Brul’s daughter cried for a while. I couldn’t blame her for it nor did I feel like stopping her. Her tears felt like those of relief, fear and… worry. She calmed down after a bit. She was still holding my hand but when she noticed that she quickly let go blushing and turned around, probably to not let me notice.

“Are you okay now?” (Kenos)

“I… I… For now… I think so…” (Burl’s daughter)

She seemed to hesitate, not sure of what to answer. She probably didn’t know if she was okay herself. Poor girl.

“T-That’s right! My father! Do you know my father? Or do you know-“ (Burl’s daughter)

While she was talking she turned around to face me and interrupted herself after seeing my expression. I think she knew what exactly it meant. Just as good of a people reader as her father I guess. I smiled in my mind a little sadly at that but I did not want to show that smile to her lest she misunderstood..

“Your father… is no more.” (Kenos)

Hearing this she started tearing up again but since she had just cried herself out she didn’t seem to be able to do so again and just sobbed silently. I took this time to come to terms with some things myself.

First. My expression changed again. I couldn’t see it but I could feel it… but this time… it didn’t feel that bad. Like it was finally what it should have been all along. Before when I was on Earth and when I was a dragon my face was almost completely emotionless. After my second death as a dragon my face became very expressional.

Now it seemed like it finally achieved a balance. My face usually stayed stern and was a natural poker face but I could properly express emotion when needed. It felt good… it felt… relieving.

I didn’t understand what I am but I got some hints. I am a void. An abyss. Nothingness. Emptiness. Looks like I named my element correctly and darkness is certainly a part of it but darkness is the lack of light. Void is the lack of all that exists. Haaah. It’s quite confusing. I don’t know though how exactly I am what I am. Am I a part of the void souls go to after death? Is it a part of me? How did I become what I am? And so on. Questions were still abundant and answers much less so.

And finally… I will stop hiding my magic. My physical strength is weak so I have nothing else to rely on. On the other hand my magic is strong. If I could use this back when I was protecting the cave Kate was in. I would honestly probably have been able to annihilate my enemy.

Now that I think about it what I am doing when I control the void is very different from magic. It doesn’t even tire me out. I don’t use the mana in the air either. I currently have an infinite capacity for using mana too thanks to being able to control the void. I guess rather than magic the void is part of me so controlling it is definitely different from using magic.

It’s hard to explain. Maybe if I say that controlling it to make a spike is like moving an arm? And then maybe I can compare gathering the void to manipulate the mana around me is similar to breathing? I don’t know. But the void is a part of me.

By the time I was done thinking the girl had seemed to calm down again as well. She probably expected my answer. Maybe she saw him being attacked by several soldiers but hoped that I somehow arrived in time to save him.

“Umm… Sorry if this is rude or something but… why are you helping me?” (Burl’s Daughter)

“Good question. But the answer is just because I felt like it” (Kenos)

“You felt like it?” (Burl’s daughter)

“Come on let’s get out of here I still have things to do… we still have things to do.” (Kenos)

“…?” (Burl’s daughter)

I could almost see the question mark floating above her head but she didn’t say anything and simply followed me outside to see the slaughter I had committed.

“… You did this?” (Burl’s daughter)

“Is that a problem?” (Kenos)

“…… No… Thank you.” (Burl’s daughter)

She didn’t seem bothered by the fact that I killed so many people. Actually she seemed relieved. Well I won’t pry. I first checked the corpses for any coin and sure enough it was full of them. Especially the man sitting next to the driver of the carriage. He may have been the brat’s servant or something and was probably holding the money for his lord.

In the end I got around a hundred gold coins and a load of silver and gold from the guards. I thought I wouldn’t be able to carry them all but the fancy pouch of coins the brat’s servant had on him seemed enchanted and was able to fit more than it looked like it would.

I didn’t touch the swords. They were better than the ones I had but they were useless to me. I could make a sword out of void and that would cut through these ones like butter. My own swords as well were thrown aside. Don’t need those any more either.

After I was done we left. I was walking slowly as the girl was still not quite up for walking energetically and I didn’t want to tire her out. When we were around twenty meters away I turned around to face the scene of carnage once more and willed for fire to consume it.

I stayed for about a minute keeping the fire burning at the temperature I want and controlling it to not spread to anything but what I want it to burn before simply willing it to stop and continuing on my way. Behind us was only a road covered with ash and liquid metal.

“That’s right! Your name! I forgot to ask your name.” Said Burl’s daughter suddenly as we were walking. Truly I had forgotten to introduce myself and I hadn’t asked her name either. Good I was getting a bit tired of calling her Burl’s daughter in my head.

“Kenos. You?” (Kenos)

I kept it short and simple. I didn’t need a grand introduction.

“Lillian…” (Lillian)

“Lily then.” (Kenos)

“Already with the nicknames?” (Lily)

“Lily is easier to say. Sorry to tell you but I usually give nicknames to anyone I meet with more than five letters in their name.” (Kenos)

I think that was the whole reason Zahrah gave me that name... to annoy me. Good thing I changed it. Bitch. Now that I think about it I didn't really think up a nickname for Eirene. I'll just call her Ei from now on. I don't think she was in on Zahrah's bullshit. Well... I'll find out anyway sooner or later.

“…” (Lily)

She seemed to be thinking about something. Now that I think about it were those bastards feeding her well? Probably not. The noble brat seemed like the kind of guy to treat women he liked as toys and toys don’t need to be fed well now do they? How corrupt does a 15-year old piece of shit like him become that way? Influence from his father most likely.

When we were leaving the ash and metal behind it was the late afternoon. By the time we arrived at the place I wanted to go the girl had asked me to stop to rest a few times already but I urged her to go on. This has to be done today.

As she asked me again I stepped off the road and stood in front of a black spear made out of crystal. Lily came up from behind me. She didn’t know what this was but she seemed to realize something as when she stood before it she fell to her knees. She looked at me.

“F-Father?” (Lily)

I nodded and she broke down in tears once more but when a girl is crying her eyes out as a man should I really be doing nothing? Last time I held her hand. This time I hug her and give her a shoulder to cry on for the whole time. All the way until she got tired from it and fell asleep.

As she fell asleep I let her rest on my lap. I didn’t really feel like just throwing her on the ground. *Sigh* I got reminded of Kate again. She did the same thing when she… never mind. I’ve decided what to do next. The soldiers from before were wearing different uniforms than the country’s military. They must be a private one and the only person I could think to have something like that here would be the lord that governs the towns around here. I’ll ask Lily about it when she wakes up.

Until then I’ll just wait since I don’t need to sleep anymore. I lean back on the spike which signifies the grave of Brul with Lily on my lap and slightly smile.

“Well Brul… It’s not exactly marriage but good enough right?” (Kenos)

I hope your soul rests well in the void… friend.

Lily sleeps like a log for around ten hours and by the time she opens her eyes the sun is already up. Of course she seems flustered that she woke up on my lap and quickly stands up. I just stand up as well not letting it bother me.

She looks around frantically and seems to remember the events of yesterday finally looking down dejectedly with a slightly grim expression. Time to make sure what exactly happened.

“Lily. I know it might be a bit hard for you but can you tell me what happened?” (Kenos)

She looks up at me still with a sad expression on her face and nods.

“There’s really not much to say. The son of the lord was coming to town and he took a liking to me. That was… all… He ordered his men to take me and I was to be made into his personal toy… I was just dragged around town and eventually put into a cage in the back of that wagon.” (Lily)

So I was right that it was the lord.

“… What are you going to do now?” (Kenos)

“I… don’t know.” (Lily)

Tears were gathering in the corners of her eyes again. Jeez. Both Kate and her are quite the crybabies aren’t they… no… I guess it’s only natural to cry after losing someone precious. I only knew him for a day.

“I… don’t want to go back to Acton.” (Lily)

This honestly surprised me. I didn’t expect her to not want to go back there. Well this made it easier for me.

“Do you want to come with me?” (Kenos)

“…Huh?” (Lily)

“You don’t wanna?” (Kenos)

“No, no! I just… Why? Why are you helping me so much?” (Lily)

“… Because your father helped me too.” (Kenos)

She seemed a bit surprised. She looked at the black spike and smiled sadly.

“That’s dad… even ferocious elementals of darkness love him…” (Lily)

“That statement sounded a tad dangerous. Not to mention I’m not darkness.” (Kenos)

She giggled a bit. Good. If she can do that I guess she’ll get over Burl. Of course you can never completely get over losing someone but you can’t let it bring you down. She seems stronger than Kate was… then again Kate looked like she was ten.

“Then where will we be going?” (Lily)

I thought we might have to go to Acton first for her to maybe visit her house one last time but she says she doesn’t want to go back there.

“Do you know where the lord lives?” (Kenos)

“Why would you want to know that?” Lily asked a bit bewildered.

I showed her a devious grin.

“We’re going to visit.” (Kenos)

“You’re joking right? I mean I know you’re strong but can’t you die? You’re lucky there were no priests or light mages in the escort because that was his third son.” (Lily)

“Light? Oh come on. Do I look like light hurts me?” (Kenos)

I stand point my hands upwards slightly to emphasize my point. As I do so she seems to realize finally that, that is indeed the case.

“But… how? Aren’t you a darkness elemental? I’ve heard that those are the strongest elementals but they sustain an incredible amount of damage from light.” (Lily)

“I told you right? I’m no darkness elemental.” (Kenos)

“Then… what ARE you?” (Lily)

“Yeah. Wish I knew that myself.” I say smiling. Not sadly. A real smile. “I don’t really care too much though.” (Kenos)

I have power and I’m free to use it however I like. Sure it would be nice to know what I am but I don’t care too much. Not enough to go out of my way to make my journey’s purpose finding that out.

Lily looked at me like she had no idea what I’m talking about but she seemed to realize I don’t know what I am myself. She then walked back to the road and pointed in the direction we came from yesterday.

“The city the lord’s residence is in the direction we came from. His son was probably going back there. It’s a few days away though.” (Lily)

“Good enough for me. Let’s go.” (Kenos)

I also got back on the road and started walking in that direction. Seems like I’ll be using Lily as a guide and an information source for now. I’m going to protect her of course but she’s not useless. First I’ll pay a visit to the lord and then maybe the king will be next. I still need to find out what happened to Kate. As well as why.

Travelling with someone else was a lot slower and they needed food. Good thing I was able to hunt really well. During the day we walked and during the night I hunted a few animals and smoked the meat for later use. I made a container out of void. Like a bag. Of course it was pitch black.

The smoked meat wasn’t that good but when I cooked fresh meat I used herbs as spices. The herbs around here actually weren’t that different from those in my previous world and I fucking KNEW memorizing a few plant encyclopedias would someday be worth it.

And though Lily had nothing to say on the smoked meat she constantly praised me for the cooked one. She always looked sad when I handed her something smoked rather than cooking some myself.

It was… enjoyable to travel with someone else though it was slower. Of course it helped if that someone else was an energetic and beautiful girl with a bright personality. Interestingly enough cooking with the void flame seemed to make it better... it was weird. Why the hell did a flame which is supposed to consume all make things taste better? I just decided not to question it. Magic.

After six days we arrived at the city of Karpas. I smirked as we saw the city walls and Lily looked at me with a wry smile as she now knew what kind of person I was. Like that we walked ovr to the gate of the city which would probablysoon need a new lord.