Chapter 27: Goal
1935 Words
“We have been walking for days now… Are we getting closer to our destination?”
Complained the exhausted Cake and on her back where her two siblings resting on her back.
The day wasn’t particularly bad. It wasn’t hot or cold. The wind breeze feels nice. The environment we're currently walking in was nice and peaceful. No monsters can be found. Flowing ever on my left and on the right was the side of a small forest.
Same with Cake, my feet are hurting from walking miles away from the last town. But the princess leading us was still continuously walking. She is sweating, but she is still very pretty. I kinda envy him in that aspect. For that reason, I envy her.
Passing a river stream, I kneel down and wash my hand first to get a scoop of water. After drinking water, I look at my reflection.
I look horrible.
I’m sweating so hard and my stinks. I know I’m cute, but compared to Eula, my cuteness was nothing. She looks so prim and pretty. Her face is slim, the same as her body. Her bust size is around normal. It wasn’t big or small.
The princess stopped and said:
“We can rest for a while in this forest. We walked quite a distance from the town. No one will locate us from anymore.”
“I’m happy I can finally rest.”
Cake puts down her siblings under a big tree. Laying in the thick moss, she let them have a nap. Cake, meanwhile, sits down beside them resting. Eula walked beside me a scoop of water in the river. Taking a sip in an elegant way.
How can you be so pretty?!
“... ? Why is Hanayuki staring at me?”
“I’m just wondering how you’re so beautiful.”
“My mother is beautiful and my father is handsome… I think Hanayuki is very cute. I envy Hanayuki. You’re small and cute. You’re like a plushy.”
I see, it was genes… Eula was born beautiful from the very start. I never knew what my parents looked like. I don’t have any idea where I got my light brown hair and my emerald eyes.
“You got it wrong… I’m the one who is envious of you… I mean my feet weren’t that slender. My body is petite and it's hard to think of me as sexy. Eula is sexy and seductive. Your skin is snow white and soft-looking. Your eyes are big like dolls.”
I aggressively complimented her.
Receiving my compliment, she panicked and became flustered with embarrassment.
“Hanayuki also has big eyes… I’m seductive? What are you saying… I’m pretty but compared to big Sister Yusael I was nothing. Among all of the princesses, she was the prettiest. She is like a goddess incarnate. One glance at her will make you fall in love. She is the ideal beauty and the one I idolize.”
I never had an interest in royalty… That was the reason why I didn’t recognize Eula immediately.
She complimented her big sister that much and her face complimented her while talking about her. I think she is someone respected by many.
Come to think of it, I do have fragments of memories of a blonde-haired girl… Her face is blurry, but I know that she is very pretty. Thinking about it this much makes my head hurt. I had better give up thinking about it.
Turning my glance to the cat girl. She is already sound asleep together with her siblings.
I think it's time to Eula…
“Eula… I killed the golden knight.”
I said, looking at my reflection in the water. My tone was normal and casual. It might anger Eula… Based on what she said before. The golden knight, Lance, was like a big brother to her. She grew up with him and I know she has some kinds of ties with him. Like memories, they share together. Telling her that may be cruel on my side, but she needs to know.
“I already expected that… His death made me sad, but the situation changed. I have to steel my heart and continue on progressing on my quest.”
“What exactly are our plans? Are we going to run until no one finds you?”
“Nope, I’ll go back and destroy the evil rulers.”
“ What exactly is this evil ruler?”
“They are aristocrants. Lords of land surrounding Arsland kingdom. They are always up to no good. The power of the king was limited because the king wasn’t the only one controlling the whole kingdom. Especially right now that my father is very sick. He's a cold hearted man and I don’t love him. It made me a bad daughter, but that is the truth. The same goes for my sisters. They despise him. Lance's hatred of the kingdom’s royalty is understandable… Still, I can’t accept death just because my other bloodlines are evil. It's not my fault. I deserve to live. I won't hand over the key to them. Not in a thousand years.”
Her father is sick… meaning other people are controlling the kingdom.
“What is this princess trial?”
“The kingdom has no heir. That’s the reason the trial was made. We don’t have any brother to inherit the throne… The first one who finishes all the hundred S-rank quests will be the ruler of the kingdom. Big sister Yusael was in the lead for finishing 23 quests in total by herself. Because of the princess' trail, the kingdom was divided into many factions.”
“Like betting on someone… The kingdom's people are putting their bets on one of the princesses.”
“That’s right, the kingdom is in chaos. And these chaotic rulers take advantage of those evil rulers. Slaves, drugs, p**********n, and many things related to crime are made. The worst, assassination of princesses was made.”
The two knights that came to attack us were the faction who wanted the princess to be destroyed. Aristocrats will kill the princess and replace royalty.
“... Alicia was weak and no one was rooting for her at all. Making her more rebellious. Her being nothing was slapped on her face. But if someone goes to assassinate her. It would be the end of her life.”
“In summary, we’re going to defeat the aristocrats.”
I said.
“Not exactly. I have to finish my princess trial and become the next ruler. Killing them will only breed violence. As much as possible, I don’t want to kill people. All humans deserve to live… I don’t seek revenge. I will seek justice. Justice for this kingdom and the people inhabiting this place. This place is wonderful. It's a waste of cruelty that continues.”
Justice… Killing… Revenge…
I turned my glance to my hand and noticed how many people I had already killed. My hands are tainted with blood, unlike Eual, who is very pure. But I can’t understand it. Why evil people must live…
“Evil people must die. If we don’t kill them, the chaos will continue.”
I said.
“Nope… The world is mad… It was always mad. Chaos continues no matter where you go. There is no place exactly beautiful. All humans are flawed. Just like myself… I’m acting like a hero, but inside I’m flawed, envious, and more importantly, evil. But still I have hope that I can change and live the way I wanted. I’ll continue until I reach my Eden.”
“Eden?”
“Eden means paradise… A paradise for myself. A paradise whee I’ll be happy.”
Eula is doing her best to reach her Eden. It was not for the people exactly. She is doing her quest because she wants to achieve something for herself. It was logically selfish. At the same time, I thought of it too…
My paradise… I don’t have any idea about it. What will make me truly happy? After I find my memories, what will happen next?”
I kept on thinking about the words Eula told me. Walking, we reached a small town and we all slept overnight. Except for myself. I was looking directly at the wooden ceiling, thinking about my goal. The goal I wanted to achieve.
I have no answer at all.
But maybe if I travel with Eula more. I’ll decide on it. Eula was sleeping beside me drooling.
“How are you still so beautiful?”
…
Early in the morning, we continued our journey and reached our destination. We crossed the border of Arsland and find ourselves crossing the Draculon continent. The environment was different from Arsenal. The place was filled with rocky mountains and canyons. I barely saw any trees or creatures roaming around.
Draculon was said to be the most dangerous continent because of the monsters living in this area. Some people even referred to this place as the demon continent.
Beside us, I noticed the cat girl crying.
“We’re home… We’re back on the demon continent.”
“before joining our team, Cake told me that she wants her siblings to go back to the beastmen tribe in exchange for helping me. Rasp and are still kids and I understand what Cake felt. Also, traveling on a different continent will let us get off of our enemies' radar for a while. Second, I might recruit people worthy of being in my party.”
“...”
Rasp and berry were then hugged by Cake tightly. She is overjoyed.
“Look out!”
From above, we heard someone screaming. The four of us lifted our heads to search for the source.
“Oh?”
“?!”
Above the sky, a girl is falling at high velocity. Behind is a huge dragon that flies and opens its mouth. The blaze had accumulated in its mouth and in a few moments, it was thrown toward the falling girl.
The girl turned her body and pulled the sword at her side.
“Sword skill: Horizon!”
She slashed the giant flame ball. Leading to an explosion in the sky. She fell down and landed on both of her feet.
“Amazing.”
I’m about to help her out, but it seems like she can handle herself on her own. Looking at her armor, she looks like a knight.
The dragon hadn’t finished yet and attacked again, this time using its long tail. Slamming down toward the woman. Which she avoided at the last moment. She leaped toward the tail and charged forward to the dragon's chest. Her sword glowed in red colors.
“Sword skill: Death point!”
Her sword was thrust forward into the dragon's chest, but instead of penetrating the dragon. The sword snapped into two, creating a loud metallic sound…
“Dragon scales are extremely durable, they can withstand volcanic heat. A simple sword covered with skill energy wasn’t enough to destroy it.”
Eula said.
“The girl is pinched… We should help her.”
“That’s right.”
Eula clapped her hand and manipulated the rock around us. She manifested a giant spike with a sharp point.
“Earth magic: Stone edge!”
She made the rock spike fly and destroyed the dragon's head.
The girl on the dragon's chest turned her glance at Eula and shouted.
“No fair! You stole my first kill!”
The woman protested. Eula, whose intention was to help, became silent and turned her eyes.
- Writer
