A Soothing Smile

"Elize, get up already, it's 4 AM." The woman yelled at the black haired girl sleeping on a cramped bed.

"Brother?" The black haired girl spoke after opening her eyes.

"I'm not your brother. Now get out from your bed, you need to leave early, do you remember that? Miss Elize?" The woman said as she help the black haired girl to get up from her bed.

"Ah, right.." She replied.

After the girl stood up from the bed, she suddenly felt relieved. The girl's sorrowful eyes wept all of a sudden. "Is it really over?" she asked to the woman.

The woman walked up and gave the girl who was crying a very tight hug. "Yes, Elize, everything is done; the revenge you've been plotting for the past 12 years is finally over."

"I'll wait for you below, make sure you're ready when you get down," the woman said as she exited Elize's room.

"Yes," she said. Elize quickly changed into her clothes and prepped her equipment. After that, she crouched next to her bed and took the bag hiding below the bed, which she immediately opened. The bag only contained one item: an urn.

"Brother.." Elize said as she stare at the urn.

Her eyes went into tears again. "Brother, I finally killed the woman who murdered you, now we can finally get back home." She said to the urn she's holding.

She then returned the urn to the bag and slid it behind her back. She then went downstairs to meet the woman. When she walked downstairs, she could smell the meal the woman was preparing. "Why are you cooking food?" she asked the woman.

"Isn't it obvious? Of course, it's for you to eat before you leave." The woman replied to Elize.

"But i don't wanna eat, i'm not that hungry.." Elize said back.

"Oh, come on, you didn't eat yesterday, right? And I also want to watch you eat the dishes I cook one last time," the woman said to Elize.

Elize think for a moment, she then said, "Fine, let's eat.."

"Good, now wait for me in the dining room; I will bring your food there, the woman said to Elize with an uplifting smile on her face.

Elize sat down on the chair in the dining room and waited for the woman until she came. When the woman is finally finished cooking, she heads to the dining room and puts the dishes on the table. "This is gorgeous-looking food," Elize said as she stared at the dishes the woman cooked.

"Now, since this is your final time eating food that I cook, I put everything on those dishes simply to make sure you don't forget me on your journey," the woman explained.

Elize smiled and said, "Thanks.." and proceed to eat the food quietly.

"Huh.." The woman whispered to herself as she sip the coffee she's holding.

"So, what are you going to do after you leave this city?" The woman suddenly asked Elize.

"I'm going back to Silika." Elize responded.

You're going back to your hometown? Isn't Silika on the very far east of the continent? Hmm, that's going to be a long journey," the woman said to Elize.

"Anyway, are they angry that I killed her?" Elize inquired.

"Nope. It's the opposite, actually; they are very happy that you killed her. I mean, you just killed the queen of Riverra, the very wicked woman you and the Blades absolutely hate." The woman responded.

"That's good to hear then. I don't want the Blades chasing me every time." Elize said.

Elize and the woman both went out the door after finishing their meals to say their last goodbyes to each other. "Hey, Elize, wait here; I've got something for you, the woman said as she went to her own room.

After a while, the woman came back with a small wooden box in her hands. She then gave it to Elize and said, "Open it."

Curious about what was inside the small wooden box, Elize opened it. She saw a knife inside the box—just a normal small knife with some rust on its tip. Elize is perplexed. "What is this?" Elize asked the woman.

"You lost your weapon yesterday, right? So I get you a new weapon; it's just an old normal rusty knife, and knowing your skills, I'm pretty sure that's enough to protect yourself." The woman responded.

"I see. Thank you for everything, Amanda." Elize said to her.

"It's nothing, really, I'm just paying back the debt I got from your brother." Amanda replied.

"Debt from my brother? What debt?" Elize asked to Amanda.

"Take a look on the handle of the knife." Amanda suggested.

Elize then seized the knife and examined its handle, which revealed something she wasn't expecting. The handle included writing that proclaimed 'Allen and Elize Trading Company.'

Elize gasped as she read the lines on the handle; she quickly recognized the handwriting as being hers. Elize then cast a brief glance towards Amanda and said, "Amanda."

"That's right, it's a knife your brother made. He lent it to me when I was getting chased by a big fanzion 12 years ago. I never managed to give it back though," Amanda replied to her.

"Thank you for this Amanda." Elize said.

"No problem.. I think you should get going now Elize, the sun is here." Amanda said as she look over the sky.

"Yeah, i should get going now." Elize said.

She then sprinted outside and suddenly turned her head back to Amanda. "Amanda! Thanks for everything! I will never forget you!" Elize shouted at Amanda with a smile that outshone the sun behind her.

"You better not!" Amanda replied as she started waving back at her.

"Ahh, that girl finally smiled after 12 years. Who would have thought that she got a soothing smile." Amanda whispered to herself as she waved her hands.

Elize quickly sprinted toward the gates of the city. She then jumped to one of the buildings near the walls on the left of the gates and climbed the wall next to it. When she reached the top, she stopped to take a look at the breathtaking view outside of the city.

"Let's go, Brother."