Curse Of Genesis

Chapter 21 - 19 <Unforseen connection>

After using fire magic on Bethany, we watch her corpse disappear into dust particles to the end. Then, the princess used magic and shattered the ice along with the entrapped victim, turning the riverbank into a pool of blood with chunks of flesh.

[What about Torand?] (Princess)

[I plan to leave him to the love of Solus and have him dry out from blood loss. He'll probably be no different from those cured meat that some places procure as a delicacy.] (Me)

I threw out these words as I led the princess into the forest where the shade is. I secretly hoped she'd leave me while we walk in the direction of where my house is.

[I think you're a cruel person.] (Princess)

[Thank you.] (Me)

Too bothered to reply, I simply expressed gratitude. When we caught the culprit hiding in the shadows, I got the information I wanted, so he became absolutely useless.

[Hey, your movements are good. When I saw you I hoped I could be saved, but then I thought it was impossible. I never imagined that one human could win against two vampires.] (Princess)

[No, I was just lucky.] (Me)

[If that is so, it's a pleasant surprise.] (Princess)

This isn't modesty. There were a lot of unknown factors that could have killed me. In fact, it isn't wrong to say that Torand only lost because of his arrogance and the fact that there were two people. I took advantage of his carelessness and his disdain on humans, but even so that is not enough. Weaponless, I lack a decisive blow to defeat him. It was only because Bethany was there, that I could somehow turn her firepower against Torand.

As for Bethany, she isn't an extremely skilled ranged user. The truth is, hidden from the start, Bethany could have been anywhere around me. However, if she was on my side of the river, then the stakes would have been able to appear from behind me. Take for instance, Bethany was to my right. She would have been able to see me move from the right of her vision to her left. This would make setting magic circles behind me easier.

On the other hand, if she was directly opposite of the river, where I would generally face her from the front, then moving backwards would mean her target gradually getting smaller, hence making aiming tougher.

If she was behind me, then she would have chosen to shoot me from behind. I would have been getting closer and larger as a target, and since my speed isn't considerable, I'd have made myself an easy target.

The only reason why she lost was due to carelessness. If she had noticed the pebble in my hand, she may have taken measures. Seeing me rush forward made her think that I only had means of close combat, but that was just a diversion.

Throughout the fight, I was overly cautious of Bethany capable of other magic, but whether she can use them, or whether she just didn't use them due to her own circ.u.mstances, I end up being lucky not having to deal with magic of multiple attributes.

With so much uncertainty, I could only move under caution. Furthermore, without a weapon, I could do naught but evade the ranged attacks. I am a mere human without an enhanced body, so it was challenging. I could only try to analyse the situation as much as I could, use whatever I can find and maximise my chance of survival. I'm just glad that I made it somehow in the end.

But was it correct to save the princess?

If I let my conscience have a word, of course I would have felt good that I did. Saving a person's life generally a good thing, so I don't see how anyone will find it otherwise. However, it does not change the fact that she is a member of royalty, and one with a large number of problems over her head.

[...Why is your highness following someone lowly such as myself?] (Me)

[Lowly as you say yourself to be, you saved my life. Besides, I doubt I have anyone else to trust right now.] (Princess)

Her existence heralds trouble.

[Besides, we came to an agreement that I'll offer myself to you in return for saving me…] (Princess)

My feet stopped.

…So that was what she was making a fuss about when I was releasing her. She thought I was going for her purity there and then. What a spectacular misunderstanding. Unlike you, princess, I am no exhibitionist.

My head, it hurts.

I massaged my temples.

[No, I only said that because I wanted to make sure your highness is not hostile. I have no d.e.s.i.r.es for… no, allow me to correct myself. I don't think someone like me can ever dream of doing anything to your highness at all. Please be at ease.] (Me)

[Are you implying that my beauty is insufficient to incur your d.e.s.i.r.es?] (Princess)

This… she's getting annoying. More than troubles from who she is, I think my regret of saving her stems from her being irritating.

[Your highness, if your highness allows me to speak honestly, I have never seen anyone that surpasses you in beauty. If I have to reason, it is merely personal values that I try to live by.] (Me)

I picked up the pace again.

"Personal values?" (Princess)

[I dislike looking at people as objects, especially people which I respect, care about, love, or are close to me. I believe it is wrong of me to view your highness as an object of l.u.s.t, not in regards to the fact that your highness is a member of royalty, but as a person.] (Me)

Silence. Good, she finally shut up. I don't know what she's thinking since I can't see her face, but I still hear her footsteps behind me so unfortunately for me I'm still not alone. At least, I can enjoy a bit of silence for now.

[…Can you stop calling me 'your highness'? Please call me by my name.] (Princess)

…What now?

[I don't think that is respectful of me to do so] (Me)

[You haven't been using a respectful tone ever since you spoke to me at the river, so might as well drop the honorifics.] (Princess)

Ouch, I've been noticed. Well, I was tired. And maybe I just find you troublesome.

[I sincerely apologise.] (Me)

[Don't act like that when you were just speaking to me informally moments ago. It is weirder than Torand shutting up.] (Princess)

Correction, not maybe, but definitely.

[…Please grace me with your highness' name.] (Me)

[Violet Bereqor. Please call me Violet.] (Princess)

[Pleased to meet you Princess Bereqor.] (Me)

[Violet.] (Princess)

I ignored her insistence and continue to trudge forward. More than Princess Violet now, I have my own problems that are more significant.

One source of my trouble is the way I had acted from the time I arrived at the river. Caught off guard by the apparent death of the princess, I immediately calmed down. Normally, this would be good to anyone in average since panicking normally leads to trouble, but what troubles me came after. I was analysing the situation almost mechanically and even considered salvaging the corpse of the princess. Then when it came to interrogation, the measure of force came almost too naturally, and killing wasn't an issue either.

Those aren't what normal people do. Society views average people to be normal by being afraid of an unexpected death scene and hesitating to kill. In fact, normal people wouldn't consider killing as an option. I excluded combat since I needed to defend myself, but even so actions that happened not too long ago aren't what average adventurers are capable of, not to mention average citizens.

These weren't what I wanted to have when I escaped the orphanage.

Even worse, when Torand appeared and the obvious truth was right before me, I pushed my face into a flowery bed of lies, convincing myself desperately that all of it is merely a joke. Deep down I knew everything, but I placed myself in a delusion. Not facing reality despite being a serious problem to me…

If I am to revert to who I was back then whenever I am to come across blood or violence, I want to be able to defend myself, but I want none of the cruelty that I am capable of since years ago.

[Hey, back then, aren't you shocked by what you saw] (Violet)

[What I saw... When I saw your high…. you impaled? Yeah, I was shocked. Good thing you managed a joke and calmed me down so I wouldn't panic] (Me)

[Did I? I just wanted to prank you though.] (Violet)

…Forget it.

***

When we arrived at my house, Princess Violet hasn't left me. I could only inwardly sigh as I wonder how I should offer her hospitality. I wouldn't mind her staying in my house, but the fact remains that she would be alone with a male.

Disregarding race differences, disregarding age differences, we are still male and female.

My house is near the edge of the forest.

Okay, not a house, but more of a cabin.

When I first arrived to Terdia, I attempted to secure accommodation, but I never knew the prices of an average house, so the shock that I had was huge. I barely had sufficient for a rental too. Sleeping out in the open wasn't an option when I had quite a number of luggages, so I decided to spend three days or so to slowly chop wood with the dagger Mr Niterias gifted me and assemble a simple enclosed shelter.

If that serpentine divine beast is still alive, I bet he'll shed tears of blood at how I used his scales.

I had to go back to town to acquire some simple tools and materials to make a hinge for the door, and splurged a little on just one window. I ended up with a simple cabin, but I find having a lockable door and a window for ventilation plenty luxurious for something this roughly made.

And before long, I settled in fairly quickly, and didn't bother to source for houses in Terdia any longer.

Since it is a cabin, and a fairly simple one at that, the entire place only has four walls. Meaning, there would be no room to separate the princess and I if she follows me around and somehow ending up having us live together.

This is nothing but trouble.

From a distance, Princess Violet is straining her neck and on her toes trying to get a closer look at my cabin. It probably caught her interest since she originally lives in a castle, and probably only been to classy inns in her stay. Or maybe she stayed in her carriage. The concept of a cabin is probably fresh to her.

"That is where I stay." (Me)

"It looks adorable!" (Violet)

"No… It isn't what it seems, Princess Bereqor." (Me)

I get a stare as reply, but I shrugged it off.

I was about to head there when something I saw stopped me in my tracks.

Something is wrong.

The sun has started to rise, so I am being cautious where I tread to lead Princess Violet, but now that I think about it, this means I'm late for work. Ocean Swarm always prepares ingredients before dawn, and it is already long past then.

But that isn't what bothers me most.

"Is there something wrong?" (Violet)

My cabin window is open, and my door is unlocked. What's more, the lock wasn't destroyed but merely unlocked.

And then, a voice hailed my name.

"Ray! Where were you? This little fox woke up on top of Selena's face and started hissing at her like it did to Mark. It probably felt insecure when you're missing. You were never late reaching Ocean Swarm, so why…" (Amy)

Amy, who was running towards me with the little fox in her arms, stopped. There is a sudden unnatural silence which slowly begins to escalate in tension. Ignoring this atmosphere, the little fox jumps off Amy's embrace, scurries over and climbs onto my head.

By all means, I should be panicking over what explanation I should give about the princess beside me. However…

"Ray, should I bow to her now?" (Amy)

[May I know who this is?] (Violet)

Both are innocent questions that somehow only increased the tension in the air. The only probable reason to the lack of explosion from the pressure is the lack of understanding due to different racial languages. However…

[Princess Bereqor, please wait for a while.] (Me)

Another stare.

Instead of answering Amy, I asked something that has been bothering me.

"Amy, I never told anyone where I stayed. Why do you know the way here?" (Me)

"Huh? That's strange, Selena lead us…" (Amy)

"Ray! Welcome back!" (Selena)

Selena?

…Selena?

A visage flashed through my mind.

Something is wrong.

"We've been worrying about you!" (Selena)

At the view of Selena coming towards me, my mind suddenly blared red alarms.