《Try and Catch Me》


 Chapter 1

    Lia woke up in the middle of a small clearing. The woods encircled around her as the leaves rustled every time the wind blew. She remained sprawled on the ground, the grass tickling. She watched the overcast sky. Staring off in space, doing nothing, feeling nothing. It was peace she always longed.


    But it was a misplaced peace. Lia slowly sat up and glanced around. An unfamiliar place. She brought her hand to her forehead and massaged her temples. Her last memories were definitely not here.


    She was going to buy food in a convenience store across their house. Her mom left early for work. She was usually busy so Lia was to handle the housework. But she was not in the mood to cook. Blame it to a frustrating novel that kept her up the night before.


    She spent the last few days trudging through a novel where her namesake died because she decided to play the fool in love. Lia was so frustrated by her actions but at the same time felt sad for her when she was executed. It was one of those period stories where everyone was against the path of the main couple doing everything they could just to hinder their relationship and the success of the careers of the male and female lead.


    The Lia from the novel was a cannon fodder, who after giving her everything to the protagonist, was discarded once he met the beautiful female lead because everyone just had to bow down to her beauty and wit.


    But the novel Lia was also beautiful. That was how she caught the attention of the protagonist. First, her beauty, second her brains for helping him for his siege, and finally her heart for relentlessly taking care of him whenever he was on the brink of dying. She was such an angel!


    That was the thing. Novel Lia was too beautiful yet also too naive.


    After the main leads met, she was cast aside, doing menial jobs in the harem. A girl with only her looks and no family to back her up was like a food dangling in the lion¡¯s den. Her once pure heart was slowly filled with malice. Once it was full to a brim, just a slight push in the wrong direction and she was down to the dark path, leading up to her death.


    Just by thinking about it, Lia felt her frustration and anger rising again. How could she let herself be fooled by that!? Don¡¯t just believe any guy who tells you that you were beautiful! He must be lying! They would cast you aside once they see someone prettier.


    Despite that, she quite liked the story. Still, that was not important right now.


    Lia chewed on her inner cheek and shut her eyes. Her last moments¡­


    Did she not die? She remembered crossing the street when a speeding sports car drove right into her. She barely had the time to grasp what happened before everything went black. Then there was silence.


    When she opened her eyes, she was here, in the woods, in the middle of nowhere. The place was exactly how she imagined the novel Lia would have played at before she encountered all of the love dramas and palace politics. Lia chuckled at the thought.


    She snapped her eyes open.


    It could not be¡­


    She glanced down at her body and realized her long black hair. The longest she could manage was until the mid part of her back but her hair looked like a bird¡¯s nest than an actual hair in the morning. But now, It was long and shiny and had big curls, something she never managed to have before. And definitely, something that would not appear overnight.


    Her eyes traveled to her dress. A dress. She never wore dresses. Much less a floral dress. No wonder her legs felt cold since earlier.


    Everything about her felt wrong, but at the same time, also felt right, familiar.


    ¡°No way.¡± she murmured.

 Chapter 2

    She scrambled to her feet and clambered to the small pond not too far from her.


    The person who stared back at her was someone she did not know.


    Aside from the color of the hair, there was nothing that resembled her old body, the body she grew up with. Before her was someone who spent a long time in a salon to glam up for an event. Her voluminous hair made her already small face smaller, more dainty, almost elfin. Her peach-blossomed eyes narrowed as the face drew closer to the water, inspecting every side and angle. Lia bit her lips, the person on the water did the same. She made face, the other did too.


    Lia pulled back.


    ¡°Oh damn.¡±


    She tentatively peered at her reflection again. Yes, that was her alright. She looked away at the water and then looked back again, with the hopes that every time she did, the face reflected on the water would change back to the person Lia had been looking at for the past twenty-six years.


    But to no avail.


    No matter how many times she moved, how many times she caused the water to ripple, it was the same dainty face looking back at her, doing the same things.


    She took in a breath and tried to sort out her feelings. Which did not really take long because there was not a lot to sort out when she was feeling¡­nothing. There was nothing inside her. No panic, no surprise, no anything.


    Or maybe she was surprised for a different reason. She was surprised at her own calmness when she thought she ought to be more panicky than this.


    She sat on the ground and thought of her situation. She seemed to be in someone else¡¯s body. If that was what they call transmigration or soul switching, Lia did not know, much less bother to understand.


    It was not like she was believing in her new world either. It was unbelievable alright. But there was not much she could do. She laid back on the grass, arms wide and closed her eyes, feeling the air on her skin.


    ¡°What now.¡±


    She guessed she could accept this. In the other world, her life was wrapped up in the modernities required in the times, but it was also chaotic. Fewer woods even. Unlike in this world where she was now, where there seemed to be no other person in the area.


    A small smile escaped her lips. She could live like this, away from everyone, spending her days in solace. That would be ideal.


    Lia almost fell asleep again when she heard hurried steps, coming to her direction. She rose, body tensed and alert. Her modern, sheltered life did not prepare her for physical attacks. She could only tune in to the sound and hoped that whatever or whoever that was would change direction, away from her place.


    ¡°Lia? Lia!¡±


    Oh shit. She uttered without a sound, for fear that even a single hiss would tell her location.


    She held her breath as she listened closely. The steps were coming closer and closer. That was definitely the sound of a female voice. And she was calling for Lia. Someone who knew her? That was not good.


    She set aside her memories of a previous life and racked her brain for any memories of the old girl who lived in this body. The memories flashed like a bad TV signal.


    She grew frantic as the steps came nearer and nearer, causing the pictures in her head to jump from one scene to another without forming a solid recollection. The wood was eerily quiet that just a single sound, just a single shift in steps sounded louder than it should have been.


    Lia scanned the clearing, looking out for other possible threats that might come in all directions. She did not have any weapon to defend herself.


    Her body tensed when she felt the footsteps ceased behind her. She did not dare look back and could only gulp and wait.


    ¡°Thank goodness, you¡¯re here,¡± Lia felt arms wrapped on her shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what I would do if something happened to you.¡±


    Someone who knew the old Lia, someone who might discover that she was a fraud. Lia tried to think back faster even if the flashes of memories caused her to feel dizzy. She silently cursed herself for not doing so earlier.


    ¡°Lia?¡±


    Bracing herself for anything that might happen, she looked back to offer a small smile, fingers crossed that the other person would not notice anything.


    She turned around and came face-to-face with the most beautiful face she had ever seen. The face the original owner knew so well. Lia tried to put a name to the face and came up with two words.


    ¡°The Witch.¡±

 Chapter 3

    ¡°The Witch.¡±


    Lia uttered before she could stop herself.


    The person before her widened her eyes and put on a smile that did not reach her eyes. That meant Lia was right. But it did not mean that what she said was not wrong either.


    She cringed and kicked herself mentally.


    ¡°I-I mean¡­¡±


    The witch placed a distance between them, her beautiful face sagging to that look of pain and hurt. There was an odd sense of resignation and familiarity in her eyes as if she was called like that all the time.


    That did not make sense. Lia¡¯s image of witches were those from picture books from her childhood. Long face, grizzly hair, wicked eyes, pointy nose, with an equally pointed hat matching the black attire and rode brooms.


    They were nowhere near this lady who made beautiful an understatement. She was beyond that. She wore her platinum blonde hair braided on both sides, making her looked like those princesses in her picture books. The witch looked a lot like an enchantress with her ever-knowing yet understanding grey eyes. She was like an embodiment of Aphrodite with the aura of Athena, graceful, noble, and wise.


    Her skin! Gosh her skin. She did not even have wrinkles or blemishes or pimples. She might as well be only a few years older than Lia. If they were in her previous life, she would have chatted her for her skincare regimen.


    She was not even wearing black. She wore an aquamarine long dress. And she looked divine. A goddess indeed.


    Lia gaped at the woman, dumbstruck. She thought she was beautiful earlier. What a joke. She looked like a ragdoll compared to the witch.


    Witch. A name that was far from what she really was.


    ¡®But maybe, she has a cauldron and does wicked things,¡¯ she reminded herself.


    ¡°I know you hate me. But please, don¡¯t scare me like that,¡± she looked at Lia with pleading eyes.


    Lia could only nod her head as if entranced.


    The woman gave her a small smile and reached out her hand, but decided against it before Lia could even take her hand.


    ¡°Lia? Let¡¯s go home?¡±


    Lia followed the woman home while keeping a watchful eye. Didn¡¯t they say that witches can change appearances and pretend to be young through a spell or something? What if she was luring her in? What if she was taking in a young woman to eat them, thereby preserving her own youth? And there was something really odd about her that Lia could not put her finger to.


    And why can¡¯t her memories become clearer when they needed them to? Ever since this woman appeared, Lia put in all of her efforts to remember the original body¡¯s life to no avail. It all came back to her in a muddled mess, blurred and choppy. She could not make heads nor tails at those resurfaced memories. She just hoped that those would come back to her before the witch decided to make her into a delicious meal.


    They were almost a few feet when Lia noticed a cloud of smoke coming out from a house, which brought her to a stop.


    ¡®Shoot. She¡¯s really going to eat me!?¡¯

 Chapter 4

    The woman noticed her and also stopped in her tracks. ¡°Lia?¡±


    Lia stared back in horror.


    That was it. That was where her nagging feeling came from. The woman had been calling her by her name even if Lia did not introduce her name. In fact, she seemed like she knew Lia.


    Unless¡­


    Unless she really was Lia? Like the Lia from that damned book!?


    ¡°No way,¡± Lia said, bringing her hand to her forehead as if that would prevent her head from exploding from too much information.


    Images ¡ª or maybe those were memories ¡ª rushed back at her like a sledgehammer. The onslaught of memories made her dizzy.


    The woman steadied her. ¡°Come inside first.¡±


    Lia let the woman led her inside the house. The smell of leaves welcomed her and to her surprise, calmed down her nerves.


    The woman sat her down to a stool and peered at her. She checked Lia¡¯s temperature, checked her eyes like what a doctor would do, checked her pulse. Once she was satisfied, she, too, sat down and sighed in relief.


    ¡°Thank goodness it was nothing. Well, other than your extremely fast pulse, which I couldn¡¯t tell if it was because of our walk or something else.¡±


    She stared at Lia pointedly. ¡°What is happening? You can tell me.¡±


    She did not sound like she was cooing a child like most adult in Lia¡¯s world.


    Wrong, this was her new world now.


    Lia stared at the woman in front of her. ¡°It was just¨C just a headache,¡± she almost could not hold back the word Mother.


    Now that she had gotten the memories back, it was clear who was this person in front of her. Yes, she was The Witch. She was also Lia¡¯s mother.


    Because of that Lia could not almost stop herself from saying ¡°Mother,¡± the same way she called her own mother. Her one and only mother. Because she was really the only person for her. And now she left her alone in that cruel world.


    But calling the witch mother would definitely invite suspicions from the woman. She could not afford that. Nor call her the same way as the owner of the body which was nothing but insults.


    The woman smiled at her, looking finally at ease to figure out what was wrong with Lia. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let you gather those herbs at all if you are not feeling well. Rest on your bed while I prepare something to ease the pain.¡±


    She touched Lia¡¯s head, with full of love and care.


    ¡°Thank you, um, mo¨C um,¡±


    The woman smiled knowingly albeit that tinge of sadness Lia saw flashed in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself to call me¡­ that. Tamara is fine.¡±


    Lia was troubled. She grew up, instilled to her that she should not address her elders casually. At the same time, she could not bring herself to call Tamara as her mother. The original Lia did not call her either so it would be weird if Lia would call her mother.


    ¡°Tamara¡­¡± she tested the word on her lips.


    Tamara smiled and led her to her room.

 Chapter 5

    Lia stared at the ceiling and sorted out her thoughts.


    She transmigrated. Transmigrated! In that novel. As her namesake. A cannon fodder. Great.


    Lia clicked her tongue and thought back to what she remembered from the novel. If she was going to live here from now, she had to know at least the plot turns so she could avoid them.


    Lia was sixteen years old, still young and naive in Lia¡¯s modern views, but too old in this world¡¯s norm. She was expected to be married at this age. But there were a lot of reasons why she could not find a man to marry her.


    For one, the men around her were not the male lead. The novel Lia only felt attraction to the opposite sex once she met him. Second, novel Lia was the daughter of the witch. Obviously, no one wanted the witch which extended to her daughter. So Lia lived a secluded life¡­until the protagonist came and swept her feet.


    Lia crunched her nose in disgust. The protagonist would be the end of her so she might as well avoid him at all cost. How she would do that though was something that still needed further thinking later.


    The air wafted in her room through the gaps in the wooden door. It smelled of chamomile, instantly relaxing Lia¡¯s frayed nerves. She could hear the clanging of pots and bowls in the kitchen, with Tamara preparing whatever it was for Lia.


    While Tamara treated Lia as her daughter, she was not really Lia¡¯s mother. Lia¡¯s real parents died out of illness. They were poor so no one wanted to help them. Only Tamara extended her hands to heal them with her extensive knowledge of medicine. But it was too late. Far too late. They were dying before she could even know how to treat them. Not too long after, Lia was left alone in the world.


    At first, Lia was happy. Having been ostracized and bullied since young, she thought this wonderful and almost ethereal lady would help. She thought it was finally her time to enjoy life like the other kids.


    Only, the noble lady she thought was hated by many, known as the witch for most people. She was bullied again and more harshly. She grew to hate the woman who once tried to save her family. She longed to be free, to be out there, far from this woods, far from this woman.


    That was why she followed the protagonist in a heartbeat when he asked her to come with him in the Imperial City. And that was her biggest mistake, the beginning of her misfortunes.


    Lia shook her head. She should never follow her namesake¡¯s example. If she could, and she would, staying away from the protagonist seemed like the best option, both for her heart and for her life. Boy problems and other dramas should be left behind in her past life. This new life, this kind of rebirthed life, she was willing to accept this new reality and live a worry-free life.


    Her main concern at the moment was the witch. But Tamara seemed far from the witch of her imagination. She might need to know more about Tamara before deciding.


    That seemed like a good plan.

 Chapter 6

    Satisfied, Lia grinned as she stretched out her body. Thinking wore her out. Might as well sleep.


    She heard a knock on the door before it creaked open. She just had enough time to arrange her posture and pull a slightly bleary look when Tamara came in.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Tamara asked in a voice barely above a whisper as if just a slight increase in notch would set off Lia¡¯s headache again.


    ¡°Better.¡±


    Tamara smiled and set down the tray she was holding.


    ¡°You should take this soup to warm you up before you sleep. You¡¯ve been far too long in the clearing. The wind is cold lately.¡±


    Lia sat up as Tamara prepared the soup in front of her. She did not ask what was Lia doing there or what she was up to. She just prepared foods and looked after her, no questions asked.


    When Lia was done sipping her soup and tea, she rested on the headboard of her bed, her finger running through the rim of the bowl.


    ¡°This was good. Thank you.¡±


    Tamara, who was busy preparing the tea set on the bedside, looked up startled. Lia could see tears pooling on Tamara¡¯s eyes, making her gaped in awe. She had never seen anyone crying that fast for being thanked at.


    Tamara must have noticed her look as she corrected her expression. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s just you rarely say that. You even called my name earlier.¡±


    Lia fought the urge to express everything on her face. Instead, she gave a mental smack to the previous Lia. How could she be disrespectful to this seemingly pure woman?


    ¡°I-I want to apologize for my previous behavior. It was rude of me.¡±


    Tamara waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You have every right to hate me, that much I understand. So I don¡¯t expect you to treat me as your replacement mother.¡±


    Lia shook her head and winced. She wanted to tell Tamara that she was not as awful as she thought she would be. At the same time, she did not believe her words as much since technically, they had just met. So even if she somehow knew that Tamara was not bad, she did not have the evidence to prove it, to people and to herself.


    Tamara smiled and placed a gentle hand on Lia¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Lie down child. You need to rest.¡±


    She brought in another small bowl with a clear liquid inside. Its smell made Lia relaxed and sleepy.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Lia said, trying not to sound alarmed.


    Tamara seemed to think that she thought she was planning some sorcery or witchcraft. Before she could even start defending herself, Lia clarified first.


    ¡°I¡¯m not suspecting you of anything. I only wanted to know what that is because it smells so good.¡±


    Tamara seemed to relax at that. ¡°I mix a bit of menthol, camphor, eucalyptol, and lavender so that I could massage it on your forehead. It will help you relax and ease your headache.¡±


    Lia flashed a grateful smile as she tried to fight off sleep. ¡°Thank you Tamara.¡±


    She closed her eyes and felt Tamara¡¯s delicate fingers massaging her temples. Then she sunk in a dreamless sleep.

 Chapter 7

    The days passed by in nothing but peace and solitude.


    While Tamara and Lia lived in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, they lived in comfort. They lived in a cottage. It was small but big enough for the two of them to have their own rooms. The house was made of wood that somehow creaked when a strong wind blew.


    The scent of different herbs and spices surrounded the premises. Lia could tell if she was near their house just by its smell. But instead of being appalled, Lia found it welcoming. Every time she goes out in the woods to get materials for Tamara, she always looks forward to the smell wafting through the windows of the house.


    Home. It might sound crazy, but despite living here for only a month, she felt right at home in this strange new world.


    At first, she was scared that she would not be able to cope out with this country lifestyle. All her life, she spent living in the city and she thought she would live her entire life in the embrace of bright lights and loud noises.


    If someone told her she would be living her life with nothing but trees and grasses, she would probably roll her eyes at them. Yet now, she was having the time of her life breathing in the clean air, listening to the rustling of the leaves and chirping of the birds, and gathering materials for Tamara.


    As she got nearer to the house, Lia could smell boiled potatoes and stew. That was probably what they would have for lunch. She gripped her basket, full of new plants and skipped towards their house.


    But there was something else mixing with the smell. Tamara must be creating a new mixture and Lia could not wait to find out. Under her mother¡¯s guidance, she was starting to know the differences of the things around her, especially for the plants, by her sharpened senses.


    Lia placed her basket on the table and looked over her mother¡¯s shoulder. Tamara was hunched on the work table grinding and mixing beeswax with powdered leaves.


    Tamara glanced at her briefly. ¡°I¡¯m trying out a new preparation. Here, stay still.¡±


    She dipped her pinky finger in the mixture and smeared a reddish salve over Lia¡¯s lips. As if in reflex, Lia pressed her lips together to scatter the color and get a feel of the mixture.


    The mixture, that seemed like a lipstick, was too thick for her liking as though she placed a slab of petroleum jelly on her mouth.


    Tamara watched her intently. ¡°Not good?¡±


    Lia shook her head and offered a small smile. ¡°Maybe less wax?¡±


    Tamara nodded but her eyes had a faraway look. Lia could tell that her mother was already computing the ratio of her materials in her head. She knew that was her cue to leave.


    She went over to the other side where their materials were stored. Different plant materials decorated the walls, arranged depending on their uses. There was a shelf for the spices used for cooking, another one for medicinal purposes, and another for experiments.


    When Lia first saw this, she thought Tamara used them for witchcraft. It was actually the opposite. She used them to help people. Her mother loved making and mixing things, be it cooking or preparing the medicine.


    She could have been a great doctor. Better yet a royal physician. But because of a stupid nickname, Tamara was stuck here in the woods. Driven out by people she could have been helping.


    As Lia placed and arranged the newly picked herbs, she remembered her mother who was now alone in the other world. She silently prayed and apologized for leaving her behind.


    ¡®Mom, I¡¯m sorry I left you early. I¡¯m in a safe place and you know what, I¡¯m under the care of a gentle woman who treats me, as her daughter. I¡¯m sorry and I love you. Please be well.¡¯


    She was not able to say that out loud before. And if there was one thing that she learned from this new life, it was to take care and express your love to the important people. In this life, there was only Tamara, who after days of taking care of her, Lia had gotten closer to her now.


    It was only her and her mother. Now that Lia was gone, she had no idea how her mother was living. Ever since her father left them, the two of them had been partners-in-crime. Her mother faced everything with a smile, despite all the pain and bruises. But Lia had been so young, so small, and weak. She could not protect her mother at all.


    Now that she was given a new life and a new mother, she vowed that no one should hurt them anymore. She would fight tooth and nail. She would not forgive and forget. She would never.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°You look like a kid going to a candy shop,¡± Tamara noted as they walked in town.


    Lia grinned. ¡°It¡¯s been so long.¡±


    After lunch, Tamara took her to the town. After almost a month of seeing nothing but trees and her only human contact was with her mother, going to a new place full of people made her giddy with excitement. She was anxious too because they had to be careful not to be noticed by the people. They had to wear cloaks so that only their faces could be seen.


    But this was not enough to tamper her enthusiasm. The prospect of widening her knowledge and experience of this new world was enough to bubble up her excitement.


    ¡°I thought you hated it,¡± Tamara said.


    Lia only gave her a small smile.


    Of course, the real owner of the body had gone through the town a couple of times but she hated it. The place reminded her of everything she did not have. That and the feeling that she had to remain hidden among the people when she could have been one of them.


    But that worked perfectly well for Lia. Being invisible to other people was what she needed. She could watch and gawk at people without being noticed.


    ¡°Is it still far?¡± Lia asked.


    Tamara¡¯s eyes darted in every corner of the street, ready for any attack. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    Going to the town was risky. Seeing people in cloaks was bound to raise alarm. Yet they still did it to earn a living.


    They round in a corner, dodging the people coming and going along the way. Their steps were light and soft to avoid getting attention towards them. They arrived at what seemed like a backdoor of a shop. Tamara knocked a few times and a lanky lad opened the door for them.


    ¡°Good day Frankie. Where¡¯s your mother?¡±


    The lad named Frankie gestured at the woman manning the counter. He went over there and took over.


    Tamara introduced Lia to her friend Yolly. She was tall and plump with a forever scowl on her face, towering both the mother and child. Lia would be stupid to even try to cross her.


    ¡°There you are, I was getting worried that someone might have mugged you along the way,¡± Yolly said.


    ¡°No such thing, and hopefully nothing ever,¡± Tamara placed the vials and pots of medicine they brought on the table.


    She was the proprietress of this apothecary. Though that was the name, it seemed more like a general store with the variety of things that you could get in this place.


    Tamara told her that she once helped her father fight off illness when everybody else turned them down. From then on, Yolly stood by her friend, fending off anyone who called her witch.


    She was also the only one who accepted Tamara¡¯s products and sold them. Of course, none of her patrons knew who was the real maker of those products.


    Yolly¡¯s shop was also the place where Tamara got her materials and ingredients so it was a win-win for the two of them.

 Chapter 9

    Lia had finished putting the pots on the table when she heard Yolly speak.


    ¡°I see you bring her to help you,¡± Yolly eyed her with disgust.


    Lia caught herself before she could raise her brows and smile respectfully.


    ¡°The basket is pretty heavy. Mother cannot bring them all alone.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Mother, you say,¡± Yolly turned to the counter as a customer came in. ¡°Frankie! Stop dawdling! We have a customer!¡±


    Tamara gave her a list of materials and they waited as Yolly got the items.


    ¡°I wonder if you could sell this salve I made,¡± Tamara brought out a small pot with a red salve. The newer version than the one she tested Lia. ¡°It¡¯s about to get cold soon, so this helps to prevent chapped lips during the season. It¡¯s also red so it would look good for the ladies.¡±


    ¡°Why, this is wonderful! I want to have one myself!¡± Yolly said, checking herself in the mirror as she applied the salve.


    ¡°Yours is free. I decided to make it because my daughter often have dry lips so I thought maybe the other girls out there have the same problem.¡±


    Yolly stared at Lia, studying her. ¡°I see.¡±


    Lia saw what seemed like an approving look that Yolly gave her. There was still a hint of caution as if ready to protect her friend against her daughter. But maybe when she worked hard enough, Yolly would be accepting of her. In return, that would make her mother happy that they got along.


    As Yolly stepped into the store once again after handing out their order, Lia and Tamara put on their cloaks and prepared to leave.


    +++++


    They were about to go home. They really should not linger far too long in the amongst the crowd. But Lia was engrossed by the comings and goings of the people in town. She wanted to take in all of her surroundings.


    She heard Tamara giggled beside her.


    ¡°We can look around first if you like.¡±


    Lia readily shook her head. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just¡­ we should go back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not every day we go to the town, a little sightseeing wouldn¡¯t hurt don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The more rational part of her wanted to go back. It was dangerous. Going downtown was risky enough. But the other part of her could not suppress her curiosity.


    Sensing her worries, Tamara blocked her path to face her. She held out her arms to secure Lia¡¯s cloak. Once she was satisfied, Tamara grabbed her hand and dragged her in the heart of the town.


    Tamara brought her to the market place, in the center of the town. It was like a festival. There were stalls everywhere. People chatted and bustled.


    Their province was in the southern part of the Kingdom. It was only a small town but placed in an advantageous position where people from other countries passed through or make business.


    Panic rose in her chest when she realized how dangerous this could be. They could be easily swept by these people.


    After half an hour of shopping, nothing seemed to think of anything amiss. Lia let herself be comforted by the thought. Everything would be alright.


    Lia knew that her mother enjoyed the experience too. Her eyes sparkled as she educated Lia in just about anything. Tamara knew a lot of things. Of course, her expertise was on all kinds of plants and crops. But her knowledge ranged from clothes to haggling for prices. She was a pro.


    They were in the middle of buying fruits when they heard a scream. A child was about to be trampled by an upcoming cart. Before Lia could move, Tamara darted towards the crowds and pulled the child away.


    Silence. No one moved. No one spoke.


    Lia rushed forward. Bloody images came to her mind.


    When she arrived in front of the crowd, she knew right away who caused the silence.

 Chapter 10

    Injustice (1)


    The first thing Lia noticed when she arrived in this world was the platinum blonde hair. Tamara reminded her of a goddess who descended to the human world from her place in heavens.


    But for the people in town, those same platinum blonde hair signified one thing: the witch. In the sea of dark hairs, Tamara¡¯s hair stood out.


    A palpable sense of fear surged in as the people encircled around them. Subconsciously, Tamara and Lia stuck stood closer, back pressing each other. They stared back at the scrutinizing gaze of the people.


    No one spoke. After all, it had been years since the townspeople had seen the witch. Yet those years did nothing to quell their fear and anger.


    Lia scanned their surroundings determined to not let her emotions show. Just one opening. Even if it was just tiny, as long as there was one.


    In the corner of her eye, there was a small gap between a child and an adult. Lia grabbed her mother¡¯s arm and dragged her to that direction. If they could only just ran away¨C


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, Missy?¡± A large, burly guy blocked their way and smirked.


    ¡°Home,¡± Lia said.


    The guy stared at her before roaring in laughter. Some followed suit. Others snickered.


    The burly man leaned, close enough for Lia to smell the stench of gin mixed in his breath.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one place where you belong,¡± he sneered. ¡°Go. Back. To. Hell.¡±


    As soon as he said it, a beefy hand pushed Lia to the ground. She winced when her butt met the hard paved road.


    Tamara darted forward and stood in front of Lia, pointing a finger at the man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare hurt my daughter!¡± She growled.


    Tamara¡¯s voice, which was usually calm, brought a chill down to Lia¡¯s spine. The man might have felt the same as he leaned back a bit, flushing to the tips of his ears when he realized what he had done and swatted Tamara¡¯s hand as if killing a fly.


    ¡°What did you say!?¡± The man towered over the two of them. He was the biggest among the crowd. No wonder he treated everyone as his underlings.


    With the boom of the guy¡¯s voice, a chorus of erupted voices surrounding them. Everything was chaotic. Lia was pushed and pulled in all directions. She clasped her hand with Tamara¡¯s, determined not to lose each other in this mob.


    ¡°It hurts!¡±


    ¡°Stop!!¡±


    Lia groaned in pain as different people, different hands jabbed at her. She shrieked and clawed and kicked. That intimidated some people, but then they came back in full force.


    ¡°Stop, please,¡± she hated to beg, her chest heavy from injustice. She wanted to hurt these people as much as they hurt them. They did not do anything. They never hurt anyone. Was it a sin to just exist?


    In front of her hazy eyes, there were unknown faces, all jeering, all screaming, all judging. Lia shut her eyes tightly and waited for the inevitable.

 Chapter 11

    Injustice (2)


    People grabbed and tugged at her. But the tugging Lia felt in her hand urged her to take a step forward. She cracked her eye open and noticed that she really did move from her original spot.


    In front of her, Tamara stood defiantly despite the mob. She placed her hand under her cloak, seeming to grab on to something.


    ¡°Leave us! If you don¡¯t want to be blind!¡± Her voice rang above the yells of the crowd.


    ¡°What, you¡¯re going to curse us, you little¨C¡±


    Tamara pulled out her hand from her cloak, fist tightly closed.


    The burly guy hissed and backed away a bit. The rest of the people followed suit, giving them ample breathing room.


    Tamara marched forward, tugging Lia behind her. Lia eyed warily around them, ready for the next wave of anger.


    When they were near the last row of the crowd, the man bellowed.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let her escape!¡±


    People started closing in again. Lia felt her throat constrict as thoughts of what might happen next flashed in her head. She gripped Tamara¡¯s hand tighter.


    To her surprise, Tamara gripped her hand too as if in response. But compared to Lia¡¯s tense hold, her mother¡¯s seemed to be reassuring her. She could almost hear Tamara saying ¡®It would alright.¡¯


    As Tamara gripped Lia¡¯s hand again, she pulled her daughter, propelled them forward and bolted away from the mob and towards the woods. But not before opening her fist and let the fine particles swirled in the air. For a safety measure, she even threw towards the people the bag of powder. People started sneezing nonstop.


    But the two did not stop and marvel at what they had done. They fled the town as if preys escaping their predators. There were some townsfolk who managed to get away from the powder and came after them.


    Lia could see the woods not so far from them. A few more steps and they would be back to safety, back in their solitude and peace. Even if the people followed them, she was sure they knew more about the woods.


    With her last spurt of energy, she willed her legs to move faster. She heaved dry air on her chest but that did not deter her from running.


    Once they were sure that no one managed to come after them, the two stopped running and allowed themselves to breathe. Lia slumped to the ground, holding a tree for support.


    ¡°That was close,¡± Tamara said, as she slumped on a tree.


    Now that they were in safety, Lia could see scratches and claw marks to just about every exposed of her mother, mainly the face and the arm. Her clothes, that she prepared with care the day before, resembled now to tattered old rags.


    Lia crawled towards her mother, reached out to her arms with trembling fingers, and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine,¡± Tamara patted her head and smiled. ¡°You were crying back there, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    When Lia saw her smile, that ever gentle and caring smile, the anger and injustice she felt came back in full force.


    ¡°Why did they have to do that!? We didn¡¯t do anything! We never hurt people! Why why why!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

 Chapter 12

    Injustice (3)


    ¡°Why do you keep saying sorry!?¡± Lia shouted. She hugged her knees and placed her head over them. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¨C¡±


    Tamara crawled to her side and embraced her. No words passed between the two of them and only their quiet sobs could be heard as if even the slightest movement could set off the rage of townspeople and pursue them again.


    Once they had poured everything out, Tamara stood up and held her hand. Lia stared at the hand, wondering where did her mother get all the strength that she had. She looked regal despite her disheveled look which sent a tiny spark of envy to Lia who could never quite muster that kind of gracefulness.


    When the adrenaline weaned off, Lia felt exhausted and sore. Moving was the last thing she wanted. She would rather lie down, do nothing, think nothing.


    Tamara must have sensed this too. She smiled and held out her hands, grasping at Lia¡¯s and pulling her up. ¡°Come now, we need to treat our wounds.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t they¨C follow?¡±


    ¡°Most people fear the woods. Others are just bad with directions.¡±


    Not a direct answer, Lia noted. But she understood the implications. In all her months staying here, she had not seen many people coming in the woods. Still, she could not help but glance in all directions and strain her hears for any movements beside theirs.


    She knew the people hated the witch. But she would never imagine the extent of their hate. Hate was even an understatement.


    Lia stared at the back of her mother, as the other moved to her shelves and got medicines and gauges. Their racks were full of helpful things, not even the slightest indication of witchcraft.


    Was Lia mistaken? She vowed to protect this family that she had. But it seemed like there were a lot more secrets to it than her mother was letting on. No matter how much she thought of it, she got nothing. Why¡­


    ¡°What do you mean why?¡± Tamara asked without lifting her eyes to meet Lia¡¯s.


    Stunned that she had said the word aloud, Lia chewed on her inner cheek and considered before speaking. ¡°Why are you called the witch? Please, I want to know the truth,¡± she added when Tamara started to protest.


    Tamara took a seat. She seemed so elegant but now, she looked small and weary.


    ¡°How,¡± Lia started, ¡°did this start? Why are you the witch? I¡¯ve been living with you but I haven¡¯t seen you do any witchcraft. All you ever do is mix herbs and cook. Unless you are creating a poison that I am not aware of.¡±


    ¡°There is always a fine line between poison and medicine, just a small change in dose and you can turn something helpful to something deadly. But that¡¯s not what you want to hear. You want to know why I¡¯m called the witch.¡±


    Lia nodded and braced herself for what was to come.


    ¡°Once upon a time, there was a young lady who was deeply in love with the most handsome and kind man she ever met. They married and been blessed with a small child. They¡¯ve been happy for some time. Then a tragedy came and the child was burned along with her marriage and she was sent to some remote place. I guess, up until then people have only tolerated her because they thought she was healing them and partly because of the husband. But when the fire broke out so as their hidden hatred. Her love for medicine was called witchcraft and they hunted her for that, feared her knowledge of healing. The end.¡±


    Lia gulped and tried to process what she had heard. But it was too much. She did not know if that was because of the injustice Tamara received or that resigned look on her face.


    ¡°The husband, is he rich? You said they tolerated you because of him,¡± she asked instead.


    Tamara considered for a while. ¡°You could say that.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you fight back? Clear your name?¡±


    ¡°I did. I fought hard, telling everyone who listens that health should be a priority for everyone, not just the rich but look where it got me. I lost hope when I lost my child. So when I saw you, I thought it was my second chance to try to live a life and care for someone.¡±


    Tears streamed down her face. This woman. Her mother. It was such a shame that the original Lia did not care for Tamara. But Lia was here now.


    ¡°What happened to your husband?¡±


    ¡°Someone came along.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± Lia received a warning glare from Tamara. ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡±


    The world did not deserve someone like Tamara.


    ¡°Come now, that¡¯s an old story to be worked up with.¡±


    +++++


    As Lia lie down on her bed that night, she recounted everything that happened. She winced when she remembered the mob. She thought they would not be able to go out of it alive.


    Tamara seemed to have forgotten that and moved on. But Lia was not as magnanimous as her mother. She noted down on her mental list all the things they did. One day. One day she would prove all of them wrong.

 Chapter 13

    After the racket they made, the mother and daughter pair decided to stay away from the city in the meantime. They stayed in the safety of the forest and lived off from whatever they could get within their surroundings. There was an abundance of wild herbs and fruits around the forest. Tamara also kept a small area to plant vegetables.


    But they could only get so much in the woods. Soon, Tamara¡¯s stocks for her concoctions ran low, their other supplies lower. The only place they could get the items were in town.


    Besides, there was another reason why she had to go out today. Lia remembered that in the novel, her namesake fell love at first sight to the protagonist on the day of the town festival. He was a judge on a cooking contest. In an attempt to capture his attention, she joined the contest and for once, used her knowledge she learned from her mother. Because of her talent and looks, she managed to get his attention and let herself be whisked away.


    Lia would not let that happen.


    She would not be whisked away. She would not join the contest. And most of all, she would not meet the protagonist.


    That was why she had to go down, at least three days before the festival. On the day of the festival, she would be far far away from the town.


    Lia checked her hat for the nth time. Her long hair was tied up in a bun, letting only a few loose hairs to cover her forehead with a gray hat on her hair. Tamara remade some of the old clothes in the closet, worked her magic, and turned them into a guy¡¯s clothes. She had to make a loose shirt and pants so Lia¡¯s curves would not be obvious and she would only look like a lanky young man.


    With the help of some face paint, Lia made her chin looked sharper and her mouth thinner. She even drew a small dot on her left cheek.


    She pulled out her to-buy list again. She had already memorized them before she set out but she wanted to make sure. She had to know so that she could come up with a route that would help her get the things she needed in the least possible time.


    There was no room for distraction.


    As she stepped into the edge of the town, she pulled down her hat and walked with steady but longer strides. Her eyes darted everywhere, looking for signs that people recognized her. But they just went their merry way, ignoring Lia.


    ¡°Ow!¡± The voice coming behind her.


    Lia staggered forward and sharply turned around. There was a boy looking up sheepishly at her. Three or four kids started gathering around them.


    ¡°Err¨C sorry, Mister,¡± he said, holding the back of his head.


    Lia breathed out a bit, allowing herself a small smile to placate the kids. ¡°Be careful next time.¡±


    She watched as the kids went back to their games, shouting merrily at one another. How nice it was to be carefree. But Lia had to move now. She fixed her bag over her shoulder, silently praying that the jars inside would still come out okay. She looked around once more if the small scene garnered any unnecessary attention from the adults. But they still ignored her and the kids.


    The closer she got to the center of the town, the faster her heart thumped. Call her paranoid, but she could not shake off the feeling that everyone was staring at her. Her breath hitched when she arrived at the place where the mob surrounded them. Her steps brought to a halt.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay now. You¡¯re safe. No one will know your disguise.¡¯


    She chanted those words over and over, unaware of the annoyed pedestrians who needed to skirt around her.


    ¡®Move your feet. Right first. Then left. Right. Left.¡¯


    Lia walked like a robot and looked like one with her stony face. She remained like that until she reached the alley going to Yolly¡¯s shop. Finally, a temporary safe place.

 Chapter 14

    ¡°You look pale! Come in quick!¡± Those were the first words of Yolly when she opened her door and saw a sick-looking man. Lia did not speak and showed the contents of the bag instead. Without saying her name, Yolly ushered her inside the store.


    Yolly let Lia rest in the corner of the store, away from the prying eyes of the customers. Lia appreciated it and reminded herself to ease a bit as she sat comfortably. She told what happened that day and what they did after while Yolly arranged the jars and vials. Yolly just would not have her do anything after looking like someone on the verge of collapse.


    ¡°You had me worried. The people were going crazy after! They said that in the evening, the witch would deliver her wrath so everyone was on guard. But nothing happened. Not the following day or the day after that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really not afraid of her,¡± Lia said over her cup of hot chocolate drink.


    Yolly laughed, eyebrows raised. ¡°Silly girl. Shouldn¡¯t I be saying that?¡±


    Lia remained silent and gulped down the rest of her drink.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you stayed girlie. Would have thought you ditched your mother. Tamara trusts easily. I don¡¯t.¡±


    Understandable, Lia thought. The owner of the body was vocal of her dislike to Tamara. Lia had to choose her words correctly.


    ¡°Well, she stuck to me through thick and thin. The least I could do is to do the same,¡± she looked up and met Yolly¡¯s eyes. ¡°All the kindness and love I received, I¡¯ll give back ten-fold.¡±


    ¡°Remember your words girlie.


    Yolly was the first to break their small staring contest and started working on the things on Lia¡¯s list. Lia waited on her corner, drawing lazy circles at the cup.


    ¡°Do you still want more?¡±


    Lia looked up, alerted. The boy flinched. She remembered him, Yolly¡¯s son, Frankie. Upon recognition, Lia relaxed once more and shook her head. Frankie nodded at her but still looked like he wanted to say something. Lia waited for him to speak and tried to soften her features. She knew her resting face could get really intimidating. But Frankie just smiled and turned around, not saying anything. Lia shrugged and leaned back on her chair.


    Yolly handed her the items and saw her out but not before reminding her to be careful. Lia set out once more, dropping by the stalls. Maybe because of the festival, there are more stalls and almost twice the number of people going to and fro.


    She was secretly glad for thinking that going ahead of time is a good choice. Then winced when she realized that she could jinx everything if she rejoiced now.


    ¡°All right, fruits and then spices. Then home,¡± she felt a lot more confident now than when she first stepped inside the town earlier. No one noticed her disguise, not even Yolly. If today was successful, then she could go on using this and they could still go to the town.


    Feeling glad about herself, she began choosing fruits. She was almost done when she heard the conversation beside her.

 Chapter 15

    ¡°Mister, are you going to buy or not? You¡¯ve been standing there for a long time. You¡¯re blocking the way to the other customers.¡±


    Lia glanced to her side. A man wearing a white shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows stared absentmindedly at the fruits. He looked like someone who wandered there without meaning to.


    Despite wearing a peasant¡¯s clothes, the man gave off an aura of someone living comfortably. She would not be surprised if the seller gave him a ¡°special price¡±. Feeling someone looking at him, he turned to Lia who quickly looked away and focused on her own bag.


    ¡°How much are your grapes?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°5 gold for 2kilos.¡±


    Lia whipped her head towards them. She may always buy items on sale but she knew that at most, a kilo of grapes cost 2 silver coins.


    ¡°Okay, and give me half-kilo of apples.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one silver.¡±


    The man ordered fruits as if ordering at a restaurant and the price continued to increase to a ridiculous price. Lia bit her inner cheek to stop herself from speaking. Another ruckus was the last thing she needed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be distracted,¡± she muttered under her breath.


    ¡°How about the pear?¡±


    ¡°10 copper each,¡± the seller said without a hint of remorse.


    Lia closed her eyes as she took in a breath. This was getting too much.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a lot? You¡¯re tripling the price,¡± Lia tried to sound calm. She hated butting in but she hated people like this more. ¡®I¡¯ll just get this guy out of this and then we¡¯re done.¡¯


    ¡°What, you¡¯re still here?¡± the seller glared at her direction while shooting a nervous glance at the man.


    Lia moved closer to them. The man looked confused yet amusement also reflected in his eyes which darted between her and the seller. She felt a tinge of pity for the man. A rich guy¡¯s first time in a market and he was already being subtly robbed. She glanced at his fruits and hastily computed them.


    ¡°10 silver and 50 copper coins all in all,¡± Lia said, her voice low but clear.


    The seller was aghast and raised his voice. ¡°What!? No way! Do you know how much these costs? 4 gold for all of it!¡±


    ¡°20 silver!¡±


    ¡°3 gold!¡±


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s ¨C¡± the man tried to interject.


    ¡°50!¡±


    ¡°100 silver dammit! That¡¯s final!¡± the seller roared.


    Lia grinned and turned to the man beside her triumphantly. He must have missed the cue as he continued to stare at her. She cocked her eyebrow and tilted her head towards the seller, signaling for him to pay. The man mouthed a silent ¡®O¡¯, pulled out his bulging purse and handed the coins. Lia snatched their bags of fruits, grabbing the man¡¯s arm as they walked away from the stall.


    She had to drag him away which might have looked funny to the onlookers, a small guy pulling a much taller one. Lia kept one eye over their shoulders. Who knows if someone followed them to retaliate. You would never know when these people would go against you. The two only stopped when they walked a few blocks away. Lia turned and gave the bag to him.


    ¡°Here,¡± she looked up and her smile faltered.

 Chapter 16

    ¡®When his sharp eyes turned to her direction, Lia shivered. Whether it was from fear, excitement, or something else entirely, she did not know. What she knew was she wanted this man more than anything in this world.¡¯


    That was how the novel Lia described her first meeting with the protagonist during the cooking contest. He shook her world and left her shattered.


    But now, Lia was shaken by her own idiocy. The lines from the novel popped out in her head as he stared at the man before her. The sharp eyes were on point. Now that she was closer, he appeared both bemused and amused while also trying to keep his poker face.


    How in the world did she manage to help and drag the very person she was running away from?


    Seeing a small smile slowly creeping up on his lips, Lia narrowed her eyes in irritation. He must be thinking that she fell for him at first sight! Unacceptable!


    Lia cleared her throat. ¡°Mister ¨C¡±


    ¡°Eldric,¡± he offered.


    She bit her lower lip, trying hard not to arch her eyebrows and shoved the bag of fruits. ¡°Anyway, here are your fruits. Try not to be conned next time.¡±


    If she knew it was the protagonist she was helping, she would have left him alone and walked away. He was very much capable to handle things himself. He must be passing his time by loitering around the town. Why was he even here in the first place? Was he not supposed to come on the day of the festival?


    Lia turned on her heels when she was tugged back.


    ¡°Where are you going? And I haven¡¯t thanked you yet.¡±


    ¡°You just did. Bye,¡± she turned back again.


    ¡°That¡¯s the direction of the woods. It¡¯s dangerous for a lady to go there alone.¡±


    Lia froze. She slowly turned around, her eyes scanned the area if anybody heard him. It would be bad if someone knew. She tried to calm herself but paused again. Something was not right.


    ¡°You¨C you called me Miss back there,¡± she said.


    Eldric blinked, perhaps thinking if she had gone bonkers. ¡°Because you are?¡±


    Lia¡¯s eyes darted all over the place again. If he was able to see through her disguise, other people probably did too. She did not get any suspicious looks so it was only this guy. Hopefully. She composed herself again.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a Miss,¡± she gritted her teeth.


    Lia waited for any reactions from him. She stared straight into his eyes as if challenging him to try and expose her. But he did not say anything, save for the glint in his eyes that told Lia they both knew she was lying. He did not seem like the type to tattle about this little information. It was more of a shared secret between them and she was not happy.


    To her dismay though, their little staring contest seemed to even spark the man¡¯s amusement. She chewed on her inner cheek, deliberating the best way to get this man off her back.


    ¡°By¨C I mean, farewell. May we never cross paths again.¡±


    Then she fled.

 Chapter 17

    ¡°Why do you have so many fruits?¡± Tim asked, his voice filled with incredulity. ¡°When you said that you would buy the supplies while also scouting alone, I was worried. But to think you managed to buy these¡­¡±


    ¡°I had help,¡± Eldric said, the corner of his lips lifted and formed an ambiguous smile.


    When his assistant saw Eldric¡¯s expression, Tim shuddered. ¡°You didn¡¯t¨C bash some heads or bed some women, did you?


    Eldric¡¯s smile turned to a full smirk. ¡°I would be the one who¡¯d get his head bashed if I tried to bed her.¡±


    ¡°So you did think about it,¡± Tim shook his head in exasperation then turned serious when he noticed the general to do the same.


    Eldric began narrating what he observed in the town. He was supposed to go here for the festival as he was invited by the mayor. But there was another reason why he went to this place days before the actual festival.


    He received news that the underground organization he had been investigating and pursuing for years now, had made this small town their center for commerce. All kinds of merchants passed here to do business in their country or to other nearby countries. With the constant stream of people coming to and fro, this was the perfect place for the underground market and dealings.


    This group had been terrorizing towns in the outskirts of the city and causing problems to the country. The Emperor, while worried about him, gave him a go signal.


    So he brought his right-hand man Tim along with the rest of his trusted officials to go down this town early and check out the accuracy of the reports. They had checked in at a local inn instead of the mayor¡¯s house so as not to alert their enemies.


    Aside from the organization, who would have thought that he would meet an interesting person on his first day? He only wanted to buy fruits but he was bad at bartering. He knew how difficult it was to earn through an honest day¡¯s work.


    Then this young man, or young woman, cut in for him and decided to help him. He knew that she knew that he knew about her little secret. Why she crossdressed was only something he could imagine.


    ¡°I should have gotten her name.¡±


    Tim almost choked on his apples. ¡°What, a woman ran away from you or something?¡±


    ¡°She helped me,¡± Eldric went on to tell him what happened at the market place and how she changed her attitude when they were alone.


    Tim¡¯s shoulder shook with laughter. Once the laughter subsided, he gave Eldric a meaningful stare. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s related to what we were investigating?¡±


    Eldric grimaced. That crossed his mind too but a tiny part of him was hoping that there was another reason for her cross-dressing. ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. I think I need to meet her more.¡±


    Tim could only shrug and shook his head at his friend as the general happily munches the apples, lost in the memories back at the market.

 Chapter 18

    ¡°Unbelievable.¡±


    Lia slapped her forehead with her hand. For the third time this week, she had forgotten to buy something on her list. She was confident that she could buy them all in one go and put on a bravado in front of Tamara, showing that she was capable to brave through the town alone.


    Yet she failed three days in a row. It was all that man¡¯s fault.


    After coming home that day from the market, Lia found out that she missed the spices. So she came back for it, along with some other things to buy the next day. But for some bizarre reason, he popped out of nowhere again and asked for directions. She managed to shake him off but not without missing yet another item on her list.


    Because of that, Lia needed to set out for the town again and she was determined to get everything in one go. Being in town was risky enough.


    She checked her mental list once more and created a route where no shop will be passed twice. She had to drop by Yolly¡¯s store first to drop off Tamara¡¯s newest salve. The lip salve she created before seemed to be a huge hit to Yolly¡¯s customers that they asked if there were other flavors available.


    She knocked tentatively on the backdoor which was opened for her right away. She still wore her disguise and both Yolly and Frankie seemed to not mind her attire much. Frankie opened the door, shrugged, and let her in, pointing at his mother behind the counter.


    ¡°Insane amount of people out there,¡± Lia said, once Yolly¡¯s customer left.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Yolanda said absentmindedly but then she looked up at Lia, looking solemn. ¡°Be careful out there, lots of people.¡±


    Lia nodded. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Festival.¡±


    And the color drained from Lia¡¯s face.


    Of all days. Of all days! It had to be today. How could she forgot about that!? She should have checked. Overpreparation was better than no preparation ¡ª that was her motto. But of course, she gloriously forgot all about it.


    She must have looked horrified that Yolly took pity on her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so down, maybe people will be distracted and won¡¯t mind you. Everyone¡¯s busy and in a merry mood. They wouldn¡¯t want to ruin that for anyone.¡±


    Lia nodded but she still wanted to blame someone for her misses. It was the protagonist¡¯s fault. If she had not been so busy thinking of the ways to get away from that man. If he had not appeared, if he had not approached her, if if if¡­


    She leaned on the wall, suddenly feeling exhausted. She should have taken up Frankie¡¯s offer to sit down. Blaming him would do no good now. Thinking of the shoulds and ifs doubled her exhaustion.


    Lia tried to compose her thoughts. She just needed to drop by to a couple of stores, then get away from this damned town and back to her lovely woods. There were back alleys that would make her route easier. The thought comforted and energized her, so much that she began to resume her original poise.


    ¡®Things seem to be looking up,¡¯ she thought.

 Chapter 19

    After bidding goodbye to Yolanda, Lia stepped out of the store as she went through her mental map. She checked once again for the possible alleys and side streets that she could pass through.


    With everything planned out in her, she breathed out and hoped her plan worked this time. The handsome face of the protagonist crossed her mind.


    ¡®Yep, definitely, have to avoid him.¡¯


    She trudged along many alleys and perhaps, because of the festival that even these streets were full of people. But instead of slowing her down, she used the momentum to breeze through the crowd.


    ¡®So far, so good.¡¯


    After what seemed like forever, she arrived at the large intersection of streets that led to the main road to the center of town. She braced herself and slipped through the throngs of people again, squeezing and twisting her body in the process.


    ¡®Just a few more.¡¯


    Lia could see the outskirts of the town. She was almost there.


    At that moment, there was clamor somewhere near the center that sent waves of excitement until the last line of people. Without a moment¡¯s notice, Lia had swept away in the sea of people, carrying her as if she was a paper.


    ¡°Let me through!¡± She said. But no one heard her so she tried once again, shouting this time, using all of her strength, and putting all of her weight to cut through the people.


    But that had done nothing to budge these people. The surge was getting stronger and fiercer as they dragged Lia towards the center as if all of them were pulled by a large magnet.


    ¡°Excuse me!¡± Lia tried once more.


    Despite all of her efforts, her body seemed to weaken as the tide of people squished her on all sides. If she were to get out of this town alive, she would not step foot inside this place ever again. Maybe beg Tamara to go to other places, search for friendlier areas.


    ¡®Just what the heck is going on?¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± the girl in front of her echoed her thoughts.


    ¡°There¡¯s a contest in the middle!¡± someone beside her answered.


    Another one giggled. ¡°One of the judges is so handsome!¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s from the capital. The mayor brought him as a guest here.


    ¡°Do you think he is single?¡±


    A fit of laughter echoed in the surroundings. Lia rolled her eyes when she heard of this. This information only increased her desire to get away from this place. Not that man again. She had enough of him to last her lifetime.


    In the original novel, Lia, who loved all sorts of gatherings went down to the town to join the people in the hopes of enjoying herself too. The woods were her prison. It was dry and lifeless. She wanted to be with other people, to feel like she belonged. She only wanted to be somehow part of the occasion. At times like this, no one will bat an eye even to her. So she did.


    There was a cooking contest and she watched from the distance. Until she saw him. She fell in love at him right then and there. She did everything she could to be able to join and show her skills to him. This was the start of her chasing the protagonist. The start of her fall.


    So for Lia now, this contest meant as something that must be avoided at all cost. She did not want to join. She did not want to meet the protagonist. She wanted nothing to do with him.


    But her momentarily lost of focus caused her to be swept away right into the middle of the town.


    ¡°Wait! Just¨C¡±


    Of course, her protest reached deaf ears as everyone was eager to get to the front of the stage. The people crushed her, stomped on her feet as they burst towards the front.


    At the corner of her eye, she caught sight of an area on her left with lesser people. She gathered her remaining strength and waded through the crowd and stumbled directly to a table.

 Chapter 20

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    A bored looking woman asked behind the table. Lia, unsure of what to make of her question, let her eyes roam around, trying to find a clue of what was going on.


    ¡°Name,¡± the woman repeated, impatience evident on her voice.


    Lia¡¯s eyes found the open area with tables and other cooking materials. She returned her gaze to the woman and the registration paper before her.


    ¡°Drat.¡±


    ¡°Drat?¡± the woman gave her a weird look then shrugged and wrote on the paper.


    ¡°No!¡± Lia was pretty sure she would not want to be called Drat. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not joining okay.¡±


    The woman stared up, looking affronted. It was Lia¡¯s turn to shrug, not like she ever wanted to be here either. She turned on her heels and began walking away when her eyes caught sight of him.


    The four judges had already taken their assigned seats. They started chatting and whispering with each other. Except him who was busy having a staring contest with Lia.


    The woman followed Lia¡¯s line of sight and snickered.


    ¡°So you came for him too?¡±


    Lia looked away first and gave the woman a, what she hoped, an incredulous look. Did she mistake her for some lovesick maiden like the ones from the crowd?


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one,¡± she said as she pointed to the participants who already took their places. Almost half of them were young ladies.


    Lia was about to leave when she a tall man with pig-like nose came out. He went straight to Lia.


    ¡°Is she the last contestant?¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the woman said it at the same time as Lia exclaimed a reverberating ¡®No!¡¯


    ¡°Girl, don¡¯t waste our time, we¡¯re about to start. Let¡¯s go,¡± the man said pushing Lia towards the middle.


    ¡°Name.¡± the woman insisted.


    ¡°Li- Lin,¡± Lia answered dejectedly. So much for trying hard to avoid this damn day this damn contest. Doing all those stealth moves drained her. That conversation that went nowhere drained her further. What a day.


    She sighed. Fine. If this was what people called destiny, so be it. She was too lazy to fight it. Fighting seemed futile anyway.


    They reached her allocated table and her mind was pulled back to the event in front of her. A cooking contest. She did not prepare anything. She knew nothing. She scrambled for the things that happened in the novel. She did not pay attention to this part because she was so sure that she would avoid this event.


    ¡®Overconfident, aren¡¯t we?¡¯


    From what she recalled, there was a theme, something along the lines of food you would give to the person you love. Having the person she liked in front of her, she was inspired and took home the first place.


    But Lia now was not eager to impress him nor was she eager to win. Too much trouble. It was already so much work to be in this place, at this time.


    She sucked hard on her inner cheek as if steadying her will. ¡®Fine, fine. I¡¯ll do what I can but definitely not my best. Can¡¯t be bothered to give that much for this.¡¯

 Chapter 21

    The tall man who dragged Lia to her table served as the contest host. He introduced the judges for the contest ¡ª the town mayor, the head chef of the biggest restaurant, one of the city council, and ¡®Sir Eldric¡¯ as the guest of honor. After the introduction, the host called all twenty participants in front.


    ¡°We have twice the number of participants for this year!¡± the host grinned at the contestants, mostly at women. ¡°In front of you are the ingredients that you can use. But you have to be fast. There is only limited supply of these so you better grab yours right away before another contender do. However, it is against the rules to hoard them just so your rivals won¡¯t have anything to use. Just get what you will need so that we can also avoid wastage.¡±


    Lia stared at the long table before them. There were pots and baskets of all kinds of ingredients, pork, beef, chicken, vegetables, spices, everything. Yet she still had not come up with a recipe that she would use.


    ¡®Anything is fine since I won¡¯t try to win this.¡¯


    The theme was someone you love, then how about a dessert? Or she could just copy the novel Lia¡¯s recipe to make her life easier. ¡®But that might increase my chances of winning, no?¡¯ she thought as she chewed on her inner cheek.


    ¡°As for this year¡¯s theme, I¡¯ll let our distinguished guest tell that you,¡± the host regarded the protagonist with a nod, to which he replied by standing and walking towards the contestants.


    Lia heard gasps and murmurs around her as the girls ogled at the protagonist. She fought the urge to roll her eyes.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± Eldric said as he looked at each participant, ¡°for this year¡¯s theme, you have to create a dish that reminds you of home. That¡¯s simple don¡¯t you think? Best of luck.¡±


    Eldric turned on his heels but not before holding Lia¡¯s gaze who gawk at him. She could not help it. That was a completely different theme! Her planned recipe would not fit the theme. She may not want to win, but she did not to be a laughingstock for her choice of dish either.


    As the host signaled the start of the contest, the other participants dashed to the long table, grabbing everything they could. They rushed to the ingredients with such ferocity that some of them started fighting over a single item.


    And Lia stood in the middle of the chaos, dazed.


    Gosh darn it. She hated last minute changes the most. But her mind went blank when the theme was announced. Meanwhile, the rest of the contestants seemed to have started with their preparation already. The long table had lesser people and much lesser ingredient.


    The intense atmosphere came to her like a jolt as though a fire was lit inside her. She rushed to the table and tried to ignore the disapproving gaze she received from the judges. Her mind raced as she scanned the remaining items on the table.


    ¡°Home,¡± she repeated chanted the word as if saying it out loud might give her the inspiration she needed.


    And like a magic word, it did.

 Chapter 22

    Lia did a mad dash, grabbing the remaining items on the table. She was glad that the ingredients she needed had some left. That would work. She could make this work. She was not as good as both of her mothers but she got her knack for mixing stuff from them so hopefully, that would help her.


    She could hear the frantic chopping beside her. As well as the sizzles from the pans and the different savory aroma wafting in the air. Lia tried to ignore them all. But every time her eyes would shift to her side, checking the nearby tables if they were close to completing their dishes. Her body moved in such a fast-paced she never thought she could as if trying to make up for the lost seconds at the start of the competition.


    Lia boiled the meat while she prepared the vegetables which did not take that much work. She only needed to cut them in half then pour all of them on the pot once the soup was done.


    All she could do was wait as she dropped the spices and let everything boil together. She let herself look around. Everyone was serious and the dishes looked foreign and grand. She watched her pot as it made a gurgling sound. It looked so¡­drab compared to the others.


    She shrugged. At least she was having fun. Cooking was fun. She hoped the organizers would let her take home her dish so she could let Tamara taste it. She wanted to share ¡®her¡¯ home with her new mother.


    She watched the others do their plating as she placed the potato and corn on the pot. Estimating the time she had, Lia thought she had another good thirty minutes before the host would tell them to start the presentation.


    The girl on her left finished first with her stir-fried noodles, topped with different seafood. She kept on glancing towards the judges¡¯ tables and Lia would not have to guess who she was staring at.


    Soon almost half of the contestants have finished with their dishes. Lia took it as her cue to put the last ingredients, cabbage and pechay. That would be enough to cook them while also maintaining their crunchiness.


    The host clapped his hands to get their attention. ¡°You have ten minutes to finish up your dishes. After that, please bring your food in front and present it to the judges.¡±


    Lia waited until the last minutes before she scooped the contents and poured them on a bowl. She tasted it one last time and smiled. It really tasted like home. If she was back in her original world, she would have called over her mother and present the soup with pride. ¡®I did it mom!¡¯ she would say. Her mom, like every doting mother, would praise her and maybe say that it was the best one she ever tasted.


    The host called the girl on her left to present being the first person to finish her dish. She took her plate and placed it in front of the judges who gathered around it instantly.


    ¡°Tell us about your dish,¡± Eldric said, causing the girl to blush and stutter as she explained her food.


    The judges tasted the food, asked more questions, and nodded their heads at her answers. The host called in the next contestants and they repeated the questioning and tasting again.


    The closer she got to being called, the more nervous she got. She kept reminding herself that she did not need to be on the edge, but she still did. She rehearsed what she had to say in her head to distract herself.


    At long last, she was called.


    Her cold fingers held the bowl firmly and sent a silent prayer that she would not stumble and make a fool out of herself. She placed down her bowl with a slight rattle.


    ¡°What do we have here?¡± the female council asked.

 Chapter 23

    ¡°What do we have here?¡± the female council asked.


    Lia took a deep breath. ¡°This is Ox bone soup. But in our house, we called it Bulalo. The Ox bone is the main ingredient as the bone marrow brings out the rich flavor of the soup.¡±


    She noted their apprehension to taste her soup. The judges got over their initial impression rather easily though, got their serving and began eating. They sipped the soup with the mayor and the female council nodding their head in satisfaction. The other two judges savor the taste and took a bite at the vegetables.


    ¡°I love how you managed to keep the vegetables crunchy. They are not overcooked,¡± the chef noted.


    ¡°So tell m¨C us,¡± Eldric said, ¡°why did you choose this as your dish?¡±


    Lia stared at the soup she made. Bulalo was their comfort food. But both she and her mom were poor and the meat was expensive so they reserved it for special occasions. Sometimes her mom would create her own occasion to make Lia cheer up. Even in cold weather, when they did not have a heater to keep them warm, this food would be on their table as the two of them exchange tales of their daily lives. Ah, good times.


    ¡°Because it reminds me of my mother and beside her is the only place I consider home.¡±


    She did not explain further, afraid that the next time she opened her mouth, her voice would crack. So as the wall she built around her memories. She missed her mom. She missed all the good times and the bad times they had together. She could only hope she was well and not grieving so much for losing her only daughter.


    Lia prayed that her bastard of a father would not pester her mom so much. He could disappear at the edge of the world for all she cared. He betrayed her not just once, but four times. Worst, her mom forgave him every single time. He only went away when Lia threw him out after she learned that there was a new mistress. Enough was enough.


    When she looked up, the judges were discussing among themselves and only Eldric remained staring at her.


    ¡°What happened to your mother?¡± he asked softly.


    ¡°She¨C she is dead.¡±


    Eldric nodded in understanding as the host called the next contestant. Lia went back to her table and waited until the last contestant finished their presentation. The judges huddled on the table, compared notes, and deliberated. The host went around, congratulating the participants. Lia also took this chance to ask if she could bring home her food, to which he answered positively. In fact, they could even bring home a sample of the others¡¯ dishes. Lia smiled widely at that. They would not worry about their food for dinner.


    When the judges broke their circle, Lia knew that they were ready to announce the winner. ¡®Just announce it already,¡¯ she thought. She wanted to go home and sleep. She thought of Tamara and wondered if she was worried as Lia was running late.


    ¡°So here are the winners for the cooking contest,¡± the host¡¯s voice boomed all around. ¡°For the third place¡­ Lin!¡±


    It took Lia a full minute to realize that was the name she used when she registered. The host beckoned her to come in front and she crossed the middle looking stunned. She scanned the faces of the judges for any signs of mistake or maybe jest or anything.


    She swallowed, trying hard not burst out with laughter. ¡°I won?¡±


    They looked back at her in surprise. For a third placer, she seemed so happy.


    Eldric smiled at her and nodded. ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    Lia giggled. She won. She won! For real. Oh, this was madness. But a good kind of madness. She placed a hand over her mouth to stop herself for laughing out loud as the host called the other winners.


    The host handed them their take-home foods as the judges made their rounds to congratulate the participants. Lia was just itching to go home. She thought of slipping away as the others chattered. She turned to leave when someone called her.


    ¡°So your name is Lin.¡±


    Lia paused in her steps but then it hit her. She recognized his voice so she did the most rational thing she could think of ¨C ran for her life.

 Chapter 24

    Today was the festival. Eldric watched from the window of his room at the mayor¡¯s house as people filled the streets. Everyone was in a festive mood, busying themselves with the decorations or visiting different stalls that occupied the streets in the past week.


    But Eldric was not in the least bit in a celebratory mood. He came here with a purpose. He needed to track a man, so strong, so vicious, and so evil. Someone who ruins lives. And he was trying his best so that no more people would fall victim.


    A knock on his door brought him back from his thoughts.


    Tim poked his head inside the study. ¡°Eldric, it¡¯s time for the contest.¡±


    He groaned. He did not really care about the festival. He only wanted to find the man and kill him with his own hands.


    But attending the festival was a task the King trusted him to do. So he had to fulfill this duty too.


    He balled his fist. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll come down.¡±


    ¡°Think of this as a good opportunity. We might get a piece of information about the group we are pursuing,¡± Tim said, trying to coax his general into a better mood.


    As Eldric expected, the contest was just a waste of time, time he should be using to gather intel. He sat at the judges¡¯ table, trying to keep a poker face as the other judges chattered nonstop.


    ¡°Our General here might have the highest standard when it comes to food,¡± the chef said.


    ¡°Oh ho, that is true. The foods they serve at the Palace and the city are definitely top-notch,¡± the mayor said.


    ¡°But this year¡¯s theme isn¡¯t about lavishness or anything like that,¡± the female council chimed in.


    This year¡¯s theme was home. The word was as foreign to him like exotic food. He never had one. If anything, the closest he could ever think of home, was the Imperial Palace. But that was not a safe place with its never-ending politics. And the Queen. It was worse because of her.


    Eldric sat on his chair, bored beyond belief when something caught his eyes.


    That little fellow.


    Lately, he kept on bumping into this young lad within the town. Or should he say, young lady?


    Despite the shirt and the pants and the hat, he knew right away that she was a girl back at the fruit stall. Was she joining the contest? But the way she refused seemed otherwise.


    ¡®Oh, but she was being guided to join the rest of the participants now.¡¯


    Eldric sat straighter. He had finally something to look forward to for this event. He wondered what she might make. But her disguise¡­


    She was still wearing a man¡¯s clothes and it had been bothering Eldric. Why did she have to do that? Was she a spy? One of that man¡¯s accomplices?


    He gritted his teeth. He had more reason to bash that man¡¯s head if he knew that she was part of the organization. ¡®If she was another victim¡­¡¯ his blood boiled just by thinking about it.


    But before he could devise his plans further, the host took the stage. Eldric readjusted his thoughts and focused on the contest.

 Chapter 25

    She was the happiest third placer he had ever seen. Her face glowed even when she tried to suppress her grin. Eldric grinned. Her joy was contagious.


    To think that she was out of it when the contest started. He watched her as she stood in the middle looking lost that he almost stood up from his chair to shake her by the shoulder. With a jolt, she suddenly rushed and got to work as if she woke up from her daydream. Eldric let himself breathe a sigh of relief.


    She was focused on her dish that she was not aware of what was happening around her. He watched in anticipation when she looked proud after tasting her food. Unconsciously, he licked his lips as if he could taste it too.


    As he was watching her prepare her dish, his eyes caught sight of a small commotion in the crowd. He thought of dismissing it as a small quarrel among the people when he noticed the cause of it. A man was thrashing around and some of the men around him tried to keep him down. The man tried to fight and brush them off but he suddenly lost his consciousness.


    Eldric signaled for his right-hand man who came behind him right away. He pointed at the crowd and Tim already slipped to check it out. Judging from what he had seen, that man was connected to what he was investigating.


    ¡®Just wait and I¡¯ll pin you down soon,¡¯ he thought, his fingers gripping the armrest of his chair.


    ============


    ¡°You look happy,¡± Tim said the moment he came to the room Eldric occupied.


    ¡°Am I?¡± Eldric arched his eyebrow, sipping the Ox bone soup, or like what Lin said, Bulalo.


    ¡°Is it delicious?¡±


    ¡°Very. It¡¯s a pity that you won¡¯t be able to taste it,¡± he smirked then he turned serious. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯ve got.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Tim straightened his stand, ¡°that man from the crowd, he was drunk. I pretended to help to carry him but I almost dropped him when I touched his skin.¡±


    Eldric scowled.


    ¡°His skin was on fire. No, I¡¯m not shitting you. And get this, when the doctor checked him, he said he has a high fever.¡±


    ¡°Just a moment. He was drinking while sick?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too. But one of the men who helped said he was drinking with that man and he looked okay.¡±


    Eldric leaned back on his chair, crossed his legs, and digested what he had heard. There was no mistaking it. This case coincided with the other reports he received. But how did these things circulate?


    He remembered Lin and her disguise. What was with her disguise? Heaven knew if Lin was even her real name. ¡®Please don¡¯t let her be part of this mess.¡¯ Part of him did not want her to be involved. There had to be another reason, a separate reason.


    Tim moved to the side table. ¡°Drink?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Give me something strong. I need to think.¡±


    A knock sounded on the door and without waiting to be invited, a flushed mayor came inside the room.


    ¡°I know where they get those things,¡± the mayor said.


    Eldric and Tim exchanged a look. The General nodded at the mayor to let him continue.


    ¡°It was the witch.¡±

 Chapter 26

    It was a fine morning. After the stresses last week, Lia felt like today was a good start of the week. She had a good night sleep and felt rested, to the point where she welcomed the sunlight intruding her room which usually brought nothing but annoyance in the morning.


    There was spring on her steps, humming as she made her way to the clearing. She gathered quite a lot of materials for Tamara so she got time to waste before lunch and before her lessons with her mother.


    She bugged her mother to teach her to create medicine and cosmetics. Her fascination about them grew as she watched Tamara create things that cure people or at least alleviate the pain. Tamara also worked her magic in helping her and the other female patron¡¯s at Yolly¡¯s shop to look good with her salve and face paints.


    But those were to be dealt with in the afternoon, for today she could only lie down on the grass and soaked in the sunlight.


    When she arrived at the clearing, she could tell right away there was something wrong. While she could not pinpoint exactly what was wrong, there was something in the atmosphere, something dark and sinister that hit her when she came in.


    By this time, Lia knew the woods like the back of her hands. She knew where the dangerous areas were, the place where scary animals lurked. But this small clearing of hers was different. Not a lot of wild animals wandered around here as if there was a consensus between them and the humans not to touch each other¡¯s turf.


    Keeping an eye on her surroundings, she tentatively took a step towards the pond. It was quiet in the woods, eerily quiet aside from the hammering sound that came from Lia¡¯s heartbeat.


    After a few minutes of standing in the middle, listening in even the slightest sound, Lia allowed herself to relax a bit and splashed her face with cold water to wash off the beads of sweat that gathered on her forehead. Maybe that was her imagination. After being mobbed at the town, her body instinctively tensed up every time she sensed a palpable change in the air. She even began carrying a dagger hidden on her body, in case she needed it.


    Then she saw the trails of blood.


    Lia stopped dead, her senses strained for any movements around her as her hand slowly reached for her dagger. She followed the trail with her eyes that started from the clearing and led to the middle of the forest. She started following it but stopped short again.


    What if there was still dangerous people inside? What if someone¡¯s fighting? But that did not make sense because there was no other sound aside from Lia¡¯s ragged breathing.


    Her hand gripped the hilt tighter and continued walking. She was just going to check what was going on. If things turned out dangerous, she was leaving.


    Comforted with her plan, she trudged ahead in the middle of the forest. She winced every time her foot made a slight noise as she stepped on grass or bark. If whoever was fighting in there found her, it would not end up in anything good. Her steps faltered when the trail ended in a pool of blood.


    And in front of her was the man she just saw back at the festival who was now slumped on a tree, bleeding as if there was no tomorrow.

 Chapter 27

    Lia stood up straight and alert, scanning the area for any sign of immediate danger. There was a high chance that the people who did this was still nearby. With steps light and fast, she crossed the intervening space between her and Eldric¡¯s body in no time.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡±


    Compared to the regal look he had during the festival, the man before her looked like someone who fought to death, wounds all over his arms and legs. There was a big gaping wound on his stomach, looking like he was stabbed where all the blood came from.


    She felt his wrist and checked for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there. She breathed a sigh of relief. He was alive. But barely.


    Her mind worked fast. She did not have anything that might stop the bleeding, save for her handkerchief. ¡®That would do,¡¯ she thought. Better than nothing. Her hands shook as she pressed to his wound and tried to stop the bleeding. Soon, her handkerchief was soaked with blood. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.


    ¡®He is going to die at this rate.¡¯


    Lia knew she was not good at these things. She was not the perfect person on the job. She needed Tamara here. But calling her mother, then going back in the clearing took time. And time was not on their side. The people who did this to Eldric might even come back and kill him for sure this time. By the time Lia and Tamara came back, it would be all over.


    There was only one thing she could do if her strength and luck would be on her side today. She shook him lightly, trying to rouse him. He had to be awake. Lia feared that if he fell unconscious, he would not wake up anymore.


    ¡°Hey, do you hear me?¡± She shook him again, a bit more forceful than last time. She also sent a tiny prayer for him to be awake.


    Eldric grunted and opened his bleary eyes. That was enough for Lia


    ¡°I need you to stay awake, please,¡± she hauled him up, continuously praying that she was doing the right thing and that he would not die in her clumsy attempt to save his life.


    The clearing was not that far from their house. But with a big body with her, Lia thought the walk lasted for day. ¡®Please please please. Don¡¯t let him die.¡¯


    She held the arm wrapped around her shoulder tighter and gripped Eldric¡¯s waist closer to her body. She heard him groaned in pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± he groaned again and Lia thought because she was loud, so she spoke softly this time. ¡°Hang on to me. We¡¯re almost at my house. You¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    Lia did not feel reassured as she sounded. But she had to try. She could not just leave him to die. Maybe Tamara¡¯s kindness rubbed off on her. She continued speaking just so she could prevent him from sleeping


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you dare sleep on me,¡± Lia huffed and puffed as she hoisted him on her shoulders. ¡°What are you even doing here? Why are you alone? Don¡¯t you have men?¡±


    Eldric groaned, moaned and grunted in response. And that was enough for Lia. ¡®He is alive. Please continue being alive.¡¯ She continued mumbling loud incoherent words.


    Her legs almost gave way, what was with Eldric¡¯s height and bulky body. It was too much for her. She had known that she had limited physical energy. She added to increase in physical strength and learn medicine to her long mental list of things she should learn for her to survive in this chaotic world.


    ¡®Just a few more, just a few more. Please let us make into the house alive. The two of us.¡¯

 Chapter 28

    Their cottage was only a few steps away. Lia gathered her remaining strength and held Eldric¡¯s body. The sudden movement caused the wound to open as blood gushed and Eldric getting paler by the second.


    ¡°Crap, crap, crap. I¡¯m so sorry. Ah darn it all,¡° Lia muttered under her breath. ¡°Just a few more steps. Hang on please.¡±


    Lia threw a vigilant look over her shoulder before she quickened her pace. It would not hurt to be careful. She was not sure that they were not being followed. She would not want them popping out of nowhere just when they were almost at the finish line.


    ¡°Mother, mother!¡± she shouted at the top of her lungs. Eldric groaned beside her but she had paid him no mind.


    Tamara looked out the window and with an alarmed look, she rushed out of the house and helped her hoist Eldric inside their house. Lia felt relieved both from the weight of Eldric¡¯s body off her shoulders and his life. Her mother would be a lot more helpful than her.


    They brought him to Lia¡¯s room because they have no other spare room and quickly set to work. Tamara barked instructions after instructions as Lia dashed in and out of the room bringing things such as basin, bandages, or medicines.


    ¡°Will he be okay?¡± Lia whispered. She did not know why she was whispering but it seemed appropriate at the moment.


    Tamara furrowed her brows in concentration, cleaning the wounds. She did not look up when she answered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Too many wounds, too much blood loss.¡±


    Lia chewed the corner of her lips as she helped Tamara bandaged the cuts on the man¡¯s arms and legs. But it was easier and simpler to do than the wound on his stomach. It was so much bigger and deeper. She was not one to feel queasy about blood but there was something about Eldric¡¯s wound that made her squirm. It was as if the wound came from a fit of deep-seated anger with every intention to kill the other person. She could not imagine what kind of things happened that made anyone angry enough to kill someone. Or perhaps, this was just how this world worked. If you were not from the same side, then one of you should die. That realization came to her like a jolt. She shivered involuntarily.


    Eldric cried out in pain and then mumbled something incoherent. She still found it surreal to see him in his bed, wounded, and on the verge of dying. He seemed so tall and powerful, above all men except for the King. Just a week ago, he was being conned at the market. He had worn his easy smile, his devilish grin. Unlike his face now, contorted in agony. ¡®What happened to you?¡¯


    ¡°What happened?¡± Tamara asked still focused on dressing Eldric.


    Lia shrugged. Then realized that Tamara could not see her. ¡°I just saw trails of blood from the clearing, followed it, and found him like that.¡±


    A horrible thought struck her. ¡°Do you think it was wise to do that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Of course, saving lives will always be important and but we don¡¯t know who he is.¡±


    ¡°I know. ¡°


    Tamara glanced at her, warily.


    ¡°I know,¡± Lia deliberated. ¡°He was the judge during the contest, the one I was talking about before? They said he was the general or something from the Imperial City.¡±


    Tamara paled as a sheet.

 Chapter 29

    Tamara paled as a sheet. ¡°Imperial City?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know, he is a high shot.¡± Lia thought her mother freaked out because the man under her fingers was one of the highest-ranking officials in the whole country. ¡°Should I go inform the mayor now?¡±


    Tamara considered for a moment. ¡°No, let¡¯s not tell anyone yet. We will have to wait for his decision once he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Will he?¡±


    ¡°Well have to do our best. We can¡¯t just let him die.¡±


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t we have to, I don¡¯t know, tell someone? Maybe someone from his men?¡±


    Tamara shook her head. ¡°We are not sure who to trust with this. We have no idea who did this to him. Could be a friend or foe.¡±


    It took a few seconds for the words to register to Lia. She widened her eyes in response. ¡°You¡¯re telling me someone might have betrayed him?¡±


    ¡°There are traitors everywhere, Lia.¡± Tamara had a faraway look on her face, the same look she had when she told the story about her family. Somehow, Lia was not sure they were still talking about Eldric.


    ¡°Alright. So. We help him while keeping his presence here a secret. Is that it?¡± As much as Lia wanted to have nothing to do with the man, she could not let him die or feed him to his enemies. Not like this. She was not sure she could sleep peacefully at night if she ignored him. ¡°Right. What else can I do?¡±


    Tamara looked out the window. She had already finished dressing Eldric¡¯s wound and started cleaning the bedside table.


    ¡°Go to the town. And buy clothes for him and also some meat products. We need to feed him nutritious food so he would recover easily.¡±


    Lia listed down what she would buy and donned her male disguise. It was a pain to dress like one but it was even more troublesome if she was discovered. And she had enough trouble for one day.


    It was mid-afternoon when they finally settled Eldric. But Tamara needed more medicine for him so she set out to prepare. Before Lia set out for the town, she went back to the clearing despite her mother¡¯s protest. She needed to get her basket of materials. If they were going to cure Eldric, they needed to have a full arsenal of medicine.


    And she hoped that the people who fought against Eldric would not come back there twice today. But going back to the clearing cost her some time and now she had to rush to the town so she could come back before it was dark.


    As she strode around the town, she kept her ears open for any gossips and whispers amongst the townsfolk. The people¡¯s intelligence network was nothing to scoff at. There might be news about the recent happenings. But there was nothing. She thought of going to Yolly¡¯s shop to eavesdrop to the other patrons. But going there out of schedule and without any of Tamara¡¯s product would be suspicious so she did not push through and just went home.


    She came back with Tamara wiping Eldric¡¯s face with a damp cloth. For the first time today, she saw what had become of his handsome face. A huge bump of blue and black color rested on his left eye and a split on his upper lip. Lia helped her mother dressed the sleeping Eldric.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine now. I just don¡¯t know when he would wake up.¡± Tamara said.

 Chapter 30

    Three days. That was how long it took for Eldric to wake up. Lia and Tamara nursed him day in and day out. They kept an eye for any movement in the woods in case Eldric¡¯s enemies still lurked somewhere in the woods, waiting for a time to strike. Lia also kept her trips to the clearing short, no more lounging or sleeping around. She plucked the materials and went back home again.


    Lia was changing his bandages when he started rousing. For a moment, she was afraid that she might have caused him more pain than help with her clumsy dressing. She held her breath as she watched him move his fingers and slowly opened his eyes. She waited until his eyes came into focus and stared at her curiously.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± She asked softly.


    For a pregnant moment, he just laid there with furrowed eyebrows. Perhaps trying to remember what made him land in their house in the first place.


    ¡°Who are you? Why am I here? Where is this?¡± He asked in a rasped voice without any trace of fear or panic. It was as if he only asked what day was it.


    ¡°I found you in the woods and I brought you here to our house. My mother is the one who treated you. Does it hurt anywhere?¡± Conscious with the vigilant look Eldric was giving him, she acted like she did not care as she checked his wounds. But Eldric continued to study her face.


    He shook his head. ¡°Am I dead?¡±


    ¡°No. Would you want to?¡±


    He shook his head again. ¡°I thought I would be. You look familiar. Have we met before?¡± His eyes searched Lia¡¯s face.


    ¡°Are you trying to pick me up right after you woke up? No, you wait there. Don¡¯t move so much or you¡¯ll bleed again.¡± Lia pushed him back as gentle as possible when he tried to get up. She helped him leaned on the headboard instead. ¡°Mother? Mother! He¡¯s awake!¡±


    Not too long after that, Tamara emerged to Lia¡¯s room and checked his body while Lia watched on the sideline. Eldric stiffened when Tamara came in, his eyes focused on her hair. ¡®Great. Someone who might know about the witch.¡¯


    ¡°Please be careful when moving. Your wounds might reopen.¡± Tamara said.


    ¡°How long did I pass out?¡± he asked, his gaze flickered between Tamara and Lia.


    ¡°Three days.¡±


    Eldric squeezed his eyes shut. ¡°That long?¡±


    Tamara exchanged a look with Lia. ¡°My daughter here told me that you are from the Imperial City. May we know what happened, my Lord? So that we can help you.¡±


    ¡°Please, just call me Eldric. You have already done so much and I don¡¯t want to burden you anymore. I¡¯m forever in your debt.¡± He glanced at Lia who was watching him silently on the sidelines before turning back to Tamara. ¡°¡­ have you inform the town yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. We await your decision. We thought that maybe something happened that shouldn¡¯t be known to the public. Lia checked and there were no rumors around the town because of your disappearance.¡± Tamara explained.


    ¡°That was wise of you.¡± Eldric considered for a moment and Lia waited with bated breath. ¡°And yes, I guess I owe you two an explanation.¡±

 Chapter 31

    ¡°That was wise of you.¡± Eldric considered for a moment and Lia waited with bated breath. ¡°And yes, I guess I owe you two an explanation.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± he studied the two ladies in front of him. ¡°I need your cooperation and there¡¯s something I want to ask.¡±


    Tamara and Lia exchanged looks. Lia thought she already knew what he was going to ask.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Tamara said.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell to anyone that I¡¯m alive. Not yet. Besides if people know that I¡¯m still breathing, they might also come after you. And I hate that I can¡¯t do anything to protect you at the moment.¡±


    He looked at both Tamara and Lia directly in the eyes, driving his point. The two women nodded. They were used in a life of secrecy.


    ¡°And your question?¡± Lia tried to hide the edge on her voice. She wanted her to be wrong.


    Eldric swallowed and stared at Tamara. ¡°Are you the witch?¡±


    Lia pushed herself off the wall and stood beside her mother. ¡°We are.¡±


    She would not let her mother shoulder all of this alone. She would be the witch if needed.


    Tamara and Eldric glanced at her, shocked. But her mother recovered right away, held her hand, and stared at her with misty eyes. ¡°We are.¡± She repeated.


    A look of confusion flashed through Eldric¡¯s face before he schooled his features again. He shifted into a more comfortable position.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to judge you nor call you names. I came here because there was a report that linked the witch to something I was investigating.¡± He paused, studying their reaction.


    When they did not answer, he continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard of the happenings in town about people getting drunk then getting sick and then miraculously cured by the same alcoholic drink that started it all. The result is, they¡¯d commit actions thinking that they are dreaming. When the moment passes, these people will be sick again. And it¡¯s not just the usual hangover, mind you. Really sick, most commonly high fever.¡±


    ¡°What kind of things do these people do?¡± Tamara asked.


    ¡°A variety of things. There are reports that range from stealing to killings and other¡­debauchery.¡± Eldric set his jaw.


    Tamara glanced at Lia, her eyes searching. Which made sense because Lia had been going in and out of the town in the past week. She did not hear any of it, though. But there was a faint memory that tugged at her mind.


    She went to Yolly¡¯s shop and waited for her order when she heard Yolly talking to her son.


    ¡°Don¡¯t drink just about anything! Especially gin! You know what happens to people who drink! If you do something, I¡¯ll be the one to turn you to the mayor!¡± she snarled.


    Frankie just laughed it off and assured his mother that he would be careful. Lia thought nothing of that at the moment, thinking it was just something a usual reminder of a mother to her child.


    ¡°Yolly told Frankie that he should avoid gin,¡± she thought out loud.


    That might have been true since Eldric nodded. ¡°Most of the victims drank gin before it happened.¡±


    ¡°So, what, you thought the witch spiked their drinks?¡± Lia asked coldly. ¡°Are we under your interrogation and surveillance now?¡±


    Eldric winced at her words. Lia chewed her lip, his reaction was a dead giveaway. That was why he was in the woods. He was meant to capture them and judge them like what the townsfolk did.

 Chapter 32

    ¡°How do you even know that we¡¯re the witch?¡± Lia asked the obvious question.


    ¡°The hair,¡± he gestured at Tamara¡¯s platinum blond hair. He hesitated for a while but shook his head. ¡°They said that was the telling sign. They didn¡¯t mention the two of you though.¡±


    ¡°The people had only seen her once,¡± Tamara said. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve seen us, do you still doubt us? Do you want us to go to the town?¡±


    Lia turned to her mother in shock. She offered to deliver themselves willingly. Lia would not stand to that. There was bound to be a limit to her kindness. ¡°Mother!¡±


    Eldric waved his hand weakly. ¡°No need. It is obvious that you are used as a scapegoat. You are not the ones who attacked us last night.¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡± Lia murmured. She was not sure if the other two heard her but Eldric glanced at her direction. This was just absurd. If something went wrong it always had to be the witch, wasn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Alright. But you are free to inspect our house if you would like to satisfy your curiosity,¡± Tamara offered.


    Eldric shook his head. ¡°Although you can¨C¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lia said, staring directly into Eldric¡¯s eyes. She did not have to hear the rest of the words but she was certain that he was going to offer her mother to help them know the contents of the gin. And of course, Tamara would oblige, anything to help the people blah-blah. ¡°No.¡± She repeated, more forceful this time.


    ¡°Lia.¡± Tamara spoke her name as if she was talking to a petulant child. The next time she spoke it was for Eldric. ¡°I think the best course of action is for your wounds to heal first. For now, you need something to eat. Wait here while I prepare. Lia, continue the dressing.¡±


    As Tamara went out, Lia went back to work aware of Eldric¡¯s state. Eldric continued to watch her every move.


    ¡°It¡¯s rude to stare,¡± she said.


    ¡°So that explains the cross-dressing.¡±


    Lia set her jaw, eyes focused on the bandages. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But not the avoidance.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°May I ask why?¡±


    ¡°You may not.¡± After a while, she added in a low voice, ¡°We don¡¯t want a part in this. We don¡¯t want trouble.¡±


    Eldric nodded and sat back and let Lia continue her work in silence. For that Lia was grateful. In her previous world, she would have done the small talking. There was a constant fear in her that she was the cause of the silence. So she did everything to fill them, however uncomfortable she became. But that was then. It was funny how in this new world, she was growing comfortable with the silence. She was no longer afraid of being misunderstood. People would misunderstand even without any help from her.


    After a while, Lia finished the bandages and started gathering the materials. She was about to stand up and leave when Eldric grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He stared at Lia¡¯s eyes, sincerity reflected in them.


    ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°No I mean, thank you for everything, in the woods. You are the one who found me right?¡±


    He tried to move forward, causing Lia to panic. She moved fast and steady him to avoid opening his wounds.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overexert yourself now. And you¡¯re welcome. You should rest, you seem to need more of it.¡±

 Chapter 33

    It took two more days before Tamara allowed Eldric to leave his bed despite his protests that he was feeling a lot better. The good thing was, he was an easy patient to deal with. He was would allow them to deal with him without any fuss at all. He followed every instruction and obeyed every reminder.


    Tamara was fond of him, she treated him almost like her own son. Lia had a suspicion sometimes that Eldric reminded her of her lost son. It did not sting her but it surely made her feel sad for her mother.


    On the other hand, Eldric loved being doted upon like it was his first time having a mom. The commanding judge from the contest was gone. In place of him was a fawning son. Lia watched their exchange in amusement.


    But all things considered, Lia hated how he turned out to be an agreeable person. He acted like their shabby cottage was a luxury inn, their food as if from a world-renowned chef.


    ¡°Is this the one you brought in the contest?¡± He poked his head in the kitchen just as Lia was preparing his food.


    Tamara went to the middle of the forest on the opposite side of the clearing. She mentioned about a new plant she found there in an accident. So she went back to study them and ordered the two to eat without her.


    He pulled a chair and sat. watching Lia placed the food in front of him. His eyes glittered from anticipation.


    He looked as if he fitted right in their home.


    ¡°Close. This one was different. It only has meat, not the bone marrow I used then. It¡¯s pretty cold lately so I thought you needed soup and this is good for someone recovering.¡±


    Eldric smiled. And Lia regretted opening her mouth. That was the worst of it all, how he was so easy to talk to. He turned to whoever he was talking to with his full attention as if whatever you were saying was the most important thing in the world. And his responses were neither condescending nor patronizing.


    ¡°You know some unique but delicious dishes,¡± he noted his voice full of approval as he took a sip from his soup.


    Lia shrugged, acting cool. ¡°You have to be inventive when you are living out here in the wilderness.¡±


    Eldric winced as he sipped his soup. His hand trembled as he held the spoon. Lia was quick to dab a handkerchief on the spot where the soup spilled. ¡°Careful. Do you need help? Do your wounds still hurting?¡±


    He waved her off dismissively. ¡°During the contest, you said your mother¡­ passed away. Yet you call Tamara, Mother?¡±


    Eldric eyed her, gauging her reactions. Lia knew, without even knowing why that he would not pursue the topic if she showed even an inkling of disapproval. But somehow, she wanted to tell him this.


    ¡°Tamara adopted me when my parents died.¡±


    Eldric studied her face. He seemed to have mistaken her detached tone to that of someone trying to hide her grief. But Lia was not hiding anything. While she was sorry for the death and the childhood of the original owner of the body, she had not met her parents. To her, they were more of a phantom, a figment of memory. She would go as far as calling them strangers.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s been a long time,¡± she said in an attempt to dismiss his pity.


    ¡°Why do you wear like that?¡± he said not unkindly, only trying to change the topic. She knew but she got defensive anyway.


    She had gone to the town that day to buy ingredients and to deliver as usual. When she came back, she went straight to cook and forgot about her clothes until he pointed them out.


    ¡°Why? What is wrong with my clothes?¡±


    ¡°No, you can wear pants or anything you¡¯d like. Though that¡¯s unusual but who cares. But you know what I mean,¡± his eyes pleaded.


    Lia found honesty there and something that might be close to curiosity. She sighed. ¡°People know our faces. If they see me in town, they would flog me. What, why do you look like that?¡± She asked when she saw Eldric furrowed his brows.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s good that they haven¡¯t figured it out yet, but it¡¯s also their lost for not seeing your beautiful face.¡± He smiled.


    Lia pushed down the urge to throw him anything so she settled with rolling her eyes.

 Chapter 34

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Eldric asked. He gathered the fallen leaves on one side and was just finishing his sweeping. Even without either Tamara or Lia telling him, he started helping out in the house. Small tasks, nothing too strenuous such as sweeping the perimeter of their house.


    Sometimes, Lia wondered if he really was a powerful man in the country. With his homely look right now, it was hard to imagine. He wore a white shirt, Lia bought when she first brought him in. He was lean but muscular, his toned muscles visible on the threadbare shirt. He wore his pants rolled up to the knees, lining up his equally muscled thighs and legs. He really was good-looking, despite his impoverished look. Lia suspected that he would still look majestic even if he was only wearing a sack.


    He glanced at the sun and narrowed his eyes as he brought his hands over his eyes to shield them. Then he put away his broom and strode over to Lia.


    Lia gripped the basket handle. ¡°I¡¯m going to gather ingredients in the woods.¡±


    He nodded. She need not say anymore. By now, he was used to the lessons Lia took under Tamara¡¯s guidance. The lessons amazed and perplexed him at the same time. ¡°Alone?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°May I go with you?¡±


    Lia started to protest but Eldric stopped him. ¡°My wounds have started closing. And if it¡¯s just walking then I think I should be fine. I¡¯ve been sleeping for so long I need to work my body and breathe some air.¡±


    Her shoulder sagged. He had a point. Unable to refute his words, Lia had no choice but to give in. Eldric gave him a boyish grin that somehow knocked her off her orbit.


    Eldric walked a few steps behind her, looking around the forest in admiration as if he was on a tour. Lia paid him no attention but at times, she felt like someone¡¯s staring at her back. When she turned, she would find him watching the trees instead.


    When they came to the clearing, Lia abruptly stopped. Eldric stopped beside her. Her eyes seemed to be playing tricks on her as she saw trails of blood near the pond. She blinked her eyes and found none of the droplets.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, there¡¯s no one here. We¡¯re safe,¡± Eldric assured her. Though Lia could see his eyes scanning the area, the kind when a predator searched for prey. She shuddered visibly and hated herself for being so obvious. ¡°Do you want me to scour the area?¡±


    Lia shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s just¡­¡± she could not find the right words so she shook her head again.


    Eldric seemed to understand her. He placed his hands on the pockets of his pants and acted casual. ¡°What do you want me to do? Do you need me to pick grass?¡±


    Lia snorted and got to work. ¡°We¡¯re not looking for grass.¡±


    It ended up with Lia explaining each and every plant she was getting. Eldric was a curious one.


    ¡°What are these ingredients for?¡± he asked holding a leaf between his thumb and forefinger.


    Lia pointed at the freshly picked leaves. ¡°These are medicinal herbs, while the other ones will be dried up and later be used as spices.¡±


    Once they were done, they sat around the clearing as Lia splashed her face with water from the pond. Eldric laid on the grass using his arms as pillows under his head.


    ¡°Are you the only ones living in this area?¡± He asked


    ¡°Yes because who wants to be neighbors with a witch?¡± Lia shrugged and dried her face with her handkerchief. There was a nagging thought at the back of her mind that had been pestering her since Eldric woke up. So she added in a quiet voice, ¡°Are you not afraid of us?¡±


    ¡°Why should I be afraid of my saviors?¡±


    Lia could tell that his answer was genuine and that brought her unease. Why was he nonplussed about all of this? ¡°Well my mother only ever saves people instead of hurting them but that doesn¡¯t stop people to judge.¡±


    ¡°You two don¡¯t have enough sense of danger,¡± he held a finger when Lia started to protest. ¡°You took me back without even knowing me. What if I was a bad person? Or what if the people who attacked me were still in the place where you found me? You say Tamara saves people despite everything. Well, so are you.¡±


    ¡®But I knew you.¡¯ He was the protagonist. He had the protagonist halo. Everybody else was mere cannon fodder. Eldric and the female lead were the stars of the story. He had to live. And that went without saying, he could not be a bad guy. Of course, Lia did not say all of that. She murmured, ¡°But you¡¯re not a bad guy.¡±


    She expected Eldric to laugh it off with his usual boyish grin that was a borderline smirk. Maybe even tease her about it. Instead, he watched her, eyes with inscrutable melancholy in them. His dark brown eyes, deep and unreadable. Lia prepared herself for what she would hear next. But his next words threw her off the loop altogether.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, your mother probably needs these herbs now.¡±

 Chapter 35

    ¡°Do you really have to wear that?¡± Eldric asked when Lia popped her head in the kitchen to inform her mother that she would be leaving for town. He was there to look at what her mother was doing and almost did a double take when he saw Lia wearing her man¡¯s clothes.


    It was time to deliver their products to Yolly¡¯s store and while she was in town, get something to replenish their supplies.


    Lia bit back her sarcastic remarks. She did not want to sound so catty at Eldric who was every bit a good and respectful guest in their small abode. Besides, after his cryptic reaction back in the clearing, Lia could not stop wondering what was Eldric¡¯s life before the Imperial Palace. Because the book did not say anything about his past. Maybe it did, on the upcoming second book. But by the time it was released, Lia was gone from that world.


    ¡°Yes, and I already told you,¡± Lia replied with gritted teeth. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d want to get from town?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I join you?¡±


    Eldric started rising. To her horror, Lia pulled down his arm to keep him sitting.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened yet. I¡¯ll try to get information around town. I¡¯ll get going.¡±


    Eldric started rising again. ¡°At least let me walk you to the outskirts of the town.¡±


    Lia started to protest again but they heard a cough that made the two of them look around.


    ¡°You better let him or you both spend the day insisting and denying things,¡± Tamara said, amusement glinting on her eyes.


    Eldric continued staring at her hair, now hidden under a large hat. ¡°They don¡¯t know what they¡¯re missing.¡±


    Lia narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Shut it.¡±


    They walked in comfortable silence. From the outside, they looked like two guys strolling in the middle of the forest. Eldric did not force any small talks. He let her alone in her own bubble. The worst part was Lia knew that Eldric would not judge her or pop that bubble and force himself to it.


    Except in the last hour where he kept on asking the same questions over and over again.


    ¡°Will you really be safe there alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, how many times do you think have I done this,¡± Lia tried hard not to roll her eyes.


    ¡°You have your dagger, yes?¡±


    Gosh, he was relentless. Lia had the urge to tease him.


    ¡°I do have it, ¡®Father¡¯.¡±


    Eldric glowered at her but betrayed by a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t have a disobedient child.¡±


    They both laughed at that. At the same time, they arrived at the edge of the woods. They could see houses not too far from them and children playing on the streets. They stopped walking and hid among the shadows of the trees.


    Eldric put his hands on Lia¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t want the information if it means you¡¯re risking your safety. What I want is for you to be safe. If in the middle of getting the information and there¡¯s a chance, however small, of sticking your neck on places you don¡¯t have to, leave.¡±


    He stared at Lia and she could only stare back.


    The Eldric she knew always had a quick smile on his face. None of the taciturn general she saw from afar on the day of the contest. None of the cold, calculating gaze, always wary of his surroundings, always studying the person in front of him.


    Lia was standing in front of the general now.


    She felt the gripped on her shoulders tighten.


    ¡°Please tell me you¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Lia did not have the heart to put his worries as jest so she stared back as solemn as she could.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll promise that.¡±


    And she was off to the center of the town.

 Chapter 36

    The town was the same as usual. It was still the small bustling town that also served as a connecting point of the neighboring countries and bigger cities. But there was a palpable tension in the air. The people looked calm on the outside but their eyes roamed around every corner as if expecting something or someone to pounce at them.


    Lia made her way to Yolly¡¯s store to deliver the medicine. Like the rest of the town, she was restless, her bloodshot eyes looked over Lia¡¯s shoulders as if making sure she was not being followed or watched. Lia sensed the urgency so she ducked inside without so much as a greeting. She found that the store was closed. She turned around with eyebrows furrowed and a million questions running through her head. Yolly shot her hands up to prevent the incoming barrage of questions from Lia.


    ¡°It has been terrible. Terrible!¡± She said wearily, bringing one hand to massage her forehead. ¡°They had a raid on one of the pubs saying they were selling illegal drinks. My Frankie was almost caught! And I¡¯m telling you he had not done anything else, anything that might serve him to the prison cells.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Lia asked though she had an inkling of what might cause this.


    ¡°Why he hasn¡¯t been caught?¡± Yolly shot her a glare then shook her head. ¡°No, of course, you¡¯re not asking that. I¡¯m not sure. The town has been full of trouble since last week. So many arrests. Lots and lots of guards!¡±


    A week ago, that was when Lia found Eldric in the clearing soaked in his own blood. That might not be a coincidence.


    ¡°There was also this plague.¡±


    ¡°Plague?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know girlie. That¡¯s what they¡¯re saying. There are people who get sick lately.¡±


    Lia recalled Eldric¡¯s investigation about a gin. ¡°The gin¡­ is that why you told Frankie to avoid it?¡±


    Yolly nodded and then muttered. ¡°Where is that boy?¡±


    Lia knew she was losing Yolly. But there were still things to ask. ¡°Where do they get the gin?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Yolly¡¯s attention was back to her. ¡°Oh, that damned drink. I¡¯ve got no idea where. Maybe that suspicious hole in the alley.¡±


    Yolly jerked her chin on the direction of that hole but Lia still did not have an idea as to where it was, only that it was west of Yolly¡¯s store. She just filed away that information anyway.


    ¡°Why is your store closed?¡± Lia asked.


    ¡°Because they suspect every store that might be selling the medicine. Especially,¡± she gestured to the inside of her store.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous!¡±


    Yolly shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s the way it is girlie. You¡¯ve seen it yourself.¡±


    She shuddered when she remembered how they were surrounded and accused of things. She would not forget that easily.


    ¡°You and your mother should be careful. Be wary of anyone approaching the woods.¡± Yolanda warned her in low voice.


    A cry sliced through the thin air, making the hair at the back of Lia¡¯s neck stood. Both she and Yolly peered through the slit at the door and watched as a young woman was dragged on the streets. She cried and begged but the town guards did not heed her pleas.


    ¡°You are the one selling the witch¡¯s medicine!¡± one of the guards said to which Lia assumed must be the captain, judging from the pins stuck on his uniform.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m not! I beg you please believe me!¡± Her voice was raw from crying and screaming.


    Lia¡¯s heart hammered on her chest. This was not going to end well. She did not dare move from where they were standing, afraid that just a slight movement would give their position away.


    ¡°Then tell us who colludes with the witch,¡± the captain said.


    With a shaky finger, she pointed straight to Yolly¡¯s store.

 Chapter 37

    With a shaky finger, she pointed straight to Yolly¡¯s store.


    Lia felt her heart stopped beating on her chest and remained rooted in her spot. ¡®This is the end. This is it.¡¯


    She let herself be pulled away from the door as Yolly thrust the bottles and jars, ointments and salves to her bag, in addition to the ones she brought.


    Yolly gripped her arms until Lia winced from pain that brought her back from her reverie. ¡°Girlie! This is no time for spacing out! Take these medicines and run. Never look back!¡±


    Furious knocks banged through the door and Lia unconsciously leaped. Yolly gripped her arm tighter that reminded her to stay quiet. More footsteps outside the door and more banging. Yolly dragged Lia and pushed her out of the back door.


    ¡°But! How about you!?¡± Lia clung to Yolly¡¯s sleeves in which she was shaken off. The bolt from the front door was about to give way.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll be fine. They want the witch, not me. Now run girlie! Run!¡±


    After being pushed aside, Lia scrambled to her feet, not waiting to see if the guards managed to unbolt the door or what happened to Yolly after, if Frankie came in time to save his mother, or if anyone¡¯s following her. She pushed herself to run faster, to increase her stride. Her throat burned for the lack of air but she did not stop nor slow down her pace. She kept running.


    She avoided the main streets as always and opted for the side streets and dark alleys, hoping for the best. The worst that could happen to her was to run into thugs in this part of town.


    ¡®A few more.¡¯ She panted and felt like her lung would give in any second but the sight of the lines of trees in the distant gave her a boost of strength. She poured every last bit of energy on her every step.


    When she entered the forest, a pair of strong arms grabbed her and pulled her in. Fear and panic crept into her heart as she struggled, trying to break free. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins that even after all that running, she was still bursting with energy. She thought that the guys back at Yolly¡¯s shop had finally come to get her.


    ¡°Sssh, it¡¯s me.¡±


    That familiar voice prevented her from resisting. The arms around her loosened a bit but still tight enough to keep her from sliding down to the ground. She twisted her body a bit to confirm the source of the voice and tears pooled at the corner of her eyes when he saw him there.


    Eldric waited and hugged her until her breathing evened out. Lia allowed herself to sink into his embrace for a moment as she gathered herself. After a while, they separated a bit and put a small distance between them. Lia shivered as a breeze blew into them.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I thought I would wait for you to come back,¡± Eldric answered, his eyes still searching Lia¡¯s face. Lia did not hold it out much longer. She held his wrist and pulled him in the direction of their house.


    ¡°You need to know something.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Eldric and Tamara sat quietly as Lia relayed her story. She told them what she heard from Yolly and what happened on the streets. She was still shaking remembering what the guards did to the young woman, how they invaded Yolly¡¯s store, and how she fled the area. Lia glanced outside, trying to see if she was somehow followed. After all, the people who wanted them dead were out there, biding their time.


    ¡°They did not see you? Giving those medicines?¡± Eldric asked.


    Lia shook her head. ¡°She made me take back the remaining jars on her shelves. Hopefully, that¡¯s all of it.¡± She glanced at her bag, now sitting atop the table in front of them. Some of the contents tumbled and spilled inside in the midst of the commotion.


    ¡°Yolly isn¡¯t one to tell other people about where she got them. Besides the ones we made were only salve or medicines for headaches or face paints. Nothing much.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll still blame us. They¡¯ll find a reason to blame us,¡± Lia bit her lip.


    Eldric contemplated for a while. ¡°Maybe you should change your home first? Just to be safe,¡± he added when he saw Tamara about to protest.


    Lia glanced at Tamara who looked torn between their safety and helping people. ¡°Eldric is right. It is for our safety too.¡±


    ¡°Nowhere¡¯s safe. Nowhere.¡± Tamara muttered, her eyes casting a faraway look again. Lia was sure, her mother recalled some other betrayal.


    Eldric rose abruptly that earned him surprised gazes. ¡°Anyway, I should get going.¡±


    ¡°At this hour?¡± Lia hissed, her eyes widened as she spoke.


    ¡°There¡¯s no more perfect hour than this,¡± Eldric replied.


    Lia chewed the insides of her cheek. What he said had a point. Tonight was a moonless night, one could travel in the forest down to the town without the worry of being seen. No one would be there. No one would tail him. But these hours were also the most dangerous. No one knew what lurked behind the dark.


    ¡°Your wounds¡­?¡± Lia asked.


    Eldric flexed his muscles and check his torso underneath his clothes. ¡°¡­are still there. But they¡¯re starting to heal thanks to the both of you. I¡¯ll be okay. I think.¡±


    ¡°But still, could not you go tomorrow? Before sunrise?¡±


    Eldric sadly shook his head. ¡°No, time is not on our side. Many people fall ill as we speak. This man ¡ª this organization must be stopped at once.¡±


    Lia did not answer but focused her eyes on the bag and continued chewing her cheek.


    Eldric might have seen the look on her face as his features softened and spoke as if coaxing a child. ¡°Come now, it would be hard for me to go if you look at me like that.¡±


    Lia snorted. Tamara giggled.


    This type of banter was something that the three of them were starting to get used to. Eldric¡¯s playful remarks followed by Lia¡¯s catty answers and concluded with Tamara¡¯s soft reminders. At first, Lia would turn red and tried to fight Eldric. But she had gotten used to it and just shrugged it off.


    She would have been feeling a lot better to send him off as if he was a burden to unload. She would not have been feeling vexed for letting him go back to the city, into the danger. If only¡­


    And if he would not be one of the causes of her misfortunes, she would, albeit reluctantly, call him as her friend.

 Chapter 39

    Lia went to Eldric¡¯s ¡­ no her room which she temporarily lent to Eldric. In such a short time, he managed to make the room like the extension of him, pristine and elegant. Perhaps a few more days and there would be no trace of Lia in here.


    She knocked on the door and waited. Not long after, Eldric popped his head, eyes held a curious but amused gaze.


    ¡°I came to help you change your bandages,¡± Lia brought up her supplies to prove her point.


    Eldric gave her a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t take long. My mother said you need to change it to prevent your wounds from opening up until you reach your destination,¡± Lia insisted.


    ¡°It would only be short travel.¡±


    Lia was getting annoyed. ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t like our help¨C¡±


    Eldric caught her wrist. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. You know how grateful I am. It¡¯s just¡­¡± he held her gaze. He did not speak and just sighed. ¡°Alright, come in.¡±


    Unceremoniously, he reached over his head and lifted his shirt off wincing as he shook off the cloth. He took two steps and sat on the bed, letting Lia unwound the bandages. In his well-lit room and without all the wounds and blood, Lia could see what was beneath the fabric.


    Everything was frantic on the night he was injured and Tamara sent her right away to the town so she did not see this. And even when she changed his dressing, it was only one part of the whole picture. Now the whole picture laid before her eyes. There were crisscrossed of old scars on his back, his shoulders, and on his chest.


    They remained quiet, his back facing Lia as she started cleaning the wounds. Just like what Eldric said, his wounds started to heal. Some were turning into scabs.


    Here was a body of a hardened man, compared to the boyishly handsome face he had. There were all kinds of the length of wounds. There were even marks of burn. There seemed to be a lot of history in them that she did not know if she wanted to know.


    Her finger followed a scar that ran through his shoulder down to his chest, just above the heart. Her touch was light as a feather and wondered if this was aching still.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Eldric whispered. Lia looked up and saw him studying her expression. His somber eyes were guarded as he followed her finger tracing the scar.


    Lia exhaled and stared back. ¡°Of course, not, I was just wondering whether they still hurt.¡±


    She looked straight at him and hoped that her intent was clear to him. There was no reason for her to be afraid. Though yes, she was afraid for a different an entirely different thing. But that had nothing to do with the scars he had in his body.


    Eldric nodded. The tension somehow left his muscles, though the expression on his eyes remained. ¡°They don¡¯t hurt anymore. It¡¯s been so long.¡±


    Lia wanted to ask what happened or how he got them but she only nodded and proceeded to continue with the bandages.

 Chapter 40

    Her eyes caught a tattoo on his lower back which was usually hidden by his shirt and pants and now shadows cast over it that it was impossible to make out a clearer picture. Lia did not understand the charm of a tattoo but he wore it like it was an extension of him. She absentmindedly traced her fingers along the waves and lines which made Eldric flinched with the contact.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Lia retrieved her finger.


    ¡°What, you think guys with tattoos are charming?¡± Eldric liked to joke around. But this one, it was with self-derision and scorn and Lia felt like he was judging her unfairly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a different kind of design to place on yourself. Not my business.¡± She stated flatly, still stung from being judged.


    They continued in silence. When she was done, she gathered her supplies and turned to leave the room but a voice held her back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Eldric looked at her and his whole face was saying that. For once, the taciturn general expressed his feelings openly. But Lia took no joy in that. Because beneath that face and deep within his eyes was an unfathomable pain she could not begin to comprehend.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    She turned to leave again but felt a pressure on her wrist. ¡®Wait.¡±


    She stopped and waited.


    ¡°You won¡¯t¡­ ask? Where I got it?¡±


    ¡°Will you tell?¡±


    Eldric set his jaw and Lia knew he was deliberating that to himself. She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t pry. I really was just wondering if they hurt. If you don¡¯t want to tell, it¡¯s alright.¡±


    ============


    After an hour, Eldric was dressed in his official clothes that Tamara managed to mend, minus the armor. Lia offered to walk him to the edge of the forest but Eldric refused and she did not insist. She thought they were done with pushing and pulling for today. Or ever.


    She was tired.


    Lia settled on walking him out the door and opened it for him.


    ¡°So I guess this is it,¡± Eldric said.


    She did not know how to respond to that so she asked the next burning question inside her. ¡°Why did you wait in the edge of the forest? What if it took me more than a few hours, would you still be there?¡±


    He walked a few steps before he turned around and answered. ¡°I would. I wanted to make sure that you are safe. And no, I never thought for a second that you would sell me to my enemies. Speaking of enemies,¡±


    Eldric reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pressed a cold metal on her hand. When she opened it, she found a dagger bearing the seal of the Imperial Palace. She turned to him a questioning gaze.


    ¡°Keep it. This is sturdier than the one you have. It¡¯s such a shame that we did not have time. I could have taught you some defensive moves.¡±


    Lia gripped the dagger in her hand and spoke while still staring at it. ¡°Thank you and,¡± she stared at him, ¡°farewell.¡±


    Eldric cocked his eyebrow at her before turning serious. ¡°You said it as if we won¡¯t be meeting again in the future.¡±


    ¡®Because we won¡¯t.¡¯ Lia thought. ¡®And we should not.¡¯


    But she did not say that out loud. Lia smiled weakly. ¡°I bid you farewell.¡±


    Eldric turned on his heels and started walking.


    ¡°And may we never crossed paths again,¡± she murmured.


    She could not tell if Eldric heard it, but he paused in his steps a little. But he did not reply or looked back and just continued walking.


    It did not take long before he disappears into the night.

 Chapter 41

    It was almost dawn when Lia fell asleep. She laid on her back all night, staring at the ceiling, letting the stillness in the air lull her to sleep. Her mind wandered back from what happened in the previous week. It was a whirlwind of emotions and events starting from when Eldric appeared in the forest.


    With Eldric¡¯s absence, it seemed like the cottage was so quiet which also unsettled Lia. It was not even that long since he had been there. But his absence could be felt in the entire house, making it a lot emptier.


    It felt like years since the last time she experienced this kind of silence. Lia longed for her normal life, the mundane daily life. Those days were repetitive and sometimes flat-out boring. But it was quiet and serene too. Yet despite that fervent wish of hers, the silence that lingered in the air was troubling as if these stolen moments were calm before a storm.


    She pressed her eyes shut, willing her body to succumb to sleep. Tomorrow would be another day. A new start. And hopefully, a peaceful one.


    But peace seemed as elusive as ever when someone banged the door, the noise reverberating within the house. Lia¡¯s eyes flew open, sitting up straight on her bed. She peered outside her window. The forest was still dark. Even so, a few glimpses of sunlight broke through. She tried to soothe her irritation; it was not that long when she had fallen asleep.


    Still, too early for a visitor. ¡®If that is a visitor.¡¯ And that was a big if.


    The furious knocking continued as if their visitor hoped to destroy their door instead. That meant, whoever that was, brought them the bad news. Bracing herself for what was to come, Lia left her room and found her mother standing in front of hers. Tamara¡¯s face mirrored that of Lia, a look of consternation.


    Lia gripped Eldric¡¯s dagger that she always kept on her and crept to the door.


    ¡°Hey! Are you there?? Hey!¡± Another round of knocks but the voice seemed familiar.


    Lia unlocked the bolt and peered from the slight opening of the door. There stood a frantic Frankie, looking flushed and frazzled. Lia opened the door wider when she made sure that no one was with him.


    ¡°Finally ¨C¡± He sighed in relief but paused as he stared blankly at Lia.


    Lia did not mind him. Instead, she glanced behind him once more, making sure there really was no one with Frankie. She spoke in a low voice, her eyes glued to the darkness behind him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°My¡­ my mother told me that the witch can cure.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong house. There¡¯s no witch here.¡± Lia started closing the door.


    Frankie shoved his body and used it to block the door. ¡°Wait! Please!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t disturb us.¡± She tried to close the door, putting her weight into it.


    He pushed back. ¡°I need your help! Please! My mother ¨C¡±


    Lia felt a soft touch on her arm and found her mother standing beside her. Tamara gazed at Lia and nodded. Lia reopened the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Tamara said.

 Chapter 42

    Frankie gingerly entered their cottage, eyeing Lia. She did the same to him. Tamara paid them no attention and guided him in their small living room as he sat on a three-legged stool.


    ¡°Do you want a drink?¡± Lia asked out of politeness.


    Their visitor shook his head rapidly. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. I need you to help my mother.¡± Under Lia¡¯s cold gaze he added a hasty please in the end. ¡°I beg you, help my mother.¡±


    Lia might have felt crossed with the way Frankie acted but now that he mentioned Yolly, she could not help but be worried too. Her heart hammered on her chest as she recalled the events the day before. She did leave Yolly to face the town guards alone.


    ¡°What happened to her?¡± Tamara¡¯s voice was soothing as ever, the kind of voice that makes you want to open up your concerns and worries to her.


    ¡°She drank that cursed drink.¡±


    The words hung in the air. Tamara and Lia exchanged glances.


    In a careful tone, Lia tried to dispel the heavy silence. ¡°She¡­did what?¡±


    ¡°She drank. The gin. The, you know¡­¡± Frankie gestured around wildly. Then as if to realize something, his movements became small. ¡°Oh. I guess you lot are not familiar to the news in town. About people forgetting and people getting sick.¡±


    ¡°No, we know that. We know that people get fevers and forgetfulness from drinking gin,¡± Lia said.


    ¡°No, no. You got it wrong. People get sick first. Then someone said, I dun know who, maybe in that shitty bar, maybe someplace, I¡¯m not sure. They said the gin will make them better. So people drink and then they start getting better and they also start doing things. Then forgets ¡®em after a few hours. Then gets sick again.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Lia exchanged another meaningful glance with her mother. If Frankie noticed, he did not seem to care.


    ¡°Sure as hell! Look. I saw ¡®my friends¡¯. I saw ¡®my mother¡¯. You think I¡¯m shitting you right now when my mother is¡­¡± Frankie crumpled on his seat, arms cradling his head. ¡°I¡¯m begging you, help my mother. You are her friend, right?¡± He stared his wide eyes at Tamara. Lia was afraid he would cry any minute.


    ¡°We will help, of course. But we have to understand what happened first and what was in that gin,¡± Tamara said.


    Frankie seemed to take comfort in Tamara¡¯s words and calmed down. He then narrated what had happened after the raid in their store. The guards turned the store upside down despite Yolly¡¯s attempt to stop them. They did not find anything incriminating but the products being sold were destroyed. Once the guards left, Yolly and Frankie cleaned up the place, salvaging anything that did not get too broken to sell. Yolly felt ill then but thought it was just because of what happened. So she went out told Frankie to not let anyone in. When she got home, she was in a much joyful mood, happy and drunk. She got to her bed and Frankie thought that was it. But he got woken by the sound of thrashing and glasses breaking and found his mother turning their store upside down again. Frankie, being familiar with the symptoms, dragged her mother to bed, still thrashing. After a while, she got quiet and feverish. He gave her fever medicine and fled to seek help.


    ¡°I brought the gin,¡± Frankie said when he finished telling them the events that occurred and handed them a bottle of clear liquid.

 Chapter 43

    Tamara snatched the gin bottle from his hands. Before any of them could react, she rushed to her workroom, leaving Frankie and Lia in the living room. When she holed herself in there, it would take a long time before she came out again. Lia crossed her fingers, hoping that her mother would come out faster this time.


    Frankie watched Tamara leave the room and then turned to Lia with eyes full of questions and bewilderment. ¡°What now?¡±


    Lia shrugged. ¡°Now we wait. And no, we can¡¯t rush this,¡± she said when Frankie attempted to protest. ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll give you more medicine for your mother and then go back to her side.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯ll wait here.¡±


    She sauntered and towered over him, trying her best to soothe her temper. ¡°Look, we all want to help Yolly but both you and I,¡± pointing towards him and then to herself, ¡°can¡¯t do much at this point. Once my mother¡¯s done, rest assured I¡¯ll deliver it to your house right away. If you stay here, who will look after your mother?¡±


    Deflated, Frankie dropped to his chair, his arms covered his head again. ¡°¡­will she be okay? Be honest.¡±


    Lia chewed her lip. She wanted to assure him that everything¡¯s going to be alright, that her mother would make the best medicine for her friend and for everyone infected. But she did not want to give empty promises and false assurances. Any more than this would surely break Frankie. She did not have the heart to do that.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. But let¡¯s hope for the best,¡± she said grimly.


    Frankie seemed to accept this as he nodded his head, albeit reluctantly. Lia glanced at the workroom and prayed silently that Tamara would make something, anything that could help.


    ¡°So it really was you.¡± Frankie loosened his grip over his head and peered at her. The fury and anxiety that surrounded him before had dissipated and in place of it was curiosity.


    Lia furrowed her brows, not understanding the question.


    ¡°The guy who comes to our store, that¡¯s you, yeah?¡±


    When realization dawned on her, her mouth formed an O and said nothing. No wonder, Frankie had given her a weird look since he entered their house. He was probably expecting a guy. That was, after all, her usual get up when she went to their store.


    ¡°Should¡¯ve known. Too pretty for a guy.¡± Frankie nodded and muttered to himself.


    Not knowing how to react on that, she just shrugged. ¡°Let me get you the medicine.¡±


    After assuring Frankie that she would drop by as soon as Tamara finished whatever concoction she was making, she sent him out and watched his figure disappear in the woods.


    This problem seemed bigger than she thought. Could this still be under the organization Eldric follows? Definitely. He mentioned about an investigation. Did he know about the new information about this¡­ whatever was this disease or phenomenon that was taking over the town? Or did he already know the cure? No, that could not be true either. If he did, he would order to treat anyone infected and Frankie would catch that information.


    Lia shook her head. All of these speculations gave her nothing but headache and worries. She needed to discuss this with her mother.

 Chapter 44

    Lia stood in front of the workroom, deliberating whether she should knock or not. It had been quite some time since Tamara buried herself with her mixtures. She went inside before the sun was up and now, it was about to go down. Yet there was no sign or movement from her mother. Even the foods Lia left for lunch remained untouched.


    She clenched her fist, ready to knock when the door opened. Both Tamara and Lia stared at each other wide-eyed. Tamara was the first to recover.


    ¡°Oh good you¡¯re here. Come in.¡± Not waiting for an answer, she pulled Lia inside the room where the pungent smell of different leaves and liquids attacked her right away.


    Scrunching up her nose, Lia spoke, ¡°It smells horrible in here.¡±


    ¡°Is it? Well it doesn¡¯t matter as long as it can heal.¡±


    Lia forgot about the smell with this new information. ¡°You mean¨C¡±


    Tamara smiled and held up a flask. ¡°This still needs a bit of tweaking but this is good for now. It can¡¯t completely cure. Not yet. But it can lessen the effects of the gin.¡± As a demonstration, she swished the contents around the container and Lia watched with awe as the light pink liquid seemed to dance in every swirl.


    ¡°You are amazing!¡± Lia grinned. ¡°How did you find out? And how do we know if this really works? How do we test it?¡±


    ¡°First question first. When I heard of the symptoms I had suspicions. A similar event happened a long time ago. As for the second and third,¡± her mother avoided her questioning gaze and focused in fiddling with her stirring rods. ¡°I already tested it.¡±


    Lia¡¯s grin fell just as her heart drop in her stomach. She asked cautiously, ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I drank the gin myself.¡±


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    ¡°I had no choice! I had to make it and I can¡¯t make it without testing. I have to help Yolly!¡±


    ¡°But you could¨C¡±


    ¡°What? I could use you!? Do you think I¡¯d let my child drink this¡­ this cursed drink!?¡±


    Tamara flared up which surprised Lia. She had never seen her mother lose control like this. Not when the novel Lia verbally abused her. Not when the people called her names. The realization that her mother feared this phenomenon hit Lia like a sledgehammer. Her mother was afraid for her friend and for them. People would blame the witch. They would be thrown out of their home. And that was just the start of the possible things people could do to them. Lia ran her hand over her face, willing herself not to cry.


    She was terrified too.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t look like that, please. I¡¯m sorry I yelled.¡± Tamara hugged her and Lia sagged in her embrace. Her mother was the only one she had in this world and she to her mother.


    After a moment of comfort, Lia gathered herself. ¡°I should bring this to Yolly. I forget to tell you, I sent Frankie back earlier to look after her.¡±


    Tamara nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good decision. You need to make Yolly drink this. Have her drink this every four hours and continue even after her fever wears off. Go now before it gets dark.¡±


    ¡°Will you be alright here alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll prepare the knives and bolt the door and the windows, don¡¯t worry. I still have to study more about this composition.¡± Tamara moved back to her work table. Lia took that as a cue to get ready to depart.


    But before she left, Tamara had another favor.


    ¡°And Lia? You might want to drop by Eldric¡¯s place and tell him about this thing. And tell him, it is the signature of The Unseen.¡±

 Chapter 45

    The forest was still and only the rustle of her footsteps could be heard. By the time she left their house, it was almost dusk. Clutching the covered flask in her bosom, she walked stealthily in the woods. She lengthened her stride to match her hurried steps in the hopes of increasing her speed further. Every now and then she would look over her shoulder to make sure she was not followed.


    ¡®You¡¯re being paranoid Lia.¡¯ They were the only ones living in this area. And all these months of living there, Lia had not seen a single soul except for Eldric. But then again, he was a special case. With him gone, there was only Lia and Tamara. Yet she could not shake off the feeling that someone was watching her. She threw another cautioned glance over her shoulder.


    ¡®Stop. You need to finish things quickly then come back.¡¯


    The town was in a relaxed vibe when she stepped out of the woods. The townsfolk were coming back from their jobs, their postures drooping from exhaustion. Yet the same vigilant atmosphere permeated through the air like the last time Lia went to town. She did not slow down her pace but tried to act normal as she trudged through the main street, before slipping to the dark alleys, making her way to the back door of the store.


    She knocked while keeping an eye over her shoulder. There was a movement inside the store and for a moment, she thought it was the guards, waiting for her and ready to throw her to the prison cells. To her relief, Frankie¡¯s tired face welcomed her and ushered her in.


    Frankie took a single glance on the object on Lia¡¯s clutches and jerked up his chin to follow him upstairs. They went to the second floor of the store that also served as their home. It was a simple space with two bunk beds on one side and the kitchen on the other. In one of the beds, Lia found a feverish Yolly.


    ¡°Her fever lowered a bit when I gave her the medicine I got this morning and she woke up for a while, but she said that her head hurts so much,¡± Frankie told Lia.


    Lia dropped to her knees right away and got to work. She found an empty container, the size of a shot glass, and used it to give the medicine to Yolly. They waited with bated breath.


    After a while, Lia placed her hand over Yolly¡¯s forehead. She was still burning but her earlier ragged breaths seemed to even out. She did not wake up yet but she looked a lot better than when Lia first came in. Lia released the breath she had been holding and nodded at Frankie. He took her mother¡¯s hand and gave it a light squeeze.


    Frankie brought her back to the first floor and gave Lia a cup of chocolate to which she accepted. When the medicine began working, her tension dissolved along with Yolly¡¯s fever and now she was starving.


    ¡°Look, let¡¯s not celebrate yet. My mother said that what she made was not a complete cure. Well, at least, not yet,¡± Lia said.


    ¡°But she¡¯ll make it yeah?¡± When Lia nodded, he continued. ¡°That was good enough. Do you want anything else?¡± Frankie rummaged through a cupboard before starting to come up to the kitchen. ¡°I think we still have some¨C¡±


    ¡°No need. Thank you for this.¡± She gestured to her cup. ¡°But I need to get going. I need to meet the general.¡±


    Frankie looked at her, stunned. ¡°The general? ¡®The General?¡¯ Did you really mean the guy from the capital?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We need to tell him what we know about this. My mother asked me to pass a message,¡± Lia added in haste.


    Frankie thought for a while and went back to the second floor. It took him a long time that Lia was unsure of what to do and was about to call out when he came back down, now wearing a coat.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with you. I can tell him what I know.¡±


    Lia smiled. So he was not a totally clueless but rebellious teen. In fact, he was considerate and sensible. ¡°I was about to ask you to come with me.¡±

 Chapter 46

    The two of them used the back door and slipped in with the weary crowd. They looked like two lads going to have some fun tonight. But having fun was the last thing on their agenda. They had to look for Eldric first and Lia did not have an idea where he was so she planned to ask around. But Frankie held her back. Like all the latest happenings in town, Frankie knew where to find Eldric.


    ¡°Of course, no inn suits the taste of someone from the capital. Only the mayor¡¯s house fits,¡± he said.


    They walked in a relaxed manner, acting as if their long strides was normal, and chatting and chuckling like good old friends. The muscles on Lia¡¯s leg started to protest from all the fast walking she had done today but she could not do much about it. There were things that needed to be done.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I called you a witch,¡± Frankie said in a quiet voice, careful not to let other people hear the last word.


    Lia almost paused in her steps before reminding herself that they needed to arrive at Eldric¡¯s place. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Frankie did not say anything. Lia did the same and focused on the task at hand. She hoped Eldric still remembered her.


    The mayor¡¯s house was hard to miss. Other than standing in the center of the town where the cooking contest was held, it had the most lavish design and the widest space. There were guards stationed in just about every corner. Though if it was a normal occurrence or simply because of the general, Lia was not unsure.


    ¡®Talk about being over-the-top, though.¡¯


    The sight of the guards made Lia¡¯s steps faltered. Frankie who was walking a few steps ahead of her, realized her reluctance so he doubled back his steps until they were standing side by side. They stood in the shadows so as not to be readily noticeable by those officers. Both of them eyed the guards warily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re the same ones as¡­¡± Frankie said.


    He did not need to continue his words for Lia to understand what he was saying. Lia knew. She knew too well. Last night, she even dreamt of them barging through Yolly¡¯s store, destroying everything in sight. Lia sets her jaw.


    ¡°I think they were the General¡¯s men,¡± Frankie said, his brows furrowed.


    Now that Frankie mentioned it, Lia looked closer at their uniforms. They wore grey and white instead of the usual red of the town¡¯s guards. Gray and white. The color of the General.


    Lia met Frankie¡¯s eyes and approached the gates with tentative steps. The two guards in front regarded them suspiciously.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± one of them asked.


    ¡°I want to talk to the General. Please,¡± Lia said


    The guards exchanged looks but did not lower their defenses. ¡°The General is busy at the moment.¡±


    ¡°This is important!¡± Frankie quipped in.


    ¡°Look, there¡¯s nothing more important than the town right now. If I were you, it¡¯s better to go home than loiter around the streets at night.¡±


    Lia also knew the impossibility of her request. She was a country bumpkin, unworthy of a government official¡¯s time. ¡®If I only have proof. Or something. Anything.¡¯ A thought jolted her. She had that something. She rummaged through her pockets and found the dagger and showed it to the guards. ¡°Show this to him. He¡¯ll know.¡±


    When the guards hesitated, Lia placed the dagger on the hand one of them and pressed his hand around the hilt. ¡°Please. Tell him my name is¨C¡±


    A sound of incoming footsteps broke the silence in the streets. Lia felt a foreboding feeling crawling in her skin. They searched for the source of sound and Lia¡¯s heart dropped when she saw it.

 Chapter 47

    Eldric was still reeling with the news he received from his informant. His suspicions had been correct. Soon, he would have The Unseen¡¯s hideout. Then ¡®him.¡¯


    ¡°What should we do with the mayor?¡± Tim asked as they walked briskly on the way back to the town.


    The Unseen¡¯s connection spanned the widest of the underground dealings. But ¡®he¡¯ would not be happy with just that. He would make sure to string along as many people as possible to do his bidding while he remained in his hideout, cozy and safe.


    ¡°Why do the dirty work when there are a lot of willing people to do things for you?¡± He once told Eldric. ¡°Remember that because that¡¯s what you would do once you take over.¡±


    Along with the information he received was another piece of information he had long suspected ¡ª someone was backing up the organization and acting as the middle man for all the dealings of the group. Eldric knew many men who came knocking on the secret doors just to get a glimpse of this mysterious group. These were the men who were backed to a corner and would do anything for money and power.


    If The Unseen had rooted and solidified their spot in this town, then someone let them come here. There was only one person who fitted the bill.


    ¡°We will interrogate him.¡±


    ¡°If he denied?¡±


    ¡°He can deny all he wants. We have our means,¡± Eldric gave Tim a sideways glance. ¡°But I imagine we won¡¯t come to that.¡± He can already think of a lot of things that would make the mayor eager to talk.


    As they strode across the town, the full moon shone above, casting shadows over them. The town was quiet save from the sound of cicada. But instead of relaxing into the embrace of the stillness of the night, the two of them became even more vigilant.


    ¡°It¡¯s eerie,¡± Tim noted.


    And that was what he noticed too. It was eerily quiet. At this time of the day, every inn and pub they passed by should be overflowing with patrons. Weary or drunk townsfolks would be returning to their houses. Ever since the deal with the gin, he ordered to have a curfew in the town. No one should be found outside their houses and on the streets after ten in the evening. Anyone who would be found not following would be penalized. But even that did not stop people from relieving their stress for the day.


    This was not good. Eldric had a foreboding feeling in this atmosphere. It was like that night when they hunted the so-called witch. It was too quiet back then too. Too calm on the surface yet something sinister brewed underneath that facade.


    He sped up his steps and arrived at the house of the mayor where the only people around were the guards he installed. The townfolks were nowhere to be seen as if the whole town became a ghost town. But this kind of silence was unnerving. It was as if no one was really in the town tonight and it was not because of the curfew. He approached the gates as the guards saluted at him.

 Chapter 48 - He says - The Dark Times (2)

    ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s the mayor?¡± were his words after he responded to the guards. The quick exchange of glances between the two guards did not escape his notice.


    ¡°The mayor left the town with the people. He said that he had already informed the general.¡±


    Eldric set his jaw and carefully spoke as if the words were being pulled out of him. ¡°And where did they go?¡±


    The guards tensed, feeling the dangerous aura around their general despite his calm face. ¡°They said that they are going to kill the witch once and for all.¡±


    For a moment, the world tilted in front of him. ¡®Kill the witch.¡¯ Witch. Tamara. Lia.


    ¡°What!? And they said the general approved of that?¡± Tim shouted beside him, tension seeped through his pores causing the guards to look even more nervous.


    Just then, he heard hurried footsteps. Every step echoed in the pavement across the town. It broke through the silence and brought Eldric back from his reverie. He turned to the sound, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. He was more than ready to chop down whoever ¨C whatever was going to emerge in the darkness.


    A young man, probably still in his teens, appeared from the shadows. His face was gaunt, his breathing ragged. But relief flooded his face when he saw Eldric. He continued running towards the mayor¡¯s house despite the obvious hostility of the place.


    ¡°You! I told you to run away with your friend earlier!¡± the guard shouted.


    But the young man did not pay him attention. His eyes focused on Eldric alone. Eldric searched his memory for the young man¡¯s face but he could not remember meeting him before.


    ¡°You¡¯re the general right? You need to help my friend!¡± the young man said.


    ¡°Hey what do you think you are doing?¡± The guards stood in front of Eldric, blocking the young man¡¯s path.


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the right time kid. Go home,¡± Tim said.


    ¡°No, my friend said you need to know about the gin and its cure. She was here earlier.¡±


    Everyone was taken aback by this statement. Even Eldric did not seem to know where to start from this newfound information.


    ¡°Who is your friend?¡± Eldric asked.


    ¡°Sir, actually,¡± the guard handed him a dagger, a familiar dagger which was in his possession not too long ago. ¡°That young man was with his friend earlier, smaller man and he was looking for you. We turned them away. But he persisted and said that you¡¯ll know when we show you this dagger. When they saw the gathering of the people, they ran away before we could get a name. But hey, what do you mean she? Don¡¯t you mean he?¡± The last two questions were addressed to the young man.


    ¡°Quick! You need to save her! Save them! Please! The people are going to kill them if you don¡¯t. If you want your cure you need to help them!¡± the young man pleaded, eyes wild with fear.


    But Eldric had no interest whether it was a he or a she because he knew who could that be. His eyes traveled past behind the young man and to the column of smoke rising in the middle of the forest. The hair on his skin stood up as he watched it.


    ¡®It has begun.¡¯

 Chapter 49 - He says - The Dark Times (3)

    He says ¨C The Dark Times (3)


    As he gathered and ordered his men to prepare to come to the woods, he heard the gist of what happened. The young man was named Frankie, the son of Tamara¡¯s friend. He told Eldric how he went to the cottage and asked for Tamara¡¯s assistance and how Lia was in town to deliver the medicine. It was Lia who told Frankie that they needed to tell Eldric about the origin of the drink and the cure from Tamara. Only they got separated because of the people ¡ª with Lia following the crowd and Frankie searching for Eldric.


    Witchhunt. The words left a bitter taste in his mouth. The town had a long-standing fear and hatred for the witch. The people were quick to dismiss the wrong happenings as the wrath of the witch. It was easy to rile them up and make them stand up using the name of their King.


    ¡®Under my name.¡¯ he gritted his teeth, holding his heels tighter against the sides of his horse.


    He prayed, if there were any listening gods, that Lia would never hear this or she would never forgive him.


    But his hopes were crushed when he arrived.


    He smelled it before he saw. The thick, acrid smell of smoke hung in the air. There was something else in the air that was only made visible when he arrived at the place where the cottage stood. The people gathered in the area, upon seeing his men, thought for sure that they were reinforcements. Their faces transformed from fearful to victorious.


    Eldric scanned the surroundings until his eyes found a solitary figure in front of the burning house, the source of resentment that was spreading throughout the air. Lia stood there, her beautiful hair a tangled mess, her shirt and pants were torn, and a trail of blood coming from her forehead. From the stones that surrounded her, it was not hard to tell where it came from.


    ¡°Stop this at once!¡± he yelled then turned to his men, ¡°put out the fire.¡±


    Waves of murmur and dissent traveled around the gathered crowd. The mayor, in all of his roundness, came in front and looked up at him.


    He did not like the mayor when they first met. Eldric found the mayor easy to read, there were so much, so many of them in the Imperial City. Everything around the man exuded humble bragging. From the way he dressed to the way he decorated his house, the mayor acted as if he was one with the masses with his simple lifestyle.


    Beyond that, once you dig deeper from the surface, you would learn how fake he was. He owned quite a few estates across the country, a room full of different weapons which he said to be gifted by various merchants. Only the outside decor of his home was simple. The insides were lavished with intricate designs and pieces of high-quality furniture. He only spoke of the names of other powerful people to impress the others.


    ¡°Arrest the mayor for treason,¡± he ordered, his eyes never leaving the mayor and watched the older man pale in front of him.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Also under the charge of murder.¡±


    ¡°What is murder in this? I¡¯m executing¨C¡±


    ¡°An order from me? Under the name of our benevolent King?¡± Eldric gave him a dry laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t delude yourself. Our King will never discriminate and he will exercise justice and fairness to everyone.¡±


    ¡°That was the witch! And that,¡± the mayor pointed to where Lia stood, only there was no one in there. ¡°Where is the other witch?¡±


    ¡°Over there!¡± someone shouted.


    Everyone looked towards the area around the clearing. Some time in the middle of the confusion between their arrival and the arrest of the mayor, Lia moved and ran towards it.


    Eldric ordered some of his men to subdue the crowd and ushered them back to the town where he would address them and went to find Lia.

 Chapter 50 - The Witch Hunt (1)

    The Witch Hunt (1)


    Lia could only see the column of smoke in front of her. There was nothing else on her sight but that smoke. She ran towards it, hoping and praying that she was wrong. That at the end of these thick rows of trees would be their house still intact and her mother cooking dinner or perhaps, still in her work table, hunched over her mixtures.


    But the closer she got, the stronger the smell of burning logs, the stronger her heart hammered in her chest.


    ¡®Please let me be on time.¡¯


    As it turned out, she was late. Too late. Everything was in shambles.


    Her knees buckled. ¡®Please. At least let Frankie reach Eldric.¡¯


    When she saw the bands of people going to the direction of the woods, she already had an inkling of what was going to happen. Yet a part of her did not want to believe that people would do such a thing to another human being. It was naive of her to cling on such ideals.


    They had asked the guards where they were going.


    ¡°That¡¯s the last of them I think. Most of them have already left for the woods. They were going for a witch hunt.¡± The guard shrugged.


    Blood rushed through her veins. Witch hunt. They were going for them.


    There was only one thought in her mind that time ¡ª Tamara. Her mind raced as fast as her legs. Tamara was alone. She left her alone.


    Frankie screamed behind her. But she could not stop running back.


    She turned and grabbed Frankie by his arm. ¡°Listen. You need to wait for the general. Tell him what we know.¡±


    ¡°But what about you?¡± Lia saw the horror on Frankie¡¯s face. She did not have to look at a mirror to know that her face reflected that look as well.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my mom.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy!? They¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯m coming with you.¡±


    ¡°Listen. And listen well. You¡¯ve wanted to save your mother and now, I wanted to save mine. You¡¯ll be of no help even if you come. Better tell the general if you want to help.¡±


    Frankie tried to catch up with her but Lia pushed him away, leaving him in the middle of the town as she ran towards the cottage.


    The closer she got to the house, the thick smell of smoke pervaded in the air. The loud cheering and jeering could be heard as loud as the blood rushing at the tips of her ears.


    Her legs gave way in the middle of the run. She ran too much today. Her knees scraped but she did not care. She pulled herself up and got back to running.


    It made her remember what happened before, from a long time ago, from another time and space. Her mother upon learning her father¡¯s first betrayal seemed like a part of her went away. And every revelation of her father¡¯s affairs took out the life from her mother¡¯s eyes. It was as if a part of her mother died every time they discovered the mistresses.


    She recognized that kind of death to Tamara. The betrayal in her marriage, the loss of her son, and the banishment leading to her death. She was only ever alive when she was helping people. But now, she was facing yet another kind of death.


    ¡®No.¡¯ Lia would not lose another family member. Both of them would not lose any more family.


    As she stepped outside the clumps of trees, she realized how naive she was as she watched, grabbing a hold of a tree trunk, her knees lost its strength.


    In front of her was their house. The small cottage she had grown to love where most of the happiest moments of her life happened as of late. But right now, it was more of a silhouette of a house as the raging fire continued to consume it whole.


    It was as if the air was knocked out of her windpipes. Her home, now lost. She scrambled to her feet, smashing and pushing everything and everyone on her path, not stopping until she was standing right in front of the blazing house.


    ¡°Mother!¡±

 Chapter 51 - The Witch Hunt (2)

    The Witch Hunt (2)


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Lia did not know if it was her or the people around her who spoke the words. Or perhaps they both said the same thing at the same time.


    For Lia wanted to know what caused this¡­ this pandemonium and for the people to know what made a young man sympathize with their supposedly common enemy.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± this time it came from Lia.


    ¡°What do you think we are doing!? We are killing the witch to save our families!¡±


    ¡°Who told you to do that? The mayor?¡± Lia shouted. She was beyond caring and at the edge of crying, if she was not already.


    A middle-aged man with rounded features strode forward in the hopes of dissipating the argument. In this dimly lighted place, Lia only knew this was the mayor because of the expensive garments he wore.


    ¡°Young man, stand back. This is justice for our townspeople who suffered the wrath of the witch. We do this under the name of our King through his General,¡± the mayor said.


    ¡°The¡­ General?¡± the title echoed inside her head. The general meant Eldric, the person she saved after being ambushed, the one her mother cured, the guy Lia considered her friend. Eldric. ¡°You¡¯re lying. He won¡¯t permit this witch hunt.¡±


    The mayor smiled, but his patience was obviously being stretched thin. ¡°If he didn¡¯t, why do you think there¡¯s no guard holding us back when we left the town? There¡¯s a curfew in town, they ought to punish anyone who disobeys.¡±


    She thought of the guards standing at the gates of the mayor¡¯s house, looking out with impassive faces. They watched as groups of people walked towards the woods, carrying a different assortment of weapons. They consented. And of course, they would not do that without the blessing of a high official. Lia felt her stomach heaved as if she was going to throw up.


    The mayor jerked his head, signaling for the people to continue adding fuel to the fire. The rest watched in vigilance, some even dared to shout with glee. Lia reeled in anger.


    ¡°Stop it! Enough! My mother didn¡¯t do anything! She never hurt anyone!¡±


    The people in front were the first ones who heard her. They all stopped and stared at her, brows furrowed in confusion, weapons held tight.


    Lia knocked back her hat and let her long hair sway in the wind. Only the crackling of the fire could be heard in the still forest.


    In the middle, she heard someone murmured. ¡°The daughter of the witch.¡±


    The mayor was the first to react.


    ¡°Kill the witch! Burn her! Justice in the name of our King!¡±


    Stones were hurled as fast as the shouts of insults. Lia took a step back until she was near the door or what had remained of their door as the crowd closed in on her. The tips of her hair singed. Yet the people continued to inch forward, forming a semi-circle around her, not giving her a chance to run but not close enough to be near a witch.


    As another hail of stone hurtled towards her, she used both her arms to cover her head. But half of her mind was on the burning house. The longer she stayed there doing nothing, the higher the chances of her mother dying. Tamara would not die easily. She could not have died. So Lia would hold her ground and find a way to help her out of the burning house.


    A stone hit her in the center of her forehead that knocked her backward. She glared from under her arms, hot, thick liquid gushing from her forehead. A small part of her thought of how movies worked. When the lead was in danger, a savior, preferably a prince would come running, saving the day. But in this remote town, in the middle of the forest, when everyone was a foe, neither a savior much less a prince, would come to save her.


    She smiled bitterly. It only worked if you were the lead. But she was not the female lead of this story. She was the cannon fodder and her fate was to die just like in the original novel. Maybe changing and fighting fate was the wrong move after all.


    When she thought that the earth had an infinite amount of stones, a sound of hooves resonated, its vibrations felt on the ground. The people must have felt it too. They turned to the sound and saw uniforms wearing gray and white. They all exclaimed in joy.


    ¡®Ah. So this is where and how I die.¡¯

 Chapter 52 - The Witch Hunt (3)

    The Witch Hunt (3)


    While the people were distracted by the arrival of Eldric and his men, Lia dashed to the backside of their house. They used to store barrels of water in the small shed behind the cottage. She crossed her fingers, hoping that the shed was not affected by the fire.


    The noise of the crowd lessened as the crackles of the fire grew louder. By a stroke of luck, no one saw her snuck there. If the people did, they would raise hell, thinking that she was trying to getaway. But she also knew that she only had a few more minutes before someone would realize her absence.


    To her relief, the people only set fire to the main house so the shed remained untouched. This place contained other gardening tools they used to maintain their homegrown plants as well as the tools they used to harvest around the area. Lia was used to the small shed that she did not need to use any light to fumble around and get what she needed.


    She found the cart they used to transfer the water from the river on the other side of the woods to their house. Using a bucket, she got the water from the barrel and put out the fire.


    Lia was sweating from the heat, her muscles screaming in pain, and her heart felt like it was going to burst any minute but she persisted in trying to put out the fire. She went back and forth fetching water from the shed and continued until her muscles trembled from exhaustion.


    After what felt like an eternity of back and forth, she finished all of the water but only managed to put out a small part of the house. The fire still raged on, brightening the dark forest.


    By this time, the fire in the front of the house started to dwindle. It seemed like Eldric¡¯s men started putting out the fire too. Some men reached the side of the house, passing buckets of water around. They did not seem to notice Lia. Even if they did, they did not show signs like they cared.


    Lia did not care either. As long as anyone put out that damning fire. As long as they could save her mother.


    But what they were doing was not enough.


    ¡®Water. More water.¡¯


    Lia dumped the empty barrel and buckets to her cart and bolted to the clearing. There was a pond there. It may be small but it would suffice at the moment.


    She heard cries and shouts behind her but she did not mind them. Let them cry. Let them whine. That was all they ever did. Whining. Pining the crime to the innocent. Like what they did to Yolly, to them.


    With frantic hands, she managed to get water and fill her buckets. She arranged them on her cart and prepared to depart once more. When she turned around, she saw Eldric coming out of the woods. He stood just outside of the woods and waited. Lia glared at him but did not speak.


    ¡°My men are already putting out the fire.¡±


    She schooled her features and turned her face to cold indifference. This man had the gall to appear in front of her.


    ¡°We need to nurse your wounds.¡±


    Lia gritted her teeth and seethed in anger. He acted as if he cared when he was the one who ordered the whole ordeal.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act as if you care,¡± fat tears rolled down her cheeks, ¡°because we both know that you don¡¯t.¡± She grimaced when she heard the crack from her voice. She hated herself for crying, for showing weakness in front of this man. She stormed out of the clearing and went back to the burning house.

 Chapter 53 - Ashes

    Ashes


    Lia huffed in exhaustion as she threw the contents of her buckets. One soldier took the bucket from her and continued what she was doing. The fire was almost gone. In place of it, ashes and soot remain from what used to be their house.


    At one point, the crowd left. Where they went, Lia did not care. As long as they were gone that was good. It was even greater that they took that good-for-nothing mayor with them. He was only good at talking about justice when he could not even exercise it. The people who remained in the woods were all of Eldric¡¯s men and Lia.


    She stood frozen in front of the house as a sob escaped from her throat. It was just there when she left this afternoon. The house was whole, her mother alive. Everything was what she had known in the past month. This was the house, the home, she had known ever since she was thrust into this unknown world. This was her solace, her peace, her happiness. Her everything.


    But now, everything was gone. She had no home, no mother, no one. She was all alone in this foreign world.


    Maybe this was a dream. A horrible horrible dream. All the stress had gone to her head and now she was seeing terrible things in her sleep. Maybe she would wake up and tell this story to Tamara and they would laugh together by the absurdity of it all.


    But Tamara was¡­


    ¡°Nonono.¡± She grabbed her hair and squeezed her eyes shut.


    ¡°Lia,¡± strong arms circled her waist, ¡°don¡¯t go in there yet. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    She did not know when she started walking towards the house. She stared at her outstretched hand as if she was going to push open the door. Then she stared at the soot-covered door. It looked foreign yet oh-so-familiar.


    One of the windows gave way and fell from the hinges probably because it was eaten by the fire. It turned into dust the moment it hit the ground. Eldric steered her away from the house yet her eyes never left its dust.


    Burned.


    The lost finally hit her. The fire suddenly felt real. The truth dawned on her and it was so much to bear. So much that her knees buckled. It took her every last bit of strength to remain standing.


    ¡°It¡¯s gone. Everything¡¯s gone.¡± Lia said in between sobs. ¡°My mother¡­ she¡¯s gone too.¡±


    The arms around her tighten. Eldric turned her body towards him and wiped her tears with his hands.


    She looked up at him, wanting to blame him, but her words stuck on her throat when she saw his expression. His handsome face was twisted with grief. She did not need a mirror to know that she had the same face as him.


    A new batch of tears welled up in her eyes. No matter how many tears she cried, it could not seem to ease the pain in her chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m still here.¡± She heard Eldric say along with many comforting words he whispered in her ears. She could not hear them clearly nor could see straight. All she ever wanted to do was to curl up and hug herself.


    Lia¡¯s cries echoed in the quiet woods.

 Chapter 54 - He says - The Aftermath

    He says ¨C The Aftermath


    Lia remained where she was seated as the medic finished the bandages on her forehead wound. Eldric had just finished instructing his men to clean up the area and do an investigation the next day before coming back to where Lia was seated.


    ¡°How is she?¡±


    ¡°Her wounds are taken care of but it would be best to let a physician see if it affects her internally.¡± The medic gestures at the bandage around her head.


    Eldric nodded and dismissed the medic. He remembered how his blood surged when he saw her wounds. If he knew things would escalate to this, he would have brought the physician. He really underestimated the people.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he said, his voice barely above a whisper, afraid to startle Lia.


    She gave him a vacant stare and then went back to staring at the remains of the cottage. Deep inside him, a pain shot through when she looked at him like that. He sat down beside her and looked out to his men who were busy carrying through his orders.


    Just last night he was here saying his goodbyes with Lia. It was only yesterday when he was talking and laughing with both Lia and Tamara. It was in this house that he felt home in the past week. And now, like what Lia said, it was gone along with Tamara. He would not lose Lia too.


    After she calmed down, Lia let him do what needed to be done ¨C the resting and the bandaging. It was as if the life in her died the same time the fire in the house was gone. She looked hollow inside. Eldric had the urge to place her inside his arms again and shelter her from all the pains of the outside world. But he did not know if his gesture would be welcomed.


    ¡°You need to rest. Come with me to town.¡±


    There was a long pause. Eldric was afraid he lost Lia too. But then she shook her head in a way that showed that single movement took more of her very little energy.


    ¡°I promise it would be safe for you there.¡± He tried coaxing her once more. She really needed it and Eldric would not rest until he made her agree.


    In a small voice, she replied, ¡°Nowhere is safe for me.¡±


    She turned her face slowly until her eyes met Eldric¡¯s and he saw tears threatening to fall from her lashes. She removed her gaze and went back to the house as the tears fell. Eldric¡¯s chest constricted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will believe me, but I didn¡¯t order this.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know. I¡¯m sorry I blamed you.¡±


    ¡°The guards said that you were looking for me earlier.¡±


    ¡°It was the cure. But now that my mother was¡­,¡± he watched her swallowed the words, ¡°it went with her. Now no one gets the cure. Serves them right. And no, I don¡¯t know how she made it.¡±


    Her voice was hoarse from crying. Eldric clenched and unclenched his fist, fighting down his anger to whoever subjected her family to this catastrophe. ¡°Alright. You don¡¯t have to help. In fact, you don¡¯t have to do anything at all. But please, come with me. You could really use some sleep. And I would be at ease to know that you are safe.¡±


    Lia¡¯s face remained blank but that did not discourage Eldric.


    ¡°Think of it as me paying back what you did to me. After this, we¡¯re even. So please.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Lia did not speak after that. Even as they shared a ride to the town. Even as the servants assisted her in her room. It was as if the person he met at the fruit stall that day was anything but a phantom.


    With a heavy heart, Eldric came to the meeting room.


    Tim approached him when he came in. ¡°The mayor has been taken into custody.¡±


    Eldric nodded. They proceeded to study maps and talk about the preparations for the attack. It was almost morning when they finished. He retired to his room but not before stopping by Lia¡¯s room to check on her before taking his leave.


    Morning came and he ordered the servants to bring foods to Lia¡¯s room, thinking that she might still not be feeling well and would rather stay coup up in the room.


    ¡°You really took a liking to her,¡± Tim noted as they eat their breakfast.


    ¡°I was just paying a debt. She saved me.¡±


    The servant he sent came back right away looking pale.


    ¡°Miss Lia is not in her room.¡±

 Chapter 55 - Burn

    Burn


    Before Lia knew it, she found herself standing in front of the burnt house. She did not have any idea how she managed to leave the mayor¡¯s house without anyone seeing her. Or maybe someone did, only they did not care if she leaves and she could not be bothered to care at all.


    The past twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind of events and a rollercoaster ride of emotions in which her brain could not keep up. She was afraid that things would get uglier from here.


    ¡®What could get any worse now that your mother is gone?¡¯


    Fresh tears fell from her eyes. People might say that it was not yet the end of the world, that feeling like that was an exaggeration. But losing your only family while the rest of the world was out for your blood, it felt more like the end.


    Her knees gave in and she sat on the ground with a thud. The fresh clothes she wore, thanks to Eldric¡¯s hospitality, was now covered with dirt. The housemaid prepared a dress for her but Eldric made her choose between a dress and a shirt and pants. She chose the latter. One for convenience and another because it made her feel at home. It reminded her of her clothes in the house, of the good times.


    She pushed to her knees and forced herself to stand. There was only silence all around her. Very different from the night before. It was the silence that she grew to love. And for a moment it seemed like the world righted on its head.


    ¡®What should I do now? Mother, what should I do?¡¯


    It was as if there was no end to her tears but she wiped away the newer ones using the back of her palms. There was a time for crying and mourning. But there was also a time for moving on and thinking for what she would do next.


    Just as she was composing herself, a noise sounded behind her. Every hair on her body stood as every muscle in her body tensed. Did they come back? Was last night not enough? She racked her brain for anything and scanned the area for anything that could be used as a weapon. She mentally kicked herself for giving away her dagger or taking one before she left, now she was weaponless and alone.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to be here,¡± Eldric said as he stepped out of the woods, one hand keeping a branch from slapping his face. He seemed to be alone.


    Lia visibly relaxed. ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. They can come to me.¡±


    Eldric watched her with his dark eyes grimly. ¡°I care.¡±


    Lia watched him back as he crossed the space between them and sat on a nearby tree, with his back on the trunk. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Checking up on you.¡±


    ¡°Checking or dragging me back?¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m mad that you left and put yourself in danger. But that¡¯s your choice and I don¡¯t have the right to berate you on that.¡± He sighed, looking old and weary all of a sudden. ¡°Now, you have my explanation, will you let me have some moments of silence? I would like to mourn for Tamara.¡± When Lia widened her eyes on him, he added, ¡°Believe it or not, I consider her a friend. A very good one at that.¡±


    Eldric stopped talking and paying attention to her altogether and stared at the house like what Lia had done. Awful was an understatement. He looked bedraggled, to say the least. His neat hair swept in every direction, haphazardly. The bags under his eyes as dark as the overcast sky above them. It was not even long when he recovered but his face looked gaunt as if he was on the battlefield for months.


    Lia sat beside him, their shoulders quite touching. But Lia did not mind. For once, she was grateful to have someone to share her grief.

 Chapter 56 - Recovery

    Recovery


    ¡°How are your wounds?¡± Lia asked in a quiet voice.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry I was such a jerk earlier and I¡¯m sorry for leaving just like that. It¡¯s just¡­¡± She cut her words, not knowing how to continue. Everything she would say would come out as an excuse; they would both know it. But she could not lie either.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry too for raising my voice.¡± He lowered his voice and added, ¡°A note would have been nice, though.¡±


    Lia nodded. The silence stretched on between them but no one felt the need to fill it in. On her part, Lia was comfortable. This silence was soothing if not healing. After a while, it was Lia who broke the silence first.


    ¡°Remember how Tamara became my mother?


    Eldric glanced in her direction. ¡°You said, she adopted you when your parents died.¡±


    Lia nodded. ¡°My parents died due to sickness. There were only three of us. We were poor but happy. And because we are poor, we kept on changing places, camping here and there. I-I guess that didn¡¯t sit well to most people as we were shooed away most of the time. It didn¡¯t really matter. Until one day, my parents got ill and nobody wanted to help. Only Tamara stepped in. But they were already too ill to be cured. They died and she took me in. But when I learned that living with her means, living in seclusion¡­¡±


    ¡°You rebelled?¡± Eldric guessed.


    ¡°You can say that. I hated every minute of it.¡±


    Lia swallowed she was not sure why she was telling these to Eldric, it was not even her memories. But she felt really sad that no one seemed to know how much kindness the world owed to her mother. Yet she kept on being deprived of that, Lia included.


    ¡°But things got better?¡±


    ¡°Yes, in a way. I realized that she wasn¡¯t the witch everyone seemed eager to prove anyway.¡±


    Eldric turned to her so his body was facing her fully. ¡°I¡¯ll find out the organization behind this and then I¡¯ll clear your mother¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the reason I¡¯m telling you these.¡±


    He shook his head in response. ¡°I have a lot of reasons to find that organization.¡±


    ¡°But not clearing my mother¡¯s name.¡± She insisted.


    ¡°No, I do. First, I owe her¨Cyou, both of you, my life. Second, she¡¯s a friend. Third, your story just now reminds me of the King.¡±


    ¡°The King? As in the King of this country?¡±


    Eldric laughed. ¡°That very king. You see, His Majesty picked me off the streets when he was still a prince. Everything that I am today, it¡¯s because of him. So if anyone tries to slander him, I¡¯d cut them down for him.¡±


    His words posed a lot of questions but Lia decided to leave them for now. ¡°No one, in their right mind, would do that to the king,¡± Lia said but she could not help the corners of her lips to curve upwards.


    ¡°I can¡¯t bet on that. He has a lot of enemies.¡±


    ¡°Like the organization?¡±


    Eldric nodded. After a while, Lia stood up. ¡°Do you mind if I take one last look around?¡±


    Eldric gave her permission and she went around the house. It was black and dreary. But she only wanted to take one last look. She reached the small backdoor and saw a pot of plant. The plant did not survive the fire but the pot did for some reason. They used this pot to leave notes to each other in case the other needed to go out while the other was away. They rarely use it but Lia remembered it now when saw something sticking out under it.


    ¡°Lia, are you done?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Lia jogged towards Eldric, slipping a crumpled paper inside her pocket.

 Chapter 57 - Yolly

    Yolly


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Lia ran as soon as she got off the horse from behind Eldric and gave Yolly a big hug. ¡°Are you okay now?¡±


    ¡°Ay girlie. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll have to thank you and your mother for that.¡± She glanced behind Lia and knitted her bold eyebrows at Lia when she returned her gaze. ¡°Is your mother not with you? My boy told me there¡¯s a commotion last night.¡±


    Frankie, who was lingering behind his mother, stepped forward to stand beside them. ¡°What happened after¨C you know¡­¡±


    His eyes darted around them and he looked more frazzled than the day he went to their cottage. Lia suspected that he had not told his mother the entire truth of what that commotion was. She fought through her tears and meet their eyes. ¡°She¡¯s¨C she¡¯s gone.¡±


    Her words earned silence. Yolly blinked a few times, her grip getting stronger on Lia¡¯s arms. ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t mean¨C¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. They¨C they burned the house, along with¨C with her.¡± Lia choked back on her tears but did not want to let them fall at all cost. It would be harder to stop it once she let them fall.


    Yolly wobbled on her leg that Lia and Frankie rushed to support her. In all the times Lia knew of her mother¡¯s friend, this was the first time she had seen Yolly shaken. Most of the time, she was the big lady everyone was frightened of. Lia was even intimidated when they first met. But the Yolly in front of her now was pale and frail, clearly recovering from her illness but her strength was tested once more with the news of Tamara¡¯s passing.


    In a weak voice, Yolly said, ¡°They? Who¡¯re they?¡±


    ¡°The townsfolk. Together with the mayor. They lit our house last night,¡± Lia said.


    Yolly placed a weak hand on her forehead and muttered something. Her voice was so low that it was so hard for Lia to catch it.


    Eldric came beside them. Yolly and Frankie bowed at him in which Eldric nodded in response. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come inside so you can talk more?¡±


    ¡°We actually came to talk you, Sir,¡± Yolly said. ¡°About the gin.¡±


    Eldric led them to the study room which also served as his temporary office. Lia stood awkwardly in the doorway.


    ¡°You can come in,¡± Eldric said when he noticed her.


    So the four of them entered the room and Yolly began. Lia listened as Yolly told them how the guards thrashed at her store. In a fit of desperation, she wanted to drown herself in alcohol. But being strapped in cash, she chose the drink offered at that hole in the wall store.


    ¡°It¡¯s got the cheapest, you see. But gives enough punch that I needed,¡± Yolly said.


    ¡°Who¡¯s selling those drinks?¡± Eldric asked.


    Yolly glanced at Frankie, her eyes asking an unspoken question. Her son shrugged in response. ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Yolly answered.


    Eldric tapped the armchair absentmindedly. ¡°So you don¡¯t know the name?¡±


    ¡°No sir. We don¡¯t know the name ¡®and¡¯ the face,¡± Frankie said. ¡°We¨C we never asked. Well! Nobody did! I bet no one knew in this town.¡±


    ¡°So he¨Cor she, I guess, hid their face?¡±


    Frankie knitted his brows in concentration. ¡°There¡¯s always the cape and a hat. And it covers almost half the face.¡±


    Eldric thought for a while. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like you to repeat your description to Tim and we would appreciate it if you could point us to that store. But one thing, how did you get better? The patients still have fever and hallucination.¡±


    Yolly shot a glance at Lia. ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know too.¡±

 Chapter 58 - The bad girl (1)

    The bad girl (1)


    ¡°So it¡¯s really true?¡± Yolly asked.


    Lia took Yolly to her room as they left Frankie back at the study room to tell the details of the seller and the bar to Eldric¡¯s right-hand man. Now that the blur of last night faded away, she was finally seeing the room she was in. It was a big room, perhaps the biggest one she had seen with her two lives combined. Judging from the decorations and impersonal things around her, this was the mayor¡¯s guest room. One would never think to find an extravagant room like this with its superfluous designs when one had seen the external facade of the house. Guess it was all just a front for that mayor.


    Sitting in front of one of the windows, Lia set her jaw and took a couple of deep breaths. Underneath that caring and kind face of the mayor was an evil persona, ready to pin his crimes to other, more innocent people. Eldric told them earlier how the mayor was in a makeshift cell for working for The Unseen. A muscle twitched on her face.


    ¡°That she died? That people burned her to death and that they tried to stone me to death? When everything, ¡®everything,¡¯ is that mayor¡¯s fault!¡± Lia could not bite back the growl in her voice. She was seething in anger.


    Yolly sat back on her chair and watched outside. The town still seemed like a ghost town, almost no one was out of their houses. The people who went to Lia¡¯s house were all questioned. What happened in the questioning, she did not know. Eldric did not tell and there was barely a time for her to ask. She did not care anyway.


    She placed her hand on top of her pocket discreetly, feeling the paper inside. It was in her mother¡¯s handwriting and it contained the ingredients for the antidote. Some parts of the paper were burned but she could easily guess what the items were. She could try to do a mixture but she could not bring herself to do it.


    The paper rested in her pocket was only featherweight yet it seemed as though it weighed more than a boulder. The secret for everyone¡¯s cure was in her hands. But she had not told a single soul about it.


    Yolly sighed. ¡°I want to thank you and your mother for saving me. If not for the two of you, I¡¯d be a goner.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really do anything.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on. You did the delivery. It was risky. You have to leave because of that and that¡­ oh, it¡¯s so dreadful!¡± Yolly covered her eyes and Lia was afraid that she would start crying. Then Lia would really be at a loss on what to do.


    ¡°Besides that, how are you feeling? Mother said the medicine she gave you needed more adjustments.¡±


    Yolly waved her hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m feeling fine. Great even. Though I feel feverish every now and then but nothing as serious as the one before. And,¡± she wagged her index finger, ¡°I didn¡¯t have those dreamily things last night. That was a good sign.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± Lia pursed her lips and asked what was on her mind. ¡°Do you think these people,¡± she gestured on the people outside, ¡°need those too?¡± She felt stupid just as the words left her mouth.


    The older woman studied her before speaking. ¡°Girlie, they might seem like the bad guys in your eyes right now but tell me, if it¡¯s your mother who¡¯d been sick and doing all those ¡ª gruesome things. Won¡¯t you feel mortified? Wouldn¡¯t you want them to feel better? No one knows the cure. And then here comes the mayor telling them one, giving them the answer they so badly needed. I¡¯m not siding with them, because we could have avoided all this when they just stopped and use their damned brains. I¡¯m only giving you a perspective to think about.¡±


    Their conversation was interrupted by a knock. Frankie entered the room as Yolly and Lia stood. As Lia watched the two leave, Yolly turned back to Lia.


    ¡°Your mother, no matter how evil people are, would always choose to help them. Stupid but also kind of heroic. She has always been irritatingly like that.¡±


    When Lia was finally alone in her room, she watched outside the window with the paper in her hand. ¡°Mother, but I¡¯m not kind like you.¡±

 Chapter 59 - The bad girl (2)

    The bad girl (2)


    Lia stayed out of the way in the next few days. People kept on coming and going inside the house, mostly the families of the patients. The grounds and the first floor of the house were transformed into a makeshift infirmary. Fortunately, no one died yet but a person¡¯s body could only handle high fevers for so long. Not to mention the hallucinations that needed to be guarded which kept everyone on the edge.


    Eldric and his men were busy as well with the preparations and constant meetings. He mentioned last night to Lia that they might be able to track down the ringleader soon. Sometimes, Eldric would visit her like this, usually keeping a one-sided conversation. Throughout all those times, Lia would just do her part of listening, nodding her head to show she understood, smiling when prompted, and asking on appropriate parts.


    Despite the whirlwind of activities around her, Lia kept to herself. She was mostly either in her room or in the library where she spent the rest of her day reading everything she could get her hands on. She avoided meeting people. If possible, she wanted to even avoid the servants Eldric assigned to her. No one bothered her which she was sure that it was Eldric¡¯s order. Or quite possibly, aside from the servants and Eldric, the rest of the world forgot about her and that was fine by her too.


    By this time, it was already a common knowledge that their mayor was part of an underground organization and the one who let the cursed drink enter their town. Just a few days ago, they were shouting for the death of her mother. Now, it was for the head of the mayor.


    Humans were indeed fickle beings.


    Lia shifted and curled on the couch, flipping through the pages of the book, and letting time pass by. But the world seemed to be against this kind of idleness as a loud cry rang in the hall below. She sat up straight upon hearing it.


    With soft steps, she padded across the hall, carefully peering down. The library was on the second floor so she could see everything below without her being seen from below. The guards were holding back a man who kept on fighting back and shouting at them.


    ¡°I¡¯m a soldier! The General¡¯s right-hand man! Get your hands off of me at once!¡± The man shouted and tried to pry away the guards around him.


    ¡®Ah. A hallucination.¡¯ Lia had met the so-called right-hand man named Tim. He was a lean fellow with a cropped black hair, looking neat and proper. Definitely not the man with the scraggly beard bellowing downstairs.


    That was what the hallucination did to the victims ¡ª it brought out their darkest desires. If they even had the small inkling of stealing, they would carry it out in this state, thinking that it was only a dream. That was the reason for the increase in crimes in this small town. This man¡¯s desire was to be the one next to the General and terrorized people with his name and power.


    Another, different kind of sound caught Lia¡¯s attention. In front of the tangled limbs of the man and guards stood a woman with a baby in her arms and a small child beside her. The woman was crying ¡ª wailing, as she hugged the children while watching the commotion in front of her. Lia guessed that she was the wife of the victim.


    The fanfare continued below but Lia had had enough watching. She shrugged and went back to her book.

 Chapter 60 - The bad girl (3)

    The bad girl (3)


    Lia sunk back to her book. A sigh of relief escaped from her, grateful for the silence.


    Yet the world seemed to conspire against her solitude. It was not long before another noise disturbed her. This time the sound was near her that it almost made her jump out of the couch. She turned to the source of the noise and found a little girl staring back at her. The child looked like a thief caught in the act of stealing when all she ever did was to bump on a coffee table. The content on the top spilled which made a huge noise.


    She was the same child Lia saw earlier down at the hall. But this time, she was alone. Lia wondered about the child¡¯s mother as she considered what she would do next.


    The girl seemed to have frozen on her spot as she did not make any more sound nor movement. She stood very still, her eyes fixed at Lia¡¯s. Lia did the same. They stared at each other, watching the other closely. No one seemed to breathe for a single hiss of air would the solemn mood.


    ¡®This is ridiculous,¡¯ Lia thought so she decided to be the one to break the silence. ¡°What are you doing here? Are you lost? Where is your mother? ¡±


    There was no response as the child continued to stare at Lia.


    Lia chewed the insides of her cheek. She could not tell if the child understood or heard her. She carefully chose her next words. ¡°You are not allowed here,¡± Lia added hand gestures, hoping and praying that the child would somehow get her meaning and leave her alone.


    But to her dismay, the child only flinched a bit but otherwise, remained rooted in her spot. She even took a step closer.


    Just when Lia thought that they had reached an impasse, another person stumbled inside.


    ¡°Alice!¡± The person cried.


    Lia watched as the woman she had seen before rushed to her daughter, pale and frantic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said to Lia as the woman pulled her daughter to a hug.


    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Lia said as flat as she could, praying with all her heart that they would soon leave her in peace. The idea of being left alone with someone from the town made her shiver and it was not from the cold.


    The woman bowed her head and muttered words of apology, dragging her daughter towards the door. But the child kept on looking back at Lia. Lia followed the child¡¯s line of sight and realized that she was not looking at Lia at all. Instead, her eyes were drawn towards the untouched foods on the table.


    ¡°You can have these.¡± Lia pushed the plate away from her and towards the direction of the child.


    The child widened her eyes by a fraction, pulled her arm from her mother¡¯s grasp and ran towards the food. She stuffed her mouth with such vigor that Lia was afraid she would choke. Discreetly, Lia pushed a glass of water towards the child.


    Bewildered, the mother stood frozen on her position before coming back to her senses and rushed to try to stop her kid.

 Chapter 61 - The bad girl (4)

    The bad girl (4)


    ¡°Let her be. It¡¯s fine. I can¡¯t finish all that.¡± Lia jerked her chin to point at the tray. ¡°You can even have some if you like.¡±


    ¡°Thank you and I apologize. It¡¯s¨C it has been a while since we had a proper food to eat.¡± She sat next to her child while she shifted the sleeping baby in her arms.


    Lia pressed her lips. She could already guess what happened but it would take some time for them to finish the food. Lia thought she might as well start a small talk. ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    The woman sniffed but continued to eat, more demure than her child. ¡°Her father¨C my husband got sick and I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s going to be alright ever. If,¡± she choked back a sob, ¡°if he doesn¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know what will happen to us. The only person who could help us is gone.¡±


    Lia¡¯s breath hitched.


    All of a sudden the woman looked up and Lia knew the secret¡¯s out.


    The woman said cautiously, ¡°Are you by any chance the¡­ the¡­¡±


    ¡°The witch¡¯s daughter?¡± Lia said coolly, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Yes.¡±


    The woman flinched at the word. Lia started to regret ever thinking of starting a conversation. She must be turning mad with all of these things.


    To Lia¡¯s surprise, the woman knelt in front of Lia and clutched the hem of her sleeves. ¡°Please if you know how to help, please help us. My children need their father.¡±


    Lia eyed her, remaining still in her place. Her face remained devoid of any emotions.


    ¡°Please.¡± The woman cried.


    As if on cue, the small child also sobbed. Lia felt like she was the villain here but she did not let her guilt be reflected on her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking but I¡¯m not the person you are looking for.¡±


    In between her cries, the woman shook her head. ¡°No, you are exactly the person I am looking for. Yolly¡­ Yolly is the only one who got better. And it was because of your mother. She is the only one who survived.¡±


    ¡°You got the wrong person. My mother is the one who made it and she is dead. I don¡¯t know how to make the antidote.¡± Lia knew she was being petty, lashing out on some innocent person. The woman might not even be part of the crowd who incinerated her mother. But she could not stop.


    ¡°We know, we feared you and your mother. It was foolish. We were foolish. I¡¯m sorry. Everyone feels that way.¡±


    Lia shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a little too late for that isn¡¯t it?¡±


    There was another shout in the hall below, the same voice of the man from before and the woman rushed back down. The child remained.


    ¡°You should follow your mother,¡± Lia said.


    To her surprise, the child slumped on the floor and covered her ears. ¡°I¡¯m afraid. That is not my father. I want my father!¡±


    Lia remembered those words in her previous lifetime. ¡®That man, that cheating bastard, is not my father! Make him come back! I want my dad!¡¯ She remembered the feeling. Another wave of guilt passed through her. She did not want to rob this kid a father, a complete family. Did she really want to pull people down in misery with her?


    ¡®Mother, I failed you.¡¯

 Chapter 62 - Atonement (1)

    Atonement (1)


    Lia¡¯s legs were sore. She had been walking for almost half a day, trying to look casual as she scoured the manor for Eldric. She passed by the grounds where some of the patients and relatives camped into the hall that extends to the makeshift infirmary. It had only been a few days since she started holing herself up to her room but it seemed like the number of patients in the place grew twice if not four times since the last time she went out. It was as if the whole town occupied the entire manor.


    No one noticed her or even glanced in her direction. Everyone hustled and bustled, walking to and fro. All occupied to their own business.


    There were some people who speak a different language and wore clothes, unlike the usual ones. Lia thought that maybe these were the people from nearby towns or the visiting merchants. They were unfortunate enough to get caught up in the scheme of The Unseen.


    But gathering information about the outside world was not the reason she was walking around. She sighed and continued her search. She really was tired.


    It was almost noon when she returned to the first room she started. They missed each other when she came here earlier. But now, she was trying her luck in this room once more.


    She stood in front of Eldric¡¯s office for who knows how long, unsure of what and how to state her purpose. When she finally gathered the courage to knock, the door to his study opened leaving Lia¡¯s hand suspended in the air.


    Eldric furrowed his brows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just¡­ may I talk to you?¡± Lia took a peek inside the room over Eldric¡¯s shoulder. Some of his men were still huddled on the table, discussing things, for the preparation of the attack perhaps.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Eldric turned back and told the guys to leave them. ¡°You can sit anywhere you like,¡± he said when they were left alone.


    Lia remained standing, fearing that all of her resolved would vanish once she relaxed. ¡°It won¡¯t be long.


    Eldric stood up from behind his table. He went around and leaned back on the desk as he stood in front of Lia. He pressed his palms on the table, his expression softened as he spoke, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± Her hands trembled as she passed the paper to Eldric where all the ingredients were listed. ¡°I-I¡¯ll need these to make the antidote along with other medicines that the patients might need.¡±


    Eldric read the list. When he was done, he looked up at Lia, questions burned in his eyes. ¡°Where did this come from?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s from my mother¡¯s. I found it when I came to the house. She hid it on one of the vases. ¡± Lia muttered as she fixed her eyes on the floor. ¡°That¡¯s the newer version of the one she gave to Yolly. I only happen to find it,¡± she added hastily.


    She knew that they both knew that she was just making excuses.


    When Lia dared to take a peek, Eldric seemed to be thinking of something but decided against it when the words he uttered next were different from what Lia expected. ¡°How many people would you need to do this?¡±


    ¡°Let me do it alone.¡± Lia decided that doing this would be like her atonement for concealing this knowledge so she could not let other people handle it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m a fast worker. I¡¯ll finish the medicine before you know it.¡±


    Eldric sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that. I¡¯m more worried about you. This is the first time you left your room and now you¡¯re saying you want to hole up yourself again.¡±


    Lia forced herself to look at Eldric directly. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Please let me do this.¡±


    For the second time, Eldric sighed. He looked tired and defeated. Lia felt bad for adding to his problems. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll have Tim look for these things. You can use any room you want. If you need anything else, just tell me.¡±

 Chapter 63 - Atonement (2)

    Atonement (2)


    For the next two days, Lia did not leave her room and devoted herself to making the medicine. Everything she needed was sent to her room. The only break she had was when she took a short trip down to Yolly¡¯s store that went back to business recently. The mother and son pair were happy to have her and they were even joyous when Lia told them what she was doing. From then on, Yolly appointed Frankie to be the runner for everything Lia would need.


    Just as she told Eldric, she did not let anyone help her. No matter what Eldric or Tim said about taking at least an assistant, she would not budge. She did not leave the room and just work, work, work. The foods sent in the room were barely touched. She rarely slept. She worked herself to the bone, preparing a large volume of medicine was her top priority. She minimized all the things that she did to be able to finish the medicine.


    It took her quite some time to get her footing. After all, she had to rebuild the list her mother left. Some of the items got burned away so she had to match and adjust a few things. She also had to write down the materials needed for other medicines such as for fever from her memory, thankful that she took the interest in her mother¡¯s work before. There were items that were not available since it would take some time to get the materials. Yolly helped a lot with the ingredients but since her stocks were recently seized by the guards, there was only a handful she could give. So Lia had to improvise and work on what she had on hand.


    When she was done with the first batch, she took the flask to the head physician to let the patients drink it. She also brought the other medicines and entrusted them to the medics in case those were still needed. She watched and waited as the doctors administer, crossing her fingers that everything would go well. If they managed to control the hallucinations and the high fevers, then that would be a good start.


    To everyone¡¯s relief, the patients started to show signs of improvement. The medic team cheered and thanked Lia. The relatives cried and gave their thanks too. For the first time in the longest while, the air in the infirmary lightened, the death aura dispersed. Everyone looked hopeful and happy. Except for Lia.


    She did not let herself relax even just a bit. Instead, her mind calculated how much more would she need to make, if her materials would suffice, if there were other medicines she should prepare. Another trip to Yolly¡¯s store perhaps? She thought of everything else that she had to do so she rushed back to her workbench and do some more work.


    Someone grabbed her arm on her way out of the infirmary.


    ¡°Take a rest, will you?¡± It was Eldric. Without anyone noticing, the General slipped into the infirmary and watched them from his little corner. And of course, it did not escape from him what Lia planned to do.


    ¡°But¨C¡±

 Chapter 64 - Atonement (3)

    Atonement (3)


    ¡°The medicine you made is enough for now. You earn yourself some sleep. But eat first. You looked worse than the patients,¡± he said as he gave Lia a look over.


    Lia opened her mouth to protest but Eldric beat her to it. ¡°That¡¯s not called eating. You barely touched your foods.¡±


    She let herself be dragged to the kitchen where Eldric spoke his order to the servants in that clear voice of his. In a short while, the foods were prepared in front of them. Lia¡¯s stomach rumbled as the delicious aroma filled her nose. For the first time, she realized that she was famished.


    They ate in silence. Lia inhaled her food, trying to shake off the oppressive air she was feeling. Eldric left her to her own thoughts which went to the negative side right away. Work kept her busy that she did not have time to think and wallow in self-pity.


    When they were done, Lia could no longer keep her thoughts quiet. ¡°You¡¯re probably thinking about how selfish I am.¡±


    Eldric paused from drinking his tea. ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°About not telling about the antidote. This could have been resolved a lot sooner.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. But you have your reasons.¡±


    ¡°But what if I never said anything about it? What would you do then?¡± Lia heard the desperation, the anguish in her voice.


    ¡°I have other plans.¡± He shrugged as if it was no big deal as if he expected this. ¡°I would have to beat the leader into admitting the cure. Or wait for the physicians at the Imperial City to make an antidote.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m¡­


    ¡°Lia, you still made the medicine. That¡¯s what¡¯s important. I know, no matter how much you hated these people, you wanted to clear your mother¡¯s name. You didn¡¯t want her last memory, her last work to go like that. And you are regretting it now aren¡¯t you? I think that¡¯s enough. You¡¯re doing enough, if not so much.¡±


    Lia felt the tears before she even knew what was happening. She was far from being a cry-baby but lately, just a single word about her mother and all of her walls crumbled away. She hated showing this side of her to anyone, especially to Eldric. She hated how she was weak.


    Eldric hugged her and let her cry on his shoulders. She was vaguely aware of his actions but his chest felt solid and sturdy before her as if carrying a reassurance that things would be alright again. In her heart, she was really grateful to have him on her side right now despite all the assumptions about him she had before.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry and thank you,¡± she said once she calmed down.


    Eldric loosened the arms around Lia but did not completely let her go. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. There¡¯s nothing to apologize. Especially not to me.¡±


    Lia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m holding you back from your work.¡±


    To her surprise, Eldric laughed. The action made him younger, more carefree even for a bit. ¡°You¡¯re a welcome distraction. But Tim will give me a hard time if I let myself be more distracted.¡± Eldric tugged at her hand and lead her to the doorway. ¡°Come. It¡¯s time for you to sleep.¡±


    Lia slept like a log. When she woke up, she felt disoriented as if she was only seeing the world for the first time. She felt light, refreshed, and well-rested.


    Eldric greeted her.


    After they ate their breakfast, Eldric broke the news. ¡°The preparations are done. We¡¯re going to attack tonight.¡±

 Chapter 65 - Her decision

    Her decision


    ¡°I want to join the medic team.¡±


    That was what Lia said to Eldric when he told her that they would be attacking the Unseen¡¯s hideout tonight. Eldric regarded her coolly before giving her a nod of approval. Tim then took and introduced her to the medic team. Lia expected resistance from them, she was, after all, an outsider with a reputation that preceded her. To her surprise, everyone welcomed her with open arms.


    ¡°Any additional helping hand is welcome.¡± The head physician smiled at her and then proceeded to tell her what still needed to be done.


    There was still a lot of work to do despite all the preparation in the past few days. Lia even had to help move crates of medical supplies which was severely lessened by due to the plague. The head physician appointed her for the supplies of their medicine.


    Lia began to work by doing an inventory of raw materials. With so little time in their hands, she gathered everything that she could. She listed the ingredients and had one of the guards order them at Yolly¡¯s shop. Then she took some of the team members to gather herbs in the woods.


    Going back there was like scratching a barely healed wound, the still-forming scab red and painful just with the lightest touch. Lia felt a lump in her throat as they passed by the familiar way towards her house. The smell of trees, the rustling of leaves, and the gentle breeze hit her hard. Everything was so fresh, so as the memories of that night.


    ¡®Don¡¯t go there.¡¯ She reminded herself. The last thing she wanted to do was to breakdown and weep like a child. She was done with those. And now was not exactly the time for that. She was here to pick up supplies and to, hopefully, start picking herself up, for her and for Tamara.


    She picked up the pace. When they arrived at her usual area for gathering, she directed what kind of leaves to take. They all worked in silence with the occasional change murmurs when someone asked or when someone discovered something.


    Some members of the medic team had begun creating a newer batch of medicine for those who still had the fever and Lia helped them too once they got back from the woods.


    Everyone was frantic doing last-minute preparations with low supplies and an even lower number of members. No one expected the gin and its number of victims so Eldric was not able to get a big number of soldiers, physicians, and servants from the capital. Despite his requests for additional guards, the support was running late. At this point, they were no better than those cops from the movies who arrived at the scene after everything was dealt with.


    Lia chewed at the corner of her lips. With this number of staff available, they had to work on a skeleton formation. Someone had to stay with the patients and someone had to go to battle.


    ¡°Will you be okay?¡±


    The sound her jolted Lia back to her senses. For a while, she thought she voiced out her thoughts only to realize that the voice came from behind her. She turned and found Eldric standing next to her.


    He stared at each other for a while before he repeated his earlier question. ¡°Will you be okay?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that. With these people, will you be okay?¡± She gasped when she saw him flinched and realized the implication of her words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that came out wrong. What I meant was¨C¡±


    Eldric held up his hand. ¡°I understand what you mean. But we¡¯ll have to make do. I trust all of you. We won¡¯t fail. We¡¯ll catch them tonight.¡±


    He turned and left, leaving Lia puzzled with the intense desire to kill that she felt from him. She could not understand the source of it. It came not only from Tamara¡¯s death or the illness that took over the town. That intensity came from something else, something deeper and old. But Lia did not know what that was. It was not mentioned in the novel. There seemed to be more to Eldric than the protagonist she had read.

 Chapter 66 - Team (1)

    Team (1)


    One would think that knowing what happened further in the story would make it easier. But for Lia, knowing just messes up her head because expectation versus reality doesn¡¯t quite match with each other.


    In less than 12 hours, she would be part of an attack. An attack above everything else. She who came from modern times, she who wanted nothing but an easy and peaceful life. Alright, she would not really be the one doing the attacking. But she would be at the site and would need to care for the wounded ones.


    It all felt surreal.


    None of the things that happened to her in the past week felt real. It was as if watching from afar, watching someone else¡¯s life unfold before her. All of these happened from a distance.


    Someone might argue that it was only nerves of going to her very first battle. Maybe. Maybe not. But how could she dare feel terrified when she could still not quite wrap her head around what was happening or what was going to happen?


    ¡°Someone, anyone, go over the Captain¡¯s tent and tell them we¡¯re ready and see if there are other things we can do. Bring the rest of these vials to the guards as they might need it in there. The rest of you should be on standby, patients might start coming in.¡± The head physician¡¯s voice was not as commanding as Eldric¡¯s or Tim¡¯s voice but he still carried it with enough command for Lia to follow. He was still quite young, Lia guessed that he must be in his late twenties, but he used his soft yet clear voice to direct them around but not in a bossy way. He carried himself in such a respectable way that you would be ashamed of yourself for disobeying.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it then,¡± Lia spoke, albeit a little uncomfortable. Speaking up, directing the attention of everyone towards her left her a little shaken. But, she was the newest member, she did not want to be the unnecessary load and would rather be helping the rest of the team.


    Team. Way back in her old world, Lia preferred her solitude. The closest she had for something akin to a team were her groupmates back at school and she disliked it. Not personally, but mostly because groupmates tend not to care and indulged in their own worlds. One person would take it to themselves to be the leader and order people around. Others would half-heartedly follow and do their part and would not care or bother to apologize if they submit their part late. There were others who took it upon themselves to just be the clown of the group. Not much help, other than lightening up the mood but do nothing to progress the work. The good thing was that they were usually charming so they were the best choice to present the project and be the face of the group. But they were still infinitely better than the last type. There would always be no-show people, the ones who did not care at all about the project and do nothing but still expect their names to be written along with the names of the rest of those who worked their asses off.

 Chapter 67 - Team (2)

    Team (2)


    But the word team for the people here was not just a word. It was part of their bodies. Every personnel was part of a unit and they all play an important part. Everyone worked hard to move their team nearer to their goal. They did not just do what was expected of them. They did beyond the expectations. They never whined. Everyone helped one another, regardless whether you were a medic or a guard.


    Their work ethics and camaraderie astounded Lia. she never felt this kind of teamwork as though this group of men and women were the physical embodiment of the word. Never in her life did she felt motivated to do something, to give her own contribution because it was much shameful to do otherwise. Not in the face of people who continued to give their best despite their dire situation.


    And their situation was dire. Not enough resources and people for such a wide-scale attack against a powerful group of baddies.


    Just as Lia was about to bolt for the nearby camp to do her job, the head physician approached her. He wore his usual amiable smile reserved for his patients but Lia could also gleam worry in his eyes. Seeing that look made Lia worry too. Her mind veered to a more negative direction.


    As if he could read her thoughts, the physician smoothed out his expression. ¡°I¡¯m not going to reprimand you,¡± he said softly. Lia tried to not be so obvious with her sigh but of course, it did not escape the ever-observant physician Jeremiah. He chuckled. ¡°It wasn¡¯t as if you did something wrong.¡±


    Lia raised a shoulder as her form of a shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Everyone else thinks I do.¡±


    ¡°Not here. Not at present company.¡± Jeremiah gestured to the rest of the team who hustled and bustled around them.


    The corners of Lia¡¯s mouth curved to a wry smile as she watched them. ¡°You¡¯re all too trusting.¡±


    ¡°Lia,¡± he said in a tone as if a parent talks to a child, ¡°what happened was very unfortunate. But you proved yourself to be above everything they flung at you in the past days. You being here is another proof of that.¡± He paused and let his words sunk in. ¡°And I don¡¯t know if this would be of any help but I want you to know that you are welcome here. I speak on behalf of the troop that you being here is a big help for all of us. Your knowledge of plants and medicine are truly amazing! Did you perhaps come from the capital? Because if not, where else would you learn something like that?¡±


    Lia giggled. ¡®Giggled¡¯. She might as well be drunk at Jeremiah¡¯s words. And she might think that he was fooling her if not for the obvious welcoming atmosphere she received from them. It had been long, far too long when she felt like she was part of something aside of her family. They never cast judging looks or whisper and call her names. She was never ostracized, something she was used to.


    But she did not belong to them. She was an outsider. They would all leave her once everything was over and she would stay here in this town. Maybe she could re-build their cottage or just be a nomad. The last one did not sound so bad.


    Her thoughts must have shown on her face as the worried look came back full force on Jeremiah¡¯s eyes. Lia shook her head and forced herself to smile. ¡°How about I tell you about the person who taught me that after all of this is over?¡±

 Chapter 68 - The trap (1)

    The trap (1)


    Lia excused herself from Jeremiah and went to do her task when rumbled sound echoed from the direction of the tents used by the Unseen.


    The sound of footsteps broke the stillness of the night as it came nearer to their camp. Lia jumped at the sudden onslaught of shouts and blood, lots of blood, around them. Injured men came toppling one after another.


    Lia moved back to her previous spot with Jeremiah, her eyes never leaving the incoming wave of people. She felt the tensed air that surrounded Jeremiah as the physician met the first wave of patients. She moved, albeit belatedly, catching a man who almost crashed face down on the ground. There were still more of them coming.


    She recognized these men as the ones who belonged to the scouting team. They were the first one to leave the manor and the first to check the perimeter for any signs of the enemies. But they were not the only ones coming in. There were women and children of varying ages. The youngest Lia saw was around seven years of age.


    The rest of the camp roared into life with people moving to and fro, helping the victims. Some even took it upon themselves to create makeshift beds like the ones they made for the patients back at the manor.


    ¡°It¡¯s a trap! It¡¯s a trap!¡±


    ¡°Beware of the smoke!¡±


    That was what these men kept on shouting to anyone willing to listen. It was hard to do otherwise as they continued saying the same words over and over. A cold sweat rolled over Lia¡¯s forehead, the foreboding feeling that she kept on ignoring earlier came back. She met Jeremiah¡¯s eyes and he wore what Lia thought was confusion and alertness on his face, something she was sure that mirrored the look on her own. But that did not stop their hands from moving and putting gauzes on the injured.


    She assisted Jeremiah with the patients. As her hand touched one of them, she removed them right away as if she held a burning iron. Their skin was blistering hot.


    ¡°They have a high fever,¡± she said. She remembered this kind of fever as the ones the townsfolk experienced.


    Jeremiah managed a grunt but otherwise remained busy checking the eyes and the mouth of the patient for other signs.


    Lia tried other patients and it was that same burning feeling.


    ¡°Beware of the smoke!¡± The patient she was tending to grunted in his half-delirious state.


    Lia had an epiphany right then. The smoke, the fever¡­ it was the same illness the townsfolk had. She was not sure, of course. It was her first time hearing about the smoke. But that sickness and the gin made from hell came from the Unseen and they were dealing with the same organization now so it would not be a far-fetched idea to connect the two.


    Lia¡¯s gut twisted painfully. Just how far would this group go to wreak havoc, to wreak lives?


    Someone groaned loudly and it was like a jolt in Lia¡¯s brain. ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare the medicines,¡± she shouted to Jeremiah as she ran.


    She hurried to their tent and began preparing the medicine. If it was the same illness, then the same antidote might work. If it didn¡¯t¡­ she shook her head. She could not ¡ª would not allow herself to think of that. It had to work. Or all of them was doomed.

 Chapter 69 - The trap (2)

    The trap (2)


    When Lia transmigrated, there was only one rule she told herself to stick to remember: to avoid the protagonist. At all cost. Unless she was tired of living.


    Yet so far, she had not been really successful doing that.


    These men, these injured men were led by Eldric. They came in with him and they came out¡­ without.


    Her mind was reeling. What happened in there? Eldric¡¯s men were the cream of the crop. They would not fall on a simple trap. Unless¡­ she did not dare think of what comes after unless. But surely, Eldric would do something.


    Speaking of him¡­she had not seen a hair nor hide of the general. She grabbed the vials of medicine and went back outside and the number of victims increased. There was a faint hope that maybe he was one of them.


    She gave out the medicine to the other medics as her eyes subtly roamed the vicinity. No Eldric. Maybe he was not a victim, maybe he was assisting around. She looked around once more to no avail.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the general?¡± she asked to no one.


    One guy near her who looked a little better than the rest propped to his elbow and glanced at her. He, too, looked around with much grunting and wincing. ¡°He might¨C he might still be inside.¡±


    It was as if someone dropped lead in her gut. Surely, Eldric was capable of handling them and fending them off. Right?


    She was not going to risk her life in a futile attempt to rescue him. She would be more of a liability than help if she attempted. Eldric was the general for heaven¡¯s sake. He would not die that easily.


    But she had seen the edge on his face every time he talked about the Unseen, the burning desire to annihilate the group, that towering fury. She knew that there was more to that than what he was letting on. She knew it was not just what happened in the town or the terrorizing that had been going on. It was something personal, something deep and ugly that was still doing its own terrorizing to Eldric. What if these feelings consumed him and made him do irrational things?


    The novel might have painted him as the unrivaled warrior. The perfect human being. Yet Lia could not shake off the feeling that he was everything but perfect. Eldric was every inch a normal person like her, someone who could get hurt.


    ¡®Come on, he¡¯s the freaking protagonist. Protagonists are supposed to have a golden finger, a big, big cheat. They don¡¯t die easily!¡¯


    Lia could not, should not, and would not sacrifice her peace for him. Not for the person who was supposedly the start of her downfall. She would not follow the steps of her predecessor. Therefore, she really needed to forget about this whole business about Eldric and just continue helping here where she was needed the most.


    She was not looking for trouble. Never.


    She was, therefore, quite annoyed with herself as she crept along the edges of the tent. It was a big one like the ones they used in a circus. This was supposedly a tent for businessmen to rest in after a few days journey. The air had cleared but she silently took a vial. Two in fact. Just in case.


    ¡®I¡¯m just going to take a peek.¡¯

 Chapter 70 - When curiosity killed the cat (1)

    When curiosity killed the cat (1)


    ¡®I¡¯m just going to take a peek. Then if there¡¯s any movement or weird things or suspicious people around, I¡¯ll go back and report.¡¯ Lia told herself. The dagger, which Eldric returned to her before they left the manor felt cold and heavy in her hand.


    She strained her ears, hoping to catch any sound but also hoping not to catch anything. Because if there was so much as a rustle then someone should still be inside. And that was not good.


    But her hyperawareness brought more harm than good when even the sound of her breathing puts her even more on the edge.


    She found the entrance and her threadbare courage wavered. But a single thought persisted in the midst of all of her doubts and fears ¨C Eldric could be lying there for all she knew.


    With one last look over her shoulder, she entered the tent. It was dimly lit but from what Lia could make out were the scattered cages on the side. These were big, like for large animals, not the kind that one would normally see in a pet shop. She wondered what could be there because she did not see any animals the men could have brought in the camp. Why would Unseen need animals? For entertainment? Punishment?


    She did not stop walking though to ponder on Unseen hobbies and continued. She crawled on all fours even though there was no other soul, no movement inside. She expected guards or any loitering members of the group. If the members of Unseen had already escaped then why did Eldric remain? Or perhaps he was somewhere else, taken by the dark group?


    Lia shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. That was just not possible. Eldric could handle himself. Hopefully.


    While there were three big tents on the outside, on the inside, they were connected with one another. A thin curtain-like flap was the only thing that separated each tent.


    When she was about to cross to the second tent, the fingers clasping the ends of the flap paused. The deeper she went into the tent, the eerier the atmosphere seemed to be. The air felt bleaker and heavier with each step.


    This was stupid. And it was getting more stupid the more she lingered in the place. But she could not back down, right? Not when her gut feeling points her in this direction to find him.


    Lia took a careful step and gulped, looking over her shoulders once more. Why was this place so deserted and quiet and wrong?


    She released her breath through her mouth, hoping to ease the tension. ¡®Just one more tent and then I¡¯m out.¡¯


    She crossed to another tent and it was not much different than the first one. There were still cages but with slightly more crates and rumpled makeshift beddings? Not to mention the rather questionable things lying around ¨C things she had not seen all her life.


    She trudged deeper. This tent was basically an extension of the first. But now that she was in the middle and with more light, she noticed that it was much tidier and slightly move lavish-looking compared to the simpleness of the first one as if this was an entertainment area of some sort. She could picture people lounging around doing what bad guys were supposed to do in their free time.


    Then she reached the end of the second tent and faced the curtain that connected to the third tent. She let herself breathe out. This walk had taken years off her life. But she had not encountered anyone which was a good sign in all the wrongness of the place. It was also a sign to go back.


    Yet she found herself staring long and hard at the flap that connected the second and third tent.


    No, she would not go there. She promised. So she took a step back.


    And a laugh reverberated in the air.

 Chapter 71 - When curiosity killed the cat (2)

    When curiosity killed the cat (2)


    With wide eyes, Lia was frozen in place. Another laugh re-sounded. Because of the darkness, she could not be sure where it was coming from. Was someone tailing her all this time?


    Her eyes, adjusted to this dimly-lit place, could already make out the shapes of things around her. Fearing that someone was around, lurking somewhere in the dark, her eyes roamed around.


    Then another laugh again.


    This time Lia strained her eyes and the rest of her senses. Then, with a jolt, she realized that the laughter came from the other side of the flap.


    A thought made her head ached ¨C there were still people remaining in the tent. People from the Unseen. A cold sweat rolled down her back as dread gnawed on her insides. She was dead. Oh, she was so dead.


    Then another sound made her paused once more. A low groan followed by a curse. Her heart seemed to have blocked her throat as she realized the owner of that voice.


    ¡°You should see that desperation on your face Eldric. It is absolutely lovely.¡± A bark of laughter followed. The voice, however pleasant to listen to, was full of menace.


    Eldric was there, just beyond the tent flap. Alive. ¡®For now,¡¯ she thought bitterly. He was with who appeared to be one of the Unseen. That was not good.


    Lia chewed her lower lip, to the point that she could taste a bit of iron. She hid the dagger on the secret pocket of her sleeves. She never saw the point of it when Eldric told her about it. But now she was so grateful for its ingenuity.


    Gathering the last ounce of her courage, she lifted the flap to make a small opening, enough to allow her passage and crawled her way in, her face almost touching the ground. She could not help but think of the stupidity of what she was about to do. Maybe this was stupid but¡­ but but but.


    She could not ignore Eldric, whose ragged breathing echoed in the tent mixed with the maniacal laughter of the man from the Unseen. If she leaves him right now, there was no knowing if he would still be alive when help comes in.


    To her relief, there were walls of wooden crates that shielded her from being seen, let alone noticed by the people inside. Lia crouched down behind one of them, trying to be as quiet as possible. If she could silence her breath she would since every one of her movements seemed to be a hundred times louder in her ear.


    She peered over one of the crates, thankful that the light was scarce on her side and it was mainly focused on the middle. Because of that, it was easier to tell what was happening in the middle.


    Lia almost let out an audible gasp when she saw Eldric. He was kneeling on the floor with both of his arms tied behind him. Blood gushed on his wounds. Lia could only see the side of his face but it was easy enough to tell that his face looked as if it was used as a substitute for a punching bag. Lia had never seen him as haggard as he was now. He was roughed out. Her heart squeezed at the pitiful sight of the protagonist. Yet, despite all of these, his face radiated with hostility.


    ¡°Now, now. You should be happy with our reunion my dear son.¡±


    Her eyes caught sight of Eldric right away that she did not realize that there was another person in the tent, the other voice that she had heard earlier. The man walked closer to where Eldric was. He looked like he was in the late thirties or early forties. He was good-looking and regal but with a streak of cruelty and scorn in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your son,¡± Eldric growled.


    The man gave out a bark of laughter as if Eldric just said the world¡¯s funniest joke. He leaned down so the light on the side cast a shadow on his face but she still could see the smirk playing on his lips with perverse amusement.


    ¡°Come now. You¡¯re supposed to inherit my position and all of these,¡± he spread his arms and motioned to this desolate place before putting them behind him. ¡°But I guess that¡¯s how the king calls you now? Does he also make you believe that you¡¯re equal to the prince when you¡¯re nothing but a speck of dirt picked off the streets?¡± When Eldric did not answer and just continued to stare, the man sneered. ¡°Tell me what¡¯re you¡¯re trying to accomplish. You could have the world beside me.¡±


    Eldric moved against the rope that bound his body which only made the man laughed more.


    ¡°How about we do something for our little reunion?¡±

 Chapter 72 - When curiosity killed the cat (3)

    ¡°How about we do something for our little reunion? Do you remember, our, ah, little recreation? We wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being disturbed. Your men are probably down with a fever.¡± His handsome face crumpled as if thinking. ¡°But the goods that we captured are probably on your camp now, eh?¡± He paced around, deep in thought until finally he snapped his fingers and gave out a small ¡®ah¡¯.


    ¡°Pen?¡± the man called out.


    A woman came out from somewhere in the darkness and walked towards the two men. She stood beside what seemed to be the leader of Unseen and when he opened his arm to invite her in, she snuggled comfortably as if they had done this many times before.


    Lia felt dizzy watching the things that unfolded before her.


    The scene that played out in front of her was different from what she thought. Well, she did not know exactly what she expected but definitely not something like this. Was Eldric part of the Unseen? Was he a spy? There was also the talk about goods and recreation.


    And then, there was this woman. A young thinly-dressed lady with disheveled long hair. Where was she all this time? Worst, did she see Lia creeping in?


    But most of all, she did not understand the look on Eldric¡¯s face. When the woman called Pen came out, Eldric looked pale and pained. Anguished. Lia never thought she would see this look on his face. When Pen snuggled, he looked as if he wanted to burn these two people in front of him now.


    ¡°Do you remember her?¡± the man cocked his eyebrow at Eldric. ¡°If my memory serves, you two had a fling together.¡± This last sentence was directed to Pen who was busy drawing lazy circles on his chest and not paying attention to anything. The man turned back to Eldric and smiled triumphantly when he saw the general¡¯s reaction as though he was waiting for it. ¡°She¡¯s grown now, in a lot of ways. A lot better in bed than that time when you fumbled around. I¡¯ll lend her to you, for old times sake.¡±


    ¡°You son of a bitch. What did you do to her!?¡± Eldric said, moving against the ropes.


    That earned him a kick in the chest, right at one of his wounds. He tumbled back like a ragdoll as the other man cackled at the sight.


    Lia felt sick. In the implied use for Pen. In the past that Eldric shared with these people. In what a young Eldric experienced. In the worn-out and powerless Eldric in front of her. She clamped a hand over her mouth to tone down the sob that escaped from her. It was all so wrong.


    The leader pushed Pen lightly towards Eldric. ¡°Go please your childhood sweetheart. Make him have a good time.¡±


    She obeyed and removed her outer robe as she closed their distance. Eldric eyed her like a prey wary of the predator.


    ¡°What have you done?¡± Eldric asked the leader.


    The leader shrugged. ¡°The usual. But she has always been a perfect good so I kept her with me.¡±


    Pen reached out, her face not showing any emotions. She did not even seem like she heard any of the conversation spoken around her. With her outer robe dislodged, she only wore a satin dress underneath that emphasized her curves. She reached out and tried to kiss Eldric.


    Eldric tried to move his head away but Pen seemed to have anticipated that as she grabbed his head and forced her kiss. It was an open-mouthed kiss with lots of tongues but Lia neither find it romantic nor sensual. It was nothing of those she had seen on films or the handful of kisses she had. The kiss unfolding in front of her was like a predator ravishing her prey. It was painful to watch.


    Pen cried out and stumbled away from Eldric, a hand over her mouth. This seemed to amuse the leader as he examined her lips. ¡°My, my. What a naughty boy you have become.¡±


    Eldric gathered all of his strength to stand but swayed. He cursed as he plopped down on the ground again.


    Another round of laughter. Lia was getting sick of it now. That man was sick.


    A slow clapped echoed in the air. ¡°You are the first person who managed to stand straight even for a few minutes after inhaling that. How are you liking my newest product? This one is much better than the ones I¡¯ve sent in that little town. But that¡¯s not the point now. Come on, you still haven¡¯t shown me the skills you¡¯ve learned Eldric.¡± The leader seemed to thought for a while. ¡°Perhaps you want a new breed eh?¡±


    The man nodded his head at Pen who, without a word, walked towards Lia¡¯s direction.

 Chapter 73 - When curiosity killed the cat (4)

    When curiosity killed the cat (4)


    The sick feeling in Lia¡¯s gut was replaced by dread with the fast-approaching Pen in front of the crates she had been hiding in. It could not be her right? They could not have seen her. She shivered as she crouched lower. She prayed to any listening gods and saints in heaven to spare her.


    But help did not come as the crates shielding her splintered away as Pen kicked them all. Lia scurried backward to avoid the splinters and Pen¡¯s grabbing hands.


    Lia turned to bolt to the flap. She would shout and raise the alarm, something she should have done way earlier. Now both she and Eldric were going to die because of her.


    But Pen was quicker. She grabbed Lia¡¯s hair and yanked her back. With a fistful of hair in her hand, Pen dragged Lia towards the middle, in between the leader and Eldric. Lia gave a cry out at the top of her lungs, hoping and praying once more that her scream would raise an alarm. She did not know if anyone could hear her from the outside but she exaggerated her shout and facial expressions anyway.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Eldric¡¯s voice sounded hoarse and raw. She could not tell if he was angry no matter how hard she tried to read his expression. He looked more roughed up close, very far from the robust young man she saw not too long ago.


    Lia threw her hands around Eldric¡¯s neck. ¡°Oh Eldric, Eldric. I was so worried! I didn¡¯t see you come back so I thought you were d-dead.¡± She drew back to take a good look at him. She cried and then buried her head on his neck.


    She was acting. But crying was something she did not need to force. Just seeing this state Eldric was in was enough to make her cry.


    ¡°How charming. But not what I want to see. Pen, give it to Eldric.¡±


    Alarmed, Lia stood in front of Eldric and spread her arms as if she could block whatever they were planning to do with him. It was futile but still, she did it. ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t do this any longer! Stop hurting him!¡±


    Her voice cracked at the last sentence. She was relieved a bit that it came out good. It was hard to maintain the distressed-but-brave-maiden act when you were shaking down to the bones.


    The leader cackled. ¡°Do you even know what kind of man you are protecting missy? Well, let me tell you.¡± He dramatically cleared his throat. ¡°That man behind you was trained to charm and bed women. Basically, trick people. He was a good disciple of mine. How many can you take on at a time back then?¡± His question was directed to Eldric who just growled behind Lia.


    Pen held one of the pouches hanging on her waist. She plucked one and approached Eldric again. Lia stood her ground, spreading her arms as wide as she could. She tried to ignore the prickly feeling caused by the leader¡¯s words.


    ¡°Lia,¡± she heard Eldric say but she did not turn back or back down with her eyes never leaving Pen¡¯s.


    Pen, for what its worth, looked every inch of a dainty lady if a dainty lady could kick wooden crates that easily. She may look high with that dead fish eyes of hers but still alluring like the seductress that she was. So Lia was so surprised when Pen¡¯s backhand landed on Lia¡¯s cheeks, sending her on the ground.


    ¡®Holy shit.¡¯


    Lia¡¯s ear rang from the impact and her cheek stung. But she could not let Pen get to Eldric. She scrambled back towards them. ¡°Stop!¡±


    She did not know if she was saying that to Pen or for the pain on her face to stop hurting.


    The leader watched them and chuckled as if they were all just playing, slapping each other for fun. ¡°Don¡¯t be so scared missy. Pen¡¯s just giving him an aphrodisiac so we all have a good time. While waiting for the drug to take its effect, how about we have our own fun time first?¡±


    To Lia¡¯s horror, the man started walking towards her. She scrambled faster towards Eldric¡¯s side.


    ¡°Stay away from her!¡± Eldric used his body to shield Lia but he could only do so much when he was busy wrestling with Pen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll have your turn,¡± the leader told Eldric.


    But before anyone could have their turn, they heard movements outside the tent which halted any movements inside. For a split second, Lia grew even more terrified. ¡®Did the Unseen members came back?¡¯

 Chapter 74 - When curiosity killed the cat (5)

    When curiosity killed the cat (5)


    ¡°General! Miss Lia!¡±


    When she heard their names, Lia knew that they were Eldric¡¯s men. The sound of reinforcement renewed her strength and found the force she needed to knock down Pen.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± She shouted hoping it would help their comrades find them before the two of them died. Lia tackled Pen, slapping, pinching, clawing at her. But Pen, with her inhuman strength, clawed back and threw punches. Lia almost tumbled back but she found her footing and used this to her advantage by pushing Pen to the ground and straddled her, trying to grab at the pouches on the other¡¯s waist.


    Eldric managed to get ropes off of him and went after the leader who tried to escape. Lia barely managed to keep track of what was happening around her as she tried to block Pen¡¯s attacks.


    She continued to thrash around when she noticed that her eyes were turning hazy. She blinked and momentarily stopped fighting back, only to look up and see that there was smoke within the tent.


    This momentary pause was what Pen needed to give Lia a sucker punch in the gut and threw her off. Lia tried to fight back but she was choking from the smoke. Her limbs turned jelly that even when she tried to throw a punch, Pen easily swatted her arm as though she was killing a fly. Pen kicked Lia on the ground where Lia heaved and gasped for air.


    Her vision swirled, her mind as foggy as the inside of the tent, and every inch of her body ached. This was how she was going to die.


    Then so be it.


    ¡®But at least, let Eldric live. He needs to find that man.¡¯


    Putting her last strength, she crawled on the ground and searched for Eldric. She saw a form lying not far from her and went to that direction even as her head pounded as though there was a circus doing acrobatics inside her skull.


    ¡°Eldric?¡± She rasped. He answered with a groan.


    Lia crawled her way and touched a part of him. She could not tell which but from the burning feeling on her fingertips, she could tell that she had the fever.


    ¡®Ah, so we¡¯ll be like them.¡¯ She coughed and fumbled in her pocket, relieved that the vials she took remained intact despite the attacks she received. She groped around until she found Eldric¡¯s mouth and tipped one vial over it. Then she took the other vial.


    The world continued to swirl around her and the circus¡¯s performance intensified in her head. It was getting harder and harder to keep her thoughts straight.


    Her hands searched for Eldric¡¯s hand. It was still burning. ¡°Please live for both of us. If I die here, I¡¯ll be happy to know that my last deed on earth has kept you alive.¡±


    She did not regret dying here. She already died once, maybe she was not meant to live an old age. But, now, if she died, then she died. She was letting go of all of the regrets, the anger, all the negative things that she was feeling. Hopefully, she would find peace in the afterlife. She wished there would also be a clearing in there where she could loiter and roll around like the old days.


    As her eyes fluttered shut, the sound of voices came nearer and the last words she heard were ¡°General! Miss Lia!¡±


    And everything went black.

 Chapter 75 - Another chance

    Another chance


    Lia popped her eyes open. She blinked a few times at the ceiling before squeezing her eyes shut once more. Then opening them again. It was a familiar ceiling. She scanned the place and determined her location with her head the only part of her that moved.


    For a confused second, the place looked foreign yet familiar. Apparently, this was not her room in the cottage. But she remembered that the cottage was gone and she was staying at what used to be the mayor¡¯s house. She realized that she was back in her room at the manor which explained the familiarity of the ceiling earlier.


    She stared blankly and thought back to what happened. A dark place, getting dragged, unknown man, Pen, Eldric¡­ Her last memories were her giving up on her life yet she managed to come back.


    ¡°I¡¯m alive,¡± she croaked. She coughed a bit trying to loosen her dry throat that felt raw after being unused for who knows how long. She seemed to have escaped death this time. Again. Sure she was ready to go but one could not help but be grateful to be given another chance in life.


    ¡®But how?¡¯


    She coughed once again and searched around her for any water at the bedside. There was no one around her. Sad how her life was unlike the heroines from drama where even if they just fainted for a while the entire household surrounded their beds, waiting for the sleeping princess to wake up. Ay, life was not as kind and good to her. It only reminded her that she was now alone in the world. She brushed her concerns aside.


    ¡®Can¡¯t be helped then.¡¯


    With a shrug ¡ª or a movement that resembled a shrug ¡ª Lia raised her body, slowly and tentatively, each and every muscle in her body revolted at her movement. She winced when she used her arm to support her weight. She looked down and saw bruises, perhaps from that time when Pen grabbed her. Lia remembered the dagger hidden in her sleeves and felt for it. It was gone.


    She glanced at the bruises on her arm, aware of the shot of pain in her limbs and the headache that made her dizzy. That ordeal in the tent was a nightmare. To be able to live through it was a miracle already. But more than her own terror, she was more terrified at what she learned about Eldric¡¯s past. She still could not make her mind up if she was terrified at Eldric¡¯s past or at him.


    Most of all, she could not help but wonder how was Eldric after all of that. He was wounded and drugged.


    Lia was in the middle of musing and checking the rest of her body when the door opened.


    ¡°Oh good you are finally awake,¡± Jeremiah said.


    He felt her forehead and then checked her pulse. ¡°You no longer have a fever which was good.¡±


    ¡°How long¡­¡±


    Jeremiah nodded, showing his acknowledgment at the unspoken question. ¡°Two days.¡±


    He then proceeded to tell her what happened after she lost consciousness. The leader of Unseen and Pen got away while Lia and Eldric were left behind to die. But they both had a high fever because of the smoke. Good thing, the guards found them right away.


    ¡°I must say, that was a dangerous move. You could have told me or any of the guards before going there. Well, I could say the same for the General. He could have asked for a backup but instead, he stubbornly insisted on going alone. Really you two, you have me worried.¡± Jeremiah shook his head.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so kind and put it lightly. I know it¡¯s stupid and I¡¯m sorry for my actions,¡± Lia apologized. She was indeed being stupid back then. ¡°Where¡¯s Eldric? How is he?¡±


    ¡°He woke up a day earlier than you and is now back bossing people around. Maybe he¡¯ll come back later when he is done with work.


    But Eldric never came.

 Chapter 76 - Future

    Future


    Lia remained in bed for the next three days. And in those days she had not seen the hide nor hair of Eldric.


    ¡°Did the General visit yet?¡± Jeremiah asked. Save for the servant who gave her meals and assisted her baths, the physician was her only visitor. That was her assuming that he came for visits when she guessed that he was just doing his job of treating his patients.


    ¡°No,¡± Lia tried hard not to sound disappointed.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably still busy with the preparations and reports,¡± Jeremiah said, knowing full well that they both knew that it was an excuse, a lie they wanted to believe in. Not the reality that Eldric simply forgot about her existence.


    ¡®It was stupid of me to think that we are some sort of friends.¡¯ Did she expect that a single misfortune would overturn their relationship like that? That sense of camaraderie ended at the tent. Her use was done. She should be rejoicing that their connection was over. Or was she that lonely to cling for any kind of attachment even if it was founded in times of danger?


    ¡°Say,¡± Jeremiah started, bringing Lia back from her thoughts, ¡°what do you think of the Imperial City?¡±


    The question was so sudden that it took her a few minutes to process the question. She blinked rapidly trying to think of what she knew about the city.


    From the novel, the author described it as a flamboyant city that attracted the country bumpkin Lia. She thought that it would be a place where she could finally shred the image of a witch. As it turned out, it was a much scarier and cruel place where people saw her as their chess piece, easy to be discarded and blamed upon.


    But Lia could not blurt that knowledge so she responded with an innocent guess. ¡°Somewhere with lots of people?¡±


    Jeremiah arched his eyebrows before chuckling. ¡°Well, yes, that is true. It is busier and bigger than your town. It is also the place to learn a lot of things.¡±


    Lia narrowed her eyes at the last statement and spoke carefully. ¡°Are you telling me to go to the city?¡±


    The physician smiled. ¡°You¡¯re sharp. Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I was talking about. You have a knack for medicine and I wish for you to develop it more. But only if you want to. Or do you have other plans for your future?¡±


    ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t given it much thought,¡± she confessed. Future, what a vague thing.


    But the Imperial City¡­


    Lia would be lying to say that the idea of going to the capital was not tempting. She did want to increase her knowledge. She wanted to know more about herbs and medicine. She was no saint who wanted to help everyone, there were others more suited for that. But she was a good researcher and she would love to know more. She thought she could study them under her mother¡¯s tutelage. But no one was to teach her now. Besides, she wanted to learn more about this world.


    Jeremiah must have sensed her hesitation for he gave her an encouraging but hopeful smile. He patted her arm. ¡°No rush. We won¡¯t leave just yet. You can think about it first. But if you do agree, I give you my assurance that I¡¯ll give you a recommendation letter to enter the national exam. But if you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t take it personally.¡±


    Lia watched the good doctor left her room. ¡®Imperial City, huh.¡¯ Part of her wanted to say yes. Yet there was an even bigger part of her that screamed ¡®run away.¡¯ What if she escaped death only to be killed there then all of her efforts to avoid her namesake¡¯s fate would be in vain.


    ¡°But it would have been cool to be a scholar¡­¡± She sighed.

 Chapter 77 - Flower

    Flower


    As Lia continued to muse and daydream about the capital, her eyes caught sight of the flower at her bedside. She had not seen this flower before as it was not available near her house. But she could not help but be entranced with its loveliness. It was small and white. ¡®Cute,¡¯ she thought.


    She reached out for a stem and smelled it. It had a light fragrance she liked. She may not be well-versed with flowers but she knew how to appreciate them. If she only knew where to get this kind¡­


    ¡®Maybe the servant knows? She is the one changing it every day after all.¡¯ As she did not have any other visitors, the only ones who could get her something as fresh as this was her assigned servant.


    She continued to stare at the flower in every angle and realized that it was not the same flower as yesterday. The one she had the day before had been yellow. It seemed like the servant was diligent even to this work. ¡®I should thank her for the next time she comes in.¡¯


    Like how she did before the mission, Lia spent her day in bed, cooped up with a book. In the afternoon, a servant eventually came in and delivered her snacks. She took this chance to thank her.


    The servant answered her with a confused look. ¡°I never do such a thing, Miss Lia. Every time I come here, it is always new so I assumed you have a visitor who brings you these.¡±


    ¡°Jeremiah is the only one visiting me and he doesn¡¯t bring any of these either.¡± Lia thought for a while. ¡°Do you know where to get these flowers?¡±


    The servant nodded. ¡°There are many kinds of flowers near the riverbed at the border.¡±


    ¡°At the border?¡± Lia asked incredulously. This place was the border between this town to their neighboring country and it was far from the mayor¡¯s house or at least one would need a ride to get there faster. What kind of person would go to such lengths just to get her these? ¡°Are there any other servants who come here other than you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one that I could think of. The General appointed me as a personal servant for the Miss.¡±


    ¡®Ah.¡¯ Lia smiled and thanked the servant anyway for all of her efforts before sending her away.


    As the day turned to night, Lia fell asleep after her dinner. But she woke up after only a few hours of sleep. The moon was high above and she guessed it was midnight so she just laid on her bed watching the moon outside her window and waiting for sleep to visit her again.


    Then, she heard the door opened followed by soft padding on the floor. The footsteps came closer to her bed. She was lying on her side with her back facing the door so she could not see who came in or what was happening behind her other than the hushed rustling.


    She heard the rush of blood in her ears. It could not have been her servant. She never came after getting her empty plates, knowing full well that Lia was resting. Did someone come to murder her in her sleep then? But they were taking an awfully long time.


    Her heart thudded faster and harder every minute, waiting for the next movement of this person. She really wished she had the dagger right now.


    Then she noticed the sound of the vase being lifted and replaced. She twisted her body as quiet as she could to make it looked like she was only tossing in her sleep. She would not want to alarm her visitor, not when he was going through the pains of not letting her know of his actions.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s here,¡± she said and watched in amusement when her visitor almost jumped in fright before continuing, ¡°long time no see, General.¡±

 Chapter 78 - The Midnight Visitor (1)

    The Midnight Visitor (1)


    Guessing the identity of her mysterious visitor was easy after her talk with the servant. None of the servants would go to the border, even Lia¡¯s servant said so. Jeremiah, despite having more freedom, could not leave his post as his patients needed him. Lia was not close enough to other people to warrant such effort. Except for Eldric who went around the town every day to check the border. He had the means and the position to move anywhere and no one would be courageous enough to question him.


    Eldric pushed a hand through his hair and sighed. ¡°You caught me. I never thought you¡¯d be awake.¡±


    In the now lighted room, Lia could see a haggard Eldric as if he was running all over the town, never resting. She had the urge to put him at ease and ask for his well-being.


    But first things first.


    ¡°So if I¡¯m not awake, it would be okay to go to a maiden¡¯s room in the middle of the night?¡± She deliberately paused and watched him squirm in his seat. ¡°If I have my dagger with me, I would have impaled you.¡±


    Eldric winced. ¡°Yes, I see your point and I apologize for my actions.¡± He gave her an approving look. ¡°That was a nice plan though.¡±


    Lia cocked her eyebrow. ¡°What, impaling you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, no, I mean, defending yourself. I should bring your dagger tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°During daytime.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. During daytime.¡±


    Lia took a long look at him. He looked defeated and for the third time ever since meeting him, he looked less than the protagonist she thought he would be. The one who saves the world, the one with the golden finger. The Eldric in front of her looked more¡­ human. He was as frail and struggling as she was.


    She felt her irritation went away little by little. ¡°So what¡¯s with all of these sneaking around?¡±


    Eldric let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I was afraid.¡± He said as if every word was being pulled out of him.


    Lia waited in silence. When she thought he would no longer continue, she tried to open her mouth to speak but Eldric beat him to it.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard of my past, something that I really wanted to bury. It was not something I¡¯m proud of.¡±


    If one has a background that concerned the Unseen one would most likely hide that fact especially among his men. Lia could imagine the guards dramatically throwing their weapons away and turning back to the General they used to respect.


    ¡°So¡­ you thought that I would judge you. Perhaps even spread the word about your past.¡± Lia guessed.


    ¡°Not the last part.¡±


    ¡°But definitely the first.¡±


    Eldric nodded and closed his eyes.


    Lia considered her words before speaking. ¡°You know, I didn¡¯t really understand what that man said. It was confusing as heck. And obviously I didn¡¯t know the past Eldric. What I know is the Eldric in front of me who learned from his mistakes to be the man he is now.¡±


    She let the words sunk in as Eldric gaped at her before letting out a sigh he seemed to have been holding in ever since he came in. He let out a barely audible thank you, his features relaxing as he spoke.


    ¡°No need,¡± because she did not really think it was something to be thanked for not did she think that her words would help Eldric. But those were her sincere thoughts.


    ¡°No, I owe you my thanks for saving me back then. If it were not for your help, I would not have been able to get away from the ropes. And for the medicine. Jeremiah said it would have taken me longer to recover if I did not take it right away.¡±

 Chapter 79 - The Midnight Visitor (2)

    The Midnight Visitor (2)


    When Lia embraced Eldric, she let the dagger slipped out of her sleeves so she could cut away the binds. She did not know it would work but that was the best she could do in that situation.


    ¡°It was a stupid and reckless thing to do.¡± She lamented.


    Eldric chuckled. ¡°Stupid and reckless, yes. But very brave too.¡±


    Lia snorted. ¡°I¡¯m glad it worked out though. I was pretty sure Pen would catch me doing that.¡±


    Eldric winced at the mention of Pen¡¯s name.


    ¡°Sorry, is she a taboo topic? I won¡¯t talk about her then.¡±


    He waved his hand away. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Penelope and I grew up together. We used to live in the same town before it was blown into smokes.¡± Eldric said that Unseen gathered all the kids from their town and took them in. Once in the group, they were taught different things.


    ¡°Pickpocketing, stealing, lying, the usual stuff,¡± Eldric shrugged.


    ¡°Sounds fun,¡± Lia said without any fun in her voice.


    ¡°I did everything they told us to do to survive and that¡¯s when he noticed me. He trained me personally and treated me as his son and heir. He told me about how to charm people and to let them be used to your advantage. He told me that I should use my good looks to charm the wealthy nobles and please them in bed. In return, I would ask for their money and support.¡±


    But there was training, he said, to be a casanova. For the final test, the leader gave him an aphrodisiac and locked him in a room with beautiful servants. Among them was Pen.


    ¡°Penelope,¡± he croaked her name, ¡°she was pure and innocent and I loved her for that.¡± He laughed bitterly. ¡°When we were kids, we used to promise to be together forever. When she came to my bed, she thought we were fulfilling that promise. But then she had to watch on the sidelines as I¡­ with other servants¡­¡±


    Lia had an epiphany. Pen was his childhood sweetheart, perhaps even now as they were speaking, he still considered her as his sweetheart. That explained the pained expression he had back then. Maybe that was also why he flirted with any innocent beauties in the novel. He was looking for a resemblance of Pen in them.


    ¡°But how¡­?¡±


    ¡°I thought it was the end of the world when the next day she told me that I was a monster so I thought if I am a monster, then might as well do what she thought I was. Until I met another servant who used to be friends with my parents, she let me escaped. When I was wandering on the streets, I encountered a wealthy young man and tried to rob him but he turned out to be the King.¡±


    Lia spluttered. ¡°The King?¡±


    Eldric smiled. ¡°Funny right?¡±


    But Lia was not in the mood to laugh. Her heart was heavy with all of this information. It must have taken a lot of courage for Eldric to share his past.


    ¡°Thank you for telling me all of these. You didn¡¯t have to, but you still did trust me with these, so thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still not¡­ afraid?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve already given you my answer to that.¡±


    Eldric smiled. ¡°I should leave you to rest.¡±


    Lia laid down on her bed as Eldric tucked her in and whispered thank you before he left.

 Chapter 80 - Goodbye to you

    Chapter 80 Goodbye to you


    Lia stared at the assortments of fresh herbs in front of her. She really ought to get some work done. Yolly told her that they were running low with the supplies at the shop, not to mention the orders from nearby towns and the requests from the newly-built infirmary. So much work to do yet her mind kept on coming back to that day. It had been exactly one week since Eldric and his men left their small town.


    When Lia felt better, she started helping out in the establishment of the town infirmary. It had a small clinic for consultation with two beds. A physician from another town agreed to transfer to their town as the previous one was discovered to be in cahoots with the mayor in spreading the illegal alcohol. No wonder, none of the initial victims got better and instead, they all turned for the worst. The new physician was said to be a colleague of Jeremiah, a rather stern man who barely spoke a word and was all work. But that made him easier to work with for Lia as the two of them move in silence.


    The town was starting to rebuild itself starting with its people, who got better one by one, and back to rehabilitating their place. While the mayor and all of his cronies involved in the case were to be put on trial in the capital, some of the key players managed to escape like the one who owned the hole-in-the-wall store.


    With the news of Lia ¡ª the daughter¡¯s witch ¡ª helping out the sick with her medicine, the townsfolk started seeing her in a new light. They used to shove her away, but now they willingly opened their doors to let her in when the new doctor made his rounds with Lia. She accompanied him to walk him through every patient and what had been done to them.


    But not everyone had been so welcoming. Others would send her a wary gaze, afraid that she might poison them, at the same time afraid that she might not heal their relatives.


    Lia busied herself with more and more work that Eldric had to personally pluck her out of her laboratory. He worried and scolded her heavily when she took too much on her plate.


    ¡°You¡¯ve just recovered yourself and now you¡¯re back to overworking!¡± Eldric was enraged.


    ¡°But that¡¯s the least of what I could do!¡±


    Apparently, that was not the answer he was looking for. Knowing that Lia would not bend to his orders, Eldric contented himself in setting specific work hours for her as well as a nightly schedule to ensure that she had enough sleep every day.


    With that, the days went by until it was finally time for goodbyes.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to come with us to the capital?¡± Jeremiah asked the day before their departure.


    Lia nodded. She wanted to stay in the town. She even asked Yolly to employ her and let her stay at their house. Once she had enough savings, maybe that was the time she could go around the country and find her own adventure. That was not a bad idea if she said so herself.


    ¡°Well, I respect your decision. Though the General would definitely be sad that you rejected his idea.¡±


    ¡°It was Eldric¡¯s idea?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he came to me, asking about my opinion about the matter and I thought why not,¡± Jeremiah said.


    On the day of the departure, Lia stood by to watch as the rest of the men and women went to pack things into their carriage.


    Eldric approached her.


    ¡°I was really hoping you could come. I don¡¯t want your talent to be wasted in this town. If you want, after studying, you can always go back here.¡±


    He tried to keep the hope in his eyes from showing, but it still leaked and Lia felt bad for refusing his offer, her refusal caught in her throat. She had already made up her mind and it would not be broken easily.


    Instead, Lia smiled and said, ¡°Be well.¡±


    Eldric looked up, and with a sigh, he took a step closer to encircle his arms around her, pressing his lips on her forehead. ¡°Take care, Lia. I hope we meet again.¡±

 Chapter 81 - The Note (1)

    The Note (1)


    Eldric turned back and with a signal they left, not giving another look at Lia who stood in her place until they disappeared into the horizon. She never expected to be sad or empty when they left but she did anyway. She was not a fan of mobile phones and emails, they were too costly to have. But she wished to have them now.


    ¡®Wow. I¡¯m being so sentimental lately.¡¯


    Yolly grunted in the background as she shuffled around which caused Lia to jolt back from her reverie.


    ¡°Going out?¡± Lia raised an eyebrow. Yolly was wearing her cleaner and more formal dress, at least compared to the usual rugged one she had.


    Yolly grunted again in response. Lia learned that she answered like this when she was in a bad mood. What soured her mood, Lia could not tell and she knew better than to ask. Instead, she shrugged it off and turned back to her work, grouping together what needs to be chopped or ground and what needed further studying.


    Lia flipped her notebook, listing and drawing the newer plants she discovered. She was ecstatic to find hemlock ¡ª something she only read from her history book before. Thumbing through the poisonous plant section of her notebook, she included her new discoveries. With the tragedy that fell on them, the town had to start anew. For Lia, it meant taking up the mantle of her mother, supplying medicine for Yolly¡¯s store. She was not able to save her mother¡¯s recipe but she committed them all in her memory. Armed with her old knowledge and new discoveries, she started her own recipe book listing down the recipes she remembered from her mother and making up new ones. She included the plants she discovered and currently studying.


    ¡°Gon¡¯ take a look at his new mayor they are talking about. It¡¯s the one recommended by your general after all.¡± Yolly said.


    Lia stopped herself from rolling her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s not my anything.¡± Today was the inauguration of the new mayor who was hailed from the capital by Eldric¡¯s advise. ¡°Let¡¯s cross our fingers that he won¡¯t be a conniving bastard like the old one.¡±


    Yolly smirked at her as she put on her boots. ¡°You¡¯ve got some mouth girly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been nothing but a good influence on me.¡± Lia returned Yolly¡¯s smirk. ¡°I¡¯ll cook while you celebrate out there.¡±


    Yolly went out and Lia continued with her medicine. And then, began preparing their food. Ever since she imposed herself on Yolly and Frankie¡¯s lives, she took it upon herself to do the household chores. They let her stay without fee and instead, Yolly was paying Lia as her employer. Helping them around the house and the store was the least she could do.


    ¡°At least, let Frankie wash the dishes. We can¡¯t let a lad slack off with the chores,¡± Yolly had said.


    Lia had just finished cooking when the back door opened and revealed a very pale Yolly. She rushed forward and helped the older woman to the nearest couch. As she turned to get something to drink, Yolly grabbed her hand.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t go yet. You need to read this first.¡±

 Chapter 82 - The Note (2)

    The Note (2)


    Yolly pulled Lia at her wrist and pressed the note on her palm. Lia unfolded the paper and found a very familiar scrawl.


    ¡®Please look after Lia. I¡¯m going to look for my son. He is alive.¡¯


    Other than her name, Lia did not understand the rest of what was written in the small paper. She read it a couple more times, trying to decipher its meaning. ¡°This¡­¡± She did not know how to continue her words. It was as if there were a lot of things she wanted to say that they were all jammed at her throat. She tried again, ¡°This is Tamara¡¯s handwriting.¡±


    Yolly nodded and pressed a hand on her forehead. ¡°I was watching the mayor¡¯s speech and then I felt someone pass something in my hand. I didn¡¯t look fast enough. So when I did turn there was nobody else besides me other than the other people ¡®round there. I get away as soon as possible to read it and well you¡¯ve seen it too.¡±


    ¡°What does this mean? Is someone playing tricks on us? On me? This may be a jest. A bad one at that.¡±


    ¡°That was what I hoped. It would have been better if this was just a harmless trick,¡± Yolly sighed. ¡°But I¡¯ve spent all my life reading her writing that I would know right away if it was a fake. And it was her handwriting alright.¡±


    ¡°Then why? What is the meaning of this!? If she¡¯s alive, then why let us believe otherwise? Why now?¡± ¡®why why why.¡¯ Lia felt the heat at the corner of her eyes. But she could not cry here, not in Yolly¡¯s presence.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know too!¡± Yolly cried as she sunk back to her seat. ¡°But she¡¯s alive¡­ alive!¡±


    Lia looked straight ahead as Yolly¡¯s shoulder shook. She still could not quite trust this piece of paper. This world was full of tricks, she had seen one not too long ago. ¡°I won¡¯t believe this. And what does it mean about the son?¡±


    Yolly wiped her eyes. ¡°Her son¨Che was ripped away from her after he was born, a stillborn the midwife had said. But now he was alive too!¡±


    Lia remembered Tamara telling her of the family she lost. But if the boy was alive, where was he until now? How did Tamara know of his existence? The more she thought about it, the more absurd things were. ¡°I cannot believe this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen her writing!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough! If she really is alive, why not come sooner?¡± ¡®Why abandon me when I needed her the most?¡¯


    ¡°She can¡¯t. If she is looking for her son.¡±


    ¡°Why!?¡± Lia was breathing hard now as she tried to control her feelings. There was¨Cwere¨Cthings, a lot of them, that they were keeping from her. Things she had to know and understand. But nobody¡¯s giving her anything. She felt like pulling her hair from frustration. ¡°What are you not telling me?¡±


    ¡°All this time, she never once believed that her son would die. She took care of herself and was taken care of. She believed despite all of us telling her that he was gone. Call it mother¡¯s instinct or whatever. Believed that someone might have taken her child.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that wherever it may lead her, she will find a way to find her son, alive or not?¡±


    Yolly nodded wearily.


    Lia leaned on the dining table, hoping for support. She had grown tired all of a sudden. It was as if watching a drama with all the tangled relations, conspiracies, and betrayals. She laughed without mirth. ¡°This sounds like what happens to nobles or something.¡±


    The older woman stilled and then laughed nervously along with Lia.


    ¡°I think,¡± Lia said carefully, ¡°I¡¯m going to find Tamara.¡±

 Chapter 83 - Secrets and Lies (1)

    Secrets and Lies (1)


    ¡°I think,¡± Lia said carefully, ¡°I¡¯m going to find Tamara.¡±


    ¡°Are you being stupid, girly!?¡± Yolly half-rose from her seat, her hands shook in anger as she clutched at the chair¡¯s arms. ¡°If you are, now¡¯s not the time for that. Haven¡¯t you read it? Your mother wants you safe and protected because someone might come after you! Don¡¯t you want an easy life? Then don¡¯t poke your head on unnecessary things!¡±


    The words stung but Lia did not let it affect her. Or at least show in her face that she was hurt. She drove the bitterness away from her voice when she spoke. ¡°I want an easy life. But I don¡¯t want to be an ignorant fool. I¡¯m worried about her.¡± Lia insisted. She knew she can never win an argument with Yolly but she had to try and solve the mystery that was her mother.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we all?¡± Yolly left her and assisted another patron.


    That was that. Lia rubbed a hand over her face. What should she do? What were they expecting her to do? She stared at the ceiling, hoping to find the answer. It was a futile attempt, she knew. Once again, she was reminded that she was an outsider to this world.


    ***


    Three days had passed. Three days of mulling over the words written on the note. Three days of not knowing and understanding what was happening around her. Lia laid on her bed every night, recalling Yolly¡¯s words. Tamara was in danger. And so was Lia. She formed a fist, gripping her blanket. Why didn¡¯t the author focus on these important plot points instead of who the protagonist lured in his bed!?


    Lia glared at the ray of light peeking through the gaps of her window. It was morning again and she barely had a wink. With a huff, she tossed her blanket off her and decided to start her day early by gathering fresh ingredients near the riverbed.


    Both Yolly and Frankie were not early risers. This meant having the entire house to herself, to have quiet mornings. This was just one of the things she loved. But after having sleepless nights, mornings were like her enemy, the morning light seeping in her eyes. Work was the only thing that kept her mind engage in things unrelated to the mysteries of this world.


    The streets were starting to stir but otherwise remained empty for the most part. Lia was no longer afraid walking in these streets, no longer wearing her disguise, and no longer worrying that someone might start up a fight. Some townsfolk greeted her as she passed by their house.


    The cool breeze welcomed her as she arrived at the riverbed. It was all thanks to the maidservant who attended to her needs when she was in the manor and told her where to gather the freshest plants. The riverbed provided not just ingredients but new discoveries. It was a trove for herbs that were not available in the forest.


    Lia immediately set to her work once she arrived. She hummed a tune as she picked up her things, checking her list if she forgot to take something, and noting down any new information she noticed. She was absorbed in her work that she almost missed the hushed voices coming from the thicket.

 Chapter 84 - Secrets and Lies (2)

    Secrets and Lies (2)


    ¡°Are you sure that is the witch¡¯s daughter?¡± One of the men said to another. Both of their faces hidden under black cloth.


    ¡°Yes. I was watching that general store all day and night yesterday. That is the house of her mother¡¯s friend and that¡¯s where she¡¯s staying now.¡±


    The man standing at the center of their small circle nodded. Lia assumed that he was the leader as he seemed to be more commanding than the rest and the others listened to his every word.


    These men, despite their clothes, did not look like they were from the town. Despite looking like passing merchants, Lia caught a glimpse of an eye tattoo on the arm of one of them. She recognized that as the insignia of the Unseen, similar to the ones she saw inside the tent.


    Realizing who these people were, Lia tried to shrink herself even further, making herself as small as possible behind a tree. The longer she listened to them, the more she was certain of their plan.. They were, without a doubt, looking for her. If she made a careless noise or movement right now, it would be like walking right into their trap. And even if she got captured right now, there was no telling what they would do with Yolly and Frankie. These people seemed to be targeting those who were related to Tamara. Perhaps this was what her mother was afraid of.


    ¡°Continue watching the store. We¡¯ll go in tonight. Let¡¯s meet here again once the sun sets before we go. Report any strange movement or suspicious people who go in and out of their store.¡±


    The men voiced their agreement and set out to different directions.


    Lia remained huddled behind the tree, afraid to create even just a little movement. She did not realize that she was shaking. Wrapping her arms around her, she remained alert to her surroundings. She did not dare do any big movements. Someone might be keeping a lookout which would result in her capture. The only part of her body she let roaming around was her eyes. She kept an eye on every shadow, every branch above her, everywhere a man could hide.


    After what seemed like an eternity, she moved her stiff limbs, still with careful movements. For the first time since she overheard the men, she let herself breathe, calming the hammering of her chest. Those were men from Unseen and they were out to get Lia. But why? She hated to admit that Yolly was right that there was someone out there out for her blood.


    Yolly! With a jolt, she straightened up and ran to the store. When she stepped into the town, she remembered that the men had their eyes around the town. If they happened to spot Lia in a hurry, they might get an idea that she knew what they were planning.


    It took all of her effort to act normally, all the while keeping an eye all around her. She wanted to laugh. She thought that once everything settled, she would start walking freely in the town. No more hiding, no more disguises. But now, she was still hiding and on the edge.

 Chapter 85 - Secrets and Lies (3)

    Secrets and Lies (3)


    As per usual, she went to the back door of the store as calm as possible. When she got in, Yolly was preparing to open the store. Lia proceeded to bar the door, much to Yolly¡¯s surprise.


    ¡°What do you think¨C¡± Yolly started but Lia pressed a finger in front of her lips.


    She gestured for Yolly to go to the second floor of the house. Frankie had woken up and went over the window. Lia snatched the curtain from his hand before he could open it and gestured for him to be silent too. She signaled for them to join her in the corner of the house far from any windows.


    Once they were safely hidden from the view outside, Yolly spoke with alarm. ¡°What is happening girly?¡±


    ¡°We are being watched.¡± Lia let those words hang and sunk into the people in front of her. ¡°I heard them by the riverside. They were planning to abduct me tonight. They were watching us since yesterday. Be careful, I think someone might act as one of the customers.¡± The words tumbled from her lips, one after another.


    Yolly sunk to the floor. ¡°This was what Tamara was talking about.¡±


    ¡°But why turn to me? I¡¯m living quietly.¡±


    ¡°You lived with your mother so they think you might know something about making medicine. Or other things¡­¡± Yolly shook her head as if to clear it. ¡°Let¡¯s not make assumptions. We need action. You need to leave the town today.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know those other things. And anyway, where would we go?¡± Lia asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no we,¡± when Lia tried to protest, Yolly put out a hand, a signal for her to shut up. ¡°We will distract them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s dangerous! I can¡¯t let you do that!¡±


    ¡°It would be more dangerous for you if you are caught. I promised your mother.¡±


    ¡°Still¨C¡±


    ¡°Mother was right. We are more adept at hiding. Don¡¯t worry about us.¡± Frankie chipped in.


    ¡°Even if we go separate ways there¡¯s no telling that we would be safe!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. But we have to take our chances. You have to go to the capital.¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s that got to do with this?¡± Lia could not keep up with this turn of discussion.


    ¡°You want to save yourself and your mother, right? Go take the exam and be a scholar. If you have a position, you¡¯ll have power, it would be harder for them to do a move against you. And with that position, you would be able to find your mother.¡±


    Lia felt like the world was turning upside down right in her very eyes. She was getting dizzy with all the things that were happening. ¡°I don¡¯t¨C¡±


    Yolly gripped Lia¡¯s arms, so tight she winced. ¡°No time! Come on, you need to pack.¡±


    ¡°How will I go to the next town? I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll survive in the forest! Let me go with you! This is¨C¡± She was exasperated. ¡°This is absurd!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll all die together if you come with us. Besides, weren¡¯t you living like a vagabond with your parents before you live with Tamara? Don¡¯t tell me you forgot about that after just living comfortably?¡±


    Lia wanted to cry and scream and say that it was not her. Of course, she did not know how to live alone in the forest. Of course, she did not know how to fend off bad guys or wild animals. She was doing herbs. She was not a fighter.


    But she also knew that whining and crying would get her nowhere. The clock was ticking. If something was off with their routine the men would think that they knew what was happening already and she could not have that. They would all die.


    Lia packed her clothes while Yolly opened the store as usual. Frankie¡¯s task was to prepare Lia¡¯s food and weapons.


    ¡°What would become of the store if we leave? Shouldn¡¯t we tell the mayor and the doctor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll post a note to them. Don¡¯t worry about us too much. Worry about yourself,¡± Yolly said.


    ¡°I think it would be better if you disguised,¡± Frankie whispered, offering her a small smile in what, Lia thought, he hoped to be a reassuring smile. He passed a hat to her.


    Lia tried them on and thought of a better idea. ¡°Do you have a scissor?¡±


    ***


    In the afternoon, a young man went out of the store and looked like he was heading for a good time. Frankie always goes out of the store to play somewhere before dinner.


    But this time it was not Frankie. It was Lia.

 Chapter 86 - On the run

    On the run


    ¡°A house was ransacked in the next town!¡±


    ¡°How unfortunate! Isn¡¯t that the place where not too long ago they caught the members from that underground group?¡±


    ¡°You mean the same town where the witch¡¯s house was burned down?¡±


    Lia listened to the murmurs of the townspeople in this place, acting normal as she bought her rations. After running non-stop for two days in the woods, staying on paths not usually used by people and camping on trees, she finally arrived at this town last night. This was the closest to her town.


    After she left Yolly¡¯s house, she dressed as Frankie¡¯s and tried to act as if she was him. She wandered around first, ticking off the places Frankie told her to go.


    ¡°If they are watching us, they probably know our routine. So you¡¯ll have to go where I usually hang out but don¡¯t linger too long or the folks will know it¡¯s not me,¡± Frankie had said.


    As Lia went around, she made sure that no one was tailing her when she got out of the town, heading straight to this new town.


    Her heart sank as she listened to the bystanders talked about how Yolly¡¯s store ended up being attacked by those men. She was also the cause of the attack last time. Lia could only apologize in her heart to the bad things that she brought at Yolly¡¯s door and could only pray for the other two¡¯s safety. The rumors did not say that someone died or was injured so Lia could only hope that they managed to run away.


    She went back to the inn she was staying at once she replenished her supplies, pulling her hat low.


    ¡°Mister, your breakfast is ready at your room at your request. Did you go shopping this early?¡± The innkeeper inquired when she saw Lia came in.


    ¡°Yes, better get my exercise while I¡¯m at it.¡± Lia smiled and crossed her fingers that her voice sounded at least a little lower than usual. She did not correct the way she was addressed. She was actually glad to be thought of like a guy.


    ¡°Mister Eric, just tell us if you needed anything more. We¡¯ll provide them for you,¡± the innkeeper said at the already leaving Lia.


    Eric was the name she gave when she asked for a room. She wanted to stay in the forest to avoid leaving a track. But decided otherwise when she realized that the next town would be too far away. It would take her about a week at most. By that time, her energy, as well as her stocks, would be depleted. Besides, she needed to clean her body.


    She went back to her room and ate her breakfast as she turned the events in her head over and over. No matter how many times she thought about it, she really could not understand why they were made a target. What was it that her mother was afraid of?


    She hated being used as a pawn like this. She hated being left in the dark. What she only wanted was to live a quiet and simple life. Was that too much to ask?


    She sighed, releasing all of her worries in that single breath. She could only move forward and learn the truth. If no one would tell her what that truth was, she would forcefully get it out. That would only happen if she managed to get to the capital alive.


    And that was a big if.


    Lia unfolded the map she hid inside her clothes and studied it again. She already read it a couple of times while on the road, committing to memory all the routes and mastered the possible routes she would take. To be on the safe side, she also outlined other emergency routes in case there were enemies waiting for her on the road. This was the map Yolly gave her before she left.


    ¡°Take this map. Tamara had a cartographer mapped the country and even included where she could get all the best herbs. You¡¯ll need it.¡± Yolly had said.


    Why and how did Tamara get a cartographer, Lia could not know. Perhaps it was one of the many mysteries of her mother. This map, though, had proven really helpful to her.


    She tapped her finger on the outline of the river. There was a thicket near it which would make a good camping place, also a place to bathe, and a place to get food. Not to mention, the abundance of sage and willow near the riverside which would replenish her stocks of herbs.


    Lia knew where she would go next.

 Chapter 87 - Run and Hide

    Run and Hide


    Lia was quick on her feet to run and hide among the trees. The previous nights, she felt that someone seemed to be following her trails, making her extra careful in leaving traces. She kept an eye over her shoulder and was alert on any sound around her. Sometimes the quiet surroundings were even more dangerous than the noisy ones.


    She made it a habit to stay above trees, just the low hanging branches, but sturdy enough to carry her weight. When she was living in the forest, she urged Tamara to teach her to climb trees. She had always wanted to try that in her previous life. Though, despite all of her mother¡¯s effort, Lia only managed to climb the lowest branch. Now, she was thankful that she at least learned that. It was a skill that might save her life now.


    She hugged her drawstring bag closer as she strapped herself to the tree, enough that she would not fall easily to her death but not too tight to allow her to get away quickly. That way, she could take a look in her surroundings and to anyone who would approach the vicinity.


    When morning came, she was back to her feet again, continuing the path to the riverside. She looked over her shoulder to check if anyone was following. To her relief, she only saw nothing but plants.


    ¡®Just a few more,¡¯ she thought, encouraging herself to move farther. Her body felt heavy, her legs felt like lead. She needed a proper rest tonight or she would not be able to go on tomorrow. Supporting herself upright on the tree tonight would be impossible. After days of doing that, in addition to the heat and constant moving, her body was at its limit.


    In her estimation, she was almost near the river by now. Once she reached her destination, she would stay in the thicket, wait until the moon was up before going to the river. She could not risk being out in the open when the sun was high above her. She could not even fish during this time.


    She found the path and the thicket near the river. She could almost smell the waft of freshwater. Then she heard laughter.


    Not so far from her, to her right, she heard voices. She crept closer but not too close. They might have set traps to alarm them for intruders and Lia was not trained to spot those. She only saw their caravan and horses. On the other side of the caravan, she saw legs and feet belonging to the men.


    ¡®Not good.¡¯ She could not risk being seen especially in the middle of nowhere. A lone individual wandering around was too suspicious. While they did not seem to be someone from the Unseen and appeared to be regular merchants, it would be better safe than sorry.


    Lia did not let her guard down as she moved back quietly and even picked a place farther from the caravan. Now, she really had to wait till they were all asleep.


    ¡°And here I thought I could finally take a sip from the river,¡± she scratched her parched throat.


    It was almost midnight when she woke up with a jolt. She scanned her surroundings first, making sure that no blades or men surrounded her before moving her body from the tree she was leaning on. She listened from any unusual sounds as usual but could only hear the rustle of the wind and the incessant buzz of insects.


    She walked towards the river, taking a full breath of the night breeze when she heard a splash of water. She dived and hid behind the closest tree. There seemed to be someone else taking a bath in the river.


    Lia winced, her mind calculating her chances if she runs.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± the person called out.


    Lia stiffened.

 Chapter 88 - Run!

    Run!


    ¡®Run!¡¯


    That was the one word that reverberated in her head and that was what she did. Lia ran as fast as she could, never looking back. She did not care about everything else as long as she could put a great distance between her and her pursuer. Nothing else would matter.


    She was gasping for air, her throat felt like there was something scraping inside whenever she swallowed yet she never slowed down. She never let herself drop her pace. She did not suffer for more than a week living in the middle of nowhere, casting her future, her life, her friends aside just to get killed like this.


    In her heart, she vowed never to make the same mistake again of letting her guard done and to be extra, extra careful next time. Never again. She would never be caught off guard for the second time.


    If there would ever be a next time.


    ¡°You!¡± she heard her pursuer say.


    That probably meant for her to stop. But who in their right mind would stop? Instead, it only made her ran faster.


    Yet, despite her will to stay upright and ran far far away, her body was not accommodating her request. Her steps faltered, her breath came out as a wheeze. The result of not enough rest and food in the past week started to take a toll on her. Right when she needed it the most!


    She drew in a breath. It was like a knife slicing through her throat. Every intake of breath was hard labor.


    A surge of panic ran through her. ¡®I¡¯m not going to last. I¡¯m going to be captured!¡¯


    The last thought brought horror, so much that she found a last spurt of energy. She used this to push herself to the limit. She could do this.


    Her hopes were dashed as quick as her energy came. She felt something heavy lunged at her back as she dropped to the ground. She squirmed and resisted but the weight over her did not budge. Firm hands twisted her arms behind her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the man growled.


    Lia whined. She would not say a thing. Even if she tried there were grasses in her mouth so she could not open them to utter a single word.


    The man seemed to have noticed it and turned her around but she remained pined on the ground with the man straddling on top of her.


    The hopeless scenario did not deter her to succumb to this kind of fate. She focused all of her attention in wiggling away from the man¡¯s grasp but against that herculean strength, she could not go any farther.


    The moon was high above them. The light was sharp in her eyes as she scrunched up her face and waited for the inevitable.


    ¡°Lia? You can¡¯t be¡ª Lia?¡± the man said.


    The man¡¯s hold on her slackened as Lia opened her eyes, surprised to hear her name from a stranger. It was dark especially when his face was turned away from the moonlight. As she strained her eyes to see the outline of the face, she put a name to the voice she heard. That voice!


    Lia stared dumbly at the man on top, relief washing over her. ¡°Eldric.¡±

 Chapter 89 - One of the guys (1)

    One of the guys (1)


    Lia washed as fast as possible while Eldric guarded the background. It was such a relief to find him, a familiar face in the midst of all the commotion and unknown territories.


    For the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to relax. It was as if a ton of weight was lifted from her shoulders. If she was not embarrassed by being out and naked and with a guy standing guard not too far from her, she would have soaked in the water, smoothing the knots on her muscles, and enjoying the night view.


    But there was a time for that.


    Eldric allowed her to use the clothes he originally brought. ¡°I can always change once we get back with the rest of the guys,¡± he said.


    Lia sighed inwardly. A half-naked, sporting a wet look Eldric was a sight to behold. If they were under normal circumstances, she might have a crush on him. But she needed to preserve her life more than anything else. Having that in mind, it would be better for her to just be contented looking and be careful not to develop unnecessary feelings. For now, Eldric was just someone good to look at, like a beautiful view that improves one¡¯s moods.


    The caravan she discovered in the morning turned out to be Eldric¡¯s caravans. It was a pleasant surprise for her to see these men still behind the caravan, sitting in a circle and exchanging tales and jokes. Though they were relatively a smaller group than when they left her town.


    They stopped dead when they saw their general approaching. The narrowing of their eyes and the hint of scrutiny in them did not escape Lia and she could only assume that it was because they did not recognize her.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± she said tentatively, gauging their reactions. ¡°I¡¯m¨CI¡¯m Lia if you can remember me from the town¡­¡± She wondered if they would have an easier time recalling if she just flat out said ¡®the witch¡¯.


    It was Tim who shouted his surprise first. ¡°Ah! Yes Lia!¡± He scratched his head. ¡°Of course, we remember you. It was just a shock to see Eldric coming from his bath with someone with him. I almost thought he is having a midnight rendezvous.¡± That earned him a scowl and a light slap on the arm by Eldric.


    ¡°Give room,¡± Eldric signaled the men to move aside in which they promptly followed. ¡°I¡¯m going to change then we¡¯ll listen to her story.¡±


    Once Eldric was back, Lia started her tale. She told them about the men watching the store and how she heard that they were planning to abduct her. ¡°I had to disguise and part with my mother¡¯s friend to avoid them.¡± She told them about what she heard in the previous town, trusting them with everything she knew. Except for the details about Tamara. They did not need to know about that.


    ¡°What is it?¡± She asked when she noticed the exchanged glances between the men.


    Tim threw a quick glance at Eldric¡¯s direction before speaking. ¡°We had a report from our scouts about the Unseen going around towns.¡±


    ¡°And then we heard of the attack in town. We had to survey the area first, that¡¯s why this is what¡¯s left of us. Jeremiah and the rest continued to the capital,¡± Eldric continued to explain.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you need a physician if a fight breaks out between you and the Unseen?¡± Lia asked.


    Eldric gave her a wry smile. ¡°We are used to doing first aid to ourselves if that happens. They could not hold off any longer. They are needed to facilitate the national exam.¡±


    The national exam¡­


    With all the things that happened, it totally slipped her mind that she needed to take that exam. Among other things that she needed to do or think. She did not have time for this kind of leisure.

 Chapter 90 - One of the guys (2)

    He says ¨C One of the guys (2)


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to leave tomorrow,¡± Lia said.


    Lia just threw a curveball, yet there she was, sitting and poking at the fire as if she only stated a fact.


    ¡°What?¡± Eldric asked as he watched Lia with her raised eyebrows. They were exchanging news just now. How the topic came to her leaving their camp was beyond him.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to part ways with you and head to the capital.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± was Eldric¡¯s immediate reply. Shocked faces turned to his direction. He drew a long breath. ¡°No, it would be dangerous.¡±


    It was out of the question, really. He did not mean to cage her with them. Lia could decide for herself and Eldric wanted to respect her decision but it was not the best decision under the circumstances. Just the thought of seeing her as haggard as she was earlier felt like something was clawing at his insides.


    ¡°It would be more dangerous for you if I stay.¡± Lia insisted.


    Sometimes she could be really stubborn.


    ¡°It would be more dangerous for you, you mean.¡±


    ¡°No¨C I mean, yes but it would be for you too just¨C¡± Lia sighed and hung her head, reluctantly giving up her protests.


    Eldric could not even begin to fathom why she insisted on going alone, on leaving him. He had a feeling that ever since they met that she wanted to stay away from him. Why, he did not know. But he did not know a lot of things about her. She rarely talked about herself. Sometimes, Eldric wanted to crack her shield open, to know, to understand. But of course, he could not do that. It only meant that she did not trust him enough to open up. Eldric knew how difficult it was to trust in a very different world. She was used with a couple of people around her in a safe forest. In an unknown environment, everyone was suspicious. Lia had every right to be that. Eldric wished she would trust him a bit, to be the ally she needed in this foreign place.


    ¡°I might¡­. I might put you in danger if I stay with you. The Unseen is looking for me,¡± Lia stared at him, her last attempt at pleading.


    Eldric considered for a moment. If there was something he learned during their short time together, that was Lia valued logic and facts. If he wanted to drive his point, he had to give her reasoning and not emotional appeal. ¡°How about you put it this way, if you¡¯re with us, you would be safe and we would be able to capture the Unseen if they go after you. How about that?¡± He did not add that he would have peace of mind that way too.


    Lia raised an eyebrow, her eyes looked amused before she hid it by narrowing them, in which he found adorable. ¡°I¡¯ll be a bait?¡±


    Eldric nodded.


    She seemed to consider his words before the corners of her mouth raised and Eldric knew that she permitted it. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Eldric finally breathed when he heard of her answer. ¡°For now sleep.¡±


    He escorted Lia to his tent and received another raised eyebrow from her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry we have different beds.¡±


    Once she was settled, Eldric left the tent to plan their next move with Tim. Tim raised his head from the map when he noticed Eldric enter the tent.


    ¡°Is she alright?¡± Tim asked to which Eldric nodded in reply. But the frown on his friend¡¯s face did not clear. ¡°Be honest with me, do you see that girl to Lia?¡±


    Eldric knew full well who was that girl Tim meant. Without a doubt, it had to be Penelope, his first love. Tim was one of the handfuls of people from the capital who knew about her.


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to be truly honest, yes. At first. But we both know how stubborn Lia can be. Not at all like Pen.¡±


    Pen had a single-minded devotion to anyone who seemed to care for her. Perhaps it was because she was well-liked in their town before Unseen pillaged and burned everything. When she saw that Eldric ¡®liked¡¯ other people¡¯s bodies, she called him a monster.


    Lia had the kind of innocence that Eldric had the urge to protect. He wanted to shield her from the world¡¯s ugliness. She did not want her to be robbed of her youth. But at sixteen or seventeen years old, she had experienced too much unkindliness. If Eldric could help preserve a little of that innocence, he would. By all means possible.

 Chapter 91 - One of the guys (3)

    One of the guys (3)


    Lia watched as the men bustled around her. They were either busy planning or training. Scouts kept on going in and out to give reports and receive orders. While everyone focused on their work, Lia was left to sit on the side and contemplate her life choices. Being alert and on the run tired her out. But waiting on sidelines bore her to death. She felt like she needed to do something, anything to stop her from being so antsy.


    Eldric told her not to leave the camp. She knew he had a point and she also knew that she was not making any sense with their discussion last night. But she really meant about bringing danger to them. And it was not just with the Unseen.


    The plot had gone wayward since Lia arrived. She had no idea what other changes she might have caused. But she feared that her appearance here might bring more danger to Eldric¡¯s life. According to the plot, Eldric would be heavily injured by an attack. He would be ambushed by bandits who happened to come across the general¡¯s caravan. What if instead of regular bandits, the Unseen would attack them? With this handful of men, Lia was not sure they could survive.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t worry about him. He¡¯s got to have a cheat. He has the protagonist halo. He will survive.¡¯


    Even thinking like that, Lia was not comforted. Her fear of what was to come intensified.


    She caught sight of Eldric as he instructed his men. He even indulged them to be his sparring partner. This guy did not seem to be sleeping at all. Even back when they were in town, except when he was injured, Eldric seemed to be awake all day every day. He was hands-on with his team. Even now, at this camp, he was awake before Lia fell asleep and he was still awake when she woke up.


    Eldric glanced at her direction, perhaps feeling Lia¡¯s gaze. She immediately looked elsewhere but he was already walking towards her.


    ¡°How was your sleep?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Lia said. ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    Eldric held up his hand. ¡°If this is still about you leaving, my answer is the same: no.¡±


    Lia sighed, expecting this response. ¡°If that is the case, then I need your help.¡±


    ¡°Anything,¡± Eldric said fixing his eager eyes at her.


    ¡°Train me to fight. Please.¡± She was practically begging but she wanted to stop playing the damsel-in-distress role. She did not have any delusions to be the mightiest warrior or course. Even if she learned, she knew that she would not be as good as these men. But at the very least, if someone attacked them, she would not go down without a fight. She had some pride too.


    Eldric regarded her. ¡°You want to know how to fight.¡± It was not a question but a statement. He was probably thinking whether or not she had gone mad. Lia could not blame him.


    Lia nodded. She had thought about this last night and this was the only answer she could come up with. ¡°If you want me to stay with your group,¡± she gestured around the camp, ¡°I need to at least know how to protect myself. I don¡¯t want to be a liability to you.¡±


    It took Eldric awhile before he replied that Lia prepared herself for her idea to be shot down again. She was surprised when he answered.


    ¡°Alright. Come.¡±

 Chapter 92 - The Harvest Festival (1)

    The Harvest Festival (1)


    Lia was thrown, her body slamming to the ground, a soft ¡®oof¡¯ escape from her lips. Eldric stood above her, looking down at her sweaty and grimy figure with a cold indifference that might mean nothing to him but it served as a fuel to Lia¡¯s motivation. Despite her bruises and aching limbs, she managed to stand up and assume her form. Eldric, still looking immaculate, merely flinches and prepared to receive her blows.


    After receiving Eldric¡¯s consent, they started training right away. The rest of the morning passed by with Lia learning all the theories that she needed to know. While the application of those moves was in the afternoon. It was a crash course for self-defense and she was okay with that. Any knowledge, however small, would be enough. She did not want to be thoroughly defenseless. If they were attacked, Lia hoped to be assistance than a liability. Though she would very much prefer it if they had a safe and smooth journey to the capital.


    ¡°Never take your mind off of your enemy,¡± Eldric hissed in her ear as he pointed his own dagger at her neck.


    Eldric was the best teacher she could ask for. There was probably no one in the whole country as good as him and she was fortunate enough to have him as her sparring partner. But he was also really strict. Lia was grateful for that. The least she wanted was for her to be taken lightly when she really meant to learn. It was Eldric¡¯s idea for her to learn how to effectively use her dagger, when it was the perfect time to use it and how she would use it against her enemy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your enemy know that you have a weapon,¡± Eldric said as he pulled her up from the ground. ¡°In fact, it would serve you well to not show them you know how to fight.¡±


    ¡°Feign innocence?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Eldric nodded at her. ¡°Now wash and take a rest. It seems like the scouts are back.¡±


    Lia hinted the night before that there might be bandits out there laying a trap on innocent passersby. Eldric considered her words and sent out his scouts. He did not want to take chances, he said.


    Despite all of their precautions, there was this nagging feeling creeping up inside her. Lia wanted her to be wrong.


    When she came back, Tim informed her that they would set out early the next day so they would arrive at the next town before dusk.


    Morning came in and Lia did not feel like she was ready to face what was to come. Despite the assurances from the scouts, that ominous feeling never left her. Something was bound to go wrong. She tried to shake off these feelings and go on her face. Still, her worries seemed to show on her face as Eldric seemed alarmed when he peeked inside the caravan Lia was in.


    ¡°You look like you could use some sleep,¡± Eldric said.


    Lia wanted to contest but Eldric just smiled. She smiled weakly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really.¡±


    The whole ride towards the town was peaceful but Lia could feel the palpable tension in the air. Everyone was like her, on alert. A rustle of the wind, a sway of leaves, any tiny sound made her jump.


    At long last, the outline of the town came into view.

 Chapter 93 - The Harvest Festival (2)

    The Harvest Festival (2)


    Perhaps worrying herself the entire day that drove her to exhaustion. The moment they arrived in their room, Lia¡¯s eyes were drawn to the bed right away.


    Eldric seemed to notice it as he said, ¡°You can take a nap.¡±


    It was as if her restraint snapped as she started feeling drowsy. She just plopped down to the bed and was dead to the world for who knows how long. By the time she woke up, the sun was low in the sky.


    Lia looked around the room and saw no signs of Eldric. She tried checking with the other rooms, only to find them deserted as well. It was not like she was afraid that they left her behind. It was more of them doing something for the rest of the team while Lia was resting. A pang of guilt swept through her.


    She rapped her knuckles on the counter to get the attention of the innkeeper. ¡°Excuse me, have you seen or noticed my¨C uh the other guys? The ones with me earlier?¡±


    ¡°They went out,¡± was her reply before sending a coy glance at Lia¡¯s direction.


    Baffled by this display of shy interest, she looked around and the other female staff was looking at her with interest. When she caught their gaze, they averted their eyes and huddled together, whispering and giggling with each other.


    Lia grimaced inwardly as she thanked the innkeeper and stepped outside the inn. Those reactions were definitely the result of Eldric¡¯s action when they first came in.


    The innkeeper recognized Eldric and immediately ordered to prepare the best room despite the number of guests clamoring for that room. They gave their biggest rooms for Eldric¡¯s men but they still had to room together due to the increase in visitors in town. But the general was special, of course. He had been given a big single room all to himself. The innkeeper looked expectantly at Eldric, obviously fishing for praise. Eldric knitted his eyebrows and shook his head much to everyone¡¯s surprise. He was not known for having a picky attitude.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. Make it two beds,¡± then he turned to his men, ¡°sh¨Che¡¯ll room with me.¡± As if to emphasize his point, he even wrapped an arm around Lia¡¯s shoulders, pulling her to his side.


    Everyone was stunned with Lia wanting to dig a hole and hide. With that kind of protectiveness and action, someone was bound to think of other things. Sure enough, she heard someone murmured the word catamite before she left.


    In this world, it was normal for men of the higher status to have many wives, mistresses, and even catamites so long as he could provide for them. But Eldric had a clean public image. It was not much later in the plot when he got his horde of female characters as the King gifted him with his harem. Not to mention the trail of broken-hearted girls he left in every town he had been into. But this was the first time he hinted being close to a male companion and Lia obviously did not look like a weather-worn soldier but a pampered young man. No wonder imaginations ran wild.


    She pressed a palm on her forehead. She knew that it was not true but to be the subject of gossip of that kind was not something she was comfortable with.


    Her thoughts were soon diverted to the many stalls that lined up the streets. They arrived in town just in time for the harvest festival. According to Eldric, this town was known for its delicious street foods. People jostled around and Lia was swept in the tide, following where the wave of people brings her. She made sure to take note of any particular landmark to be her guide to get back to the inn later.


    She walked around until the sound of giggles caught her attention. She realized that she stood near a building with glowy lights. Male patrons walked in and out of it. In front of the building was a group of girls where the sound came from. Lia would have walked away when she realized who was the sole guy standing in the middle.

 Chapter 94 - The Harvest Festival (3)

    The Harvest Festival (3)


    Lia watched as the women from the establishment giggled as they talked with the guy standing in the middle. It seemed like they were reluctant to let him go. Every time he took a step away, they would follow, trying to lure him back inside using suggestive moves. Lia¡¯s eyebrow twitched when she realized who the guy was.


    ¡®Oh, is he starting to gather his harem now?¡¯ she sneered, narrowing her eyes as she watched them. ¡®They were not even trying to be covert with their actions! Unbelievable.¡¯


    Her sour mood turned for worse that she wanted nothing but to be away from this place. From the bright lights inside and the patrons limited to men, not to mention those revealing clothes of the staff, the building was undoubtedly a pleasure house. ¡®So he spent his day in the arms of those women?¡¯ She clicked her tongue. As expected of the stallion character.


    She scratched her head and sighed, trying to calm her mood as she walked and focused on enjoying the different stalls. Getting worked up would do nothing good. It was not like she cared. But she remembered the scene again and her mood flared up once more¡­


    Lia huffed. ¡®Let¡¯s focus on the food here. Food will lift my mood.¡¯ She was glad that she had her earnings. With these, she could treat herself to some food and souvenirs. But in the midst of all the stalls, she was at a loss on where to start.


    A cup of food was placed right in front of her.


    She looked up with raised eyebrows and the corner of her mouth twitched. Eldric pushed the cup again. ¡°You should try this. This is good.¡± When Lia continued to stare at him, he sighed and gave her a wry smile, taking her hand to take the cup.


    It was unfair. Using food to coax her. She could already feel her irritation decreasing. The corners of her mouth turned up a bit as she took a bite of fried food. Her eyes bulged as she looked at Eldric, meeting the other¡¯s boyish grin.


    ¡°Is this¨C?¡±


    Eldric grinned. ¡°Fried chicken skin. I knew you¡¯d like it.¡±


    ¡°I love it,¡± she said as she took another bite. Only two pieces were left and she got one while giving the cup to Eldric, intending to give the last piece to Eldric.


    There was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he took, not the one from the cup, but the one between her fingers. Lia narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips, suppressing her annoyance but that seemed to amuse him more.


    ¡°Try this one,¡± Eldric placed a stick at Lia¡¯s hand with fluffy cotton on it.


    ¡°This is just cotton candy.¡± She sounded irritated as she took a big bite off. It was sweet and fluffy and it melted in her mouth. A face that was akin to satisfaction must have passed on her face and Eldric smiled, proud with his achievement.


    Lia sighed and started walking. He joined her and settled in a comfortable silence which was only broken with occasional trivial talk. They passed by a mask seller. Lia stopped by and look around. An idea popped in her head.


    She grabbed a rabbit mask and passed it to Eldric. ¡°Put this on, if it looks good on you, I¡¯ll buy that as a gift.¡±


    It was a half mask, complete with ears and whiskers. Lia tried to fight off her laughter as she watched Eldric put it on. But she could no longer hold her laughter in and went on a fit of giggles.


    Lia only wanted to mess around Eldric. But that serious look on his face when he received it somehow tugged at her heartstrings. Her laughter died down in her throat.


    It was really cute on him, though. She reached out and massaged the whiskers. ¡°You look good in it¡­ Mister Rabbit.¡±


    Eldric said in a serious tone with the look as if he was deeply moved. ¡°Thank you. I-I appreciate it.¡±

 Chapter 95 - The Harvest Festival (4)

    The Harvest Festival (4)


    In front of that heartfelt gratitude, the feeling of mischief she was feeling dampened, replaced by shame and guilt. She was only ¡®seriously¡¯ joking around. In a rare moment, she wanted to make fun of Eldric. The mask was nothing but a joke. That was why she chose the mask that would make him look silly. She expected him to laugh or scoff it off. Or joke back and take revenge, that would do too. But he did nothing. Instead, he thanked her wholeheartedly. How was she supposed to answer that?


    She turned away, unable to face that earnest look and pretended to be busy looking around the other masks. ¡°On second thought, it doesn¡¯t look good on you. Let¡¯s choose another one.¡±


    ¡°No, I like this one. Thank you.¡±


    Lia pressed her lips. She was really ashamed now. She felt like the biggest jerk that ever walked on Earth. But it was not like she could back down either. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. I¡¯m tired.¡± She winced inwardly at her own words. It sounded childish and selfish even to her ears.


    Eldric¡¯s eyes brightened behind the mask. ¡°Even after sleeping the entire day?¡±


    Lia pretended she did not hear him. She pursed her lips and tilted her to side. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mister Rabbit.¡±


    He grinned but followed her. They went back just like that, with Lia walking in front, absorbed with her surroundings and Eldric walking not so far behind.


    She secretly glanced behind her and saw that Eldric maintained that mask on his face. Seeing that look gave her an indescribable feeling.


    ¡°Until when are you going to use that mask?¡±


    ¡°Until we reach our room.¡±


    Lia narrowed her eyes. The protagonist seemed to have a childish personality too. Whatever happened to the cool, calm, and collected male lead!?


    What¡¯s worse was that despite that childish mask, it was not enough to hide his good features. It even emphasized them. The world was never fair indeed.


    She continued walking and realized that they had already reached the inn. She turned back again which startled Eldric who almost bumped into her. He did not ask but only continued to stare at her, waiting for her to speak.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should go in together.¡± Just thinking about the attention they would get gives her a headache.


    Apparently, Eldric did not share the same sentiment. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Lia opened her mouth then closed them again, not knowing where to start. It was embarrassing to say it out loud. ¡°You see, they already think that w-we are, you know¡­¡± She attempted to explain by moving her arms around which might as well looked like she was flailing. That seemed to confuse Eldric more. ¡°They already think that we are engaged in sodomy.¡± She said the words so fast, she thought he did not hear her.


    Eldric only raised his eyebrows and snorted, taking a big step to cross the space between them. Lia did not have time to be surprised when Eldric took her hand. They walked across the threshold of the inn despite the people gawking at them.


    He looked back at her and flashed her a grin as they climbed the stairs. This guy¡­ he went ahead and fanned the flames of gossip himself just to get kicks out of it. It was not only with the mask, but this guy was also really childish at times.


    It dawned on Lia that it was all absurd. Absurd gossip. Her absurd reaction. Eldric¡¯s absurd action. She tried to bite her lips to control the sound of her laughter but a sound still escaped.


    They were still giggling when they opened the door to their room and a chilling aura welcomed them.

 Chapter 96 - The Harvest Festival (5)

    The Harvest Festival (5)


    Eldric gripped her hand as their laughter died down in their throats replaced with the slowly spreading dread.


    Their room was dark, save for the thin ray of light coming from the slightly opened window. Once their eyes had adjusted to the dark, they realized that their room was turned upside down. Lia stilled, not moving, not daring to breathe as she scanned the look around the room. Her gut feeling told her that there were some more sinister things hiding in the dark corners of the room, ready to swallow them whole.


    Her chest hammered as her mind raced. Were they followed? Did the Unseen already figure out that she was disguised as one of Eldric¡¯s men? What were they trying to find? Or was this the ambush from the original plot? She did not know anymore. Despite all that, a small part of her was glad that she took her bag with her when she went out. She did not want them finding out the map.


    It was not until she felt the pain in her hand that she realized that Eldric was gripping her hand hard to get her attention. She could see the silhouette of Eldric beside her and noticed him looking around while sending signals in her hand.


    ¡®Go left,¡¯ he wrote on her palm. To her left was the room divider but they put it close to the wall earlier. It was also close to where they were so they could see that there was no one using it to hide.


    That was where Eldric wanted Lia to hide.


    Lia gripped Eldric¡¯s hand as a sign of her agreement and felt him tapped at her hand. ¡®One, two, three.¡¯


    They part ways but it was more like Eldric pushed her to the side as he faced the attacks that came from different directions. Someone stumbled on the balcony that wrecked the window but gave them light in the room. Much to her horror, there were three men fighting Eldric. She recognized one of them as one of the inn staff that guided them when they arrived.


    Despite her training, it was not enough to face someone like these men. She would be more of a liability to Eldric than of help but she still gripped the hilt of the dagger tighter.


    The door was close to her hiding place. If she could crawl without anyone noticing then she would be able to call for help. Tim and others might have come back too so they would help Eldric fight these men off.


    She was about to bolt to the door when she realized that someone was creeping up behind Eldric, holding a knife. Eldric was engaged with one of the bad guys and had yet to realize what was happening behind him. If Lia would not send him a signal then he would be stabbed.


    But her limbs were faster than her voice when she found herself standing in front of the man, her dagger in her hands piercing through his body. The man and Lia were both shocked. The attacker aimed to stab her arm but Eldric knocked the knife out of his hands and covered Lia¡¯s hand with his own, pushing the knife up to the hilt.


    The door opened just as the man dropped to the floor like a discarded puppet.

 Chapter 97 - By my own hands

    By my own hands


    Lia stabbed a man and then he dropped to the floor like a lump of flesh. Dead. A few seconds before he was just alive, breathing, fighting. With just a flicker of an eye, he was gone. All life drained from him. She drained it from him.


    She sat in the corner, her back against the bed and her head leaned on the wall as she stared outside the broken balcony door. She hugged her knees to make herself small as if the gravity of what she had done would be as small as her body. Her body shivered but it was impossible to tell if it was because of the night breeze coming inside the room or from something else entirely.


    That moment kept on repeating inside her head like a broken disc. She shut her eyes and covered her head. But the moment she brought her hands to her face, she froze and saw her hand holding a dagger, pressing it against his body, watching it sink within layers of skin and muscles.


    A pair of big hands covered hers and gripped them tightly, pulling them away from her face. Without blinking, she lifted her gaze and found Eldric kneeling in front of her.


    ¡°I killed him,¡± she rasped. She repeated the words as the reality of what happened sank in deep.


    Eldric gripped her hands tighter and leaned closer. ¡°We both do.¡±


    Lia shook her head and wanted to cover her head again, hide against the world. Maybe disappear altogether. But she felt hands on both sides of her head pulling it up and making her look at Eldric directly.


    ¡°We,¡± he said in emphasis and let it hang in the air for a few seconds before continuing, ¡°killed him. We did it. Not just you. We. If you think that¡¯s your mistake, your sin, it¡¯s not. It¡¯s ours. I won¡¯t allow you to take it alone.¡±


    She did not know what she wanted to hear. But Eldric¡¯s words were just what she needed, what she wanted to hear at that moment. Large teardrops fell on her eyes and they showed no signs of stopping.


    Eldric pulled her towards him as she tumbled in his embrace and the two of them were a tangled mess of limbs on the floor. Lia cried, not knowing if she was crying out of guilt, of fear, or what.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t stab him, he wouldn¡¯t think twice about killing us. It¡¯s either him or us. We did what was necessary.¡± Eldric brushed Lia¡¯s hair as she continued to sobbed on his chest. ¡°We can¡¯t die yet.¡±


    Lia cried until she could not cry anymore as if the well had dried up. After all that wailing what was left behind was emptiness. She remained slumped on the floor, against Eldric¡¯s chest. He did not show signs of moving either.


    ¡°Is it¡­does it always feel that way?¡± Lia flexed her hand as if she was still gripping the dagger.


    Eldric hummed as if remembering a long-forgotten memory. ¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t remember. The Unseen taught me how to kill before I was even a teen. I¡¯ve done it hundreds, thousands of times since then that it felt natural.¡± After a long silence, he added with a shrug. ¡°I felt nothing. It was either them or me.¡±


    Lia looked up at that tone. He used it before when he told her about his life within the Unseen. She could not imagine a young Eldric being forced to take someone¡¯s life to the point that he was now indifferent about it.


    Eldric felt her gaze and smiled at her sadly. ¡°Maybe Pen was right. I am a monster.¡±


    Lia felt a lump in her throat and the tears were bursting before she could stop them. She felt and understood the feeling of loss the young Eldric must have felt. That confusion, yet the world urged you to move on and move fast. Not giving time to grieve or heal.


    He carefully wiped the tears. ¡°Ah, I made you cry again.¡±

 Chapter 98 - He Says - His Lucky Charm (3)

    He Says ¨C His Lucky Charm (3)


    Tim crossed the room and sat on the bed. ¡°We have one prisoner to take back in the capital now. But don¡¯t you think, if your hunch is correct, those behind Unseen would want to kill him once we arrive?¡±


    Eldric sneered. ¡°I¡¯d like to see them try.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already settled everything to the inn, by the way. You don¡¯t have to worry about that. They even gave us a discount after what their staff did.¡±


    ¡°Are we sure that the management is not in cahoots with him?¡±


    ¡°We asked the owner. Because of the festival, they hired part-timers and he was one of them. Seems to me that they planted a mole in just about every inn, just in case.¡±


    Eldric knew too well what Tim meant by ¡®asking¡¯ so he did not say anything else.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want me to do?¡±


    Eldric nodded. ¡°Will you help her study for the exam at least until we reach the capital?¡±


    ¡°Really? Studies at this time?¡± Tim asked incredulously.


    ¡°There¡¯s no better time than now. She needed something else to think about. Studying would take her mind off the recent events.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be leaving now as we have a long day tomorrow. What?¡± He asked when he noticed the funny look on his friend¡¯s face.


    Tim shook his head, stood up and started tidying the room. ¡°You care about her so much, it¡¯s shocking.¡±


    ¡°Shocking?¡± Eldric chuckled. ¡°Well, she¡¯s my lucky charm.¡±


    His friend cocked his eyebrow at Eldric. ¡°Lucky charm, you say.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been having leads since I met her. Hell, we almost got ¡®him¡¯ at one point. And now, this. Soon we¡¯ll know who¡¯s really backing up this organization.¡±


    ¡°If you put it that way, I¡¯m bound to think that Lia was leading us¡­ maybe to a trap? What if this is all planned?¡± When Eldric glared at him, Tim held up his hands. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. You know me, I don¡¯t believe in coincidences and this is too much of a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Nah. It¡¯s¨C,¡± Eldric shook his head.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tim narrowed his gaze at his friend.


    Eldric shook his head once more. ¡°I don¡¯t like to put it this way, but it¡¯s more like she¡¯s the bait.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ kind of sucks being caught in the middle of something as terrible as the Unseen. She¡¯s like a magnet for bad people.¡± Tim let out a soundless ¡®ah!¡¯ and smirked at Eldric. ¡°I see. Now I see. That makes perfect sense. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t leave her alone. Not to mention she falls under your favorite type.¡±


    When Eldric was about to make his protest, Tim held out his index finger and imitated his friend¡¯s voice. ¡°All women are lovely in my eyes.¡± He smirked when he saw Eldric grimaced. ¡°I know you love them. If you could, you would have probably given a piece of your heart to every girl you meet. But you have a favorite type of them all and she happens to fall into that category.¡±


    Eldric sighed. ¡°But they are all lovely. Though I would rather give all of me to the one.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Tim wrinkled his face. ¡°You¡¯re really quite the romanticist.¡± He smirked then added, ¡°Tell that to your harem members.¡±


    Eldric scowled, threw a pillow at his friend, and went back to his room.

 Chapter 99 - He Says - His Lucky Charm (2)

    He Says ¨C His Lucky Charm (2)


    Eldric nodded and took one last look at Lia¡¯s sleeping figure, making sure that everything was in place. The curtain that Eldric asked as a temporary replacement of the broken balcony door fluttered as he left the room.


    He headed to the neighboring room where Tim, Gaston, and Joaquin stayed. The remaining three from the other room joined them as well. The room they rented was big for two people and enough for three. But with seven of them crowding in the same space, there was barely room to move.


    Eldric took a seat near the window. If there would be more attacks tonight, he would spot them right away. This was also a good place to keep an eye for any possible intruder to the room next door.


    Then he glanced around the room to the men who were standing around him. These men were his most trusted allies and the best of the best. They had been around with each other for years and had saved each other¡¯s skin time and again.


    ¡°How¡¯s Lia?¡± Tim asked.


    ¡°She fell asleep after crying so much,¡± Eldric said. ¡°Have you identified the assassins?¡±


    ¡°That must have been a shock to her. Anyway, I have good and bad news. Where do you want me to start?¡±


    Eldric did not like the sound of the bad news and felt an oncoming headache. He folded his hands in his lap. ¡°Start with the bad news.¡±


    Tim nodded at Gaston who was casually leaning on the door. He picked up Tim¡¯s signal and said, ¡°One of the guys who attacked you, or at least the remaining guys, killed himself.¡± He waited for anyone to speak up. When no one did, he continued. ¡°He had a small knife hidden in his body and he used it to stab his neck before we could tie him.¡±


    Before Eldric could open his mouth, Joaquin held up his hand. ¡°It was our fault. We didn¡¯t check if he was really unconscious. Plus we were worried that the other guy swallowed a capsule with Daydream Sage. We needed to prevent that.¡±


    Daydream Sage. Eldric heard from Jeremiah that it was what was mixed with the gin and the main cause of the hallucinations of those who drink it. ¡°The good news?


    ¡°Rob, Owen, and Bern came back and confirmed the names of the officials given by the madam from the pleasure house,¡± Tim tried to suppress but utterly failed in hiding his smirk at the mention of the establishment.


    Eldric ignored him, those kind of places were a trove of valuable information and juicy gossip. He sat back in his chair, thinking about these reports. Brilliant. Things were falling into place. He untangled his joined fingers as if imagining the day when he would also untangle the spider web called Unseen.


    ¡°Alright. Thank you, gentlemen. Get some rest as we won¡¯t have anymore luxurious stop after this. We need to get to the capital as soon as possible. We don¡¯t know what might have happened when we are gone.¡± After giving some more orders, he let the others rest while Gaston and Joaquin went downstairs to drink, leaving him and Tim in the room.

 Chapter 100 - He Says - His Lucky Charm (3)

    He Says ¨C His Lucky Charm (3)


    Tim crossed the room and sat on the bed. ¡°We have one prisoner to take back in the capital now. But don¡¯t you think, if your hunch is correct, those behind Unseen would want to kill him once we arrive?¡±


    Eldric sneered. ¡°I¡¯d like to see them try.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already settled everything to the inn, by the way. You don¡¯t have to worry about that. They even gave us a discount after what their staff did.¡±


    ¡°Are we sure that the management is not in cahoots with him?¡±


    ¡°We asked the owner. Because of the festival, they hired part-timers and he was one of them. Seems to me that they planted a mole in just about every inn, just in case.¡±


    Eldric knew too well what Tim meant by ¡®asking¡¯ so he did not say anything else.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want me to do?¡±


    Eldric nodded. ¡°Will you help her study for the exam at least until we reach the capital?¡±


    ¡°Really? Studies at this time?¡± Tim asked incredulously.


    ¡°There¡¯s no better time than now. She needed something else to think about. Studying would take her mind off the recent events.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be leaving now as we have a long day tomorrow. What?¡± He asked when he noticed the funny look on his friend¡¯s face.


    Tim shook his head, stood up and started tidying the room. ¡°You care about her so much, it¡¯s shocking.¡±


    ¡°Shocking?¡± Eldric chuckled. ¡°Well, she¡¯s my lucky charm.¡±


    His friend cocked his eyebrow at Eldric. ¡°Lucky charm, you say.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been having leads since I met her. Hell, we almost got ¡®him¡¯ at one point. And now, this. Soon we¡¯ll know who¡¯s really backing up this organization.¡±


    ¡°If you put it that way, I¡¯m bound to think that Lia was leading us¡­ maybe to a trap? What if this is all planned?¡± When Eldric glared at him, Tim held up his hands. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. You know me, I don¡¯t believe in coincidences and this is too much of a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Nah. It¡¯s¨C,¡± Eldric shook his head.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tim narrowed his gaze at his friend.


    Eldric shook his head once more. ¡°I don¡¯t like to put it this way, but it¡¯s more like she¡¯s the bait.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ kind of sucks being caught in the middle of something as terrible as the Unseen. She¡¯s like a magnet for bad people.¡± Tim let out a soundless ¡®ah!¡¯ and smirked at Eldric. ¡°I see. Now I see. That makes perfect sense. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t leave her alone. Not to mention she falls under your favorite type.¡±


    When Eldric was about to make his protest, Tim held out his index finger and imitated his friend¡¯s voice. ¡°All women are lovely in my eyes.¡± He smirked when he saw Eldric grimaced. ¡°I know you love them. If you could, you would have probably given a piece of your heart to every girl you meet. But you have a favorite type of them all and she happens to fall into that category.¡±


    Eldric sighed. ¡°But they are all lovely. Though I would rather give all of me to the one.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Tim wrinkled his face. ¡°You¡¯re really quite the romanticist.¡± He smirked then added, ¡°Tell that to your harem members.¡±


    Eldric scowled, threw a pillow at his friend, and went back to his room.

 Chapter 101 - Some quiet days (1)

    Some quiet days (1)


    The days after the attack had been rather uneventful. Everything seemed to be going their way. But they did not push their luck and stuck to the forest, not stopping for any town anymore. The men continued to be vigilant to their surroundings. Lia did not want to remain idle either.


    She had been wondering what she should do, moping in the corner when Tim approached her, asking about what she knew about their country. To be honest, she did not know a lot. The handful of information she had was based on Tamara¡¯s stories. The rest were just gossip she heard on the streets and that was it.


    To be really honest, she did not really care.


    Her blank face must have been enough answer for Tim as he plopped down next to her, taking a fallen branch in his hands and drew what seemed like an organizational chart of the entire government. Tim look back and gave her a funny look.


    ¡°You have to know all of these if you are going to take the exam. Everyone has to know this and it¡¯s part of the common knowledge part.¡±


    Lia realized that he was teaching her for the exams and she did need to know the general stuff if she wanted to pass.


    From what she could gather from Tim, he was a son of scholars and came from a long line of advisers to the King. His family expected him to follow their steps but he was more interested in military affairs.


    If there was anyone in the group capable of teaching her politics, it would be Tim. As a bonus, he even taught her the basics of the language part. Lia enjoyed that part the most. She had trouble reading Tamara¡¯s books before. But she persevered, spending a lot of time reading and studying the books in her mother¡¯s bookshelves until she had a perfect command of the language.


    Lia also did not slack off with her training. Eldric trained her still but he got a million other things to do. On days that he could not personally train her, he instructed Gaston to aid her. Gaston was big and bulky, towering all of them. He intimidated the heck out of Lia that worried her to no end the first time she heard that he would be the one to train her. Her worries faded away when she realized that despite his appearance, Gaston was just the less friendly-looking and more stocky version of Santa Claus. They even had the same belly laugh that cracked her up every time.


    ¡°Remember to only pull out your dagger when you get close to your enemy. Don¡¯t be hasty,¡± Gaston would say.


    ¡°Or better yet, don¡¯t pull it unless you¡¯ve convinced your enemies to lower their guards around you,¡± Joaquin quipped in. Sometimes he would drop by their training and watch lazily on the side, offering his advice every now and then.


    ¡°Act like a damsel-in-distress first then stab them. Noted,¡± Lia said, the corners of her mouth quirked up.


    The two men snickered at her remarks.


    The sun was still high when their training ended. Lia stood by the hill, a few meters away from their camp. Below, she could see rows of building before her. The expanse of it finally dawned on her. She was finally in the capital. Tomorrow she would step inside this great city. A whole new kind of danger awaited. She pouted her lips. She was starting to get used to these dangers that she was beginning to be desensitized about the whole thing.


    Then she felt another presence behind her. She stiffened for the briefest moment before realizing who it was and allowed herself to relax again.

 Chapter 102 - Some quiet days (2)

    Some quiet days (2)


    Eldric stood next to her, looking out at the city below them. He had an impassive face that Lia could not tell if he was excited to be going home or on the off chance, dreading to come back.


    She waited for him to say anything and for a while, they settled in comfortable silence. It was Eldric who broke it first.


    ¡°Will you come to the palace with us?¡±


    Lia blinked a couple of times before realization dawned on her ¡ª he was asking her to go to the palace. She stared at him as if he began speaking in a foreign language. A crease formed on his forehead as he looked back at her expression. She expected¡­ well, she did not know what she was expecting. His invitation was just too far from any choices she had imagined. Going to the palace under his wing was not one of them. If this offer goes hand in hand with being taken to this guy¡¯s harem¡­


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t,¡± Lia managed to answer.


    ¡°You would be safe in my harem,¡± he said.


    She facepalmed inside. This guy¡­ was this how he invited all of his women to join his ever-growing harem, not to mention the ones he left behind in every town he had been? She straightened up. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. And doesn¡¯t it mean that joining your harem would make me your wife or mistress? No, I can¡¯t do that either.¡±


    He set his jaw firmly, studying his features, his crease deepening at her words. ¡°Why not?¡±


    Lia sighed. ¡°Firstly, the obvious, we are not in love with each other. I don¡¯t know about you¡­ or about the customs of this country, but I¡¯ll only marry the person I¡¯m in love with, granted, he loves me just as much. And,¡± she willed herself to look at him directly, ¡°I don¡¯t like being second, third, fourth, fifth, hundredth wife. I want to be the only wife. If I can¡¯t find a man like that, I¡¯m better off alone. I can manage.¡±


    Eldric did not say anything and continued to stare at Lia. He looked like he was turning over her words in his mind. Lia continued anyway.


    ¡°Secondly, I want to enter the palace on my own work, not because of my connections. I also have other things that I want to do. I appreciate everything you have done for me but I¡¯d like to be on my own from now on.¡±


    He swallowed, looking unconvinced. Lia did not care if she got permission to leave or not. If push comes to shove, she would just escape. Easy peasy. But she did not want to leave with any bad blood between them.


    ¡°Then what would you do?¡± he asked.


    She raised one shoulder in the form of half-shrug. ¡°I remember Jeremiah offering to write a recommendation letter for me. That might give me passes to enter so late.¡± The submission for the exam had ended last month and while she said she did not want to use connections, she needed this one. ¡°And then find a cheap inn and a job, I guess.¡±


    She said it as if she had just thought about it on the spot when she had thought about it a lot of times. The thing about Jeremiah was the only one that was up to her luck. As far as she was concerned, she had rejected the idea before. But things were different now. Besides, she did not know where and how to find Jeremiah. She would certainly not ask Eldric for that.


    Once they reach the capital, like what she told to Eldric, she would find a place to stay and a job to keep her alive. And then, find a way to find her mother. Though her best bet to do that was when she passed the exam. She figured that even the name national scholar would have a bearing and would give her access to other things and places.


    Still, in case things went south, she had a backup plan.


    But of course, she did not need to tell all that to Eldric.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Worry was all over his face that Lia¡¯s steel resolve softened a bit at the sight. It was sad to leave him but she was getting used to it too.


    Lia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll still be one of the guys, right? We¡¯re still friends?¡± Gosh, she was being sappy and sentimental today. Maybe it was the fact that she would be alone again in an unknown place. It was like moving out of the house, leaving all your friends and family behind. But she had survived a lot of things as of recently and she knew that she would be okay.


    ¡°Friends.¡± Eldric gave her a firm nod and a tight smile.

 Chapter 103 - The City

    The City


    The Imperial Capital was as big, noisy, and crowded as any other major city in Lia¡¯s world. Save for the carriages and carts used instead of cars. Still, she could not help but be astonished and gaped at the sight of a larger place than the towns she had stayed at.


    The city had a different vibe too. Unlike in the town where there was a monotonous and somewhat sluggish feel, the capital oozed with energy that it was easy to get caught and be swiped at its current. But while Lia enjoyed this change of pace, she was wary as well. If there was something she had learned from living in another city in her previous life, it was dangerous to show your naivete in a place like this. Show even just a small sign and soon these well-dressed ¡®wolves¡¯ would come jumping at you.


    There were too many ¡®wolves¡¯ hounding her at the moment that adding another was the last thing she wanted. She donned her disguise, a large white shirt and loose pants with a cap over her cropped hair. She was not Lia but Eric again.


    ¡®Right. Time to find where to stay.¡¯


    Her hand subtly brushed her hidden pocket where she kept her money. Before they parted, Eldric gave her a pouch of coins that would keep her alive for half a year if she was thrifty. He wanted to give more but Lia refused him until they settled with less money but still far too much for her.


    She left the group without looking back. She did not want them to see that she, too, felt reluctance in leaving. Eldric might use that as a reason to keep her with them. But right now she had other concerns.


    Finding a cheap inn was easy. Because of the large volume of people coming and going to the capital, the competition between the inns was high. Lia had not gone far when she already found one but still, she took her time looking around and getting accustomed to the feel of the city.


    It was past noon when she settled for an inn, one that had a restaurant below and a place close to the main road. She thought the Unseen would think twice before moving boldly in a place where there were always people who could see them.


    She ate her lunch at the restaurant and asked for her dinner to be delivered in her room. Tomorrow she would start her job-hunting. But she could still not work out where and how she would study for the exam. The candidates must have been studying like crazy right now. It felt like the entrance exam season in her previous world. And she was the only one not doing anything to pass.


    Tim told her that passing the exam meant that she would be classified in which department they would be included depending on what area they excel based on their scores. Those good with arithmetic would go to finance and taxes, those who specialize in medicine and sciences will work with the physicians. Those good with arts and literature will join the other scholars.


    Lia aimed to get to the medical field since that was the one that she had the most experienced with. She was already familiar with plants and concoctions used in this world.


    But, for now, sleep. Lia grinned and stretched lazily.

 Chapter 104 - The Life of the Cannon-fodder

    The Life of the Cannon-fodder


    The novel Lia was supposedly a scholar too. After she was brought in by the protagonist to the harem, the members were aggrieved. They did not like that he brought another mistress and it did not help that he doted on her a lot after she saved his life from the bandits. Because of that, she was constantly bullied in the harem. Yet she persevered. She studied day and night until she passed the exam with flying colors and was appointed in the medicine department. Despite not having a formal lecture, what Tamara taught her during the early years was a big help.


    Her achievements invited a lot of unwanted attention though most especially from the Queen. She tried to get Lia to be on her side but Lia refused, believing that all she needed in her life was the protagonist and he only needed her in return.


    Everything went downhill when the protagonist came back from his mission, bringing back the lovely female lead with him. All of a sudden, Lia was cast aside, a thing of the past. All of her achievements meant nothing. She was just another girl.


    Lia started her path to revenge, starting with joining hands with the Queen. But instead of ruining the protagonist, she was the one ruined in the process. When their trick to injure the female lead came to light, the Queen pushed all the blame to her and the protagonist was the one who requested her punishment.


    The Lia now could only sigh. What a foolish girl. At the same time, she could not truly blame her namesake when all she ever wanted was a happy ending. Only, her dream was always destroyed by reality.


    What she could not understand was why was the Queen hell-bent on getting her namesake to the Queen¡¯s side. Lia got the impression that what the Queen really wanted was for Eldric¡¯s name and reputation to be ruined and Lia, someone from the harem and his favorite, was just a tool. But why? He may have been an adopted son of the King but he was not in the way of the Prince¡¯s ascension to the throne. So why?


    Lia pressed a hand on her temple, trying to remember what was written in the novel. She had stopped reading when she got to the part where her namesake was killed, thinking that she would pick it up again once her feelings settled down. But she died before she could continue reading again. She would have known some spoilers about the novel that might be helpful to her now.


    After a while, she heard a knock on the door and a voice from the other side telling her that it was already dinner time. As she ate her food, she checked her mental list and noted the things that she needed to do and things that she should avoid.


    Number one on her list to do was to find a job followed by finding Jeremiah. She thought she should start around the palace for the second point. For the things to avoid, she needed to avoid calling attention to herself. That also meant not doing too well on the exams like her namesake. If she avoided that, then she avoided the Queen¡¯s attention too.


    As for the harem, she already avoided them when she refused Eldric¡¯s offer. Lia felt like she had done a job well done at that and felt smug, giving an imaginary pat on the back.


    The last person to avoid was the female lead. Lia was not worried too much about her. If she arrived, Lia would quietly go away, living the cannon-fodder life she was supposed to have.

 Chapter 105 - The unexpected meeting

    The unexpected meeting


    Lia stepped out of the inn, determined to take action on her plans. Before she left, she asked the owner of the inn for information about places looking for a part-timer. They gave her a list of places seeking an additional helping hand.


    She brushed her index finger over her upper lip. ¡°But how would I find Jeremiah?¡± she muttered to herself. She could not just barge in and asked for an audience, right? A part of her regretted that she did not think this part well enough. Maybe she could have taken Eldric¡¯s offer then find Jeremiah while inside the palace¡­ and then what? Slip away after using Eldric? It was already bad enough to rely on connections to take the exam.


    Squaring her shoulders, she decided to take her chances and made way to the palace. As expected, she was stopped by the guards and told her that she needed to have an appointment if she wanted to meet with the royal physician.


    ¡°Can I still register for the exam then?¡± She tried to pull off an innocent look in the off-chance the guard would take pity on an ignorant country ¡®boy¡¯ like her.


    ¡°No.¡± A flat response that invited no more discussion and a rather respectful way to tell her to get lost.


    That was what she did. She expected the answer, though knowing it did little to lessen the sting of rejection. After a moment, she exhaled, expelling the negativity the build up within her. ¡®I still have a lot to do.¡¯


    Before she continued, she cast a quick glance in her surroundings. No one seemed to tail her. Good. But she still had to be alert all the time.


    Once she was sure that she was not being followed, she went through the list of places, hoping she might score a job before the day ends. To her dismay, the establishments she had gone to always find something to dislike about her ¡ª too thin, too short, too plain. Lia rolled her eyes inwardly at the last one.


    By lunch, she was tired and hungry and feeling a little dizzy because of the heat, the crowd, and the noise. The stillness of her old home in the forest must have lowered her tolerance on these things.


    She passed by a restaurant where the delicious aroma of food wafted in the air, freezing Lia on her spot momentarily. She had enough money to afford to eat in a fancy place like this but she would rather save them. There must be some cheaper foods around, right?


    Just as she was about to pass the place, someone came out of the restaurant, wearing the usual soft gaze and amiable smile as he talked to the person with him. Lia paused in her steps.


    The man also stopped when he noticed her staring at him. ¡°Lia?¡±


    A smile broke out of her face. ¡°Jeremiah!¡± Seeing a familiar face was comforting. But what luck? She needed to see him and now he was here?


    ¡°I was having lunch with a colleague here,¡± he gestured to the restaurant. Almost in an instant, her mind went back to the sumptuous meal the place had to offer.


    Jeremiah must have seen it in her eyes too when he said, ¡°Come inside. I¡¯ll treat you to lunch. I have already eaten though, so I hope you don¡¯t mind me take my tea instead. In return, fill me in on what you¡¯ve been up to.¡±


    In between bites, Lia began her tale starting from the time Jeremiah and the rest left their town. She told him the same version she told to Eldric.


    ¡°So now you¡¯re looking for a place to work while studying for the exam?¡±


    Lia looked at him sheepishly. ¡°I know I¡¯ve rejected your offer before but¨C¡±


    Jeremiah cut her off. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everyone changes their minds all the time. Yours, it¡¯s your situation. And of course, my offer still stands. I¡¯ll give you a recommendation letter for the exam. As for your job¡­¡± He stroked his chin as if deep in thought. ¡°I think I know just the perfect place.¡±

 Chapter 106 - He says - The Banquet

    He says ¨C The Banquet


    Eldric made his way to the pavilion where the banquet was held. This occasion was for him, a celebration prepared by the King himself to give credit for Eldric¡¯s achievements for having solid leads and even capturing a member of the Unseen, a feat no one had accomplished before.


    Truth be told, a social gathering was the last thing Eldric wanted to do. There were other, more important things that needed to be done. He preferred ruminating alone and plan for his next move than butter up with the palace officials. The Unseen might be planning for an attack for all they knew.


    But he had to consider his men too, who needed this kind of break once in a while. It had been a rough month for all of them so Eldric had to give in. Besides, it was not as if he could go against the king¡¯s wishes.


    Even from afar, he could hear the merry sound coming from the pavilion. ¡®It seems like they already started.¡¯ He schooled his features, putting on his usual easy charm.


    When he entered, the people he passed by paused their conversations and greeted him. But Eldric did not linger in any of the small groups and made his way to where the king and queen sat. He paid his respect, and he was accepted with open arms by the king. On the other hand, the queen gave him an icy nod. She was always like this when it came to him, so this action was not strange to Eldric. He even expected it.


    ¡°It was good to see you, Eldric!¡± The king clapped him on the shoulder. Despite the worry lines on his face, one could still see the traces of a handsome young man he once had been. King Bernhard was tall, strong, and magnanimous to his people while ruthless to his enemies. He was someone Eldric look up to.


    But the sudden death of his first wife, the former queen, brought nothing but pain to the King. His eyes that used to be full of mirth became sad and melancholic. Right now, fighting an unknown disease kept him inside the palace and made him look old and weary.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not exhausting yourself just for this.¡± Eldric gestured at the party before them.


    The King waved him off. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a lot better lately. And it always put me in a good mood to see you.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the Prince?¡± Eldric asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite late, so I sent Gabriel to his chamber. I told him you¡¯ll visit in the morning.¡± The king smiled and looked at Eldric up and down. ¡°How are you? When are you going to get a wife? I told you to take the harem already or at least pick one from them.¡±


    It was work to look unperturbed. The king had been persistent about the whole marriage topic. The only thing that Eldric was thankful for was that, when the King gifted Eldric his harem, he had been given a choice to accept it or not. Tradition dictates that only the member of royalty shall be given the right to have multiple wives and concubines. But as the King¡¯s unofficial adopted child, the Council permitted the harem.


    Eldric had voiced his unwillingness to have multiple wives. He believed that he could only give his heart to only one person, just like his deceased parents. Seeing the struggle to power between the queen and the then concubine Lady Rosalind, further strengthened his desire not to be married to more than one woman. ¡°My answer remains the same, my king.¡±


    ¡°Even though I heard that you offered a young lady to be part of your harem?¡± The king narrowed his eyes at Eldric.


    Eldric cursed inwardly at Tim and his big mouth. ¡°Yes, I think I did that.¡±


    He did not know what possessed him to offer his harem to Lia. What he knew was that he no longer wanted her to be in danger. Lia was no soldier, so he could not take her into the military. The only place he could think of was his harem.


    ¡°And she refused?¡±


    Eldric nodded.


    ¡°What a queer young lady,¡± the king said with a smile.


    Eldric returned the smile. ¡°Indeed, she is.¡±


    The king studied him but did not say anything else. After a while, he said, I shall not push you anymore tonight. I¡¯m afraid I have to retire. The Queen formulated a draught that helped me sleep. But you are free to continue despite my absence.¡± He patted Eldric¡¯s arm. ¡°Your ladies are eager to talk to you.¡±


    Eldric watched the king left, feeling perplexed with what King Bernhard said about his draught. But his thoughts were disturbed when he was suddenly surrounded by a swarm of women.


    After doing his obligatory greeting, he rested on the couch prepared for him. All kinds of beauties attended him, serving all his needs. Normally, he would take his pick, maybe bed one or two of them.


    But not tonight. His mind wandered somewhere else.


    ¡®How is she? Did Jeremiah find her a good place?¡¯ Absent-mindedly, his hand brushed the fabric of his pocket where he kept his rabbit mask.

 Chapter 107 - Mr. Rabbit (1)

    Mr. Rabbit (1)


    Lia retreated to her room and studied the books Jeremiah lent her.


    After they met, Jeremiah brought her to a house that he said belonged to his aunt. His aunt was to go on a trip but could not find anyone who would look after the house.


    Lia could live and use the books in the house¡¯s library to her heart¡¯s content. In exchange, she had to keep the house clean, maintain the garden and fend off the kids that play in front of it. The owner was expected to return after a month, giving Lia enough time to study for her exam which would happen in a month¡¯s time.


    The whole deal was too good to be true, and Lia could not help but think that there might be a silent figure manipulating all these. At the same time, she could not deny how helpful this would be. She would no longer worry about a roof over her head and a work to feed herself. Besides, it was not as if it was for free. She would work hard to earn her keep.


    It had been a week since Lia moved into this house. It was a simple-looking bungalow outside but beautifully decorated inside. The first floor had the living room, dining room, and the kitchen, whereas the second floor contained the master¡¯s bedroom, a study room, and a guest room.


    Lia created a routine to maximize her study time. She would clean the yard in the morning and do some gardening. After that, she would clean the house. Then, she had two to four hours of studying. After her lunch, she would take a nap then study again. In the afternoon, the neighboring kids would be playing outside. Save for one time that they tried to pick a flower, no one tried to trespass yet. Though, they were noisy. So Lia was on guard in case they got mischievous.


    In the evenings, she would read a book or study some more.


    That night, after taking care of everything, Lia retreated to her room at the back of the house and began studying when she heard the sound from the window. Someone was throwing stones. Lia froze, chest-pounding. She blew her candles out and listened.


    Did the Unseen found her? But surely, they were not the type to announce their presence this way, right?


    She held her dagger tightly. If anything else, she would not go down without a fight.


    After a while, the sound stopped. Lia did not let her guard down. She opened the windows, just a small gap to take a peek at the source of the sound.


    Curiously, she saw a person picking something off the ground. It was dark outside so she could not tell exactly, but she was sure that the person was picking another rock to throw.


    When the person stood up, she saw a familiar-looking mask. It was the same cute rabbit mask she found in the previous town she had been to. And there was only one person she knew who would wear that.


    She pressed her lips together to stop the smile that was threatening to appear on her face and slide the window open. The person paused while poised to throw another rock.


    ¡°Just what do you think you are doing here, Mr. Rabbit?¡±


    ¡°Visiting?¡± Mr. Rabbit grinned, and Lia could not help but grin back.

 Chapter 108 - Mr. Rabbit (2)

    Mr. Rabbit (2)


    Lia narrowed her eyes as she approached her visitor. She found him tossing a stone in the air and catching it again and then doing it all over again. He looked nonchalant and not at all the famous young general.


    Well, to be really honest, the two of them looked like lovers having a clandestine meeting in the middle of the night. Lia made a face at the thought.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you be a normal guest and use the front door?¡± She demanded. ¡°You gave me a fright. I could have stabbed you,¡± she said, showing the handle of her dagger buried in her sleeves.


    ¡°I beg your pardon, but I can¡¯t do that.¡± He caught the stone and rolled it in his palm. ¡°I can¡¯t compromise your reputation. People might talk.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice of you. But people will talk anyway.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still better to be careful. And good job for being cautious too.¡±


    She tilted her head to the side, ¡°So, what brings you here? How did you know I¡¯m here anyway?¡± She lifted an eyebrow at the last sentence.


    Eldric shrugged. ¡°Rabbits have many good sources.¡±


    Lia smirked. He was really going for that persona. ¡°Oh really.¡±


    ¡°Really.¡± Mr. Rabbit nodded in earnest. ¡°Do you mind if we talk under that tree?¡± He pointed at the biggest tree in the backyard.


    Lia hesitated. It was her job to watch the house, and she did not want to leave on a personal errand.


    ¡°It¡¯s just 5 meters away from the house. We can watch it together over there.¡± Seeing that Lia remained unconvinced, Eldric sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t be long. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± She fell a step behind Eldric as they walked towards the tree and sat under it, facing the back of the house. ¡°Now that we¡¯re here, maybe you will answer my question?¡±


    A smile spread under the half-face mask. ¡°I¡¯m really visiting.¡± Under Lia¡¯s unamused stare, he relented. ¡°I escaped the banquet.¡±


    ¡°Banquet? Escape?¡±


    Eldric told her about the gathering happening at the palace that the king prepared for him. It seemed mentally, physically, and emotionally taxing for Lia just hearing him describe the occasion.


    ¡°Would it be okay to leave then?¡± Lia enquired.


    Her guest leaned on the tree trunk, watching the clouds moved above them. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t notice that I left. I¡¯m only their excuse to throw such events.¡±


    ¡°Ah. In short, you came to hide here instead?¡± Lia teased.


    ¡°I wanted to visit,¡± Eldric said, seriously.


    Lia did not know how to respond to that kind of remark. With the mask on, it was hard to tell what kind of expression he had. She could not be sure if he was really serious or only joking. Lia opted for the latter ¡ª a possibly safer reaction, and laughed it off.


    ¡°How is your study?¡± Eldric asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s going well. Thanks to Jeremiah, I have ample time for studying and wouldn¡¯t have to worry about¡­ everything.¡±


    Eldric hummed, inclined his head to the side, and faced her. ¡°Tell me how you spend your days here.¡±

 Chapter 109 - Mr. Rabbit (3)

    Lia copied him and leaned back on the tree as she told him her daily experience. She was in the middle of narrating her encounter with the neighboring kids when she noticed that Eldric had his eyes closed, but he still nodded his head and listened.


    ¡°You seem tired,¡± she noted.


    His eyes flew open. ¡°My apologies. I didn¡¯t mean to be rude. It¡¯s just¡­ your voice relaxes me.¡±


    ¡°You mean, it makes you sleep?¡±


    Eldric chuckled. ¡°No, it makes me¨Chow should I put this, it soothes me. It makes me feel at ease.¡± Lia waited, and after a while, he added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not good with words.¡±


    ¡°Is that how you seduce your women?¡±


    ¡°Are you being seduced?¡± Eldric smirked.


    They both snorted at his failed pick-up line. The two of them stared at the night sky and settled in comfortable silence. After a while, she heard him took a deep breath.


    ¡°Something troubles you.¡±


    ¡°Yes and no. Yes because there¡¯s still Unseen out there being, well, unseen and not much is still known. No, because this stillness is nice. If it can continue for a long time.¡±


    Lia took it as the peace that they currently have. A sweet interlude before a big war against a powerful opponent.


    ¡°Why are you working so hard to catch the Unseen? Do you¨C do you want revenge?¡±


    Eldric shook his head. ¡°I just want them to stop. I don¡¯t want more children to experience what I experienced. And that¡¯s just the tip of the iceberg. They are far more capable to do things that would put this country into peril. I need to do more. Work more.¡±


    Lia almost reached out and took his hand. He looked so pained and weary, but there was also an inextinguishable fire in his eyes. Something in him makes her want to support him. In her own way, she wanted to help and ease his burden. She could only hope that a lot more people would do that and fight the Unseen.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been working so hard. You¡¯re doing enough. You don¡¯t have to shoulder everything.¡± She did not know if her words would be of any help, though, she hoped it would be.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He held her gaze to which she answered with a small smile.


    ***


    A month of uneventful days passed, and it was almost time for the exam. Throughout this month, she extended her study hours, sacrificing sleep. She did not know if a month of preparation was enough when the other examinees spent more months, perhaps even years, studying.


    Sometimes, Jeremiah would drop by and personally oversee her studies. He did not stay long for fear of bias. Lia understood that. To her surprise, though, Tim also dropped by and visited her. He gave her pointers that were extremely helpful for her studies.


    Despite all the help that she had, her results still relied on her ability. Lia could not be more nervous about her exam. Nothing seemed to keep her at ease, not with all her tutors and all that studying she did.

 Chapter 110 - Exam Jitters

    Exam Jitters


    Whenever Lia had her big exams back in her original world, she would usually relax the night before the exam. Her mother would cook her favorite soup and tell her to sleep early. She was told resting well before the exam was also part of the preparation to be in the best condition the next day.


    She could not do any of that now.


    It was not for lack of trying. She did everything she can these past few weeks. But she could not shake off the feeling that it was not enough.


    If she failed this exam, she would have to wait for another year to try her luck again. And time was not on her side.


    She paced around the room, too on the edge to sit down. She kept on flipping through her notes and tried to cram as much information as she could.


    Immersed in her studies, she almost missed the sound of stones hitting the window. She turned sharply at the sound and laughed at herself for her reaction.


    ¡®One, two, three.¡¯ Lia thought. That was a signal. It only meant one thing.


    For the past month, ¡°Mr. Rabbit¡± came to visit her almost every night. Sometimes they would stroll around the perimeter of the house, talking about random things. He was a good conversation partner. A very charming one at that.


    Other times, he would drop by and then leave just as fast as he came. These past few days, though, he was like a tutor, overseeing her studies. He would quiz her just like a teacher giving a pop quiz. At times, he would do it while they were training, reinforcing what she learned before and teaching her new moves.


    But in the past month, he was a constant companion to Lia, and she thought that she would not be able to settle in quite easily if not for him.


    Another sound. She peeked through her window and found him sitting on his heels as he waited. She put down her notes and ran down the stairs.


    When she opened the back door, she was surprised to see Eldric wearing commoner¡¯s clothes. But even a plain tunic and pants looked extravagant to him.


    ¡°What are you wearing?¡± she said, looking at him up and down.


    ¡°Have you eaten dinner?¡± He did not have that mask, but he had a ridiculous grin on his face. His usual neatly combed hair was down. He looked way younger and more normal.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    He was crestfallen. ¡°What did you eat?¡±


    Her eyebrow twitched. ¡°Veggies¡­ fruits¡­¡± she said, still trying to play along even when she had no idea where this was going.


    ¡°You should eat more for your exam.¡± He scowled. ¡°Not just for your exam, really. And you don¡¯t look like you are even sleeping.¡± He lit up once again. ¡°I knew just a place. And I brought you disguises.¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave I know.¡± Eldric signaled somewhere in the dark and a few men came out. Lia recognized them as the men from Eldric¡¯s team. The same men she was with when they were in the woods.


    She let out an audible gasp and grinned, trying hard not to jump in glee.


    ¡°We¡¯ll guard this place in your stead. Take your time to relax,¡± Gaston said. Behind him, Joaquin nodded.

 Chapter 111 - Jade (1)

    Jade (1)


    Confident that she had no more reasons to refuse, Eldric smiled sweetly at her, lifting up the disguises he brought. Lia sighed. She lost to him this time. Having no more purpose to dally, she took the garments and dashed upstairs to change.


    She came back down again in record time. Eldric was still standing in the spot where she left him.


    ¡°You came prepared.¡± Eldric did not just provide a shirt and pants similar to his but also included shoes, coat, and hat.


    She looked down at her clothes before regarding him, ¡°But I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s going to recognize me even without these.¡± She had not worn any female clothing since she left her hometown. And she acted like a man even when alone so as not to be caught unprepared in any event. Better be cautious than sorry.


    ¡°It would be easier to pass you as my cousin if we wear the same clothes.¡± Eldric plucked the hat from her grasp and put it on her. He noticed her hair and reached out. ¡°The back¡¯s sticking out,¡± he said fixing the stubborn lock, ¡°Your hair had gotten longer.¡±


    Lia took one end and twisted it between her fingers. In this world where a woman¡¯s appearance was everything, her looks would be odd, and people would stare at her with scorn. ¡®Eh, who cares.¡¯ ¡°I like this length. Easier to manage.¡±


    ¡°It suits you,¡± his eyes softened, ¡°But your long hair suits you more.¡± Without waiting for Lia¡¯s reaction, he turned around abruptly and began walking ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡±


    Thanks to Eldric¡¯s thoughtfulness, Lia was not cold with her coat. It was a chilly night, despite the crowd still going on about their business at this hour. Because of the time, most restaurants were full of people. Lia wondered where would he take her as they passed by the busy streets.


    Her curiosity grew when instead of going to the main street, he led her to a side street. Lia was quite confident in her navigation skills, but after turning at every corner, she gave up memorizing the way and placed her trust in Eldric.


    When she thought they would no longer arrive at their destination, Eldric stopped at a decrepit building.


    Her eyebrows shot, eyes looking at the building and then at the man beside her.


    Eldric gave her a knowing smile as though he could read exactly what was going through her head. His eyes said, ¡°Trust me on this.¡± Lia let out a deep breath and placed her trust in this man¡¯s hands. A distant part of her wondered about her life choices.


    It was a literal hole-in-the-wall kind of restaurant. There were about five seats by the entrance, and then behind the counter was the chef, cooking the foods right in front of the customers. If no one told her about it, Lia would not be able to notice this place no matter how many times she passed it.


    Surprisingly, there were a lot of patrons. They had to wait a bit until one of the customers had finished, and the seats were free. Eldric greeted the chef who jerked his head in response. He told Lia that he was also the owner and that he operated this business for over twenty years.


    He ordered them both noodles with extra meat and egg, and Lia¡¯s eyes almost bulged at the size of the bowl. She was worried that she would not be able to finish it. It all took one spoonful of the broth, and she could not stop inhaling the food. She even stopped talking to Eldric. When she was done, she sat back, full and contented, and found Eldric watching her.

 Chapter 112 - Jade (2)

    ¡°Was it good?¡± Eldric chuckled, teasing. ¡°Do you want more?¡±


    Lia glared at him initially, then perked up when she heard the second question. ¡°Can we? Can we take it home? I¡¯ll get hungry on the walk back.¡±


    Eldric cracked up, not unkindly. He chatted with the owner as they watched their takeaway food being cooked. When their orders arrived, they walked back in the same streets they took earlier, talking about trivial things. He regaled her with tales of his trips to other parts of the country. Lia enjoyed listening to them because it helped her learn more about the country.


    ¡°If you people from the south boast your forest and never-ending mountains, the people in the east are proud of their seas.¡±


    ¡°There are seas?¡± Lia loved seas. Some of her most cherished memories happened on the beaches.


    ¡°There are. I also couldn¡¯t believe it when I first read it in the royal library¨C¡±


    ¡°The royal library?!¡± The moment the words left her mouth, Lia wanted to smack her face. Of course, there was a library in the palace. But the image of rows of towering shelves full of books waiting to be read was enough to make her feel ecstatic, just by thinking about it.


    Eldric blinked at her a few times to which Lia answered with a frown, trying and failing to hide her excitement. She did not want him to think of her as petty, but it seemed as her efforts were too late as he shook his head then glanced at her then smiled to himself.


    ¡°What?¡± Lia asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­ your eyes twinkled when you heard of it.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I know, it¡¯s weird to say it like that. You also do that when you saw the noodles. It¡¯s very¡­.¡±


    ¡°Very?¡± Her eyebrow twitched and her eyes narrowed, but the corner of her mouth curled up to a smirk.


    Eldric only shook his head and laughed quietly.


    ¡°You¡¯re from the south?¡± she asked after a while.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m from the north, near the border,¡± he said with a wince as though an unwanted memory flashed through his mind.


    Lia felt elated when he answered. Eldric was not the type to volunteer information that easily. At the same time, when she heard the answer, she immediately regretted asking. The last thing she wanted was to open that box of painful memories. She knew she would not like to revisit her own any time soon. Eldric¡¯s past had just been shaken by the arrival of the leader and Pen. Lia could only imagine what he was feeling.


    While she was deliberating what questions to ask to change the topic, they had already arrived at the house. Lia tried to dismiss the disappointment she felt.


    ¡°Thank you. I just found my next favorite food,¡± she said when they arrived home and was about to go inside the house when he spoke.


    ¡°Before you go, there¡¯s something I want you to have. Turn around for me please.¡±


    While she did as she was told, she was alert and prepared to look back any minute, in case this was some kind of a prank. She had come to hate surprises, thanks to all the surprise attacks and events she encountered in the last few months.


    Something light and cold fell on her neck. When she looked down, there was a beautiful flower jade pendant against her chest. She turned back, eyes wide.


    ¡°A trader came by in the palace and brought this. I thought this would look good on you.¡±


    She held and weighed it on her palm. It felt smooth on her touch. ¡°This looks expensive.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s a gift. A welcome gift. A celebratory gift¨C¡±


    ¡°Celebratory gift?¡± she asked amused. ¡°I haven¡¯t even taken the exam.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s an advance gift.¡± He turned quiet, and then he said, ¡°I might not be able to visit you in a while.¡±

 Chapter 113 - Jade (3)

    ¡°I might not be able to visit you in a while.¡±


    It took a moment before those words registered in Lia¡¯s mind. That came out of the blue, and now, she did not know what to feel or how to react. She did what felt like the most rational thing to do at that moment which was to stand still and stare blankly.


    Eldric shifted on his feet, looking alone and unhappy. For a fleeting moment, the image of the harem passed through Lia¡¯s mind. In the novel, the great general collected women from all over the region, but was that really it? They were only his bedroom companion? Or was there something else?


    She shook her head. No. Now was not the time to worry about this guy.


    ¡°Uh, I see!¡± She gave a shaky laugh. ¡°Cool! I mean, it¡¯s not like you are required to visit me.¡±


    He had been visiting her almost every night that it seemed like he was part of her daily routine now. She should not be surprised that this routine would be broken, but she was. In the past months, he had been a wonderful friend who stood by her side throughout the toughest times. And she would always be sad every time they parted.


    Eldric took her hand. ¡°But I wanted to.


    Something softened in her when she saw how hard he seemed to be taking this. They were not lovers, and they would never be. He had no reason to look torn for an unimportant character like her. ¡°But the country needs you.¡± She guessed and gripped his hand when he nodded.


    ¡°There¡¯s some ruckus going on in the northern borders. The king ordered me to check if it is about the tribes or Unseen. It will probably take me a year before I come back.¡±


    Lia¡¯s mouth shaped to an inaudible ¡®oh¡¯ as a memory tugged at the back of her head. ¡®So we are now at this part of the plot.¡¯ She remembered that when Eldric went to quench the uprising in the north, he would meet the female lead there acting like Florence Nightingale among the troops. It was love at first sight for the two of them. It was the female lead¡¯s time to shine, and the cannon fodder had to step back and step away from the stage.


    One year was short. But it was enough for the feelings of the male lead and female lead to culminate. He would soon forget all about Lia, and she did not want to dwell too much on that.


    ¡°Is that so? Then I guess this is¨C¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Eldric stopped her, firmly held her hand and stepped closer. ¡°We¡¯ve done that before and look at us. I don¡¯t¨C,¡± he raked his other hand through his hair and sighed. ¡°How about see you soon?¡± He cast a hopeful gaze.


    Lia gave a smile she did not feel. ¡°See you soon then.¡± ¡®Who are we kidding? I¡¯ll be a stranger to your eyes once you meet the female lead.¡¯


    That tinge of sadness she felt, she told herself that it was because she was losing a friend.


    ¡°Good night,¡± she said but neither of them moved. Eldric seemed more interested in playing with her hand, studying the folds and creases of her fingers. ¡°You should leave now. I have an exam tomorrow morning, and you should prepare for your departure.¡±


    Eldric nodded, then pressed both his hands to hers, ¡°Good night and best of luck.¡± He leaned forward, dropping a kiss on her forehead, before leaving.

 Chapter 114 - Exam (1)

    Exam (1)


    ¡®Looks like a funeral.¡¯


    It was a chilly morning, and it seemed a lot colder with the air of gloom all around them. Lia expected the exam day to resemble a festival with banners, loud music, and throngs of cheering supporters at the gate. But what welcomed her in the palace yard were people wearing subdued colors and grim expressions, looking a lot like mourning and less than taking an exam.


    ¡®Nerves, perhaps?¡¯ Lia narrowed her eyes as she assessed this kind of environment, her hand flew to her chest and wrapped around the jade pendant resting there. She was willing to accept that thought, but something told her that that was not it. At least, not ¡®just¡¯ that. Because if it was, it did not make sense to get the impression from the proctors too as though they were nervous about something else.


    The silence was eerie, and it made Lia shiver. Saved for the hushed voices, the other examinees did not talk with each other or even greet one another. Instead, everyone eyed the next person before them as if someone might stick a knife in their backs. In a way, she understood their feelings. There were about a hundred examinees. But according to rumors, only half would be accepted. Some years it was even lower. That level of competition felt so toxic that Lia wanted nothing but run far away from all of these.


    The line in the registration moved with people looking like they were signing up for their deaths which Lia would have found funny if it did not really feel like one. Once it was her turn to register, she certainly did not imagine the twitch on the eyebrow of the senior physician.


    Before Lia came in, she was deciding whether she would have to put a brave front or go with the sweet innocent look. She maintained her boyish look but used her real name, thinking it would be safe to reveal a bit of her in the palace. And that lying would get her to future complications. Yet seeing that apparent distaste, she chose the former and put on a poker face.


    ¡°Name.¡±


    She pressed her lips together before speaking in a stern voice, ¡°Liana.¡±


    The person at the registration tapped his pen impatiently. ¡°Which family did you come from?¡±


    He was not even hiding his sneer. Unperturbed, Lia stared at him as she pushed forward Jeremiah¡¯s recommendation letter and waited for that inevitable disbelief. Possible that she would be accused of forgery. Was Jeremiah around to bail her out? Or would her plans be put to a grinding halt before she even began the first step?


    To her relief, none of those happened. He glanced at her, then back to the letter, as though deciding how she managed to coerce a distinguished physician into writing her a letter. She was given a sharp look, and at the same time, she was handed the exam badge.


    ¡°Line up over there and wait for further instructions.¡± He jerked his chin towards the line of the examinees.


    Lia stared levelly without a hint of emotion on her face and walked away. She was good at that ¡ª pretending that she did not have feelings. It made her life easier if she could control her emotions instead of the one being controlled.

 Chapter 115 - Exam (2)

    Exam (2)


    The revulsion was clear on his face as he gave the last once-over look at Lia¡¯s cheap shirt and trousers.


    ¡®It¡¯s happening again.¡¯ She recognized that look, the very same look the people from her town used to give her. Lia clenched her fist, digging her nails to her palm. ¡®They are not important. Don¡¯t mind them,¡¯ she reminded herself.


    She went off to join the rest of the examinees, but the sweet voice that reverberated behind her almost caused her to stop.


    ¡°May I know your family name, Miss?¡± That same revolting guy, who gave Lia a nasty look earlier, preened and smiled at the next examinee.


    Lia joined the line but not before subtly rolling her eyes. The change in the proctor¡¯s attitude made her curious about this ¡®Miss.¡¯ She glanced sideways at the registration table and found a girl who seemed like a year younger than her and an obvious rich kid. Her simple navy blue dress complemented her olive skin. But even from afar, Lia could tell that it was made of expensive material, a far cry from the simple chinos she was wearing. The girl¡¯s attendants were left behind the carriage bearing their family crest. A distinguished family. Perhaps, even an official¡¯s daughter. No wonder about the special treatment.


    But this miss was not the only privileged examinee present. Everyone in this place, actually. They all wore dark and subdued colored clothes, and they reeked the air of the wealthy and pampered. ¡®And snob,¡¯ Lia added when she made eye contact with one, and the other person showed a visible look of disgust as though she were comparable to a vermin.


    There were only a handful of normal citizens like Lia, and they all stood out. Not surprisingly, they were trying to keep a low profile with lowered gazes and hunched backs. Lia stared at the ground, not because she was afraid of this animosity, but if she didn¡¯t, her eyes would hurt from too much rolling.


    Lia could not suppress her sigh, though. This kind of mood even added to the gloom. To top it off, her plan to just exist in the background was not happening, what was with her getting curious looks and attention.


    ¡®Just forget about me, I¡¯m just air. I¡¯m irrelevant.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s a big sigh.¡±


    Startled out of her thoughts, it took Lia a few seconds to collect herself before turning around. There, she found the only smiling face in the sea of stone-faced people. It was the rich miss. Lia blinked a couple of times, wondering if she heard it wrong.


    ¡°Nervous?¡± the miss tried again, her smile remaining in place. It was unlike the fake smiles the proctors gave them, but a friendly smile. She was trying for chit-chat and Lia did not know how to respond to that.


    Lia settled with a tight smile. ¡°A bit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Her smile grew wider, probably in an attempt to placate Lia¡¯s nerves.


    Giving the other person one last small smile, Lia turned back. ¡®Well, that was weird.¡¯


    ¡°Say,¡± Lia heard a whisper behind her, ¡°Liana, is it? A rare name for a boy, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Lia¡¯s brows shot up as she turned behind her. The other examinee put her hands up as if saying ¡®no offense.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    A loud cough interrupted them. The same proctor at the registration stood beside them, giving Lia a pointed look. Lia groaned inwards.


    ¡°Follow me to the exam hall.¡±

 Chapter 116 - Exam (3)

    Exam (3)


    The plan was to pass the exam. Topping the exam was out of the question. It would be too risky to be put in the spotlight.


    But when Lia saw the questions, her spirit was lifted, her enthusiasm soared. She could answer this. She could actually pass this exam. She could achieve her first step.


    She was no genius, but she enjoyed her classes back in her original world. She loved learning. It was just a matter of when the energy and motivation to visit her.


    Getting to this world did not tamper that desire to learn. To her surprise, her laziness did not kick in. She was always eager to study. Learning how this world functions, its history, its inhabitants, and everything and anything related to this new place was interesting. Lia was like a sponge, absorbing all the things thrown at her. The good, the bad, and the ugly.


    ¡°Charge it to experience,¡± her birth mother used to say and something she etched in her heart. All of the things that happened to her were a lesson to learn.


    As she stared down at the questions, the corner of her mouth twitched. She managed to not rubbed her hands together as she picked up her pen and scribbled away her answers.


    Time passed by without her realizing, and it would have continued like that if not for the shift in the air around her. The murmurs heightened just as she finished her last question. Narrowing her eyes, she scanned the hall and found some of the examinees were frozen stiff in their seats, facing the front.


    Lia followed their line of sight and saw, perhaps, the most beautiful and elegant person in the entire palace.


    The proctor made a gesture for the examinees to stand and greet, but the Queen raised a hand, palms up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Focus on your exam. I was only dropping by as I have been in the area,¡± she said, regarding everyone who was listening. That commanding air surrounding her made it hard for other people to ignore her. Not like anyone would dare do that. ¡°I heard, there¡¯s quite a lot of participants this year.¡± She turned to the old man, but her eyes continued to roam the hall.


    A tingly feeling ran through Lia¡¯s spine. She hunched her back, returned her gaze to the questionnaire, and tried to make herself as small as possible. It might have been her imagination that the queen glanced at her direction.


    Lia pretended to have been reviewing her answers while surreptitiously casting a peek at the queen. Her Majesty continued to talk to the quivering old man, who was not hiding his inclination to impress, along with a few other people who Lia thought to be the ministers.


    Queen Rosalind was beautiful in an icy kind of way. The chilly weather seemed like summer compared to her beauty. Her skin was like snow which reminded Lia of harsh winters with nothing but blizzard. Her eyes, while regal and elegant, had a permanent look of scrutiny as though she was calculating every move of the person opposite her. If they were going to be useful to her or if they had any worth at all. Beneath her gracefulness were rows of icicles, threatening to stab anyone with their sharp points.


    ¡°The first to third rows are the cream of the crop. All from the distinguished families loyal to the Que¨C to the land.¡± Lia heard the quivering old man said to the queen, voice full of pride despite his hushed tone.


    The queen gave a sideways glance, almost a bored look, but her eyes betrayed her with that gleam. ¡°Is that so?¡± The ghost of a smile passed on those perfectly curved red lips.


    She left soon after, behind her were the ministers, but the cold and dark feeling remained on Lia.

 Chapter 117 - Uncalculated (1)

    Uncalculated (1)


    ¡°Therefore, my dear scholars, eat and enjoy the night! You all deserve it!¡± King Bernhard said, lifting his cup.


    The crowd cheered, and the hall erupted with chatter and laughter. A group of musicians, who were invited for this occasion, began playing music on one side of the hall. The servants weaved through tables and chairs, delivering food and drinks.


    The king returned to his seat after seeing to it that everyone was having a blast. Lia had the mistake of staring too long that His Highness caught her eyes. His smile widened and moved his hand up to his mouth, a gesture that Lia assumed to mean to eat lots. She returned the smile, but her facial muscles felt stiff. She grimaced at the thought of looking constipated because of that. It was bad enough to be caught starstruck with the king. But she did not have to worry for long when one of the ministers caught His Majesty¡¯s attention and proceeded to chatter, forgetting Lia in the background.


    ¡®What am I even doing here?¡¯ Lia wanted to smack her forehead as she sat in the table ¡ª the same one the king was using, along with other palace officials. ¡®Really, Lia. What have you done?¡¯


    A week after the exam, she received a letter stating that she passed and that she was invited to a banquet for the scholars. She thought that it would be a good opportunity to observe and familiarize herself with this new environment. Lia expected to be the wallflower the entire night.


    As the self-appointed observer, she chose an unremarkable outfit ¡ª her old trusted chinos she reserved for special events. Not a common choice for women, but it was simple and formal. Inconspicuous even. Just what she was.


    When she arrived, she realized how underdressed she was, especially when she stood side-by-side with other scholars. If she had not shown the acceptance letter at the entrance, she might have been sent to the servants¡¯ hall instead.


    The usherette guided Lia to her seat. The closer they got to the table, the nearer Lia wanted to faint on the spot.


    Old people ¡ª ministers, she reminded herself ¡ª filled the table. They were chatting animatedly. In the midst of the group, Lia found the young miss from the examination day and another young man wearing somber clothes with an equally somber face. Her eyes swept to the last person in the table and froze. It was the king.


    King freaking Bernhard.


    This only meant one thing: she was one of the top three in the exam. Tim once told her that only the highest-ranking scholars would be able to share a table with the king.


    Panic rose to her chest. This must be a joke. There must have been a mistake somewhere.


    ¡°Is this,¡± she croaked and stopped. She controlled her voice and tried again, ¡°Is this where I¡¯m going to sit?¡± ¡®Please, tell me it¡¯s not.¡¯


    This was not part of her plan. Where did she go wrong? ¡®I thought I purposely wrote the wrong answer?¡¯ But no, she must have gotten carried away when answering.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She beamed. ¡°The three examinees that got the highest scores have the privilege to share the same table as the king.¡± When she noticed that Lia was not reassured, she added, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Our king is very kind. You just have to enjoy dinner.¡±


    ¡®Easy for you to say¡­¡¯

 Chapter 118 - Uncalculated (2)

    Uncalculated (2)


    Enjoy was the last thing on Lia¡¯s mind right now as she squirmed in her seat and fumbled at her utensils. She winced when she remembered how awestruck she was by the presence of the royalty. Never in her wildest dreams to be this close to one, much less a King.


    The music continued to pound on her ears. Too many people. Too much noise. Everything was too much.


    Her mind seemed to have turned to jelly at the moment, making it harder and harder to focus. She liked the fanfare but never as the center of attention. She preferred to be the one looking from the outside, the one lingering at the back.


    Lia tried to calm herself, but what she got were rapid, shallow breaths. Her senses told her to run. She was alone in a sea of strangers.


    ¡®Get a grip. This is not you. You¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ She repeated the last sentence again and again, her hand reaching out to her jade pendant. Somehow, that calmed her down.


    Lia felt a hand on her elbow. It was light but firm. She looked up and found Charlotte¡¯s worried face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were from somewhere in the east ¡ª no, I mean¡­¡± Her expression was replaced with a quizzical look but the worry in her eyes lingered.


    ¡°South,¡± Lia replied. She realized that Charlotte answered a question for her when she lost in thoughts.


    Charlotte giggled, shaking her head. She turned to the king, ¡°Right, Your Highness. I meant, south. I always forget things.¡±


    The king roared with laughter. ¡°You young ones are already forgetful at your age.¡±


    The rest of the group joined the laughter and proceeded to talk about politics and gossip among the other nobles. Lia tuned out of the discussion. The sudden question put her on the spot and her nervousness peaked again. It only started to ebb when the attention was deflected from her. She sent a thankful glance at Charlotte¡¯s direction, and the other only smiled.


    ***


    Soon after, the king retired and the banquet wrapped up. The scholars were sorted into the ministries according to the subject where they got their highest score. There were about twenty-six people including Lia and Charlotte in the Health Ministry being ushered to their new room by a senior physician. Thankfully, they all had individual rooms the size of a studio type apartment.


    ¡®Not bad,¡¯ Lia thought to herself as her eyes roamed around the room. She crossed towards the window, and it opened to the sight of a lagoon. As she took in the scene before her, she stretched her arms and thought of how she would proceed from now on. She was lucky to have this room all by herself.


    Others did not seem to be like that though. Not too long since they entered their rooms, there was already ruckus in the hall. Lia poked her head from her door and found some people complaining to a senior.


    ¡°My room is too drafty!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that small box you put me into?!¡±


    ¡°The servants¡¯ rooms in our house are bigger than my room!¡±


    ¡°Everyone has the same size. You are now government officials. You serve people. The kingdom is not going to serve you. If you have complaints, feel free to leave.¡± The senior turned to all of them who were peeking from their rooms. ¡°We have an early assembly tomorrow. Go back inside.¡±


    Someone snorted, loud enough for the other scholars to hear. Lia watched Charlotte rolled her eyes when the others glared at her direction. She turned back and caught Lia¡¯s eyes. Charlotte mouthed ¡®brats¡¯ at Lia before going back to her room. Lia suppressed a smile and went back inside.

 Chapter 119 - New Friends?

    New Friends?


    Lia took out a fresh paper and redrew her sketch of Dong Quai root. She had been doing and redoing this page for the last thirty minutes. She tried a couple of strokes more with no improvement from the previous ones. With a sigh, she placed her pencil down and stared off into space.


    They were told that for the first six months of their training, the scholars would be attending different classes. Based on the things that they would study, Lia assumed that they were to study anatomy, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, and the likes. After that, they would have to join the field to have hands-on training, like an internship in the modern world. For now, Lia, along with the rest of the new recruits, were in the botanical garden to draw and study the medicinal properties of the plants. It was supposedly a piece of cake since she had been doing that with her notebook, but there must be something off with her hand today.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it wrong,¡± a voice suddenly sounded beside Lia, startling her. When she looked up, she found Charlotte¡¯s face peering down on her paper. All Lia could do was watch as the other girl took the notebook from Lia¡¯s hands and started scribbling.


    Their professors grouped them into twos, supervised by a senior physician. With her luck, she was paired with Charlotte, and a prim and proper guy with beer-colored eyes named Norman was assigned to them.


    When Charlotte was done, she handed the notebook back to the still dumbfounded Lia. Despite her reluctance, Lia had to admit that this rich miss drew something really good, better than her even. Lia was okay with her drawings, but she had to admit that she was no genius. Charlotte was the genius. Good family, good looks, brilliant mind, and a great sense of artistry to boot. Now, that was what people called blessed.


    ¡°You¡¯re good,¡± Lia stared at the plant drawing she received. She was definitely not envious. All her previous drawings looked like a child¡¯s handiwork. ¡°You should be in the arts.¡±


    The other girl laughed without mirth. Lia felt dread creeping on her as she realized the implication of what she said. ¡°Oh no, I didn¡¯t mean that¨C¡±


    ¡°I get it. I get that a lot. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Charlotte turned then hesitated as though she had something more to say. In the end, she stood, waved, and went back to her plant.


    Lia watched her buddy go back, having mixed feelings about her. Was she referring to their exchange or to some other discussion from somebody else? Charlotte, despite her bubbly yet straight nature, was like a mystery. The very reason why Lia was wary of the other¡¯s friendly attitude. It brought back some bad memories she did not want to revisit. Charlotte made it even more suspicious. Lia felt like there was a catch to this facade. No one should be too friendly to anyone right off the bat.


    Yet, there were also times when Lia felt bad for responding coolly. Despite her usually warm nature, Charlotte was good at keeping people at a distance. That, or she was also being alienated by their fellow scholars.


    She was almost like Lia.


    As if to prove a point to nobody, Lia scanned the area, and the other rich kids seemed to band together, leaving Charlotte and Lia alone. Lia preferred alone, deemed it safer that way. But what about Charlotte? She did not mingle with the rest of them. And she did not seem to mind.


    ¡°Thank you. I appreciate it.¡± Lia called out, startling Charlotte. There was something wrong with the way she hunched her shoulders that made Lia feel a tinge of pity as if Charlotte was rarely complimented with her art.


    Charlotte turned back, and Lia thought she would cry but she only smiled.

 Chapter 120 - Library (1)

    Library (1)


    ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure, we turned right at this part¡­ or was it left?¡¯


    Lia furrowed her brows as she tried to recall the path they went through when the seniors gave them a tour inside the Health Ministry wing. The layout of the place was similar to a big maze that it was easy to get lost. Lia thought she was pretty good with directions, but looking for the royal library was testing her sense of direction.


    She gritted her teeth and pushed through. She took the corridor to her right, all the while wondering if she should have taken the left side instead. As she trudged along the corridors, her mind lost in space, she bumped into someone who was rounding from the corner.


    Startled, Lia looked up, then remembered that she should bow down, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Liana, what are you doing here?¡± the person she bumped into asked.


    Lia looked up again, more startled than when they collided and found a senior staring back at her, the one who was supervising her and Charlotte.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the library but I¡­ I think I¡¯m lost?¡± She admitted aloud what she had been denying to herself earlier.


    Norman looked at her with understanding and nodded. A ghost of a smile spread across his lips. And Lia felt her eyebrow quirked a little seeing that.


    ¡°It is quite easy to get lost in the palace,¡± she heard him say. ¡°Let me guide you there.¡±


    As they walked, Lia sneaked a few glances at Norman. He never seemed to have any reaction in him. Even now, he was serious and grim. Unapproachable.


    The first time Norman introduced himself as the senior who would overlook Lia and Charlotte¡¯s studies, the two girls shared a brief worry look at each other. But as they all spend time together, he had been so patient and helpful in answering their questions. Unlike the seniors for the other groups who tend to just let the juniors do their thing and then scold them for not doing right, or worse, not care about them at all, Norman cared a lot. He guided them through it all and encouraged them when the going gets tough. The best thing about him was that he never cared about the gossip surrounding both Lia and Charlotte and was focused on the things that mattered. Lia warmed up to him quite easily.


    It did not help that he had such beautiful honey-colored eyes. It was so nice to look at.


    Norman led her to a series of corridors with what seemed like never-ending turns of paths. He also told her landmarks that she had to remember the next time she passed through this way. Apparently, he had been lost a lot during his first year in the palace.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you eager with your studies,¡± Norman said, his eyes softening a bit. Lia found it cute.


    ¡°I need to catch up fast, and the plants in this area are quite different from where I¡¯m from,¡± she answered.


    Soon enough they arrived at their destination. Two massive oak doors loomed in front of them.


    ¡°Do you need me to supervise your studies?¡± Norman asked.


    Lia knew that if she said yes, he would stay with her. But that was not the reason why she wanted to go to the library today.


    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Thank you.¡±


    Norman turned around, ready to leave when Lia added, ¡°But can I list the things that I don¡¯t understand so we can go over them later?¡±


    The corners of his mouth lifted, just a little, and bid her goodbye.

 Chapter 121 - Library (2)

    Library (2)


    Lia watched Norman leave until he disappeared in the next corner while wondering why the other Lia did not choose him instead. The novel Lia could have done better and still be alive if she only chose Norman or any other guy for that matter. But instead, every guy who was not Eldric were all faceless and nameless to her. All side characters seemed to have faded into the background. Lia would not be this clueless if her novel counterpart paid attention to more important things.


    ¡®Thank you so much, Lia,¡¯ she thought with a roll of her eyes. ¡®It¡¯s not like Eldric¡¯s all that grea¨C,¡¯ she had not finished the thought when memories of Eldric resurfaced, like that one during the witch hunt. Or the one in the tent. Or that time when he comforted her after the assassination attempt. Or the more recent event when he would support her in her studies. Lia¡¯s hand found her pendant on her neck.


    ¡®Let¡¯s not go to that territory today, self.¡¯ And she pushed the door open.


    With tentative steps, Lia made her way inside the library. She showed her passes at the bored-looking librarian at the entrance and was granted access. There were a handful of scholars inside, not more than five. Perhaps they were all still in the field or their classes. She was glad she came during the idle hours.


    What made her giddy, though, was the sight of those scrolls and bounded papers. She made her way through rows of shelves, familiarizing herself with the sections.


    She thought of getting all kinds of books, but the thought that someone might find it suspicious that a would-be physician would be poking her nose needlessly on the politics was enough to deter her.


    Still, she took note of the shelves. She grabbed a couple of random medicine-related books and studied them. When she wandered around the history section, she sneaked in a couple of books, hiding them among her medicine ones.


    The book she got mentioned an old kingdom in the north. But there was not enough information about it. It took her a couple more trips to the library to collect enough data about this country.


    According to the books, the Sallan kingdom was the smallest land among the countries surrounding it. This place was known for people who had unusual hair colors. Compared to the people of Kaeje who had darker hair, those who lived in that small country had lighter shades. Some historians called it closer to white. Because of this, along with their advancement in arts and sciences, they were feared by their neighbors. But they were not ambitious and preferred to live in peace.


    Until a harsh summer season came. Sallan and the rest of the northern region suffered from a massive drought. The crops that kept the country alive for many years soon took a hit. Soon, the people starved to death. The monarchy was on the verge of collapse as the kingdom was in shambles. In this time of need, other countries offered help but in one condition: Sallan would become part of them.


    The king refused to give up, but many people were dying. Their small country was bound to fall apart under the pressure of these natural and man-made attacks.


    A dashing young king from Kaeje came in and offered something different ¡ª marrying the princess. He had been courting her and even asked for her hand in marriage, but the princess chose to remain in her land. The king proposed that while Sallan would be under Kaeje, the people would have their autonomy with their princess as the governor.


    Everything was all good until the then queen passed away along with her child. Another queen took up the throne and ordered the independence to be relinquished from them.

 Chapter 122 - What’s her deal?

    What¡¯s her deal?


    As Lia sat down after answering a question, her professor was nodding his head, content with her answer. ¡°I see that you¡¯ve been studying. That¡¯s good,¡± he said.


    Lia heard the snickers of her classmates around her. Someone even snorted.


    ¡°What a show-off.¡±


    ¡°Obviously, she¡¯s been living in the library these days.¡± The group laughed at that.


    The teacher silenced them and continued with the lecture. Lia sat, facing forward with a poker face. ¡®Brats. If you want to piss me off, you have to try harder than that.¡¯ She was not going to waste breath on them. It was too tiring to start a worthless fight.


    After their class, though, she slowly gathered her books and papers as if making a point, however futile that point was. The last thing she wanted was to be seen afraid, even if that was what she had been feeling these last few months of her life.


    Just as she was about to leave, she caught Charlotte looking at her direction with an unreadable expression on her face. Was she angry? Why? Was she also envious like the others, thinking that all the praises should belong to the nobility? But there was something else under that look, something akin to wariness.


    Well, whatever¡¯s her deal, that was her problem and not Lia¡¯s. Lia shrugged and went on her way to the library.


    She had been reading quite a lot about Sallan, but getting information about this kingdom was tough as though it was not allowed to know more about these things. The more she read the more she felt bad for these people. They only wanted to maintain their peace, something she could very much relate to. They wanted to live their lives away from the greed of the neighboring countries. But leave it to people to grab the first opportunity that comes their way.


    In all those readings, she also gathered that Kaeje would not be flourishing now if not for the learned scholars the previous queen brought from her country. If not for them, there probably would not be a Health Ministry where Lia was in.


    Reading about the history of the north made Lia want to explore the area especially after learning about these light-haired people. What if Tamara came from this place? What if this was where she learned all those herbal making techniques? Or maybe they knew where Tamara lived now.


    Lia wandered around the shelves with these thoughts spiraling inside her head, not thinking about where she was going.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here. This is a restricted area,¡± the librarian appeared suddenly, glowering at Lia.


    Lia almost jumped up from fright then remembered to fix her expression. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you looking for something?¡± the librarian fixed his pointed look at her.


    ¡°N-no.¡± She stammered her response after facing that suspicious look.


    The librarian took a step closer, his eyes never left Lia¡¯s. Lia took a step back, her mind was suddenly blank. She had not expected this. She tried to be discreet in her investigations, but apparently she wasn¡¯t. Now she was afraid of what was to come.


    ¡°Oh, there you are!¡± Charlotte popped out from a nearby shelf. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you! I thought you got buried under all these papers.¡± She gave an exaggerated wave of a hand and motioned at the shelves. Then she seemed to have noticed the librarian. ¡°Wait, what did you do?¡±


    ¡°Your friend has been lounging around the restricted area,¡± the librarian answered, still looking at Lia.


    ¡°Ooh,¡± she drawled, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that. You see, my friend here is too much of a bookworm. She wants to read everything and anything. Once she¡¯s absorbed, she no longer cares about the outside world. She probably didn¡¯t notice the restricted sign. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll lecture her about it,¡± Charlotte said in rapid-fire, not giving the librarian any chance to speak. ¡°We¡¯ll take our leave then.¡± She then grabbed Lia by the arm and stalked outside of the library.

 Chapter 123 - Always at fault

    Always at fault


    Before Lia could speak, Charlotte had dragged her out into a secluded corner away from the library. Charlotte scanned the area, making sure there was no one around.


    Lia yanked her arm and subconsciously lowered her voice, ¡°What is wrong with you?¡±


    Charlotte turned to face Lia, her eyes ablaze, ¡°Stop poking around,¡± she hissed.


    In their short time together, this was the first time Lia had seen Charlotte pissed off. And she had no idea what pissed her off. Really, this reaction was uncalled for.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with reading books?!¡±


    ¡°What was wrong was reading about things you shouldn¡¯t know. You could have been handed over to the queen if I hadn¡¯t come! That librarian,¡± she pointed at the direction they came from, ¡°had been observing you.¡±


    ¡°Why would he watch my moves? I¡¯m. Just. Reading!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! You¡¯ve been reading books you shouldn¡¯t read!¡± Charlotte was angry now.


    ¡°It¡¯s a freaking library! You should read the books there! I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s wrong with that or what¡¯s wrong with you people!¡± Lia was losing her temper too. But it would not do good to let her emotions rule so she calmed herself. She raised a hand, palms out. ¡°Alright. I get it. I can¡¯t read more about the history of the north. Fine. But at least tell me why before you scream at me!¡±


    Charlotte closed her eyes, obviously controlling her breathing. She may be calming her nerves, but to Lia, this action caused ¡®her¡¯ nerves to flare instead. Everyone seemed to know everything. Except her. As usual.


    ¡°Are you watching my moves too?¡± she asked, narrowing her eyes.


    The other girl opened her eyes and looked calm now. With an expression similar to someone who was explaining to a child, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t even need to watch you. Everyone could see that you¡¯ve been reading about the old kingdom. Reading one book about Sallan is a coincidence, but reading every book that mentions it?¡± She let the question hanging in the air.


    Lia could not say that she was from another world so she was researching. She kept quiet and continued to stare.


    ¡°For all we know, the queen might be ordering to burn every piece of the book that contains our history.¡± She paused, and Lia taught that she might cry, but Charlotte only shook her head, then returned her attention to Lia. If you¡¯re curious, place that curiosity on other things. Don¡¯t put us in jeopardy.¡±


    Then Charlotte left without even explaining anything. Lia wanted to throw something or punch someone just to ease the frustration she was feeling. The universe connived, leaving her in the dark. Then they would berate her for being ignorant. She tried learning but still got scolded for trying to understand.


    ¡®Just what the fuck is wrong with everyone.¡¯ She clicked her tongue irritably.


    On the brighter side, Charlotte knew something about Sallan. ¡°Don¡¯t put us in jeopardy,¡± she had said.


    Lia walked back to her quarters, not knowing where to go next. She suddenly had no place to go and had a lot of extra time. As she reached her room, she saw a soldier coming from the other direction. She was to let him pass, but then, he stopped in front of her. She looked up, surprised.


    ¡°Are you Miss Lia?¡± he asked.


    Lia nodded dumbly, still not understanding why he was here. An alarm went off in her head. Did the librarian call on a soldier already?

 Chapter 124 - Letters

    Letters


    ¡°Are you Miss Lia?¡± the soldier asked.


    Lia nodded dumbly, still not understanding why he was here. An alarm went off in her head. Did the librarian call on a soldier already?


    ¡°There¡¯s a parcel for you.¡± Lia finally noticed the box in his hand. After handing it to her, he turned around and left.


    She went inside, gingerly opened the box and the letters tumbled from it. She opened one.


    Dearest Lia,


    By the time you read this, you are now a scholar. I knew you could make it. I wish I was there to celebrate it with you. It would have been better to celebrate it over noodles, don¡¯t you think? Or the sweetened fruits from the market?


    Sadly, there are still things to do here so I have to make this short. I hope you¡¯re doing well.


    E


    A small smile escaped from Lia¡¯s lips as she re-read the letter. She checked the other letters, and they all came from this letter sender E. From the looks of it, it seemed like he started writing the moment he arrived in the north.


    ¡°You have too much free time, General.¡± She gave a slight flick on the paper and re-read the letter for the third time.


    Her earlier anger seemed to have dissipated. Sometimes it was easy to feel that she was alone against the entire world. But these letters proved otherwise. She had a friend, an ally somewhere, even if he was someone unexpected. Unimaginable even.


    She imagined telling Eldric what happened and wondered how he would react. Would he listen until she ran out of steam or would he laugh at her? If she was going to be honest with herself, she missed those late-night visits, the foods Eldric brought, and their conversations.


    ¡°Wow, am I this lonely to be thinking about him of all people?¡± She wondered aloud staring up at the ceiling.


    ***


    After class the next day, she tried talking to Charlotte, but the other girl left right away. Since the library was off-limits, she did not know where to go next. She walked around and tried to find her next hangout spot.


    Her feet brought her to the garden. As she came nearer, she heard someone crying. She glanced around and found no one in the area.


    Just as she rounded the corner, she found the source of the sound. A child hovered over a plant, crying in front of it as a puddle of water gathered at his feet. He heard her came and so he stiffened and stifled his sobs.


    Lia paused too, not knowing what to do. She was not the best person for consoling, but she could not ignore him too.


    ¡°What is wrong?¡± she asked tentatively and winced at her bland tone. She tried again, ¡°Do you have a problem with your plant?¡±


    He slowly turned his big round eyes and regarded Lia with wariness. ¡°My plant d-died, I think. I did everything the gardener told me to do.¡±


    It took all of Lia¡¯s willpower not to squeal from seeing his cute face. The puffiness of his eyes did not erase the traces of his adorable and kind features. He was about seven years of age but looked well-mannered and elegant for his age. It was hard for Lia not to feel bad for this cutie so she came over to his side.

 Chapter 125 - Gab (1)

    Gab (1)


    ¡°Did you just water it?¡± she asked as she went and examined the plant. The area was surrounded by a puddle of water that Lia could almost guess what was wrong. Solving a different problem lifted her mood. Now, this was something she could handle.


    It was a small pot of echeveria, a plant that was easy to take care of. But at the moment, it was on the verge of dying.


    The child nodded and pointed at the bucket he used. It was still half full. ¡°How much water did you give this plant?¡±


    ¡°One and a half buckets.¡±


    ¡°Is this what the gardener told you to do?¡±


    ¡°No, my cousin did. He told me to water my plants so it will grow like his plants.¡±


    Lia sighed, fighting the urge to smack that cousin. ¡°You see, uhm, what¡¯s your name again?¡±


    ¡°Gab,¡± he answered timidly. He fidgeted as though waiting to be scolded. Someone seemed to squeeze Lia¡¯s heart after seeing that. She tried to soften her tone.


    ¡°You see, Gab, this plant you have is small, it doesn¡¯t need that much water. If you give it a lot, it will drown and die.¡±


    ¡°But won¡¯t it need more water to grow?¡± He looked up at her, unsure.


    Lia sat on the dry part of the floor beside him. ¡°Look at it this way. What happens if you eat and drink even after you are full?


    ¡°I¡¯ll throw up?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°That happens with plants too. Not all of them have equal needs for water. See this,¡± she lightly touched a leaf, and it fell off, ¡°that¡¯s a sign that you might be overwatering this plant. It¡¯s a good thing that the leaves at the top haven¡¯t turned yellow yet or worse, have spots. We might be able to stop it from dying.¡±


    ¡°This is a new plant. The previous once turned yellow and died,¡± Gab explained.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we wait until it¡¯s completely dry before watering again.¡± Gab listened intently as Lia explained to him what to do to his plant. While she had handled different plants already, she was a beginner when it comes to handling kids. But with a polite and obedient child as Gab, she would not mind spending more time with him.


    ¡°So this is why I can¡¯t grow plants like my cousin,¡± he sniffed, eyeing the big plant near them. Lia guessed that this was the plant of his cousin. ¡°He¡¯ll tease me again.¡±


    Lia rubbed his back, up and down. ¡°Maybe if we keep this under the sun, we can still dry this and it will grow again. Don¡¯t lose hope. I¡¯ll help you take care of it. And it will look better than your cousin¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± He turned his tear-stained face at Lia. When Lia nodded, he hugged her, and for the first time, he smiled.


    Lia enjoyed talking about plants to Gab that she did not realize the time. By the time she noticed, it was getting dark.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time for you to go home?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me here?¡± the puppy eyes assaulted Lia. ¡°Won¡¯t your parents look for you?¡± Since earlier, she had been racking her brain, trying to remember if there was a child in the novel and whose kid it was, but she came up with nothing.


    ¡°My father would, but he¡¯s sick at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Then you should be by his side. We can meet again next time.¡± Lia smiled.


    His eyes sparkled at that. ¡°Next time? You¡¯ll be here tomorrow?¡±


    Lia did not have the heart to correct him and say that it might not exactly be the next day, but she still said yes.


    Gab gave her one last hug before running back home.

 Chapter 126 - Gab (2)

    Gab (2)


    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± Gab asked Lia. They were huddled together in front of the child¡¯s new plant.


    Lia glanced at Gab and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not smiling.¡±


    ¡°No, before.¡± Gab insisted.


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not.¡± Lia put down the watering can and tousled his hair. While Gab acted and sounded too old for his age, there were times when his real age was showing. It might be his too innocent or too curious face. Lia wished he would be able to enjoy his youth more.


    Gab wriggled away from her hands, laughing as he combed his hair back with his finger. In the two weeks that they had known each other, Gab grew more interested in botany. The more he learned, the bigger his plant collection became that they had to move from a small passageway to the back of the garden where there was a bigger space. The echeveria they took care of before was thankfully revived.


    Lia let Gab continue watering and sat to the nearby stone bench. She watched him talk with the plants because, apparently, that was what his cousin told him.


    Dearest Lia,


    I found a new plant yesterday. I don¡¯t know what it is. I wish you were here to tell me its name.


    E


    Earlier, another parcel of letters came in. They were all short letters, talking about the weather, the food, the plants ¡ª all random things, but they all came from this sender E.


    She caught herself smiling and schooled her features right away. Gab had been right then. Darn.


    ¡°You see you are doing that again.¡± Gab poked Lia¡¯s cheek as he sat beside her.


    ¡°I am not.¡± Lia huffed then gestured for Gab to lay his head on her lap. Whenever they were finished with their plants, Gab liked taking a nap while Lia reads her book.


    Lia opened her book and tried to study. Her fingers absent-mindedly pat Gab¡¯s head. As she stared off in space, she found herself staring at Gab¡¯s hair. That was when she noticed something strange.


    Gab had black hair like the rest of Kaeje¡¯s population. But the roots had lighter colors. ¡®Huh. Isn¡¯t he too young to have gray hairs?¡¯


    ¡°Look you already have gray hair. That¡¯s because you¡¯re too serious for your age,¡± she joked.


    Gab, who was dozing off on her lap, suddenly sat up and stood far away from Lia. His face looked mortified.


    Lia was dumbfounded. ¡°It¨C it was just a joke¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a m-monster!¡± Gab shivered as he shrunk further away from Lia.


    ¡°Of course not. What are you saying? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lia gestured for him to come closer, but he only shook his head furiously. ¡°Gab, please tell me what¡¯s wrong. If I did something that offended you, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­ are you not scared?¡± He sniffed.


    Lia took a moment before she strode towards him. He tried to run away, but Lia reached him before he could escape. She hugged him and rubbed his back, hoping that it would calm his nerves.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you,¡± she said as she heard the child sobbed.


    ¡°I thought you would hate me if you see my hair.¡± He managed to say in between sobs. ¡°Mother said that people will be afraid if they see my hair.¡±


    ¡°Why would they be afraid?¡± Lia was surprised. Why go to such lengths to hide it? Was it even safe for a child to use such mixtures?


    Her eyes landed on those strands again. The more she looked at it, the more she realized that it was not the usual gray hair. It was almost gold.


    But the noise outside caught their attention. The soldiers were running towards the gate.


    ¡°Guard the borders! Make sure they are refugees from the north!¡±

 Chapter 127 - Gab (3)

    Gab (3)


    News spread about the sudden increase of refugees from towns and villages from the north. The capital was full of evacuees, and there were still long lines of people wanting to get inside the gate¡¯s capital.


    Lia heard her classmates talking in hushed tones about towns being pillaged by unnamed groups. It was not confirmed if it was Unknown or some other bandits. Those rogues were common in the north, ransacking towns and causing havoc.


    A new fear rose from this. Now that the north was being terrorized, the supplies of rice and other crops were running out. Some people began hoarding food, expecting an upcoming country-wide hunger.


    ¡°It¡¯s those people of Sallan!¡±


    ¡°They really shouldn¡¯t have let them be independent!¡±


    Lia felt indignant hearing those baseless rumors. People loved spreading false information without thinking about the people involved. No one knew what was happening up there. Yet, here they were, telling lies to anyone who would listen.


    But there was a more pressing concern that needed her attention. With all the changes in the plot, she did not know how the female lead would be introduced. She kept an eye to any refugees she came across with. Better be ready anytime than take another surprise attack. Sometimes, she had a hunch that the world conspired against her so she would join the plot.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯ll join. But on my terms. And one of those terms is to live.¡¯


    She was caught up thinking about this when she realized that people were approaching their spot in the garden.


    ¡°So this is where you usually go, Gabriel.¡± A cold feminine voice rang behind Lia.


    She looked back and instantly stiffened before remembering to bow and fixed her eyes on the ground. Of all people, it had to be the Queen.


    Gab, who was talking to his plants, stood frozen. ¡°Mo-mother.¡±


    Lia made an audible gasp. Mother!? And wait, did she just call him Gabriel? She looked back at Gab, muddy-looking Gab. Of course, he was Prince Gabriel! Why did she not make the connection? She smacked her forehead a lot of times in her head. She even dared to pat his head!


    ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t know,¡± the queen said amusingly.


    That remark made Lia bow lower. She wished she could share the queen¡¯s amusement, but all she ever got was cold sweat. ¡°My apologies, Your Highness.¡± she turned to Gab ¡ª Prince Gabriel, ¡°please pardon my indolence.¡±


    Gab ran back to her. His eyes were silently pleading. ¡°Does this mean you won¡¯t play with me anymore? What about my plants? Didn¡¯t you promise to help?¡±


    Lia fought the urge to pat his head like the way she used to but she was not sure if that would help her keep her hands and not be chopped the next day. ¡°I¡¯m sure you would find a more suitable person for that, Your Majesty.¡±


    Tears started pooling at Gab¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mother, you won¡¯t punish Lia, right? She was helping me and playing with me.¡±


    As much as Lia adored Gab, she wanted to cover his mouth right now and stop him from talking. The last thing she wanted to do was to stay longer under the Queen¡¯s presence.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright. Did you say your name was Lia?¡± Her beautiful phoenix eyes narrowed at Lia. There was a smile at her face, but her eyes were cold. Lia gulped and nodded.


    ¡°It was nice meeting you and I¡¯ll be leaving Gabriel under your care. Don¡¯t burden her too much.¡± The last one was for Gabriel. ¡°But for now, you need to go with me. Your father needs you.¡±


    They left, but not before Gab hugged Lia. When they were gone, Lia felt like all the energy in her body left her. She sat on the bench wearily and closed her eyes. Just as she thought she could finally rest, another voice sounded.


    ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable how you would not recognize the prince,¡± Charlotte said.


    Lia snapped her eyes open then narrowing them, ¡°Why am I not surprised to see you. Are you spying on me?¡±


    Charlotte rolled her eyes. ¡°Norman is looking for you, he asked me to help him find you. Now, I¡¯ve found you and delivered the message. I¡¯m done with my part.¡± She turned to leave when an idea sparked at Lia.


    ¡°Wait, I need your help.¡±

 Chapter 128 - Gamble (1)

    Gamble (1)


    ¡°Wait, I need your help.¡± Lia made a move to prevent the other girl from leaving but stopped midway. She thought Charlotte would just leave her, but surprisingly, she stayed, narrowing her eyes. Lia inhaled to steel her nerves, ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can help me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to help you with,¡± Charlotte replied coolly.


    ¡°You do. You¡¯re the only one who can help me. I know you don¡¯t like me but I needed to know. And there are many things I don¡¯t know.¡± Lia swallowed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my business to lecture you. Besides, it¡¯s better to not know everything.¡± Charlotte avoided Lia¡¯s eyes and shrugged. ¡°Better to save yourself from the ugly truth.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, that¡¯s what I would have wanted to do. But before I save myself, I need to save someone or, at the very least, help them. I need to be there for my mother.¡± She paused, chewing on the insides of her cheek. This was it. She was going to risk everything in her next words. Before she could change her mind, she opened her mouth to speak, ¡°My mother is Tamara.¡±


    It was as if the air stilled around them, but Lia did not waver. Instead, she crossed her fingers until they hurt. She hoped that what she revealed would help her and not cause more trouble.


    Dropping Tamara¡¯s name had been a gamble. If her suspicion that her mother was from Sallan then Charlotte may be able to help. From what she could gather, Charlotte was from the north too so that was a chance Lia was willing to take. If Lia could establish that they both know the same people, then there might be a higher chance of Charlotte to trust her. Granted there was only a handful of Tamara in Sallan.


    Time ticked slowly, and the air grew colder. But Charlotte did not speak nor move.


    ¡°¨Cying.¡±


    Lia could not quite catch what Charlotte said so she leaned forward. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Charlotte looked at her, so fierce that Lia took a step back. ¡°You¡¯re lying is what I say! And how dare you use that name! How dare you!¡±


    Lia could only blink in front of this outrage. She did not understand the other girl¡¯s reaction. But if there was anything she could not stand was being called a liar when she was risking one of her secrets. ¡°It¡¯s the truth! She took me when my parents died, so now she¡¯s my mother. Or she was or is, I don¡¯t know!¡±


    That made Charlotte pause. ¡°What do you mean was or is?¡±


    Lia felt a headache coming. Her temper whittled just as soon as it arrived, replaced by anguish and frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anymore. I saw our house burn then there¡¯s ¡ª there¡¯s a letter. But! I just want to know if you know about my mother or the people of Sa¨Coomph?¡±


    Charlotte slapped a hand over Lia¡¯s mouth. ¡°Can¡¯t you be quieter? Do you have to shout?¡±


    Lia swatted the other girl¡¯s hand away and glared. ¡°You were the one who started shouting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re being impossible!¡± Charlotte hissed. She studied Lia before sighing. ¡°Fine. But we need to get out of here. It¡¯s dangerous to talk outside, not knowing who might be listening.¡± She muttered to herself, ¡°I would have never imagined hearing that name here. Especially not from you. Took me by surprise.¡±


    Lia waited, unsure if she made the right decision. Charlotte started walking away, but Lia did not follow. When the rich girl noticed, she furrowed her brow.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll tell you what you want to know.¡±

 Chapter 129 - Gamble (2)

    Gamble (2)


    Lia followed Charlotte until they reached their quarters. Charlotte walked briskly, glancing left and right for other people. Luckily for them, most of the scholars were still out. They stopped at what Lia assumed to be Charlotte¡¯s room. The other girl jerked her head to the side, gesturing towards the room.


    Once inside, Lia stood on the side, her eyes subtly shifting from side to side. She knew it was rude to ogle at somebody else¡¯s room. Yet she could not help but become interested in the interior as though the room was enough to tell her what she wanted to know from her classmate.


    The room was similar to hers, probably much bare than her paper-scattered floor. Every piece of furniture was placed neatly in their proper places. Charlotte¡¯s room reminded Lia of a minimalist¡¯s home in the modern world, but with more artistic flair. Lia was even more surprised to realize that Charlotte did the designing for her room. She imagined noble kids at this period to be entitled and had a hard time living along without hordes of servants. And she knew Charlotte had hordes or a lot more based on the ones she took with her during the exam period.


    Charlotte sat down on the floor and gestured for Lia to do the same. She stared at Lia like a hawk. ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m not entirely believing this whole mother thing with Ta¨C your mother.¡±


    Lia sighed she expected as much. If someone told her something like that she would not believe them either. But what choice did she have? She raised one shoulder in the form of a half shrug, ¡°What I said was true.¡±


    ¡°You have to do better than that. How about you start from the very start?¡±


    Lia considered for a while what would be considered the start. She then started from novel Lia¡¯s early memories and then added her own experiences in the middle. ¡°We stayed in the forest until recently.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you want to learn about Sallan? Why are you looking for your mother if she died in the fire like what you said?¡± Charlotte asked, the hard expression on her face never wavered all this time.


    Lia hesitated.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, then I won¡¯t know if I can trust you and know the extent of your knowledge.¡±


    Lia thought it was only fair. She continued her tale about the letter Yolly received and the planned attack at the shop. Charlotte was silent when she finished speaking. ¡°Now I don¡¯t know if you are going to believe me. But I agree with you, I also don¡¯t trust people around me so you have every right to mistrust me. But what can I do? You¡¯re the only lead I got. Even if you throw me to the queen, I just want to know the truth.¡±


    ¡°Even if it kills you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die knowing the truth than continue living in the sweetest lie,¡± Lia said.


    Charlotte regarded Lia for a while before sighing in resignation. ¡°I¡¯m not on the side of the queen, that¡¯s for sure. Or anyone in my family. And I also don¡¯t think that you are lying. You¡¯re too devoted to someone that is not your own. She¡¯s not your real¨C¡±


    ¡°Real or not, she is my mother. My second mother. My family. I¡¯d fight for my family.¡±


    Charlotte exhaled as if releasing all of her energies with her. ¡°Fine. Fiiiiine. You got me with that fight for family things. I¡¯d do the same thing. That¡¯s why I want to make sure that you are someone to be trusted.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And I realized that I was being judgmental to you. Please accept my apologies. It¡¯s not easy to live in the palace these days. Too many spies, not many people to trust.¡±


    ¡°I take it, it¡¯s the queen?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always the queen. You want to be extra careful with her by the way.¡± Charlotte held up a hand. ¡°Alright, I get it. You¡¯ll have it. We¡¯ll go to our house this weekend.¡±

 Chapter 130 - Alderidge (1)

    Alderidge (1)


    Lia tied and re-tied her shoulder-length hair for the fifth time now. She was jittery since the night before for this anticipated meeting with the Alderidges. Charlotte may not act like the noble that she was, but Lia could not say for sure that the rest of the family would be like that too. Dread filled her as the days went by and now, she was full to the brim.


    Weekends were usually the time scholars spent to themselves or to their families. This is the time when friends hang out together too. Lia had none of those so she would just laze around her room. Sometimes, she would play with Gab. But his weekends were centered with more gatherings and hunts and whatever princely things princes did. Gab did not want to talk about things like that as he would rather laze around with her in the garden with their plants.


    Speaking of Gab, Lia was only able to play and plant with him once this week. Ever since the meeting with the queen, he had not been going to the garden so much. The only time he did, Lia noticed that his hair was newly colored. The tutor and his guards kept on popping in and out that Lia felt anxious and kept her to be constantly on the edge. She felt more like the one being guarded instead of Gab.


    She sighed and gave up with her hair. ¡®Is this right? Is this gonna work?¡¯ What if the Alderidges is another villain in the story that she might have missed? These thoughts circled her mind all week, making her doubt her decision to meet them. What if she was only a pawn? She watched in her small mirror as her mouth curved to a sardonic smile.


    ¡®Who are you kidding? You¡¯ve always been a pawn. Nothing but a disposable piece in this story.¡¯


    She laughed despite herself. She should not care too much about it. This was just a fictional world with fictional people¡­ or so she wanted to think. But she knew she cared about her mother, about Yolly and Frankie. And, okay, even that cute little bun named Gab.


    Rapt knocks on her door brought her back from her thoughts. She took one last look at her modest clothes and hoped for the best as she followed Charlotte to her carriage.


    They were quick on their feet, careful not to let anyone see them in case of spies. Once settled inside, the hammering on Lia¡¯s chest tripled. This was really happening. She did not know what she expected to find out after this meeting. But she knew that it would change her life.


    ¡°My family doesn¡¯t bite,¡± Charlotte said without looking up at Lia, her hands sliding up and down her sketchbook and drawing lazy lines that formed nothing but mess on the page.


    Lia felt like her heart would jump out of her mouth if she attempted to speak so she only tilted her head in recognition.


    ¡°Seriously, you don¡¯t have to be nervous.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring anything to your family.¡± Lia managed to find her voice. She did not know if she was trying to distract Charlotte or herself.


    Charlotte waved her hand as if to dismiss Lia and continued drawing if anyone could call that drawing while sitting in a moving carriage.


    ¡°So,¡± Lia started but did not have an idea what to say next. She tried again, ¡°So, you like arts?¡±