Breaking Out (part 2)

We arrived on a tall wall, and it seemed like we needed to climb over it.

"Sorry about this, but we have to move quickly."

Rake suddenly walked over to me, and he wrapped his hands around my waist.

"W-Wait, are we actually--"

"Yes. They are already catching up."

I turned my gaze backwards to his words, and found a whole army of knights rushing towards our position right now. They are still far away, and they just exited the building.

"Rake!!! Come back here!!!!"

A man shouted from that large group, but Rake wasn't listening.

"Hang tight."

With enough power, he leaped.

VWOOSH!!!!

I couldn't scream, because I was holding my breath. I closed my eyes, because I'm not sure if I'm brave enough for height or speed.

It seems like Rake is purposely hopping away from building to building, while carrying me in front of him. I held his neck so tightly that I was worrying he might choke, but he never really complained so I kept silent.

After so long, he finally stopped and landed on the road of a faraway section of the kingdom. From the distance, I can view the White Cathedral that is far above a hill, and I can tell just how far we've gotten.

We are at the edge of the city. We ran away so far…

He let me go, and I was able to stand back on my own two feet. I studied my body, and realized that I am still alive.

"You really don't have to choke me the entire time…"

I turned to him awkwardly, and found that his neck was so red thanks to me absolutely choking the life out of him.

"S-Sorry."

"Enough of that, let's find a carriage and leave."

Rake then turned towards a nearby building, and I followed his gaze.

We seemed to have arrived in a rather empty part of the city in the middle of a road, with barely anyone around us. That's understandable, since this spot is right by the city wall, at the very edge of the city. 

The closest person is very far away up this road, and they seemed to be drunk people talking loudly with one another in front of a bar.

"Right, you might need some cover."

The guy said as he lifted his hand. A piece of black cloth appeared from what seemed to be his storage bracelet. The cloth appeared perfectly in his hand, and he gave it to me. I took it from his hand and held it with both my hands.

It's a long black robe, similar to the one I used, but this one has rather short sleeves.

This is a combat raincoat, worn by combatants to cover themselves from rain.

As I wore the robe, I noticed him also wearing one. That's when I realized that I am no longer alone now.

Rake is a human. He is someone that came out of his mother's womb as a human, and lived his entire life as one. And yet, here he is helping the last surviving ethelen.

I want to know his reason. I want to know why he is helping me, especially when he was the one who is responsible for wiping out my entire race. He even went as far as to kill his fellow human people, just to break me out of jail. Why is he doing that?

But before I was able to ask, footsteps came from the left. Just like me, Rake also just noticed the sound of footsteps, and he quickly moved closer to me to protect me.

As I expected, the person in the dark walking calmly to us was hiding his presence. He was purposely laying low to capture us by surprise. Or rather, to surprise Rake.

The person walked and entered the light shone by the street light, revealing his appearance to both of us.

"J-Jack…?"

It seems like Rake knows who this person is. He immediately lowered his guard and walked slightly forward.

The person has rather spiked red hair, and he is wearing fancy casual clothes for human nobles. His eyes are also bright red as it reflects the torches around us, the same light that reveals his pissed off expression.

"Rake, you son of a bitch… You are being such a pain in the ass, you know that!?"

The person coming to us suddenly said angrily, but he was still walking calmly. Rake allows him to get closer, and the red haired guy suddenly holds Rake's collar.

"You went unconscious for the entire day, then you went to the king and rejected his reward. You then went to your father and fought, which then made the general lock himself up in his room. You disappeared for the entire evening, I even went to look for you outside the kingdom.

So when I heard you killed people earlier… I was shocked."

It seems like the two of them are pretty close with one another. And the fact that this guy is flaming out on Rake, doesn't mean that they are separating from one another…

They are in fact getting closer.

"I don't get it, Rake… What is it that you wished for? How do I help you feel better…?"

The person called Jack asked Rake, but the blonde guy stayed silent. Knowing this, Jack let out a sigh again.

"You are so annoying… you're my closest friend, Rake. I don't want you to leave."

"I have to. And, you can already tell what I wanted."

"Right… you have changed your goals, huh?"

Jack turned his gaze towards me, and I felt slightly awkward from his gaze. He then chuckled and turned his grin back to Rake.

"You got a weird taste, you know?"

"… You know that's not it."

"I'm kidding. Anyway, I figured you would come here right after you wreak havoc. After all, I was the one who told you about this place."

Jack said with a grin, and he lifted his right hand. An item appeared from his storage bracelet, and he held it with his hand.

It's a paper. Or rather, a ticket.

A pre-booked one, that was made long before we even arrived here. Meaning we can just give the ticket and board the carriage, and we will immediately leave.

He is… helping us escape. Not just that, it's like he already knew that we'd be here.

"J-Jack--"

"No matter what, Rake. Even when the entire world is against you, I will stand by you. You're the only person I trust, so whatever choice you make…

I will stand by your side."

Holy shit, even I'm tearing up.

This guy is a total homo. His friend went to a dispute with the kingdom, and as his best friend slash lover(?), he is supporting him until the very end.

"In that case… is it okay if I make a request?"

"Let's hear it."

"I want you to stay here. Become a spy, gain as much information as you possibly can about the enemies. The royal family, the church, the military. Gain as much as you possibly can, but also keeping yourself safe--"

"Oh please, who do you think I am!? I'm The Social Guy! I'm the extrovert friend that adopts you and tells you any news I got from people. Don't you worry!"

Talking with this guy seems fun.

Rake let out a tired sigh after hearing that, but still wearing the same grin.

"In that case, I'll leave it to you. I guess… Until we… meet again."

Rake faltered a little bit on his words there. It seemed like he genuinely wanted to say the good byes properly, but his own social disability stopped him. He was about to turn around and left for the transportation building, but Jack suddenly laughed.

"Man, you always suck at this stuff. It's been eighteen years since you were born, and you still don't know how to say goodbyes."

Jack then walked closer to Rake, and he lifted his right hand. His hand formed a fist, and he placed his fist on Rake's chest.

"Stay alive, eat well, and don't get yourself into trouble. I'll see you again once the time is right."

Now that's a cool departure message. Even I have a lot to learn from this guy.

Hearing that from his best friend, Rake grinned and did the same thing to the red haired dude. He landed his fist on the chest of his friend, and grinned as well.

"Yeah. See you soon."

Man, watching bromance is so turning me on. Feels like I just want to watch them cuddle or kiss. They're both handsome and colored hairs, two boys I very much want to see--

Rake is already walking. Okay.

I turned away and began walking to follow Rake, but then my arm was grabbed. I turned to Jack, slightly panicked, but he released his grip immediately.

"Relax, relax. I just want to convey a message.

I'm leaving that guy to you. He is… doing his best to help you, even betraying his entire kingdom. So please… don't hate him."

Hearing it coming from Jack the joker, made me feel absolutely stupid. For a second there, I forgot what these people are, and what things that they have done to me. The person right in front of me is also possibly related to the things that happened that night, and the one waiting for me not far from my position is the one responsible for it all.

How… am I allowing this?

Seeing it up close now, I realized that humans and ethelens were not that different. Jack, Rake, the knight captain, there are people like them even among the ethelens.

So why… are we even enemies?

Why did they attack us?

And why did someone like Rake… the one responsible for killing my people?

I turned my annoyed gaze back to Jack, and I simply walked away in silence. I didn't say a thing to him, nor did I give even a single gesture.

I have been reminded of the things that have happened, and I shall now focus on two things, and two things only.

To survive,

And to take vengeance.

Rake and I boarded a carriage that Jack had bought previously, and we both exited through a small hidden gate that was hidden by a building connected to the wall.

The carriage is being driven by a paid human worker, and he is going to take us to a destination.

And since the carriage is pretty loud, it might be a good chance for me and Rake to finally have a proper conversation.

The sun is already rising, and it has been over forty eight hours since I've been surviving all by myself. Only now, have I finally gotten someone with me.

Can I trust him…?

"Rake Ignicius, right?"

I said coldly at him, but he is still turning his gaze towards the path behind us. He sat right by the back gate while I sat slightly deeper inside the carriage, on the seat across him.

I know from the conversation with Jack that Rake is not really a chattering person, so I will need to keep on trying.

"Rake Ignicius--"

"What?"

He finally spoke. I felt slightly startled because he replied almost instantly and so coldly.

He is still not turning his gaze at me, which made me pissed because it seems like he is ignoring me. But I know that this person is terrible at social abilities, so I must keep that in mind when I speak to him.

"Why are you… helping me?"

I finally asked him. The question that has been lingering inside my head for a very long time, I finally asked it out to him.

Hearing that question, Rake turned his gaze slightly at me, but he turned it back to the road.

"I don't know."

… Hah?

"I-I'm asking for a reason… Any particular reason why you would betray your kingdom, kill your own people and break me free?"

"I don't know."

"Even to the point of actually coming with me?"

"… I don't know."

This is… pointless. His answers were not caused by his stupid inability on social stuff. But most likely because he actually doesn't know.

But for every question I asked, every time he answered, his eyes kept on getting smaller. I'm certain that if I continued asking, he would just burst his eyes out from shutting it too hard.

Damn it… everything just became so confusing.

Can I really trust him?

What if he turned on me at the very end? What if he had other intentions aside from helping me genuinely?

Mother… what should I do with him…?