Chapter 57: Finally we leave this place.
Kein's POV
While Vincent ran in another direction I continued to the right one where I can see Vanilla not that far off carrying Natasha on the saddle.
I waved to her and she stomped her hooves three tis onto the ground. It was to show how impatient she was and complained that I was taking so long.
"Alright I'm sorry. He needed back there so I couldn't leave him." I told her and she snorted while walking away. First I promptly follow her curiously.
Vanilla had a serious expression, and a worried one too.
Makes wonder what happened when I was gone? Should I engage in conversation with a Pegasus?
"So... you seem to have gotten attached to Natasha." I brought the topic and she shakes her head.
I looked at her position right now, her wings were a little spread to keep Natasha from falling, being careful of each stomping step she takes and she has the guts to lie to her master? "It's clearly obvious that you're attached to her. You don't have to hide it, I'm your master I can understand." I tell her reassuringly and after so ti, my companion nods.
I couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
My Pegasus who's always been rough around people has found a friend, but then again I've always known Natasha has a soft spot for animals and she has been warming up to Vanilla for a while bringing her treats like apples and such.
If I bla Vanilla for being smitten with her at this point.
"Natasha is a good person, I suppose you have good judgnt as studies say about Pegasus creatures." I tell her but she looks away and snorts.
Natasha looked so peaceful in her sleep. Vanilla stands still as I hopped onto the saddle and rests Natasha's head into my shoulders.
"Ugh..." I could hear Natasha groan in pain, grabbing the sides of her temples and began cursing sothing out in her language.
I couldn't understand but from the tone of it, it seed like a curse.
"Good morning." I tell her and she imdiately looks up at my face and with a horrified look too.
"Kein-!" she yells, almost falling off the saddle. I yanked her up before that could happen. "Ah- Natasha didn't realize- Natasha is sorry-"
Natasha looks so frantic and even flustered on our position but it's okay. "Vanilla really didn't want to disturb your sleep so we had to make do. Good thing you're awake now though because I can't support you that much once we're out into the sky."
"Natasha can walk instead. It is no problem." she shakes her head and tries moving down. I stopped her and held her wrist on instinct and wondered what's wrong?
"But we can get there faster if we rode Vanilla?" I attempted to convince her but it didn't seem to work.
"It doesn't matter if we are going to get there faster. Natasha needs... so space before talking to you again." she tells not being able to see my gaze. I let go of her wrist with a dejected look. So is that it? She's going to cut off because I couldn't reciprocate her feelings?
"Tell are we... Still friends?" I ask Natasha, looking down on Vanilla's silver mane. She must've felt how I was because her body tensed up, glancing up with a worried look on her face.
I could hear Natasha groan for a second, she raised her hand and hit with it by the shoulders. I wince in pain, "What the heck-?" I yell out holding my left shoulder while Natasha continues.
"Are you deaf? Natasha said give space not cut each other off. Honestly you over dramatic people are just- so annoying." (Natasha) scolds about just needing so space and I felt so horrible that I thought of her cutting off from her life.
"Sorry! Uh bad experience before so I just thought-" my words stop to rember Cecilia, even if we had a good bond of friendship- the thought still haunts to this day.
This is why I was scared for any of my close friends to fall for because if they confess and I reject them.
There's a huge chance it won't be the sa anymore.
"Natasha just needs space. Natasha recalls the two of you at the bar. You seem happier, the happiest I've ever seen." she smiles faintly, holding the back of her hand and rubbing it for comfort.
"It ans Natasha has lost- no. From the start it seems that Natasha has lost a war she wasn't ant to win." (Natasha) holds my hand and stands up front confident, but I could see sothing almost falling down from her cheeks. "It is alright though, as long as you are happy. That girl you like, she makes you happy."
I rub the back of my neck nodding. "Yeah. She does make happy." I answered not realizing a smile was already forming in my face. Natasha acknowledges my answer and walks forward, eyes a little teary but still she manages to compose herself not showing any vulnerability.
"Then give Natasha so ti for herself. We can et another ti, once Natasha is ready to face you. It will be like old tis again." She casually tells to hold Vanilla's cheek. "Take care of your owner."
Vanilla snorts happily and she walks away. She planned to walk into the gates, and I held my steed's lead. I took a minute to process all that had happened. "Vanilla. Do you think she'll be alright?" I ask my Pegasus who shrugs and I bite my lip in worry.
"She'll be fine. I'll et Natasha again once we're out of the kingdom. For now, I have to settle the plan with a certain hero later." I motioned Vanilla's direction up front and kicked her torso gently, "Up up."
Her wings spread widely, and we flew onto the city gates where I could already see hundreds of soldiers yawning, weapons in hand. Adventurers were sitting in the corner waiting to set off. There was a small abundance of snow, and everyone was kind of freezing in their current condition. Even if everyone has so coats underneath their uniform I could see their teeth chattering a little.
The royal carriage stands still in the middle of the crowd. I found an open area where we could park, there were certain spectators eyeing us for our expedition.
No one paid much attention to , I steered over the crowds of adventurers trying to find a light blonde colored hair similar to mine... where is she?
"Avery quit it! Solomus doesn't like it when you poke his nose like that." a gentle soft voice yelled and my ears perked up from the na.
Bingo. I found the hero I'm looking for. I went down from my Pegasus and ran to find that voice. Soon enough, I found Avery with soone that has a pet snake on his neck looking a little irritated at Avery but he doesn't seem mad.
Avery ignores him and pokes the snake's nose. "He's not hissing at so I think he actually likes it." she pokes at the snake yet again that blinks curiously at Avery.
I had to think for a mont if it would be rude to butt into their conversation but then again I have to speak with Avery as soon as possible to set up a eting with her.
"Excuse -" I called out to them and they both turned their direction into mine.
Avery was the first to react. "Oh! Commander that I made a friend before!" She happily prances around and even gives a hug. Her skin ship sure is strong.
"Avery, is this a friend of yours?" the other person asked while keeping a polite smile in my direction. Avery drags closer to him and removes the trouble of introduction.
"This is Commander Kein Hills! She's a really nice lady and I t her when we were trying to kill that huge wyvern thingy. She was the one riding the pegasus in battle? Rember?" She tries to remind the other hero and he blinks in recognition.
"Ohhh- that one! Its nice to et you. The way you flew into battle was really amazing.'' He complints and I laugh nervously from all the genuine complints he gave.
"Thank you- it was nothing, really besides it was Avery who actually cut it in half." I responded by giving so credit to the real person who slayed it and he offered his hand to shake.
"My na is Hirogata Haruki. It's a little hard to pronounce so you can call Haru. I'm the hero that was summoned from [Sprivato]." he introduced himself as his little cute pet snake with white skin slithers around his neck to the top of his head.
The snake waves his tail in my direction and I wave back in return- that's- cute. "You have... a really cute companion."
He seed so happy with the complint I gave to his snake that he covered his mouth a little embarrassed. "I-I know. She's an adorable companion and its really rare for anyone to complint Solomus so thank you." (Haru)
"It's nice to et Solomus as well then." I raise my hand over his head to offer a little handshake, the white snake Solomus places the end of his tail over at my hand and we both shake on it. "A real polite one. I'm really envious that my companion isn't really the humble type."
Vanilla would've kicked if she knew I don't really see her as a polite steed. Avery held Haru's hand and did a wink. "So what did you need~ did you ca looking for specifically?" (Avery)
My face turned serious and I nodded. "Can I hire you for a mission with ? A dangerous one and it's urgent." I took out my family seal, it has the symbol of a dove carrying a rose and offered it to Avery. "My family seal, so you will be welco to my ho. Where I will discuss the details more privately if you accept."
She noticed the sudden turn of my expression and imdiately nodded seriously. "If it's making you frown and make serious faces like that. I take it that sothing bad will happen if you fail." She took the seal from and disappeared from thin air. I'm guessing she stored it in her [Inventory].
Haru watches both of us in confusion but still doesn't interrupt. My brows furrowed on Avery's words because she was right. "Yeah it's not safe here but when we go back to our kingdom. I'll explain everything."
Avery smiles casually holding the sword in her waist facing her Hero partner. "I'll see you at your ho then. I think we're about to leave anyway, good old General Vincent is already at the front."
I looked towards the front and noticed a streak of blue hair and tired eyes. "Yeah that's him alright. With new clothes too but his uniform's a bit ssy so I think he rushed to go there."
Avery shrugs, "He's late anyways, must've slept late. We were supposed to move ten minutes ago actually but I don't really care much."
Everyone gathers in a neat, organized line as everyone listens to Vincent with a hoarse voice. "E-Everyone. I must apologize for being a few minutes late but now it's alright. We have already left a gift of parting to the royal family and thus we will leave the kingdom!"
He made a few more speeches of saying his thanks to the soldiers, after that the soldiers near the gates turned on so sort of chanism inside the walls and the gates opened.
Our steeds walked forward slowly but in a few day's ti. We'll be back ho soon and I'll be ready to do my part of the plan.
Hire a party that will co with to slay a dragon.
I turned towards Avery who kept talking with Haru and I reassured myself that everything will be alright. I also found Natasha with her adventurer friends who noticed that sothing was not right with her but she kept pushing them away...
A rush of guilt filled and I couldn't ignore it. A few more minutes of walking, I turned around to see that the kingdom's view was no more.
The rules there were strict, unfair, and biased against won. To think the princess even had to go through lengths of living her whole life as a man must've been hard. If Rose were to marry... if she was forced to live there...
I leaned in to the side seeing that the curtains were open this ti, I could see a familiar hand on the edge of the window tapping playfully. I smiled, motioning Vanilla to walk a little faster to be beside the carriage.
My body relaxed the mont I heard a certain soone's chuckle giving a wave. "Greetings Commander. The snow is really pretty in the morning right?" (Rose) settles her elbow with a dreamy look onto .
"Rose..." I muttered her na softly and a sudden surge of confidence brims as I glared at the [Winshern Kingdom]. I won't let them take her away from .
"I'm glad we're finally out of there." She continues looking behind.
" too. I can't wait to be ho with you. The orphanage- the kids have missed you. Now that you don't necessarily need to be married... would you like to visit soti?" I told her my fingers were fidgeting nervously. I composed myself taking a deep breath and saw Rose smiling even more widely.
"I would love to."
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