[Winter, Year 308]
The guest room was dark yet Yuki liked it this way. She sat at the desk with the lamp on, its bright, golden light radiating a cozy, warm undertone.
Yuki was deep in thought about what she had just ready until the slight creaking of the door alerted her. She turned her head left, only to meet a familiar pair of eyes staring daggers at her.
Xavier stomped towards Yuki, stopping next to her desk.
"Hey, you. That's my book, give it back." Yuki internally rolled her eyes at Xavier who had his arm extended, palm opened upward in a 'hand it over' stance.
'He sure doesn't act his age. How childish.' Yuki commented, even though she herself is also a child.
The books she read greatly influenced her speech, word choice, and way of thinking. How does she know how to read? She doesn't know. The first time she saw the title of a book, she recognized and understood the language. Maybe someone from her lost memories taught her?
Yuki sighed inwardly, moved that thought to the back of her mind, and quietly handed the book over. She watched Xavier run out without another word, slamming the door shut rudely with a loud bang.
— — —
"Son, what are you burning?" Mr. Revs asked, tilting his reading glasses down while raising one of his brows.
He sat on the wooden rocking chair, reading the daily newspaper he didn't have time to read this morning. Despite being in his mid thirties, his appearance was that of an uncle.
"Nothing, dad. I was just checking to see if the fire you imbued in the carved stone got weaker. I think it's still good, so there's no need to replace it." Xavier answered smoothly, smiling innocently as he watched the flames engulf the book quickly like a dangerous, infectious disease.
"Son. Since you're the oldest, make sure you take care of Yuki and be kind to her, got it? She's going through a lot." Mr. Revs emphasized, his face full of worry.
Seeing his father's worry and care for a lost girl that isn't even related to them made Xavier furious. He clenched his fists behind his back, maintaining his innocent appearance.
"I understand, dad." Xavier nodded obediently, anger brewing inside.
— — —
"Hey." Yuki knocked on the door to Xavier's room.
After a few seconds, the door slowly creaked open with a familiar figure standing behind.
"What? Go away, I don't want to see your face." Xavier said with a 'tch.'
Just as he was about to slam the door shut, Yuki stopped the closing door with her right foot.
'Why's her reaction speed so good?' Xavier wondered, struggling to shut the door before quickly giving up.
"What. Do . You. Want?" Xavier huffed, furrowing his brows.
"Where's the book?"
"Hmph. I don't know where I left it okay? It's gotta be here somewhere, right?" Xavier said with a hint of annoyance.
"You—"
"That book isn't yours anyway. Go find it like the stray dog you are!" Xavier smirked mockingly.
"..."
'I finished reading it anyway, but it's such a shame. I didn't fully understand everything…' She thought, retracting her feet.
The door once again shut with a bang. The last thing Yuki saw was Xavier's devil-like smile, making her a little irritated. Yuki stood still outside, weighing out the positives and negatives of staying in this little hut in her head.
Yuki understood she cannot be a bother to Mr. and Mrs. Revs or else they might kick her out. So what if she does not get along with their son? At this moment, the easiest way to survive is to stay with these people. All the necessities are provided: food, water, shelter. Here, she could live freely. She even has access to shelves full of books! Why care for a big baby throwing a tantrum?
'I can deal with this.' Yuki walked back to the guest room.
She wanted to learn Ivrent, but was unsure if she should let the Revs know.
…
Yuki decided. Every night, in her room, she would try to apply what she had learned, remembered, and understood from Vander A. Ivrent's The Basics of How to Use Ivrent book to small items she found laying around secretly. The thought of the seemingly infinite possibilities of Ivrent was thrilling. What if she can use her Ivrent to fight the evil viper she saw in that encyclopedia? This motivated Yuki to practice using Ivrent consistently without fail.
— — —
[Spring, Year 312]
Four years passed by quickly. It was now early spring. The winter breeze could still be felt. Xavier, who is two years older than Yuki, is now 12-years-old. Despite his age, quite often, he would secretly try and find a way to make Yuki leave, being as stubborn as a mule. In front of Mr. and Mrs. Revs, Xavier acts like the well-behaved son he is, being kind and caring to Yuki. Without his parents around, however, in Yuki's eyes, he acts like an evil little demon who always has some trick up his sleeve, acting two-faced with ease.
Xavier, the only child of the Revs family, is spoiled by his parents ever since he was born. He is smart, but he is also a cunning attention seeker who selfishly wants his parents to pamper and look at only him. Back then, out of nowhere, an annoying little leech appeared in his home, unannounced, taking away his parents' full attention on him.
'How dare you! I'll make sure you regret staying here, leeching off of us for so long.' Xavier thought, glaring at Yuki sitting across from him at the dinner table briefly before going back to aggressively munching on his steak.
Swallowing the food he angrily stuffed into his mouth, he looked at Yuki again. This time, Yuki stared back at Xavier, curious as to what new thing this little demon is up to.
In the four years they have lived together, nothing fazed Yuki anymore. She was used to it—even found it amusing.
"Yuki," Xavier began, "do you want to explore the area near the darkwood forest a little?" He asked.
"Xavier, no. What if she gets hurt?" Mrs. Revs said firmly, shaking her head in disapproval.
"Mom, dad, I promise I'll protect Yuki. We'll only explore the borders of that forest. It'll be fun! Plus, all these years, Yuki hasn't really seen the outside world. I can show her how pretty the newly bloomed flowers are at the nearby field too. You two always go there, you know the outskirts of the darkwood forest isn't dangerous. Pleaseee?" Xavier begged.
"What do you think, Yuki? It's up to you." Mr. Revs responded to his son's semi-convincing words, patting his wife's back as a gesture to let her know it'll be fine.
"Okay." Yuki answered, nodding.
Yuki knows Xavier is up to no good, but she too wants to see more of the outside world. Mr. and Mrs. Revs, due to worry, never let her out unless she's with them. This is the perfect chance for her to freely explore. Who says she needs to stay with Xavier the whole time? If that little demon is up to no good, she'll dip and do what she wants. The consequences are a problem for Xavier to deal with later.
'An adventure! So exciting.' The corners of Yuki's mouth curved upward slightly as she finished her lunch, humming to herself a wordless melody.