"Forget what I said for now, focus on resting. Tomorrow you train with me, then we go to the boss, okay?" said Hasya.
He stretched his neck left and right until a soft cracking sound was heard. His face returned to being relaxed.
"Agh I’m still curious... but okay fine okay.." Rasie sighed deeply, her shoulders slumped as a sign of surrender.
The giant owl landed on the stone courtyard. Its silver claws gripped the hard floor with a loud and piercing metal scraping sound. Strong wind from the last wing flap blew sand dust around their feet.
"Whooo finally I can bathe sleep sleep sleep!! Sleep eat sleep!!! Hahaha," said Rasie enthusiastically. She clenched her fist in the air, her eyes sparkling imagining a soft bed.
"I’m also a bit tired.." muttered Zaefal softly.
Zaefal jumped down first. His leather boots hit the stone floor with a heavy thud. He immediately straightened his body, stretching his stiff back while taking a deep breath, inhaling the thin night air.
Truly crazy what happened today.. I killed 2 strong monsters and found out the name of the Whitening leader and their story... A little more and I’ll be at level 50.. muttered Zaefal in his heart.
He stared at both his rough palms, then clenched them strongly. His lips formed a thin line full of determination.
Rasie followed behind him.
"Cyhas get on here!" she said while patting her own back.
Cyhas nodded and climbed onto Rasie’s back. Cyhas’s small hands circled tightly around Rasie’s neck. With a light movement Rasie jumped down and landed silently, her knees bending slightly to dampen the impact. She lowered Cyhas slowly until the little girl’s feet touched the ground.
"Thank you Rasie!" said Cyhas while smiling widely.
"Don’t mind don’t mind!" Rasie waved her hand in a nonchalant style, but the corner of her lips lifted forming a thin smile.
The castle’s double doors opened wide with the sound of heavy and rusty iron hinges.
Vakmi stepped out. His black furry tail swayed slowly and rhythmically behind his neat long coat. He bowed deeply with a very polite and precise movement.
"Welcome back Master Hasya," his heavy voice echoed in the spacious courtyard. "Hot water and a special dinner have been prepared at the main table."
"The beds have been cleaned."
Hasya patted the old servant’s shoulder hard.
"Good! Good job Vakmi! Good job!" exclaimed Hasya while giving a thumbs up right in front of Vakmi’s face. "Ah there is something I have to tell you!!"
Vakmi tilted his head slightly to the side, his white eyebrow raised.
Hasya then pulled Rasie’s shoulder towards him, embracing the girl from the side tightly.
"Rasie is my future wife!!!"
"Agh! Oi!!" Rasie protested but her body was stiff. She didn’t try to pull away, only looking down with a bright red face that spread to her neck.
"You know vakmi you know!?"
"she kissed me aggressively earlier! Truly aggressive!" said Hasya with an annoying proud tone. "I like damm"
Rasie spontaneously poked Hasya’s eye with her index finger then pinched the young man’s lips hard until Hasya couldn’t speak clearly.
"Aghh stop idiot what are you saying stop stop!! Shut up!!" Rasie’s face looked like panic mixed with exploding embarrassment.
Vakmi’s eyes bulged for a moment, widening as if his eyeballs were about to jump out of their sockets, then quickly returned to normal. He patted his chest slowly, trying to calm his own heartbeat.
"I-I see."
"In that case congratulations Master," said Vakmi. He then looked at Rasie and bowed slightly in respect. "Please take care of him, Miss."
"Y-yes," said Rasie with a small voice, shy but holding back annoyance to death.
She then released her hug from Hasya roughly and jogged inside.
"I-I-I want to take a bath!"
Fyar was still sitting silently on the giant owl’s back. His gaze was blank, fixed on the silver feathers in front of him swaying in the wind. Hasya’s laughter and Vakmi’s greeting sounded faint in his ears, as if he were at the bottom of a deep pool of water. Those foreign words kept spinning in his head endlessly like a broken cassette.
Tokyo.
Berlin.
Earth.
So Kilasafi is a transmigrator? Why does he use those names? Why did he tell Hasya and Fathir? What is his goal? What is his purpose in this world? Why did he become a criminal? What should I do about him? Should I meet him? Does he know? What world is this? Why were he and I summoned? How many transmigrators are there besides me and him?
Fyar muttered in his heart. His breath was short. Cold sweat began to wet his temples even though the night air pierced the bone.
Fyar climbed down with stiff movements like a wooden puppet with rusty hinges. His feet touched the ground but he didn’t feel it. He walked slowly, dragging his steps following his friends with an unfocused and dazed gaze.
Illya who walked beside him noticed the oddity. Her steps stopped. She stared at Fyar’s face which was deadly pale and covered in beads of cold sweat.
Illya smiled gently and approached slowly. She reached out her hand. Her warm palm touched Fyar’s cheek gently, in contrast to Fyar’s cold skin.
That physical touch made Fyar flinch in surprise. His shoulders rose for a split second. He turned stiffly towards Illya.
"What’s wrong, Fyar?" asked Illya gently, her eyes searching deep into Fyar’s pupils.
"I.. was just... shocked by Hasya’s story about Whitening..." Fyar said stammering.
He then returned Illya’s smile, took the girl’s hand from his cheek, held it tight, and kissed the back of Illya’s hand.
"Thanks for worrying."
"You’ve been like that for a while Fyar, from the start leaving the monster fight, and now when hearing Hasya’s story.." said Illya.
She didn’t break her gaze, she bringing her face closer, looking for lies there.
"Even though you’ve leveled up now, what’s wrong hm?"
Illya stroked Fyar’s cheek with her thumb, her movement slow and soothing.
"Tell me later okay?"
"Please tell me Fyar whatever is bothering you okay~?" Illya tilted her head slightly, her expression pleading but firm.
Fyar fell silent for a moment, then nodded gently.