ARTHUR LEYWIN, POV:
Malam sebelum~
"Benar-benar harus pergi lagi? Kamu baru saja tiba." Ibuku menghela napas sambil memandangku dari sisi lawang meja makan.
"Kakak, kamu harus pergi lagi? Apa kamu akan hampir tewas lagi?" Tanyaku adikku dengan wajah serius, membuat pertanyaanku terasa lebih menyakitkan. Aku bisa tahu ia sedang mendeface—lihatlah pipi kirinya sedikit lebih bengkak dari biasanya, meskipun ia berusaha menjaga ekspresi poker.
"Eleanor! Jangan bilang hal-hal seperti itu kepada saudaramu," tiruk ibuku sambil mencubit pipi adikku.
"Arthur, aku sudah memandangmu sebagai orang dewasa sekarang. Aku tahu keputusanmu dibuat dengan mempertimbangkan keluarga. Ayah mendukung keputusanmu untuk pergi... karena ini untuk kasih cinta, " Pengakuh ayahku sambil memberi jempol ke atas, ujung bibirnya melengkung ke atas.
"Ya Tuhan, Ayah, tolong berhenti," teriakku sambil menanggapi kesalahpahaman jadi sebagai remaja yang baru tertangkap bersama pacarnya.
"Hehe!" Seorang tiruan kecil terlepas dari bibir ibuku. Meskipun ia berusaha untuk cepat menutup mulut dan kembali menata wajah seriusnya, sudah terlalu lambat.
Aku merasakan mukaku membara sehingga aku hanya mencengkerang, menggelengkan kepalaku, tidak yakin mana yang lebih buruk: orang tuaku khawatir padaku, atau menggodaiku seperti ini.
Di sela-sela itu, Elijah duduk diam-diam di sampingku, mata lebar, mengisap bibirnya agar tidak tertawa juga; ekspresinya seolah mengatakan, 'Aku tidak melakukan apa-apa. Nope!' membuatku semakin menggulingkan bahu.
"Kyu!" 'Papaku akan baik-baik saja! Aku akan melindungannya kali ini!' Sylvie melompat-lompat di atas meja.
"Hanya butuh beberapa hari, dan aku akan bersama Kakek Virion. Besoknya, minggu depan adalah Aurora Constellate, jadi aku akan pulang untuk sementara. Seperti yang kukatakan di awal, ini serius, " Kuhalangi orang tuaku yang sudah tersesat dalam imajinasi mereka sendiri.
"Yah, kita tidak bisa terus-menerus mengasuhimu. Kamu sedang tumbuh, aku rasa, dalam banyak hal. Ingatlah bahwa lebih baik mengambilnya perlahan, Art. Meskipun, aku yakin kamu akan setidaknya berbuat lebih baik dari ayahmu, " Ucap ibuku sambil menatap ayahku yang tersadar tertidur ini.
Ayahku, yang berusaha keras sekaligus sebagai instruktur penjaga dan dalam latihannya, seperti terlubangkan seperti ditusuk ketika komentar menggoda itu menembus tubuhnya.
Aku tidak bisa tidak tersenyum jauh-jauh sebelum memandang Elijah.
"Tenang saja, aku akan memberi tahu semua orang bahwa kamu masih hidup dan akan segera kembali," Menjawab Elijah sambil menaruh tangannya di bahuiku sambil memberi jempol ke atas yang cukup mencurigakan.
"Aku akan kembali tidak lama," Aku menegaskan sambil menghela napas dengan ragu.
Aku berdiri, memberi pelukan terakhir kepada masing-masing dari mereka, yang telah menjadi kebiasaan keluarga kita. Sylvie, yang tertarik dalam pelukan adikku, berusaha untuk melepas diri.
Sebarlima cepat ke ibu dan adikku, kuhalusi mereka masih mengenakan kalung Phoenix Wyrm di lehermereka — untuk keamanan.
Ketika mata emas-putih bersinar di leher mereka, kuhumati, 'Sampai jumpa lagi semuanya,' lalu masuk ke kereta tunggu di luar, Sylvie mendayung di belakangku.
Di dalam kereta yang nyaman digerakkan oleh seekor kuda besar, aku mulai memain-mainkan bola berwarna emas yang bersisik, berusaha memahami apa sebenarnya bola ini.
Setiap kali kuhindar mana ke dalam bola itu, tidak ada reaksi atau respons sama sekali, seolah-olah hanya seperti yang kelihatan... sebuah kelereng.
Mengklik lidahku karena kefrustrasian, kupas bola itu ke dalam cincinku. Perjalanan ke gerbang teleportasi mungkin satu-satunya kesempatan untuk mendapatkan sespoko banyak istirahat, jadi kusempurna-kan.
Ini terlalu penting, Raja Grey...
Ini penting untuk menstabilkan negara kita...
Untuk menunjukkan kepada rakyat negara kita, NEGARAMU, bahwa engkau adalah Raja mereka dan engkau melawan kami, perlu untuk membunuhnya...
Bunuh dia, Raja Grey, agar dunia mengetahui untuk tidak mencemaskan negaramu...
Bunuh dia...
Aku melompat dari kursi kereta, menghela napas licin. Denyut jantungku mengubah seluruh tubuhku, dan aku merasakan udara sejuk yang masuk melalui retak-retak kereta itu, menghadapi keningku yang penuh keringat. Butuh sedikit waktu untuk menyadari bahwa baru saja aku bermimpi. Kembali duduk, kusap keringat dingin dari keningku sambil mencoba menghilangkan ingatan yang mengganggu itu. Sylvie, yang pasti jatuh dariku saat aku bangun, melompat kembali ke pangkuanku dengan ekspresi cemas.
Dengan menutup mataku, aku berharap itu akan menghilangkan ingatan mengganggu itu. Aku merasakan lidahnya yang kasar di punggung tanganku.
"Tidak apa-apa, Sylv. Aku baik saja," Kujamin sambil membelai telinganya.
Kenapa ingatan seperti itu muncul sekarang...
Tidak bisa kembali ke tidur, kuhabiskan waktu itu dengan berbicara ke Sylvie. Mulai dari percakapan kecil tentang waktunya berlatih sendiri hingga mengajarku tentang berbagai benda dan pemandangan di sekitar selama sisa perjalanan kereta itu. Selama beberapa bulan, pertumbuhan mental Sylvie semakin cepat. Pengetahuannya dan kematangannya sudah melampaui manusia seusianya.
Aku kadang-kadang berharap ada lebih banyak kesempatan untuk berlatih dengan bondku. Telah melihat Curtis dan World Lion-nya dalam pertandingan, aku bisa merasakan bahwa mereka menghabiskan berjam-jam untuk berlatih bersama.
Ketika kami tiba di tempat, bulan masih tinggi di langit, menerangi kota melayang Xyrus yang hangat. Petugas yang bertugas di pintu gerbang ke Elenoir Kingdom bergegas menemuikami, tangan kirinya mencengkeram pomepang pedangnya.
"Nyatakan alasan lewat dan bukti verifikasi," Tuntut petani raki dengan suara kasar sambil melepas tangan kirinya dari pomepang, melihatku hanya anak kecil.
Anehnya, suaranya terdengar cukup familier, dan bukan sekadar karena suaranya umum. Aku mengabaikannya dan menyimpan pikiran itu, fokus pada situasi.
Kuragukan apa katakan, kuingat kumiliki kompas perak yang diberikan Virion dulu. Ia memiliki lencana keluarga Eralith, mungkin cukup sebagai bukti.
Tanpa kata, kuhindar kompas dari cincinku di luar pandangan petani itu.
"Hadeh, kuh minta yang— ini... ke sini, pak. Maafkan ketidaksopananku. Aku tidak menyadari kau memiliki hubungan dekat dengan keluarga kerajaan." Ungkapan kasar hamuknya menghilang sambil memberi salam hormat, lalu berlari kembali ke gerbang, mengaktifkannya.
Setelah runa-runenya di sekitar pintu gerbang bercahaya dan mulai berdengung dalam pitch rendah, ia kembali berlari ke kami dengan ekspresi mintmaaf di wajahnya.
"Sayangnya, gerbang ini tidak bisa langsung mengantarkanmu ke dalam kerajaan, tapi akan cukup dekat dengan salah satu pintu masuk," Lapornya sambil terlihat seperti bersalah.
"Mmm, tidak apa-apa. Terima kasih," Kusingguk.
Hmm... sepertinya ini bukan sekadar kompas biasa.
Dengkuran dari gerbang semakin kuat, sambil runa-runenya kuno membuka gerbang. Aku membelokkan kepalaku untuk melihat petanian yang kelihatan garap memberikan salam hormat berlebihan.
Ketika kaki kananku melangkah masuk ke gerbang dan aku merasakan sensasi familiar tubuhku tertarik—petangan punya wajahnya melihatku.
Pria tua yang kelihatan garap itu menghilang, digantikan dengan wajah penjual ramuan dari larikan.
Dengan senyum cukup menggoda, dia memberiku sebongkah lalu berkata, "Semoga perjalananmu aman, nak muda."
CYNTHIA GOODSKY, POV:
Ketika aku tiba di lereng hutan, aku mendengar bisikan mantra yang lemah dengan pendengaranku yang ditingkatkan.
[Pemotong Angin]
Puluh-puluh lembar udara padat hampir tidak terlihat meluncur ke arahku dengan kecepatan menakutkan.
Tentara alami semua mata spi ini adalah penyihir angin.
Aku teguh berdiri, menunggu potongan angin itu mencapaiiku sebelum melepaskan sebuah barrier suara.
Tidak terluka, kujalan sambil menyelesaikan mantra terikut.
[Pulse Field]
Burung dan rotan yang tak siap di lingkungan ini menjadi mangsa dan jatuh mati dari pohon tempat mereka bersembunyi; di antara mereka, beberapa mata spy yang belum siap juga terkena dan jatuh dari tempat persembunyiannya, memeluk telinganya sambil menderita. Aku sudah memiliki semua lokasinya.
Sebelum kusempatkan untuk mengeluarkan mantra lagi, kuharus melarikan diri dari jarum yang berhasil menghindari rasa akhirkusehingga detik terakhir. Aku melihat kebawah, proyektil ini dilumasi racun.
"Avier, ambil yang di kananaku," Kujakarta secara monoton.
'Salam,' Konfirmasi bondku melalui transmisi mental.
Avier turun dari langit bulan, dan sejenak kemudian kuharapkan gemerisik serta teriakan spi yang menjadi mangsa. Aku menyimpan rasa sedihnya — kelam akan teriak mereka.
Di sisi lain, diriku masih harus menahan diri agar setidaknya beberapa dari mereka hidup bisa bertanya.
Akhirnya, hanya satu yang bertahan hidup cukup lama untuk ditanya...
"WAAHHHH!" Menderita mata spy yang sedang berada di bawahku.
Cukup mudah untuk menyiksanya setelah menghancurkan inti mananya. Tanpa sihir untuk melindungi, tubuhnya hanyalah terlalu lemah. Kujamnya tulangnya dari dalam setelah memberi kesempatan untuk menjawab pertanyaanku. Ia tidak pernah menyerah.
"Heh! Kamu pikir kau bisa bilang sesuatu kepada pemberontang? Kamu salah besar. Mereka pelan-pelan memperoleh kekuatan dulu... Dari pertanyaanku, kau berasumsi benua ini memiliki puluhan tahun lagi, huh? Pfft! Orang-orang benua ini... akan butuh kurang dari sepuluh tahun sebelum perang dimulai." Senyumnya melontarkan darah di mulutnya ke arahku.
Kususun wajahku saat mendengar ketakutan yang menyelesaikan dugaan. Menahan frustrasiku dengan menaruh tanganku di kepalanya.
Suaranya tercekuk dalam darah yang mengumpul di mulutnya, ``Hiduplah —''
Suaranya terputus ketika cairan otak mulai keluar dari telinganya dan darah mulai menetes dari lubang telinga lainnya saat denyut suara yang kusebabkan di dalam kraniumnya menghancurkan otaknya.
Membuang tubuh tak berdayanya di lantai, kusendiri. Kusimpan nafas yang berat sambil membersihkan darah dari wajahku sambil mengganti pakaian luarnya. Berminggu-minggu di benua ini telah membuatku terlalu lembut. Rasa apati yang dulu kudanai terhapus—digantikan dengan rasa tidak nyaman hanya dari membunuh beberapa tentara yang dibombaki.
Tapi meskipun begitu... Ini terlalu mudah...
Mereka hanya sebuah alih-alih?
Avier, yang jarang memberiku kuda satu, mengangkutkuku ke tujuan kami berikutnya. Kuharap dugaan kukecualikan benar.
ARTHUR LEYWIN'S POV:
The night before~
"Do you really have to leave again? You just got here." My mother heaved a sigh as she looked at me from the other side of the dining table.
"Brother, you're going away again? Are you going to almost die again?" my sister asked with a straight face, making her latter question sting all the more. I could tell she was pouting by how her left cheek slightly puffed out more than usual despite her trying to keep a poker face.
"Eleanor! Don't say such things to your brother," my mother chastised as she pinched my sister's cheek.
"Arthur, I consider you grown up now. I know that your decisions were made in consideration of your family. Father supports your decision to go... since it's for the sake of your love," my father affirmed as he gave me a thumbs up, the edges of his lips curling upward.
"Oh God, Dad, please stop," I groaned at the misunderstanding of being taken as some kind of hormone-induced pubescent that had just been caught with a girlfriend.
"Hehe!" A giggle escaped from my mother's lips. Despite her efforts to try and quickly cover her mouth and resume a serious face, it was already too late.
I could feel my face burning so I just looked down, shaking my head, unsure of which was worse: my parents worrying about me, or them teasing me like this.
Meanwhile, Elijah quietly sat next to me, wide-eyed, sucking his lips in to make sure he didn't laugh as well; his expression seemed to to be saying, 'I'm not doing anything wrong. Nope!' making me sigh all the harder.
"Kyu!" 'Papa will be fine! I'm going to protect him this time!' Sylvie hopped up and down on top of the table.
"It's only going to take a couple of days, and I'll be with Grandpa Virion. Nesides, next week is the Aurora Constellate, so I'll be back home for a while. Like I said in the beginning, this matter is serious," I tried convincing my parents who were already lost in their own imaginations.
"Well, we can't keep babying you forever. You are growing up, I guess, in more ways than one. Just remember that it's better to take things slow, Art. Though, I'm sure you'll at least do better than your father," my mother mused as she looked helplessly at my father who got caught off guard by this surprise attack.
My father, who had been doing his best in both his duty as a guard instructor and in his training, looked like he was just stabbed as the teasing comments pierced through his body.
I couldn't help but give them a wry smile before looking at Elijah.
"Don't worry, I'll let everyone know that you're still alive and coming back soon," Elijah responded as he put his hand on my shoulder while giving me a rather dubious thumbs up.
"I will be back soon," I reiterated while letting out a doubtful breath.
I stood up, giving each of them a final hug, which had become a sort of customary thing to do in our family. Sylvie, who was caught in my sister's grasp, struggled to break free.
Taking a quick glance at both my mother and sister, I made sure they still had the Phoenix Wyrm necklaces on them just in case.
Seeing the white-gold chains twinkle around their necks, I said one last goodbye to all of them and went into the carriage waiting for me outside, Sylvie scampering behind me.
Inside the well-suspended carriage pulled by a large horse, I began fiddling with the gold-speckled orb, trying to glean what exactly it was.
Every time I tried imbuing mana into the orb though, there wasn't any sort of response or reaction, almost as if it was just what it appeared to be… a marble.
Clicking my tongue in frustration, I put the orb back inside my ring. The ride to the teleportation gate would most likely be the only time I would have to get some sleep so I tried to make the most of it.
It is necessary, King Grey...
It is of utmost importance to bring stability to our country...
To show the people of our country, YOUR country, that you are their King and that you fight for us, it is necessary to kill her...
Kill her, King Grey, so that the world will know not to trifle with your country…
Kill her...
I shot up from the carriage seat, gasping for air. The sound of my pounding heart hammered all the way up to my head and I felt the cold air, which leaked inside the carriage, against my sweat-filled forehead. It took me a bit to realize that I had just been dreaming. Sinking back down into my seat, I wiped the cold sweat off my brows as Sylvie, who must've fallen off of me when I woke up, jumped back onto my lap with a worried gaze.
As I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that would help me get rid of the disturbing memory I had forgotten for a while, I felt Sylvie's rough tongue on the back of my hand.
"It's okay, Sylv. I'm fine," I assured her while petting her ears.
Why did that memory have to come up now…
Unable to fall back asleep, I talked to Sylvie to pass the time. It started from small conversations about her time when she was training by herself to teaching her about the various objects and scenery we passed in the remaining duration of the carriage ride. Throughout the months, Sylvie's mental growth had been rapidly increasing. Her knowledge and maturity had long passed a human of her age.
I wished at times that there would be more opportunities to train with my bond. Having seen Curtis and his World Lion in duels, I could tell that they spent numerous hours training together.
When we arrived at the destination, the moon was still high overhead, illuminating the warmly lit floating city of Xyrus. The guard stationed in front of the gate leading to Elenoir Kingdom hurried over to us with his left hand gripping the pommel of the sword strapped to his waist.
"State your reason for passage and proof of verification," the rugged guard demanded as his left hand eased off his sword, seeing that I was just a kid.
For some reason, his voice sounded vaguely familiar, and not just in a he-had-a-common-voice sort of way. Shrugging it off and pushing that nagging thought towards the back of my mind, I focused on the situation at hand.
Uncertain of what to say, I remembered that I still had the silver compass Virion gave me way back when I was a child. It had the insignia of the Eralith family so maybe it could be use as sufficient proof.
Wordlessly, I stuck my hand in my pocket and took out the compass from my ring outside of the guard's view and showed it to him.
"Hmm, I asked for the rea... th-this is the… right this way, sir. My apologies for being so disrespectful. I had no idea you had such close ties with the royal family." The crude expression was nowhere to be seen as he bowed down and hurriedly went back to the gate, activating it.
After the runes around the portal entrance glowed and started humming in a low pitch, he jogged back to us with an apologetic look on his face.
"Unfortunately, the gate can't immediately take you to the inside of the kingdom, but it will be in a relatively close vicinity to one of the entrances," the guard disclosed contritely, as if it was his fault.
"Mmm, that's fine. Thank you," I nodded.
Hmm… it seemed this was more than just a simple compass.
The humming coming from the portal intensified, while the ancient magic runes opened the portal. I turned my head back to see the guard giving me an exaggerated bow.
As my right foot stepped into the portal and I felt the familiar sensation of my body getting sucked in; the guard looked up.
The rugged-looking guard with scars etched on his face was gone, replacing it was the old man from the elixir store.
With a cheeky grin, he gave me a wink before saying, "Have a safe trip, young lad."
CYNTHIA GOODSKY'S POV:
When I reached a clearing in the woods, I heard the faint mumbling of chants with my enhanced hearing.
[Wind Cutter]
Dozens of nearly-transparent blades of compressed air whizzed towards me at a frightening speed.
Of course it was only natural that all of these spies would be wind mages.
I stood still, waiting for the wind blades to reach me before releasing a sound barrier.
Unscathed, I continued walking while I finished my second spell.
[Pulse Field]
The unlucky birds and rodent in the vicinity fell victim and dropped dead from the trees they were hiding in; along with them, a few unprepared spies also took the brunt and fell from their own hiding places, clutching their ears in agony. I had all of their locations.
Before I had the chance to send out another spell, I was forced to dodge a needle that managed to avoid my senses until the last second. Taking a quick look down, I could tell the projectile was coated with poison.
"Avier, take the ones to my right," I stated monotonically.
'Aye,' my bond confirmed back through mental transmission.
Avier descended from the moonlit sky, and before long, I could hear the brief groans and howling of the spies that became prey.
A pity that their screams would never be heard.
On my side, I had to control myself to keep at least a few of them alive and able so I could get some information out of them.
In the end, only one managed to survive long enough to be questioned...
"GAAAAAAAAHHH!" the spy that was currently underneath me wailed.
It was fairly simple to torture him after destroying his mana core. Without magic protecting him, his body were simply too frail. I proceeded to crush his bones from the inside after giving him the chance to answer my questions. He remained unrelenting.
"Heh! You think I'll tell anything to a traitor? You made a big mistake. They're slowly regaining their... former strength. Just from the questions you asked, you assumed this continent had decades left, huh? Pfft! the people of this continent... will have less than ten years before the war begins." He smirked, spitting the blood congealing inside his mouth at my face.
My cheeks couldn't help but cramp at the confirmation of my fears. Pushing down my frustration, I placed my hand on the injured spy's head.
His voice choking on the blood accumulating in his mouth, he croaked, "Long live the—"
His voice was cut short as liquid brain matter began leaking out from his ears and blood started dripping down his other orifices as the sound pulse I inflicted on the inside of his skull mashed his brain.
Dropping the lifeless body on the ground, I let out a sigh. Turning back, I made haste to my next destination, careful to avoid the corpses scattered on the ground.
"Do you mind cleaning up the mess, Avier?" I said apologetically.
"Human meat is too stringy for my taste, but I suppose it will have to do for now." As my bond said this, his owl-like body began to glow before transforming into his wyvern form.
With only the moonlight illuminating the woods, the crunch of bones echoed loudly as Avier feasted on yet another batch of spies that had come from my homeland.
I let out a disappointed breath of air from the fruitless night as I wiped the blood off my face while changing my outer attire. My years on this continent had made me too soft. The apathy that I had once built towards death and torture was gone—replacing it with a sour taste in my mouth, just from killing a few brainwashed soldiers.
But even still… this was too easy…
Were they just a diversion?
Avier, who rarely let me ride on his back, carried me off to our next destination. I just hoped that my suspicions weren't correct.
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