I Will Protect You This Time

Episode 05

(The Secret Of The Greenhouse)

I looked around the garden for a while. As it might be my last time to visit this place.

After a while, I walked towards the Giant Blue Crystal tree. The crystals of the tree were glowing brightly creating an alluring beauty. 

I removed my shawl, then untied the chain from my neck. It's a platinum vine-shaped chain with a beautiful sapphire pendant, which was given to me by my grandfather after my birth. 

While holding the chain in my hand, I said out loud,

"Reveal Thyself that connects two realms!"

Suddenly with rustling sounds, the Crystal tree started moving. In a few minutes, it took the shape of a huge gate made of blue crystals and wood. And-

Thud*

With a loud noise, the gate started to open. 

Creak~

A bright light started to come out of the still opening gate. I started walking towards the light. It was so bright that I had to close my eyes for a bit.

Whoosh~

A gentle breeze touched my skin. The smell of fresh grass tickled my nose.

I slowly opened my eyes, and what appeared in front of my eyes was familiar yet breathtaking…

I am standing in a beautiful grass field. The green grasses were dancing at the flow of strong yet gentle breeze. Beautiful Golden-light butterflies were flying around everywhere. The grass field was filled with small red and blue flowers. Different kinds of small and cute magical beasts were running around and playing in the field among themselves. 

The branches of different kinds of trees that were more than hundreds of years old, were moving in the wind creating a playful union of light and shadow. 

Beautiful large and small magical beasts were flying over the giant floating island. 

I looked at the front.

Giant floating mountains with fountains of different sizes... Sparkling clear water was flowing down from those fountains creating beautiful rainbows. 

At the peak of the tallest mountain, a beautiful Golden Castle is shining brightly because of the Sun. 

Whoosh~

A strong breeze fluttered my hair. 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Yes. I am here. On the other side of the gate. Into the Realm of Myths. 

The Realm of Myths….. A realm that is actually an assemblage of many big and small floating islands. It is located somewhere above the sky. 

It is the meeting place of the GUARDIANS. 

The Guardians… A group of the Strongest Elderly of the Beastmen. Whenever a disaster falls upon the world, the guardians join together to stop that disaster. 

But they are just as cruel as they are strong. If one hurts something or someone they truly care about, they will be the ones who will become a disaster.

The Realm of Myths is under the control of the Guardians. Only the strongest and the eldest of each Beast Clan can enter here with the permission of the Guardians. 

But the existence of this place is nothing but a Myth for the people. So there aren't many who entered here. 

There are 13 Guardians. 

Rae, the Leader of the Guardians, the Dragon of Light and Thunder. He is a majestic White dragon with gorgeous white gems like scales and purple eyes.

Zylbon, the wisest and oldest of all the Guardians, is a wisdom tree. He has knowledge about both the past and the future. But he's always sleeping. Rae said he wakes up only at special events.

Manatsu Yasuji, the trickster of the Guardians, a Nine-tailed Red Fox. He uses illusion and fire magic. 

Zen, the angry bird of the Guardians, a Phoenix. 

Aldous, the majestic sarcasm master, a Griffin. He has platinum blonde fur. His magic is Enhanced Strength. 

Laura, the Earth-Dragon. 

Brarvug, the calmest guardian, an Ice Phoenix. Loves his wife.

Raul Iydril, the Water Dragon.

Erwin West, the Panther. There's always a fight between Aldous and Erwin about who's the strongest and whose granddaughter is the cutest.

Lars Prestcote, the Fire Serpent. And the most sophisticated one of the guardians. 

But they never told me about the other 3 Guardians. Nor did I ever see them.

I often come here to meet with all of the guardians. They are like family to me. Especially Rae.

I tied back the sapphire chain and started walking towards the Golden Castle. As that is the meeting place of the Guardians.

After a while, I reached the place. The castle is really beautiful. 

But for some reason, the Guardians don't like to stay inside the castle. So they always sit on the Round Table outside the castle. 

And the Round Table is beside the Wisdom Tree, Zylbon. 

Zylbon… a magnificent tree that is covered with beautiful blue flowers all around the year. He is thousands of years old and the wisest of all the Guardians. It is said that when Zylbon wakes up, a face appears in the main branch of the tree.

Anyways I don't really know that, as I have never seen him awake. And this time too, he was asleep.

Rae and the other Guardians were talking among themselves while drinking tea. Although some of the Guardians weren't present here.

"Yesterday my granddaughter made an apple pie for me! Can you imagine? She was practising for weeks to make that for me! My Granddaughter Leila… so adorable!"

Aldous, an elderly with platinum blonde hair, bragged proudly. 

Bang*

"What the f*ck are you talking about? My grandsons are the best magical knights of Fellmirr. And they are just kids, only 25 years at that! And your granddaughter is 27! Sheesh! Grow up already, you Dumba*s. Even my grandsons are more mature than you."

Zen said angrily while banging the table. 

"Anyways, will you guys shut up! You guys look like old goofers more than guardians!"

"Well, you will never understand us, Rae. Forget about Grandchildren, you are not even married."

Aldous said sarcastically.

"Mhm. You are absolutely right."

Raul agreed while nodding his head.

"Tch~"

Aldous, Zen, Raul and Rae, all of them were in their human form. It seems like the others are not here today.

"Bell, you have come! Why are you standing over there? Come here!"

I was standing at a distance while watching them. But Rae seemed to have noticed me.

"Rae…."

Rae came close to me and touched my forehead with his as if to check up on me.

"Are you okay child? You didn't come here for almost a month. Is everything alright?"

"Oh! Yes. Everything's fine. I was just stuck with some work in the palace."

"Hmm~ I see. So you couldn't even find a single day to meet this old man. I'm hurt."

"I apologize."

"Pfft~ I was just making fun of you."

The others were still fighting about who's grandchildren were the best.

"Don't mind those old fools. You know what they are like. Sigh~"

"Hey! We can hear you!"

Zen said loudly.

"Bell, you just remembered us now? Do you know how much we have missed you!"

Aldous said while coming towards us.

Zen: "I know, right?! Did you forget us old people!"

Raul: "Were you alright child?"

Aldous: "I don't know why you always disappear without saying anything, every once in a while."

"I apologize. I was stuck with some work."

All of them came up from their seats. 

They were right. I would suddenly stop coming here for a month or two. There was a reason for that. 

It's because of His Highness the Emperor. He often beats me. And I don't want them to see me in that state. None of them knows anything about that nor do I want them to know.

And I couldn't come here this month because of Rubena's marriage talk with the Crown Prince of Fellmirr. 

Because she refused to marry him, the whole palace was in chaos. The palace was so heavily guarded that I couldn't move easily. So I couldn't visit here even if I wanted to. 

Today I came here to see them for the last time. As I might not be able to come tomorrow. I have to tell them now. It will be dawn soon.

"Umm~ Rae… I have something to say."

"Hmm~ What is it, child?"

"I won't be able to come here anymore…"

Zen: "What?"

Raul: "Why?"

Rae: "Everyone! Stop!"

Everyone there shut their mouth at Rae's word. Then Rae said,

"And what could be the reason, my dear?".

"..."

I told Rae everything that happened today. He listened to everything attentively. 

"I see. The Fellmirr Empire…. Hmm~ It feels just like yesterday when you came here with Johannes. You were so little then. And now you are getting married."

< It was a few months before my 6th birthday, I was sitting in the garden with my grandfather. 

"Child, Let's go."

"Where, Grandpa?

"Somewhere magical."

Then he took me in his arms and started heading towards the greenhouse. 

"Wow~ Are we going to da(the) greenhouse, grandpa?"

"Yes and also No."

"Huh?"

"Hahaha~ Just wait."

"Okay."

After we arrived at the greenhouse, grandfather took me near the Crystal Tree. Then he cast the spell. 

And the crystal tree transformed into a huge gate.

"Wow~ Grandpa look! The tree ish(is) moving!"

"Hahaha! Yes! Isn't it amazing?"

"Yes!"

"Don't tell anyone about this? It's between you and me."

"Okay!"

Grandfather only told me about this place. No one else knows about the secret of the greenhouse to this day. After that, grandfather took me to the Guardians. I can't remember much afterwards. It's all a blurry memory. Probably because I was too young. To be honest, it's amazing that I remember so much despite being a kid. >

Aldous: "Child… Don't worry. I'm sure we will meet soon in the future."

"Oh! Yes. I hope so."

Zen: "Remember child, we love you. And we will always be with you."

"Yes."

After greeting them all, I returned to the greenhouse through the gate. And it returned to its original state in an instant. Thankfully, it was still dark outside. 

"Sigh~ I wanted to spend more time with them. But that's just my silly wish…"

I took the lantern and put on my shawl. It's getting really cold. I should return to my room before anyone finds out that I'm not in my room. 

I sneakily got out of the greenhouse and after a while, I returned to my room. 

I removed my shawl. It was really chilly. So I started the fireplace. After that, I blew out the lantern and closed the window. Then went to bed. 

Crackle*

The crackling sound of the burning firewood is really calming. It makes me forget everything.

"I should sleep now. I have a lot of things to do tomorrow."

I was exhausted.. Shortly after closing my eyes, I fell asleep.