"And… I am the Descendant of Sloth," I continued, my voice calm yet heavy. "The guardian of the earth… who has existed for countless centuries."
Her eyes widened in awe, the soft glow of the streetlight reflecting the disbelief and wonder filled onto her face.
"You…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Hina's arms fell to her sides, her grip on the coffee can loosening, though it didn't slip from her fingers.
I closed my eyes, exhaling deeply, as if the weight of countless centuries had momentarily been lifted off my chest.
When I opened my eyes again, my head was lowered. The familiar feeling of isolation came around me. I thought to myself,
~This is for the better. She deserves a life unburdened by my existence… by the horrors that follow me wherever I go.
The echoes of my past came rushing back. I had tried once—tried to connect, to be something more than the protector that I was meant to be. The result? They called me emotionless, a creature of darkness, and a cause of misfortune. I joined knights, kings, and kingdoms—in secret without ever revealing about me and taking of the mission from the shadows. Alone.
Things may have changed in this present world, I thought bitterly, but the core of humanity always remains the same. She's not ready for this. She saw the shadows, the blood, the chaos, and she was crushed under the weight of it. More is to come, and she doesn't have the strength to endure it. This is for the better.
"You…" Hina muttered, snapping me from my thoughts.
I lifted my head to look at her, my eyes meeting hers. "Hmm?"
Then, like flipping a switch, her expression shifted completely. Her surprise melted into wide-eyed happiness, her lips curling into a grin so bright that it startled me. Her eyes sparkled, and she clasped her hands around the coffee can as if holding something precious.
"Woaaaaahhhhhhh!" she exclaimed, bouncing slightly on her toes. "You are sooooo coooooooool!"
I blinked, utterly confused. "Ehh? How?"
"What do you mean how*?" She practically darted forward, grabbing my hands and lifting them up in her excitement. "You protect the world from shadows! You're the guardian of this world! The strongest of all! That's how!"
I stood frozen, staring at her as my mind scrambled to process her reaction. My stoic exterior barely held together as her words echoed in my head.
Her hands tightened slightly around mine as she leaned in closer, her enthusiasm wasn't going away and then she said.
"No wonder you're so emotionless and always act like nothing bothers you. You must've been through so much! Seen things no one else could even imagine!"
Her words cut through me like an arrow. My eyes widened as her unfiltered admiration pierced the walls I had so carefully built.
"You've been focusing on your mission all this time, haven't you?" she continued, her voice softening just a little. "You've carried the weight of the world on your shoulders, alone. That's… incredible."
Incredible? My lips parted, but no words came out.
She stepped back, releasing my hands, but only to clasp her own together as if she were preparing to interrogate me. Her eyes gleamed with curiosity, and her energy seemed boundless.
"Tell me more about yourself!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her heels. "How do your powers work? Do you, like, never get old? How did you even come into existence? Ooooh! Who's the strongest enemy you've ever fought? Did you ever feel like giving up? Have you always been this strong? Wait—have you really saved the world all this time, and no one knows about it?!"
Her questions came at me like a relentless wave, one after the other, her voice bubbling with excitement.
I stood there, stunned. The overwhelming enthusiasm in her voice clashed violently with the memories replaying in my mind—the voices of those who had called me a monster, a curse, a being unworthy of companionship.
"You're creepy."
"You think you're better than us, don't you?"
"Leave. Bad things happen to people who stay near you."
But there she was, standing before me, not with fear or disdain, but with awe and excitement. Despite what she had seen—despite the horrors—she didn't pull away.
I inhaled deeply and released a long, drawn-out sigh. "Weird woman… as always."
Hina blinked, caught off guard by my response. "Huh? What does that even mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," I muttered, brushing past her.
"Hey! Where are you going?" she asked, spinning around to follow me.
I pointed to the vending machine at the corner of the park and then gestured at the coffee can still clutched in her hands.
She looked down, realizing what I meant. "Oh! Sorry, sorry! Let me buy one for you!" She smiled sheepishly and jogged off toward the vending machine.
I watched her go, shaking my head slightly. The corners of my lips twitched, almost forming a smile.
A moment later, she returned, holding up a fresh can of coffee. "Here you go!"
I stretched out my arm, reaching for it. "Thank yo—"
But she pulled it back at the last second, narrowing her eyes playfully. "Not so fast! I'll give it to you on one condition."
I raised an eyebrow. "What condition?"
"You're not allowed to leave!" she declared, her tone firm despite the mischievous glint in her eyes.
I sighed again, exasperated. "Hina…"
Before I could finish, I raised my hand slightly, gathering a faint aura around my fingers. The coffee can vibrated in her hand before flying out of her grasp and into mine.
"Hey!" she yelped, her eyes wide with surprise. "How did you—?! That was so cool! Can you do that again? Wait, can you lift heavier stuff too? What's the heaviest thing you've ever lifted with your powers?"
I opened the can and took a sip, ignoring her barrage of questions.
"Oi, don't ignore me!" she whined, crossing her arms.
"You ask too many questions," I replied, lowering the can.
"And you don't answer any of them!" she shot back, pouting slightly.
I shook my head, completing the sip of my coffee and turned to her.
"Let's go home," I said simply, my tone as emotionless as ever.
She blinked, clearly not expecting that. "H-Huh? You're coming with me?"
"Didn't you say I wasn't allowed to leave?" I replied, walking past her.
She stood there for a moment, staring after me, before a wide grin broke across her face. She jogged to catch up, falling into step beside me.
For the first time in centuries, I felt a flicker of something unfamiliar—something warm. As we walked under the soft glow of the streetlights, her endless chatter filled the air, and for once, I didn't mind the noise.
Weird woman...is all my brain said to me.