My sunshine

study 02

"Never lower your head to anyone, never trust anyone. In the noble world, no one is equal, and there are no friends—only benefits. And remember, just because you lived with commoners doesn't make you lesser. Maybe you are the noblest of all. So always keep your head high," James said, his voice firm. That was the last sentence of the day.

I glanced at the clock on the wall—how was it already 5 p.m.? Time had flown by, and I wouldn't deny that today's lesson was valuable. I'd learned a lot. Not that I'd never tried to learn before, but I'd always carried the mentality of being on vacation in this world. Now, having to study under the pressure James was putting on me felt overwhelming.

"Tomorrow, we'll study the noble families in the kingdom, so you'd better revise what we covered today," James said as we closed the doors and prepared to leave. He added with a slight frown, "I still can't believe you've never learned anything from Sarah.You know, she was so strict about education back in the day. Even her own brother didn't escape from her constant nagging," James added with a chuckle.

"Her brother?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. Mom had never mentioned her family before, so I assumed she was an orphan.

James realized he had let something slip. "Me and my big mouth... Well, since she never mentioned it, it's better to hear everything from her," he said with a shrug.

But I knew I wouldn't ask. If they hadn't mentioned their family, I wouldn't pry.

After we walked a few meters away from the library, we spotted Dad on the road. It seemed he had come to bring us home. He was talking to someone, and I think I recognized the man from the adventurers' guild. By the time we got closer, the man had already bid him farewell, and Dad was saying he'd think about it and respond by tomorrow.

I ran up to him, and he lifted me with ease, just like always.

"Daddy!" I said, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

"How's my boy? Did Uncle James bother you?" he asked with a smile.

James, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be asking me if your little brat bothered me?" He gave a mock-serious look, three lines forming on his forehead.

Dad smirked. "Well, my son is just an angel. He couldn't bother anyone. Just look at him." He said it with a stern face, but I could feel the teasing in his voice. It was so embarrassing that I hid my shy face in the crook of his neck.

"See? An angel," Dad repeated, giving me a playful squeeze.

"Yeah, yeah. He's an angel, and I'm the evil stepmother," James muttered sarcastically before gesturing towards the man who had just left. "So, what was that all about?"

As we started walking home, Dad explained. "It's nothing too big. That man's an adventurer from this town, but he moved out last summer. He's living in Green City now."

"The one closest to the border with the elves?" James asked.

"Yup, that's the one," Dad nodded. "He has a client who recommended him for a mission—to deliver something from the capital to someone from the elves. They're going to meet in Green City."

"So, what's the problem?" James asked, looking curious.

"The thing he needs to deliver is a tear drop," Dad said.

"Oh, so that's why," James replied, as if he suddenly understood.

Meanwhile, I had no idea what they were talking about. "What's a tear drop?" I asked, looking between them.

They both glanced at me, realizing I was completely lost. My dad smiled and started explaining.

"You see, elves are known as nature lovers, so they avoid doing anything that harms the environment. Mining for magical stones or using stones infused with energy from slain magical creatures is something they still won't do. Even though their need for energy has grown over the years with all the development, they've found a way to use energy without violating their principles."

He continued, "That's where tear drops come in. They're special containers filled with pure, compressed energy. Instead of mining or killing creatures, elves buy these tear drops from the Wizard Tower—a place where all the talented wizards from our kingdom gather to develop new spells and magical technology."

"So it's basically a solution that keeps them in line with their beliefs?" I asked, trying to piece it all together.

"Exactly," Dad said with a nod. "It allows them to advance without compromising their respect for nature."

"More like a hypocritical way than a solution," James scoffed. "They're always preaching about protecting nature, while using energy they know full well came from magic stones mined by others. They're just a bunch of stubborn creatures."

Dad chuckled. "Well, if it keeps their egos satisfied and brings us money, why bother arguing with them?" He continued, "Transporting a tear drop is always a dangerous mission because of thieves and bandits. Plus, it's usually bought in large quantities, which attracts a lot of attention. So having a strong team is a must. He told me his group will cover the first half of the journey from the capital to Green City, and he asked if my team could protect them for the rest of the mission."

"And what did you say?" James asked, sounding intrigued.

"As you heard, I told him I'd think about it and give him an answer tomorrow. He needs to head to the capital the day after tomorrow, and with the trip being so long, if I agree, I'll need to move by next week. If I turn it down, he'll have to find another team from the capital, since all the groups from Green City are out on missions and no one's available."

James nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds like a big decision to make."

"Yeah," Dad said, his expression serious. "I'll have to weigh the risks and see what's best for the team."

"Well, if you agree, you'd better take me with you," James said with a grin.

"As I said, I'm still thinking about it. I need to ask my team first," Dad replied, sounding a bit helpless.

"Wherever you decide, just know that I want to tag along," James insisted.

I glanced at Dad, wanting to say I wanted to go too, but I hesitated. I was afraid he'd say no, and I didn't want to be a burden. It wasn't a vacation; this was a dangerous mission. I knew that, but I couldn't help being curious about their talks of elves and the world outside this village. I had never ventured beyond this place since coming to this world, and the thought of exploring was thrilling.

Just then, as if reading my thoughts, James spoke up. "It looks like your little angel wants to spread his wings a bit and is tired of staying put," he teased, giving me a knowing look.

I felt my cheeks flush at his words, but there was a flicker of hope inside me. Maybe Dad would consider letting me come along if I expressed my interest

"Can I go?" I asked, my voice filled with hope, my eyes wide and pleading. Dad knew he couldn't refuse me, especially since he could see how eager I was. I noticed a hint of regret on his face for even bringing this up in front of me. He was aware that the final decision rested with Mom, and from what I knew of her, I was fully prepared for her to say no and insist it was too dangerous.

That's why Dad had pulled out the classic dad line: "Ask your mother." He was passing the responsibility to her, as if she would be the one to hurt me by saying no.

But to my absolute shock, Mom's response was, "You can go."

The words left me speechless, and I could see that Dad and James were equally taken aback. It felt surreal, like a dream. Had I really heard her right?

"Is the world ending?" James's sarcastic comment made me double-check if I had really heard Mom correctly. It felt so surreal that I couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of sign that everything was about to change, and maybe we were all going to die tomorrow. I glanced at Dad, who looked just as shocked as I felt, and then back at James, whose grin suggested he was only half-joking. The absurdity of the situation hung in the air, and I could hardly process the mix of excitement and disbelief swirling inside me.