Elsewhere, after Clarke woke up, Gene was with Lady Alisa von Bach—a beautiful nineteen-year-old woman. But Gene didn’t pay much attention and imdiately asked:
· Why am I with you, exactly?
She replied with a frown:
· Do you think I care about you? The Minister tasked with looking after both of you. But now your foolish friend is with the Minister.
Gene’s face darkened with anger:
· What? How did that happen? Why is everyone interested in him?
· Ask yourself: who killed the Death Callers? He did!
· But I fought alongside him! How does he get all the credit?
Gene’s eyes glead with murderous intent, his anger palpable.
· Fine, take anywhere far from this palace before I kill soone here!
Alisa wanted to retort to his arrogance, but she didn’t bother.
Alisa ordered a carriage to take him to the city.
Gene kept looking at the city’s sights. It was truly srizing: marble sidewalks, simple lamp posts, the unique architecture of the shops, the alleys, and the river. Truly a creative design.
Alisa broke the silence, asking:
· Have you eaten anything since you woke up? There’s a good restaurant nearby.
Gene replied with a grimace:
· Honestly, I don’t think my anger is from hunger. When I woke up, no one offered anything. There was a foolish secretary hovering around , telling where to go. I suppose that idiot Clarke is now enjoying delicious food.
Alisa replied:
· Is that all you think about? You’ve forgotten the main point. Why do you hate him so much? Didn’t you both lose your mories? And you were together! Anyway, we’ll stop at this restaurant. They serve good lamb soup.
In her mind, she thought: You’re just obsessed. I don’t even want to hear anything from you.
Gene nodded in agreent, and they stepped down.
Gene was stunned and said, "Wow! This is really a luxurious restaurant."
The chairs were comfortable and padded for custor comfort. The nu was very simple, even though Gene couldn’t read their language, but according to Alisa and what he chose, the food was delicious and simple.
They ate, and then Gene started the conversation:
· What’s that strange power Clarke gained, from what I heard?
· That’s called an "Aura." They say even a weak Aura user can crush any fighter or knight in a duel. But Clarke is extraordinarily talented. From what I heard, he’s the heir to one of the forr rulers who were considered the guardians of our land.
In Gene’s mind, the words stirred intense jealousy.
· What about ? Am I an heir?
She replied:
· Currently, I haven’t heard anything about you. But from what I’ve heard, you’re important too, no less than your friend. But there’s an important reason why the Minister approached Clarke before you: because he woke up before you.
The iron fork in Gene’s hand bent due to his anger.
· Are you looking down on ?!
She replied calmly:
· I’m not looking down on you, Gene. If I found you uninteresting, I would’ve gone to Clarke too and left you. Forget about that now. I have an important question: who are you? And where did you and the other one co from?
He answered, looking at the ceiling thoughtfully:
· Honestly, I don’t know. My mory is fuzzy. Sotis in my sleep, I see strange things: weird vehicles moving on wheels, myself with people I don’t know. I don’t know what to call this, but I feel like it’s another place I’ve been to. In other words, I don’t feel nostalgia, if that makes sense.
Alisa was shocked because she had read about such things, but it was just a hypothesis. So she answered him:
· I’ve heard of such things. Sects in the state of Qin and their culture generally call it "Reincarnation" or "Karma." It’s sothing too complicated for to understand, but as far as I know, they’re just myths, and no one has ever seen examples proving it. aning, you and the other are evidence of this hypothesis.
Gene’s pupils dilated in shock. He spoke, saying:
· So, what does the dream I saw an?
· I don’t know what you an, but maybe it’s a life I lived before being reborn. Many tis, aning it might be the beginning of everything. But explain more so I can understand and give you my answer.
He replied nervously:
· A completely different world from ours. As I said before: strange, fast vehicles around , different people. Except Clarke was in those mories, but he had a strange lover. From what I saw in those mories, every ti she died, ti reversed. And this saddened her. But according to my analysis, she found a solution to that cycle... I didn’t know what the solution was, but I think it’s beyond my understanding.
· Wait! You say a "solution"? Look, reincarnation returns you to the sa world. Do you an you’re from another world? Couldn’t it just be hallucinations on your part? Like drinking too much alcohol and starting to imagine things?
Gene got angry, stood up, and clenched his fist:
· I’m not imagining! Are you calling crazy, woman?!
The restaurant owner looked over in surprise:
· Look, if you’re a couple and having a dispute, take it outside!
Alisa replied with a coldness that provoked Gene:
· Don’t worry, my friend here is calm. He won’t start a fight, especially not with a noblewoman like .
Gene was angry, but he knew she was forcing him to calm down. He sat back down, saying:
· I apologize, I lost my temper. But I don’t need a reason to lie.
· Don’t worry, I know that feeling: when you feel alienated, and no one wants to believe or understand you. Nine years ago, I used to run away from my family and go to a friend of mine in a refugee camp. He would climb up to my balcony and take , crossing the forest alone. I wasn’t afraid because he was with .
Gene asked:
· Who was it?
She replied with sadness in her expression:
· A boy my age. He always told there was a better life outside the luxurious palaces. Actually, I’d rather tell you there.
· You an in that village? Do you really want to see him now? Won’t he feel jealous?
Alisa laughed:
· Maybe! Let’s go. They’re like my second family or sothing like that.
They took the carriage to the forest. There, they stopped and continued on foot.
They started walking. The autumn cicadas appeared, lighting up the dark night, giving the forest a kind of pleasant atmosphere.
Alisa broke the silence, saying:
· We co here sotis to hunt or clean up.
· What do you an?
She replied:
· There’s sothing called the "Hunter’s Guild." We get tasks like killing orcs and wiping them out from the forest or returning them to their caves, and sotis killing chiras.
Gene asked curiously:
· What’s a chira?
She answered his question:
· A lion with wings, two white horns, a scorpion’s tail, and blood-red eyes.
· Really? Actually, Clarke and I faced one in the forest here. Its weak point is in the lower abdon; it’s easy to penetrate there. Also, if we classify monster intelligence, it’s really stupid. We used the forest terrain to kill it one ti.
She replied, shocked:
· Really? You managed to defeat it? How? I’ve never heard of anyone who could kill a chira! And I an an ordinary human, not a power user.
· It was easy, actually. Fighting and confrontation aren’t just about brute force, Alisa. If you can analyze situations and fight the right way, you can defeat the fiercest monsters. Clarke, even though I hate him, surpassed the lower-level sorcerer in hand-to-hand combat and beat him badly. So, the sorcerer used a spell to absorb his soul, but he couldn’t. I think that has sothing to do with your prophecy.
Alisa replied:
· Truly amazing! He managed to repel a sorcerer with just his hands? But don’t belittle yourself just by ntioning his strength. You don’t know what the days hold for you.
They fell silent until the end of the road, where they finally arrived.
It was a village at the foot of a mountain, destroyed in the worst way: burned. There was a huge number of graves.
Gene looked at Alisa, stunned.
· Is this the village you told about?
She replied with a cold face:
· Yes. At so point in our lives, we will learn that life shows no rcy, and nations can be cruel in so decisions. And one of those decisions destroyed this place. As I said before, this is a refugee camp. And because the state of Qin was angry that a village of 500 people had fled, wanting to leave the state due to high prices and the persecution they faced because of the urbanization movent, and also because of sect followers.
Gene asked in astonishnt:
· What did they do? Them too?
She replied angrily:
· They possess life-extending techniques called "Dual Refinent": it deepens your refinent and steals the lifespan of the other party. They take won and kidnap n to exploit them, and also n co and kidnap won. They were fought from all sides, so they preferred to flee here.
Gene asked:
· And what was the state’s response?
Alisa walked to her old friend’s grave, then answered Gene:
· They gave them a short deadline: two months. Either return or be exterminated. Two choices: either this or that. They thought it was just an empty threat and that they wouldn’t do it on another state’s territory. Let tell you the story from my perspective.
Sweet and bitter mories flooded Alisa’s mind from nine years ago.
Little Alisa was running away from her father’s palace with her friend from that village, nad Fang Yuwei—a handso ten-year-old boy. On the way, Alisa wanted to stop and play a little in the river.
Fang Yuwei agreed. Alisa wasn’t afraid of monsters or anything coming because she felt safe with her friend, for whom she had feelings.
They started playing in the river and laughing together.
Soon, Fang found a small frog. He grabbed it to tease Alisa, but she got very scared and said, "Please throw it away!"
She started running away from him. Soon, he started running after her, laughing.
But soon, Alisa fell due to a rock, and her ankle twisted.
With a red face, he knelt beside her, trying to help her up:
· Sorry, Alisa, I didn’t expect that to happen.
Alisa replied, her forehead red from the fall:
· Ah, it hurts! I can’t stand.
Soon, Fang Yuwei carried her, saying:
· This is when a man’s duty cos!
She replied nervously and stamring:
· Um... wait! Am I heavy?
Fang replied, his cheeks red:
· No, you’re light as a feather! Let’s go.
Alisa felt comfort in his arms. She knew these were her true feelings, and she didn’t want to be an aristocratic lady marrying a foolish nobleman; she wanted to be with Fang.
They finally reached the village. Fang took Alisa into his house—the ho of the Yuwei family.
Fang’s mother ca and said fearfully:
· What happened to my daughter-in-law? Is she hurt?
Fang replied fearfully:
· What do you an, Mom? We’re not married!
Alisa felt embarrassed by the word "marriage," but she didn’t mind, saying:
· Actually, I don’t mind that.
Fang said: "What’s wrong with you? Do you have a fever or sothing?"
Alisa hit Fang’s chest angrily:
· Don’t you like ?!
· What kind of question is that, Alisa? You know you make nervous!
He put her on the bed, saying, "I’ll get a doctor."
The mother ca and sat beside Alisa and started talking:
· Since we escaped from that place, and Fang lost his father, he hasn’t felt happy or smiled like these days. I really love you, Alisa, and consider you one of us. —In the middle of her speech, she started crying.
Alisa said:
· Calm down, aunt. I love you too.
Fang’s mother replied:
· Thank you, Alisa. I know this is a selfish request, but please stay with us.
Alisa was embarrassed. She knew Fang’s mother almost wanted to betroth her to her son, but this pleased Alisa from the start, and she hated her ho because of her brothers who treated her badly because she was the daughter of a commoner woman her father married. Even her father, after her mother’s death, no longer cared about her. She lost everything, so why would she want to stay in a house like that?
Alisa finally replied after a long silence:
· I want to think tonight, and I’ll stay here.
The mother replied happily:
· Of course, stay! Consider this house your ho! From now on, it is your ho!
Alisa was happy with these words, which she had never heard from anyone in the world.
Fang ca with the doctor.
· He cleaned the blood from Alisa’s forehead and covered the wound with a bandage.
He said:
· Well, it’s just a minor injury. You only need two days to walk without help.
Fang spoke, feeling inadequate:
· Sorry, Alisa, for what happened to you. I know there are sorcerers in your palace who can heal your wounds.
Alisa replied:
· Don’t ntion that place to . I don’t care about it anymore.
Fang asked:
· What do you an?
She replied, her face red:
· I will live with you and your mother from now on.
Fang replied, grabbing his hair in shock:
· What?!
Alisa said:
· Don’t shout like that! Don’t you like the idea?
He replied:
· Of course I like it! I really wished for it!
The two laughed.
And so two weeks passed with play and happiness.
But on that fateful day, Fang and Alisa were playing in the river and talking happily.
Fang started speaking seriously:
· Alisa, if I beco a man worthy of you when we grow up, will you accept ?
She replied, scared:
· Are you joking or being serious?
He replied with a frown:
· Does my face look like I’m joking?
She was shocked because it wasn’t his habit to joke with her and make her answer, only to say in the end, "I made you admit it." But he wasn’t joking at all. She relaxed on his shoulder and replied:
· You’ve known the answer from the beginning.
Fang was happy and smiled at her:
· Then let’s return to the village.
They held hands and started walking. It was the season of glowing cicadas that lit up the forest and made the atmosphere beautiful.
But as they approached, they slled fire and blood.
Fang was shocked.
Alisa said:
· What’s that sll?
Fang feared and said, "I don’t know. Let’s take a look from above."
Fang climbed one of the trees and started seeing... then he was shocked.
His village was completely burned! There were many corpses in the streets. He saw his mother being dragged by her hair by masked, angry people.
Fang tensed. The blood drained from his veins. He climbed down, wanting to rush to his village.
Alisa grabbed his hand, crying.
· What happened, Fang? Tell ! Will we separate or what?
Fang replied: "Don’t worry, we won’t separate. I’ll take a look and co back to you."
She held his hand: "Don’t go again! Please, I’m scared!"
Fang replied: "Okay..." but he knew it was his end. It was a brave decision for a ten-year-old boy.
He let go forward... then hit my head hard to knock out and hid behind a distant tree, and left.
And now, after nine years, Alisa is here in front of her old friend’s grave, her first love, telling her story.
She said:
· After I woke up, I found Fang with his neck broken in front of his mother, who, according to doctors, was killed after her son. Cruelty! They didn’t leave any child or woman! They killed them all without any exception. It turned out my father had been searching for for two weeks.
He found here lying down, embracing the corpse of the real family that loved .
Grief consud my heart. In the end, I buried this village next to its dead and made it one of the secrets known only to a few.
Gene was shocked by the matter, saying: "What a brutal massacre!"
Alisa replied to him:
· Don’t bother comforting . In the end, you don’t need to comfort . I just used you to vent my grief to soone who might not care or react.
She walked past him, ignoring him.
Gene turned to her, raising his hand sadly. He felt her feelings, as if he had lived through a similar experience, but he couldn’t express it. So he lowered his hand and walked behind her in silence until they returned to the city.
Alisa asked:
· Do you have a place to stay or sothing to shelter you?
Gene replied:
· No, but the Minister’s secretary gave so money. I’ll get a room in a hotel and spend the night there.
· Well, goodbye.
Gene wanted to comfort her, but he lowered his hand. He said in his heart: "In the end, she didn’t want anything from , as she said. She just wanted to vent what was in her heart to soone who would listen."
He started walking and reached a hotel. He asked himself: "What is the purpose of life if everything is fleeting or may die? In the end, it’s just a fleeting life without any goal. Perhaps in that dream was a ssage to : that I must reach eternal life!!!"
To be continued....
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