Barbra’s perspective.

I was an adventurer in the kingdom of Esteria. I worked as a healer and I was an A-rank. I didn’t have a party so I would occasionally join parties that needed a healer from time to time. A healer was in high demand because not everyone could afford high-grade potions. And since I was an A-rank healer, a lot of parties ranging from B to S rank hired me, for a hefty price of course. But I got badly injured in my last raid.

I was diagnosed with having core croniac which is when your core has received substantial damage. The damage wasn’t that big that it would cause me to die on the spot but the doctor estimated that I wouldn’t live past six years.

I was devastated by the news so I stopped adventuring and decided to seclude myself in a faraway village in the Slavia kingdom, a neighbouring country to the Esteria kingdom. This village was next to one of the Forbidden regions on the continent and I had always wanted to go there. I planned to explore the forest and die.

It would be kind of cool to see what makes it so fearsome. After all, I’m living on borrowed time. I thought.

I didn’t have a family and the friends I’d made over the years had either died or had their own families and lives. I didn’t want to depress them with my selfish decision.

I left the capital and after a few weeks’ journey, I passed by a forest. This forest was close to the border between the Esteria kingdom and the Slavia kingdom. These two kingdoms have always hated each other and waged war constantly with each other in the past but they have now reached a stalemate. Each side waiting for the other to make a move.

The forest was the best place to pass undetected by either side since the borders were always guarded by a number of soldiers and getting checked was another annoying thing. I walked in the forest for two days until I saw a human corpse on the ground.

It was a corpse of a man and seeing the blood was still somewhat wet, this person had died just recently. The smashed trees and cracked ground gave evidence that there was a fight there. I walked some more and discovered two more corpses. They were the corpses of two women who wore ragged clothes.

It seems they were killed easily judging by the cuts. What the hell happened here?

I was confused by the discoveries I’d made.

Maybe there are bandits near here, but could bandits have this much skill? The man from back there, even though his sword looked beat up, I could tell from his body structure that he was well trained.

I cautioned myself to prepare for the worst.

After walking for a few minutes, I came upon the end of the tracks. I was simply following the tracks of someone who seemed to be running from something but I couldn’t see any tracks of the person they were running from.

I noticed where the tracks ended. There seemed to have been a search of some sort. The bushes were out of place.

Yeah, I should leave this place before the people who were here return.

As I was about to leave, a faint smell tickled my nose.

What the hell is this smell?

I followed it only to find a new-born hidden in the bushes. He was beautiful. He had snow-white hair and radiant ocean blue eyes that you just got lost in. This was the first time I had seen such peculiar hair and eye colour.

He seems to not have slept either. Were the people who ravaged this place looking for this child?

As those thoughts entered my mind, I wondered if I should just leave him there. After all, whoever was looking for him could come after me. But then again, my life was on a clock. Instead of simply dying in the Silent Demon’s Forest, maybe I should use this life of mine for him.

“Oh, poor thing. You must have been scared, don’t worry grandma will take good care of you.”

At that moment as I held him within my arms, I felt like the gods wanted me to live for that child.

And so, I shall live for him.

***

My illness started to catch up to me. Even though I wanted to see Allen grow up, I guess I couldn’t.

My body was shutting down little by little.

I really wanted to see why the gods sent me in this child’s way. I want to see what he’ll accomplish.

Time passed and so did the illness caught up.

Alas, my consciousness is fading. I will be in a comatose state until I die. All the potions I’ve bought from the capital are gone and Stacy doesn’t have the knowledge to craft high-grade potions.

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Even if she did, where would we find the ingredients? Huh, the kid is crying.

Tears filled Allen’s eyes as he held my hand with his little hands. That look of sadness just didn’t fit on his face. He was always serious but I would sometimes catch a glimpse of him smiling. He was even cuter when he laughed.

He’s saying something too but I can’t hear him. I guess this will be the last time I see him. I came to this place to die but for some reason, I want to live. I want to see my boy grow up and do amazing things. I don’t want to leave my child all alone in this world.

Ever since I found him, I noticed that he wasn’t a normal kid. He would always sneak out of his cradle just to read books. He was able to speak at the age of one even though the words he said didn’t make sense.

At the age of two, he was a busy-body, crawling all over the floor. If people saw him, I bet they would think he was training or something. To think I’ll only see him up till the age of five. Why are the gods so cruel?

As the flicker of my consciousness that remained started disappearing, his name came to mind.

Allen? After saying no to ten names, he finally shook his head in joy when I gave him the name Allen. The name I once told myself I would give to my son if I ever had one.

That was the last thing I saw as my consciousness faded.

Even though my consciousness had disappeared, I could always somewhat feel the kid when he was near me. As my body felt like it was drowning in endless pitch black, I could feel his emotions. His sadness, his loneliness, and his anger towards himself. Even though I felt them, I couldn’t do anything.

***

Years slowly passed.

I’m not sure how many years it has been now. Three years? Five? I don’t even remember.

***

I found myself opening my eyes one day. It felt like I was dreaming. The sun’s brilliance peeked through wooden window. The wind gently grazed the trees outside. I had never had such a vivid dream before. This was confirmed to be a dream when I met my reflection on the mirror.

My wrinkles were gone. Only pale, smooth skin greeted me. This was the face I had in my late twenties. No, it looked much more beautiful than my late twenties. As to confirm even more that this was a dream, a little green man suddenly popped up out of nowhere. It seemed I shocked him since he ran out of the room in a blink of an eye.

I stood up and looked around my surroundings. It was the same room I used to sleep in even though it was different.

The green man came back to the room and started to make a sound. I didn’t understand what he was saying but I think he wanted me to follow him. I then followed the little green man outside.

The gentle breeze of summer was peaceful. It felt like forever since I felt the sun on my face. The chirping of the birds also livened up the mood. What a magnificent dream.

We then walked for a while up until I saw him. It was at that moment that I knew I wasn’t dreaming. Because even a dream wouldn’t be able to discern his image this accurately. The wind gently breezed through his godly hair. He had two swords next to him that made him look like a knight. As if he was taking a rest at a nearby tree before he would continue his journey to save a princess from a locked tower.

He was sleeping so peacefully under the shade of the tree.

He looks so peaceful. I don’t think he has ever slept like this even when he was a baby. But I don’t like how his head is resting. I’ll lay his head on my thighs. That should be better, right?

As his head weighed on my thighs, I could feel the difference of when he was young.

He’s grown. Judging by his face his probably fifteen which means I’ve been asleep for at least ten years. Ten whole years, huh? Oh, he’s waking up.

As if like a prince in romance novels, he slowly opened his eyes as a faint of blue radiated from them.

“You’ve finally woken up, Allen.”

“Gram! (Chuckles) I should be saying that to you.”

Even his voice has changed. I can’t imagine what this child has suffered these past few years but I’m grateful that I have been given a chance to see this child’s future. I’m glad that I get to talk to him like this.

Present day.

In the morning I decide to go to the village. It seems the kid has a lot on his mind so I should probably go by myself. I wonder how Alma and Stacy have been doing all this time?

At the village gate.

When the hell did they build a wall here? It looks quite steady too. I should enter first.

“Excuse me, how can I help you?”

A guard halts me at the front gate.

“Oh, not much. I just want to enter.”

“And who might you be mam? Sorry but we don’t let strangers in.”

Strangers?! I’m not a stranger though.

“Oh. I think you are mistaken young man. I’m Barbra, Allen’s grandmother.”

“Yeah, right lady. And I’m the king. Everyone knows the Leader’s grandmother is sick. And who are you calling a young man. I’m pretty sure we are the same age.”

Huh, same age? Should I beat up this kid? I guess I do look like I’m in my twenties huh?! And what did he mean by ‘Leader’?

We start arguing at the gate. The kid is just so damn persistent. I should probably beat his ass.

“Sorry but what seems to be the problem here?”

“Ah, lady Stacy. It seems this woman wants to enter the village without telling me any information about herself. She keeps saying she is the Leader’s grandmother.”

“Allen’s grandmother?! Hmm!”

Stacy then tightens her eyes and pushes her glasses back.

I wonder if she’ll recognize me?

Stacy’s expression then changes a little to confusion. Then to shock.

“Barbra, is that really you?”

“Of course, kiddo. It’s me.”

“It really is you! You woke up? How did you wake up? Wait, wait, wait how the hell do you look like my age?”

Your age? Aren’t you in your thirties?

“The kid saved my life. I also don’t know the details since he seemed busy and I didn’t want to disturb him.”

“Wow! It’s okay Marco. This is the real Barbra.”

What?! She is the Leader’s grandmother? I’m so screwed. The leader will probably put me on one of his hellish trainings as punishment.

(He was put on a one-week training supervised by Allen himself.)

The kid seemed to regret stopping me now. Serves you right.

I then enter the village.

Have I really been sleeping for ten years? How did this little village that literary didn’t have any life in it turn to this? It’s beautiful. I almost thought I entered a town I didn’t know.

Amy starts telling me all about the events of the past ten years. It seems Allen has been busy. She also took me around the village. There is so many things to see now. She took me to the hot springs; the guard’s training grounds and more. Everything looked completely different from how it was ten years ago.

“Oh, by the way, where is the kid? The village chief wanted to see him?”

“His back home working on something. What does the village chief want him for?”

“Well, I guess there is no problem if I tell you?”

She then tells me the reason and it is huge.