«??????» (???)

'No... Father, don't do it... DON't DO IT!'

«GALGO! WAKE UP!» (Mirim)

«Huh?» (Me)

'A dream? No... That was a nightmare... Pretty sure of it.'

«Why have you been like this these few days? You haven't even been coming to school!»(Mirim)

«No... It's nothing...» (Me)

«Is it because of what happened to your family in the past?» (Mirim)

'How does she know?! Can I even hide anything from her?'

«You don't need to worry. It has nothing to do with you anymore,...???» (Mirim)

My head starts to get heavy and I fall unconscious again...

«Galgo?» (???)

'Mom is calling me. Should I stop training, for now, to go there and see what she wants from me or should I keep training and make father proud?'

«Galgo?» (Mom)

'I think I'm better off making father happy right now. I'm his only son and the only successor to our family so I've got to be as strong as possible. I'll keep on training.'

«GALGO?!» (Mom)

I keep on training as I hear mom getting closer. A drop of cold sweat falls to the ground.

«GALGO LIONVIGOR KULANAGA GET HERE RIGHT FUCKING NOW!»(Demon king incarnate/Mom)

'OH SHIT, SHE'S COMING!'

As I get up, mom already grabbed my head and lifted me off the ground.

«Being the only successor of this family does NOT give you the rights to ignore your mother! You'll be helping us!»(Mom)

'How does she even know what I'm thinking?!'

«What do you need my help with?» (Me)

Once she drops me she points to a pile of boxes at the end of the large hall. We are moving for some reason and they want me to help carry them.

'Why don't they ask the maids and buttles to do it instead of asking me? Seriously...'

I get my ass off the ground and start carrying the boxes to the carts outside. They are all simple wood carts that farmers would use with a single horse in front of each.

Box by box I finally finished moving all the boxes.

'Those boxes were all as big as me! It's not really because they were big but I'm not that small either!'

«We're going now. Say goodbye to this house.» (Father)

After spending hours sitting in this really uncomfortable carriage, once dawn arrives, we arrive at a poor looking house. It looks like the house a farmer would live in.

«This will be our house from now on. I'll have to deal with some things for the rest of the day so make yourself at home.» (Father)

'Well... Looks like I'll keep on training my muscles then. Wait... There isn't even a single place inside the house for me to train! Is this an actual farmer's house?! I guess I'll need to go to the nearby forest to get some training done.'

(...)

'Huh? Night already?! Today really passed by really fast. I better go back now.'

As I was walking towards my new home, I start hearing a large ruckus.

'It's coming from my house! What's happening!?'

I run through the door. What I'm seeing is completely out of this world. Mom is crying and father is chained to a metal rod that is coming out of the ground.

«I see the son decided to join.» (???)

A very formal man steps forward. He looks very important.

«Let me inform you, the family leader, of the current happenings. Your father was found to be conspiring against the King. Several witnesses confirm this statement. As such, we intervened and stripped him of his statuses. Now we just need you, family leader, to sign this paper so that we can leave.»(Important looking man)

«Galgo don't trust anyone other than your family and very close friends! They are trying to trick you!» (Father)

«The words of a traitor are not worthy of your ears, Leader.» (Important looking man)

'My father did such a thing..? I can't believe it... Why would he do it?! Has he been lying to me all this time when he said he would make this country better? How could I trust him!? W-why am I crying?! I'm the leader now!'

I grab a pen and sign the paper presented to me by that man.

«I can't... I can't trust you... You told me many things that are not true! How could I trust you!» (Me)

The important looking man quickly puts the paper away and a slight smile forms on his lips.

«Finish them off...» (Important looking man)

Two of the men that were near my parents take out a sword each and quickly decapitate them. Their heads fall to the ground and roll on their own blood that splashes around the room like a fountain. I'm already at the door but my feet are also drenched with my father's blood. They are now looking at me now.

Without knowing when or how, I run into the forest. I run, and run, and run, and run... eventually collapsing to the ground from tiredness.

(...)

«Where am I?» (Me)

I wake up in a weird leafy bed that has been slightly roasted.

«Are you awake?» (???)

A driad comes from behind a tree and greets me. She seems agitated somehow?

«Great. Young warrior, I need your help.» (Driad)

«Why do you need my help?» (Me)

«I need you to take my daughter to my hometown.» (Driad)

«Why don't you do it instead? I bet you don't want help from someone like me.» (Me)

«Because... I'm a few days from "blooming". I don't have enough time to take her there.» (Driad)

«But...» (Me)

«I told those imperials that I found your dead body and threw it into the river. You can relax. I know you are no traitor.» (Driad)

«How do you...?» (Me)

«Do not underestimate a driads eyes. They are naturally magic.» (Driad)

Suddenly, a girl much smaller than me peeks from behind the tree the driad hame from.

«Don't be shy. He'll take you home.» (Driad)

The little driad is now hiding behind her mother.

'I wish I had any siblings... But I can't have any now...'

«Don't remember that past. Forget all that and walk to this new future. I'm sure you'll be better this way.» (Driad)

'Wow... Driads are impressive...'

«Here, take this. This compass is a relic that will show you the fastest way to his pair. The pair is in your destination so you just need to follow it.» (Driad)

'Every word she says takes away an excuse from me...'

«Alright, I'll do it...» (Me)

The driad smiles.

«Go on, tell him your name.» (Driad)

«M-my name... Mirim...» (Mirim)

«Pleasure to meet you, Mirim.» (Me)

Mirim smiles and hugs her mother again. She actually went and got a large backpack in the meantime.

«There's enough food in here for a few weeks. You should go now. I don't know how long it'll take for those imperials to realize they can't find your body in the river.»

I look at Mirim who is also looking at me and then start walking in the direction indicated by the compass. I look back at the mother that I ended up not even know the name and realize she is crying while caressing one of the little flower buds on her chest.

«DON'T YOU DARE GO BACK TO SLEEP AGAIN!» (Mirim)

«Yeah... I'm awake.» (Me)

«Now we're going out!» (Mirim)

«Whyyyyy?» (Me)

«I'm not going to let you become lazy again! GET UP!» (Mirim)