Who Needs Magic in a Fantasy World Anyway?

Chapter 22: No Music, No Ball (Part 3)

"It's finally over." Koko sighed in relief as she finished her final song and the nobles began clapping on the other side of the sheet. Though, her irritation once again rose as the one that was clapping the loudest was James.

"That truly was remarkable. If someone told me that you were a bard, I would truly believe them!" James complimented her.

"You..." Koko felt a vein popping out of her forehead when she remembered what playing while stared at was like. She'd been fine up until he'd pulled his little stunt, but then then she started becoming more and more nervous until she finally had to start infusing her focus throughout her body in an attempt to bolster her concentration. Thankfully it had worked, but she was still furious that she had to do it in the first place.

"Get out!" Koko yelled, suddenly getting up from her chair and grabbing the back of James's vest collar, dragging him outside to the royal guards waiting there before holding him out towards one of them as if he were nothing but baggage. "Here! Take this!"

"Y-your majesty?!" The guard asked in surprise.

"It's fine. It's my own fault, after all." James laughed at the incident, and Koko ungracefully dropped him to the floor before stomping her way across the ballroom, all the while with the Acoustic Substitute still playing a simple melody behind the sheet for the nobles that still hadn't left yet. And as she left, she was thankful that the incident hadn't caught the attention of any of them as she moved to join her family.

"Koko!" Teya, who was dressed in a remarkable yellow dress that matched her golden hair, shouted when she spotted her sister. And Koko soon found herself in another of Teya's famous bone-crushing hugs as she repeatedly attempted to tap her sister's shoulder in surrender. "I'm so thankful, but so guilty at the same time!"

"Why is that?" Koko asked.

"It's because we all got to laugh and dance while you had to work." Teya let Koko and looked down at the floor as if really depressed. "I even got to dance with Prince Raymond..."

"It was actually a lot of fun to play and hear the applause of an audience, so don't worry about me." Koko couldn't help but grin to herself before her irked expression came back. "That is, save for the troublesome one. All James did all night was sit behind the sheet and stare at me while I played..."

"Oh? Maybe someone's after your heart." Teya suddenly held up her hand to cover her mouth while teasing Koko. "Don't be settling down before me now, alright? The big sister has to get married first."

"There's no way that I'm settling down before I become an adventurer." Koko waved her hand in front of her to dismiss the issue. "Especially not with that stalker."

"Thank goodness for that." David sighed in relief. "If anything happened to the first prince... you would make a terrible queen."

"Yeah, that really would be bad, wouldn't it?" Koko couldn't help but laugh. "But I'm really glad that you liked the music, Teya. I'm guessing that your ceremony was a success then?"

"That's right, you're now looking at a proper adult!" Teya had a proud smile on her face. "Though I'll still have to return to Goldgate for a few more years in order to complete my training at a priestess... The higher-ups at the church really don't want to let me go."

"That's because your good at what you do." David answered with a laugh of his own.

"And in just a few more years, Koko will start going to the Adventurer's Academy." Benson sighed as Shell hugged his elbow. "All of you grew up far to quickly... Well, maybe aside from Koko. She still acts like she did when she was five."

"Hey, I'm at least taller now, aren't I?!" Koko replied with fake fury, though she laughed along with the rest of them at the joke. However, with the thoughts of school, Koko couldn't help but have a shiver of excitement race down her spine. In just three short years, she would be able to go to the Adventurer's Academy and begin learning how to become a proper adventurer. There, she would make her first friends and enemies, and finally she would be able to begin what she'd been looking forward to since the day that she'd been born into Elnor.

Friends, adventures, treasures and danger... There was nothing more that Koko could ask for in her life's story. And just thinking about the day that she would finally depart... it made her somewhat sad as well. After all, she finally had a family that she'd never before here, and she would be leaving all of it behind her. Though, even if she was sad about it, Koko also knew that it was necessary as the conversation she'd had with the goddess so long ago echoed through her mind like a faint whisper.

Darkness was coming to Harven... no, perhaps not just Harven, but maybe the entire world. And in order to fight back against it, in order to protect her new family, she had to get stronger. She had to become an adventurer and meet other strong people so that she could use them to bolster herself. Or at least, that's what Koko thought that she had to do. But while she wanted to be an adventurer, that would also mean that she would be travelling far away from Wence and her family, and she didn't know if she would be able to return in time to protect them if she chose to walk such a path.

"Koko, are you alright? Teya asked, her eyes beginning to water as she must have noticed Koko's grim expression. "You really did want to attend the ceremony, didn't you?!"

"No no no! That isn't it at all!" Koko waved her arms around frantically as she hurriedly thought of how to fix the misunderstanding. "I was just thinking abuot becoming an adventurer is all!"

"Why look so grim then? Didn't you want to become one?" Shell asked curiously.

"I do, it's just that..." Koko hesitated. "When I finally become an adventurer, I'll be leaving Wence and I won't be able to see you guys very often anymore."

"Ah, I suppose I can understand that." Benson laughed slightly before bending down so that he could hug Koko. "You know that we'll miss you too. But you know, we'll always be able to send letters to each other, and you'll always be welcome home at any time."

"Thanks dad, I love all of you so much." Koko closed her eyes as she returned her father's embrace. "Even David."

"I'm right here you know." David said in an irritated tone, though he stopped when she casted a bright smile towards him.

"Well then, why don't we all head over towards the buffet then?" Shell suggested with a clap of her hands. "I'm sure Koko must be famished, seeing as she didn't eat supper."

"Alright!" Koko said enthusiastically, preferring good food over depressing thoughts. And while she wished that nights like this could last forever with her being in the presence of her family, the next three years passed by incredibly quickly. And before she knew it, she was started the next chapter in her life. Before she knew it, she was ready to become an adventurer.