"You just did it like you always do that..." Erebus remarked at my work of clearing with my skill.
"Well yes... It thought the four of you knew already..." I replied while scratching the back of my left hand, it was pretty itchy and I really wanted to take off the cloth to check my wound.
"Ah! About that... Only two of them keep a close eye on you." He answered back while looking down. "Space and Time are the only ones who keep their attention diverted to your safety more then we four do altogether. You might say they are a huge fan of the play called your life!" He seemed to be bright and sunny when he said that...
But I found myself frowning when I found out that they see my life as a play. Was I just a character to them? One they could interact with after a certain time?
I didn't feel sad about it, I will be honest to say I am still fine and I am completely unwilling in this matter right this instant. But somehow, I still wanted to know how they viewed my life in full motion with their own eyes. A play? Only that? So why suddenly grant me this much power when I never quite asked for it?
"Erebus... Exactly why do you think they are keeping such close attention on me all time?" I asked while tilting my head onto my palm. I was going to extract the answer to my question just by approaching it another way. It could be called a 'survey'.
"I am not certain just yet." He started speaking, and yes... This was where he took a break in his explanation. "But I am pretty sure they just didn't want to let go of their only hope in the middle of it all. After all... When we four came together to support you with help and clues... We did see that you are much smarter than the rest of the few candidates we had."
"Candidates?" I asked with my curiosity overflowing.
"You see... When we learnt that Silence was working with an unseen ally who would be targeting against Space and Time, related to the spacetime fabric, we had to step in to find a force who we could control to help us out before we lost two more of our Guardians to a human.
"We are already imbalanced and I could easily say that anytime threat is to come, we are slowly weakening by forces. We are now highly only dependent on the Honorary knights you see.
"If we are to lose another one of our forces, then we are likely to vanish before the next generation of humans even emerge. So we had to choose a few between the competition participants who we could pursue and use to fight off the human threat without being in person in front of them."
So they are aware about the competition mastermind. I thought to myself after a long moment of complete silence. Then I guess it is safe to say that the competition mastermind has almost nothing to do with the Guardians? Especially the Aethalgards. I can at least lower my guard now... But I won't let it dissipate completely.
"I see..." I answered as a way to show that I wasn't suspecting much. My facial expression helped me rest of the way and I could see that he didn't quite mind telling me all that or even hesitate. If he were really sure or associated with the competition owner, then he would have reacted a little over the top to try and win my symphathy. Even if they have seen my 'play' enough... They know I am tolerant to the weak.
"Anyways... I hope the battlefield isn't going to cause you any sort of problems in the future. Given that as a rookie Guardian myself... I have crossed some boundaries like not informing you all before I came to take care of the demon horde myself." I bowed my head to make it seem more reasonable. If he didn't buy it... Then I don't think it would be a move I could use with the others too.
Afterall... My life is a 'play'.
I wonder which one of the plot-twists they have liked so far. Because I am fairly sure that the next twist is something that would become 'fan' favourite.
I grinned to myself with shadowed eyes. I could sense that Erebus was somewhat confused. Then I offered him my hand with a more normal smile. I didn't intend to use him back then... But if they know about the competition owner more then I do... Why would I reject such a good opportunity?
"Stand up... You are ruining your clothes with those nasty blood of the demon. I know for short you hate them... So why bother keeping their blood on you?" I asked as he stood up with my help. I know he looks like an innocent child... But if about eighteen thousand and a hundred years ago... He remembers his sister's dissapearance... Need I say more?
I belong to the Esclipse division for a reason or two... But I can guarantee that I am lucky enough for Silence sacrificing her own life for me... Now, I can really plan the demise of the people who made me suffer this endlessly. I am greedy about power... I will be honest here. But I am also greedy for a good and peaceful life.
"By the way... How are you so strong?" He finally asked while dusting his clothes with his hands. "Like literally... Given that you are rookie... I mean... You are actually a prodigy! No... You should be seated in the Aethalgard!"
His excitement to me... Was intoxicating. However, I needed to prepare my pawn enough for the upcoming battle. Just like how the empress had done it with me. I am thankful to that woman... For taking me in and teaching such methods of mind-controlling and manipulation.
"No... I possibly can't." I rejected politely, my first move of manipulation; being two-faced. "For your earlier bravery though... It should be more like you being the one who be put on the intake seat of the Aethalgard. I believe that you could make a good leader and a decision maker. You chose to be one of my supporters for a long-time."
"Oh right... About that... Have you ever thought about what you would do if you ever made it back to your home? Back at the Imperial family?" He asked, changing the topic completely.
"Are you saying as a 'what-if' scenario? Or like really going there?" I asked for a clarification.
"No. Like really returning. You can't simply think about staying at the forest forever... Are you?"
I may be a bit dumb to be silent at this time... Because I definitely didn't want to be shaken by the mention of the Imperial family. Somehow... I had been significantly weakened by the fact that... I keep thinking about what sort of a damage I had left behind for them!
But... How exactly can an adopted daughter's death cause them a damage?!
I always wanted to see my family again...
But I always recall right afterwards that they weren't my blood family to begin with.
It is also there that I almost died several times, and died twice. The deaths were a little different of a reason... But I can't change the fact that my brother who moarned my death for two weeks was the same brother who tired to kill me twice. And the empress... Who forced me... Poisoned me to call her a 'mother'?!
I am not... Weakend by that... Am I?
No... I am just afraid of little Henry.
"I am not going to stay in the forest forever... But I have no wish of returning to that hell. Let it seem ironic and all... However, I am not a person who will set foot back at a place I tried to run away from. Like I had said before... I do want to meet my brothers... From a distance that is." I sternly replied after a long moment. I knew my response would be shocking to him, and I didn't bat an eye to his widened eyes at all.
A family betrayal... It is supposed to be a very plotty and twisty part if ever added to be a part of the play of a story you are seeing... So they must find it interesting for themselves too.
"That is... Really an amazing thought that you have..." Erebus looked away immediately. We were already inside the palace by then, I could clearly see that there was no harm done to the interior. So I let out a sigh of relief. Afterall... Puppet and Cindy seemed to have kept a good eye at the place when I told them to.
Apparently... I sent them for some other thing.
I have somehow just come to realize... That having two mythical beast by your side is actually a good advantage. I have allies with me who are ready to fight and protect me. And I can also entrust confidential works to them too.
A smile popped onto my face as I recalled the two little floating animals even now in my mind. They were little cuties who never left my side without my knowledge. And even if they did, they would come back and tell me about it afterwards.
But speaking of which...
"Cindy... Puppet..."
I whispered to myself since my voice is pretty much connected to my little spirit animals. If they hear even a whistle from a different country, they would rush over and land right on my shoulders. This is why I loved my little creatures even more. Fantasy animals you have tamed, are said to be really loyal to their master... And Cindy is pure prove of that.
I did have a lot of problems with having Cindy just listen to me... But after a long time, it just decided to give up ignoring me completely. I have seen it become even more loyal after I am injured. It could be said that it just wants to make sure its master is not harmed badly again.
My blood continued to seep through my side, and my forehead. Given those injuries, Cindy came rushing to my side and begging with a frowning face to not get into battles where I will get injured like this again.
I smiled at it. It couldn't really use its voice... But I had long since learnt its way of communicating by observing its skeletal wings.
"Ooh! That is a cute pet you have there!" Erebus remarked with puppy eyes at my little crew. "How did you tame it?!"
"Uh... Quite long to explain... I am a bit too tired and lazy to say it all in details. Maybe another time?" I answered back. "But I can say this that Cindy has been with me for about an year now... So I have managed to get along with it very well."
"I see!"
Then, Puppet wasn't likely to come back this late. I was already wondering why I couldn't sense much from it–
"Aefia!"
That was when I heard its voice down the hall.
Speak of the devil! Not again! But wait...
Why was the second Aethalgard Heir holding onto a collar that was wrapped around my elemental animal's neck like that?! And why wasn't Puppet doing anything about it?! I don't remember telling it anything about interacting with someone like this... Like this woman who I found very suspicious from the time she was glaring down at me from the altar with a smile that stressed from one cheek to the other and was very uncomfortable to receive at the same time!
"Your little pet here... Did you command it to tell the Guardians to evacuate?" The Guardian of Everlasting Health asked with a grin at my direction.
"E–Evacuate?!"
When the heck did I say evacuate?! I didn't even give it such a message!
"Then I guess you didn't say it... But here is your pet back... Don't let it run around like this the next time."
"I didn't instruct it to run around... I just told it to back me up from a distance..." I glared at Puppet, who trembled in fear while walking towards me as the chain around its neck melted.
I then looked back up at the Guardian standing in front of me. She had long, knee-length blonde hair and green eyes with a yellowish hue. I was baffled at first, I never had the chance to see her up this close honestly... But now that I do... Anyone would have been mistaken by her deceiving sweet looking face.
If it wasn't from how they both aren't from the same planet... I would have thought about her potentially being Helio's mom though...
Speaking of which... I haven't seen him for a long while now...
"You seemed to have obtained an injury... And you are still walking around like nothing happened." She finally spoke while folding her arms. Compared to back then... She had a more normal smile on her face, and it was ticking me off. Two-sided like me... I see why you are trying to make me your rival now... This play... Is so interesting! I am enjoying it myself as the actor!
"I am used to it. Don't worry..." I answered while trying to end the conversation within a single sentence. I definitely did not have any intentions of getting involved with this woman!
I tried to pass her, but she grabbed my shoulder and and patted my head.
"Dear rookie... I have seen your skills on battlefield... You really surprised me."
"Oh really... Well thank you for your compliment..."
"I actually wanted to talk about it to you privately... Do you have the time? I can also work on healing you."
Ha! A talk... You really do have no limits for yourself, woman!
"Yeah sure... What is it that you wanted to talk about?" I asked with a polite smile. Becoming a viper for her...
"Before that... I want to invite you privately to my chambers... It is a bit of a discussion that only you and I can know... So please... I would love to know about your opinions."