Chapter 1: Zihara of the Hallen

Long brunette locks, light skin, and sharp-shaped pale blue eyes. A girl ran away from the hooligans as they chased after her. "Hey! Stop right there!" One of them yelled as Zihara escaped into the forest. She was caught trying to deceive the merchants into buying some stuff she had collected from defeating monsters on the black market. The items were legit but she had deceived them into buying even the useless scraps from the forest. Though this is just another normal day for the latter.

"Death traps…" She chanted under her breath before jumping off the ground and onto the tree branches to escape from the hooligans. Three out of a dozen who were after her had fallen into her trap and got swallowed by the ground trapping them in the meantime. "Argh! Catch that kid!" Another one of them irritably exclaimed. With the remaining creeps surrounding the tree, Zihara crossed her arms over her chest, yawning looking down at them, making them rage from frustration."You won't go anywhere you little street rat!" One of the hoodlums said smirking as he slowly climbed up the tree to get the young girl.

"Oh no, what will you do to a kid like me? Torture me in the dungeon?" Zihara mocked making the hooligans boil in anger. This time it's her turn to smirk before snapping her fingers and disappearing from their sight. "What in the world?! Where'd the kid go?" The creeps then scurry around the forest to look for the girl.

"Well, that was close." Zihara snickered as she hid behind a huge tree. When she was sure that the hooligans were gone, she jumped off the branches and went on her way. Kicking the small pebble, Zihara sighed as she strolls by the lake. It was her usual route on her way to their humble home, but then watching the stream flow, somehow made her smile out of nowhere.

"It feels the same, it still calms me whenever I watch the streams…" Her brows slowly creased as she wondered in confusion. She felt like those words weren't coming out of her mouth.

"Zihara! Have you been selling in the black market again?" An old lady appeared from the bushes with a basket of herbs and wild cherries. Zihara jumped in surprise at the old hag's sudden intrusion into her quiet walk.

"Well… I did… not! I went to the village market! I wanted to see if Casper was in town." Zihara nodded to herself smiling sheepishly as the old hag squinted her eyes suspiciously before dismissing the girl. "I suppose you have met with him? Anyways we should prepare for dinner."

"So what will we have for dinner?"

"Frog stew."

"What?! Not frog stew! I hate frog stew! Can't we just- aww ouch! Okay okay, I'll eat whatever that is stop pulling at my ear now."

It was already nighttime, the crickets were getting louder and the wind was making beautiful sounds as the grasses danced with it. Zihara was on the roof of their house as she watched how the stars twinkled in the sky and the moon shone in her eyes. It was one of her habits to stay on the roof and admire the beauty of the night sky.

Sometimes it makes her wonder about things in life, how she was here in the middle of the forest being a total outcast of the kingdom, how her parents never showed themselves to her even after 17 years that they left her.

But then she doesn't complain about it, though she does wanna know the reason why.

"Zihara, come down here and have dinner, then sleep for the night. We have to go somewhere tomorrow morning." The grey-haired lady called for her, making her sigh, pouting as she went down.

"I'll be right down!" She exclaimed back.

"So, how was it?"

"How was what?" Zihara answered nonchalantly. Trying to sort out whatever there is that was in the stew, made by the old hag.

"You know… being chased by the hoodlums who work in the… black market?"

"Well, it was nothing they were Uhh… I mean, I don't know. I-I was with Casper the whole time." Stuttered avoiding the old lady's glare.

"You moron, I was there the entire time! How dare you lie to your grandmother's face?" The old lady sternly said, crossing her arms.

"I-I… well, I was just trying to make some profit from the cotton tails I had killed earlier~" Zihara whined trying to make a cute face.

"Why do you have to sell off those nasty beasts? We already have everything we need, all our necessities are in the forest. What else do you want to have?" The old lady sighed, softening after scolding Zihara.

"But… I wanted to get that one sword from Gunner's shop. He told me about its origin." She seems excited as she shares it with the elderly about it.

"What sword?" The elderly frowned.

"Well, he showed me this short mithril sword that he claimed was made by a god. He said that it was gifted to the former royalties, the ones before Rodbertus who took over the throne." Zihara dreamily tales.

For a moment Zihara saw how the elderly suddenly stopped all her movements before shifting in her seat. "Well? What did he say about the sword? Will he give it to you?" The elderly asked before clearing her throat.

"He said I only needed to pay him two gold coins and three silver. Then he can give it to me." Zihara grinned, making the old lady shake her head and then nodded her head.

"And do you have enough to buy it?"

"Yessiree! I have enough and a few spare even." Zihara proudly stated. "Then I guess we'll have to make a detour before we go to our destination tomorrow." Zihara was dancing in her seat as she ate her meal.

'I think she'll be ready to face him tomorrow.' The old lady smiled sadly as she watched over the youngster.

"Wake up sleepy head! Let's get going!" Zihara shoots out of her sleeping state as her grandmother bangs onto a pan with a ladle.

"I'm up! I'm up!"

"Good, now go prepare so we can go on our way." The old hag then left her room and started preparing their meal.

"Where are we even going? It's not even sunrise yet?"

"No more whining and just eat your meal. We have to go early, I don't wanna bump into some castle guards on our way there."

"W-Wait. Castle guards?! Are we entering the castle?"

"Not we, you. Now no more talking, alright? And more eating, or else I'll leave you behind." The two then fell into quiet peace as they were both trying to finish their food.