At home, Himzed sat in a chair sipping his coffee. "Today we'll stay at home, since we've done a lot of walking in the past few days," Himzed chuckled. "If you want to go out again, I'll follow you. You're still a weak kid, even though you have a brain as big as a mountain," he said, sipping his coffee casually.
Harith then sat in the chair across from him, sipping his tea. "I'm going out today, there's a plan I need to execute." His face looked cold and serious. "You don't need to come. This is my business," Harith added, his sharp gaze piercing straight into Himzed's eyes.
"Huh? What plan are you talking about? A plan for what?" Himzed asked in confusion, feeling nervous under Harith's cold stare.
Harith calmly placed his teacup down and stood up. "You don't need to know. All I know is that you shouldn't follow me." He walked toward the door and said firmly, "Don't follow me, remember that." Harith then opened the door and stepped outside.
"Harith!" Himzed stood up and approached the door. "Where are you going?! You know it's dangerous out there. I'm coming with you," he said, full of concern.
Harith paused for a moment and looked at Himzed with an even colder stare. "If I'm weak, why am I still alive to this day?" Harith turned around. "Your nonsense reeks. Who do you think you are?" Harith chuckled sarcastically before continuing his walk, leaving the house.
Himzed clenched his fists in frustration, then slammed the door shut. "Damn kid!" He took a deep breath and returned to his chair. "Fine, if that's what you want, Harith," Himzed muttered as he sipped his coffee again, trying to calm himself down.
Daro was slightly injured from a dog attack. "Uhh..." he groaned, trying to hold back the pain. Even though he was hurt, he forced himself to get up and quickly ran, trying to escape. However, the dog was too fast, relentlessly chasing him.
"No!" Daro screamed in fear, covering his head with both hands. He braced himself for the next attack, but suddenly, he heard the dog run away as if it was scared.
Daro quickly turned around and saw a tall girl wearing a mask on her face. She approached him with steady steps, then extended her hand. "Come on, kid, get up," she said firmly but gently.
Nervously, Daro grabbed the girl's hand and stood up. "Umm... t-thank you," he stammered.
The girl looked at him sharply yet with care. "How did you end up here alone? Where are your parents?" she asked with a firm yet non-intimidating tone.
Daro fell silent for a moment, feeling a bit pressured by the question. "Umm, I don't have a family..." he replied, his face looking nervous and awkward.
Seeing Daro's expression, the girl smiled sympathetically. "It's sad that a child like you has no family and has to survive alone in this forest," she said softly, bending down slightly. She gently stroked Daro's hair before pulling out a bandage from her pocket.
"You'll live at my house," she said, as she placed the bandage on Daro's cheek, covering a small wound he had.
"Thank you..." Daro said quietly, his face flushing slightly from nervousness. However, beneath that, there was a feeling of comfort from the attention the girl was giving him.
Yumi chuckled softly, then removed her mask, revealing her beautiful face with black hair and striking purple eyes. "I am General Yumi, a general from the Holy Roman Empire's army," she said with a gentle smile.
Daro's eyes widened, shocked and unable to believe what he had just heard. "W-what? G-General Yumi?!" he stammered, pausing briefly as he tried to process the sudden reality before him.
Yumi laughed lightly again, looking relaxed despite Daro's astonishment. "I like hunting in the forest; it's something enjoyable for me," she said as she stood up and looked towards the forest. "Come, follow me home," she said casually, starting to walk away from the area.
Daro, still in shock, quickly followed her steps from behind, still trying to grasp the strange situation he had just encountered.
How did I end up meeting a general from the Holy Roman Empire?!
he thought nervously, his heart racing because of this unexpected encounter. He wasn't sure if this was good luck or something that could lead him into even bigger trouble.
As the two of them arrived in the city, an unusual scene greeted Daro. Several people immediately waved at General Yumi, bowing their heads with great respect. The bustling atmosphere was mesmerizing but also confusing for Daro, who had never seen a place like this before. Since childhood, he had been used to living in the quiet forest, far from the noise and clamor of city life.
"This place... it's so crowded and overwhelming..." Daro muttered, his voice trembling slightly, clearly nervous about the unfamiliar surroundings.
Yumi, noticing Daro's nervousness, turned around and smiled gently. "Hold my hand, I'm afraid you might get lost later," she said with a caring tone.
Daro, still shocked and feeling awkward, nodded slowly. He held Yumi's hand tightly, following the beautiful and strong girl who now was the only thing making him feel safe in this new environment. Though his heart raced, he felt somewhat calm as he followed Yumi's steady steps through the crowd.
Meanwhile, Harith was spying on two of the noble's subordinates standing and smoking next to a dark alley near Himzed's house. "Their plan is to kidnap Himzed. Yes, they want to extort me and take me to the noble's house, which surely wants to challenge me to a card game," Harith chuckled softly, a sly smile on his face. He had already predicted their entire plan with sharp accuracy.
How did Harith know? First, Hector was a proud and vengeful man. After his defeat, it was clear Hector would use his connections with the noble to kidnap Himzed as revenge, aiming to extort Harith. Second, the noble's subordinates had followed Harith and Himzed home, ensuring they knew the location of their house. This only reinforced the suspicion that the kidnapping was planned—either just for Himzed or even for both of them.
With all these clues, Harith could already predict what was coming. "I want to know the location of this noble's house, but I must be careful. I mustn't use tactics that will reveal my true abilities. All I need to do is wait... and wait," Harith thought, chuckling softly again. His face was filled with the confidence and cunning of someone who was always one step ahead of his enemies.
Daro sipped his tea in silence, feeling the dim ambiance of the room lit only by candlelight. Yumi smiled gently at him, making the atmosphere a bit warmer. "What's your name, kid? I forgot to ask," Yumi said kindly.
"My name is Daro..." Daro replied softly, feeling a bit embarrassed in the presence of Yumi's charisma.
"Hm? An unusual name. You're from the forest, aren't you?" Yumi asked, still smiling.
Daro nodded. "Yes..."
Yumi chuckled softly, sipping her tea calmly. "I can sense there's something heavy on your heart. Perhaps it has to do with your past?" She looked at Daro with concern.
Daro looked down, his face tense. "Yes... my family died... my village was slaughtered..." Daro tried to hold back his tears, shaking his head slowly.
Yumi placed her hand gently on Daro's shoulder. "Tell me, kid. Cry if you need to; I'm here to listen and help you with whatever you need."
Daro began to speak, his voice filled with repressed emotion. "Three weeks ago... in the morning. I was with my father and other villagers getting water from the river to fill the well. Suddenly, a blood-soaked girl came to us, and that's when... the nightmare began in an instant..."
Tears began to flow down Daro's cheeks as he recalled the tragic event. "A group of Faruza worshippers came... They shot the villagers one by one with arrows. My father tried to fight back... and eventually..." His voice started to falter, his eyes filled with deep anger and sorrow.
Daro's face contorted in pain before he suddenly screamed, "Ahhhhhhh!" and collapsed onto the floor, losing consciousness.
Yumi was startled and immediately rushed to secure Daro. "Daro!" she called anxiously, making sure the child was okay while gently holding his hand.
Himzed looked worried; it was late at night, and heavy rain was pouring over the city, but Harith still hadn't returned. "Harith, where have you been?" Himzed paced the living room, his face tense.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Harith?!" Himzed quickly ran to the door and opened it.
In front of him stood Harith, drenched from the rain. "Harith! Where have you been?! You've made me worry!" Himzed immediately hugged Harith tightly.
"Kid! You really made me anxious!" Himzed pulled away from the hug, then walked to the coat rack and grabbed a towel. "Take this."
Harith remained calm, his face cold and expressionless. "Thank you," he said as he took the towel and began to dry his hair and body before sitting in a chair.
Himzed closed the door and sat in the chair next to Harith. His face was still filled with worry. "Where were you, Harith? Why did you come back so late?" he asked.
Harith gave a thin smile, his gaze sly. "Himzed, before tomorrow comes, you need to leave this house for a while," Harith said, continuing to dry his hair, his eyes showing that he had planned something.
Himzed raised his eyebrows, his face filled with confusion. "Why? What do you mean? What plan are you working on?"
Harith's gaze turned cold, serious. "Do it… or you'll die, and I'll die with you. Everything depends on fate, but I want to change it now."
Himzed swallowed nervously, clearly anxious. "Sorry... I don't quite understand, Harith..." Himzed sighed, his eyes filled with confusion and fear.
"Alright... I'll do what you ask," Himzed finally gave in, his smile gentle but filled with doubt.
Harith chuckled slyly. "Go to a safe place. You'll return in two days."
"I'll change it," Harith laughed softly again, as if he had thought everything through thoroughly.
Himzed nodded, choosing to follow Harith's orders. There was no other choice. Everything Harith said might be true, but on the other hand, it could be wrong. For now, Himzed could only trust him.