Chapter 57: Stronger

My feet marched, building up courage and confidence in myself. I wasn't scared anymore, for I must face the guilty past that I created. As they finally saw me walking towards them, their faces lit up like the moon under the sky.

"Meria!" Dalary yelled, seemed like she was the one who was the most worried among all of them.

I took a glimpse of Cainne, who was smiling at me like he saw a big change in myself. All I did was to smile at him too, confirming what he might be thinking right now. That's right. I will change it. I won't run away from myself.

"Sorry I made you worry," I said with an apologetic smile. Of course, my tendrin friend wouldn't buy that at all, and still pouting like a kid. She might be older than all of us, but I couldn't help but treat her like a friend of close age.

Then, my attention turned around to Nilo, who was just standing quietly behind my friends. Some parts of his body were being wrapped in bandages, but other than that, he was fine, which I was glad to know.

He kept lowering his head as his eyes were looking in the other direction. It seems like he was avoiding me for a reason I think I knew. He might be angry because of what I did to him. I hurt him in the past, now I hurt him again.

But that guilt won't stop me from facing my fears.

"Nilo," I called his name with both care and command, which forced him to raise his head and looked at me straight in the eye, surprised. I couldn't help but clutch my fists even more. "I'm sorry about earlier."

I couldn't help but lower my head this time, embarrassed of myself. Of course, he wouldn't accept my apology that easily. I was the one who's at fault.

"It's fine."

The unexpected response from him made me lift my head. There, I saw him with the warmest smile. It was my first time seeing him like that, especially to me. He had always been glaring at me like I was some pest since we were kids that I almost forgot that he could also give a sincere smile.

Then, at that time, I remembered the past. The past that I tried to avoid and forget, but no matter what I do, I couldn't be able to escape from the grasp. So instead, I must face it or else, I'll live in fear.

"Do you remember… when we were kids…?" I started asking. His face was triggered by my question, thinking that he might be reminding himself about the incident. Because of this question, I couldn't be able to look at him in his eyes.

"Of course." He answered. I took a peek at his hands which were now fists shivering, but not from the cold. "How would I forget that?"

"I'm sorry… for what I've done," I said, now finally saying it with my own voice and words. I tried to give it a push more, trying to release my fears that I felt these past years. "Because of me, you got hurt and had to deal with difficult things."

The whole yard went silent, and only the crickets kept breaking it. The others also didn't attempt to disturb our conversation and continue to watch the event unfold. I also didn't know how to deal with this awkwardness in the air.

But that didn't matter. I finally let out all of the guilt that kept haunting me since I was a kid. My past won't scare me anymore, as I too, was now facing it. Nilo might not forgive me for what happened, but at least, I finally said it.

"I forgive you, Meria." He said, which made me more surprised than earlier. My eyes widened and my whole mind was now in a state of shock. "And I'm sorry, too."

His words made me confused, so I listened further.

"I treated you like I was higher and ruined your life." He explained, now lowering his head like he was now the guilty one, which shouldn't be the case. "I should've never made fun of others."

"Other people tried their best to enjoy living, while I'm just ruining them." He added. "Ever since that happened, I started to try books and found blacksmithing. That time, I realized that… I should enjoy my life too."

Hearing that made me feel relieved and grew sympathy for him at the same time. A part of me also blamed him for the past, and now, he tried to fix his part, his guilt over that incident. We had our different perspectives on who's at fault and who's not. What we had to do was just fill up the mistakes we made, no matter how small or big it is.

"Me too. I tried to forget the guilt I felt, but it kept coming back to me." I said, now with a big smile that I haven't let out since I talked to him. I think it was my first time giving him one, too. "But now, now that I faced you, it feels like a thorn came off of my foot."

He returned the smile and now, both thorns on our feet were finally being pulled off by our own confessions and forgiveness. My heart wasn't aching anymore, and the past seemed now like a past, done, and will never come back.

***

As the night hit the kingdom, the houses at the capital started to lit up like there had been fireflies everywhere. It wasn't the richest human kingdom among all, but Erimia had the finest and most attractive art of all time, not to mention with just a few resources.

He continued to stare at the scenery on the balcony of his room. His black hair blended in the dark and his green eyes glowed like emerald gems.

After knowing about a traitor between his men, Danico couldn't help but be cautious and ready. He knew his life was threatened now, but in order to catch the culprit, he must lure him out.

At the same time, he felt a small movement behind him, which he didn't expect to occur. It was like there was someone on his back. He should've lit up his room to avoid being played on his back. But it doesn't matter, as he already knew who it was.

"What are you doing in the middle of the night…" He said as he turned around to see the intruder. "…Louis?"

As he finally called his name, the person walked forward, revealing himself under the moonlight. He was a man wearing thin clothes, leaving his armor in his own room, but his sword was still sticking on his waist. His blonde hair couldn't be able to hide in the dark as it was glowing like gold, and his sapphire blue eyes seemed innocent.

Then, he widened his smile up to his ears and stared at him with glaring eyes. The prince raised his suspicion over the man but continued to pretend that he had no idea what his motives were.

"As an order from your majesty, I was here to guard you, Your Highness." He answered, still not removing the grin on his face. It made him more uncomfortable as he spitted those words. He wasn't sure if his father really wanted him to be safe, especially if he was close to claiming his throne.

"Is that so?" Danico said, narrowing his eyes into slits. Then, he started walking away from the balcony, from him, and towards his bed. "I have Pete with me, so I don't need you."

"But he wasn't here,"Louis said, still insisting to let him guard the prince, which he found suspicious. It was like he was begging to accept him. He stopped walking towards his bed and turned his head to him. "Wouldn't you mind me taking his place for a while?"

He left his request in silence as he raised his eyebrow at him. Then, he continued reaching for his bed, pretended that he never saw the knight in the first place. Instead of getting suspicious, he just annoyed him right now.

"I can protect myself." He said, not interested in the talk anymore. But he knew that he will make his move any moment now.

And with his deductions correct, Louis grabbed his sword from his sheath, with glaring eyes filled with disgust and hatred at the man in front of him. Then, he sprinted towards him at a great speed, raising his sword to attack him.

"Ahhh!"

Danico felt the threat in his back, so he dodged the sword on his back with no sweat. But as soon as he turned around, Louis attempted another attack. He quickly grabbed the sheath of his sword on his waist and blocked the strike of the blade.

Both of them kept pushing their weapons to each other, with different intentions. It was either kill or be killed, and there was no one to help them in the middle of the night.

When suddenly, a black figure showed up behind Louis, who had no idea what was coming for him. Before he knew it, the figure already released his weapon and chopped his leg off of him.

"Ack!" He screeched in pain, and fell on the floor. The blood was rushing from his leg stained the whole floor of perfect design.

The prince was stunned at his position, just stared at the bleeding and screaming victim that was lying on the floor. Then, he raised his head and looked at the black figure in front of him.

He was too hidden in the dark but he could see the full body armour he was wearing, and the danger and darkness that he was giving out. With just that, he finally recognized who was behind the helmet. It was the knight that Alfred ordered to go with the chase.

Before he could interrogate, the door opened, revealing Pete in his white shirt covered by hazel tunic. The white light in his hollow eyes glowed in the darkness, moving on his will.

"What?" He exclaimed as he saw one of his fellow knight lying on the ground, screaming in pain as the blood on his leg continued to drain.

"Call a medic!" Danico yelled at his subordinate, which immediately followed his orders and left the room with great speed. He couldn't be able to remove his eyes to the dark knight in front of him, who didn't say anything at the moment.

He may not know him, but he knew that he was danger.