So many stuff to fit into that suitcase, Clothes, Canned food, Lighter to heat the food and other useless stuff like extra traditional medicine that she not gonna use in any situation. But Hatsumi is kind enough to provide her need for traveling, especially the outfit she given to Freya that will keep her warm and fancy for the rest of the travel. Freya look around in the mirror as she observe herself, her soft palm touching her pale cheek and pressing it gently, her rosy lips opened and close, Finger brushing her short hair strand with the color White on the outer layer and Red on the inner layer, her eyes sharp yet still feel doll-like with those pink colored eyes that seen hardship yet still sparkle with life and hope. Now her eyes gaze down toward the outfit she wore, the outfit that Hatsumi gave during her time in League of Hunters, it is fairly simple; a skater dress with long flutter sleeve underneath her peplum leather jacket with a cravat around her neck, alongside a pillbox hat, a stocking and loafers shoes.
Freya doesn’t think much about how she dress, it’s a perfect outfit and a comfortable one, though this outfit seems to be more fancier and cleaner than the whole orphanage which has wall with ripped wallpaper and bedrooms with those annoying cockroaches infestation. She turn her body around the mirror, staring into her slim back and thigh then to feel her chest, due to the tightness of the jacket it make her chest more shaped and a bit bigger than she thought. “Woah…” She murmur as she look down to her own chest, head going into certain fantasy not safe for children.
The sound of a closed suitcase break the thought and keep herself calm when facing around, Hatsumi is holding the suitcase that sitting nicely in the ground. A proud smile appear on the elf lady face, a smile fill with nostalgia and untold story of a good memory. “It’s been so long since I have used this suitcase,” The elf turn to Freya, “The outfit look gorgeous on you, Freya. I always know it fit you.”
“Hm, I do wonder how you even find one that fit me.” Freya answer, her hand playing with her cravat before approaching Hatsumi, “But thank you, Hatsumi. Your generosity is noted.” Hatsumi felt a flush of embarrassment at her gratitude, why not? Freya bow to her like she some sort of saintess that give her the basic necessity to survive.
“Ah! You don’t need to do that, Miss Freya. In fact, I’m glad to have given this outfit to you, I always wanted to give that to someone after I retire from League of Hunters.” Hatsumi cross her arms and look into the window where the sun light has entered the room and filling it with sense of life around them. “I Used to travel from country to country with that outfit, but now since I’m not with them anymore… I feel like looking at my old self who were so full of hope to impress the big wings on her first day.”
Freya could feel Hatsumi blue eyes gazing at her from top to bottom, staring at every small detail with focus and a hint of warmth. It’s been decades since she join them, it’s been decades since she even wear this, but everyday she keep on washing it and keeping it on good condition. The outfit is a memory worth to protect, memory of the time where she raise her hand with others and lend them down for the people falling into problem. Before the war, before the fire that burned the earth and the fire that spread their ashes of terror toward the people, sadly she was one of those people, coward warrior that were brave in their first years but as the real enemies appear her legs would turn into a noodle and her veins would be filled with sea of panic. In the League of Hunters, there’s a code, a code where warrior should not back away, to not be a failure when face with dangers. But she run and this is where it took her.
Looking back at it again doesn’t make her feel shame or regret for that time, instead she was glad she could survive and be alive to see someone else wearing her attire. Being an Elf, she have seen many disappointment and proudest in her long life, but this… is truly her proudest moment ever. Like a mentor giving the mantle to the chosen disciples.
“Is something the matter, Hatsumi?” Freya pull her back to reality again after being lost in the sentimental memory the attire hold.
Hatsumi shake her head and one hand rest on her hip, acting all casual to her. “Nothing, just… I’m proud you know? I think I just fulfilled my dream to give it to someone else.” She let out a sigh, a heavy one that show she tries to hold the tears away but keep it to herself. “Sorry… I’m just getting too sentimental…”
“You are Sentimental.”
Freya word a jab to her heart, oh how bold and cold that word coming out of her, with no care for the feeling of the poor elf lady infront of her. Hatsumi should’ve expected this, Freya have been dismissive toward how other feels and boldly say it, sometime it harsh and sometime it just rude, but that what she appreciated. Freya a honest person, when she’s not afraid to say it, then she totally mean it.
“A-Anyway…” Hatsumi try to change the topic, she clear her throat to keep the embarrassment away. She was just about to speak, but the sound of the door creaking caught her attention immediately. They both turn to the source of noise and see Bryan and Roy coming in.
“Miss Freya… You really are leaving?” Bryan said meekly, his hand holding each other like it was a fragile glass that would break and his eyes seems a bit red than usual. He must have cried before, holding those tears away when he hear her leaving, but Knowing Freya personality she might never think of it that way.
“I already told you didn’t I?” She spoke, calmer than the usual commanding tone she would often give during training. “If you wanted to go with me, then we’ll go together or you want to stay here and train by yourself. Now, what would you chose?”
“I…” Bryan cannot said it out loud to her, He doesn’t know if He should go or not. In the best way, He’ll go with her right away and continue to learn more from her to be better. But this place… this Orphanage… He is attached to it. He been here when he and Roy where starving from lack of foods, this place also been the first place for him to finally socialize. Leaving it is hard. Would you leave a home that hold such deep attachement to you? Even with changes and that, it still your home. It is forever your home and nobody could change the way you see it.
Bryan know she’s waiting, like a person waiting for their kettle to let out those popping sound for answer if it heating or not. His head hung low and look like he is waiting for any miracle to happen and answer his own decision, he know she’s gonna accept whatever choice he pick but he doesn’t want to think of all the consequence that could come to him in the coming days. “I-I’ll stay!”
Everyone is looking at him, Freya, Roy and Hatsumi. Waiting for his reason, a reason that seems more like bullshit than what he had in mind. “I uh… I can’t leave this place… I just…”
“Is it because you’re afraid of Traveling?” Freya ask immediately, her tone raise as if she judging and testing his critical side.
“No! I…”
“It is because Cloverloft is the only safe place for us, Miss Freya.” Roy immediately speak up, stepping forward as if protecting Bryan from the cold tone Freya usually gave. “The town around us is quite dangerous and since this is the aftermath of War, nowhere is safe. There’s been an increase of monster around the town and because of that Bryan doesn’t feel safe to be away from this place.” Roy eyes turn to meet Freya, a spark of respect for the boy who have been a bit arrogant in the first place. “You should be careful, Miss Freya. Bandits and Thiefs are everywhere, especially you’re a woman.”
“No safe place for a Woman, eh…” Hatsumi murmur with a melancholic tone.
“That wouldn’t be a problem.” Freya said, raising her hand and clenching the fist. “I’m strong, remember?” she might be bold and brutally honest, but Freya is very confidence on her ability and she always back it up with how she easily punch the hole and cause a crack, shatter a mirror piece with a soft hold of her finger and running faster than a cat could. She wasn’t just a mage, she was a brawler too.
Freya approach Bryan, her confidence walk is enough to intimidate the teen for a moment, but then she hold his shoulder and he felt those fear disappear instantly. “Since you will stay, I believe there’s no need for us to continue the training?” Bryan nod in confirmation, “Then you just need to train by yourself, I believe you had the potential to do just that.” Her hand pull away only to hang it in the air, “But of course, you must have a helper…”
A yellowish glow flow around her hand and the room soon turn darker as the glow begin to light their whole body. Bryan watch in awe as a heavy looking book is summoned into her hand, a thick book with rough purple cover and no title at all, only abstract ornament that seems to show this book is from the past, the past where she live to tell the story. “This is a personal spell book from Fiore.”
“Fiore? The famous first ever Mage, Fiore Whisper!?” Bryan spoke with surprise.
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“Yeah, she’s my first student.” Freya tap the book cover as if to blow some nonexistent dust away. “This book had been her journal, she have filled it with spells and how to do it as if she was writing a guiding book to people instead of a journal. I don’t know why she do that, but she wanted me to take it and give it to someone else.” Her eyes gazing down to the book cover, the cover that have been so intricate and old, she remember when Fiore created her own book, on how proud she is when she introduce it to Freya. That girl would spend her time asking about spell and their uses just to write it, said she wanted to make history and put this book in some treasure for fun. “It was 4000 decade ago… I don’t know why she change her mind about this book and just told me to give it to someone else rather than burying it.”
Freya hand him the book and Bryan could feel the weight of the whole world rest their burden on him, holding a book so antique and old to time that remained perfect and safe in someone hand is just too much for him. Especially if the book came from a very famous figure in history, Fiore whisper, the First mage to ever exist and invent many spell that is spectacular and beautiful. He hold the book and almost drop it in an instance, “Woah! This… is Heavy.” Bryan tried to lift it and could hear Roy sigh.
“Gosh, You’re so clumsy.” Bryan just laugh awkwardly at Roy comment, he immediately put the book on the nearest surface ever. It was heavier than it look and his arms almost felt like it is going to be ripped apart just by lifting it.
“This is not a fake, right?” Bryan question came from the countless Fiore fake spell books that doesn’t work, he have spend a lot of hard work money just to buy those kind of books and be disappointed when he realizes it was fake. A lot of spell have been removed to be more reader-friendly and even more simpler instead of the complex Magic chemistry that Fiore famously used during the invention of spells.
“Straight from the woman herself.” Freya answer without hesitation, which came to a shock to him when he find out that this book is real and was given right from Fiore. He gulp immediately and stare into the book for a long time. Why does she give this to him? She did say that he is talented… but talented by what? A good Mana capability or a fast-learner that still have trouble doing magic? Freya stare at him and break his focus, “Don’t think much if you’re worth of the book or not, I give this because I want to. I have no use of this book anyway, it just a bunch of spells that I have mastered after all.”
She read his mind isn’t it? Bryan stare at it for a long time, for a long time he feel more motivated to learn, to master the spells and to finally join the League of Hunters. It was like the first day where Hatsumi has given them a fried rice when he and Roy arrive in this orphanage, it was the most happiest day of his life. “Thank you, Miss Freya. I Promise to keep this book in good condition.”
“Hm, I know you will.” Freya hum, “Hatsumi, I’m going to leave now.”
“Eh? So early? I didn’t give you the bag of Euro yet!” Hatsumi seems to panic a bit that she’s going to leave sooner, did she expect Freya to give a warm hug or goodbye? Seems like she’s not that type of person.
“I’m getting impatient.”
“Please wait a moment!”
Hatsumi rush away to the drawer and begin searching for any sign of bag to keep the money for her travel, Modern Eradoria use the multinational dollar for their daily life called as Euro. Euro is a much more straight forward and simpler way to spend their money, each money have different color with that only amount. Like grey mean it only cost 20 Euro or Blue mean 200 Euro, it was easier to understand than in the past where Freya have to use silver and gold coins to pay it up. Those silver and gold coins is the same and the only difference is the color, to measure them, the coins cost base on their height. Smaller silver coins is only 1 Euro, while big silver coins is only 10 Euro. The same goes to gold, although gold one is more expensive than the silver.
It was a fortune that the money system is finally renew and they could enjoy a much more simpler way to understand money instead of using their height differences to understand. Life would been much harder than before if that happen, because Freya suck at counting money.
“Miss Freya!” She turn to the voice that call her and expect it to be Bryan again, that boy always asking stuff to her, but surprisingly it was Roy. In his hand is a medkit, the white box seems to be scratched all over and the red cross color also seems to be dullen, this medkit must have been repeatedly used and tossed around. “Here, a Medkit for you.”
“Medkit?” it was an odd gift, but she accepted it. Freya observe the Medkit closely, turning it around and ask. “Thanks, but what is this for?”
“You can use that if you accidently got injured, Miss Freya. I’ve keep a medical book inside for you to understand.” Roy seems proud at saying it, as if it have been his dream to say that to another person, but Freya only stare with a stoic face she always give almost like she’s not impressed at all. But, to be truth, Freya doesn’t want this, for her Medkit are useless. If she got hurt, then she just gonna leave it to recover by itself.
“Uh-huh…” A thought suddenly appear, “I didn’t know you know much about medical stuff, Roy. You look like someone that doesn’t care about reading stuff like this.”
“Well, it’s because Roy have been such a clumsy person and always got in trouble with himself! Like yesterday, he got sick from staying in the snow for too long and I have to be the one to watch over him and give him a herbal drink for it. If Bryan keep finding way to let himself get hurt or sick, then I have to be the one to keep him safe.”
“R-Roy… you don’t have to tell her…” Bryan face turn red with embarrassment, the blonde back away in shyness. It was like being told his biggest weakness toward the enemy but with his former teacher. “Why shouldn’t I? if you aren’t clumsy, maybe I don’t learn medicine stuff!”
“I’m not clumsy!”
“Yes you are!”
“No I’m not!”
“Yes!”
“No!”
“Yes!”
“No!”
“Cut it out, you two!” Hatsumi finally break the small squabble the boys had and Freya couldn’t help but smile at the sight of them like this. It was nice seeing two friends still needing each other and care for one another, Back in the day, she would have friends like them. Bickering and snitching at each other with no end, but it was still fun in the end, they could watch the sun raise and gaze at the star at every opportunity they had. The world was cruel to them, but they ignore every warning and enjoy life to the fullest. Before everything have to came to an end.
“There’s still time for bickering, boys.” Hatsumi scold them, stopping their little fight before letting the gentle smile out and turning to Freya. “This time, we gonna say our goodbyes to Miss Freya and wish her a good luck in her journey.” She hand over the bag of Euro, a heavy looking bag that Hatsumi personally save for the orphanage now half of it are given to her for her long travel. “Do you still remember how Euro work?”
Freya open the bag and stare into the many money inside, most of them are just 20 Euro stack together that could be 200 Euro or more. She look back to Hatsumi and nod, “You’re too kind, Hatsumi.”
“No need to thank me, Freya. These Euro are gonna be important after all, save them and don’t waste them okay?”
“Understood.”
“There’s also a map I put in your suitcase, just in case if you didn’t have a phone.”
“Understood.”
Freya grab the suitcase and look around the room, she’s silently saying goodbye to this place. Goodbye to the memory they made for the past ten years, goodbye for the nice soup and fried rice that she once serve and Goodbye for the memory where she could watch those children run away and laugh without care for the world. Once she made her journey away from Cloverloft, she won’t be visiting it anymore. She won’t be there if this place collapse or disappear entirely. It was the consequence after all, to move on with her life to a new path that could accept or reject her entirely. Sharing goodbyes and hugs with them, Hatsumi know this is their last time. Even though she hope Freya would visit once, she know everything wouldn’t be the same anymore. But the memory stay and she wish Freya a good journey.
Five months have passed, Freya realizes that Cloverloft is so far away from the society, surrounded by forest and in this winter time she sees nothing but landscape full of snow everywhere. She eat and sleep, then wake up to continue her walk. In the walk, she found many interesting insect like the Sting ray worm, where a small worm with a sting ray looking physique roam around a dead kitten that seem to die out of starvation in days before. She watch as the Sting ray worm and Maggots eat the kitten corpse and then she pay respect to the kitten before standing and continue her walk.
Two years later, Freya learn how to be patient and fish often. She know she been circling the land and doesn’t reach any city, but now she just wanted to find more things to do and discover it. She caught a big fish in a small pond and it was a Gold Fish that gotten bigger in the pond, Freya think the Gold fish is tasty so she took it in and begin to cook, the problem is, she doesn’t know how to cook and started to miss the taste of the soup back at Cloverloft. But since It have been a years, she keep eating the same tasteless fish for the rest of her years.
Six years later, Freya walk around an abandoned warehouse isolated just like Cloverloft orphanage. It was night time and that Warehouse was also dangerous, bear trap everywhere as if it have been a hunter den and the trap are left there for people to get caught into. Then there’s the Ghoul who have been hunting, no luck, they always run away when seeing her again. They better know who they are messing with.
Eleven years later, Freya is moving from town to town, watching people interact with each other and hearing their story of the time before the war. One elderly said that before the war, the town was flourishing with life and people, children running around playing together or helping the elderly with their harvest, but after the war, the people begin to flee the town and it soon become nothing but an empty-filled town with little hope left. The more town she visit, the more lonely it get.
Twelve years later, Freya is now finally close to a city, city called Orwanda that will be her first path in her travel.