Breeze opened his eyes after a few hours of deep sleep, still unable to move a muscle. He felt throbbing pain all over his body.
"Argh, this is really torturous. I think I could die any second, but I can't understand why all this pain. Did I get infected by a deadly disease? Or is it a side effect of that thing I ate? All I can move are my eyes and my heavy mouth. What's the difference between me and a corpse?"
As he thought about his miserable condition, the door opened, revealing a young girl with sand-colored skin that seemed to gleam softly, reminiscent of sunlit dunes in the desert, giving off a warm aura, as though relaxing under the golden sun. Her hair was dark brown, perfectly synergizing with her skin, and her light blue eyes completed the picture. Breeze was fascinated by the girl, who seemed only a few years older than him. She wore a white dress that covered her entire body, yet it didn't conceal her athletic build.
'Wow, who is she? Where am I? What should I do? No, no, no...' He felt complicated emotions like never before. It was his first time feeling something like this.
Relax Breeze even though you didn't interact with girls before you still can handle this situation.
Trying to think rationally, he began organizing his thoughts. First things first, I need to know the situation here, who is she, and why did she help me. But the main question now Is she living with her parents or married? My neck's future depends on the answer, most girls get married young to avoid causing problems for their families. No, no, no—that's impossible. She'd bring disaster upon herself if she brought a strange person into her home, showered him, dressed him, and laid him down in her bed. Anyway, I need to learn everything about her before taking another step.
He drowned in his thoughts, forgetting that he was still just a kid who was incapable of moving at the moment, which was his biggest problem.
Breeze noticed the girl had a bit of developed muscles and admired her strong yet balanced physique. No wonder she carried me with ease back then, he thought. Staring at her, he momentarily forgot his aching muscles, but when he snapped out of his reverie, he groaned briefly.
"Argh..."
"You seem to be in a bit of pain, huh? It's probably caused by the lack of movement. You're in the same position I left you in since the morning. Let me massage your muscles; it might relieve you a little."
Without hesitation, Breeze responded, "I'd be grateful if you could."
"Oh, it's my pleasure," she replied with a warm smile.
She started massaging his body, beginning with his feet, and then working up his calves and thighs. Breeze felt refreshed as her fingers moved. She continued to his lower back, then to his shoulders, hands, and neck, making sure not to leave a single muscle untouched. Breeze felt as though he had been reborn, with the pain fading away, but his paralyzed limbs remained still. He didn't complain, though, happy enough that the pain had disappeared.
After the massage, the girl went straight to the kitchen to prepare lunch and took a quick shower afterward. By the time the lunch cooled, Breeze was astonished by her rapid pace.
Wow, that's what they call not wasting a second, he thought to himself.
Before he knew it, she was back at his side, sitting him up so she could feed him the soup she had prepared. She filled a dish and sat beside him, feeding him slowly.
"I... Every cell in my body is grateful for your benevolence, young miss. Not only did you take care of me, but you're also feeding me this delicious food. I can't thank you enough, not even in a lifetime."
The girl stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Hahaha, it's the first time someone called me 'young miss.' I'm usually called 'the bulky girl.' Honestly, I like being called bulky because it spares me from problems here and there. You know, girls nowadays are always in danger of being taken by nobles or harassed, and in the worst case, kidnapped—especially if they're beautiful. That's why you don't see a lot of young girls out unless their family is to be feared. The only exceptions are the MES agents."
"Young miss—"
"Just call me Samar."
"Well, Samar, I don't think you're bulky at all. Your muscles are just well-developed, and your physique is perfect, like a trained soldier."
"Hmm, that's not exactly how you compliment a girl, you know?" she teased with a smirk.
Sorry, father, all your teachings are wasted on me, Breeze thought, feeling disappointed in himself.
"It's just how I feel. The point is, Samar, you're a charming girl with a pure heart. Calling you bulky is just a way to tame you, to make you feel less feminine and, as a result, less aggressive to prove them wrong. I bet you've beaten a lot of people who tried to mess with you, and that's why they call you that."
Samar blushed slightly. "Can you stop complimenting me while keeping a straight face? And what led you to this conclusion?"
Sorry for looking emotionless, but my facial muscles are a bit heavy. It's not because I'm nervous, yeah.
"It's just a psychological manipulation thing. Usually, a young girl with a strong constitution tends to be unaware of her feminine side, but it still affects her without her knowing as she grows older. I don't think those people intentionally called you that, with deep thinking about the result, but it's bound to happen as you grow older. In the end, you'll lower your guard completely, and that's when they'll try to prey on you. As for your violence, based on what I concluded, I assume I'm not as light as I used to be, but you carried me with ease. Girls' sharpest weapon is their tongue, but for you, it's a different case. You trust your muscles. That doesn't mean you lack eloquence; it's just that you rely on your strength a lot. That's how I concluded it, and I might be wrong, but I think you're just a strong kid."
"Hey, what do you mean kid? I'm a grown lady. I'm 14 years old."
"Gotcha. By provoking you just now, telling you that you're just a kid, I led you to tell me your age. That's what I meant by psychological manipulation."
"Sigh. It seems like I'll regret saving you."
Oh, I think I started spouting nonsense cause it's my first time speaking with a girl.
"Believe me you will not, I'm just pointing out things that maybe you weren't aware of, just to be on the safe side. As I said, girls your age are more sensitive about how people perceive them. They tend to show off by nature. Based on your strength, you're as capable as an adult. Now, imagine what happens if a girl in her teens beats an adult. He'd probably never show his face again, and in the worst case, he might try to kill you out of shame. That's why people try to make you let your guard down. I advise you to find a job where you don't show your face. It's still manageable for common people, but if a noble takes a liking to you, that's your end."
"Wait, wait, wait! I'm utterly confused about your age now. From your body and voice, I'd confidently say you're younger than me, maybe 11. But the way you speak and think makes you seem much older. I don't know whether to be impressed or feel sorry for you. My life wasn't the best, but it's probably not comparable to yours. And by the way, I'm not some violent girl beating people up. I only remember beating up one trashy guy."
"Oh? Can you tell me what condition you left him in?"
"Well, he deserved it. He kept harassing children on the streets, and when he tried to touch me, I broke his hand with all its fingers. I also broke his other hand's fingers as a bonus," she said, sticking her tongue out playfully.
"Pfft, yeah, I'm sure he deserved it. But stay out of trouble whenever you can. You never know what might happen in noble territories."
"Alright, enough about me. Now, can you tell me what happened to you? You look like someone who is able to move, so what caused you to be in this condition?"
'I don't know, but I think I can tell her a bit about myself. She seems like someone I can trust, even though I don't like talking about myself. She asked me politely; she's not like me trying to read others' minds and analyze their personality. Probably, it will benefit her to hear my story.'
Breeze looked at her for a few moments, then sighed deeply. "You saved my life, so I'm obligated to tell you. While I'm not totally sure what caused this condition I'm in, I have a suspicion. It happened a year and two weeks ago. Let's just say I ate something weird, and its effects unexpectedly took a long time to start. There's a condition for it too, but it's my first time witnessing something like this, so I don't know if it's what caused my condition. This is what happened: I used to travel with my father from bastion to bastion, and sometimes we had to spend nights out in the open..."
With wide eyes, Samar interrupted, "Wait! You ate something weird?! What does it look like? And is it even possible to sleep outside of the bastions and survive?"
"Sigh, don't worry about the details. Just listen, but I warn you, what you're about to hear is life-threatening news if anyone finds out about it. Our world isn't what you think it is. What I'm about to tell you sounds like a fairy tale, but it's real. Do you still want to hear it?"
"Yes, it sounds boring around here anyway. Hearing your story might be fun."
"Alright, but know that hearing it will cost you a lot."
"Isn't saving your life enough?"
"Believe it or not, the secret I'm about to tell you outweighs my life itself."
Samar gulped. "Well, I don't have a lot of money."
"It won't cost you money, not for you at least."
"So what will it cost?"
"You'll have to do something for me, and you won't be allowed to say no."
"Okay, as long as it doesn't endanger my life or involve anything lewd, I'll accept."
"Don't worry, it's nothing like that. But you'll hear the condition after the story. If you don't accept, we'll stop here."
"You... You're really ungrateful and a trickster. Ahhh fine, I accept. Just start your story already. But let me be clear about something—if you're playing tricks on me, be ready to get your bones broken."
"Don't worry, it's the greatest secret you'll ever hear."