At the moment, Gloathiac was accompanying a beautiful and petite girl of his age, completely leaving his pitiful uncle. They were on the road, pressing their way to the packs of people with their diminutive child forms.
"Are you okay?" Gloathiac worriedly said, holding the girl's hand which was at front of him. He lifted her off from the ground, when she was pushed over by someone earlier.
"Yes, I'm alright." Her blue eyes that seemed to contain the boundless ocean's wonders looked at Gloathiac. "Let's go to that way."
Sparkling jewels were as if shaking when those eyes glistened in light. She had deep blue hair like his mother, Louissa, but it encompassed a smoother and deep color, glimmering by the accompanying light.
Her body even by her age had curved to exact right places and her unmatured breasts had already slightly bulged, including her bust that had perked up. Her tender snowy white skin gave a feeling to be pinched, with pinkishness at some parts that likely illustrated her being a maiden at just only her age.
She couldn't take a candle of the real beauty Gloathiac had but it was enough to baptize the city with her appearance alone.
She had enough what it took to be a kingdom-toppling beauty but what much more was if she would hit puberty.
Unperturbed by her appearance, Gloathiac looked at where she pointed at, which is a corner alleyway. It was dark in there and must be a suitable place to hide.
"Okay, let's go there."
Gloathiac followed her, their hands clasped at each other.
Earlier before they met...
Gloathiac after astounding the people with his shooting prowess, had gotten his rewards which were real cute penguins and ideal for little children. But he didn't like the tastes and exchanged it for the parents who were gladly buying it.
He sauntered outside and suddenly a kingdom toppling peer had caught his eye. She was carelessly running as if she was pursued.
She wore housedress, a big contrast to the others wearing casual clothes. It seemed she escaped from housework to enjoy the festival.
"This is the first time I saw someone beautiful. Well, not that it really matter right now. She was trying to smash at me!"
The girl at her carelessness would ultimately crash at him with her dainty body.
"That speed, she's no ordinary." Gloathiac muttered as he prepared himself to catch her.
The huge bag of golds he had suddenly disappeared along with the lingering of space fluctuations.
At the other distance, Orlan muttered while holding all random things on his body that his vision was blocked by its sheer amount, "Why it gotten more heavy?"
Back to Gloathiac...
His right leg stepped back as he positioned his left leg while his arms already lifted in the air to embrace the girl.
If it was on his prediction, that girl would stumble at him. Precisely, he was right and after he gently grabbed her, it became a princess carry which his wild thoughts sought of.
"What timing! A beautiful girl happened to be willing to let me enjoy the princess carry from the stories." Gloathiac laughed while he ran to the street.
"Hey, what are you doing? Let me out here! Get me out." The girl became bashful.
"O- okay. Just a moment." Gloathiac didn't want to end it. He let her land to the ground mildly. "Anyway, is someone chasing you? It's okay, I'm here to help you after I owe you a favor. See, we're far now."
Nobody bothered them even by their consistent looks to the beautiful girl. It seemed only just a minor play between two distinguishable kids and they didn't want to offend them.
"What favor?" She asked puzzled.
"For letting me experience a princess carry of my dreams." Gloathiac showed his teeth with his smile.
An image of a prince carrying a princess while sweetly running and laughing into green plains full of blooming floras flitted into his mind.
"P- pervert." Her face became hot and red, angry and embarrassed.
"That's not something you call for someone who just saved you." Gloathiac refuted.
"Maybe it was your ulterior motive all along? You look really prepared to catch me. Maybe you're one of the bad guys." The girl was wary of him.
"I- I'm not. It was really obvious that you'll stumble down of how you ran recklessly." Gloathiac shook his head hastily. "Anyway, do you came from a distinguishable family? Most of the kids don't run as fast as you."
"Umm, something like that. Are you really a good person?" The girl was still afraid of him.
"Yes I am. You can count on me." Gloathiac thrust his fist to his chest, imitating his uncle.
"Really?" The girl asked again.
"Of course. Maybe you're the bad guy. With your clothes, you escaped from housework right? That's the reason you are chased." Gloathiac teased her.
"You... I hate you." The girl ran away.
"Hey, wait. I'm sorry okay? Come on, with so many people here, it's easy to get lost. What's more, you need a prince in a shining armor to rescue you once you are abducted right?" Gloathiac followed her in a beat.
They both stopped, facing with each other.
"O- okay, but just this time alright?" The girl finally agreed.
"Heh, you look strong but you are just afraid." Gloathiac mocked her.
"A- afraid? T- this is the last time you'll tease me and I'll be going alone." The girl had her cheeks red again, she ran away again but this time, she was slow to wait for him.
"Yes, princess." Gloathiac went to her.
At the present time...
Inside the alleyway...
"Why are you still touching my hand?" Gloathiac unabashedly said.
Hearing it, the girl immediately broke free her hand from him. She became angry red.
"How are you too shameless?!"
"Anyway, now what are we gonna do? Should we kept hiding here?" Gloathiac asked.
"Of course not dumbass. We are going further inside" She rebuked him.
Gloathiac was astounded. "This is the first time I've been called by that."
The girl looked weirdly at him, "Lies! You narcissist. Follow me, I'll show you something surprising."
"Y- yes." Once again, Gloathiac followed her.
Their hands were not clasped at each other.
They turned in the right, a way found in the middle of the alleyway. It was between houses and there were no others except for them.
Looking at the girl who already climbed some stairs, adeptly going into a house's roof, Gloathiac loudly said. "Hey, this is not the first time you escaped right? I bet you are really a rebellious kid."
"What escape?" The girl stared at him churlishly. "This is the first time I did this."
"Ehh, then why are you wearing a housedress? My mom always wore that when she cooked for me." Gloathiac said as he also climbed the wooden and dusty stairs.
Suddenly, the girl halted at the roof and her pretty face turned serious and melancholic.
"You know, this housedress was also my mom's. I borrowed it and sued it to fit it myself." The girl looked at her dress for a while before she continued walking.
"Oh, what is your mother looked like? I guess she's also pretty just like you." Gloathiac finished climbing and now on a roof of a shack. "Hey, you're moving too quickly. Wait for me."
The girl dashed on the roof but Gloathiac pulled her arms, suppressing her speed and forced her to stop.
"Is something wrong? Why it seemed you wanted to run away again?"
"I- I just felt I want to." She spoke weakly. Her head laid down and looking enervated to the ground.
"Why the sudden change of attitude?" Gloathiac asked strangely but the response given was not directed to his question.
"You know, my mother was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She was very kind to me." She clenched her fist, as she continued,
"She let me play all the time while she did all the house chores. She did all the dishes, the cleaning and even sang me a lullaby in my bed until I fell asleep. She was too kind."
She paused. Stars twinkled mutely as littered clouds spread across the night sky. Their small bodies were coated by the gauze of the moonlight and a gentle breeze stroked their soft hairs.
Then the girl's riled voice instilled sound to the stillness as she locked her gaze to him, her eye seemed to glitter like gems, "You probably loved your mother right? However, I hate my mother."
Gloathiac was stunned at her sudden change, he couldn't respond for a second.
"I- I don't understand. Why you hate your mother even when she taken great care of you. Did you said that she was too kind?" He was bewildered.
"Yes, it was because she was too kind." She only uttered a sentence before casting away her glance from him.
"I really don't understand. You hate her because she's kind? I didn't garner such feelings to my benevolent mother." Gloathiac was puzzled.
But his words slipped into deaf ears.
Gloathiac's vision was covered by the side of the girl aiming at him. The look of her expression was sorrowful and she was as if reminiscing at the stars.
"Why do you look too hurt?" Gloathiac soundlessly muttered.
"Camie" Her smooth voice drifted into his hearings.
"W- what?" Gloathiac was again baffled.
"My name is Camie, what's yours?" Camie turned back to him.
Her housedress swayed to her movements and her glittering hair also followed. Her long eyelashes stirred, the wind gently blew her dainty stature.
"M- my name is Gloathiac." For the first time, he blushed.
'Why am I feeling like this?'
"Gloathiac..." Camie pondered. "It's too long, I'll call you Glo."
"Glo? That's sounds weird. It's better if you say Gloth." Gloathiac clumsily waved his hand.
"I prefer the name Glo. Let's speed up, the place was near." Camie spoke. Her legs picked up speed as she jumped to a well-blemished rooftop.
It was a tiled roof unlike the roof shaft.
"Suit yourself."
Gloathiac hopped on the roof shaft and his steps produced rough sounds. Their shadows skittered and leaped on copious roofs, blending with the pale darkness and the radiant splendor of the festival.
Different banners highlighted one's stall and building as people were elated in choosing and entering the entertainments. They voraciously ate street foods or enthusiastically lining for a restaurant. Dances and shows were presented in different locations, making the atmosphere riveting.
But soon, each and every one had anticipation plastered on their faces, seemingly waiting for the grand surprise. It was lucid to see everyone suffused the clear grounds, spreading to the land with large amount of their numbers. They were exultantly sitting, their countless voices mixed with everyone's.
"I hope the fireworks this time is much more wonderful."
"This kingdom's festival is surely different than the other ones. His Majesty, the king, had formally announced at this morning that he betrothed her only daughter to a certain core sect disciple."
"Yeah, I heard it was the infamous Dark Pact Sect."
"Then is that too bad? Why does the king allow himself to interact an evil sect when he had a deep alliance to the church? I hope we're not swallowed by the impending trouble."
"His Majesty is wise. I guess he had his own reasons. The Kingdom of Lafanor had held strong by his thousand years of clutches. Let's just enjoy the festival! "
Inside of a secluded building, both Gloathiac and Camie were treading on old graphite stairs going downwards. As Camie led him confidently, Gloathiac kept talking to her.
"I want to see those fireworks. Is this place we're going to, have a good spot to watch?
"I'm speaking too much here. Can you respond even a bit?
"This is my first time to celebrate this festival. I'm feeling so excited. What do you think so?"
"It's the same for me every year. She finally replied as she continued in a roundabout words, But this time felt entirely different. I am not with my mother but with a stranger instead"
Afterwards, she jumped into a found hole. The hole seemed to be caused by the destruction of the stairs and broke of a new hole in its receding path.
"Oh, if your mother goes with you during a festival, then why are you going with her even if you hate her?" Gloathiac also jumped and entered the hole. The gravity pulled him momentarily until a sonorous echo was procured when his bamboo slippers hit the hard ground.
Darkness consumed them, their vision was greatly hindered.
"There are some things you are powerless to do so even if you hate someone. Besides, I only hated her after she sold herself to the church and gifted me to them." She gritted her teeth and her eyes flickered with repulsing anger.
"Huh?" Gloathiac paused in his tracks.
The sudden revelation of her words made him reel in thought. But, why did she commit such actions if she was very kind of you? Doesn't she loved you? Then, is her kindness was all just an act?"
"No, she loved me for real. At least, that's what I believed to be the truth. Her gentle smiles, her soothing words, her selfless actions, everything was all for my sake." She also halted in the dark. Light were blocked and only a slim veil of light passed through a space above, only slightly projecting Camie's indistinctable silhouette.
["Camie, your fever rises up again. Don't worry, mom is here. I will always watch you." A blurred image of her mother flittered on her mind as she looked at her indistinctable appearance from her bed, seemingly worried at her.]
["Geez, Camie. You're acting like a child again. It's okay, I promise I'll buy it for you. It's just that mom is still lacking of budget alright?" Her mother took her tiny body in her arms as they walked on the street and spotted a shop highlighting a pretty pink and lavish dress and other dresses.]
"If that was all for your sake, then why you kept on hating your mother?" Gloathiac words resounded in an echo throughout this enclosed space.
"It was because it was all for my sake. It was because she was too kind that I ended up hating her." A sound of teardrop hitting the surface of the ground was clearly heard by Gloathiac's heightened senses.
["Mom, who are they? Why are they taking me away from you? Mom! Camie struggled by the hands of some churches' apprentices. She cried and pleaded, looking at her mom which seemed soulless and continuously streaming her tears.
"Camie, your mother has found another work and may not always find a chance to see you. Be obedient and wait for me, okay?"
Camie was confused but nodded nonetheless while she suppressed her eyes that wanted to break its dam, "Mmm, Camie will be obedient and will wait for you."
At that moment, she was forcefully taken away and she could clearly hear his mother's relentless cry. One phrase from her mother just barely travelled to her small ears, "I'm sorry."]
Hearing her teardrop, Gloathiac could imagine, that girl's appearance hidden in the darkness which only outlined her figure, those perfectly jade face should have trickled some tears, right?
"Are you crying? I- I am sorry. I should not have peered my nose in another businesses." Gloathiac guiltily said in deep regret as he shifted his face away.
Camie wiped her tears by her fore arm as she spoke, "No, it's okay. It's no trouble at all. In fact, I am grateful to you."
Gloathiac felt not speaking.
"Glo, it's okay if it's just you. I may be selfish but I only need someone to hear me. I need to express my feelings to someone. I- I felt suffocated." Camie's voice trembled Gloathiac's core. "Gloathiac, can you grant me of my wish?"
He saw Camie's face outline moved diagonally as he thought, "Is she smiling? But why I felt this smile seems so different?"
"I am willing to listen." Gloathiac's seriously answered after which he warmly smiled, But we need to get to the place you talked about. I bet it was just up there right?"
He didn't point out but it was apparent that he was directing about the source of the light above, another hole was in there.
"Mmm" She uttered a response, and felt that she just nodded.