Important note: I recently review the manga and I had to do some revisions on the prologue and Chapter 1 so if you could kindly check them out.
Well please enjoy~~
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The dripping of water and slow footsteps of a person from behind the bathroom door was unusually loud in her ears, and yet this was no peculiar experience. It's normal for her, to perceive things on a different level than others. The sound of water continued and sometimes stopping temporarily and then coming again. It's bothersome, but she held her tongue as she had no rights to complain. She stayed crumpled on a warm corner, contended with having a book with her.
She doesn't know what's in the book that has always drawn her. But being the book lover she is, trying it might not hurt. The book is an old legend written by Tran, a small tribal group that has isolated themselves from the world. There are very few of them and not many people know their language. She can't help but to be curious about these people and their knowledge. However, for now, the origin of the book matters not, for her, every book holds a discernible mystery that is not to be unveiled but to be noticed. A power many great leaders have overlooked.
Nonetheless, she does not look for power or position, those were meant for him. She simply seeks knowledge, the weapon she believes that will keep her surviving the harsh world they lived in.
Unknown to her, the person inside the bathroom had already come out, dressed in a simple red and white hanfu and a wet towel on her right hand.
"You really love reading, don't you?" From the book, she averted her gaze towards a raven haired woman with bright golden eyes.
"Yes."
"You know, you don't need that anymore. You have great talents; you should focus on that more." The woman said.
"No, I think these things are essential so please allow me to read further." She said as she bows her head to the woman.
"My, my, it should be me that was supposed to bow." The woman rushes to her side and lifts up her chin. Soft and loving eyes met her troubled and confused orbs. How she missed looking on such eyes. Since the death of her parents, the only ones she saw were either eyes of pity or disdain. She is yet to meet her new official guardians and she had no time to wonder what kind of people they are going to be.
"Come, let's read the book together." She nodded letting herself be ushered to a table near the window. The lady went to a nearby shelf and took a few books with her. They are probably connected to the one she was reading.
"Why are you so loyal to this 'noble mission' they say we are given? Why are you so faithful to humans? Even after they made promises and failed miserably countless of times." She suddenly said startling the older woman from her out of the blue question.
"May I ask what brought about that question?" The older woman asked turning towards her, knocking off some of the scrolls from their shelves in the process. The woman did not pay attention to it though and instead focused her gaze on the teenage child.
"The book that I am reading... there's nothing in here but war and betrayal. The characters just change names ... and a few more details here and there, but in the end they all come to the same conclusion..."
"Hm, that's a fair point," the elder woman sits opposite her and settles down the scrolls she was carrying.
"I don't think I can offer you an answer that will satisfy you, the only thing I could share is my personal belief and understanding..."
"I don't mind, I did ask for your personal opinion, I don't have the rights to complain..."
"Hm, for me... so long as there is a person who can wear his/her heart on their sleeves even when people are clocked with deceit and filled with envy, losing hope is a right I was not born with." There is a distant look on the older woman's face, as if looking back at the memory of someone from the distant past.
"How noble of you...I really... don't deserve of these fortunes...this..." her hands clench into a fist, shaking from the mixed emotions she's now feeling. The older woman transfers to her side taking her shaking hands into her lap and gesturing for her to raise her head.
"You're in a higher position than me now, I am nothing more than the mother of your brother, and please, wherever you are right now, you deserve it." She said with conviction, yet her tone were that of a person desperately begging to be believed.
"If you weren't divorced to my father you shouldn't be suffering like this." She says as her eyes inspect the much smaller residence. It was actually the standard house of a middle-class family but it was lesser than what they are supposed to be enjoying.
"My lady, please listen, your mother and father were good people. Your father and I had fallen out of love and so we separated and your father eventually married your mother and had you. We do not resent you or think negatively of you. You are right where you should be." She knows that already. She knows. But why abandon him? Her eyes watered, small hiccups escaping her mouth and her thirteen year old body were trembling and her brain is preparing for another break-down.
"I know that already, but still, I couldn't even keep my promise to them. A sibling of mine is out here in this place while I enjoy those luxuries at the mansion. I couldn't protect my family." She cried, for her frustration and loneliness, for everything she lost, for everything she had lost the chance to gain. She cried for all the fortunes she have that her sibling would never touch. She cried for her existence that made other people unfortunate. She cried for the light that was casted on her and made everything else a shadow. She cried for her meaningless life.
All the while, the older lady just watched. Her own heart breaking to pieces as she witness an innocent soul grieves for the sins she had not committed. She watches, as a pure soul tear apart, not because of the darkness, but because of the light.
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"Are you alright?"
"Lord Brother!"
From the corridor opposite hers, a louder voice called out, trampling her voice. The Empress along with the Lord Strategist and another man with blonde hair who could only be the new prime minister, Alibaba Saluja. She quickly hid behind a pillar and tried to conceal her presence away. What was she doing? If it hadn't been for that shout she would have done something she'll surely regret, or maybe they will behead her before she could even regret her actions. Approaching those people would be her demise, they are criminals and people like her are forbidden to get near them. Whatever these people are doing is none of her business.
She sighs as she carefully slipped away from the area, totally missing a pair of crimson eyes that caught her. Her steps were light but fast, memories of her almost encounter with those people was running in her head. Even back in the Island, she did everything to avoid them not wanting to involve herself personally with the former princes. She stilled her steps as a sigh escapes her lips. She'd been doing this more frequently than usual.
Perhaps, going to that Island is a wrong move after all.
Still, it was strange. Why did she try to approach them? It was the rukh that brought her there. But she refuses to take a step closer. No, it was not the rukh. Something inside her made her move. It was some strange feeling of longing, nostalgia. But that is even stranger. She'd never talked to any of them more particularly to him; so it would be impossible to feel longing for them. And as far as she remembers, she does not have amnesia or something that would possibly make her forget any past interactions with them. No, she'd always been healthy and was never involved in an accident.
Ha. It might just be the rukh after all. Being a magician is a pain sometimes.
She ended up abandoning her plan to stroll in the garden and decided to just return to their room. Maybe by evening she would be receiving her new job assignment in the palace. She better laze away as much as she can while there is nothing to do.
In no time she was able to reach their designated room. The moment she laid her eyes on it, she made yet another change of mind. This crumpled room isn't really ideal for relaxing. Her hand instinctively reached for her wand that was resting in the corner of the room.
Flying might be the best option. Ah no, scratch that, flying is the only thing she can do without bumping to the people she's trying to avoid.
She sat on her wand as she slowly floated in the air. It has been a while since she last had the time to relax and have a breath of fresh air. She did have the chance to do it in the Samon Island before; however she prefers the smell of the mountains and farmlands than the smell of the sea.
She flew around the city of Rakushou, enjoying the view of people working together and the sound of peace in the nation. Few years ago, she wouldn't have thought that she'll be seeing the citizens of this country wear farm hats than iron clad armours. Their swords were replaced with shovels and the war cries were replaced by prayers for a bountiful harvest.
She hopes this peace would last.
Finally getting satisfied, she decided to buy a few things on her way before finally returning to the palace. The first person to greet her on her return was her brother.
"Hey, Hua!"
Her brother came running towards her, a horrified expression plastered on his face. Once he reached her side, he grabbed her hand and pulled her away to who knows where. Huren is a much taller person and his fast and long strides make her unable to catch up. She was quickly running out of breath and Huren doesn't seem to notice it. She silently counted three seconds before she raised her fist and smacked her brother in the head.
"Please slow down a bit!" she exclaimed while taking deep breaths. Her left hand is resting on her left knee to keep herself from falling to the ground while her right hand is over her chest.
"I'm sorry sister, I didn't mean any harm." Huren apologized, but his serious expression remains unchanging. He looked around them to check if there is any other person nearby then he looked at her. At that moment she knew exactly what he was asking her to do.
"Iikhfa" she chanted. A gust of wind blew around them creating a barrier that blocks all noises from being heard by anyone outside.
Her brother motioned for her to come closer. She did, prepared to hear whatever her brother has to say.
Her brother's next statement composed of only three words. Three words that she isn't sure she wants to hear.
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With her stick-thin arms, head always hanging low and poor posture, his first impression of her is 'weak'. She's another nobody. She had no potential as an enemy or an ally. The only thing she has is that wand of hers, though he highly doubts that she'll be able to cast anything useful with that pathetic stick.
His mother must have been losing her mind for real. Why would she waste effort to have a slave taken into the palace? Well, who knows...It's one of the things that Kouen would never understand. Not that he would care. So when she suddenly appeared on his window with an unreadable expression on her face, Kouen for the first time in his life admitted that he was frightened. Something about her made him feel as if he is a hundredfold inferior to her.
The idea of it is outrageous.
But it's true.
It didn't end there yet.
She reached on her pocket a pulled out something wrapped in paper. She handed it to him while she shove her other hand on her left pocked to take a second piece of whatever that is wrapped in paper. Kouen only stared at it, not intending to take it or refuse it.
"It's strawberry tarts." She said placing it down on his table to free her right hand.
She proceeded on unwrapping hers and indeed, a piece of strawberry tart is inside.
How hilarious. A slave giving food to him, Kouen Ren, a dungeon capturer and a great general of the Kou Empire Army. He doesn't know what to say or if he wanted to speak at all. He thought he already met all types of people in his sixteen years of existence, and yet this one proved to be a different case. Who would have thought that he could be surprised more than once by the same person in a short span of time? Maybe not even Koumei would have thought of it.
While he is facing an internal struggle, this slave girl decided to surprise him yet again.
"You're such a stupid person."
Kouen Ren is a smart person. Though he might not have the foresight his younger brother posses, he was never considered an idiot. No one ever said those words to him. Not his siblings, not his parents, not his cousins or anyone in the Empire have ever thought of him in such a way. And yet here comes this slave girl who he had only met a few hours ago saying that he is stupid.
"Do you wish to die sl-"
"You want to be a pillar of strength but you were the one greatly relying on them. Your brain works in a really funny way." She interjected nonchalantly as she casually eats her cheap strawberry tart.
How dare her!
Kouen's hand itched to reach for his sword. But he knew it's pointless. This person is a slave, a nobody. Or was he mistaken?
"Master, it's not bad to care for someone, but you shouldn't be putting the significance of your life based on their success, because if they fail, you'll suffer more than the person himself."
That pulled the last string of his patience. His Highnesses were already involved, he can't let this one live another day. But then after a blink of an eye the slave girl banished. Not a trace of her left. The only proof that she had been there was the strawberry tart on his table. When he looked for her the next day, no one knew who he is talking about. They kept on saying that there was never a slave girl who came in the palace yesterday. When he approached his mother, the same reply was given to him. When he asked the servants if someone brought a strawberry tart to his room last night, a maid did step forward. But she's not the slave girl from the day before.
Kouen started to wonder if he's just being delusional.
He did have some strange encounters in his life especially when he entered the dungeon. But this one is by far the strangest of them all.
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Kouen woke up from his slumber. His dream was one of those memories he had on his teenage life. He knew exactly what triggered this memory. Someone with a striking resemblance to that person appeared. Few weeks ago in the Samon Island. Ever since then he'd been having this dream. Now that he think about it, her words, as rude as they can be, were correct. The death of his cousins had brought the end of his life. Indeed, he was the one relying on them more. When they died he didn't know what to do anymore.
If he can meet that person he would like to talk to her again.
Is she that magician that came in the Samon Island? But she isn't a slave. Was it just a coincidence?
If only he could find out the answer to his questions. He hates this feeling of unsatisfactory. He wants answers.
But what can he do?
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Hua hands her brother a sword she specially made for him. Her heart is beating fast on her chest. Why? Why would they be here?
"Please be careful, if you could, just avoid them, okay?" Her brother sighs at this.
"Hua, I think that would be impossible." He calmly tells his sister.
Hua's lips are set on a straight line. A lot of questions were screaming on her head and by the looks of it she wouldn't she having any answer to them anytime soon. As far as she knows, they haven't sent any orders yet. So why are they here?
"Just be careful." It was the only thing she could say. Of course her brother wouldn't be able to avoid them, he guards the former princes. And if those people are here, surely their aim is the Ren siblings.
"You too." Her brother bent to place a kiss on the top of her head before they parted to different directions.
She'd been having a bad feeling ever since Huren told her that this afternoon.
Her brother's next statement composed of only three words. Three words that she isn't sure she wants to hear.
"Assassins from Selvaria."
Well if you have questions or comments feel free to review~~