Hakai no Miko

It was on the ridge of the mountain, where the trees flourished, that Aerica brought Xa, leaving the three girls behind.

We got to Aerica, where she was told there was nothing but grass, and Xa makes a surprise face. What the hell was going on here, and Xa tried to raise her head to look around.

"Don't raise your head on your own! You'll find it!"

Totally reprimanded by Erica for pushing him to death, Xa panicked and bowed her head. Plus, Erica leaks one tongue punch before she says.

"Look over there. Look, don't shake the bush."

Xa followed with her eyes the tip of Aerica's finger, which was so thin that it was likely to break pockingly after just touching it.

Then a white one was seen around the middle belly of the ridge across from the small valley. But in Xa's eyes, that's too far away to see exactly what it is.

"Is that, what?

"Look, don't you get it?

Aerica's attitude of sight and nature makes Xa tiny and pointy her mouth.

"Don't count on my eyesight for being modern."

I guess Xa herself meant to talk to herself, but it sounded round to Erica, an elf so well-eared that she was told not to miss even the whispers of the wind.

But I don't know what the word "gendaidine" means, and Aerica doesn't know how to react, and I get confused.

In the meantime, Kisa opened the bag that was hanging on her hips, complaining that she didn't want to use it in front of someone she didn't know very well, and took out the multiple packages (coming) with a soft cloth from it.

"I hope it's not cracked."

With that said, Xa loosens the cloth.

It was Erica peeking at Xa's hand wondering what the hell she was going to take out, but as soon as I saw what came out of the loose cloth, I would raise my voice with such a small surprise.

Wrapped in cloth were two crystals, large and small. Both are flat shaped, but the center is slightly swollen for the larger ones, whereas the center is slightly swollen for the smaller ones. Neither, however, found any cloudiness or distortion, and even to Erica, who is not familiar with the gems, found it to be quite expensive.

Next, when Xa takes the thick leather out of the bag, she circles the leather in circles with a familiar hand to make a barrel. Then, when a larger crystal was attached to one of its cylinders, and then a smaller crystal was also applied to the other side, the string attached to the leather was tied and secured.

"You, what is that...?

"Mm-hmm. Little, silly? I guess it's like."

Saying so, Xa began to peek into the barrel from those wearing small crystals.

Are you even going to make crystal regulations at this time?

Erica frowned upon the strange behavior of Kisa.

But to her frustration like that, Xa seemed completely unaware.

"... is that a tent?"

Xa was right, it was a tent made of a fabric burnt to the sun and yellow.

Its tent is nestled in a steep slope of depression and lush trees, so close to flat. Having a tent means people will be living, but when you see weeds that are as long as knees, it looks like they've just been built very recently.

In addition, there were several simple tents around the tent with four corners of a large cloth spread around the tip of the four bars that stood on the ground. Under that tent, the windy men, who said how desolate, lie down and sleep in thoughtful outfits, on furs and cloths laid on the ground.

Is that number a little more than ten people on the count?

"Those guys are the bandits...?

Aerika answered with a snort while still making the crystal regulations and still being uncomfortable with the attitude of Xa, who questioned that one hassle.

"Three sisters are caught over there."

Xa said, "Sister?" and asks Oomu back.

"There is no blood connection. But they're more important to me than my real sister."

Yes, as Erica answered but to match, a woman screamed from the camp of the bandits.

As soon as that happens, it draws blood from Erica's face to see it.

The one who screamed would be the elf woman that she was being caught. Xa searched the camp for an elf woman, but could not find her figure. Then it will be in that central tent that they are imprisoned. If there is only one tent in the camp, it is up to the people who lead the bandits there. If the guy who leads the wildlings like a burglar is a beautiful elf woman in the tent, I can guess what's happening there first and foremost.

Xa grabs that hand in an attempt to stop her, worried about Aerika, who still looked so serious that she was going to jump out towards the camp.

Then Erica blued to her lips and shook her body with horror. But when I soon find out it's Xa holding my hand, I turn my cheeks red in anger this time and shake my arms off ramblingly.

It pissed me off, but it still seemed calmer than earlier. Erica rubs her grabbed hand abominably, causing her jaw to shrug to Kisa to get away from the camp.

Aerica opened her mouth when she came far enough away from the camp of the bandits.

"I picked you up, that night..."

The Aerikas tried to cross the river in the rain to avoid the chaser's eyes. We had chosen in advance a place that was as invisible and as easy to cross as possible, but it was nevertheless life-threatening to cross the river, which was increased by the rain. We crossed the river desperately relying on ropes that tied each other's hips, as we were about to be taken by torrents over and over again.

When they managed to cross the river safely, they were so exhausted that no one could speak.

"So I didn't notice them approaching us."

In addition to his fatigue and dull sensations, the rain noise that kept swinging violently had dispelled the sneaking signs and sounds of the bandits. By the time Aerica and the others noticed the bandits, they were already surrounded.

"The first sister I noticed said to us, 'Run,' to the other sister and the bandits deliberately"

Aerica's voice, thinking of the sight at that time, was shaking small.

"We were taken by our last remaining sister and ran away anyway. But a burglar in front of me, and then my sister, she said," Get together and run... "

Finally, Erica gets her words clogged by the fury she snubs up from her throat.

What I'm saying is disjointed, but I could understand the approximation for Xa.

Perhaps the two women became the twins, and the third remaining woman desperately stood up to get Aerikas away from them and stopped the bandits. Erica shouldn't have wanted to leave those sisters and run, either. Still, I guess I ran away with the thought of a severance to get away with the young Irzas I was with.

Xa, whose silent, shoulder-trembling appearance of Erica was too painful to watch, spoke somewhat forcefully.

"I heard there was going to be a burglar around here, but there was a safe house here,"

"You know those guys?

"Yeah. I've heard rumors lately that there's going to be burglars around here."

It remains for these people (from Ya) to leave near the border.

The fear of irritating neighboring countries unnecessarily makes them insecure because even policemen can't move. Also, the bandits know that if they cross the border, they will not be able to reach the captors, so if anything, they will soon escape into the territory of the neighbouring country, so their crusade is not easy either.

Perhaps the burglars have only built a tent in their lair, also because they are moving their strongholds over and over in a short period of time.

"They're targeting people who were slaves who had fled when they heard about Bornis."

To Xa's words, Erica slapped a nearby tree beside her fist as she tongued.

To reach the city of Bornis from the State of Holmea, it is a common route to cross the river using a bridge crossed by a plain to the south. However, the plains are a dangerous trail for fugitive slaves who have to avoid the eyes, as they have good prospects and some fortifications are garrisoned nearby by the Holmeer National Army. For this reason, the fugitive slaves will choose to hide themselves in the woods and other places, choosing a path near the mountains in the north that is narrow and easy to cross without bridges.

I guess those bandits are waiting for their prey with nets around here in anticipation of it.

We were jumping into a nest strewn by poisonous spiders.

Seeing Aerica tremble with such remorse, Xa hastily connects her words.

"So, but it's okay! Let's hurry to the city of Bornis. Now that we know where the safe house is, we can get rid of them without leaving any of them behind!

Xa confidently puts her chest up and slaps her there to show.

"Leave it to me. This is still somewhat of a city face."

Erica smiled with a much sadder smile at how Xa, who doesn't look like such a dependable man, is still desperately trying to encourage herself.

"If I could do that, how good..."

It was Xa who was confused because she didn't know what Aerika was trying to say, but she understands the meaning of that smile in the following words.

"When I got back to where I was attacked, there was a message from my sister about the pieces of clothing she was wearing and for us there -"

So once the words were cut off, Aerica went on to say.

"- He said to come to them by three days. If you don't, you'll kill the people you caught."

Carefully, I recall that the trunk of a nearby tree even had been dug into a map showing the location of that lair, and Erica bit her lip.

"That's a lie."

Xa affirmed.

If you take it to the bandits, the elf's escaped slave is an important prey.

If this is a human or Dwarf fugitive slave, you can get a bounty and a reward if you kill him or take his neck to the fugitive. But if you're a fugitive slave to the elves, you get a reward, you sell them off elsewhere, it's more profitable to keep them alive.

"I know that!

Erica spewed out her passion in words.

"But! That's why I can run away from the sisters I've run away with so far!

When the aftertaste of anger disappeared, painful silence dominated the neighborhood.

"... sorry"

After time to count ten slowly, it was only words of apology that Xa finally squeezed out. But still, Erica regained a lot of calm.

"I'm sorry. I said too much."

Erica tied her lips together once so that she could see something before continuing her words.

"But even if I know it's a lie, I can't be abandoned. I can't stand it in case one of my sisters gets hurt by a burglar on the stomach we ran away from."

To help ourselves, not only from the gratitude of those who sacrificed.

He is one of those who has supported nightmarish days together as the same slave.

If I had been alone, I would have lost my mind or my own life. It didn't happen because there were companions who had licked bitter acids together as human slaves. Just saying that I have a companion in the same situation as myself saved my mind slightly. I can't say enough in words how pleased I was with the feeling of my hands gently touching my shoulders when I was weeping at the various sensations that stained my body.

And yet, there's no way only congratulations and ourselves can be free.

"I need a favor."

Aerica said with a pale smile.

"Please, I want you to take those kids to Bornis"

Xa noticed that Erica didn't say "ourselves" but dared to say "those kids".

"No way, are you...?!"

"I'm going to the bandits."

Erica says without even showing her the slightest bit.

"But if you do that!

"I know. - But if no one goes, I could really kill one of my sisters. At least if I go alone..."

Xa could not be blamed for that being stupid.

Even Erica knows that all the time. Still, we can't abandon our captive companions and go to Bornis alone.

"So, for you - no, I ask you. Please, at least take those kids to Bornis."

Xa finally understood why she had helped herself.

Given Aerika's situation, he wouldn't have even wanted to see a human man or something. Not to mention it should have only been painful, such as saving its life. Yet it was to keep the children that helped me. From the beginning, she intended to give herself to the bandits.

When Aerica removes the necklace that was on her neck, she offers it to Xa, who is surprised and unable to say anything.

Even if it's a necklace, it's a simple piece of amateur craftsmanship that just threw a string through a hole in a piece of crystal.

On a good note, the crystal pieces are also crude with impurities in them. In the middle of the crystal were countless white needle-shaped crystals gathered together, longitudinally elongated masses (clumps). The top and bottom of that mass are spread fan-shaped, and the part of the fan that spreads up is scattered with a number of grains of green crystals that look like algae.

It must be a different kind of crystal, but it's never expensive.

"Doesn't what's in the crystal look like a tree?

That being said, Xa, who saw the crystal pieces again, was convinced that it would be.

The white needle-shaped bundle of crystals is the trunk of the tree, the part spread down is the root, and the part spread over the green crystals is not even visible to the branches.

"When I was little, I was playing in the river plains and I found it. It's unusual that there's a tree in the crystal. So, when I brought it home, my dad stringed it up and made it a necklace."

Erica stared at the crystal pieces with her eyes narrowed so that she could remember the memories. Then, when I close my eyes hard enough to weep, I get depressed.

"This is my treasure."

Erica took Xa's hand and dropped that necklace over her palm, causing her to shake it.

"This is the only thing I can offer you right now. Please, please. Help the children."

That's a treasure for Erica, but from others' point of view, it's just a strange crystal. Not to mention that Xa has two much more expensive crystals than this. Yet, due to the embarrassment and misery (Mij) she could only offer something like this, Erica could not even see Kisa's face properly and could only lay her face down silently.

But Xa didn't imitate it like laughing.

He understood the value of the necklace well enough.

Indeed, that necklace, as a jewelry, would not be so valuable.

But she was a slave.

There is no way that a slave who is even treated as someone else's property can have his own belongings. There will have been times when they were about to dump me. Some people would have covered it in the funny half.

Still, she desperately protected only this necklace.

Xa felt a small necklace in her hand, shrugged and heavy.

What am I supposed to do?

Xa asked herself in her heart.

Whatever you think, the situation sucks.

Emotionally, I would like to help the Ericas. If you need your own strength, help as much as you can.

But if we try to help the women of the imprisoned elves, perhaps - no, surely it will be all the Aerikas, even putting themselves at risk. If we fail to rescue an elf woman and instead get caught up to the Ericas, it's a good place to end the fall.

Besides, I am an outsider in the first place. Erica didn't want us to help ourselves either. I asked you to take the girls to Bornis. Just because I did what I was told, there is no reason to be blamed for being thankful.

Xa's heart leaned toward the weak.

It is then.

"Please. I want to let those kids go alone. A country where all races can coexist, listed by the city of Bornis -"

Aerika, who could not bear the silence of Xa, who would never return the answer, overlapped the words even more.

- It's our dream to go there.

The effect of the word was dramatic.

I wondered if Xa was surprised to see her eyes open to the limit of a cup, then turning her face bright red and shivering her whole body into a pull. When I continued with that for a while before dropping my shoulder wide, I sighed and exhaled the breath I had held until then.

"Oh, shit! Damn it! If they say that, you can't get away with it! Oh! I'll do it! I'll do it!

Kisa screams as she squeezes Gashigashi and her own head.

"It's not just those kids! Everybody! Guys, I'm taking you to Bornis!

To the words of Xa, now Erica turned her eyes round.