Chapter 14

The One at Fault

Many beasts desired to get closer, but none of them dared. It was as though there was a wall keeping Arthur and the girl out of their reach. Duliri, who remained still since Arthur left him, wanted to approach them as well. If he had a body, he would have been sweating nonstop. The moment he saw her fist smacked his face, Duliri couldn’t breathe, even though he had no idea what breathing felt like. All the mana that he accumulated under the sun quickly left his body.

“Did my eyes trick me?” Duliri whispered. A peculiar coldness ran on his body. He thought that the mana he felt from the boy was a figment of his imagination. His hope – Duliri prayed that he survived the blow, that he emitted a mana coat to protect himself.

Then, the girl started crying, and the boy miraculously got up from the ground. The boy who he swore to serve until the final moments of his life comforted her. A strange turn of events. In the eyes of an outsider, it was very eerie to see a three-year-old comforting a lass more than twice his size. And even stranger that the girl had tried to kill him before.

Within the newly formed small skylight, Arthur and the girl basked in the moonlight. Their golden hair shone beneath its shade. It looked as though they were siblings as they sat next to each other behind a large trunk. Neither of them spoke a word. Their eyes watched the sky with wonder. When the girl’s hair began to revert to its original color, Arthur raised his hand and sent an ‘okay’ symbol. Duliri, having acquired the ability to move again, hurried to his side.

“Are you alright?” He asked, his voice full of anxiety. “She hit you, didn’t she?”

“I’m kicking and alive. What do you think?” Arthur jeered, his eyes half-closed.

“I saw her hit your face!” The staff inched closer and directly released a weak glow on his cheeks. A few more looks and he heaved a relieved sigh. “Goodness, Dupulu! It appears that you’re truly safe, but next time, you have–”

“C’mon, Duliri. Stop being so naggy,” Arthur interrupted, grasping the staff in his hand. “Nothing happened, alright? Besides, I feel like I can use magic–”

“Oh, yeah!” The ruby atop Duliri changed to a colorless hue as he broke free from Arthur and hovered higher. The stone shone, so bright that both Arthur and the girl had to close their eyes. “I felt a trace of mana coming from you when the girl was about to hit–” he abruptly stopped, seeing the girl flinched for the third time, the clutches on her knees ever getting tighter.

“Duliri,” Arthur grunted before Duliri could speak again, his left hand covering his face. “The light, please. It’s blinding.”

“My bad... my bad… I got too excited.” Duliri immediately turned off the light emanating from him, while the girl remained silent. She didn’t move again as though a still statue. Her puffy eyes stared somewhere unseeingly.

Duliri hesitated, seeing her miserable mood. Besides, despite his enthusiasm to know about Arthur’s development, they were still in the forest. The danger must be lurking around. “Let’s go back to the house first. It’s dangerous out here.” He tilted a little to her direction. “And you, too, come with us.”

She gave Duliri a doubtful stare, while Arthur gave her an encouraging smile. She stood up but remained silent. Once Arthur rode his staff, Duliri hurried to the house. The girl and the armors followed suit.

“Arthur,” Duliri called as soon as he dropped him off in his room. “As we are talking about earlier. I felt mana coming from you, but you’re just studying history this afternoon. You haven’t reached that part yet. When did you learn that?” he asked eagerly, his pole emitting some light even though he did his best to suppress his agitation. Duliri couldn’t wait anymore. He needed to know now. Three years were too long for a conscious staff that could only float around. Arthur’s growth was his power.

“I don’t know.” Arthur stared at his hands. With a deep breath, he tried to remember the feeling of mana on his chest. Several more tries and he looked at Duliri with a grimace. “I don’t know. Why won’t I feel it again?”

“Imagine a warmth on your chest, then try to spread that out on your body.”

Arthur complied, even closing his eyes. However, every attempt failed.

Suddenly, the girl who stood silently beside the door spoke. “I’m sorry.” Her voice was low and almost came out inaudible. She peeked hesitantly at Arthur, biting her lower lip. “But that’s not quite right, you have felt the warmth from your surroundings as well.”

“Really?”

She nodded slowly while looking away.

Arthur beamed. “Thanks! I’ll try that–”

Stomping feet echoed outside the room, catching all their attention to the door. For half a second, both Arthur and Duliri exchanged looks. Then, their eyes laid on the book lying on the floor. Arthur immediately picked it up and dashed beside his bed when suddenly, the door swung open.

“Duliri,” Katarina called in a loud and hard tone. “What’s happening here?”

Before the staff could answer, her gaze perched to the girl next to her. It gave enough time for Arthur to slide the book under his bed.

“Who are you, miss?” Katarina asked in a low voice, her forehead couldn’t have any more wrinkles. She gasped, her eyes getting bigger every moment.

“Duliri! Arthur!” She exclaimed. Enormous anger that Arthur never heard before was evident in her voice. It pinned him in place, his back against her. Even Duliri froze and not a single movement escaped from the staff.

“Duliri! Arthur!” she repeated.

Arthur’s body slowly spun as he stood up. His eyes stubbornly refuse to meet hers. “I didn’t open the door…” He hesitated too much that his words sounded like a question. “I’m sorry?”

“Yes, he didn’t,” Duliri finally said, his voice filled with tremors. “It’s my fault. I should–”

“No! I had the intention to open the door. It’s my fault!”

“It’s mine, Lady Allegia.”

“No! It’s mine.”

Katarina’s left brow rose as she grimly looked at the two. She didn’t say a word. Yet, the two knew that she was getting impatient.

“I’m the one at fault,” Vlanca whispered but it was loud enough to shush Arthur and Duliri, while Katarina gave her a questioning stare. “I destroyed the door. I’m sorry…”

“Destroyed?” Katarina mumbled. She quickly exited the room and saw the broken door laying in the living room. How could I overlook such a large door? She thought as she came back to the room. All her anger turned to waves of guilt.

It all added up now. The girl? How could she ask who was she? It was Vlanca… Yes, the girl who's forcefully turned into a vampire three years ago. She was supposed to be forever trapped in her six-year self and yet, here she was, looking a decade older. Katarina looked at Arthur, her knees trembling. She slowly walked up to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. How could she put her dearest Arthur in such a dangerous situation? How could she fail to deduce that the Kingdom would stoop so low and teach these young assassins the forbidden spell?

Arthur never spoke. He simply stood still as Katarina wrapped him in her arms. Her body shook and her grasp felt so tight as though she almost lost him.

“Are you alright, honey?” she finally spoke, looking at him straight in his eyes. Both her hands cupped his cheeks gently. “She didn’t hurt you, did she?”

Arthur nodded profusely. “Yes, so please, don’t have that look, granny.” He hugged her again and whispered, “It’s not your fault.”

“Yes!” Duliri exclaimed. “It’s the kingdom that took advantage of her and put the lord’s life in danger. Isn’t it ultimately their fault? They were a bunch of cowards too.”

Vlanca stayed silent but she looked like she wanted to say something. Duliri glided to her and nudged her shoulders.

“It’s not your fault, your ladyship,” she said, her cheeks blushing ever so slightly. “Even though I tried to kill you and Sir Arthur, you saved my life and removed the slave contract from me. I can’t sense any ill will from your actions.” She placed her right hand over her shoulders and gently bowed down. “I know that it would be impudent of me, but please do allow me to serve you to the best of my abilities.”

Once he let her go, both Katarina and Arthur stared at her with bewildered expressions. A few more blinks and Katarina smiled. “Heras!” she agreed. “Protect Arthur and I shall forever be indebted to you!”

The girl straightened, her face not containing any emotion. “Then I shall–”

“So she’s like my older sister, now?” Arthur interrupted, her arms lifted in the air. Her eyes sparkling with innocence.

Katarina let out an amused laugh. “Yes, dear.” She discreetly winked at Vlanca. “She’ll be like your older sister because older sisters protect their younger brothers.”

“How about Duliri?”

Duliri twitched but refused to enter the conversation.

“Well, let’s just say that he’s your brother, though he’s the black sheep in the family.”

Arthur laughed. “Then, we’re a big family now!”

Katarina also laughed at the sudden change of atmosphere. It made her think just how a single word from a child could add colors to what could have been a monotonous life. Looking at Arthur, she would never regret that she gave up her life for him.

*****

The night of Dilunelle, in the year 2378, Arthur’s home took shape. In time, they would assume the last name, Martinez. And it will be a fascinating adventure of Martinez household – full of hope, laugh, smiles and tears.

But that would be our story for later, once Arthur began to defy the world.

*****