Memories: My Kingdom

Chapter 3: Everyone is the same despite the difference in their race.

“Leui!!!” I heard Mhir’s voice called. I turned. I saw her running down the road. The birds and butterflies on the bushes ran away as she ran past them because the ground was shaking as her feet hit the ground. “Leui!!! Good~ mor~ning~!” she said and jumped on my back.

I groaned. She’s heavy. I thought. “Good morning, too.” I greeted her and lifted the flower pot. After I put down the first pot and went back for the second pot, I stopped.

“Leui?” she called, still clinging on my back, when she noticed I stopped working.

I sighed. “Could you please hop off my back?” I asked. “You’re on my way…” I told her. She giggled and hopped back. I felt a big mass of rock left behind my back. “Thanks.” I told her. I went to the second pot and lifted it.

“Amazing, Leui.” She said as she watched me work. “You’re pretty used working in this shop.” She said and looked at the three-story flower shop where I am working.

But, it’s not just an ordinary flower shop. The flowers emit a foul odor. I am almost fainting every time I take care of them had I not been used to this. “Yeah.” I answered. I’ve been working for six months in this shop. My previous work was watching over my neighbor’s pet. Instead of fur, it has spikes. Its teeth are also sharp like a shark’s. Its breath also kills the plants around it. That’s why my neighbor doesn’t have a garden or plants flowers. However, although it looked like a villainous pet, it is not an aggressive one.

“Leui.” Mhir called. “You have a work tonight at the inn, right?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. I must go, or else she’ll kill me – “ I said, referring to the manager of the Rogues’ Inn who was the one who offered me work and a place to stay five years ago. Though I am still working with her, after I saved enough money, I bought an apartment unit. I just can’t impose on her forever.

“Ah! Okay! I’ll drop by there later!” she said and waved before she left, skipping while happily humming.

I sighed and lifted the last pot. “She doesn’t have to…” I muttered and laid down the pot on the shelf.

I looked around the Central Plaza. It has a big fountain in the middle where the children of different races were running around, playing tag. Some girls have a bunch of flowers beside them to braid with their hair or used to make accessories like bracelets for themselves.

This is where all the trades, other forms of businesses, and entertainment occurs. I live in one of the apartments around the plaza so that it’s near my work. Mhir, on the other hand, lives in the dwarves’ village, which is beyond the fairies’ and nymphs’ forest. That’s why I told her to not drop by the inn.

I heard the bell in the plaza’s belfry ring. “Make way! Make way - !” the watcher on the belfry in the plaza yelled as he pulled on the rope to ring the bell. “Groups of boarolves are coming!” he yelled and continued to ring the bell. Boarolves are hybrids that have the body of a wolf and the head of a wild boar.

“Leui!” I heard the owner of the flower shop called to me. “What are you doing?! Get inside, now!” she told me and hurried inside. I saw the others locked up their shops and house, too.

“They’re coming!!!” the watcher called over. 

True enough, I saw clouds of dust from afar and felt the ground shaking. I hurried inside and locked the shop. I immediately went upstairs and saw the owner of the flower shop. “Leui!” she called, trembling in the corner. She curled up and buried her face between her knees, then covered the back of her head with her hands. I went towards the window and closed it. I was about to turn back down below when I heard a howl downstairs.

“What the hell-?!” I heard the owner of the flower ship say, Then, she covered her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from speaking.

I immediately went towards the window and slightly opened it, then peeked through the gap. My eyes went wide when I saw the boarolves attacking other shops. Some shops that weren't tightly closed had been torn down by the boarolves.

“Oh, god...” I heard the owner of the flower shop mutter beside me. “Why is this happening-?!” she said, mad.

I smiled and turned to her. “Don’t worry, owner.” I said. “The shop is safe. I’m here to protect you.” I told her and looked outside the window again. The boarolves are now starting to run away.

“Leui…” she called and smiled at me, feeling comforted. 

I smiled back. “Now, then…” I said and opened the window when the boarolves were now far and the bell on the belfry rang again. “Should we resume your business?” I asked.

Rogues’ Inn, 6 P.M.

“Leui…” Mhir said when I served her order. She’s glaring at me. “What did you do to the owner of the flower shop?” she asked, pouting.

“What?” I asked. “We were attacked by the boarolves in the morning – “

“I heard that, and I’m thankful you’re safe…” Mhir said and drank her shake. “But, the owner… you consoled her…no. You seduced her…” she muttered to herself. “And she’s an old woman!” she said and shook her head.

“I can hear you, you know?” I said and left her to serve the other customers.

“Leui!” Mhir called. “Remember! I won’t approve of her because I am your guardian!” she yelled.

The other customers laughed. “There she goes again…” they said and smiled.

I smiled when they didn’t mind her crazy antics. I’ve been working in the Rogues’ Inn for five years. Eventually, they all learned that I am a human. I thought they would be mad at me and kill me, but I was surprised when they didn’t. Then, I knew the reason why when the manager told them off.

“If you have problems with my employees, then you’ll have a problem with me. If you have a problem with me, then you have a problem with my inn. If you’ve got a problem with my inn, then don’t ever take a single step inside. You’ll just ruin the atmosphere in my inn.” She told them.

Some of them, of course, didn’t like the idea. Most especially that they’ll be banned from the inn just because of a human – the race they hated the most. But, because the inn became a part of their daily life, they eventually came back. And after working here for years… I’ve been friends with them.

I looked at the manager who’s in the counter. “Manager. Why did you defend me?” I asked her one time when we were closing the inn after work.

“What? I shouldn’t have?” she asked. “Then, I must be a failure as a manager.” She said,

“Why is that?” I asked.

She smiled. “If I couldn’t even defend one of my hired employees, then I fail in protecting them.” She answered. “Every one of my employees is my responsibility.” She explained.

That time, I finally felt like I belonged to this world.