Chapter 8: The past and the shower

“Excuse me Mister Viscount?” I approached the Viscount. “Oh! Mister King right? Please call me Viscount Rodrick for now” He said.

“Then Viscount Rodrick, remember that gem of the magus that I gave to you as a gift?” “Of course I remember that, why is it? Are you perhaps planning to give me more?” The way he said it was like a command more than a joke.

“I will not give you anymore of that thing, but I will give you more important than that” “Houh?” “Yes, but this is far more important than that piece of stone, every one of your men wanted it. The nobles around you can only dream of it. And your lovely wives desire it more than everything” The Viscount is now brimming with expectation, hopes and excitement.

Good grief, he is more than a child when he acts like this. The human around him began to look at this way because of the Viscount’s attitude.

“Then what is it?” The Viscount moved his head closer to mine. Well I do not hate this because. “The one that everyone wants is………. Your death” “Wha—“A sharp light appeared in the Viscounts neck and his head started flies through the air while showering blood to its path. The horrified faces if the humans appear one after another. Well with this I am done with my contract…… Maybe, I should visit her parents too, I should at least give my gratitude to them and ask for the hand of Rumia personally.

***************************************************************************************

I am Rumia Reignhard, the second daughter of the Reignhard Household. Being a noble’s daughter is tough. My sister is the prince fiance but she doesn’t want that. My elder Sister has a lover whom is also our servant.

But when my Father noticed their relationship, he immediately broke off their relation. My Elder Sister begged to my Father to at least not to kill him, my Father agreed but in exchange, she will marry the 30 years old prince of the Highland Kingdom.

My Sister of course agreed to it since she loved that man. Ever since that happen, I swear to my heart to not to fall in love with anyone for it is a weapon that my Father will use.

I still didn’t know on why I came to that conclusion, because as the time passed by. I started to realize that even if I have a lover or not, my Father will definitely force me to marry me with a guy that I don’t know.

I’m only eight when I came to that conclusion, because the people around also told me so. At the age of four my Mother said that I should study, but not in academics but in household work. My mother was harsh as my Father is but I thought that she’s only like that because she loves me. I do whatever she told me and kept my feelings inside, but what I really want is go to our archive to read some books there.

I do that secretly because I know that Mother will definitely stop me, but I can understand that though, this is because they love me that they want me to keep to some strange books. ‘I’m really lucky to have some wonderful Mother’ I thought.

But I soon to prove that I’m completely wrong, one time when I was contemplating on the garden I accidentally heard the maid talking to each other. “Do you know that Viscount? Who’s infamous for his liking for children?” “How in the world would I’m not gonna know that, everyone in this mansion is talking about him whenever he killed his wife by torturing them too much” That’s horrible! Why did he do that! While I’m thinking such things, the maid said something that it makes me sweat cold.

“The Reignhard household will receive a massive land from that man in exchange for Rumia” I gasped. I gasped so hard that the maids heard it.

I immediately run away from the garden and seclude myself it to my room. ‘Why! I don’t want to that! I……I’m gonna die?’ Thoughts like this kept repeating in my head.

“What should I do?..... Maybe I should tell Mother that she must break this engagement!”

I waited until Mother comes back and tell her to stop the engagement but all I receive is “Are you an idiot!!? Didn’t you know, that Viscount will get anything he wants! And even if I reject that Viscount, nothing good will happen out of it!”

“But Mother! He did bad things to his wives!” “I already know that!” And then I receive a slap from Mother. I was dumbfounded by that time, I never think that Mother will hit me. My Mother left me as if nothing happen and call my Father to announce my engagement.

I lost all my hope at that time, I never had the energy to eat and the walk around, and because of that my Parents are free to drag me anywhere they want.

By the time I notice, my parent took me to a wealthy town called ‘Lizwa’ The town can raise itself because of the resource that can be gather everywhere. From forest to sea, from plant to animals, everything is rich in this town so I think that this is one of the reasons why it’s one of those Market Towns.

Haah….. The knowledge that kept piling up from since the day I started to read secretly the books of geography finally came to use. But I’m not happy with it though.

After of minutes of travel, we finally arrived at the inn or should I say hotel. When I look at the signboard there’s a word written on it that can be read as ‘zvezda’ which means that…… star from what I’ve heard? It’s a business that a hero came up with.

Heroes are smart and intelligent, Heroes can think ideas that no one in this world could possibly come up with. Like a box that has an ability to paint anything instantly or carriage that could move even if there’s no horse on it. That’s why it’s safe to say that Heroes are the current pioneers of this world.

When I arrived at my room, Mother suddenly intruded in and closed the door. “Now Rumia, I will teach you only this once. So be sure that you will remember this” “What are you’re going to teach me Mother” I said in monotone.

Since that incident happened, I’ve always talked like this towards my parents. Although Father would find it disrespectful, I had no intention to stop.

“Then…. I will teach you how to please a man” “What?” I can’t help but to let out a confused noise. Please a man? “W-what are you talking about mother?” “Oh? Did you finally come back to your sense? I said that I will teach you on how to please a man. It would be useful since your wedding will be tomorrow”

“Tomorrow! It’s too early! Mother I’m only twelve years old! And the one that I would marry is like fifthy five!” I shouted. It can’t be help I mean it’s too early, I’ve just heard about it three days ago! There’s no way I would accept this!

“But a deal is a deal, no matter how much you struggle you will never annul this wedding” “I don’t want to marry him!” I stated. I actually see that Viscount before we got engaged, He’s fat as a pig and he’s always looking at me with those eyes as if he was licking me. “You will marry him!” my Mother said.

I had enough… I will say what I want to say! I took down a big breath and shouted “But Mother!! He’s fat! He’s ugly! And He had those lustful eyes! I don’t want to marry him!” “But he’s the Viscount! You can’t ignore that fact! Just bear with it and anything you want will be yours!” “No!”

I gather my strength and exited the room, my eyes are full of tears so I can’t see that well but I need to go somewhere else, I could hear my Mother saying things like “Wait! Where do you think you’re going!” but I decided to ignore her.

I run and run and run until I can’t. At the corner of the streets there was a chair that’s facing the mass. I decided to sit there and loosen up a little bit. ‘I actually said those words….’ I thought. This is the first time that I voice out my emotion and opinion.

That is the last I would talk like that though… Even if I escape from my Mother temporally, I think that there’s no way that I could escape my Father since he has a lot of connection.

After I realize again on how grave this situation that I am in, I can’t help but to cry. “huhuhuhu…… I don’t want to marry him…… If you want then you should marry him!” I decided to talk alone since I don’t have anyone to talk to.

“That piggy I-----!” “Hello there” Wha-! Just when I regain some of my sense, a man who’s wearing an commoners clothes suddenly appeared right next to me.

“W-who A-are you!” “Me? It does not matter” Why it doesn’t matter! Is he perhaps an outlaw? “Ar-are you gonna abduct me!?” “No, I will not commit such petty crime” “Then what do you want” “Nothing I just want to sit here?” “What?....”

The fear that I feel earlier suddenly vanished and switch into puzzlement. I decided to be quite for the time being. After sometime of silence I thought that I should talk to this man. Maybe because of the feeling of wanting to discuss your problem, I call out for him.

“Hey….” “What?” “Nothing….” “If you want to tell me your problem then say it already. I am just a stranger right? What are the odds that we will meet again?” Maybe it’s because of my face that full of tears that he can tell that I have a problem.

“So you will not say this to anyone?” “Well it is not like I have anyone to say this” “Eh?....” Is he a hermit or something? But for some reason I feel secured by those words.

I decided to glance at him for a second. The man is quite handsome. He’s eyes are wide and gentle, his lips are thin and has a color of a fading pink. “What?” Oh! I stare to a complete stranger! That is unbecoming for me!

I fix my stares to anything but him, I must divert this awkward atmosphere! “ Actually….. I will be married…” “Then” he said as he want me to continue. “Then… my parents only wanted me to marry him because he’s rich….. but I know that that person is a bad person” “So you want to break off the engagement?” “Yes…” I don’t know why but when the moment we started to talk, I feel safe and protected. He tries to help me with my problems but I can’t do what he suggested.

I just can’t leave my family without any plan. But maybe if I could live with someone, I look at him for a bit. “I am not going to abduct you, you know?” “WHA!! I’m not thinking that!” This is embarrassing.

“So, when is your wedding?” “….It’s…. tomorrow…Hey…Can you at least tell me your name?” I said. This is the first time I had this kind of conversation so I can’t help but to ask him. The children in my age, especially the boys would be flustered when they talk to me with no reason at all. I find it hard because whenever I talk to them, they always ask me if I have a lover and such. I mean, why do they ask that thing first? Do they think that it’s a proper way to introduce yourself to a stranger?

But the grownups are worse, I know that they are looking to me as if I am their plaything so that’s why I’m avoiding them as much as possible.

“My name? Well if I tell you my name we would not be strangers is it not? It would br—“ “Just tell me your name” This guy!! “No need to be that serious you know? My name is King” “King? That’s a strange name” “………..” “What?” It really is a strange name though.

“I get that a lot…. Now that I said my name, can you tell me yours?” “Oh right… uhum! My name is Rumia Reignhard the 2nd daughter of—“ “That is enough” Didn’t you know how much I practiced that introduction! “Mumumumumumu” I grumbled in irritation.

After that, we talk for a minute. King is gentle and quite sarcastic, he was talking about the different kind of places that can be found around the Demon King Empire as if he really goes to that place.

“Oh right, Rumia. It is only been six years since the Demon King had been defeated, So why is it that people are so calm even though it only happened recently?” He said. “Hhhmm..” I put my hands on my chin as I ponder.

“According to that weird book that I’ve read, people recover unbelievably quickly because the Heroes started to appear one after another, the people feel more secured than before the Demon King appeared. Well that’s all a speculation so I don’t know how much of it are true”

“I see… That is right I suppose, it is like theatre security but more massive” When I answered his question King started mumble something.

“Then take care Rumia” I was shock when he suddenly said that. It’s too soon please just stay here for a while! I want to say that but there’s no way I could do that so instead I try to invite him. “Please try to attend at my wedding! It will be at evening, it will be boring but at least I want to take my friend into my wedding!” “Hahahaha, You are calling me a friend now? You are quite desperate are you not?” “What! No I’m not desperate!”

I’m not!!! “It’s your fault because you suddenly came to me, you should at least attend to my wedding so it will not be bad as it seems to be” And when I look at King, He was already walking away from me… and at that time, the coldness of loneliness suddenly embrace me as if reminding me that I will never break free from this isolation.