Chapter 7: Chapter 7: The Calm Before the Storm

{Year 16}

In ven culture, one was considered to be a fully grown adult at the age of 16.

Additionally, one's 16th birthday was an occasion to be celebrated throughout the entire village.

Because of this, Liri woke up on the morning of her 16th birthday and found many, many gifts wrapped up and left all around her home, taking up so much space that it was difficult to walk around.

"Are… Are there really supposed to be this many?" Liri asked, as her mothers helped her sort through everything.

"You've made an impression on people," Alma noted with a grin. "And, it looks like the result is that Lys gets to skip cooking for a few days. Cause, wow, this is a lot of food."

"I enjoy cooking," Lys replied with a chuckle. "I honestly wish they'd given us other kinds of things."

Alma wasn't kidding. Liri found so many different fruits, vegetables, and different kinds of dinners that she couldn't help but salivate. Salads, pies, sandwiches. It made Liri wonder if her huge rack wasn't a good enough sign that she wasn't exactly going hungry.

"Don't do too much throughout the day," Lys advised her.

"Why?"

"You don't want to be too tired for the party later."

"There's gonna be a party?" Liri asked.

This was rare. Birthdays in Elmira were usually treated with indifference. Now, however, that was apparently changing.

"Indeed," Lys said, smiling back at her daughter. "Oh! We'll need to get you ready for the dance as well."

"… Dance?" Liri asked, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

---

Several hours later, Liri was seated at the center of the village, where her birthday party was being held.

It honestly felt like a festival to her. There was loud music, a joyous atmosphere and what looked like some strange blue drinks being passed around from one person to another, leaving them drunk and happy.

In the middle of it all was Liri, worried she'd humiliate herself in front of all these people when it came time to dance.

[So, the steps went like…] She tried to recall what her friends and family had taught her.

"Liri!" Alma called out to her with a laugh. "Don't look so worried, it's your own birthday!"

"I-I know, I just… I don't wanna mess up."

"If it happens, we'll all be laughing with you, Liri. Not at you. It's your celebration. Don't worry about what might happen. As long as you enjoy yourself, that's all that matters."

Liri tried to keep those words in mind as people danced all around her. Admittedly, the ven of Elmira did not need much reason to begin celebrations. As festive a community as they were, anything could result in a party like this. The fact that Liri was at the center of it all, however, meant that everyone around her was someone she knew.

Teachers, classmates, aunts, friends, and neighbors. All of them were giving Liri tight hugs and showering her with praise.

For someone like Liri, someone who'd been such a loner in her previous life, it was overwhelming.

As the music went on, though, finally, the requests began pouring in.

"Liri!" A girl ran up to her. She had big red eyes, freckles, and a bright smile. "Come on, let's dance!"

"I-I…"

Liri was just about to turn her down, feeling too nervous for it. However, just as she was about to, she met Lys's eyes. Her mother was dancing with Alma and had caught Liri's dilemma. She gestured for her to try and go for it and Liri sighed, smiling a little.

[… I guess I should.]

"Alright."

As soon as she said that the girl yanked her away from where she was sitting. In no time at all, she began dancing to the music's rhythm, inviting Liri to do the same.

[I feel so stiff,] Liri lamented, but she tried her heart out. As scared as she was, however, it looked like the other girl was having fun. Knowing that eased Liri's worries a little.

Up until a different pair of hands snaked around Liri's body.

"W-Wha…!?"

"Can I join in?" Another one asked.

"Sure!" The first girl replied, as though she'd been the one asked. Liri glanced from one to the other, sandwiched.

[This is… My head is going to explode.]

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It went on for a couple of hours before, finally, the dancing and the music settled down and the dinner portion of the birthday began. People had brought rare fruits, and searched far and wide for things they could bring to this feast that others may not have had. And, of course, Liri was offered most of it.

"Our gift to you, priestess," one woman, a mother of three, said. "May you serve Alteria well throughout your years."

[If people keep throwing themselves at me like this, I don't doubt that I will.]

"Thank you."

A table had been set up in front of her. Pies, fruits, vegetables, soups, salads, sandwiches. Liri felt like she was looking at enough food for a whole month.

[There's no way I can eat all of this!]

"How is it?" Alma asked, throwing an arm over Liri.

"It's great, but... It's so much!"

"Enjoy it," Alma told her. "You only get one coming-of-age party, after all."

Suddenly, as Alma said that, Liri caught a conversation to her left.

Two older women were speaking to her left. Their tones were hushed, but that was precisely what made their conversation stand out.

"Have you heard?" One asked. "Another village was attacked yesterday."

"… And we still don't know who's behind it?"

"Once again, there were no survivors. We only even know of the attack because of a scout who saw the village the day after it happened. So many our sisters just… slaughtered."

Chills went down Liri's spine.

"So, uhm... Are we doing anything to get ready?" Liri asked her mother.

"Ready for what?"

"For one of those attacks."

At that, Alma sighed.

"It's difficult. We have no knowledge of who or what we might face. The kinds of weapons they wield, and their strategies, these things are unknown to us. All we can do is try to get stronger."

"You say that, but all of the soldiers have had roughly the same Soul Ratings for the last couple of years."

At that, Alma grimaced a little.

"It's rude to keep track of warrior's Soul Ratings like that, Liri. Don't ask them about it too much."

Liri gave her mother a confused look.

"I didn't ask them about it, I just check every now and then."

"... How?"

As Alma asked that question, she and her daughter stared at each other, both equally confused.

"I just... You know, I check," Liri shrugged.

Alma blinked.

"... Liri," she said with a smile, "if I am understanding what you're saying, that is not something all of us can do."

"What?" Liri tilted her head. "B-But, you've heard me talk about people's Soul Ratings before. What did you think I was doing?"

"I just thought you'd asked people," her mother shrugged back at her. "I didn't think... That's quite the talent you have!" She laughed, half-proud and half-awed. "Um, regardless, Liri, I cannot imagine any adversary that could take all of us down as easily as our sisters in other villages were. We'll hold out. Go ahead and keep eating, it's your birthday!"

Despite that, Liri's mind couldn't help but wonder.

[It was a safe assumption to make that this world could be kinda dangerous since it's a fantasy world and all, but… What happened? Who's doing this?]

Of course, she'd receive no answers to these questions.

Instead, she tried to go back to the festivities, thanking those around her for their gifts, and celebrating with her family.

She would, however, find out a lot more about these attacks before too long.

As, one day, just a year later, Elmira fell.

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