opportunity, Thomas launched a swift, powerful strike, his blade meeting Rei with a resounding clang.

Caught off guard by the sudden onslaught, Rei faltered. With a final, mighty blow, Thomas disarmed his son, leaving Rei sprawled on the ground, panting and nursing his bruised ego.

Kaiser chuckled from the sidelines. "Guess the old man's still got it," he quipped, earning a playful glare from Rei.

Just then, Lily appeared, a list of chores in hand. "Rei, I need you and Luster to fetch some wood from the nearby mountain," she said, her tone firm yet kind.

Rei nodded, pushing himself up off the ground with a grunt. "Of course, Mother. Luster and I will get started right away," he replied, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Rei and Luster made their way toward the mountain, the cool breeze a welcome respite from the heat of the training yard. As they climbed the rocky path, they spotted several fallen logs and branches strewn about, left behind by the recent storms.

The two of them set to work, gathering the dry wood and stacking it neatly in their arms. As Rei worked, his thoughts drifted to the magic gem tucked away in his pouch, envisioning the innovative weapon he could craft from it.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice the low-hanging branch until it brushed against his face, snapping him back to the present. "Watch your head, Rei!" Luster called out, a note of concern in his voice.

Rei ducked just in time, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Thanks, Luster. Guess I was a bit distracted," he said, shaking his head as they continued to gather the much-needed firewood.

As Rei and Luster made their way deeper into the forest, an awkward tension lingered between them. Luster's cheeks were flushed a deep crimson, and he seemed to be struggling to find the right words for something important.

Suddenly, Luster lost his footing on the uneven terrain, his arms flailing as he began to tumble down the steep slope. Without hesitation, Rei reached out to grab him, but in doing so, he too lost his balance, and both found themselves tumbling down the hill together.

They came to a halt at the bottom of the slope, lying in a tangle of limbs and scattered firewood. Luster looked mortified, his wide eyes filled with panic and embarrassment.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Luster!" Rei said. "I should have been more careful—I didn't mean for us to fall like that."

Luster blinked rapidly, his cheeks still blazing red beneath his azure hair. "N-no, it's alright, Rei, I'm fine," he stammered, looking away nervously. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have been so clumsy."

Rei pushed himself up, brushing off the dirt and debris from his clothes. "Come on, the place where we used to train is not far from here let's take a look," he said, a note of excitement in his voice as he held out his hand to help Luster up. "Follow me. It's just a short walk from here."

As they ventured deeper into the heart of the forest, the trees seemed to close in around them, the canopy filtering sunlight into a dappled green glow. The air was filled with birdsong and the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze.

Suddenly, they stumbled upon a lake, its crystal-clear water shimmering in the filtered light. It looked like diamonds were floating on the water. Rei gasped in awe, a sense of wonder and tranquility washing over him. "We finally made it," he breathed, a note of reverence in his voice. "This place is the same as ever, it brings a certain sense of nostalgia now."

Luster stood beside him, his eyes wide with amazement as he took in the nostalgic sight. For a moment, he seemed to have forgotten his earlier nervousness, a tentative smile playing on his lips remembering how far they had come.

But then, as if remembering the weight of his earlier thoughts, Luster's smile faltered. He turned to Rei with a look of trepidation. "Rei, there's something I need to tell you," he began, his voice trembling slightly. "I... I'm not actually a boy. My name is Lyla and I am a girl," she said, her words tumbling out in a rush.

Rei was taken aback for a moment, surprise etched on his face as he processed Lyla's revelation. A flicker of nervousness passed through him, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of understanding and acceptance.

If she had told Rei about this before Emilia had come he would have lashed out at her but now it was different, though he still kept his guard up for threats he was a lot calmer and more trusting than before.

Seeing the fear and vulnerability in Lyla's eyes, Rei felt a surge of empathy. He reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her close as he felt the hot tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you for trusting me, Lyla," Rei said softly, his voice filled with sincerity. "Thank you for coming out to me truthfully and honestly. I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to share this with me," he added, gently stroking her hair in a comforting gesture.

Lyla clung to him, her tears soaking into the fabric of his shirt as she let out a shuddering sob. "Thank you for accepting me, Rei," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I was so scared you would hate me now that you know the truth," she admitted, her fears laid bare.

Rei held her closer, his heart swelling with compassion and understanding. "I could never hate you, Lyla," he murmured, his voice warm and soothing. "You're still the same person I've always known and cared for. Nothing has changed that," he reassured her, his words a balm to her fragile heart.

These words of Rei came from the bottom of his heart because Kaiser and Lyla (formerly Luster) were the people who pushed Rei to mend his broken heart and become the best he could be. Rei thought, "Perhaps in this life, I can become a little more trusting."