ORDINARY VISAGE-12

Initially, I thought that Raja Samu was in the form of an old grandfather with a long, smelly beard, but who would have thought that my imagination was wrong. King Samu looks very young, looks beautiful despite the scars on his face. Even so, I still suspected that it was her fake look.

The king before you smiled. I just froze after getting caught into his room without permission. He didn't say anything, just watched me who was scared like a rat in the narrow sidelines of the gutter. I'm waiting, when will the King in front of me decide what way to punish me. "What village are you from?" he asked quietly. I didn't dare look up and squeak. "I don't know, but I came with Amyas."

"Oh, I see?" he muttered under his breath. "Then what business do you have here?"

I can't possibly answer if I want to meet him, want to know how great he is. My answer later sounded really arrogant and I didn't want to be beheaded before I finished speaking. "I'm lost."

The king laughed. He probably amused my ridiculous reasoning. I can only play with my fingers and bite my lower lip. The King did not immediately act fiercely or authoritarianly like the fairy tales I read, but seeing the King silently made my hair stand up on my neck.

"What's your name?"

I really want not to answer the question this time, because for whatever reason! I have a bad feeling now. "Abby."

The king nodded in understanding. "Okay Abby. Can you get out of this room? To come back you just go straight ahead and turn left."

I was in a hurry to leave when the King asked me to. The King's voice was very soft, but I felt his commanding aura was very strong. I walked quickly out of the room, with the same concentration as when I came to the King's room. It looks like I'm going to be in big trouble now, because my excuse for getting lost is very strange, and no one goes upstairs except the soldiers. And I have made a big fatal mistake.

—Ordinary Visage—

"Why not eat?"

Amyas glanced at me who was busy stabbing meat with a fork. I just forced a smile while propping up my chin. A few days after that, I felt very anxious. I've never felt this way before. Shiloh also often asked about what Amyas had said earlier, but maybe the man was fed up and didn't continue the pleasantry. Aqua sat across from me, she was munching her snacks gently, just like a noble family.

"He's probably still sick," Shiloh suddenly spoke. He sat down next to Amyas, gnawing at his green apple like a horse. "We should have asked Abby for a bowl of porridge."

"That's not necessary, I still have teeth" I said quietly. Shiloh raised an eyebrow. "What does it have to do with having teeth or not? If you're sick, it's better to eat porridge."

"How do you know I'm sick?" I said annoyed. Shiloh shrugged. "Well, if you keep quiet it usually hurts. Either it hurts your body or your soul."

"If you keep quiet I think I can be healthy."

Shiloh immediately shut up when I said that. He focused on eating the fruit and continued to eat other fruit. I chewed my food disinterestedly. My mind is running all over the place. Maybe it's true that I'm sick.

"You want to rest?" said Amyas. He looked worried. I shook my head, and minimized eye contact with him. He's not human, he shouldn't be like that. "I can take you to your room to rest."

"When I shake my head, it means, I don't want to. Don't piss me off."

Amyas nodded. He continued eating and studied me. I still don't know what the man's motives were for me, but let's just say he did want to take something away from me, so there's no need for a good-natured event. After lunch, we returned to our respective rooms. Since a few days ago, Aqua and I had the duty of helping the maids in the kitchen to cook. Well, maybe Aqua was cooking with the others, but mine was just peeling a potato that was the size of a calf.

Meanwhile, Shiloh and Amyas went to practice swords with the soldiers. I'm jealous of Shiloh. I should be allowed to join practice too, because being in the kitchen is never fun for me. I want to hold a sword and fly it at will. Just imagining it is driving me crazy.

"Are you interested in martial arts?"

Aqua was beside me, she was observing the boys in the practice area. "Even if I'm interested, why?"

she smiled. "I can give you a chance to learn martial arts."

"How to?"

"You just need to trust me."

I clucked. Strange speech. "I trust you. What do you expect?"

"Those were just words, Abby," he said, only to find he didn't believe me. "If you believe me, tomorrow night meet me here again."

"What are you planning?"

"If you believe me, just come."

"Let's see later."

I immediately left Aqua after I finished helping in the kitchen. I don't trust anyone, but his offer I will try to believe his word. I'll get everything ready for tomorrow night.

—Ordinary Visage—

Tonight has come. I walked towards the passage not far from the sword practice yesterday. Before coming here, I had pocketed a knife in case Aqua had other, unknown intentions. The streets were silent, only torches were displayed on every pillar of the palace. I walked slowly down the hall in my thick coat, then stopped when I saw Aqua. The girl was leaning against one of the pillars with a long sword at her waist. He was holding another sword that was still in its sheath. He saw me, then smiled. Aqua looked uncharacteristically tough.

"You came apparently."

I chuckled at that. "I told you, I trust you."

Aqua passed the sword she was holding to me. I received it in shock, while he just raised an eyebrow. "Let's practice. I've been waiting a long time."

Like it or not, I followed where he was going. There was no one here, maybe because it was the middle of the night. Aqua pulled out her sword confidently, I followed in her footsteps, trying hard not to hesitate even though this was my first time wielding a sword.

"Before continuing with training, I want you to answer one question of mine honestly," Aqua said in the stillness of the night. I thrust the sword into the ground, leaving it firmly planted there. "I don't want to answer your questions. Whatever it is."

"Then I won't train you."

I chuckled at that. "It turns out that you are also an arbitrary liar, huh?" I said fiercely. "As promised, I'll come see you here at night. Am I right?"

She nodded. "Correct."

"Then why do you demand for one honesty from me?"

Aqua put her sword back in. "My question is not something difficult to answer. You shouldn't mind."

"I don't want to talk about honesty, you shouldn't mind."

Aqua's eyebrows slanted. This is the first time I saw the expression on the girl's face. He stepped closer to me, while I just glanced at him without interest. "What?" I asked.

"Answer my question, or you will regret it for the rest of your life."

The aura Aqua was giving off was different from before. I didn't even expect him to be like this. His eyes looked at me sharply, as if I was an enemy who had come to kill him. I tried not to panic, and tried to take a deep breath. "What do you want to ask, huh?!"

She fell silent. He suddenly positioned his sword towards me, bringing it closer to the chin. I gulped. "Did you meet His Highness yesterday?"

I know who he means. "No."

"Give me the right answer, Abby."

Aqua clamped her blade until it cut my chin. I quickly kicked the girl until she was pushed a few steps. I immediately took my sword and pointed it with that sharp object. Aqua widened her eyes, surprised when the tip of my sword was inches from her eyes. I glared at him.

"This is why I don't want to believe you Aqua," I said, "who are you?" []