Why was I angered by what Lusaia did back there?

I thought to myself as I sat by the flames watch the porridge simmering in the pot. Ahead of me, Lusaia sits by Marianne as they talk about the things that have happened while the two were separated.

The anger I felt then… No, it was more of a feeling of severe anxiety. Did I get anxious seeing that Lusaia could be walking to her own death? I do not understand, I thought I have gotten over it but… a part of the past still remains etched in my heart.

“…And then, Papa jump like this and like this! Before ducking down like this!”

“Amazing… Your father truly lives up to his name…”

‘Mhmm! Papa is the strongest!”

I listen in to their conversation as Lusaia recounts the battle where I fended off the two minotaurs. Lusaia’s… “explanation” isn’t the best but Marianne seems to be entertaining Lusaia to the best of her abilities.

While Marianne acts as if she thinks I’m still Lusaia’s real father, it’s pretty obvious that I’m not. I thank her for playing along to keep Lusaia as sane as possible.

“Hais…” I let out a sigh.

What do I do now?

It is fortunate that Marianne’s condition isn’t a contagious one but her time is coming to an end pretty soon. I let Lusaia cherish her remaining time with Marianne but the both of us have yet to tell her the truth. It would be right to say that none of us have the heart to do it.

The purpose of this trip in the first place is to find Marianne. Well, that part is complete. The problem comes what’s after next where I hand Lusaia over to Marianne to ensure the kid’s safety.

With Marianne like this, all of that has come crashing down and in the end I’ll still be left with the kid.

I just want to be left alone where I can disappear quietly from everyone and everything…

I raise my head up high and take a deep breath. The porridge is done and I pour it into wooden bowls. Adding some salt and spices, I bring it over to the other two.

“Ah! Aunt Marianne needs to try Papa’s cooking. It’ is really, really, really delicious!”

“Is that so?... I’m looking forward to it...”

I pass a bowl to the eager Lusaia. Then, I pass a bowl to Marianne. Her eyes look at me as if they’re inspecting me. There’s no hostile intent behind them so I led it slide. She’ll probably question who I am once Lusaia is asleep so I better prepare a cover story…

----

It has been a tiring day for Lusaia so she was the first to snooze. I carried her to the tent I had set up before and return to the campfire where I continue cleaning up.

Marianne continues to rest by the tree while I half expect her to call me over to interrogate me. I don’t intent to lie but with people of her character, they are just as unpredictable. She may appear to be sick and weak but who knows what she has hidden underneath her sleeves.

I’ve finished with the cleaning up but am slightly surprised that Marianne hasn’t called me over yet.

I sit by the fire adjacent to her position and then…

“Reino Steysa… Interesting name for an outsider…”

I jump from my seat.

From the sack beside me, I took out the mercenary’s sword I had stashed inside and pointed at Marianne.

“How… How do you know that name?”

“It’s your name is it not?...”

“You’re… not wrong nor are you correct. It’s a complicated story.”

Marianne spoke to me with a calm face with no hostilities nor hidden intent.

“I have no intentions to antagonise you and how I know your name is through the magic eyes my race once possessed...”

“Magic eyes?” I tilt my head in confusion.

“I would like to disclose everything I know to you but my time is short… You should already have guessed that by now too so please come closer… It’s hard to raise my voice any louder than this…”

I lower my sword, her words are true that she is not a threat. I approach her and sit on the ground in front of her.

Marianne mumbles something to herself before she finally spoke.

“Before I explain anything, I must thank you for protecting that child… Lusaia’s circumstance has resulted in such a troublesome fate that no one but you can change its course…”

“Circumstances?”

Marianne sighs as she looks down in disappointment. She hesitates and explains, “That child… She is cursed with the fate to kill the gods of this world…”

What? My eyes widen in disbelief.

“You got to be joking…” I spoke my thoughts out loud but Marianne shakes her head.

“Everything I am telling you is the truth… In this world, there exists higher beings of varying degrees and mana that powers this world alongside energy… Centuries ago, a war broke out between the two god factions… One superior god against four collective gods… The war has ended in a draw but the conflict resulted in the foretelling of their downfall… ‘A child will be born with half the world’s mana, your end is nigh’ is what an oracle told the god when they met to sign a peace agreement…”

“And that child is… Lusaia?”

With a heavy heart, Marianne confirmed it with a nod.

I sit here dumbfounded. The information can barely be processed at all but she continues.

“Which is why… I know you have past circumstances that are holding you back but please consider protecting that child… You may not like it but she has no one else left to rely on… Once I am gone, it is up to you… I do not know what the gods will do to her but it will not be pretty…”

How much does she know about me? I can’t even tell. But the strange thing is…

“How do you even know all this?” It’s not possible some random person to understand such a prophecy. If this was a common general knowledge, it’ll be written somewhere within the mercenary’s journals.

Marianne makes a pained smile as she looks up to the starry night above.

“My past is complicated too… It would take more than the allocated time that I have been given to explain everything…”

From the pocket of her ragged clothes, she took out a key. A silver key coated in iron rust to disguise its original nature. She stretches her arm towards me and I took the key into my hand.

“Everything you want to know is within that key… In a library of a certain academy, you will unlock the answers to everything that I have worked for…”

Everything she has worked for… so Marianne is someone of high standing. There is probably a reason that has caused her to have fallen to the position of a slave but her condition is beginning to worsen.

Her breathing is starting to become sporadic as she wheezes with each long breath. The end is approaching.

She holds onto my hand, “Please… take care of that child…”. Those were the last words I will ever hear from her…

----

A solemn rain pours over the forest dungeon, the critters that roam the forest are silent. There’s only the two of us now. One with a nonchalant face hardened from years of fighting; the other with swollen eyes and puffy cheeks, mucus leaking slightly from her nose as she wipes it away with a sniffle.

The both of us remain silent as one is in a dilemma and the other mourns for a loss.

What should I do? What can I even do?

A journey to answer my questions results in more questions being put on my shoulders.

Lusaia… Why must you live the same fate as I once did?