'What? She sliced that monster's head... With only a wooden sword?'
It was the words Edle had said in his thoughts as he just witnessed how the girl killed the monster he and Kaien struggled with in just a single slash. Much to his surprise, words could not describe the sight of a girl in her red clothes, her long black hair that wavers as the wind passed by vigorously, and her crimson red eyes that meet Edle's. The only word Edle could come up with was...
"Beautiful..."
Meanwhile, Christa closed her eyes and turned her attention to the creature she killed.
'Is this the creature that the guards from the checkpoint are talking about? I thought it was some mythical monster that kills people during the night. But, unlike the monsters I've seen in that forest, this thing sure has a unique skin. I've never seen a monster with this purple skin before, is this some kind of a poisonous monster?'
Christa continues to observe the corpse as the Lord of Carmila arrived at the scene along with a few townspeople and knight guards. He issued an order to evacuate the people who are trapped inside their houses to the central plaza whereas the other survivors are being treated. He also told the other townspeople and some knight guards to patrol the surroundings to secure the whole town. Then, he walked towards where Kaien is standing and asked what they were looking at. And when he looked, that's where Christa's question earlier have been answered.
"That's the monster that hunts the people at night in our town."
"Monster that hunts at night?"
Kaien heard the words Victor spoke. Yes, it was the rumored monster that has killed adventurers and other civilians of Carmila. The other people who's glaring at the corpse noticed its head that has been severed by Christa.
"It's head..."
"It's been cut."
The people started cheering after knowing that the monster who lurks at night was finally killed. And of course, their victory against the bandits. The Lord of the Carmila Town felt relieved after seeing the corpse of the monster they feared. Unfortunately, their cheers will only be for a brief moment.
"Oh?"
Christa watched the corpse suddenly quivering like a worm, something that shouldn't have happened to a monster unless something is going to happen. Of course, Edle realized what it meant.
"It's not dead yet! It's going to regenerate!"
The people and Kaien watched Edle running towards Christa
"Prince!"
The creature's body suddenly reconnected in an instant. The moment it stood up, it attacked the first and closest person it sees - Christa. However, just in time, Edle kicked the monster away before it could even scratch her.
"You..."
"Hey, you should be more careful next time."
"Uh... Sorry, thanks."
'I could've protected myself from that though.'
Christa mumbled inside her head as the creature stood up once again.
"I didn't know monsters could reconnect their body and return to normal."
"This is the first time we've seen a monster like this one, it's like it's immortal."
Just like Edle mentioned, just thinking how the creature survived a sure death situation twice, the only reason possible is that the creature is immortal. However, Christa quickly denied his theory as the creature seemed to be slower than the last time she saw it attacked. And so Christa concluded that creature has a weakness, something around its body. But with no idea how the creature can regenerate, the only option she thought was to observe it thoroughly.
The creature roared even louder and even more terrifying, it's like its cry came from another creature, more terrifying than wolves. It then lunged towards Christa and Edle. If one was being attacked by a monster, one would think is to get away and avoid its attack, and that's what Edle did. However, Christa stood there, waiting for the monster to approach her. The people, Kaien and Edle told her to avoid it, but she ignored them all intently.
Christa's intention was not to become food for the monster but to find out how it can return to normal even after being sliced apart. At that moment, right when the creature is about to bite her head off, Christa bends her head backward. Avoiding the fangs of the monster, but also giving her the view of its lower part of its body. There she saw a purple crystal that is sticking out of its chest. It also looked like the crystal is where the dark-purple roots are coming from and enveloping its legs.
"That must be it!"
Christa dashes forward and grabbed it's neck before it could even turn around, then she crushed its body to the ground, making the ground crumble.
"She slammed the creature..."
"With bare hands..."
The people spoke with a shock on their faces. Then without seconds delay, she stabbed the creature's body straight to the crystal she saw. The monster had stopped moving as well as everything went silent. Everyone stared intently and quietly as Christa released the creature from her grip and stood up.
"Alright, it's dead."
...
"Amazing!"
"That girl is strong!"
"Now we're safe from bandits and monsters!"
The people started praising Christa from the sidelines, although she was too absorbed in looking at the monster's corpse to notice them. Soon after, the Lord of Carmila issued an order to retrieve the bodies of the people who lost their lives as well as ordering the others to patrol the whole town, making sure that the Carmila Town is secured.
Meanwhile, Christa pulled her sword out of the corpse, but as she did, the crystal that she stabbed was stuck in her wooden sword.
"Ah... It got stuck."
Staring at the crystal in her sword, she heard a sound coming from the corpse as if something is being cracked inside the monster. Edle, as well as Kaien and Victor, approached Christa and they looked at the corpse after hearing it, too.
"What now?"
Everyone watched the corpse consciously, waiting to see what would happen. Then, something unexpected happened - the body started showing cracks as if the creature was made full of glass. Right after that strange occurrence, the corpse began to crumble and turned into tiny pieces, it then slowly disappeared as if dust was blown away by the wind.
"It disappeared?"
"What is happening here?"
Christa then showed them the crystal - the part of the monster's body and is the only thing that didn't vanish.
"This crystal must be that creature's core or heart."
Kaien doesn't understand why the body disappeared. If it was a creature that was summoned by a summoner, after being killed, it should disappear without a single trace left. And if it was a natural-born monster, it will remain intact and sometimes would cause a plague if not taken action. However, the creature disappeared but its core or heart remained still in Christa's sword. With no information about the creature nor where it came from. The question will be remained unanswered inside their heads.
For now, they decided to go to the central plaza where Christa met the little girl she saved without even knowing.
"Mama! That's her! The red riding hood that saved me!"
Christa heard the little girl's voice as it approaches her along with her mother that she's dragging to Christa.
"Red riding hood?"
The mother then approached Christa and gave Christa her thanks filled with sincerity.
"Miss, I heard that you saved my daughter from the bandits. Really, thank you very much."
The woman bowed her head to express her gratitude towards Christa. Of course, she can't tell when or where she did save the little girl.
"I-it's nothing, please raise your head."
The other kid who seemed to be the little girl's sibling was actually the one whom Edle talked to earlier. He approached the kid.
"Looks like you're with your family now, good for you."
"P-prince, thank you very much!"
"Don't thank me, thanks to the ones who went to rescue the kidnapped people before me."
He then pats her head before talking to her mother to give her his condolences for the loss of their father and her husband.
After a few chit chat, the family went back to see the father they lost. Christa and Edle watched their backs as they disappeared from the crowd. After taking the crystal out of the wooden sword, Christa approached Kaien and handed it to him.
"Here."
"Huh?"
Kaien glanced at her hands with the crystal, handing to him.
"I don't have much to do with this thing, and you seemed like you want to know something about that monster. If that's the case, then take it."
He took the crystal out of Christa's hand with his. At the same time, Christa yawned as tears formed around her eyes.
"Time to go back to the Inn and get more sleep. Well then..."
She gestured at them as she walked away. However, Edle called her before she could even get farther away. Christa turned around with her eyes already half-closed.
"What?"
"Uh... I haven't thanked you yet for saving me earlier. Thank you."
Christa looked at Edle, she stood there quietly as if she forgot the words she was supposed to say. Then, her eyes that were already falling asleep suddenly widened after noticing something at Edle.
"Hey, you're quite capable for a normal human despite your magic is still sleeping."
"Magic? I can't use magic, I don't have magic."
Edle's brows furrowed as he replied to Christa.
"Huh? But you have, it's right inside you, although it was in eternal sleep."
Christa spoke as she points her finger at him. No one could probably see, but Christa was able to sense the mana inside Edle, waiting for it to be awakened. Then, Kaien interrupted both of them.
"I'm sorry but you must be mistaken, Edle doesn't have the affinity to use magic. I already tried to see if he possessed it, but like other normal people he doesn't have it."
"It's probably because it was sleeping, just like mine."
"Sleeping? What do you mean?"
"I assume you can see the mana inside me, wanna try and see it?"
Accepting Christa's question, he used his ability, "Mana Flow Binding" to her. When he did, there was no mana around her body, just like how he sees Edle. However, when Christa asked him to do it again, what he sees made him confused.
"How? An aura of mana flowing through her suddenly appeared?"
"What?"
Edle seemed to be intrigued at what Kaien sees. Then, the magic surrounding Christa disappeared once again, making Kaien even more confused than ever.
"My teacher called it "Eternal Sleep", where a person's magic will remain asleep until they awaken it at some point."
"Then, are you saying... I have magic inside me...?"
"That's right."
Edle doesn't know what to do, all his life, he was told that he was unable to use magic. And that is why he dedicated his life on strengthening his physical prowess all in order to compensate for his lack of magic.
And now all those years he spent in blood, sweat and tears felt like it was nothing after hearing odd words from a girl, telling him that he possess magic.
"Hey, do you want to awaken your magic."
"Awaken his magic?"
Kaien asked with a curious look on his face. A question he never thought he'd hear from someone. Of course, he did not believe what she said. After all, in the history of humans, there was no person in the world who has the ability to awaken or revive the magic on someone. With doubts lingering inside him, Edle asked Christa.
"How can I believe that I have magic inside that I sure as hell know that I don't? How can I believe your words?"
Edle spoke as he felt the same frustration he felt in the past. Then, Christa approached Edle and placed her left hand in his chest before answering him.
"You'll believe once I did it, right?"
"Huh?"
Christa pressed her hand in his chest as it began to gradually lighten. The light entered inside Edle's body, and suddenly, a fire started coming out of his body.
"What?"
Edle felt the heat at first, but the pain gradually disappeared as he gets used to the feeling of the heat he produces. Kaien was left in awe as he watched Edle glowing with fire. Even the people around them were surprised after seeing a fire lighting up the central plaza even brighter with his flames.
"This is... My magic...?"
Edle suddenly falls on his knees as the flames disappeared around him at the same time. Kaien helped him stand as he performs a short, quick breathes.
"Are you okay? Prince?"
"Yeah. I just felt a bit tired, that's all."
Christa spoke, joining their conversation.
"Well, it's only natural, you get to use your magic for the first time. But I'm sure you'll get used to it over time."
Christa then yawned once again.
"I feel a bit exhausted, too. I should get back to the Inn now. Later..."
Soon, she arrived at the Inn, took back her stuff from the Innkeeper and went back to sleep. Then, the day comes with the road in front of the Inn broken after Christa stomped on it. Christa stayed for another day as the lord of Carmila Town, Victor personally thanked her for killing the monster that they've been hunting for weeks and invited her to a simple dinner. After telling Victor that she planned to go to the Reilaea Kingdom, the Lord gave her a "Traveler's Pass." A pass that lets her enter any town or city without having to pay the fee for entering.
Christa eagerly accepted Victor's offer, then, she spends the rest of the day exploring the town and watching the people rebuilding the damaged properties. Right after dawn, she rides along with the cart of a man whose destination is to go to the Reilaea Kingdom to deliver the goods he has with him.
After a long five hours of riding the cart in a rocky, and bumpy road, a city surrounded by a wide, grasslands, forests, hills, mountains and three rivers that meet each other at the southern edge of the city. Christa has finally reached her destination - The Reilaea Kingdom. But...
"I'm here now... But I forgot what I came here for."
Christa forgot the purpose of her coming to the Kingdom, if Angelika was with her, she'd hit Christa with her staff.
"I think I'm supposed to continue my training by meeting strong people but, I don't see anyone here who might be what I'm looking for."
Christa spoke with disappointment in her tone as she looked around civilians and adventurers walking in different directions.
"Well, this pile of gold won't last long, so the first thing I need to do is how to gain money, this is an urban place, unlike the forests where I can get meat from pigs and other edible animals, If I want to stay here and meet strong people, I gotta have some sort of income for my daily expenses. At least that's what I learned from Aunt Angelika... But how?"
Just then, a man and a woman caught her attention.
"Hey, we've evaluated as silver ranked adventurers, I'm sure we can get a good request to buy it."
"You're right..."
Christa lurks and follows the two until she saw them entered an establishment. After that, a lot of people have started coming in and going out of the place. What's more, most of them have swords, staff, arrow, and other kinds of weapons. It was then Christa realized the place she was looking at is the place for adventurers to take on various requests and earn a reward such as money.
"Adventurers' guild, huh? I guess that's one way for people who slay monsters to earn money. Aunt Angelika was an adventurer, I'm sure she'd be happy if I become one as well."
In the garden inside the castle grounds of the Reilaea Family, Edle is in there, practicing his magic while Kaien is accompanying him.
"I really can use magic."
"Yeah... the King and the Queen are quite surprised after learning that you can now use magic. In any case, I can't believe that an ability to awaken magic to someone actually exists. Even the priest doesn't know that it is possible."
"That girl, huh? I don't know how I feel about it, but I want to talk to her again."
That night, when Christa was about to take her leave and head to the Inn, Edle called her.
"Later..."
"Hey, wait... What's your name."
"My name? Christa... Christa Scarletblood."