Three thousand years before the Sin-Passing Era
A village on the outskirts of Bond Forest
"Hello, do you happen to know where the rumored demon is?"
The pink-haired girl asked around the village.
"A demon? We don't have any demons here!"
"Oh, I see. You must be talking about Lord Reul. He's no demon; He is our deity!"
"In this region of the Northern Plains, it's incredibly difficult to find a place where one can live in peace. Looking at your delicate skin, you must be from a big city; you wouldn't understand."
The pink-haired girl frowned upon hearing the Villager's words, but she didn't argue. She knew she had come here with impure motives.
Her country had already fallen in a war with a neighboring nation. In her search for "power," she had scoured many places and finally found this one.
According to rumors, a demon with immense power resided near this village. He constantly made deals with humans, granting them great strength.
As for the "soul" required as the price, it didn't matter to her. As long as she could obtain "power," a mere soul was a small price to pay—He could have it!
"Then where can I find Him!? I want to trade with Him too! After all, rumors say He never refuses a deal!"
After learning her goal, the Villager's expression turned slightly helpless.
"I see. Follow me. First, we need to record your information. If an outsider wants to trade with the deity, they must first disclose their background. We will judge whether you are qualified to trade with Him."
"Name."
"Limel."
"Place of birth."
"Uh, Eldoran."
"Hmm? You're a child from that fallen nation? Truly... never mind. Words of comfort probably won't make you feel any better. I wish you a bright future, then."
"Yes, thank you."
"Age."
"Sixteen."
"What is your purpose for seeking the deity?"
"Do... do I have to say that too?"
Limel looked slightly distressed. She knew her purpose was impure, but if all sorts of people had the chance to trade, she figured they wouldn't be too hard on her.
"Yes. After all, the deity doesn't understand mortals. If we don't help screen people, many with ill intentions might obtain power from Him. We don't want to see that happen."
"Does He know you're doing this, or is it something He wants you to do?"
"As for that, it's probably a bit of both. The deity doesn't understand humans, but He wishes to understand emotions. We want Him to be kind; He should become a being respected by others. Thus, we don't allow darkness to approach Him."
Limel nodded and rested her chin on her hand. If that were the case, it would likely be difficult for her purpose to be approved.
But she couldn't give up! For her parents, for those who loved her, and to prevent such a cruel war from continuing, she had to obtain power.
She thought of the war with the neighboring country, how their army drove children under ten to the very front lines.
To use our kindness as a weapon in battle—she would never accept such a thing!
Such an evil nation was a thousand times more wicked than any monster!
"My purpose..."
"I want to wipe out the imperial family of the Dantel Empire. I want to gain power. I want to trade with Him. That is my purpose."
A smile appeared on the Villager's face upon hearing Limel's words.
"Alright, you pass! I hope you achieve your goal. I'll come for you tomorrow afternoon to take you to where the deity resides. As for the method of trading and gaining power, that will be up to you."
Limel looked surprised to learn she had passed. For even a goal like hers to be approved, it seemed this place was not quite as she had imagined.
"Thank you so much! I'll look forward to tomorrow. Thank you for your kindness."
"Yes, see you tomorrow. I hope you have sweet dreams tonight."
"See you tomorrow!"
...That night, Limel had a very, very long dream.
She dreamed she had returned to the past when her homeland still existed. Her father, the King of Eldoran, walked through the countryside fields with her and her mother.
The guards were helping the farmers harvest ripe grain and vegetables.
It all looked so peaceful and beautiful.
A bolt of lightning suddenly struck. In the distance, a large troop of Dantel Kingdom Soldiers appeared. They slaughtered civilians, destroyed crops, and plundered everywhere.
After some time, the royal capital fell. All of Eldoran was transformed into a sea of fire. The troops led by her father resisted desperately.
He said he wouldn't give up.
"The Dantel Kingdom's way of ruling is wrong. The commoners there are like slaves, eating little while doing massive amounts of work. This is wrong. Labor should have its rewards; everyone's efforts should receive a corresponding return."
"This is the right way. My daughter, run away. Flee with your indignation toward all of this. Return only when you have the power to change it."
"Of course, it's okay if you don't. In that case, just live a mundane and happy life of your own. Your father probably won't be able to accompany you in the future. I'm sorry, my treasure."
Limel's mother had long since been killed by the Dantel army, and her father had no intention of surviving alone.
Not just for his beloved, but also for those ordinary and kind people, he would fight to the very end.
"No, no! Father, I want to stay too! I want to be with you; I don't want to leave!"
"Loutier! A final order: take my daughter away from here and look after her! And then... then just do whatever you like."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
Ignoring Limel's cries, the "Blade of Ultimate Loyalty," Loutier, took Limel and fled the burning royal capital.
Looking back, the last King of Eldoran led his loyal knights in a final charge against the vast army of the Dantel Empire.
"All troops, hear my command: fight to the death!"
"Yes, sir!"
Tens of thousands of Soldiers thus charged with their king into an enemy force several times their size... Limel, held under Loutier's arm, cried and struggled constantly on the road to escape. As time passed, her crying gradually ceased.
Instead, she gave up struggling, lying there like a corpse.
"Princess, Princess! Wake up. We've made it out. We're currently near the Greizer Forest. Do you have any instructions?"
"..."
"None? The situation was urgent, so we didn't bring any gold coins or anything of the sort when we left. What should we do next?"
"..."
"I've got it!"
Loutier pointed in a direction where cooking smoke, typical of a village, was rising. It was likely a remote little hamlet.
"Princess, let's settle in that village over there first. Then I'll see if there's a place to pick up quests to earn some gold."
"..."
"Then it's settled. Don't worry, Princess; I'm here for you."
Leading the horse, Loutier walked with Limel toward the village. Seeing her sunken in silence, he decided to do something.
"Princess, please pull yourself together. His Majesty certainly wouldn't want to see you in such a gloomy state."
"Despite everything that has happened, I still want to ask you to cheer up and lead me, and those who refuse to be enslaved, to launch a counterattack against them!"
"..."
Seeing the silent Limel, Loutier felt a wave of helplessness.
He wasn't as composed as he appeared. Facing the fall of the kingdom and the death of the King, he actually needed an outlet for his emotions more than anyone.
But he couldn't.
This was the King's final order: take care of the Princess. Therefore, Loutier could not allow himself to show even a hint of hesitation or unease.
"Princess, you're still young, so you probably don't know me. Would you like me to tell you the story of what happened between His Majesty and me?"
Limel's eyes brightened slightly.
"Then I shall tell you, Princess!"
Loutier took out a small pocket watch from his inner pocket. Inside the cover was a small photograph.
"This is me as a child. I was very weak and naive back then. And this is His Majesty when he was young. He looks quite handsome, doesn't he?"
The boy in the photo was about six years old, with light blue hair very similar to Loutier's now. Looking closely, one could see common facial features.
And the adult beside the boy was clearly a younger version of Limel's father—pink short hair and two somewhat comical small mustaches, radiating a gentle aura.
"His Majesty was truly a very gentle person. Something bad had just happened to me, and at the most confusing moment of my life, I met him."
"He reached out his hand to me as I sat on the ground, wanting to pull me up. But how could I, immersed in grief, respond to him then? I ignored his hand and continued to lie there crying, even wailing louder."
Loutier gazed toward the former royal capital while recounting his past.
"Quite childish, isn't it, Princess? And then what happened? His Majesty actually picked me up in his arms, wiped away my tears with his hand, and said this..."
...The young King held the young Loutier, gently stroking his head.
"Little fellow, I don't know what happened here yet, but pull yourself together! Those who love you surely wouldn't want to see you like this."
Loutier stopped sobbing and replied to the King between hiccups.
"They... they're dead. No one will ever love me again. What should I do? Everything I had is gone."
The King's heart ached as he looked at the young Loutier. He reached out and gently embraced him.
"There, there. Will you come with me? I will love you in their place. I will help you strike back at those who raised their blades against your loved ones."
"So, will you trust me this time?"
Looking at the adult before him, Loutier was dazed. He didn't understand why a stranger with no connection to him would help him like this.
Loutier fell silent. A few minutes later, he slowly raised his head to look at the King, his gaze gradually becoming firm.
"I... I want to become strong. I want to avenge them. Please help me! I beg of you! I will dedicate my life to you, so please, no matter what, help me!"
After shouting those words, the young Loutier knelt on the ground, large tears falling.
The King reached out to pull him up and gave his head a vigorous rub.
"I of course will help you. But the first step to becoming a man is to stop crying. No matter what happens, never let yourself fall into despair. Promise me, okay?"
The young Loutier wiped away his tears fiercely. From then on, he would never cry again, no matter what... "Well? His Majesty was a very gentle person, wasn't he? He taught me many things—my martial arts, my beliefs, my determination. From that moment, I decided to dedicate my whole life to him because he was worth it."
"What happened after that?"
Limel suddenly asked.
"Princess, you finally responded! That's wonderful! As for what happened after... it's not a very heartwarming story. Do you still want to hear it? If so, I'll tell you in detail while we're on a quest."
"We're almost at the village. I hope the people here will accept us. What do you think, Princess?"
Limel wiped the corner of her eye and looked at Loutier.
"Alright. Let's settle in first."
"As you command, Princess!"
Loutier led the horse and Limel into the village. The sign at the entrance read 'Perse Village'.
A Villager cleaning a notice board at the entrance found it very strange to see outsiders. This remote village rarely saw a traveler, let alone an adventurer, in years.
"Hello there. This is Perse Village. What brings you here? We're not exactly a major destination."
Loutier replied loudly:
"We are traveling adventurers. We've encountered some trouble recently and are looking for a place to stay temporarily. Do you have any commissions that need doing? Any kind will do!"
The Villager looked at Loutier with suspicion. Even without much worldly experience, he could tell that the armor the man wore was definitely not some cheap junk.
For someone in such equipment to come here looking for random commissions—could there be some strange problem?
Gritting his teeth, the Villager decided to get a clear answer first.
"My lord, even a nobody like me can see that the armor you're wearing is of no ordinary quality. So I must ask, what is your purpose for coming here? I don't want outsiders bringing trouble to this place."
Listening to the Villager, Loutier had his own thoughts.
The secret to getting along with people is integrity. No one wants an untrustworthy companion. So rest assured, there are plenty of good people in this world. As long as you maintain an honest heart, everyone will accept you.
His Majesty once said that.
"I apologize for hiding things from you. Actually, we've fled here from Eldoran to seek refuge. We came to your village looking for a place to settle temporarily. I'm very sorry for not making this clear!"
With that, Loutier made a gesture of apology to the Villager.
The Villager was startled by the gesture.
"Wait, wait, wait! You're refugees from Eldoran? Then tell me, how is that benevolent King doing now?"
"His Majesty... by now, he has likely concluded his gentle yet steadfast life."
Upon hearing Loutier's answer, the Villager felt a pang of sorrow. The King of Eldoran had once brought his army here, back when the village hadn't even been fully established.
Every year, many people died from wild beasts in the mountains, lack of food, or the unbearable winter. It was because that benevolent King learned of this that he brought part of his army to help them.
In just two short months, the village was built. They were also taught martial arts for self-defense and hunting, as well as farming techniques. It was only after that that the village became stable.
And now that King was already... "I'm sorry for doubting you. Please, follow me. It just so happens there are some empty houses in the village. If you don't mind, you can stay there for now. We are people who have received the King's grace, and we will not fail to repay it. Please, put your mind at ease!"
...And so, Limel and Loutier settled down in this small village.
(In the memory, Limel is 10 years old and Loutier is 26.)