Chapter 45 Azares City (part 1)

—Asher Frostblade's perspective.

"Why... did this happen to me?" I muttered.

Two weeks had passed. In this time I completed two single-achievement quests. The day we left the dungeon, I strangely received two achievements. It seems they had gotten the mission mixed up and gave me a grade 7 mission, even though in fact no one had cleared it because no one was coming out of that dungeon, and they classified it as a grade 7.

At first I was angry, but they gave me two knight achievements, plus the two knight achievements I had gotten for the mission in the dry forest and now two more achievements I got in these two weeks, a total of 6 knight achievements I currently have.

After all that time, we headed to one of the five cities on the continent. I was currently in the southern city called "Azares". It was far away from Nortil, so it took quite some time to get to this city.

Of course, before those two weeks, we went to pick up Jessica and fortunately she had the red flower that Alíz had asked for. Everything went smoothly and then the two weeks passed, and we were in this city.

Alicia, Clara and Dik went to attend to some business, so we would be in this city for a month.

But there was a little problem.

Who else could it have been? It was the new member talking in my head. I was so looking forward to taking her human form and being able to walk around the city.

Encrid also took her human form.

And we were currently on the cobblestone streets of the city of Azares, but Isabella wanted something.

"We can go out as if we were a family."

"Wait, what...?"

It was at that moment that they both had their human form. I actually gasped after Isabella's words. Encrid was also speechless, but we had to accept.

We accepted because Isabella threatened us? It was awkward at the time, but Encrid and I agreed to go out in this very awkward way.

"Why do we have to be holding hands?"

Encrid walked on my right side, and Isabella on the left side, while I was in the middle holding Encrid and Isabella's hand as we walked.

It was strange and awkward.

"I said let's go out as if we were a family, or have you already forgotten what I told you?"

"No."

"No..."

"..."

"..."

It was awkward, and very awkward. Even in my past life I didn't walk on the streets like this; after all, I didn't have parents.

But this... I don't think I could get used to it, especially since Encrid and I must act as if we were family.

"By the way... I thought they couldn't wear other clothes."

"What are you talking about? When we take human form we appear in black attire, but that's not clothes made of mana, it's real."

"That's right, I thought you were smarter," Isabella said.

"..."

I sighed lightly and we kept walking, but I couldn't keep walking like that while holding Encrid and Isabella's hand. It made me look like a child... No, I am in fact a child. Exactly, I was in the body of a child.

"Look, it's a restaurant, how about we go?"

I looked at Encrid and he looked at me anyway. This time I didn't have the mask I always wore, so my red eyes and all my hair were showing.

In fact, it made me look like I was royalty because of my silver hair and red eyes.

"Then let's go," Isabella walked hurriedly.

The streets were full of people. Everywhere I looked, there were people, food stalls, vegetable stalls and more stuff.

"We have discount offers, come and buy before they run out."

"Come and find dungeon items."

Vendors were shouting everywhere. The trade in this huge city was very active, even more active than in the markets and sales places in my previous world. Everything here is very active.

"It's very strange."

In fact, it felt very strange to be wandering the streets in the morning. I used to go out at night on the streets in my past life, so I never got used to being out in the daytime and seeing these vendor stalls on the streets, even though in a modern city there are usually no vendor stalls.

Since coming to this world I have found it to be a medieval and modern world, with a touch of both. They have things like swords and knights, that would be the medieval touch, but in the cities and towns it was quite modern, so it would be half medieval and half modern.

The buildings on the sides of the cobblestone streets, with bay windows and a decent height to be called buildings, the stores for goods and more stuff, it all gave a half modern atmosphere that reminded me of the modern cities in my previous world.

"Ring"

Bells rang as we entered the door of the restaurant. Nicely decorated tables, a floor made of oak wood, and more lights gave a nice ambiance. The restaurant was quiet and relaxed, with a few people eating quietly.

"You two find a place and I'll order the meals," Isabella said goodbye and went to the counter where they were serving people with food orders.

Then Encrid and I looked at a place a little ways off in the distance, near the shade. We looked at each other and then looked at the empty table at the back; we walked over and sat down.

There was an awkward silence until one person shouted.

"What the hell, you fucking bitch, you think I'll pay you for this shit!"

"Excuse me sir, but please don't get angry. If you want, we can give you a refund."

"Fuck the refund."

The man yelled stupid things and kept it up.

"How annoying."

"How annoying..."

"..."

I didn't know why, but Encrid and I always thought the same thing and said the same words at the same time. Was it some kind of connection between us? I didn't know what it was, but it was awkward and very weird.

"You sound like an idiot."

"No... I'm not."

Encrid definitely looked like an idiot. Maybe that's the reason Isabella calls him an idiot all the time.

"He's bored."

"Yes... very bored."

"..."

"This is weird. I don't usually talk much," I said.

"You're right, we'd better get out of this place as soon as possible."

It wasn't even normal people talk. I felt like someone weird right now talking to an idiot right next to me.

Fiddling with the salt that was in the middle of the table, I thought of something I was curious about.

"What were you two?"

"Who?"

"You and Isabella. You seem to have known each other for a long time."

Although I didn't want to get into the past of these two, curiosity got the better of me. They were always discussing absurd things over and over again and they didn't even stop; it's like they've been friends since they were kids.

That was why it reminded me of someone from my past life, from when I was a kid being trained.

"It's a long story, but it will be easier if you see for yourself."

"What do you mean...?"

Encrid brought his finger to my forehead and then, I sank into my thoughts.

Suddenly I was in a dark, gray place, floating in a field.

"Come on, Encrid, mom is already preparing dinner."

A dark-haired girl with inky dark eyes grabbed a silver-haired, red-eyed boy by the hand; he looked just like me.

They both ran fast and entered a common house. A big tree was next to the house with a swing made of a rope and a board.

Then, both children entered the house.

"Dinner is on the table, you can eat, children."

A voice coming from the kitchen spoke; the voice sounded like that of a woman with a slightly worn voice, as if she was ill.

Then, both children sat down and looked at two plates full of white rice with some beans and a glass of water.

At first glance, it looked like a poor family living in the countryside. That could be guessed from the big field, the one house in the middle of the field and a big tree next to it.

"They've already started, they didn't wait for me, kids."

So, I turned my head, but at that moment, everything became a blur and then the place changed.

Now, the girl and the boy from before were already adults, but the boy, who is obviously Encrid, now had black hair and purple eyes; it was the change of his appearance by the dark mana.

The girl, who is also Isabella, still looked the same but with her body more developed.

They seemed to be in a library talking together.

"Look, Encrid, it looks like this is the way to advance to the sixth circle."

"You're right, but this part doesn't look right."

"You're right."

I was instantly struck by the words of the two of them. That meant that at the age they were, these two who looked to be in their early 20s, were already close to being a sixth circle.

"I found it, look."

"Yeah, looks like it."

It was then that again the memory became blurred. The place changed to a new one; it was no longer the library. This time a much older Encrid could be seen, he seemed to be doing something in a smithy.

"Drip."

It was then that a drop landed right on the anvil right in front of him. So, I looked closer and that's when the Sickle of Darkness was on the anvil, though only the blade part. But then I got closer and looked at Encrid's face.

"Why are you crying?"

I looked at his lips and he seemed to be mumbling something.

"Why...?"

"That wasn't supposed to happen."

The mumble was low, but I managed to hear it. What did he mean? Why was he in that state while he was doing the Sickle of Darkness?

"It could..."

I couldn't think straight, as I suddenly opened my eyes and I was back in the restaurant.

Sweat covered most of my face as I fell on the table, my heart was pounding and my eyes were wide open.

"What the hell happened?"

"I think you saw a lot of my memories."

Then, I looked at Encrid.

"Your memories... Why were you crying in that blacksmith shop?"

"..."

"It seems you saw that memory."

"What was it, why were you crying?"

I felt tired and my heart ached from beating so much. Sweat was still dripping on the table, so I grabbed a napkin with slightly shaking hands and wiped the beads of sweat on the table.

I looked at Encrid again. In that memory, why was he in that pitiful state? What the hell happened to that Encrid who was smiling happily with Isabella? They both seemed happy in those memories, but from one moment to the next, Encrid was different.

"I can't tell you what happened, why I changed and what happened to Isabella. At the moment, I can't tell you any of that."

He replied as he looked at Isabella who was approaching us with two trays with some plates.

It was three memories in different years that I saw. The first two were cheerful and happy, but in the last one, Encrid seemed to be lamenting about something as he created the Sickle of Darkness.

It looked like he was preparing for war with the seven gods. Those weapons were created when the seven gods had appeared, then Encrid lost someone.

What else could it be? Maybe Isabella died, but other than that, what had him like this?

"Shit... my head hurts so bad."

I sighed.

I calmed down and looked at Isabella. She came in with some plates and then spoke.

"I asked for some recommendations that people gave me. They say they are the richest in this restaurant."

She seemed very cheerful and flashed a big smile, but maybe that's all fake. Looking at those memories of Encrid, even though they were only for a few seconds, I could see that these two were once inseparable friends, but it seems that all that fell away at some point.

"Well, I can't do anything, that was in the past and besides it wasn't my memories."

They were Encrid's memories more than anything else. He had perhaps a joyful life up to a point, but maybe he lost it all at some point. I didn't know anything, but that all answered my question from earlier.

"These two... they're still friends."

I wasn't sure, but I think they are still friends. They may not be showing it, but these two definitely still feel something, something that once held them together.

"Then let's go eat, don't waste any of the food."

"Where will we go next?" I asked.

"Mmm... I think to a fair or a park. I don't know, if there's anything fun in this town."

Well, I think maybe for the first time in my life, both in my past life and in this new life, I can have fun for at least once.

After all, it wouldn't hurt.

"So, can we..."

"Ring."

The door bells rang, and it was then that a familiar figure I hadn't seen for a long time entered.

"What...what are you doing here?"

I opened my eyes the moment the two walked through the door. Outside were some gentlemen, especially one I recognized instantly, but that doesn't matter, because those two are here, just as I was trying not to look at them.

Red eyes looked at me, as well as snow-white eyes. They both looked at me.

"Asher," then they spoke at the same time, and Isabella and Encrid turned to look....