Chapter 3 “Reconciliation”

“…W…up…” Huh? I could…hear someone’s voice?

“…ake…p…”

But…I couldn’t…understand any of it. I guess…since I’m dead, right? I was executed by the one I almost killed. Fitting, if I may say so myself.

“Hey…say something!”

“…E-Eh?” I…can hear it? Impossible! I’m dead! I wouldn’t be able to! But…my hand…I can…feel it? I felt my finger twitched at my attempt of moving it.

“H-He’s moving!” A sudden feminine voice entered my mind. Was it the same voice as before?

I tried to open my eyes, but it was a task much difficult than I anticipated. After a few moments, I am finally able to open mine completely. What greeted me is the vast dark sky. I could only see some flickering light on some part of it.

“Hey…can you…hear me?” Oh, the voice from before. I turned my head to see the speaker. “Oh, it seems he can! Lin, it went well!” The speaker seems to be the boy from before. He showed a very happy expression as she looked at me.

What is he talking about? What went well?

“…I suppose…” Oh, another one? It seems to be from behind the boy. My eyes then shifted to the figure behind him.

“…Y-You…”

“See, he’s fine. Now can y–“

“AAAAHHHHH!!!!” I jumped away from my position. It is as if my strength come running back to me. Together with that, I distanced myself as fast as I could. But unfortunately, my unsteady legs could only do so much that I stumbled on my own feet. I tripped and fell forward.

“W-Wait a minute! S-Slow down!”

“N-No, p-p-please f-f-forgive me!” I crawled back while shielding my head. The reason? The one that stood behind that boy is none other than my executioner! No matter what I thought, my own body felt the fear and instinctively tried to distance away from the threat. “D-D-Don’t hurt me! I b-b-b-beg you! P-P-P-Please!”

“N-N-No, we won’t’ hurt you!” The boy, with a concerned and worried face, approached me with his hand stretched toward me. “C-Calm down, please!”

“W-Waaa! I-I’m sorry!!! D-Don’t hurt me! Please!” Although I wanted to get away, my lower body refused to move any longer due to the memory of fear and pain. I could feel tears welled up on the edge of my eyes as I beg for my life. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“No, no, no. We don’t’ want to hurt you! Calm down, please.”

“Please! D-Don’t hurt m–“

“SHUT UP!!”

“Hiii!!!” I felt my face paled even more at that sudden raised voice. “Please don’t kill me…I beg you…” I could only plead in a quiet voice.

“Lin!”

“E-Eh? S-Sorry, Ris, I..j-just…”

“Look at what you’ve done!” From the gap of my arms, I opened my eyes slightly and saw the boy scolded the girl from before. “You scared him again!”

“I…I j-just…” A small and weak voice came from her. This somehow soothed me as it seemed that the boy had some kind of control over her.

“S-She didn’t mean anything, o-okay?” He smiled at me. It was a forced smile. “S-So, don’t be afraid, okay?”

“…O-Okay?” I opened my arms and looked at him. Unlike before, he looked a bit better. I felt a bit relieved, but I still put up my guard. It is still far too soon to feel relax. “A-Are you sure…y-you won’t hurt me again?”

“No!” I pulled my body away as he shouted at me. “I-I’m sorry! I don’t mean to shout. So…calm down? Please?” Now he was the one pleading.

“…Okay…” I then relaxed my stance. Slightly. “Huh?” Just after that that I finally realized that I felt no pain whatsoever. As I traced my shoulder where the knife was stabbed before, I found not a single wound. Although there are still some holes and bloodstains on my shirt, my whole body felt absolutely fine. I moved to my chest and found the same condition. “H-How?”

“Oh, I used recovery magic.” The boy answered me. “I’m glad I made it just in time.”

“R-Really?” I looked at my body again and found only blood soaked spot but not a single wound. I was utterly impressed that she could do a very powerful magic. “T-Thank you. I’m very grateful…for saving my life.” I gave him my thanks as I lowered my head at him.

“A-Ah, there’s no need to do that. After all…” He glanced at the girl behind him. Immediately after that, the girl averted her eyes from him. “It is our fault. I’m just glad that I made it in time. If not…” His gaze at my chest felt saddened and concerned. Ah, I know.

“…I would die, right?” He nodded reluctantly at my word. “Well…as long as I’m not, I’m content.” I flashed him another weak smile. “Even if I did…I…probably deserve it…”

“…What… do you mean?” The boy’s eyes felt somewhat painful. I know that this might get me into trouble, but…I have to come out clean, right?

“I…almost murder the two of you…So I–GUUH!!”

“I KNEW IT!!!” The girl immediately jumped to me and pounced at me. “YOU’RE THE ONE!!!”

“L-Lin! Stop!” The boy grabbed the girl’s shoulder, trying to pull her away from me. “He’s not!”

“WHY DO YOU PROTECT HIM, RIS!!!” Her shout reminded me the same scene from before. She really did kill me. “HE PROBABLY WORKED FOR HIM!”

“LIN! STOP!!” He tore her away and slapped her. The loud sound echoed in the night. That made the girl widened her eyes. I also widened my eyes as I was confused at what happened. “I…believe him to be innocent.” With a trembling shoulder and voice the boy shouted at her. “Let him explain…then…we decide.”

“*cough*…t-thank you…”

“I’m sorry, but…you better start explaining.” With his back facing me, the boy gave his order. I could only nod and start my story.

“…And…there you have it.” I finished my story and looked at the two. Their expression certainly showed a very mixed one. The boy seemed to be relieved to hear that I really didn’t want to kill them in the first place. While the girl…I...can’t really tell. She looked somewhat…suspicious of me. A very logical and understandable reaction. “So…yeah, that’s the whole story. I’m not so sure what you guys have went through, but I guess it was very terrible.”

“…Terrible… is an understatement.”

“I agree. It is…much more than that.” As the two replied to my statement, they showed the same troubled expression.

Looking at them, I could do nothing but scratched the back of my head awkwardly. The mood is anything but cheerful. It was so gloomy and dark that I thought that the night had lost its moon.

“Well…uhm…for now, let’s eat, shall we?” I tried to break the heavy mood. “I know that I only prepare very little since…I’m not exactly prepared for this trip, but please enjoy what meager food we have.” I gave my best smile, which I must say felt very fake even for me. And just as I expected, the two’s expression seemed to have become uncomfortable. I felt my spirit dropped too. “Ah…err…I’m sorry.” I ended up lowering my head after apologizing to them. I guess I really should read the mood better.

“N-No, please lift your head. It’s not that.” The boy waved his hand in front of him with a slightly flustered face. “It’s just that…”

“Just?”

“…We…already…” The girl paused for a bit after starting to talk. “…We…already ate them.”

“Oh, so you already ate them? Ah…” Is that all, I thought it was–

“All…”

“…Excuse me?”

“We…already ate… all of them…” The girl, while averting her face from me, finally told the real reason.

“All?”

“The berries…”

“And…the meat…”

“Ah…all…” It seems I will fast tonight. Wonderful. Just wonderful. “Well…uhm…that’s understandable. From what you’ve gone through, you must be hungry. Hahaha…” I let out a wry laugh. I still hope that they left something for me. But…I guess that is a very faint hope.

“I’m really sorry, Mr…err…” Looking at the boy wore a troubled expression, I realized something. I have forgotten something important.

“Oh, yes, yes. Introduction.” I’m so stupid. “I’m Zinorzo, a coachman of Flame Horse Guild. Pleasure to meet you.” I bowed my head after I said my name.

“A-Ah, I’m Rishilda,” said the boy while pointing at himself, “and this is my twin sister.”

“Lindisa. And for the record, she’s a girl.” A girl? What did she mean by–The boy!? He is a she!? Oh wow!

“L-Lin! You don’t need to say that! I’m sure Mr. Zinorzo already knew that I’m a–“

“Please forgive me!!!”

“E-Eh?”

“I mistook you for a boy! I’m very sorry! Please don’t be angry!”

“See?” The one called Lindisa said to her with a rather satisfied smirk. “We have been through this so many times, Ris.”

“Ugh, that…kind of hurt to hear.”

“I’m really sorry!!”

“N-No, t-that’s okay! Really!” The bo–I mean the short haired girl waved at me who was still apologizing for mistaking her for a boy. As I mentioned before, I don’t want to experience the wrath of the woman mistaken for a man. I would die! For sure! “Just as Lin said, it…happens quite often.”

“Always.” The other quickly corrected her. “Not often, always.”

“Okay! Okay! I get it!” She shouted to her sister. “It al…al…”

“Always.”

“It al-always happens.” With her confession done, her eyes were casted down and her face reddened. “Ugh…hate it.” Although I could hear that, I decided to ignore that. Don’t wake the sleeping dragon, they say. “So…don’t mind it, Mr. Zinorzo.”

“Ah, call me Zin, if you don’t mind. I know my name is a mouthful, so it’s easier to call me Zin like everyone else.”

“Okay, Mr. Zin. Then call me Ris and her Lin. Just as yours, I know that, our name is a bit on the long side. That’s fine with you, right Lin?”

“As long as you are. I don’t really mind.”

“Okay, Ms. Lin and Ms. Ris.”

“Uhm…just Lin and Ris, please. “ She said that with a bit of flustered face. “That kind of…made me feel old.”

“O-Oh, okay. Please do the same for me too.” I kind of got taken aback hearing her asking that right away. Is Ris the type that is able to get close to someone quickly? I then shifted my eyes at Lin that stayed behind her and found that she was glaring at me. “I-Is there something on my face?”

“…No…” After that, she averted her eyes from me altogether. “Don’t worry…It’s nothing.” And it seems that her twin is the opposite of her. Quite fitting, actually. I mean, it is best that each of them can complement each other’s trait, right?

“O-Oh, okay. Uhm…since it is already quite late, you two can get some sleep for now. I mean, I don’t know what your plan is, but I think it is better that you rest your body. You’ll need it for whatever your next plan is.”

After I said that, the two of them looked at each other. Although I don’t really know their story, their body need to rest after going through what I might imagined to be the worst ordeal one can get.

“And don’t worry, I’ll stand watch for anything.” I then moved onto the camp fire and noticed that what they said is indeed true. My hat that was supposed to be filled with some berries had been emptied completely. The sticks that had parts of the squirrel had also been cleaned. After letting out a soft sigh, I took my hat and dusted it off before putting it on. My eyes then suddenly landed on a certain object near the camp fire. I smiled as I realized what that was.

“Are you…going to be fine?” I was a bit startled by the sudden voice behind me. I shook my head to regain my calm. “I mean…we can–“

“Nope, don’t even suggest taking a turn.” I cut Ris’ words. “You guys have been through a lot. You will need to rest not only your body, but also your mind. And…” I looked at Lin who stared at me. “You can keep that knife at the moment if you still doubt me.”

“I d-d-don’t doubt you!” Yeah, your expression and action told me otherwise. I felt nothing but murderous intent from you. Well, maybe not only that. But, most of it is. “I m-mean, I’m just…”

“Lin…you…”

“No, no, no.” I waved my hand at them. “It is, once again, very understandable. If that can make you rest much better, do take it by all means.”

“…” It seemed that my words were spot on. Her silence was like a confirmation for me. Although Ris looked to be a bit disappointed at her twin’s opinion, she didn’t voice her mind. I guess she realized deep inside her mind that believing and trusting a stranger she have just met is not exactly a wise move. But I am happy that she tried to believe me. Oh, and also healed me back to live. Very grateful for that.

“Then…is it really all right?” Although she didn’t question her twin’s view of me, she still concerned, eh? Quite a nice girl she is. At that, I gave my most honest smile I could show.

“Please don’t’ worry. I am used to do that in my job. Just make sure to sleep closer to the fire so that I can get to you right away in case something does happen.” I then took the snake carcass and some of the sticks that were left near the fire.

“Ris…come on.” Lin quickly grabbed her by the shoulder before she says anything else. She looked at me while her twin sister hesitated to get to sleep. Thankfully, she chose to follow her sister.

After the two took my overcoat closer to the fire, the two finally sleep. As their steady breathing could be heard, I felt somewhat relieved. Once again, I couldn’t really imagine what they have gone through. I will hear their story later, if they want to tell me theirs for that matter. If not, I won’t even complain.

“Ah, the night is still long, eh?” I then look at the snake carcass. Even if it looked far from appetizing, my hungry stomach made it look quite delicious. All I have to do is to skin it and then gut it. And then I can have my supper for the day.

“…Hmm….Eh?” Where’s my knife? Ah…right. Damn it!

Author Note:

Please give me comment and opinion for this story, or even critique so that I can improve my writing. Do tell me if you find something strange or wrong with the chapter. Thank you for reading!