Departure (?)

Without realizing it, I ran all the way home.

I don't feel tired and limp at all.

I just feel tight in my heart.

I saw in front of the house there were several adults.

Who are they?

What are they doing in front of the house?

One of them knocked on the door.

I saw mom open the door for them.

Before mom explained anything, they forced their way into the house.

Even holding mom who tried to fight back.

What the hell...!?

Of course I was angry to see my mother being treated like that.

I ran towards them.

One of them saw me.

That person's stature was that of a noble.

Her clothes look luxurious.

His body was fat, a stark contrast to the people around him.

"Ah, you must be his son right!? Catch him too!"

Instantly several others chased after me.

Reflexively, I ran away from them.

I ran and kept running as fast as I could.

But they easily caught me.

Not long after, I saw dad being forced out of the house.

His body was thrown to the ground.

What happened actually?

Why is my family being treated like this?

Then who are these people?

Why are they so rude to us?

I was brought near my parents.

My body was thrown to the ground.

It hurts to feel my body hit the ground.

"Cough… Cough!"

I coughed.

"Stop it! Don't do anything to my son!"

I heard my father's voice defending me.

"I will take responsibility for my actions, but don't hurt my family!"

Responsible for what?

Did you do something to these people?

"Hah! How dare you order me!? Drag them all!"

After the nobleman said that, the others immediately tied the three of us up and pulled us by force.

The commotion drew the attention of the entire village.

No, we weren't wrong. Help us!

I saw the residents who in the afternoon said "Be careful" on the street in whispers while looking at us with disgusted expressions.

Why?

We did nothing!

We didn't do anything wrong!

Why are you guys looking at us with that look!?

Stop it!

Stop it!!

Subconsciously, I screamed.

"Ahhh! Noisy! Shut his mouth!"

My mouth was gagged with a piece of rope. I can only groan.

Our family was taken away from home.

I don't know where they taking us.

We arrived at the village square where I used to play with my friends.

There were already many people gathered there.

What will they do?

Why were we brought to this place?

Why are so many people gathered?

Too many questions in my head.

I don't understand what's going on.

I don't understand what will happen either.

Those people dragged us to the stage in the square.

The stage is usually used during festivals or when there are performances.

On that stage, we were forced to kneel in front of many people.

"Millstone Villagers!"

The nobleman shouted at the residents.

"These people, they have committed an unforgivable crime!"

Crime? Who committed the crime?

What does crime mean?

"Novel, you are a robber who has committed many robberies in Regia! You've caused a lot of unrest in this province over the years!"

Dad... robbed?

Wait, this must be a misunderstanding.

Dad couldn't have robbed.

I saw dad who looked resigned.

No, there's no way he could do that.

Dad was the most honest person.

Can the person who always forbids me from stealing commit robbery?

Impossible!

I tried to resist, but one of the noble's subordinates restrained me, he stepped on my head.

Seeing me being treated like that, dad and mom were furious. They resisted, but were caught. Their heads were also stepped on by those noble's subordinates.

I saw mom in tears.

I'm angry.

Who dares to make my mother cry!?

I want to fight, I want to beat them.

But again my body was restrained. My head was stepped on even harder.

"You even dared to attack my herd, stealing one of our chariots and supplies!"

The noble continued his words.

"That's why I, Boris Belijelen, sentenced you to death! Get ready, after this the execution will be carried out immediately!"

Death penalty!?

My eyes widen.

This guy is wrong! Please! Anybody! Tell him it's just a misunderstanding!

I looked at the people.

Again disgusted glances fell on us.

No... Help dad!

My father is innocent! Help!

My eyes beckon a request for help.

No one cares.

"Okay. Next. Alice, you already know this but you still don't care and protect Novel instead! You never even made a report! You're not cooperating with the government! Indirectly you have also made a lot of people suffer! You are also sentenced to death!"

This is crazy!

Don't! Help!

Not mom either!

My parents are innocent!

This guy is crazy!

Do not listen to him!

But again, no one cares about us.

It's as if we are lowly people who don't deserve to be pitied.

Please! This is just a misunderstanding!

"Then you, Andre. Honestly, I don't like punishing a child like you. But...!"

Boris stopped his words for a moment.

"You liked to steal since you were little! You even took someone's valuables! You're a pervert too!"

Boris stopped his sentence.

One of his subordinates whispered something to him.

"Ahem… I heard that today you also injured a girl until her head was bleeding! If left unchecked, you will grow up to be a dangerous person like your father! Therefore, I also sentenced you to death!"

No!

This person has no common sense!

I've stopped stealing!

It happened by accident too!

Please anyone understand!

I saw Nicholas and Ivan standing in the crowd.

Nico! Ivan! Please explain to him!

I didn't do it, did I!?

I've never stolen again, have I!?

It was just an accident right!?

When I looked at them, they looked away.

Ah...

I've given up...

Now there's nothing I can do.

No one cares about our fate.

My friends don't care about our fate either.

Won't leave me, they said?

I don't care anymore.

I'm going to die soon after all.

"Alright, citizens! With this, all sentences have been passed! In a moment, the execution of the three of them will be carried out!"

As soon as Boris said that, our family's eyes were covered with a piece of cloth.

I also felt something wrapped around my neck.

This is the end...

I will die...

I'm still very young...

But I have been accused of being a criminal...

A boy deemed guilty enough to be sentenced to death.

Alright...

There's nothing I can do.

I hope my next life will be better than this.

...

"Argh! What the hell!?"

I heard something.

The situation became noisier.

"Do something! Catch them!"

I heard Boris ordered his men.

Catch who?

"Do not move."

There was a voice whispering in my ear.

This voice...

The rope that bound me fell off, and so did the blindfold that was attached to me.

I saw a woman dressed all in black.

I didn't recognize her, she was wearing a face mask.

"Don't panic, we are here to save you."

I obey this woman's orders.

I let her take me away.

I saw that several people seemed to be fighting with Boris' subordinates as well.

I was led into the forest.

Along the way we said absolutely nothing.

This person has saved me.

In the middle of the forest, she stopped in his tracks.

"Looks like it's safe here." She said.

She looked at me.

"You, run over there. Don't let them come after you. I'll be back to help your parents." She said, pointing to a direction overgrown with trees.

I nodded slowly.

The woman ran back to the village.

I followed her directions, I ran to where she pointed.

I ran and kept running.

I don't know what happened, but I had to keep running.

I looked from a distance, I saw a gate made of wooden branches.

There are also several camps there.

Finally, I survived!

This must be the place that person was referring to!

As I approached, an arrow shot right in front of me.

The arrow hit the ground.

"Frogs lay eggs in the water!"

I heard someone shouting at me, but I didn't see anyone.

Frogs lay eggs in water?

What does that mean?

Why did he call for that?

"I don't understand!"

I just answered the call.

silence.

No answer.

There wasn't anyone there either.

But suddenly from behind me there were several people who had gathered.

Where did they come from!?

Damn, I must have fallen into a trap!

That person must have set me up!

"Huh...? A child? What are you doing here!?" Say one of them.

If you are asking me that, I'm also curious about the answer myself.

I saw him waving his hand, instantly the people that surrounded me became more relaxed.

"What's your name, where are you from?" He said to me.

"A… Andre… I'm from M… Millstone…"

I didn't dare to look at him, just being in a state like this was already scary, let alone having to stare at the person who seemed to be the leader of these people.

He turns silent for a moment, as if he is thinking about something.

"Oh… I see. Bring him in."

The people who surrounded me took me forcibly into their 'camp'.

Who exactly are these people?

I've never seen this kind of people walking around the village.

But it turns out that they built a camp this close to the village.

"Ouch!"

My arm hurts from being forced.

I was put in a tent.

"Don't even think about getting out of here." The man said.

Then they left me.

Ahhh!! What happened exactly?

So many things happened in just a few hours.

Fighting with Ivan and Nicholas, Elora being injured, my family being arrested and sentenced to death, I was the one who was saved by someone, and now I'm here, alone.

I reflect on those events.

This is the first time I've ever felt a terrible fear of being so close to death.

This is the first time I have felt excruciating pain because the people closest to me left me.

It was the first time that he also felt a huge relief of being saved by someone.

Of course I still feel the shock because of the big events that happened to me.

Right now I don't know what to do.

That guy was clearly not joking when he threatened me not to get out of here.

My parents either survived or not.

Who are these people? Why did they save us?

None that I recognize.

I can only wait without any certainty.

Really scary...

I cried too.

No one came in to calm me down.

I couldn't see anything from inside because the tent was very dark and closed.

If I go out, they will surely kill me.

Mother father...

Please, be safe...

I'm scared...