Royal Princess of Blood

On our walk, we found an abandoned, empty village. It looked like a decent place to rest. We went ahead and checked up on the place. There were some buildings that were damaged, but not too much. Remnants of walls that had collapsed remained. It must have been attacked by monsters, but judging from the buildings, perhaps the people held on and managed to overcome whatever attacked them. Then afterwards, they decided to leave somewhere.

"This looked like a good place to rest," Satomi said.

"So, should we stay here?" Miyako asked.

I nodded. "If everyone agrees. But, let's best check this place closely. There might be some little critters or monsters or anything out here that might creep up on us. I don't want that to happen again."

Miyako chuckled. "That happened to you?"

"Almost happened." Though it was in the wilderness. "It was so creepy. Especially the creatures that slither."

I dread the day that a snake-like creature would just crawl down my pants. If that ever happens, I swear I'll smash an entire mile to glass.

"Alright, Estelia," Miyako covered her lips as she briefly laughed. "We'll check thoroughly."

"We'll go in pairs." Never, ever, separate individually. That's why horror movies end up with people dying early. Thinking about it, I would certainly survive a horror movie. 'Cause I'm actually smart! You guys agree, right? You better fucking agree.

Obviously, Nira and I went together. We checked the houses. There were still dusty tables, chairs, and empty bowls. There were barely any personal belongings. No clothes left, sheets, cooking tools, and some other essential stuff. Judging from it all, they didn't go in a rush. My initial assumptions that they left on their own will seemed to be close to the truth.

And interestingly, there were no corpses to be found. Did no one die? Or did they bury them all? If that was the case, they indeed left after successfully driving away an attack. How lucky of them then.

"Are we almost there, goddess?" Nira suddenly asked.

"Almost where?"

"To the city."

I turned a curious look at Nira. "Yes." Although, I didn't expect her to ask such a question. Almost sounded like she was impatient. "Why? Is something the matter?"

She peered around, as though searching for the right words to use. "I… I just want to reunite with the team."

"You missed them, huh?"

She mildly nodded.

"But is that all there is to it? Do you not like Miyako and Satomi's company?"

She lowered her head, but she didn't answer. But that was an answer already.

"You don't. Why?"

Nira rubbed her fingers together, fidgeting. "I don't trust them…"

That was a bit surprising to hear. I thought she would be more trusting, especially that I was interacting very well with the two of them. I wondered where her deep distrust of them came from. She wasn't supposed to be like this. She was quick to be friends with the ship crew.

"Why don't you trust them?"

"... They are easy to judge you. If they see us do what they do not like, I think they will turn their back on us. Or even… fight against us."

I smiled. She was right, in a way. We committed what others might frown upon. One that would call us heartless monsters. I was feeling quite proud of her that she could think of it that way. Still, it was surprising that her thoughts led her that way.

"Did you hear something they said that you didn't like?" I quite recalled that Miyako was trying to make up with her.

She nodded.

"I see…" I crouched before her and lightly patted her head. "Listen, Nira. Even though you know what they might do due to our choices, they are currently our allies. We ought to at least give them a degree of trust. The best we can do is to prevent them from seeing our side that they'll hate."

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"But… that is not being honest."

"Hiding is not lying. Especially if it's for their sake. That's what life is, little Nira. Sometimes, people hide things, especially one that helps everyone. People will judge us, even allies, but that doesn't mean we should shun everyone that does so."

Her eyes blinked, looking up at me, listening.

"That will drive us to isolation. We shouldn't drive away those that are willing to make friends of us, even those that have different thoughts compared to us. Satomi and Miyako are good people. At least try to give them a small degree of trust as they give to us. Can you do that?"

She lowered her head. "Okay…"

"Good girl." I patted her head gently.

As much as I like being alone, that doesn't mean I would like complete isolation. It is good to have people you can rely on. And… I wouldn't want Nira to close her heart to people when they do one thing she doesn't like. Lest she might do everything on her own, and distrust everyone else except those she already knew. Worst of all, she refuses to make any new connections at all.

She was still a child. I might be a bit of a… um, apathetic to some stuff, but I knew how to care for those under me. Especially a child. Wouldn't want Nira to have an unhealthy upbringing. I took her in, so I had some responsibility…

I have to say, she has shitty parents.

But I guess that goes without saying.

We continued looking around, but then I saw Miyako rushing towards me.

"Estelia. You need to check this out."

"What is it?"

"A person."

Miyako quickly led me to where they found this person. It was at the back side of the village. We caught up to Satomi, hiding behind a wall. I took a peek, and it was someone digging.

"Gotta find it, gotta find it… Where is it…? Need to find it…" He was muttering something, almost incoherent, and he sounded quite restless. He was dirty all over, aged around late forties, from the looks of it. His hair appeared to be thinning, an obvious sign of balding, and he had a long thick beard. And he was thin, like he hardly ate a good amount of food.

He scratched his head as he kept using the shovel to dig.

"Doesn't seem like he's dangerous," Satomi said.

"Is he alone?" I asked.

Miyako nodded. "Yes."

"... Isn't that suspicious?" Someone alone, digging in some strange place, was something I never expected. How did he even get here? Who was he even? And why was he digging? He somewhat looked like a crazy person.

"No, this is wrong. Couldn't be here." He got out of the hole and started pacing around the area.

I was planning to keep on observing, but then he suddenly stopped and jerked his head to the side. His body was twitching, completely restless. And then, he suddenly turned his head at us, which was shocking.

"I-I know you're there! S-Stop hiding." He held the shovel like a sword, but his direction was slightly off us. I narrowed my eyes, and I realized his head was not directly pointed at us. "Come out!"

Is he blind?

Then, how could he have discovered us?

Is this some magic shenanigan again?

"What should we do?" Miyako asked.

Considering that he had already found us somehow, there was no choice but to show ourselves. I gestured for us to move out into the open.

Satomi moved out first, followed by Miyako, and approached the strange man. I followed behind everyone.

"We don't mean you any harm," Miyako said.

The man shifted his eyes, and his pupils were white. Just like you would see from someone blind.

He lowered the shovel. "... I know. I sense four of you."

"How do you know that? Aren't you blind?" Satomi asked.

He cast his blind gaze downward. "I am blind to the world, but see the essence of all."

"... What does that mean?" Miyako slowly took a step forward, showing a kind face.

"I see the color of your soul, and thus your character. I see deep within you." He slowly took a step to the side, tapping his shovel to the ground. "I sense you don't intend to harm me."

"I see. That is a strange ability."

He then strangely shifted his head around and he frowned. Almost like he was puzzled. "I was born blind… But I see things differently from others. This is the gift of the world to me. Just like you have the gift of the flames, young lady."

"Flames…"

"Are you some kind of oracle?" Satomi asked.

"No. I am no one important. I am merely… a passerby."

I took a step forward. "A passerby. Then what are you doing here?"

It was at the moment that the man gasped in shock, he almost tumbled back. He seemed to become frantic. "... I… I… I am merely a passerby. One that returned home to find what I've lost."

I narrowed my eyes. "What have you lost?"

"Insignificant to yours."

I frowned. "Do not try to read me, blind one."

"Read you…? No… I only sense grief in you… Which you find hard to hide… But in grief lies wrath… You are a storm… A hazy cloud… I… Yes, this is not my place."

What does he see in me?

"What are you trying to say?" Satomi suddenly stepped forward and asked. She seemed eager to know what he meant.

"Nothing. I plan to leave once I find what I seek."

"What is it that you seek?" I asked. "We will help you find it."

"My father had an item. A medallion he crafted himself, shaped in the image of the moon and sun. I thought it was buried with him."

"Did you dig the right grave?" I looked at the couple of holes.

"... I am not confident I did."

"... Then perhaps it is in the village somewhere as well."

"Perhaps, I was not present during his burial. I was filled with grief. Once dead, I could not see them."

I turned towards my crew. "Can you please search for it in the village? I will stay with him and help him here with the graves."

They looked at each other, and Miyako nodded. "Very well."

Miyako and Satomi started leaving, but Nira lagged back.

"Go, Nira. Help them," I urged her.

"... O-Okay…"

With that, she followed them.

Once they all left, I faced the blind man as he started digging again. "I'll go find another shovel." I turned around…

"You are shrouded in fate."

I paused. "... What?"

The old man slowly looked at me with his blind eyes. "Fate has a hold on you."