C1; Episode 2/15: The Frauds

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Episode 2: The Frauds

Entry: 4

Day: Wednesday

Date: April 7- 8, 2022

Time: 5: 29 am- 1: 58 am

...

Tomorrow...

Everything goes smoothly. Reine got bathed, though painful because of the running water, she still pull passed through it. She dressed up her wounds with the help of the purple colored eyes and white haired girl called Chelsey.

"Doesn't it hurts?... It must be too painful! Why did they have to be cruel and hurts you so much?!... Huhuhu! It's my fault! You wouldn't get into such miserable state if not for me! Why did I ever report it to the master?! That brutal, sadistic and horrible man?!," yet again, Chelsey cried hard upon seeing the severe and serious condition of Reine's wounds and injuries.

"Hush! Chelsey! Don't cry! Don't cry! You'll get more ugly if you cry like that... Besides these wounds are nothing and it will heal, right?," Reine teased the pretty fifteen year- old girl with white hair and purple eyes. And talked as if her wounds didn't hurt at all.

It seemed like she didn't care about the wounds as if it was just a trivial matter when she actually nearly nearly died in painful agony and coldness.

You see... She doesn't loss the vibrance and beauty of the flowers in spring, the radiant and warmth of the flaming sunlight in summer, the graceful and flexible habit of bears in autumn and the sturdiness and unyielding nature of a tree in winter.

She's still there, the same. The beautiful flowers didn't wither, the flames of the sunlight didn't extinguish, the bears didn't cower in upcoming cold, and the tree didn't die. It seemed so.

She didn't cry despite all the pain she's going through. She just groaned a little bit and soon her eyes that were turned empty from tiredness, exhaustion and pain became fierce, energized and bright again.

But now that she's looking at the girl named Chelsey, the one who betrayed, apologized and forgiven, Reine is still keeping those descriptions but also showed another side. A sweet and gentle side like that of a loving older sister.

One heart might have been touched by it but it made the one writhed it's own in guilt and sadness. The gentle, soft and sweet but teasing voice of Reine provokes Chelsey's tears to run out further more. She cries and sniffles while dressing her sworned sister's grieve wounds. From black and blue colored bruises to a new deep and fresh fleshy wounds, Reine got plenty of those in her body. It makes Chelsey even more guilty, sad, regretful and bad inside.

"Are... Are you saying that Chelsey is ugly? She's not pretty and cute anymore?," pouting and seemed sad, she asked the questions in a third person's point of view.

Reine: {She always does that pouting and pretending to be sad as if she's throwing a tantrums if she wants to brighten up the day of someone. And every time she does that, I find it cute and adorable!}

"Pfft... Why do you think like that? You know that I didn't mean it," Reine burst laughters and she said those words in the same soft, gentle and sweet voice with little bit of giggles.

"Yes! You finally laughed! Ehehe... Of course I know it but I just want to see you laugh, a genuine and happy one... Before you leave me...," Chelsey confessed in a happy but also sad and a little worried voice.

"Oh! By the way... Umm... Chelsey, where did you get the ruby you have yesterday?," hesitantly Reine asked. Remembering that after she sung the "Farewell Song of The Nightingale", Chelsey showed her a red gem and that looks like a ruby. She wanted to asked her about this but got interrupted.

"What ruby?," Chelsey asked as if she's confused but truthfully pretending that she didn't know.

"The red stone in your hands look like a ruby. You even showed it to me yesterday when I finished singing the song. It's a recording stone," Reine decides to be patient and answered the girl in a more detailed and clear way.

But Chelsey answered," Maybe you're confused and have a hallucination yesterday, sister Reine. There's no red ruby, stone or recording whatever is that. I didn't showed yesterday any of that whatever you're talking about."

Reine stops rolling the white and clean bandage cloth around her right arm and looks up at Chelsey. But the white haired and purple colored eyes girl, Chelsey, is looking her eyes down on the ground, not wanting to make an eye contact with Reine.

Reine: {It seems like Chelsey is trying to hide something from me again! Just yesterday, she showed me the recording stone that looks like a ruby. I didn't hallucinates or anything! It's just she's evading my question. She doesn't wants to talk about it... Okay! Fine! So be it! If she doesn't wants to talk it to me then fine! I respect her choose and decision. Let's not probe more deeply into that matter. Maybe that's too personal. And I'm invading her privacy, without me knowing.}

"Oh! Okay! It seemed like I remembered it wrong! My mind can be a little fussy sometimes. Ahahaha! I'm sorry let's forget that I asked you about it... Now let's finish bandaging up all my wounds. I still need to do many things to prepare after this and the time is tight," Reine puts the matter regarding about the recording stone aside and immediately lightens up the mood inside by telling Chelsey that they needed to hurry what they doing.

While Reine is being busy, Chelsey took her time to look at her. With teary eyes full of sadness, guilt, pain, difficulties, hesitation and unwillingness.

"Thank you, sister Reine! For not looking into that matter any deeper!," she thanks Reine in gratitude with her lowered comparable to that of a whisper. Chelsey thought that Reine wouldn't heard that but she did.

Reine: {Chelsey... She's really hiding some matters to me.}

Reine thoughts and confirmed what's in her mind after hearing what Chelsey said. It's just that she didn't know what this girl hiding from her.

"Sister Reine! Here! This is what you're going to wear!... Wow! This kind of clothes is something we rarely see!," Chelsey's cheerful shout and awe in the beautiful and seemingly luxurious clothing brought Reine to her focus. She decided to shake all those thoughts and get away from it. Maybe in the future she'll discover what Chelsey was hiding from her...

Reine looked up and saw a stunning and luxurious dress. It's color minty green with expensive laces. The floral embroidery in the bosom part and the bem seemed top notch with a golden thread. Few small emerald gemstones decorated the dress to look it more beautiful. Another silk cream fabric cover the dress to add a little elegance aura in it. Not off shoulder, wearing it will expose not Reine's wounds. The length can cover above her kness and in the back is a little bit longer. Her slim and long legs and smooth porcelain will be shown to others. It's a little ok cause revealing but beautiful!

"I'm gonna change!," Reine's declared and grabs the beautiful dress.

After a few minutes later...

"Wow! Sister Reine! You look too stunning! I now felt that you come from a noble family! That charm, pose, unignorable aura, beautiful face, delicate and petite body! Boom! Perfect!," Chelsey complimented Reine with admiration and awe. Her eyes seem to sparkles with thousand of stars.

"Now...!!! OH MY!!!," suddenly someone barged in but ended up looking at Reine, stunned. She froze in her tracks and widen her mean looking eyes in shock. Right, that intruder is the wicked woman, Bosnia Nisuzue.

Originally, Reine was already a beautiful delicate looking fairy like maiden but now that she even got dressed up, her charm and features boosted up in many levels.

Bosnia Nisuzue: {Why does I felt that five million gold coins deal is not enough? We should make it a five million crystal coins!}

The wicked woman's greediness seemed to roused up high too. And her inner desirable self seemed still asking for more.

"Humph! Truly dress makes up a woman! Now you look like a beautiful daughter of a wealthy and noble person!," the wicked woman sarcastically remarks. She implies that Reine wouldn't be this beautiful if not for the dress. And because of this, she needed to repay the wicked woman's hypothetical kindness and generosity.

Chelsey glared at wicked woman and felt enraged. She curled up her fists and gripped the edge of her plain cream colored dress.

Chelsey: {What did she said?! Who's the one who still needs a luxurious and beautiful dress to look pretty?! What about her?! She always wears such extravagant and luxurious clothing yet she still looks like a piece of sh*t!}

"Chelsey... Calm down, I know it's infuriating but this time we need to endure it a little bit more. After this, let's see whether she or I who has the last laugh," Reine softly reminded her and she speaks in a mysterious manner.

Chelsey seemed to caught the hint and asked in a low voice," Sister Reine, do you have a plan?" Reine just smiles at her mysteriously and didn't said anymore information. It makes Chelsey intrigued and curious.

Everthing goes smothly, too smooth. From patching the wounds, dressing up beutifully, doing the hair, Reine to cooperate obediently. It makes the wicked woman doubts Reine. There's no struggle or whatnot. She can't see nor feel any unwillingness either. Shouldn't the woman be happy with this setup? Didn't she achieves her goal to make her obedient, but why something bugging her. She felt nervous, worried and uncomfortable for some unknown reason.

Bosnia Nisuzue: {This troublesome girl is being too unusually obedient. Usually she would refuse to any of our biddings and if not doing the hard way, she wouldn't comply to my and husband's commands. Maybe locking her in a dark and cold room is a success and effective way to make her obedient?}

No the wicked woman is wrong. Actually, Reine was just being absentminded for thinking ahout her escape plan later. She wants to memorize how will she do it and thinks of the consequences that will come after...

"So... this might be our last chance to see each other, do you feel happy? After all, you've been enduring those trouble over the eight years. And at last you can now be free from this place," the wicked woman sarcastically aked Reine with a taunting smile plastered in her distorted face.

Reine: {Why does this woman speaks so sarcastically since she barged inside my room?! What's her problem?... No no no... I need to calm down don't get angry with such dull and rotten brained person.}

Reine decides that she wouldn't answer nor response to any provocation this wicked woman throws at her. Let her be petty and annoyed, that is if she can't contains her vile mouth.

"You!," the wicked woman shouted, feeling suprised and unbelievable that Reine ignores her. She's furious! She grits her teeth and wanted to slap Reine.

Bosnia Nisuzue: {It seemed like this troublesome girl is still not obedient enough.}

The slap came fast but also fast enough to reverts its hitting direction. The one who recieves the slap is the poor narra table. Since it was quite a hard slap, the wicked woman's hand reddened and swollen. "Ah ah ah ah!!! It hurts! D*mn! Hurts as hell! Ah ah ah!!!," the wicked woman curses between the loud painful screams.

The wicked woman didn't hit Reine for the reason that she saw her VIP costumer at the entrance of the same luxurious creamed colored room. If that fat cash cow saw her hiting the purchased product of that disgusting and perverted old man then maybe the five million gold coins deal won't be valid anymore! Even if Reine is dressed too stunning and ravishing.

"My lord! You startle me! When did you arrive?," the wicked woman started to look like flattering someone again and it become annoying to the disgusting and perverted man. "Why do I still need to tell when will arrive when you already know?," the disgusting and perverted man got annoyed with the wicked woman as soon as he enters the luxurious room.

He saw that his purchased product was nearly damaged yet again. Fortunately he can still salvage it for arriving much earlier! The disgusting and perverted man looked at the wicked woman with angry and dark face. It makes the wicked woman feels nervous and scared and shudders.

Bosnia Nisuzue: { Did that d*mned disgusting and perverted man saw it? Me almost slapping this troublesome girl? What if he does, will he call off the purchase? No no no! I can't let that happen!}

"Ahm! My lord forgive ahaha... You can now bring your purchased product to your home... So," she diverts the attention of the disgusting and perverted man to Reine and forget that slapping when it didn't happen. She just hope that disgusting and perverted man is not petty enough to even go deeper the argument.

Sure enough, the disgusting and perverted man forgot the matter as soon as he saw the beautiful and delicate looking fairy like maiden. "You did a great job this time! Hmm... Guards bring the trunks!," pleased, the disgusting and perverted man ordered his bodyguards to bring five trunks that apparently containing a million gold coins each.

The wicked woman's nature of greediness is leaking again. As soon as the trunks open and the gold coins came into her view, she immediately sat down to count.

While the wicked woman looking extremely happy, Reine seemed troubled. Her plan to escape seemed to have a slimmer chance of success. She didn't expect or actually didn't thought that this disgusting and perverted man would bring bodyguards with him. She forgot that regarding nobles, they wouldn't leave without bodyguards to protect and run errands for themselves. Hayst! Reine, she's still to naive and know a little about the world...

"So beauty... Are you happy now?," Reine jerked when the disgusting and perverted man asks her out of nowhere. What should she replies? No I don't? Or should she force herself to comply? Or maybe just be herself?

In the end Reine decided to ignore the disgusting and perverted man's question. "Ahahaha! Good good good! You didn't change at all!... Whatever the more you become stubborn, the more I like you! Don't you know that I like a fiesty girl recently?," the disgusting and perverted man bursts into amuse laughter.

The disgusting and perverted man's seemingly crazy laugh gathered the attention of others but soon after they go back to what they doing when they saw that nothing's wrong.

"Five million gold coins! That's too accurate, my lord!," the wicked woman praised the disgusting and perverted man as well as it serves as a flattery.

"Tsk! I'm gonna get out of here! Come beauty! I'll take you to a paradise!," the man despised the wicked woman more than ever now. He annoyingly said and grabbed Reine's hands making the absentminded her yanked in shock. The disgusting and perverted man smiles at her in an uncomfortable manner.

The disgusting and perverted man immediately get inside in some luxurious white and golden carriage that runs by two tan colored good quality hourses.

Reine: {Rich people really know how to show off their wealth! This is just a carriage and yet it's already screaming in wealth. This will my first time riding on a carriage after such a long time.}

Reine get on the luxurious carriage. The interior design is much more extravagant and luxurious than the outside. The cream colored coach is so soft that as soon as you sit down on it, it will shrinks. The middle have various snacks above the small but long table. There's also a light stone above them that glows to give them warmth and light. The red carpet under their feet seemed fost a fortune. Reine don't dare to touch any of this, lest that she pays an unimaginable price.

"Why don't you eat anything? Come this snacks are imported and tasty, made from Floris! My bodyguard said that it tastes delicious!," the disgusting and perverted man started to take his move on Reine.

But yet again Reine just keeps silent and didn't move a single bit. Instead of lingering her eyes on the food on the table, she looks outside of the glass. She can see the forest and natural scenery. Though nothing special, it can make Reine amused in a strange way. She felt like the trees and weeds are swaying and saying goodbye to her.

Reine: {Yes! Just a matter of time before I'll attain my freedom back!}

"Sister Reine...," from afar Chelsey looks at Reine's direction with worried, guilty and sad expression. Her sister Reine will leaves her soon enough. Yet she couldn't utter a single words of goodbye. She felt the corner of her eyes moist and a few more seconds it falls like the water of a waterfalls, so abundant, unstoppable and strong. How can her sister Reine's fate became like this if not because of her. She wanted to blame herself and atone for her sin...

...

The carriage gets moving and suprisingly it was fast and steady. But soon after the disgusting and perverted man stops the carriage and get out of it. Curiously, Reine followed him. But she didn't expect what she saw next!

The disgusting and perverted man started to get on his bussiness. He get a cloth laid down in the ground covered in the fallen leaves qnd he pulled down his pants. He started trembling like suffering in pain and agony.

"Come on! A little bit more~," the disgusting and perverted man shouted to encourage himself to shit. But after he fulled up his pants, he heard the rustling sounds. And when he looks, he saw Reine looking at him with utterly shock and disgust. She seemed like she uncover such dark and big secret of the disgusting and perverted man.

Reine: {What's that?! The... the... The poop of that disgusting and perverted man turned into gold!!! What kind of skill or power is that?!}

Shaken, Reine tries to run away from the disgusting and perverted man. But she was too late and caught by him. His furious, embarrassed and angry face came into Reine's view.

"No! Get away from me!!! You're disgusting! Get away!," Reine struggled under the grip of the disgusting and perverted man. She kicked his kneecap and he groaned in pain. "Sh*t! Bodyguards! Catch that b*tch! Don't let her runaway," he shouted and it was heard from the distance.

"Oh no!" This time many bodyguards surrounded Reine. She thought there was only of them but they're fifteen of them!!! Can she fights them all? This bodyguards are way too skilled than the male servants of Dinggo Nisuzue. They are made and born to fight and completely obey their masters at all costs! Now that Reine is still injured, the efficiency of her fighting skills and combat prowess decreases by many levels! Even just fighting two of them can she barely manage to win a fight but now there are fifteen. What she'll gonna do?!

Five showed a thick rope tie and the rest have sharp and pointed weapons. Reine gulped her throat and she doesn't have any choice but to fight her way out! She also discovered what she shouldn't. As the saying goes "curiosity kills the cat" and she's the cat. She'll die here! Surely!

"There's no choice, beauty! You can either surrender or fight to death with my bodyguards," the disgusting and perverted man came into view and smirked at Reine. He reminded her of her difficult choices and seemingly threatening her.

Reine looked at him with furious eyes and turned her head to look at the scary bodyguards that ready to fight her once she moves.

Reine: {This is stalemate! Shoot! How did I get myself into such trouble that may lose my life? Surrender or not? No I can't surrender! If I can't get out of here alive, at least put up a fight! In that way I'll die in a reasonable way than succumbs to them! If I'm lucky too enough, maybe someone will gonna help and save me. Alright let's do it. Whether I survive or not it still undecided! I still have a chance!...}

"Why would I surrender if I can fight?," Reine grinned and smiled sweetly. The words came out form her mouth decided what will happens next.

"So you choose death?! Fool! What a fool you are!!! I even admire your beauty, bravery, courage and unyielding manner but unfortunately this is where it all ends!... Bodyguards! Finish her off once and for all!," the disgusting and perverted man shouted angrily at Reine.

He declared the decision to kill Reine because she didn't surrender. Had she did, he'll let her off after knowing his dark secret and let her became his beauty and human doll in his collection but not. The maiden choose the hard way! Now he's sure that death only awaits this maiden.

Immediately the bodyguards kept attacking Reine's vital area such as her stomach, chest, neck, heart, eyes, kness and tights. And she keeps dodging all of it with all her might or defending herself. She couldn't find an opening in the bodyguards formation. Their formation is formidable, sturdy bonded, merciless and not sloppy. Where's the loophole?

Reine's mind spins thinking that she might win this fight through wits. She only have herself and nothing more. She keeps reminding herself not to give up. One, twice, thrice, she can find the chance to retaliate but she's alone, what could she possibly do? Not much and in exchange of those three chance the she sustained countless injuries and her unhealed wounds reopened. Blood gushed out of her body. She looks too gruesome now. Coverd in blood and sweat, she endures everything, grits her teeth and fight until she can't anymore. Not once she cried!

But in the end... "It seems like it's the end? Beauty- ah no! You're not a beauy anymore but a stubborn mole!," the taunting unpleasant words come out from the disgusting and perverted man's mouth makes Reine thought that it's truly the end.

She can't fight anymore. She felt that every strength in her body leaves her very quickly. Her conciousness seems faltering. Oh now what will happen? Will she give up and accept death.

No! She needs to live! She promised Chelsey that she'll not give up! She'll find to live the life she wants. "Ah ah ah! I won't! I... I wo- won't give... up!!!," so with soo much difficulties and efforts, she slowly stands up. She hold her right arm and shaking, she rouse from the bed of fallen leaves.

"Eh?! You're really stubborn huh?!," the disgusting and perverted man never see a persistent and unwavering person like her. It's too hard to believe that she didn't give up after all those injuries and pain she suffers.

"Hmph! I like it! This is the first time I'll watch a killing of someone who's stubborn! Show me what you've got!," the disgusting and perverted man licked his lips and said amusingly lke he's watching some intersting show or something. He makes fun of Reine. It makes her enraged and furious. Her will to live accelerated.

"Die!," with the last ounce of her strength, Reine manage to scraps the disgusting and perverted man's throat where thick and fresh blood oozed out before she collapses to the ground.

"Master! Oh no! Master is hurts! Number 1! Heal master while we take care of that b*tch!," one of the bodyguards takes immediately action. He walks toward Reine and flung his sword high, just above the unmoving maiden's neck, below her head.

The exhausted Reine closed her eyes tight when she felt the the cold glint and sharpness of the blade coming down fast to her neck along with the wind. Without any fear, she waited it to fall in her neck but something's... weird and different.

When Reine slowly opened her eyes to see what happened. She saw the bodyguard that should killed her fall down on his knees along with the clanking sound of the fallen sword. Wide eyes, he mustered his strenth to shout," A- Attack!!!"

After that shout a loud thud can be heard. A warm copse fall flat in the bed of fallen tree leaves with an ice sculpted arrow that melts quickly under the sunlight. Reine looked shocked, surprised, amazed and admired. Her mind goes blank as she saw a silhouette of a man. So gallant and brave, so cool and handsome, so cold and merciless, so uncaring and so skilled and fast. That's the description danks to Reine after she regained herself from her reverence.

In no time, he finishes off all the bodyguards standing. The bed of fallen leaves became a bloodbath, soaking in fresh and strong smell of blood. "Apologize to her! Or I might let you live," his cold and pleasant voice touched Reine's heart. Who's this strong man? Why is he doing this? What good does it brings him helping her?

"I- I'm sorry! Please let me off! Stubborn mol- I mean beauty! Fairy! Goddess! Please forgive me! Let me live!," the disgusting and perverted man apologized and begs for mercy as snots and tears mixing. He kowtowed many times and crawl to Reine's place to show his sincerity. He looks disgusting, unkept and pitiful.

"You...," Reine utters an unbelievable sound. Then she managed to smiled sweetly. "Life is... quite pre- precious. Should you keep it but n- no... You deserves it. I've forgiven you...," her words are difficult to say as she really don't have much strength left.

"You heard her young man, right? Now don't kill me!," the disgusting and perverted man stops to be pitiful and became arrogant. He even ordered the stranger, a hero, so rudely.

The hero looks down at the disgusting and perverted man like he was some kind of dead man. His cold, scary and terrifying dark blue eyes like of that deep bottomless ocean is suffocating and making the disgusting and perverted man felt terrified. He trembles and cold air shivers down in his spine in nervousness, and widened his golden eyes in fear. Something materialize and it's a ice sword! That's a high level magic spell! It seemed like this hero have ice elemental power and powerful at that.

Before the disgusting and perverted man knew it, that same ice sword was already pierced his heart. "You... !!! Why did... you g- go back on... your ... words?! Didn't she...," the disgusting and perverted man said in disbelief and felt betrayed. He felt hopeless.

"She said life's precious but... do you deserve it? Remember all those hideous things and crimes you commits. Then atone it in hell!," his cold and scary voice makes the disgusting and perverted man thinks that he deserves it. All those buying the young women and playing with them in bed, killing them without any care and make them suffers in his collection house. If those are enough then there's more... He truly don't deserves to live and dying is even more lenient way of punishment for all the unspeakable and traumatic crimes he committed.

"Thank you! Y- young man... I... I under- understand it now," that words of gratitude that you might never think that will come out from that old disgusting and perverted man's mouth.

He may now rest in ??? You judge ...

The hero carefully picked, Reine up and gently embrace her in his arm. His cold face still doesn't change but his actions became much softer, gentler and caring.

"Hah! This is the first time I saw someone who is so stubborn even in the face of death... I see, you're such an incredible maiden... My lady let me do the honor to help you recuperate...," the cold voice was tinged with amusement as he strode off.

"Ehehe... You're n- not bad in fighting too, you... know. Well... in t- the end... I- I was right! See... I survived! Whoever you are... Thank you," those happy, glad, relieved and words of gratitude is the last thing Reine said before she lost her consciousness as she felt that she was carried away by the stone and cold faced man from that bloody battlefield. She now trusted this young man won't do anything bad to her...

...

"Tweet tweet...," Reine could heard the tweeting and chirping sounds of the birds outside that makes her opened her emerald eyes with rainbow hue as in suddenly. She sprung up from the bed but she felt an indescribable pain surging in every parts of her body. "Ahhhhhhhhh!!! Owww!!!," Reine shouted in pain with her hoarse voice, and became teary from too much pain.

"What's this?! How come?! This...," Reine shed a single tear and it rolled down in her cheeks, soon it became a sapphire! From too much pain, feeling confused, Reine subconsciously teared up which she couldn't control. When did she became this weak and vulnerable?

This is the first time she felt distressed over such pain. Thinking back, she couldn't kill that disgusting and perverted man. Thus, if not for the cold and nonchalant hero then she would already became a cold corpse there. Then, she couldn't fulfill her promise with Chelsey. That makes her sad.

Speaking of which, where is she?! A cottage?! The walls of the house are made in polished cements and the pillars are made of thick and round narra trees. The room she is in don't have many furnitures. Just pitcher, glass above wooden table and two chairs. And this wooden bed of hers have thick quilt so it is somewhat soft and warm. Blanket draped over half of her body.

The warm and bright sunlight passed the open wooden window makes the room clear and welcoming. Reine looked around for some time before she finally noticed that she's become a mummy from being bandaged all over her body. And more aarming that she's not wearing the same clothes anymore. In place of it was a light purple dress with few floral embroidery designs in the hem of the skirts, shoulders and neckline of the dress. It was quite bautiful and lovely but not too expensive.

"You're awake... Hungry? Here," Reine finally noticed the cold and stoical face handome young man in the entrance of the house holding a newly hot food seemed like soup or a pordridge.

Her stomach grumbles loudly making her blushes in embarrassment. Just how long does she didn't eat? To think that it makes an embarrassing hungry sound.

"Umm... Thank you?," Reine awkwardly thanked the handsome man. She's not wary about how much the stranger does and stare at her eventhough it's uncomfortable and weird. And downed the food, it's a porridge with battered eggs and vegetables. It tastes delicious.

"Delicious! Who made this?," Raine's sincere praise made the handsome but cold face young man blushes a little but he tried to hide it and said," It's me. I'm also asked the auty in the next house change your clothes."

His voice didn't change, it was adept in hiding his emotions in the cold facade. "Ahh... Thank you again," Reine thanked him again. So he's the one who cooked the delicious tasty food? It doesn't seemed so. Right! He doesn't look like someone who will make an effort and go such lengthy trouble just to cook for someone he doesn't know. Why is he doing this? It's not like he'll get a reward or something.

Reine notices the sapphire gemstone lying in the bed, above the blanket. She picked it up and curiously asked, " Is this yours?"

The hero, young handsome but cold and nonchalant man shakes his head indicating that it's not his.

"Ahh," that was what Reine could only mutter. The room became awkward and heavy tension build up the atmosphere. "I'm going out. Someone will give you food and medicine every meals but the taste may not be same like this one... Hmm... May we never see again," that was the cold and nonchalant words the hero said before turning back.

"Wait!," Reine suddenly shouted that makes the cold and nonchalant hero stops in his tracks. He turned around again and faced Reine. "Hmm... What?," half lazy and half uncaring, he asked.

"Here...," she handed over the sapphire to him. "Since no one owns it then, it'll be yours," Reine smiled sweetly and waved her right hand. "Do you think that I'm someone who lacks money?," he asked in coldness.

"I don't think so but since I found it to this place, it might as well be counted as yours," Reine reasoned and give back the sapphire to him.

"You're a weird one too huh... So, are you saying that you also belong to me?," the hero asked something embarrassing with a cold voice and unchanging face seemed off.

"W- what's that?! I... I'm not an object! So how can I be- belong to you?! I couldn't possibly sell myself to you, can I? Be- besides, that's not a good idea to th- thank someone," Reine stutters in embarrassment as her cheeks burned red and she fiercely shouts at him without even thinking.

"Ah? What?!... Whatever. Claude by the way. Pronounced as Clod not Cloud. You can call every time you want and I might response to you," confused, the nonchalant and cold hero cracked in shock and said those words to give a way finishing the conversation. "So... If nothing else I'll be going! I still need to finish my mission," he said and exit the cottage.

"Reine, my name is REINE, as in Rin! Remember it! Promise, if I ever saw you again I'll definitely repay your kindness!!!," Reine shouted, her voice is loud that it even startled the neighbors.

The cold and nonchalant hero as his nature didn't answer more but surely he heard Reine's loud voice...

...

Half a week passed...

Reine stretched her body after waking up. Her body is now perfectly fine and get back to the peak of her health. She doesn't need to bandage herself anymore. All the wounds healed and not even a scar left from her body. It's a miracle thing right? Not just she healed fast but also left with a smooth and soft skin. Little did Reine know is that she was in coma for two months before she woke up three days ago.

And also as what the hero said someone will gives her food every breakfast, lunch and supper. She also needed to suffer drinking bitter medicine to get better. Good, it's the best to have a caring neighbors. They give her something to eat like honey dew, guava, apples and many more. Those foods help her cope up the bitterness of her medication.

They even tell ber stories and entertain her which is weird when she's just a stranger and a foreigner seeking a place to recuperate. Or is it that the people here are just too kind and welcoming?

And that hero named Claude didn't go back to this village since then. By the way, according to the villagers, this village is Uuniye, the outskirts village surrounded by forest of the kingdom of Torizon. It means that she's already inside the border of the Kingdom of Torizon!

Did that handsome cold and nonchalant hero brought her here?! All the way from the vast forest of Decujizso of the kingdom of Cincidumo?! That was a long journey! Long distance travel! How did he manage to do that?

Now, Reine's plan is to get out of here and starts another journey. Since she already free from the shackles of being sold off thanks to that cold and nonchalant hero named Claude, she might as well travel around the world to understand and accumulate knowledge about the place she lives in and earned something for a living so that she can also repay that savior, the hero.

Being imprisoned in such hellish place, her knowledge about the outside world is limited and many dangers might come in her way but she will never gives up!

And maybe you don't know but Reine actually have a twin sister. She's a lovable girl and her name is not too much different from her, it's Riana. They've been separated for too long. It's time for them to reunite!

...

Reine decides to say good bye to everyone in the village. They give her a packs of new and clean clothes to wear such as dresses, blouse, trousers or pants, and sweaters, dried food and meat to eat in the journey. She thanked everyone for their hospitality, kindness, care, and warmth for the time she stayed in the Uuniye Village. The villagers even wanted her to stay there but she politely refused them saying that she have many things left to do before she can settle in. The villagers could only sighs in pity and wishes Reine good luck and protection.

...

One week passed by again. And Reine is nearing to the town of Delkre. She just passed by the village of Rutyio yesterday, the fourth village she already passed by. That includes the villages of Uuniye, Tairo and Sahoqe. From South to South East and going to North East now.

After a long journey Reine's ration of food is decreasing and she can only eat and replenish the supply by going through mountains and mountains to find food. Reine also tried her best to hunt meat food like wild boars. Hunting it can make her last for three days. And by drying the meat can she store it for a long time.

But Reine seemed to spot troubles along the way. The food she can find became scarce so do the wild berries and fruits. Even rabbits and wild boars became rare.

The more she go to the capital of Torizon kingdom, the more she saw the soil became dry like the kingdom experiencing a calamity of drought. She can only conclude that there's something wrong with the kingdom. So she needs to hasten her journey to the capital city of Torizon, Tortoron City. But before that she still needed to go through the towns of Delkre, Caiue, Bonvlu and Albaitr.

But right now Reine is feeling hopeless. She can't hunt more nor find wild fruits. Only weeds and dying trees are seen in sight.

Reine: {I'm hungry! I can hear my stomach rumbling and grumbling. It even aches a lot now. Painful! I can't find any food to eat now that I'm far the village. What's more if I go to the town? Wouldn't I die of hunger?...

I couldn't possibly just grab someone's food nor steal from the stalls without paying anything. It's not like in the mountain, I can eat fruits like wild berries, apples, guava, starfruit and the likes without getting caught or reprimanded...

What now? I'm doomed!}

"Wait... What's that...???," Reine wondered curiously after seeing a silhouette approaching her in fast speed.

Far... afar... she saw a running lady with braided brownish orange hair with a red head tie and brown upper button less blouse and wide black pants that seemed modified and fixed to be a woman's version of clothing.

After running fast, the lady seemed to notice Reine who is standing still in her place without moving a single inch as she watch in anticipation and waiting for something.

And that something is the running lady. She wants to know what will happen, will the lady gonna stop or not? After some time, the lady finally takes a sharp brake that causes for the dirt and dust flew off due to the friction and wind she brought.

The lady looked at her with fierce eyes and turned to Reine. But the next thing happened is too unbelievable different from a fierce expectation. "This... This is all I have! Please don't tell them that I ran to this direction! Please I'm begging you!," she begs desperately like her life depends on it.

The lady looks haggard and tired. She's sweating furiously too. Her clothes soamed in sweat and soil. She looks side to side wryly and cautiously as if she's looking out for someone. Seems like there's someone is chasing after her. She looks too pitiful right now and it softens Reine's heart.

Her hands hold Reine's with something in between. Reine notices the remarkable cross or more like a sword tattoo? in the front of lady's right hand.

"Ah?... Okay... I won't tell them," Reine promised, feeling confused and awkward. The lady smiles sweetly and without any further ado, she immediately leaves after hearing Reine's reply.

What just happened? Reine who was left alone in daze looked at her hands. She felt a little hot circle metal in her hands. She opened her hands and saw that right in front of her eyes were copper coins!

"One, two, three..." One by one Reine counted the pieces of the copper coins and felt thrilled each time. "Wow! Ten! Ten copper coins!," like an ignorant child and poor girl, Rein shrieks in excitement after counting the money.

It seemed like this is the first time in her life she ever recieves such money. No, not even in her life she holds a money, only saw it but never can touched. Just how much Reine suffered to be so ignorant of money, just ten copper coins already makes her this happy what about a five million gold coins? If she just only knew...

Reine planned to hid the money in her shabby and worned out pocket but then something unexpected happened. The starry sky orb absorbs- no sucked the copper coins! "Eeh?... Wow! Who would thought that it can store things?!," amaze, Reine's emerald eyes glisten with yellow colored hue. Reine immediately hides the starry sky orb, afraid that she might lose such precious thing...

After a while, few skinny and short men rushes to Reine after seeing her. They all panting and out of breath. They want to ask a question about the lady earlier.

Reine: {It seemed like these are the chasers! Are they after the girl?}

"Do you saw a girl passed by here? Where did she go?," the skinny one with oblong shape face and two long big teeth that sticking out of his mouth like a rabbit, asked Reine.

Though this men are scary and a little bit disturbing with their face, Reine doesn't flinched nor felt uncomfortable. She of course don't know what outside the hellish place where the kingdom of Cincidumo dwells. To be calm like this. She can also knock down this men if they dare to hurt her. So that's why she's calm.

"Ah! Sirs, do you mean the tall girl with braided hair?," Reine asked as if she's curious and guessing. The men looks at each other before they nod. "It seems so," the, same rabbit guy answered, also not clear with the description.

"Oh! Then if the person you're looking for is her then... she goes that way!," Reine said and pointed the left direction, a path going to the mountains instead of the main road.

"It seemed like that myschievous girl didn't like it in a soft way!,' the rabbit man angrily commented. "Let's go! That girl might not still too far! Let's search for her!" The rabbit man ordered. He seemed to be the leader to be the leader, the one making decisions for the team and whatever he said or command, the men trusted and followed his words without any second thought.

Soon enough, they all disappear Reine's sight along with the shouts and loud voices.

"Phew!" Reine lets out a relievedsigh. It seemed like she lied for the first time so she was quite feeling nervous and troubled. She hope that nothing goes wrong with that. Hayst! What good does it bring to agree with that lady's request? She just lied to others without batting an eye for God's sake! Well at least now Reine have money, maybe now she don't need to worry about food when she enter the town.

At least that lady is considerate enough to give Reine money for lying for her sake. Nowadays, nothing is free in the world. Everything you ask, even a smallest favor it needed to repaid back.

...

Finally! Reine looked up the tall and imposing walls of the borders in Delkre Town. She felt awestruck about the structure in front of her. Two stern looking men in full metal blaze armour. They both have spears made in a most unbreakable iron.

"You... Stop! Identification needed," Reine tries to enter the big gate but suddenly stops by the guarding soldiers crossing their spears. Reine took a froze in her steps.

She looks back at the soldiers stationed in the entrance of the gate border of Delkre Town to guard. "Sir, what is the identification? Why is it needed? I ran away from my abusive foster parents so whatever that identification you needed, I didn't have it," Reine reasoned and looked too pitiful. She's trying to convince the soldiers to let her inside the town without any requirements needed.

"Then state! Why does an homeless girl like you wants to enter the town?... Don't you know that this place also been plagued by drought? You won't get anything good here. I advice you girl before it's too late, just leave," the soldiers responded with a warning for Reine.

But Reine is a curious cat right now and felt intrigued by the drought the kingdom experiencing. "Please sir, let me enter! I must go there! I needed to know something very important. This might be my last chance to know the truth, so sir please," Reine seemed troubled that this soldiers won't let her pass there anymore so she resort to such begging. She's too stubborn to give up.

"Haisyt! Okay fine! Girl don't blame me that we didn't warn you," the soldiers finally give in after the unwavering determination of Reine's persuasion to enter.

This time the two soldiers straightened their spears and let Reine enters the Town of Delkre. "Don't worry sirs! I can take care of myself!," Reine said assuringly.

"Well if you said so then so be it... Anyway girl, I admire you. Being alone, you wouldn't arrives and survive in such a difficult journey if you're weak and not brave. But remember that you also need to stop being stubborn and learn to trust ghose trustworthy people especially on tight and difficult time," the other soldier who keeps silent suddenly speaks. He spoke his admiration for the girl's character but also cast an advice towards her bad attitude.

"Okay, sir! I'll keep that in mind! I'll be going now," Reine waves her hand in farewell and completely entered the town of Delkre.

The imposing aura from its border walls is different from inside. It's the exact opposite. The inside is not bustling as one can imagine because it is too bustling. There's many stalls set up in the streets. The majority of what they selling is food. The delicious and delectable scent of various foods wafted the air, making one feels too hungry.

Reine gulped her throat and her stomach grumbles yet again. This is bad! She's too hungry! How can she ignores the strong smell of food when she is this hungry?

"Wow! Every food looks delicious! Hmm... What shoul I choose? I can't decide!," Reine voice out her struggles while looking at the food in the stalls.

The various seller shouts the information of their products to attract buyers and Reine is one of them. Everything is fiest to her eyes.

Then something caught her eyes. A perfect round and smooth looking ball steaming hot looks unique and tasty. "Umm... aunty... How much is that, bun?," Reine asked the busy fat middle aged seller wrapping some food. The seller looks up at the pretty and delicate looking Reine. She then searched what is her hand pointing.

"Oh? Ah, it's a stuffed chicken steamed bun! Fifteen copper coins on big pieces, why are you interested in buying? If not then leave," the fat seller responded.

Reine sinks in a deep thought...

Reine: {Fifteen copper coins?! Are you kidding me? What?! Isn't my ten copper coins not sufficient to buy it but... I'm too hungry! *sigh Tricking people is not my thing but I'll try...}

"Yes, aunty, can I get one?," Reine said and the fat seller immediately gives Reine the wrapped and a hot steamed bun. Then Reine grips the ten copper coins that came out from the starry sky orb out of nowhere. This will be her first experience in purchasing things and she needs to trick a person because she lacks money. She don't want to do this but... She handed the money swiftly and immediately run away in fast speed.

"Why is that pretty maiden run away?," the fat seller wondered and asked too confused. But when she saw the ten copper coins, she flared up in rage. "Hey! Get back here! How dare you trick me?! You still needed to pay me five copper coins!," the fat seller aunty shouted while trying to chase after Reine who tricks her.

"I'm sorry aunty! I'll repay you if we ever have a chance to meet again," with that Reine ran even faster further away from the fatty seller, feeling guilty and naughty. Soon enough, after chasing for a while the fatty seller stops while painting very hard and just let this matter passed. She gave up. Well she can never caught Reine with that fat body of hers.

...

"Food food food! Such a long time and finally! Ahmm... Nom nom orph!!," Reine quickly finished eating the stuffed chicken steamed bun and she felt full and satisfied.

She decided to explore the town who looks like really caught up in drought. Reine felt a little sad looking at the dying trees, weeds and bushes because of the lack of water and rain. What happened here? Reine truly wonders.

After strolling the town, she finally back at the entrance of the tall and huge gates. She moved to a less crowded place to be alone. As she sat down, suddenly a handsome guy with bewitching apperance, not much looking older than her approaches her.

"My! What we have here? A beautiful lady left alone, do you need my company?," he suddenly asks as if he's trying to be friendly with Reine.

Reine looked up and saw a handsome young man maybe 18 years old too or older. He have a long brown hair that tied side ways with a sky blue sharp eyes of that hawk. He's holding a fan that makes him more handsome and gentlemanly educated person.

"I'm sorry, but I'm pretty fine being myself. I don't need other people's company," Reine refused him. It made the young man annoyed but still skillfully keep a calm composure.

He saw that Reine can't be swayed by handsome face so now then he approaches her with different reason and strategy. "Huh? What do you want? Why are you still here?," irritated, Reine asked as she glares at him fiercely when the young handsome man still sticks with her.

The handsome guy gulped his throat and seems a little intimidated by Reine but he still go on, on whatever his plan was. "I want nothing it's just... What about this... Are you interested in finding a job?," the thing he ask this time make Reine interested.

Seeing that Reine feeling interested, he smirks and his sky blue colored eyes glint with malicious. The fish took the bait! "I saw that you didn't have enough money to pay that single steamed bun, so... I would like to offer you a job," he further manipulates Reine's mind and tricking her into coming with him.

"What?! You stalked me?!," furious, Reine asked in angry voice. She became a little defensive and because of the young guy's words but on some point she was intrigued about what job this young guy can offer her. At times like this, what she needs is money. If she have money then she don't need to worry about tricking people because she lacks money.

"Hmmm... On the second thought I'm interested... on what you can offer," Reine said and voice out her simple thought. "Wait... My fellow friends also know many jobs going around here in Delkre. Why don't you go with me to discuss this important matter," the handsome guy with bewitching beauty suggested while leading Reine to leave and come with her.

Like a bewitched woman, Reine followed the handsome guy without any wariness. She felt bewildered with her obedient acts when she never been a obedient but stubborn one but again there's something pulling her and persuading her that it makes sense.

They arrived in a dilapidated, abandoned, shady and secluded area. Even Reine couldn't remember how did they get here. Her memory seemed hazy, something is wrong. But she can't put her mind what it is.

Suddenly three more handsome men walked out from the inside and different places. "Who are they?," Reine asked, she's frowning and have a dark expression. She have a bad feeling about this.

The three handsome men joined the brown haired young man and surrounded Reine. They have an ill intention by doing so. First they want to intimidates Reine. But sadly, Reine is a fearless maiden, even death wouldn't make her scared and now they wanted to intimidates her, they must be dreaming. That's quite laughable and funny.

"Them? My accomplice... And guess what we wanted to discuss with you?," the brown haired handsome young man asked with such arrogant attitude. His gentleman and educated aura disappeared.

"You want to abduct me... Hah! Though the tricks are quite new but the aura of you young men are already too familiar with me," Reine replied calmly, easily guessed their goals.

"Brothers we have no choice! But to use this!," the guy showed a... syringe with unknown liquid substance inside.

"What is this?," Reine asked curiously as some sticky substance in her hands. Soon after, she can't move her hands like it was glued together. She was shocked and surprised beyond description.

"Hah! I should have known! Why did I even go with you? What happened to my mind and I actually got persuaded by the lots of you horrible people! Such a handsome man with a lame but reasonable reason?! Again what did you do to my mind?!... You have a nice face yet you especially want to accompany a lonely me when you can actually get any women or girls you want... So I was right! This is what you're after! Too abduct me! You tried to luredme into coming with you with the most important matter to me right now. Good! Why does I trust people like you?!," Reine was enrage.

She again caught by human traffickers and a younger and shrewd at that. Reine is really still too naive! Short- sighted! Just because she got out from that hellish place, doesn't mean that people around her are not bad anymore. She still don't have any awareness that malicious and even more evil people also exist outside of the Kingdom of Cincidumo. She still thought that people like that only gathered to that place but she is wrong.

Crimes can happen everywhere and bad people are not entirely bad if not for submitting and succumbing to their dark side...

Reine soon started trembling and losing her consciousness. Aside from that sticky substance they also injected Reine with a strong tranquilizer. She don't even realize it and when did they do it.

She felt like she fall into their trap like a beautiful and innocent butterfly in the sticky cobwebs of the tricky and cunning spider. The more she moves, the faster the effects of the drugs but of course she wouldn't just sit there and do nothing until she completely fall asleep.

At the very least expected situation, a thick and strong greeny vines sprung up from the ground. It seemed like it was Reine who caused this.

"Oh no! Men! She's awaking her powers!," one of them felt terrified as he watch the green vines wrapped around his left feet. He felt like it's breaking his bone as it coiled upwards.

Reine doesn't paid much attention about the awaking of her powers. The clear goal of her today is to get out from this. But it seemed like they are against to my idea.

The vines suddenly disappears and Reine collapses to the ground. She's too weak from over using her magic stamina or much known in the term of mana. Plus she's still drugged the three times than the usual dose those four men uses every time they trafficked people. So she's also weak physically. And don't forget that she was manipulated and affected her mind with a mind manipulation power, so she's mentally stable at this moment.

Because of this weak and difficult predicament of Reine the four handsome men now look too disturbing and ugly as they grinned widely like a clown.

They wanted to take advantage of this situation to finish thir task when a cold pebbles more like a hailstones hitted them at the same time.

"Who's there?! Who dares to throw at us?!," the four young men shout angrily and irritated. The hailstones that hitted their head swells. It hurts too much like a big boulder just scraps their head even though it's just a small piece.

"Four men versus one weak women?... Huh?! Why does scumbags like you are still living in the Town of Delkre of the Kingdom of Torizon? Shame on you!," a cold and unnerving pleasant voice chimed in out of nowhere. It causes the reason why the hair of every part them raises. That's because they felt that they are facing the God of Death. They're thinking that they will die!

The silhouette of a man in the top part of the demolished building flutters with the wind that becomes cold. Eh? Why is that?! It's still summer season yet it's so cold. The four hideous men shivers under the extreme low temperature. Did that man caused it? Then he's scary. His mastery level of his power should be high to even affect the temperature of a certain area.

"Hah! We meet again!... Why does I always have to save you everytime we encounters each other?... Haist I'm gonna help you again this time but remember to double my compensation, my dear maiden... Reine, you must not forget," he said after landing gracefully in front of Reine and whispers into her ears before she lost consciousness.

That mysterious man saw Reine's hands like glued or something and his face darkened. With cold and scary voice , he said ,"How dare you do that to my dear maiden?! Afer all the trouble and efforts getting her out of that nasty place, killing those who threatened her life, and painstakingkingly nourished her back to her pink health, she'll get hurts again because of you filthy b*stards?! She got harrassed and assaulted in our second meeting?! YOU. WILL. PAY. FOR. THIS!!!"

Authors little note: This is shistine😄 and I hope you'll forgive me again this time😓🙏🙏 the next update will be next month😢. I can't make it the next updates in this month because time is too tight😣. Anyhow hope you enjoy reading and learned lot from this😁. Goodbye! 😉See you next month! May 18, 2022.🙂 Two consecutive updates. BYE!!!😊