~Terra’s perspective~

Waking up today I can’t help but think this is all so strange. I’ve already started to have a new life. From training Eva to sparing with Aiden, it all feels natural. Looking at my hand I wonder, have I really been living my whole life in another world? Did I just imagine it? Who am I? For now, I’ll just keep being Terra, but did I have a different name before? I wonder if I’ll ever get an answer.

After I get ready for the day, I begin heading to retrieve Eva for our daily training when I’m called out by a maid. It’s not Alice, but just some random maid working here. She tells me that Aiden has some business to discuss with me and that he’s at the training field. I thank her for telling me about it and ask if she can send Eva to the training field too. It would be easier for me later if she’s there to hear out whatever business Aiden has with me than to explain things later.

Reaching the training field, there are already men sparing and practicing with their weapons. However, Aiden is just standing around with three other people instead of training. When he see’s me he begins waving me over. “Terra! It’s good to see you!” Aiden had a smug smile as he spoke, “I’ve got some work you might be interested in!” I scratch the back of my head as I think about what this job could possibly be. Considering I and Eva have technically been mooching off his family for the past few days as well as the foreseeable future. “alright, what sort of job do you have in mind.”

From there Aiden explained what to expect from his ‘job.’ He was going to the neighboring beastkin city to investigate the range of the demons’ assault. Aiden’s father has also sent messengers to the other nearby lords to conduct investigations as well as offer aid where they can. My role will be to join Aiden’s investigation as one of his guards. He’s also told me that one of the major tribes in the city are Monkey beastkin. Although it will likely be a fruitless endeavor, he mentioned that this could help me regain some of my memory.

Eva arrived shortly after Aiden finished explaining. I gave her a shorter version waited to see if she had any questions. She accepted the work we would be doing, but she asked why a I’d think that a beastkin city would help me rekindle my memories. Needless to say that she was surprised when I showed her that my tail was in fact not a belt. I think Aiden’s other guards were caught off guard by my tail too as one of them asked me why I hide it. He showed a look of disappointment when I told him, “It’s just to avoid someone grabbing my tail during a fight.”

The journey would begin in a couple of days, so I agreed with the head of the Guard team David that we would secure the necessary supplies tomorrow. He needed to pick out a couple more people to be in the guard unit for Aiden. This also left Eva and I to resume our normal training schedule for the day and plan out any special needs we might have for the trip. As such I lead Eva towards our training spot, there’s a few things I need to talk with her about.

As we arrived at our training area, Eva headed towards her meditative spot. While I do plan to continue todays training, our talk is important. “What?” Eva asked with a grumpy expression when I called her over. “Eva, I’m disappointed with how you handled yourself back there.” I tell her straight. “Huh? What are you talking about?” she asked angerly. I respond with, “You didn’t ask a single question back there. For all you know, we could be heading into dangers greater than we can handle, but you didn’t so much as ask about a single detail.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“I’m your student! Isn’t trusting your judgement on these decisions what I’m meant to do!?” Eva countered quite heated. “This isn’t about trust. This is about knowing what you’re getting in to. Just because I accepted this job doesn’t mean you need to follow me. In fact, if you find something wrong, you can tell me, and I’ll be willing to refuse if it’s necessary.” I state. “If we have a mission, we should just do it! Why should I question the orders given!” shouts Eva. There are red flags in her words there. I think I’ve stumbled on a real issue here, but I need to go farther to tell what’s going on.

“Eva! This is an important lesson! You can’t just follow blindly! If you truly want to be strong, you’ll learn to question things!” I shout with authority. Let’s hope this smokes out more of whatever is bothering her. Eva began gritting her teeth and was mumbling something. Then she points at me and begins shouting again, “I don’t get this! I never had to ask questions before! I was told to do something, so I’d do it! If I’m told to train, then I’d train! If I’m told to fight, than I’d fight! If I’m told to run, than I’d run! Why do I have to ask questions! Why do I have to figure this out! This should just be simple! Why is everything so difficult now!” Eva has begun to cry as she spoke.

“I see now Eva.” As I begin to speak, Eva glares at me, “You’ve received training before from others.” Eva clenches her hands into fists, “I also know why the way you’ve been taught and the way I’m trying to teach are conflicting.” It’s easy to tell Eva has her whole attention on me. If I handle this poorly, teaching Eva could become near impossible. “You’ve been taught to just obey, like the one who taught you wanted you to be nothing more than a weapon or a tool for their own gain.” Eva’s now slightly trembling. “But now you have to cast all that you’ve been taught aside! Your not a weapon or a tool and you certainly don’t belong to anyone! Right now you are free! And if you let me teach you, I’ll make certain you grow stronger and stronger so you can stay that way!”

While still shaking and crying and with her head down, Eva softly asks, “You don’t even know anything about me. Why would you do so much for me. Why are you doing this?” Here are some tough questions, but I have to answer them. Why do I do so much, I’m not even sure of that myself at this point, but that isn’t the answer. “I know what I need to know about you Eva. Your lost in this world just like me. The only difference is that I have the strength to push through the tough parts, and you don’t. I don’t know your past, but I don’t need to know to be your ally. No matter what happens, I’ll be on your side Eva.”

Eva begins to shake her head from left to right and laugh. She raises her face and along with her tears is a mad grin as she points to me and says, “You, my ally? No matter what you’ll be on my side? Really? What if I’m another demon like you’ve been fighting huh? What if I’m just another one of the monsters? What will you do then!” She then begins to grit her teeth and a dark aura begins to envelop her. Where did I screw this up? Well, if talking won’t get through to her, I’m left with having to act. I walk up to her and raise one of her arms by the wrist, “huh, wha?” she mumbles as I continue to act. I pull a knife out, summoned from the system, and place it in her hand. Then I grab her other wrist and place her hands together and point the knifes blade at my chest. “If you think I’m your enemy, then just kill me now!” I say with resolution as I stare her straight in her eyes. The dark aura fades and all that I see in her gaze is fear, not of me, but of the fact that she could so easily kill me right now, as well as the fact I am the reason for that. “I told you Eva, no matter what, I’ll be your ally.” She drops the knife and leans against me and begins crying. It’s terrible being alone.