The Saint Devil

Chapter 15

---After this sudden decision of heading straight to Swanford without any supplies, the group, now consisting of four members, started moving towards their new destination.

Five days have passed since the Qliphoth incident and since our leaving.

"How much do we have to walk for?!" says Taiyo, already annoyed by the five days streak of walking by foot without anything else to do.

"We've walked for five days, and looking at the point we are at on the map, we have only one day of walking left. That depending on how fast we go..."

"The night is about to fall. You made this approximation judging the fact that we'll camp the night. That meaning we'll arrive in Swanford, tomorrow night... Right, mister Kein?"

"As perceptive as always... Yes, we'll arrive tomorrow in Swanford. And if I think about it, we might already need to start placing the camp there."

Said and done, we gather some firewood, place our sleeping bags somewhere in the forest and start a small campfire.

After finishing placing our bags and starting the fire, I stand up and say,

"We'll do nightshifts every two hours... I will be first."

"Denied! I will do it first. You have to conserve your energy after using "Uriel" last week, so you'll be in the last shift!"

Hearing Kein's rejection, I look down and agree. The truth is that I am not in the best shape since I used Uriel's power against Bastien. Kein once told me that power as great as that in the body of a kid might take some time to fully recover.

Standing in front of the fireplace, after eating some of our last supplies, we were getting ready to go to sleep, waiting for our nightshifts.

Taiyo realized there was something off with someone in our group so he turns around and asks her,

"You didn't talk the whole day. Is there something wrong, Anastasia?"

"U-uh... No, everything's alright. I don't have any conversation subject. I am just thinking about what happened in the last few days..."

"Are you still thinking about what happened in the colony?" I ask her.

"I am sorry for worrying you, king Akushi! I just can't get over it so easily..."

"King Akushi..." say both Kein and Taiyo after hearing those words coming from Anastasia's mouth. Both of them bursting into laugher.

Walking with us for the past five days, Anastasia was well aware of my objective and determination. Also, ever since she met us, she always stayed behind me, grabbing me by the sleeve. After the events that took place in the colony, she said that behind me is the place where she felt safe.

"You don't have to call me like that, miss Anastasia. Just call me Akushi like everybody else!"

"Actually, I sometimes call you "kid"..." says Kein pointing his index finger towards me.

"That's how you call all of us! And you two shouldn't start laughing so hard after someone calls me "king"!"

Looking at the three of us, I, Taiyo and mister Kein arguing about useless facts joking and laughing, a tear fell from her eyes, going down on her cheek.

"Huh? Are you alright?! Miss Anastasia?"

"Y-yes... I am just happy because you let me travel with you!"

"So that's what it was..."

"You are a valuable member of our team now. Now you kids go to sleep! The next one doing nightshift after me is Taiyo!"

"M-me?! Akushi, help me!"

I was already dreaming about our arrival in Swanford. Anastasia as well got into her sleeping bag and took my example.

"Uff, I think I'll follow them..."

"You should... the clock is ticking."

Taiyo went asleep, and like me and Anastasia, he didn't wake up even once that night.

The following morning, I see Kein getting rid of the fireplace and taking his bags.

"Mister Kein? Did you forget to wake us up?"

"Oh, that... I am used to taking long nightshifts and unslept nights, but if I told you, you'd jump and tell me that I have to sleep."

"Of course I would! Are you alright?"

"As I said... Nothing's wrong, since I am used to this. I am full of energy."

Taiyo and Anastasia wake up as well, pack their sleeping bags and afterwards, we start leaving our current location.

We had to walk a long distance, but honestly, it was a rather relaxing experience for us. Not having to fight on the road to Swanford and thinking about the fact that nobody will be able to hunt us in the jurisdiction of that kingdom. It was a walk so reassuring that we didn't even realize how fast we got to our destination.

Walking in front of the main gate of Swanford, we meet a guard standing in front of it...

"Who are you?! Where do you come from?!"

"Kein Shimada, coming from the colonies. Those kids are also with me, we are here for an audience with the king!"

"K-Kein Shimada? "The Guardian Angel" came all the way there?! I will see what I can do about the audience, you may enter, mister Kein and his subordinates!"

"Subordinates!?" shouts Taiyo, probably disliking that title.

"Actually, that kid is the leader..." says Kein while pointing at me.

"Huh? Me?"

"I understand, let me guide you through the big gate."

Walking through the gate, we see a completely new scenery to the ones we were used to. It is the gate that takes us to the kingdom of Swanford, and this is the day when we are not on the run from the kingdom of Wanborne