As Desire opened his eyes, he could feel the warmth of the sun. The breezing wind brought music to his ears.
It was quite a perplexing event to have nature shine here despite being a different space.
Desire was standing in a grass field, similar to the one before, but it definitely felt different. If the colorful grassland was something that he couldn't grasp, the grass field now was something he couldn't even begin to understand.
"You're a lucky one, aren't you? You are the first who is not one of the race, Suckus, to enter in that space."
Standing beside Desire was Liya, who gave him a piece of advice.
Desire just nodded his head before asking. It seems he was curious about something as his tone was just as questioning.
"There's something I don't understand. Why is it that Lyra is the one who set this up?"
Liya just tilted her head, seemingly unable to comprehend the question.
Then Desire continued with a careful tone.
"I mean...aren't you the village head?"
"Aha, so that's what you are talking about."
Liya tilted her head towards the sky before continuing. Desire could feel the mood going into a state of unknown.
"I am no longer the village head."
"..."
"The moment I used the Grand Magic, I became 'dead.' After all, no records have ever stated that a Suckus have lived after using it. Not even the First Suckus has survived after using it."
Desire could only swallow his saliva after hearing something like that. He thought that it was only a light matter, but to believe that Liya would resign from her position even though she survived...
Liya turned her gaze to the youth, worry evident in her eyes. Her eyes shone as she asked a question that was unlike her.
"Desire, do you know the difference between a human and a monster?"
"...!"
'Come to think of it...'
I know nothing. Desire widened his eyes at the fact that he practically knew nothing about it. Monsters are monsters, but...does he really know one?
Can he say he is a friend of the Suckus after what happened? Can he say that monsters are much better than humans?
Desire shook his head to erase the thoughts looming on his mind, but he couldn't. The more he tried, the more the dark ideas appear.
'And a human...?'
Even the simple question 'What is the difference between a monster and a human?' left him confused. His simple thoughts grew complex when a single 'what' appeared.
But...what would happen if he added a 'why?'
'Why do I hate humans?'
Indeed, ever since he gained consciousness, he didn't know why he felt extreme disgust at being called a human. No, even the existence of one makes his mood sour.
However, why did he hate a human so? When he thought about it, the reasons he could come up with is...
'None.'
And when he realized that, a hollow feeling entered his mind. He felt his existence took a blow. It wasn't so bad, but the meaning of 'human' and 'monster' changed somewhat for him.
He also felt something trying hard to force to calm his mind down, and even though he didn't want to, he regained his calm.
Whether knowing the youth's problems or not, Liya continued.
"You know, I think we are just the same. Humans and monsters..."
Liya blurred the end of her sentence, making the youth more confused. Desire couldn't help but ask.
"What do you mean?"
However, Desire couldn't hear the answer. After all, a shadow came up to his side and asked with a playful tone.
"Are you perhaps excited about this, Desire?"
When the youth heard the voice and looked back, she found Lyra, in an unexpected outfit of wearing clothes, giggling to herself.
Perhaps wanting to clear his head of the dark thoughts, he immediately struck a conversation with Lyra.
Just because he regained his calm doesn't mean that he wasn't thinking about it, after all.
"You haven't explained anything and only talked about how we are going somewhere, so how can I be excited about it?"
Lyra didn't reply; she just smiled and looked at her mother. Seeing her mother nod, she too nodded her head.
She opened her palms and moved her arms in a refined manner, and with a smile still plastered to her face, she began to draw slowly in the air. The figure that she drew was, of course, a key. Though it is called a key, it is just a T with an extra line.
Despite her calm moves and posture, she was actually feeling nervous at this moment. After all, this was the first time she was doing something like this.
The ritual needed to go to their 'home' was something a village head could only do. And since she became one, only she has the right to open up the 'door.' What's more, she only became one a few days ago.
It would be weird if she weren't feeling any form of pressure right now.
"Hey, what's she doing?"
"Ah, right. Lyra's doing something that will unlock the lock."
"Lock?"
"Yes. This whole area is a lock that connects to another space, created by the current head of the Suckus. Though, she's aged quite a bit by now."
Hearing the phrase 'current head of the Suckus,' Desire eyes shone with light in excitement. However, it soon died down. With what he realized just earlier, he knew that he shouldn't let his emotions run him.
'I want to learn...about monsters and humans...about myself.'
If there was one thing that he learned from those brief complex thoughts that surged up, it was that he knew nothing. If he knew nothing, then he only needs to know.
...About why he loves monsters, why he hates humans, and most importantly, why he is like that.
'There's a lot of stuff I don't know.'
He realized the gravity of his being born literally alone. Even though he was lucky and all that he survived that he was now a 'child,' his lack of knowledge, albeit he had a general one, was holding his ankles.
'But...where do I learn?'
If there were a problem, that would be his lack of a place to learn something.
He thought he could use Suckus as a reference for monsters, but he soon shook his head.
In his life, he only met the race of Suckus and a monster named Percia. He also met various other monsters in the forest. In his unborn life, he met another monster.
Using just one of them to get to know monsters? That would be too unfair to other monsters.
That's why he thought that he should meet more races of monsters. That way, after he finished, he could genuinely say that he 'loves' monsters with all of his heart.
'Humans...I'll think about it later.'
Of course, even though he changed his 'view' about humans, that doesn't mean he looks at them favorably now.
It would be correct to say that he decided to learn about humans to prove his point, that he was right in hating them. Even though it is biased, it is an excellent step for Desire, who only thought of humans as nothing.
Having decided on his goals for the moment, Desire looked ahead with a look of resolution.
After a while, Lyra finished the 'key' in the air, and after she said some incomprehensible words, the key glowed in a golden color.
"Is it finished?"
"Don't talk, Desire. Lyra needs to maintain concentration to use the key."
Desire shut his mouth after hearing the words of an experienced Suckus.
She knows more than anyone how this works, so Desire thought it wise to follow her words.
As she said, Lyra didn't move an inch from her current spot, but the key was...swimming through the air.
After it swam for a minute or so, Lyra clapped her hands loudly, and afterward, the space shattered.
Desire could only gasp at the 'world' shattering. The area around him that was basking under the sun was now in a deep purple.
"Wow!"
Even though he was feeling a bit down earlier, he couldn't help but be amazed at the sight.
The purple sky had numerous lights shining in them, most likely, stars. As he looked around, his jaw dropped to the floor.
He couldn't even hear the voices of Liya and Lyra that was calling him.
The trees that were familiar to him disappeared without a trace; the trees here were so tall that it's a joke to be compared with the village, and the leaves of the trees had the color of green shining so brightly.
The distant graceful rays of green light shone even from where he was, and that wasn't all. The purple sky that was deeply ingrained in the sky was slowly moving.
Desire couldn't see where it was going, but he also couldn't see the beginning of it. As this common-sense breaking scene played out in front of him, he suddenly caught sight of Lyra. The wind brought her words to his ears.
"Welcome to the world of Suckus, Skinjur."