Life Beyond End

Chapter 13: Foroaline -II-



Do I really have to tell her? About my skill? About… everything?

No way. Absolutely not.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to act casual. My brain scrambled for an answer, something plausible yet not too revealing.

"Well… I've been trained by my father," I began, my words slow and awkward. "So, uh… I've been, like, uhh… strong."

Strong? Seriously, Flynn? That's the best you've got? Way to sound convincing.

I glanced up to gauge her reaction. Pheore's piercing blue eyes were locked on mine, her expression calm but skeptical. One eyebrow arched just slightly, a silent challenge.

She wasn't buying it. Not for a second.

"I know you're lying," she said, her tone calm but sharp, like the edge of a blade.

My stomach twisted into a knot. Great, she knows.

"But," she added, leaning back slightly, her expression softening into a warm smile, "I won't pry into it."

I blinked.

"I'm not that kind of woman," she said with a light laugh, her voice soothing like a gentle breeze after a storm.

The knot in my stomach loosened as relief washed over me. I let out a quiet sigh, my shoulders relaxing just a little.

"Thank you," I murmured, genuinely surprised by her kindness.

"Jane has told me everything about you, Flynn," Auden's voice suddenly boomed through the room, cutting through the moment like a thunderclap.

I flinched.

How had I forgotten he was sitting there? His intense gaze bore into me, making me feel like a bug under a magnifying glass.

"About your fight with the bandits," he continued, his voice deep and deliberate, "in detail."

My throat went dry. In detail? How much detail?

I glanced at Jane, who stood quietly beside her mother. She looked calm, her tail swaying lazily behind her. Did she seriously recount everything already? We'd been in the castle for all of five minutes!

"Jane is a 4th rank mage, you know?" Pheore said, her voice breaking through my rising panic.

Wait. What?

I turned to Jane again, my eyes widening. She met my gaze and gave me a small, almost shy smile.

Mages, adventurers, and swordsmen are ranked from 10 to 1, I reminded myself, with 1st being the strongest. And Jane's a… 4th rank?

Before I could fully process that, Pheore continued. "The bandits you defeated were also 4th rank. Both in swordsmanship and magic."

My jaw dropped.

"Wait, hold on," I stammered, trying to make sense of it. "The bandits were… that strong?"

Auden nodded, his expression unreadable. "And yet, you defeated them. Alone."

I swallowed hard, my thoughts racing. I hadn't realized those bandits were so powerful. In the heat of the moment, it was just me fighting to survive. There hadn't been time to think about ranks or power levels.

"Tell me," Auden said, leaning forward slightly, his gaze narrowing, "what is your rank, Flynn?"

My rank?

The question hit me like a slap to the face. I didn't have a rank. I wasn't some trained adventurer or certified mage. I was just… me.

How do you explain that without sounding suspicious?

"I, uh…" My voice faltered. My mind scrambled for a plausible answer, but nothing came.

Think, Flynn. Think!

The weight of their stares pressed down on me like a boulder. Auden's expectant gaze. Pheore's quiet curiosity. Even Jane was watching me closely, her head tilted ever so slightly.

My pulse thundered in my ears.

Before I could embarrass myself further, a familiar voice broke through the tension like a lifeline.

"Dad!"

All heads turned toward the grand staircase. Jane was descending quickly, her movements light and graceful. Her tail swished behind her, practically wagging like an excited puppy's.

"What is it, Janie?" Auden asked, his tone softening as he addressed his daughter.

"I want to tour Flynn around the castle!" she announced, her excitement radiating from her like sunlight.

Auden's gaze shifted back to me, his sharp eyebrows raised ever so slightly.

I froze.

Wait, what's that look supposed to mean?

I straightened up instinctively, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. Was he… sizing me up?

Relax, Flynn. Relax. You're not going to do anything to his daughter. Just act normal.

Auden's intense gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before he finally nodded.

"Alright, Janie," he said, his deep voice carrying an air of authority. "You and Flynn can go."

I exhaled slowly, the tension in my chest easing slightly.

Jane, on the other hand, beamed with excitement. She practically bounced on her feet, her enthusiasm contagious.

"Come on, Flynn!" she said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me toward the grand staircase.

Her grip was firm but not unpleasant, and I couldn't help but smile at her energy.

As she led me away, I could feel Auden's gaze following us. My skin prickled under the weight of his watchful eyes.

Great. No pressure, right?

Thank you, Jane.

I didn't say it out loud at first. The words just floated in my mind as I followed her through yet another hallway of this impossibly big castle. My legs ached, and my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton from trying to remember all the rooms she pointed out.

We were now on the second floor. How many more floors does this place have?

"Hehe, I saved you once again!" Jane exclaimed, her smile wide and her ears perked up. She looked so proud of herself, her tail swishing behind her like she'd just won a battle.

"Yeah, thank you for that, really," I replied, letting out a small sigh. My words probably sounded a little flat, but I meant it. I really meant it. She had no idea how much she was helping me get through all of this.

Her tail wagged faster, and I couldn't help but grin.

Too cute.

For what felt like an eternity — no, scratch that, for three whole hours — Jane led me through every corner of the castle. Nonstop.

"Flynn! This is the storage room!" she chirped, flinging open a door to reveal shelves stacked high with neatly organized supplies.

"And this is the castle's vault, where all the legendary items are stored!" Her voice dropped a little as if she were sharing a great secret, but her excitement was still obvious.

"This is my room!" she said proudly, gesturing toward a large door with intricate carvings of flowers and stars.

"This is my dad's room!"

"This is where my mom's room is!"

"This is the royal garden!"

"This is the library!"

"This is the training room!"

"And this is where the military trains!"

By the time she finished, I felt like my brain was on the verge of exploding.

"Haaah!" I let out a huge sigh, practically collapsing onto a nearby bench in the military training yard. "Jane, do you even breathe when you talk?"

She giggled, plopping down beside me. "I was just excited to show you everything! Wasn't it fun?"

Fun? Sure, if you consider playing a castle-sized memory game fun.

Still, I couldn't bring myself to complain. She looked so happy, her tail swaying gently as she unwrapped her lunch.

We sat there for a while, eating quietly. Well, mostly quietly. Jane hummed a little tune under her breath between bites, and I… well, I couldn't stop my thoughts from drifting.

Father, Mother, Andrea… Were they alive? Safe?

The question gnawed at me like a relentless itch I couldn't scratch. No matter how much I tried to push it away, it always came back.

I glanced at Jane. She had no idea what was going on inside my head, and I wasn't about to tell her. Not yet. For now, I'd wait. I'd wait until she introduced me to her.

"Jane!"

A voice called out from across the yard, sharp and clear.

We both turned toward the source of the sound.

"What're you eating?" the voice asked.

"Potato sandwich!" Jane replied cheerfully, holding up her sandwich like it was a prized treasure.

I squinted, trying to get a better look at the person approaching us. As they got closer, I could make out a girl with jet-black hair that fell just past her shoulders. Perched on her left shoulder was an owl, its sharp eyes scanning the area like it was on high alert.

It was her.


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