The little elf girl, Hinoki Prasiolite, hug her knees as the slavers caravan traverse another rocky path. The whole cage that she as in together with other captured slaves is covered with a large dirty white sheet. No sight of the outside and it constantly blocks the sunlight.
She tries hard not to think of her dreadful fate at the hands of the slavers. One of the older women told her that she will catch an attention of a rich nobleman and might turn out to be a good thing for her, less the early experience of being a sex toy.
“I don’t have any choice. I don’t have anywhere to go back to and being a sex toy for someone else for a good life doesn’t sound bad.” She thought to herself to lessen the anxiety she is experiencing right now.
Her ashen white hair and gleaming emerald eyes look ragged but with a little grooming, she can make any men turn their heads towards her. At such young age, she can make anyone ogles her with such charm and beauty so attracting a hefty rich noble is a piece of cake.
“I’ve lost the desire to do anything. Going for an easy life of a slave would make me it better for me to do something…” she said inwardly. But her ears are visibly drooping down, indicating that she is down and sad that contradicts her own thoughts.
“Who are you bastard?!” One of the burly men outside shouted.
“You’re picking the wrong guys! We are A-rank adventurers!” One of them shouted again as he boasted.
“If you come closer, I’ll order everyone here to kill you. I am showing mercy so get out of my sight!” the clear and haughty voice of the slaver resounded.
“Oh!? You’re asking for it! Come and--! Guah!!” the voice of one of the man trailed off with a devastating sound of groan. Afterward, more of those wails come one after another as if they are dying.
After a few more seconds, the slaver’s last cry was heard as he also followed the same fate as the hired adventurers.
“W-What’s going on outside?” one of the slaves cried out.
“Are we getting snatched away now by a group of bandits?” one more followed.
So on and so forth.
Everyone inside the cage started a clamor. Even Hinoki who was silently hugging her knees felt the unrest and become scared for her life. She reluctantly accepted her fate as a slave and the fact that she might become a sex toy for a rich man but she didn’t know how to react when she heard the word bandits.
And then, upon the curtain trails, a hand appear from the opening and removed the sheet covering the cage.
Bright light of the sun comes down blinding their eyes at they haven’t witnessed it for a long time. Everyone felt the warmth spreading across their bodies as the heat penetrates their skin. It took everyone a few seconds to adjust o the brightness brought upon the sunshine.
When everyone’s eyes adjusted, what beholds them is a lone man with bloodied fists stands there.
A man with hair as black as the night sky complimented with eyes as hollow as the pits of hell. An eye that made everyone trembled as they saw how it was visibly filled with unimaginable hatred and sorrow. The man is leanly built with prominent muscle lines and stands above average of a normal man in this world. He wears a normal shirt accompanied by a tunic and. He wears a black linen pants with black leather shoes.
In instant, he placed his hand on the right side of the cage and ripped the segments of the bars. The bars made of steel didn’t even offer a resistance against his immeasurable strength.
Hinoki thought “Scary…but…his eyes tell something deeper.”
After ripping the steel bars, the man left wordlessly as he walks away. Everyone inside the cage is in awe and fear because of the man. The only one who managed to move is Hinoki as she followed the man.
But as soon as she steps down from the cage, a sight of carnage met her eyes.
Headless bodies with ripped guts spilled in the whole place. Skinned skulls with litters of brains are everywhere and some limbs that visibly forcibly ripped from their torsos are everywhere. The stench of death wafts in the air that made Hinoki’s head filled with disgust.
Even so, Hinoki held up her puke and frantically turn her head from left to right until she saw the man earlier walking away. Even if she is drastically horrified, she managed to step on the blood and guts that spilled all over the place to follow the man.
“Um…! Hey…Mister! Please wait!” she called out to the man. Because the man showed no indication of turning around to face her as she sent a pleading voice, Hinoki continued to run after him.
“I said wait! Are you listening?!” Hinoki blurted as she catches up to the man and grabbed his right arm.
The man finally stops from ignoring Hinoki and slowly turns his head towards her. His hollowed dark eyes directly stare at her eyes that it sent shivers down to her spine.
“What do you want?” His cold and chilly voice entered Hinoki’s ear and it immediately gave her goosebumps all over her body.
Instead of backing down, Hinoki steeled herself and asks “Why did you do that? Why did you help everyone back there? Also, do really have to resort to such brutish killing?!”
“It’s for self-satisfaction…” He answered bluntly and shakes off Hinoki. Without expecting anymore answer, Hinoki obediently had her body removed and left speechless.
The man is dangerous and anyone will notice that even at first glance. But for Hinoki, there is something peculiar about him and had her thinking if she wants to go with this man since she doesn't have anywhere to return to.
“Hey! Wait a minute!” she called out again as she runs after him.
“………” the man wordlessly stared at her as he stopped from his track.
“Hey, since I don’t have anywhere to return to and I probably can’t survive all on my own, can I come with you?” she pleaded at the man.
“Do what you want.” He plainly answered as he continued walking.
“I’m Hinoki, Hinoki Prasiolite, an elf and I am thirteen years old! What about you? What’s your name? Should I call you master from now on?” Hinoki persistently asked.
“Astlan, that’s my name…as for what you want to call me, suit yourself.” The man, Astlan, plainly answered without looking at her.
“Okay! Master it is!” Hinoki cheerfully replied.
With that, Astlan found an unwanted companion for his thoughtless adventure and Hinoki, by chance or dictated by fate, found Astlan whom she found peculiar.
Hinoki keeps following Astlan through the forest.
A whole day passed since she started walking behind him and there was no sign of Astlan getting tired, sweating or even needing to eat or drink. As for Hinoki, since she was a slave not long ago, her only clothes is a ragged and dirty one piece. Her feet are full of blisters as she traversed bare footed.
The night is upon them and there is no sign of Astlan stopping for a moment of rest. He only walks towards places he felt like going to. Any monsters on the way didn’t show up or even has their hostility directed at him as his presence alone ward them away.
Astlan notices that the girl, Hinoki, even after a whole day of walking, didn’t complain, didn’t asked for a break or even asked for food. She tripped and fell several times and got her body dirtier and her wounds increased.
Stopping at his track, Astlan sat down at a base of a tree and with a flick of his finger, the twigs and pile of woods from nearby gathered at one place. After it gathered, with another flick, a fire came bursting.
“Master, did something happen?” Hinoki asked as she stands at front of Astlan with a sweaty and fatigued face. Her legs are trembling and she has several cuts at her thighs and shoulders.
“[Ira – Perfect Heal]”
At Astlan’s words, Hinoki tilted her head in confusion until black flames started covering her from beneath. Oddly enough, she was taken aback but not scared as the black flames didn’t hurt or cause pain to her.
Astlan thought to himself as he watches the little girl in front of him “So, her mind works faster than her emotion and body does…”
Before Hinoki realizes it, the black flame vanished and it left her body unscathed. Moreover, the body that she remembered having covered with wounds and cuts are now completely treated and it left no scar. The dirty, sticky and sweaty body that she was enduring becomes squeaky smooth and clean leaving no traces of dirt.
Hinoki becomes speechless at the kindness Astlan showed.
Astlan, not caring if Hinoki utter anything or not, summoned his dimensional storage and dipped his hand inside it and took out something. He threw that thing to Hinoki and the little girl frantically caught it in her hands.
The thing she caught is bread.
Once again, Hinoki was flabbergasted at such kindness. She looks alternately between Astlan and the bread. Her stomach started to rumble at the sight of the tasty bread but she was hesitating to eat it.
“Eat it…I don’t need any food consumption.” Astlan plainly said as he closes his eyes as he leans on the tree.
“T-Thank you…” is what Hinoki could awkwardly say as she started nibbling at the bread with cute small and slow bites. She sat close to the fire to warm herself up as she still nibbled at the bread.
“Is he a master of magic? What kind of a person is he? He didn’t seem to be tired at all and monsters never approached us because of him. Did he deliberately stop specifically right now for me?” Hinoki brooded over the things that happened today. She questions herself of Astlan’s motives and identity but found no answer.
“Why did I follow him in the first place? Love? No…it was not that. There’s something about him that I wanted to find out…I hope I can find that thing that I want to see in my time with him.” She asserted with uncertainty as her motive is not even clear for herself.
After brooding over things countless times, Hinoki fell asleep near the lit fire in which she just curls up in the cold hard ground.
Astlan noticing this, he stand up and approach the sleeping little girl whose breathing is faintly heard, he brought out a clean sheet of a blanket and a portable bed and properly lay Hinoki down in it with the said blanket covering her.
“Hundreds of years pass…I am still escaping from reality…such long time that I even ended up learning and making my own magics…” Astlan softly spoke as he sat down beside the sleeping Hinoki.
“After all those years, I never thought that I would acquire an unwanted companion…” he raises his head towards the starry night sky as the past once again haunts him.
“I extracted revenge but I just felt much emptier than before. I could only direct my vengeance and hatred to the gods and goddesses that let such thing happen…” he mutters as his face distorted in silent rage.
“Helianthus, Camellia, Olive, Mint, and Yulan…what must I do?” he cried the names of the girls he couldn’t protect from the vile hands of the very same humans that summoned him in this world.
Morning came and Astlan and Hinoki continued their aimless walk.
The walk through the dense forest continued again with Hinoki stopping by some trees and herbs to pick up berries and fruits for her to eat. Whenever this happens, Astlan willingly stops and waits for her.
Hinoki never cried a word of complaining or favor from Astlan, she just diligently does things at her own pace. Waiting for her to finish the task is the only breather Astlan could give her.
As the noon approaches, Astlan’s routine changed as he got a new company who is a little girl with a limited stamina. Even though she does not openly state it, her sweat overflows together with ragged breathing that she constantly tried to hold back.
Hinoki does not want Astlan to notice her own unbecoming. She immediately realized that she became Astlan’s baggage and Astlan himself has taken the initiative to care for that baggage. Hinoki become also conscious of such notion upon finding herself covered in a warm sheet of a blanket and slept in comfortable bedding.
Astlan sat under a tree’s shade and Hinoki sat opposite from him in a distance. Both of them are well aware of the distance they need to put. Astlan appreciate that sentiment from Hinoki and likewise, Hinoki is much comfortable for the reason Astlan, although he is the master, does not force himself or rather, there is no desire or interest to Hinoki.
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From the perspective of others, this may seem and look awkward but for the two of them, it was comfortable enough that it doesn’t weigh any pressure on each other. It doesn’t obstruct their privacy but has the privilege to observe each other.
This atmosphere started to bloom even though they have just met yesterday. Astlan’s actions are honest and Hinoki’s words are the same. They have a contradicting view of each other but it greatly compliments the chemistry of each other’s action.
At dusk, the same scenario will play out as Astlan will lit a bonfire and feed Hinoki with a bread as he uses the same skill that cleans and clear Hinoki of her accumulated cuts and wounds that she carelessly incurred to herself.
Such quiet time continued for ten days of walking aimlessly until they stumbled upon a city.
Astlan didn’t hesitate to enter the said city and Hinoki had not expressed any opposing idea to it. She does not show any indication of excitement in seeing a city or rather, it seems it was something she is tired of seeing.
Astlan enters the gate together with the little elven girl.
After noticing the elven girl with gradient white hair, the guard called out to Astlan.
“Excuse me, sir, this is your slave, right?”
“Yeah…”
“You do know that a collar is mandatory for slaves. We humans do not want to be associated with this inferior race. If refuse to leash her, we can tow her away, just saying.”
Astlan exactly knew what the guard was trying to subtly tell. He looks at the confused and worried little elven girl, Hinoki with a lustful glance.
In this world, a race such as elves and beast kin are treated by the human as inferior and they are mostly marketed as slaves. Most of them are used for manual labors and for those high-quality slave, they are used as sex toys.
Astlan didn’t answer the guard and continued walking away in which Hinoki followed suit. The guard had a grin plastered across his countenance as he gives a fleeting look at Hinoki.
Hinoki walks ever closer to Astlan as stare from people started to focus towards them. Hinoki never did such thing for the past days and this is the first time she wanted to be so close to Astlan. The sense of needed to be protected has taken over her mind unknowingly.
Astlan didn’t mind. He keeps walking at the center of the city until he found a particular shop.
As Astlan stops at its front, Hinoki becomes confused again and tried to look at the sign. It was an expensive dress shop marketed towards rich people.
They both entered the said shop. Astlan started analyzing the dresses that were hung inside the shop and started picking them up and throwing it to Hinoki. Hinoki faithfully caught the dresses even though the shopkeeper is looking at her with a disgusted face.
The shopkeeper gives Astlan a smile as he was about to pay. The price of all the dress that Astlan got far exceeded of what a normal person could spend for his whole year but, Astlan paid it like nothing. Hinoki then realized that Astlan is an extremely wealthy man with high caliber skills.
Astlan forcibly made Hinoki wears a fashionable dress. Reluctantly, Hinoki wears the white one piece decorated with flowers and silk ribbons fluttering in each side. The hem of the dress is frilled and has also flower as its motifs. The one piece dress is also complimented with a sleeved open shirt which is green in color that it resonates with her emerald eyes. She also wears a high tight boot that extends up to under her knees. She was also given a new pair of panties and underclothes for her budding chest.
Feeling a little satisfied, Astlan nods a little and stored all the clothes he bought into his dimensional storage. With the newly clothed Hinoki on tow, they left the shop and head to a restaurant.
On the way, the stare that they received increases greatly. Specifically, the stare is directed at Hinoki whose dress flutters with the wind together with her silky and fragrant white hair. Her young and cold visage set ablaze the hearts of the men that behold her sight.
Just a moment ago, Hinoki was just wearing ragged dirty clothes and people stare at her with disdain for being an elf and an unkempt slave. Now, they stare at her like a mad dog with lust plastered in their countenance with her current appearance.
Despite their growing libido, none dared to approach as the elven girl walks really close to Astlan which in nature by default exudes a heavy atmosphere that one would immediately realize that he isn’t to be dealt with.
Hinoki’s unrest ended when they arrived at a restaurant that Astlan randomly picked. It’s a big and extravagant restaurant which target customers are nobles and rich merchants. The interior of the restaurant is decorated with elegant furniture and golden statues.
Astlan didn’t mind the stares of other customers and nonchalantly walks to an empty table. Hinoki followed with great hesitation. The customers are high ranking nobles and rich merchants after all and their gazes followed her. It was the same as the men outside, it has interests from lust to admiration.
“Eww…there are old, fat and ugly people here…” Hinoki honestly said inwardly as she caught a glimpse of those who stare at her lecherously.
“Master…are you sure…?” she asked Astlan as she timidly sits at a chair opposite to him. He didn’t respond and instead wave his finger to call a waitress.
“Good day sir, before I take your order, I want to tell you that we only cater to humans. This…elf….here…he needs to be gone…or she can eat on the floor.” She asked as she took a glance at Hinoki.
“Well, well, don’t mind them for now! Let them do as they please! They don’t seem to be ordering here as they don’t look wealthy.” One of the old, fat and ugly nobles approached Hinoki from behind as he spews subtle insults.
The waitress smiles at the noble and after she bowed, she left.
“Umm...you there, the lad with black hair, you seem lost. Waltzing here with this slave in tow, you must have some guts. To tell you the truth, we only accept people here with the same status in life and you look nothing sort of. Do you even have money to buy a single desert here? Hahaha!!” the noble blabbered things as he places his hands on Hinoki’s shoulders. The other noblemen around also laughed at his remarks. Astlan didn’t respond and just calmly look at the nobleman.
“All of us here have high authority and lots of connection and we are also related to the royal family. We hold power over all of the knights and soldiers in this dukedom. Maybe, just maybe, you are interested in a little trade. I am not that rotten to not give you any options.” He smirks with evil intentions overflowing from his face.
“You see, this little elf here…caught my attention and I would like to make…a little deal. Several gold coins together with a full course meal here, what do you say? Pretty hefty, right?” the noblemen bargained as his hands slowly crept to the trembling Hinoki’s thighs. His face says that he already owns her.
Hinoki was stupefied at what’s happening to her. Astlan is not making any attempt to stop him and just put a cool and calm face as the nobleman touches her.
“Hey.” Astlan briefly calls.
“What is it?” the nobleman answered gleefully.
“The destruction of this town will weigh upon you. Is that fine with you?” This time, Astlan asked with a bone chilling voice.
“W-What are you..?!”
“[Ira – Apocalypse.]”
With simple words, a spell made for disaster occurs.
In a flash, everything changed from the luxurious atmosphere of the restaurant to a field of chaos as black flames and rubble of houses scatter. Corpses of human lay bare upon the barren land of demolished structures and the sky is dyed with darkness as the cloud blackens. The stench of burnt body wafts in the air that made Hinoki nauseous.
The only thing left intact is Astlan, Hinoki, and the table and chairs that they are using. The nobleman behind Hinoki didn’t survive was burning to crisps as he stands.
“Master…” with an unbelievable look, Hinoki uttered fleeting words as she surveys the surrounding. What she saw was destruction as far as the eye can see.
She witnesses the chaos brought upon Astlan’s power. Men, women, child, elderly…all of them left the realm of the living and left for the next life with their bodies utterly burnt. No one was spared with the exception of her.
She can’t believe with such a single spell that her master cast, it left devastation that erased a whole city. It clearly didn’t choose its victims. It was plain and simple genocide.
“You, you must understand this. I hate humans even though I am one myself. I have my loath directed at them and towards the gods. I am a mass murderer that won’t choose my victims, I just destroy.” Astlan explained as he calmly sits at the chair while leaning his back with his arms crossed.
“Is there…any reason you particularly did it right now, Master?” Hinoki plainly asked with pure curiosity pushing her.
“Sorry, none at all. I was just satisfying myself by pretending that I am protecting you,” he said as he closed his eyes.
“Master…” Hinoki could only mutter again weakly. She herself is relief that her master, even for self-satisfaction, took an action for her. What has her thinking is that the destruction occurred necessary?
“I won’t criticize or judge you, master. It was an action that you likely felt doing but, is this really necessary? This destruction and killing of innocent and bystander…” Hinoki again asked as she engages in a casual atmosphere as she chats with Astlan even amidst the surrounding.
“I feel no resentment or guilt in doing it. I feel like destroying what the gods created. If this made you uneasy, I have no choice but to have you leave.” He answered with the same casualty as Hinoki.
“I share the same sentiment as you master. I don’t particularly loathe humans but I don’t really want to associate with them. After all, humans killed my parents and destroyed my home. It was their so-called expanding their territories.” Hinoki nonchalantly mentioned about her past.
“After that, I became a slave because I was caught. Revenge never hit me because I have my hands full of surviving and living for myself. Then I met you, master. To tell you the truth, I think you are convenient to be with and I appreciate that. I never understood wordy people so your silence for the whole time has me comfortable.” She added.
“You’re being wordy yourself. I don’t give a care for your past at this point. I’ll just ask you this, Hinoki, do you wish to continue to travel beside a monster like me?” Astlan asking as he stared straight into Hinoki’s eyes.
“I just have one favor and that’s before you do the same thing in the future, at least spare the books. I want to cultivate knowledge.” Hinoki replied to Astlan’s query. She felt horrible and bad for the people that just died in that place. She felt that she is indirectly involved in their deaths but she never truly sympathized with any of them. She just thought that the books filled with knowledge that was caught in the destruction are more wasteful.
Hinoki’s answer has Astlan eyes widened for a brief duration. The little elven girl in front of him pursues knowledge and survival over emotional sentiments and compassion. For the first time they met, Astlan had a peek of Hinoki’s true nature and it has him piqued.
“You are a ruthless brat. Very well, I shall remember that favor. Let’s go.” Astlan plainly said as he stands up from the chair and briefly left.
Hinoki followed after him as they exit through the entrance of the restaurant as if it is still intact.
The two continued their journey aimlessly.
Hinoki stick to Astlan like glue and Astlan neither showed joy nor disappointment in his time with the elven girl. Occasionally, Astlan would do the same incident but it has never been a good sight for Hinoki. She felt that it was normal for Astlan since the human settlement is everywhere but she never felt right in indiscriminate killing as she witnessed it two or three more times.
Occasionally, whenever the stumble upon a slaver’s caravan or even post, they would immediately destroy it and kill all the people involved in such business.
In the end, Hinoki’s pursuit for knowledge prospers and upon acquiring sufficient and matured thoughts, she regretted not stopping Astlan from his sinful actions.
It was too late for her when she realized that rather than putting a stop on Astlan’s actions, one way or another, she sympathized with him.
It was too late for Hinoki to correct those actions. She just keeps accumulating knowledge and started learning magic from Astlan himself.
It was years and years past that when she recalled what she felt the first time they met. Because she became smarter, because she became more aware of everything, because she became conscious of the importance of life, she realized what was peculiar with Astlan.
Astlan was devoid of life or the will to live. His heart is frozen and Hinoki wasn’t able to thaw it.
She wasn’t scared of him, rather, Hinoki can’t help but fall in love with him while she keeps the feeling of guilt for their ruthless actions. Her love and anxiety created an abnormal chemistry that she rendered herself unable to hate Astlan.
She immediately knew that her significance to Astlan is that of a companion only. Even as Hinoki became a full pledge woman who has grown into an angelic beauty with overzealous breasts and hourglass figure, Astlan never showed any indication of looking at her.
Her longing bear no fruit and she exhausts herself from worrying about Astlan’s mentality and actions. Before she knew, a hundred year has already past…
An elf lifespan is ten times longer than humans but, Hinoki couldn’t see Astlan aging one bit. He was the same man the first time she laid her eyes upon him. He rarely sleeps, he rarely eats and he never gets sick while Hinoki will catch cold or fever once or twice a year.
Hinoki feared that Astlan, a killing machine, would continue his routine endlessly. That one day, he will wipe out humanity using the reason of protecting her like what he said the first time he did genocide in front of her.
Her endurance reached its limit and decided to talk to Astlan to subtly stop him one night while they are camping.
“Master…we have been journeying for so long…” She started the conversation as she sat with poise on a tree stump.
“Hinoki…yeah…I’ve seen you grow…” He plainly replied as he locked his eyes to the bonfire.
“Master…I’m sorry…” she weakly said as her shoulder grows colder from being tense.
“I’ve known you for so long, what’s on your mind?” Astlan urged her to speak.
“I want to…settle in. I want to stop…” Hinoki uttered as she timidly looks at Astlan’s eyes.
“Settle in? Hinoki…” he only expresses a poker face.
“I will tell it upfront. Master, please, live with me in peace. Let’s stop, okay?” Hinoki pleaded as she stood up.
Hinoki walked over to Astlan and kneels in front of him with passionate eyes. She takes his hand and hovers it to her breast.
“Master, I love you. Please hear another selfish request of mine. I was hesitating earlier but now that I manage to confess, I want to completely stop you from your killing spree.” Hinoki bravely said as she clasps Astlan’s hand tightly in her breast.
“I am already aware that you know how I feel, right? For so long, I long for you, I always try to satisfy my lust for you behind your back but right now, please Master, I want you to embrace me,” she added.
“Hinoki…” Astlan uttered as he averts his sight from Hinoki’s passionate gaze. “I can’t reciprocate your feelings. I can embrace you like a lover but I won’t love you back. You’ve certainly grown but, it is not about how you look. Rather…you are just a reminder of my past…my kindness and will to protect you are just a projection of what I wish I could have done in the past.” Astlan added as he moved his arms and wraps it around Hinoki’s trembling body.
“Still, do you want someone like me to do it with you?” he quickly followed a question.
“I don’t care…please…do it, Master…” Hinoki simply answered.
Without further hesitation, Astlan caresses Hinoki all over while interjecting short but hot kisses. He began touching Hinoki’s crotch and found out that she is already drenched with her love juices. He pulled out his membrane and look at Hinoki’s eyes for confirmation.
Hinoki nodded in assertion as she tightly clings to Astlan. As Astlan’s membrane penetrated Hinoki’s crotch, Hinoki’s body spasm and she came a little. The thrill of doing it in the middle of the forest and leaving the clothes on turns her on so Astlan’s membrane easily slid in inside her.
Astlan started to move slowly to let Hinoki get accustomed to the wave of pleasure. Steadily, as Hinoki was able to adjust, Astlan’s pace gets faster and faster. Because of Astlan’s pounding, Hinoki wrapped her legs around Astlan’s torso as he hung her up.
Her moans and labored breathing resounded inside the forest and Astlan’s pacing became more violent. After ten minutes of continues pounding, Astlan and Hinoki looks each other and kisses passionately again which was the longest as their body dictates that they are about to climax.
As Astlan’s last pound came, his membrane fully slams to Hinoki’s womb that made her climax together with Astlan. The wave of pleasure was so intense that Hinoki’s back arches.
After jerking several times more, Hinoki loses her energy and let her weight leans to Astlan’s body. She places her head on Astlan’s shoulder as she breathes heavily. Astlan in return, tightly hold Hinoki’s back and her head as his breathing became a little labored too.
Hinoki felt a sense of joy as Astlan accepted her but instantly fell to sadness after hearing Astlan’s words as if he lost his mind and recalled a certain day of his life.
“Haa…haa…Helianthus…”
It was not her name… It was someone else’s
It brought back the reality that she is just a replacement for that exact moment. She could not protest and she can’t even show her dismay as she selfishly requested such favor.
“Master…I love you…even if you don’t look at me…” she inwardly said as she accepted that she can never ever be Astlan’s true love. She cannot return to the days where she can still melt Astlan’s heart and take another route.
The only thing she can do is accept the fact that she is just a replacement and an object of Astlan’s past wish to protect people he couldn’t.
“Are you crying?” Astlan’s query entered her ears.
“I already know it…but I can’t help but feel the pain…” Hinoki replied. “But, I am going to be okay. As long as you don’t cast me away, Master…” she followed.
“I can’t promise you that I won’t kill anymore but, I can at least try to settle down in one place. This might bring more pain to you but, the only place I can return is the place…where I lived with my previous companions and lovers…” Astlan said. He didn’t try to apologize. He is also aware that Hinoki knows her place and she accepted such heartache.
“I don’t care…I love you master…that’s all that matters to me…” she bitterly replied to mask her emotion.
After a few days, Astlan and Hinoki head to The Rainforest of Healing, the Fairy Continent, to return to the place where Astlan made a vow with his previous lover.
To the most painful place, both of them could go.