Disclaimer: GUST/NIS

Chapter 2: Puni Puni!

"Yeah, I am the descendant of that man."

Ulrika says, remain calm and undisturbed. The one that most astonish Roze is her 'I'm not mind' expression. She is too calm and to get use to it. This is what annoying Roze the most.

"They hate you because of this? That is unfair." He feels angry and indignant to the citizens. At the same time, he carefully examines Ulrika.

"Yeah, the hell so unfair. I can't shut their mouth so I just let them talk what they want to. I don't mind AT ALL."

Roze do not miss any changes of her expression. Maybe she doesn't realize, but she DOES show a little abhorrence. From that, he knows that not that she doesn't mind but she pretends she doesn't mind. However, her reaction still annoyed Roze. He can't tell what annoyed him but he DOES feel it.

Ulrika back to the cauldron continues her work. He feels like she is angry and a little…down. Well, he just feels it.

He rubs his head, thinks that he may ask too much. He can't help but feels guilty. And then, he speaks.

"Um…I'm sorry, Ulrika. I…ask too much."

Ulrika turns her head to him. Her face fills with astonishment, just like Roze says something weird.

"Why are you apologizing? You have done nothing wrong. Well, if you stay here you will know this one day. So~you don't need to apologize to me." Ulrika says smiley, she doesn't seem she is sad or something.

But then, her smile makes him even guiltier.

"You are right, but…"

"Then, how about you escort me to gather ingredient?"

"Gather ingredient?" Roze blink for a while.

"I need an ingredient for an order. I'm happen just finish in my stock. Will you come with me?"

Ulrika asks him, such pure and innocent. Roze feels sorry for such innocent eyesight. She should not be treated that way. He thinks inwardly, as he nods to her.

"Of course."

Her smile becomes even brighter after hearing his respond. She take a basket with her, walk to the door.

"Then, let's go!'

Location: Tias Kingdom Capital City Civitate Dei, Northen Forest.

This is the most relaxable and beautiful forest in Tias Kingdom. The citizens like to bring their children come to the forest to relax. Even though sometimes there appear to have monsters around, but the imperial guards have divided the forest into safety area and dangerous area. So there is safe for citizens to be here.

Plus, there is a creature claims to be the weakest creature in the world living in the forest. Even the first prince Vayne will go on patrol to protect this weakest creature-Punis.

This is what Roze hear from Ulrika while they are on the way to the forest. He recalls he always played with Vayne back then while they are child. Such a reminiscent memory…Roze can't help but smile. He feels relax and comfortable as he close his eye to feel it.

"This is a nice place."

"Is it? I like this forest too, and also those Punis!" Ulrika really glad that Roze like this forest as her. She pulls him, walk forward. "Let me introduce my friends to you."

There are three Punis and a little human girl not far from them, playing on the ground.

"Taro, Jiro, Kichi and Puniyo!" Ulrika waves her hand to them.

"Oh hey Ulrika!"

"Are you come to gather ingredient again?"

"Um? Who is this guy?"

"Puni puni?"

Three Punis and a little girl stare at Roze with the enthusiasm sight. That make Roze feels embarrass.

"H e is my friend Roze. Roze, this is Puni Taro, Puni Jiro, Puni Kichi and the cutest one is Puniyo!" Ulrika introduce one by one.

"Yo, hello" "Hello!" "Nice to meet you!" "Punini!"

"Nice to meet you all."

Roze greet them politely. At the same time, he finds the little using Puni language rather than human language. He frown a bit, feels weird.

Ulrika chats with them for a while. Then she excuses herself, continue on her gathering.

"You have question, right?" Ulrika asks. She seems like knowing what is in his mind. "Things like about Puniyo?"

"She is human, isn't she?"

Ulrika giggles. "Of course she is. She doesn't look like Puni, right?" she lower her head as she pause. "Puniyo is an abandoned child. Taro was the one who found her. Taro tried to get help from citizens but no one willing to adopt an abandoned child as their own. At last, Taro and his Puni family became the one who took her, and named her Puniyo." She sighs.

So Ulrika sympathize Puniyo due to their similar background.

"But she is fine now. Together with her Puni family, she seems happy."

"…You will find it, too." Roze try to comfort her.

Ulrika looks at him, shaking her head.

"I don't believe in this. If there is happiness for me, why don't befall me now? I wait long enough." She shakes her head again. "That is why I don't believe this kind of things. But still, thanks to you. I feel better, Roze."

"…Glad to hear that." Roze force himself to smile, even he deeply feels sorry for her.

She loses everything due to a story. She becomes afraid to trust anything that she may actually deserve to possess. Just what kind of life she been through in all her years?

Roze feels despair by just looking at her figure. Both of them remain silent. Not long after, they reach the deepest part of the forest which label as the end of safety area. There are few imperial guards guarding over there.

Without bothering those guards, Ulrika kneels down on the ground searching for something. Roze watch her from behind. Later, she brings back a full basket of ingredient.

"What is this?"

"This is Elemia Silver. I need it to synthesize Earth Bracelet."

"The Earth Bracelet is the order you tell me early, right?"

"Yup!" Ulrila nods heavily. "Come on, we are heading back."

Roze take over the basket. Ulrika cheering thanks for his kindness. As they are on the way back to the cabin, they suddenly hear a screaming.

"Puni-!"

"What happen?" Roze is the one who ask.

Ulrika recognizes the voice, she quickly run forward.

"That is Puniyo!"

They run to the place where they meet Puni brothers and Puniyo.

"Puniyo!"

When they reach there, they find Puni brothers and Puniyo being surrounded by six different color Punis.

"Human, do not interfere us!" the red color Puni, seems to be the leader of those Punis, throwing a warning to them.

"If you guys try to hurt Puniyo, then there is no way I'll sit back and watch!" Ulrika takes out a whip-like weapon, the end of the whip holding a crystals sphere. She totally ignores the warning.

"I've warn you, human!"

"Ulrika, we appreciate your help but this is too dangerous. Please let us handle this." Puni Taro says gladly. As a big brother, he stands in front of Jiro, Kichi and Puniyo. Jito and Kichi stay with Puniyo, attempt to protect Puniyo.

"…Sorry for interrupt, but this is not the first time, I guess?" Roze, the one remain silent, finally speak.

"Yeah, we can't even remember how many times already!" Jiro answer him.

Upon hearing this, Ulrika is getting flare up.

"What! Then I'm not gonna leave it to you guys!"

"I agree with you, Ulrika." Roze takes out a dagger. As Roze hold on the dagger, the dagger soon turns into Sword of Light.

"If anything happen to your wound, I won't take any responsible, you get it?"

"I don't think I will let that happen."

"Oh…is that so?" Ulrika smirks. Meanwhile she is holding a Flame Bomb. "Okay then, let's do it!"

As she throwing the Flame Bomb to the red color Puni, everyone start to strike. Roze strike on the Puni that try to attack Puniyo from behind, Taro takes the other side.

Due to the explosion, red Puni now become dark red Puni. He cough out some black smoke, shout out.

"Damn you human! Get them, guys!"

"Hey, my attack is shooting back to me!" Ulrika attempt to hold herself as she almost fall down.

"Their body are very elastic, just be careful of that."

Roze warn her, then he gyrate his sword. Sword of Light separate into six, the six of them all strike to the Punis.

"Falling Blade!"

Some of the Punis manage to escape from the sword attack but at least three of them get stabbing by those swords.

Ulrika transforms her whip into a club. The crystals sphere now surround by a lot of sharp and tough thorns on it. She holds up the club and thumb on the orange color Puni. Taro takes down the silver color Puni. Only red color Puni is left.

"Well, you are the last." Ulrika holds her club in front of red color Puni.

"D-Damn you human!" Even the red color Puni is not reconciling, but the situation has turned out to be the worst for him.

He glares at Puni brothers and Puniyo. "I won't forget this!" Then he flees with other Punis.

"Are you okay, Puniyo?" Ulrika and Roze walk towards the pale looking little girl.

"Punini…puni puni." Puniyo still looks very scared. Her body is trembling.

"She says she is fine. But she feels bad to drag you guys into this." Jiro translate her words to Roze and Ulrika.

"Stop talking like that. Aren't we friend?" Ulrika kneels down, looking at Puniyo.

Puniyo looks at her as well. Somehow her eye fills with tears.

"Puni punini!...Puni puni."

"She says of course we are friend but still, she feels bad."

Ulrika and Roze frown at the same time. They both have the same question. Ulrika carefully asks.

"Actually, what had happened? Why those Punis attacked you guys?"

Puniyo's expression becomes even gloomy. Puni brothers look despair too.

"It is all because we adopted Puniyo."

"Those Punis oppose the idea of adopt human child. They complain at Puni Council, and trouble us at the same time. Just as I said before, we can't remember how many times they did that."

"Even we able to defeat them every time they come, but if this continue…"

"Puni…"

Puniyo looks almost want to cry as Puni brothers explain to Ulrika and Roze.

"How can they do that? Don't cry Puniyo. I will protect you no matter what happen!"

"Puni!" Puniyo hugs Ulrika with her two slim and fragile arms. She also stares at Roze with her teary eye.

How can Roze reject such pity and cute sight? He sighs deeply.

"Fine, I will help too."

"Punini!"

Puniyo cheer out. Roze doesn't understand what she says, but at least he knows she is very happy with his answer.

"You really love Puniyo like a sister."

On the way back to the cabin, Roze says.

Ulrika turns her head to him. "Of course I am! I don't have any family member left so I treat her like my own sister."

Roze consider not only because Ulrika does not have family but she sympathizes Puniyo that much. She can't leave Puniyo to face her problems alone.

"If anyone tries to deprive her happiness, I will NEVER forgive them!" She holds her fist tight and very serious with what she had said.

"I will do what I can as s repay for your rescue."

"Thanks!"

They finally reach the wooden cabin. They spend too much time in the forest. Ulrika put the basket in the workshop first then head to the kitchen.

"I'm going to prepare dinner. You can go to take a bath first."

Roze nods. As he turns he finds a lot of peoples gather over the city through the window. Ulrika watches him standing at the window side, she wonders.

"What is it?"

"Civitate Dei looks bustling."

"Oh, they are preparing for the Praying Day."

"Praying Day?"

Ulrika stands beside him, eye on the sky.

"It hand down since goddess left the land. The peoples wish for forgiveness from the goddess and this is how Praying Day come from. Up until now, Praying Day has become a day of asking forgiveness from your love one, anyone—parents, family, friends and your lover."

Praying Day, huh? Roze recall that he never took part in the festival before. This is the first time he hear about this festival. He was too little to remember something like this though.

"Three days before the Praying Day, a celebration will hold in the city street. A lot of things will sell along side the street. After threes of that, the chosen maiden will present Song of Forgiveness, and that conclude Praying Day." Ulrika lowers her head, pause, and slightly sighs. "No matter how hard they pray for forgiveness, the goddess never returns to the land. Everyone knows what that mean but still…"

She looks pretty down when she says that. Is it because she can never get forgiveness from the others or she just simply feels down? When Roze wonders about that, she back to the kitchen again.

"I want to go to the city tomorrow to deliver the order. Why don't you come with me?" She suggests.

"Is it okay?"

"No problem!"

She gives him an 'okay' gesture, and then continues her dinner preparation. Roze shrugs, head to the bathroom.

Introduction:

Puniyo

-an abandoned child that adopted by Puni, around 5 years old. Taro and her brothers never tell her about her human identity. She seems like does not care at all but…

Puni Taro, Puni Jiro, Puni Kichi

-Taro is the elder brother, Jiro the second and Kichi the third. Among three of them, Taro is the strongest. He always is the one who fight with other Punis when they trouble them.

Chapter 2 end.