“We’re not headed on the secret place today, Master?” Arisa asked Viktor when she realized that they were not heading to the mountain.“No, not today. I have a task for you two.”Tasks again? She thought that they were done with those weird tasks but it seemed like giving those weird tasks as part of the master’s training method.She looked at Kane but the man did not even seem to mind her existence. She was the one who was supposed to avoid him because of what he did to his sister! Just how snob could he be that he could not accept the kindness of someone who was grateful to him?“Master, where are we headed?” Kane asked without even looking in her direction.Why was he treating her like she was not existing? What was his deal?Arisa felt frustrated with Kane being snobby but she just let it go. She did not need him. He was just there because they had the same master. Aside from that, they were nothing but strangers.“We’re going to a fisherman’s town.” Viktor rode the bus waiting at
“I told you to stop flirting around me, love birds.” Viktor sighed. “Wear your shirt, Kane. You might catch a cold, though I highly doubt that since Arisa was giving body heat.”“Master!” Arisa immediately pushed Kane and took Kane’s shirt from their master then she threw it at Kane.“What’s wrong with you?” Kane mumbled as he was wearing his shirt.Since the seawater and the fishes were back, there was nothing left for them to do over there. Kane started walking away but a child ran to him and the other kids stopped him from leaving.“Is there anything you need?” Kane asked as he crouched down to level himself with the kids.“Thank you!” One child put a necklace made of seashells on his neck.“Take this too!” another child put another necklace made of seashells on him. The other children started giving him the pretty things they own like a smooth pebble, a heart-shaped coral, and even beautiful shells.“Pretty sister, this is for you too! Thank you for helping us evacuate!”The kids
“Are you excited, Kane?” Arisa asked with a wide grin on her face. “Let’s seat beside each other later again, okay? I’ll make you my human pillow one more time.”Kane shook his head as he decided to ignore her. He was starting to regret that he put her head on his shoulder yesterday. He thought that she would be embarrassed because of that. But instead of being embarrassed, she started to tease him even more!He put his cap first before he covered it with his hoodie. He put his duffel bag on his shoulder while he took his master’s duffel bag and carried it.Arisa smiled when he noticed that even the indifferent Kane would take the initiative to serve their master. She was glad when she woke up with her head on his shoulders. Who would have thought that he could be considerate sometimes? He had surprising sides to him and it made her want to tease him.“Let’s go now.” Viktor rode the bus and the two followed.Their master took the seat next to the window and Ari sat in the middle. Kane
Erin watched them walk toward their table and her eyes widen when she realized that they were seated at the table beside them. What a coincidence! After finishing her order, Xander went to the cashier to help her in carrying their food. They both sat at their table and her eyes could not stop glancing over the guy’s direction while they were eating. What are the chances that he could be Kane? She shook her head when she realized how irrational her thoughts were. He only resembled Kane’s voice. Kane was already dead. “Erin, did you gain a new crush?” Eren teased when he noticed his sister sneaking glances at the man seated at the table beside them. Erin ignored her brother and looked at him again. The man had already taken off his cap so his resemblance with Kane was lessened. But his voice was driving her crazy! How come she sounded so much like him? “Master, did you know that Kane had been picking fights with strangers while he was waiting in line?” the girl told the old man whil
“You should have stayed for the interview. Did you know that the people you saved were students of an elite academy in the capital?” Arisa said when she saw Kane walking back towards their bus. She walked along with him while waving to the people whom she helped evacuate. Kane did not feel comfortable with the attention on Arisa so he used his mana to increase his speed while going back to the bus. “Why did you do that? You’re so mean!” Arisa pouted as she sat on the middle seat. “How could you leave me walking alone over there?” “You seem to like the attention so I left you to enjoy it.” Kane leaned his back on the backrest and closed his eyes. He even covered his face with a handkerchief. Though he did not consume a lot of his strength and mana, he felt drained because of all that attention. “Are you tired?” Viktor asked. “Well, you defeated that basilisk so it was understandable.” “The people’s attention was tiring,” he answered his master truthfully, though it was more of a co
“That was rude,” Arisa commented as soon as they were out of their sight. “Do I need to be polite around them?” Kane looked at her blankly. He felt sorry that she was the one receiving the effects of his unstable emotion so he looked away. “Just leave me alone.” “Hey, this is just a piece of friendly advice since you grew up from abroad. Those people were children of influential families. It would do you no good if you get to their bad side so if you don’t want to be polite, then you shouldn’t be rude towards them in the very least.” Arisa sighed when he just clicked his tongue and walked faster. He did not even know that his friends were children of influential families. Was he someone like that too? Kane shook his head. If he was someone from an influential family, he would not be living alone. If he had such a family, Erin would not be the one to know about his secret. He was no longer the Kane that they knew. He was now Kane Silva. He did not need to be friendly toward them. E
Kane was panting as he pulled the dagger from the soil. The sun was already setting when he finished two vast farming lands, but there were four more waiting for him. He dropped his body on the now fertile soil as he tried to catch his breath.“Master said that you should rest for now.” Arisa handed him a bottle of water. “You looked so tired.”She laughed as she offered her hand to help him sit up. She sat beside him as the guy downed the water in just one go.“Want to have some more?” She asked as soon as he finished and closed the cap of the now empty bottle.“No, thanks. I’m good.” Kane stood up and it was his turn to offer his hand and help her up. He walked ahead of her as soon as she stood so Arisa laughed.“Kane, Arisa! Join us for dinner,” Xander invited them when he saw the two walking back from the farming lands.“You can eat first, I need to replenish my mana,” Kane told Arisa as he walked past Xander and Erin who watched him pass by with a curious and confused expression.
“Hi, sorry for the intrusion.” Arisa laughed as she entered the room. Her bag was on her shoulder and she was already wearing her pajamas when she arrived.“No, don’t say that. I was actually glad that you agree to share this room with me. I don’t think I would be at peace in an unfamiliar place with no one to be with.”Arisa looked at Erin with admiration. She did not know that someone as influential as her could be bothered by being alone in an unfamiliar place.“I’m used to having someone stay with me in unfamiliar places.” Erin smiled shyly. “Every time our family goes on a vacation, my youngest brother would always go to my room and ask if he could sleep with me. Since then, I always have him stay by my side.”“How old was your brother?”“He’s thirteen now.” Erin laughed. “Funny, right? Soon enough, he’ll stop sleeping with me on our vacation trips because he would be an adult by then.”“You must really love your brothers.” Arisa smiled. “I think we’re similar in that way. I love
Dio decided to spend his last day in Arnea City in a very productive way-- to stay inside his room and sleep for a day. He was set to do it though Blur had been whining to go around the city before they leave.He had no choice but to go with Blur or else, he would keep chanting on his head. His hands were inside his pocket while blur was on to of his head as they strode along the market streets.‘Are you having fun?’ He asked his bond through telepathy.‘I think it would be more fun if I could eat some meat.’Dio could imagine his bond grinning from ear to ear when he entered a tavern. “Please give me 4 sets of meat dishes. Just pick the best selling ones.”‘Dio, are you rich?’ Blur’s voice sounded excited as he looked around.‘Maybe? My grandfather left me a lot of money.’He rested his head on the table and closed his eyes. He just wanted a peaceful sleep but he was being push around by a pet. Since when did he become a pushover?‘I’m not your pet.’“Yeah. Whatever,” he mumbled agai
“Dio. . .”The voice that he knew so much called out to him. He smiled as he held his mother’s hand and gently tugged her dress. “Mother, I saw a very beautiful flower over there!”His mother let out a soft laugh before following his lead. They stopped at the corner of the garden then the he pointed at the budding flower.“Look at how small it is, mother!” He was delighted to show it to her and he was happier when her mother tousled his hair.“It’s a beautiful budding flower, just like Dio.” His mother gave him a gentle smile.His brows furrowed in curiosity. “Like me?”His mother nodded. “Just like Dio, this flower will grow to be amazing.”“Will I be someone amazing when I grow up, Mother?”“Of course. Dio was born to be someone strong and amazing, after all.” His mother gently touched his cheek. “Will you promise me that you’ll be someone whom the weak can depend on?”He smiled cheerfully. “Of course, Mother. I’ll grow strong to be someone who will take the side of the weak and not
“Uhmm.” The lady fidgeted before she took the courage to hold the hem of Dio’s shirt. “Can I at least know your name? I am Cassandra, the youngest daughter of Duke Riva.”The sun was already up and they were nearing the entrance where the gates were located. Cassandra wanted to know the name of her savior before they depart. She wanted to make sure that she would be able to repay him if ever they would meet again.“My name is Dio, my lady.” Dio looked towards the direction of the western gates where knights were coming back and forth. “Perhaps, did you run away from your knights?”Cassandra blushed as she looked down in embarrassment. “Will you keep it a secret?”Dio nodded. “I guess this is where we depart.” He turned towards the gate to Arnea and started walking but he stopped when Cassandra tugged on his shirt.“T-thank you for saving and protecting me.”Dio looked back and stared at her for a while. “You are quite timid for a noble.”“Do you need a reward? I could arrange for it.”
After the topic of his light-colored hair, an awkward silence ensued between the two of them as they walked towards the entrance not knowing that a disaster was waiting to fall upon them. Unfortunately, even though the lady basilisk let them go; another one was waiting right around corner. Without making a noise, the smaller basilisk which happened to be the younger brother of the lady basilisk that guarded the mountain bit Dio on his shoulder.“Argh!” Dio groaned in pain when he failed to dodge the surprise attack. He immediately pulled her to the other side to evade the serpent-like beast.Dio held his bleeding shoulder and the lady’s hand trembled in fear as she panicked not knowing what to do. Dio gritted his teeth, the pain coming from the clash between the basilisk’s venom and his healing abilities made him feel wobbly.“W-what should I do?” The lady exclaimed as she tried to wipe Dio’s blood as they ran.“Calm down,” Dio said in a hushed voice as he pulled her to hide behind a
After jumping off the tree, Dio followed the direction of the voice until she saw a lady who seemed to be the same age as him. She was slowly dragging herself backwards as the basilisk in front of her slowly moved forward.“Help me… Help me… Help me…” The girl continued to mumble.Dio stared at the girl who was no more less than a noble. Her ripped dress looked like something that was used to be on display at the capital’s boutiques, her fair white skin which was touched with shallow cuts probably caused by the branches when she ran, and her red hair with a gray hue signified that she was indeed a noble lady.He shook his head when she saw how the lady’s body trembled in fear but still managed to contain it in front of an S-class beast before he stepped out to show himself.“Excuse me,” he said to catch the attention of the lady as well as the basilisk.The lady probably noticed him since his voice was loud enough to resonate in the area. Her eyes grew wide as she lifted her hands to
It took Dio a few more days to collect himself. Knowing fully well that he wouldn’t die easily unless he commit suicide, he decided to just continue what he had been doing-- walking without moving forward. Besides, it wasn’t that bad to comply with his grandfather’s last request: live on.Dio found himself staring at his grandfather’s grave once again. This time, he was neat-looking and well prepped. Unlike the past days when his body hasn’t been washed and covered with sweat, dirt and tears.“Should I go on an adventure?” He stood up and put his hands on his pocket. It was more of a question for himself than to Archie. Dio lost motivation to continue living but he remembered his grandfather’s words.“I need to get moving, Gramps. Please rest in peace.” He bowed in a ninety-degree posture before leaving. As he turned his back on his grave, he felt a pang in his chest. Just the mere thought of leaving the place where he spent his days with his grandfather tore his heart into pieces.He
Dio opened his eyes and he saw the dark sky above him. He looked around and realized that he was still at the alley where the boys left him. He touched his side and felt disappointed when he felt the dried blood but the stab wound was completely healed.His restoration ability was something that he inherited from his mother. It would be hard to kill him unless his heart or brain was crushed or he suffered from too much blood loss that his restoration wouldn’t be able to keep up. Though they can heal and regenerate, they could still feel the pain.“What a lousy bunch. They couldn’t even do a good job of killing me,” he mumbled as he stood up. His stomach grumbled when he smelled the aroma of grilled meat just right outside the alley. He sighed before moving his feet and walked towards the store.“2 chicken skewers, please.” He took out 4 copper coins from his space ring and gave it to the vendor. The vendor gave him his order and he went on his way. Once again, he let his feet walk aim
Dio threw the shovel to the side after he finished burying his grandfather’s remains. He sat on the ground with his legs crossed as he stared at his grandfather’s tomb. He played with the ring on his finger, the last thing that his grandfather gave him, as he sighed repeatedly.“Heir apparent.” He sighed after reading the letters carved into the ring. If it was the reason why his grandfather wanted him to live on, then it would be useless. He threw everything away that day and nothing was left for him to live for.He poured mana onto the ring and a magic circle appeared in front of him. He already expected that it would be a space ring, yet his lips curved upwards when he realized that he was right. He peeked at the contents of the dimension storage and he shook his head in disbelief. In the end, his grandfather prepared everything for him to live a good life. It was obvious with the stack of gold and jewelries that he found inside as well as the amount of high-quality potions that he
While Dio was on an adventure with Matt, Archie was preparing something. He was putting the gold bars he collected for more than eight years to a spatial bag. Then he moved to the medicine cabinet and moved the highest quality magic and health potions as well. After putting a couple more items necessary for survival he then entered his room and opened a hidden door under his bed. He opened a chest full of magic crystals and lastly, he took a twin dagger hidden in the chest and moved them all to the bag. He opened his space ring and put the bag in there with a sigh.“This should be enough,” he mumbled as he put the ring on his pinky finger.He went back to the store when he heard a sudden knock.“I hope you’re ready.”“I’ve been waiting for you.” Archie let out a dark smile.“Dio!” Matt called out to the kid who was suddenly attack by a canis. They were just a few meters away from the heart of the forest when a pack of canis attacked them.Matt kicked a small canis who stood on his way