Iâm Elm. I live with my father, mother, and younger brother in the Sukurt Village.
You could say that the village is in the dead center of a forest.
There are no more than 200 villagers.
Although isolated, itâs not uncomfortable.
Thereâs plenty to eat in the forest.
Fruits and wild grasses, and many animals.
However, thereâs also plenty of things that are lacking.
Minerals, weapons, magic tools, education, you have to go to town for those.
Children of this village go to a school far away from the forest when they become 12 years old.
In the period of three years, they learn letters, magic, industrial science and return to the village.
Of course, there are those who just leave.
After receiving the education in town, they become government officials or soldiers.
And, there are also those who become adventurers.
We are already 12 years old too.
We will be leaving the village soon.
What will I become?
I donât have that much magical power.
My attributes also arenât great.
Just because I donât understand my skills well, I canât plan ahead.
What do I want to become?
What am I used to?
What do I want to do?
Where do I want to live?
Do I live while separated from my parents and younger brother?
Is it alright to not look after your parents as a child?
As the elder brother, do I live as an example for my younger brotherâŚâŚ
IâŚâŚ
I donât think I hate him.
My younger brother whoâs superior to me.
But, does not it feel disagreeable?
Have I never thought that he was a little bit more normal? If asked, I have no choice but to say that he is.
Do I leave the village just like that?
Itâs not like I will be abandoning the village.
Because itâs not like everyone lives in this small village.
There are also places made by those who left the village before.
Those wandering around as adventurers, those who have settled in countries and cities.
Thoughts just circle in my head, and I canât decide.
I who keeps on thinking canât decide.
Will I change a little after studyingâŚâŚ
ăNiisan, Tousan is calling youă
ăAh, sorry. I didnât hear himă
ăAre you leaving?ă
ăN? Iâm just going to the schoolă
ăAfter thată
ăI have not decided yetă
ăLies. You think all the time. You hate me, donât you?ă
ăHow could I? You are my younger brother, you know? Why have you thought so?ă
ăBut, everyone isâŚâŚă
ăThose who talk are everywhere. Indeed, your magical power is higher than mine. You also have easy to understand, general purpose skills. But, thatâs all. There are many things you still canât do, and you are also a crybaby, arenât you?ă
ăI, Iâm not a crybabyă
ăI will not push everything on you. I will assist you when you become the chiefă
ăWhy are you giving up from the start? Shouldnât just Niisan become the chief,ă
ăThatâs impossibleă
ăWh-ă
ăBecause I donât want to be thată
ăI also donât want toâŚâŚ whyâŚâŚă
ăIt canât be helped. Because the chief has decided soă
ăOjisan and others donât understandă
ăWere are still young, and itâs too soon, right? We will go to school after this. Ojisan is also younger than Tousan, so itâs far ahead, you know?ă
ăUnă
ăWhat are you anxious about?ă
ăI have a feeling that Niisan will abandon this villageă
ăAh, you donât have to worry about that. Even if I leave the village, the place of my return will always be Sukurt. This villageă
ăReally? You wonât abandon us?ă
ăThereâs no way I could do that. Itâs the place I was raised ină
ăBut, this place is not kind to Niisană
ăYou are saying such thing againâŚâŚă
My younger brother who expresses my hesitation accuratelyâŚâŚ