Waking up in Another World

Chapter 12: The Ghoul Village

Celine's POV

"I'm sorry if they did this to you. Don't worry, I've come to save you..." Kierra said.

Yes, you heard it right, it's Kierra... the girl who's ill.

Tinanggal niya ang nakabusal sa bibig ko at saka siya nagsalita, "On behalf of the villagers, I'm really sorry... I didn't know that you'll get sacrificed in the upcoming ceremony" malungkot na ani niya.

Tinignan ko siya at tinatanggal na niya ang nakataling lubid sa kamay at paa ko. "Y-You mean, not all of you plan on offering me in that ceremony?"

"Hmmm, my grandmother and I didn't thought that you'll be sacrificed. I just woke up earlier and found my grandmother tied on a chair. I asked her what happened and she said that you'll be taken as an offering that's why I came to save you. By the way, I heard that you are the one who collected the medicine for my illness, thank you very much!"

"O-Oh, it's nothing. Oo nga pala, a-anong ceremony at offering ba yan? a-and what are you? b-bakit pula ang mata niyo?"

"We are called ghouls and we perform this ceremony so that we won't experience famine. As you can see, we can eat normal foods however, it's not enough to satisfy our hunger. We need human nourishment for us to regain our strong form for a long time that's why the villagers tend to collect and abduct adventurers who come in this village. They serve as our stock of foods in the future... I supposed you have seen the pile of dead bodies? that is an example of our stock, they are also adventurers who came in this village" she said. Itinayo na din niya ako at saka ngumiti sakin.

"Tara na, we must leave this village before others find out"

"Oo nga pala, anong ginagawa sa ceremony niyo?" curious na ani ko.

"We offer human flesh in our Gods and Goddesses. They can reject or accept it depending on the type of flesh that we'll offer. In your case, I'm certain that they'll accept it because you are young. They usually like young offerings"

Biglang nanindig ang balahibo ko sa narinig ko, like putangina meron pala nito dito.

I went towards Chubby and she followed me. "Can you help me get him out?" I asked Kierra.

"Hmmm, just wait a minute"

Her eyes glowed and her claws became sharper. She sliced through the cage and it was cut in half. Amazing, her nails are sharp.

I lifted and carried Chubby. Naglakad na kami palabas ng parang storage room na to and why is it so quiet? parang walang nagbabantay sa labas.

"If you're wondering about the other gouls, my grandmother is currently distracting them" sabi pa niya na parang nabasa ang isip ko. Ganon ba kadaling basahin ang isip ko, lagi nalang nangyayare saken to.

"Uhmm, you said you perform the ceremony so that you won't experience famine, and I'm the offering. Wouldn't saving me be the cause of your starvation? kasi mawawala ang offering niyo kaya magiging unsuccessful ang ceremony niyo"

Napatigil siya sa pagtakbo kaya napatigil din ako. Don't get me wrong, gusto kong mabuhay but why would she save me? saving me would mean doom on their kind so I don't get it why would she do something like that.

She chuckled and turned at me, "Well, I'm sick of seeing any humans suffer. They've been always killed by my kind and I don't want that. Besides, you're the one who saved me, by gathering the ingredients for the medicine, and I owe you my life for that" she said as she pulled my wrist to continue fleeing.

"Do you know..." she muttered all of a sudden. "...that I'm already sick of being a ghoul? I hate seeing humans drown in despair while we consume them. My conscience can't take it anymore. Their death means our survival. That's exactly why we were imprisoned in here. I think grandma didn't told you the reason why we were imprisoned dahil baka matakot ka at di mo makuha yung herbs na kailangan para gumaling ako, but to be honest, we were imprisoned because we are ghouls. We killed countless humans, that's why Zephora decided to isolate us so that we can't take any more lives. But even so, we still kill humans, especially adventurers. It's just sad for me that they're also planning to kill you when in fact you saved me. Ghouls are just heartless..." she said and a tear fell from her eyes.

I don't know what to say. But hearing that made me think if whether her kind is actually right or wrong. They kill to survive. Isn't that what everyone wants? to survive? so I bet they'll do anything just to live. "You know, humans are heartless too..." I started.

Napalingon siya saken and I took a good look at her face. She's pretty and she has a kind soul. "I'm not saying that what you are doing is right but it's not entirely wrong either. All you just wanted is to survive and in order to do that you need to eat. You can't do anything about it because that's the way you were born. So don't blame yourself for something you can't control" I said and smiled.

A tear fell from her eyes and she suddenly smiled, "T-Thank you very much ate, y-you're so kind" sabi pa niya.

Enebe, elem ke nemen ne mebeet eke eh. Charot.

"Hehe, by the way di mo ata ako kilala. My name is Celine, nice to meet you Kierra!"

"Hmmm, I feel the same!"

We continued running and we are already near the exit of this village when I heard someone spoke. "What are you doing Kierra? are you betraying your kind?" a young boy said.

The moonlight flashed in his face that's why I got a good look at him. Parang kaedad niya si Kierra dahil medyo ka-height niya.

"No, but I can't let them hurt someone who saved me. Kierro stay out of this!"

"But haven't you thought that their survival means our death?!" he asked while gritting his teeth. He must be mad at Kierra for saving me because if I survived, they will experience famine which will eventually lead to their extinction.

Anyway, I think they're siblings, Kierro and Kierra, huh?

Napatigil si Kierra and she suddenly started sobbing, "S-So what?! we deserved it. We deserved to be killed because that's what we do, right?!"

Hindi ko alam pero biglang may tumulo din na luha sa mata ko. I sympathize with the two of them. I can't totally say that I understand their positions but both of them has a point.

"Move out of the way, Kierra!" the boy threatened and he switched into an offensive position. Kierra stood her ground and went into defensive position.

"Please, run away... I'll deal with him" Kierra whispered to me.

What should I do? if I ran away, Kierra will get punished but if I didn't, I'll die.

Shet, anong gagawin ko? should I escape or not?

Kierro launched towards me and his claws grew sharper. He tried scratching me but Kierra blocked it with her claws.

"Run, ate Celine! I can handle it, get out of this village"

"B-But---"

"Shhhh, run away, now. Don't worry about me... maraming salamat ulit!" she said and turned around at me to smile.

Kierro suddenly kicked her chest kaya tumalsik siya papalayo. Shet, Kierra.

Kierro looked at me intensely that's why I started to run away. I'm sorry, Kierra...

Kierro tried to assault me but Kierra suddenly appeared between us. She slammed Kierro to the ground then she pulled his hair to throw him away.

"Please, leave now. Just a reminder, please don't trust every stranger that you meet just like us, we look humans in the morning but at night, we'll turn into monsters. Bye!!!" she said at me. I gently tapped her shoulders and thanked her.

"Thank you very much, Kierra. Please, keep safe!"

"Yes, I wi---" napatigil siya sa pagsasalita ng lumitaw si Kierro sa tabi niya. He turned around then kicked Kierra in the face.

Kierra stood on her ground and hold Kierro's feet. She slammed it on the floor and she signalled me to leave.

I nodded as a response and immediately run away. I'm sorry if I'm not strong enough to help.

Malapit nako sa exit that's why I took a look at Kierra and I saw her lying on the floor while Kierro is choking her.

Kierro turned his attention to me and his eyes glowed intense red. "You can't run away!" he shouted as he ran towards me.

H-He's fast... muntikan na niyang mahablot ang buhok ko pero hinila ni Kierra ang likod na damit niya. Kierra then pulled Kierro then kicked his face.

Tumakbo na ako palabas and I sighed after setting my foot outside the village.

I turned once again to see Kierra who's currently smiling at me. Nagsalita pa siya but because she's too far away, binasa ko nalang ang buka ng kanyang labi.

'Bye...'

Medyo naluha pa ako when she waved her hand at me then continued fighting Kierro.

"B-Bye..." I muttered before turning my back against them. I wiped my tears as I continued walking. I just met her recently but her kindness is immaculate, I will forever remember her.

The rain started falling that's why I looked up at the sky. What a terrible night.

The rain grew stronger that's why I'm soaked up with water. Sumilong pa ako sa puno at saka ko ibinaba si Chubby.

"Meow" Chubby said as I petted him.

"Tara na, malapit na naman ang Cresthill. I'll look for an inn to stay for the night" I said after a few minutes of resting.

I lifted Chubby as I continued on my track, I hope there's still some available room for us.

⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫

"Uhmmm, excuse me, do you sti---" naputol ang sasabihin ko ng putulin ako nung babae sa counter.

"I'm sorry miss but we do not have any available room as of the moment because a lot of adventurers have settled in since it's raining. I'm really sorry!" nakayukong ani pa niya.

I thanked her and left. What the hell?! it's been the fourth inn that I entered yet they do not have any rooms.

Ganon pala talaga kahirap humanap ng tutulugan kapag naulan.

"Meow" Chubby said as if he's asking me what would I do. I just shrugged and went on walking.

I saw an inn at the side of the road and I really hope that they have a vacant room. Ok lang kahit may kahati as long as dalawa yung kama. We really need to take a shelter since it's really cold. Gusto ko na din maligo, potek.

I entered the inn and the ambiance is really refreshing. Nagpatuyo pa ako ng konti sa side bago ako pumunta don sa babae na nasa desk.

I inhaled deeply and prayed for an available room, "Are there any available rooms?" I asked.

Please, please sana meron... "Wait, I'll check"

Her eyes scanned the list in front of her at napalunok pa ako ng laway dahil dito. Shet, sana meron.

"Hmmm, we have a room but there's already someone who's occupying it. But don't worry, dalawa naman yung kama so you don't have to share the bed" sabi pa niya kaya nagliwanag ang mukha ko.

Shet, swerte ko! okay na yon kahit may kasama, as long as may matulugan kami ni Chubby.

"I'll take that room, please" I said and smiled at the clerk.

"That would be 15 pounds, please sign your name in here" she said.

I payed her then wrote my name at the list. I saw a name beside me and I supposed that's the name of my roommate.

"By the way, your roommate is a guy but don't worry, I don't think he'll do something to you. After all, he's a knight of Eclein Empire" she said and smiled. I smiled back at her and thanked her before giving the list back.

Binigay na din niya sakin ang susi kaya naglakad na ako patungo sa room na itinuro niya. I inserted the key on the keyhole and I am surprised to see that it's neat inside.

I expected that it would be quite messy since it's a man but maybe he's a different case.

"Uhmmm, hi?" I said after taking a peek inside. Walang rumespond kaya pumasok nako pero wala naman siya.

May dalawang kama sa room at medyo kumpleto din ang appliances. May CR din sa gilid and I heard the sound of water from the faucet that's why I think my roommate is taking a bath.

Yung isang kama ay may gamit na kaya sa tingin ko don siya matutulog so I took the other bed.

Napalingon pa ako sa kama na occupied na at nakita kong napakaayos non. Like, what the hell? walang ka-crease crease manlang. Tapos yung sakin eh may mga crease kasi di stretched na stretched yung cover.

Siguro wala namang gagawin tong masama sakin, remember sabi nung clerk, knight daw siya ng Eclein Empire kaya I think decent naman siya kahit papaano.

Inayos ko na ang gamit ko at saka ipinatong na din si Chubby don sa upuan sa tabi ng kama ko. Kumuha na din ako ng towel na nakasampay sa tabi at saka pinunasan ng maigi ang buhok ko.

Iniopen ko yung cabinet dito at may nakita akong mga nakasampay na damit. Just like what Sam said, inns have clothes in it that travelers can wear that's why I picked the clothes that I wanted at saka ko ipinatong sa kama.

Bale siguro susuotin ko lang siya for the night, lalabhan ko lang tong damit na suot kong basang-basa habang naliligo ako then papatuyuin ko siya para masuot ko na din bukas.

May nakalagay na bawal magnakaw ng damit so di ko pwedeng dalhin ang mga to, pero wala din naman akong plano.

Napalingon pa ako sa CR ng makita kong nagbukas ang pinto non at may lalaking lumabas don. Nakasuot na siya ng damit, t-shirt yung pang-taas tapos naka short tapos matangkad din siya at mabango.

Baka sabihin niyo anlandi ko pero legit, mabango talaga kahit medyo malayo ako. Di ko alam, parang naligo siya sa cologne kaya ganon pero ewan ko, tanong ko nalang mamaya ang cologne niya.

Nagpupunas siya ng buhok niya at medyo natulo pa yon sa sahig kaya napakunot ang noo ko, di ba pwedeng sa loob ng CR magpunas ng buhok?

He lifted his gaze at me and my eyes widened when I got a good look at his face.

"What are you looking at? moron..."