I have no words for that. Mada’s fighting capability is nothing I could think of. If he’s serious about killing me, he could have done it a long time ago. But, why he let me live and took me as his slave instead?

I put my hand to hold my head. If that’s the truth, then how can I tell this to Erfia? Or else, is it okay for me to know all of this?

“If you’re thinking how to tell it to that little child, don’t worry, she’s already heard it.”

Huh? “What do you mean?”

“I said it before that she feels nothing as she’s sleeping inside of it, right? Well, her body is sleeping. But her consciousness is become one with this house. Or should I say, this tree. So, she can see and hear anything that’s happening in this house except for the crafting room.”

“Ugh, I don’t know if she can take this.” I’m thinking about the consequence she might have. The last time I heard about the one word fugitive punishment, I lost my will and broke. Can she take it?

“Both of you need to know about it sooner or later. It is best for both of you to decide whether you’re going with him or not.”

What she said is the truth. We need to know about who he really is. If, we’re going with him, it’s possible it will make him faces much danger than before.

“I’ll think about it. But, I have a question. How come someone with no affinity toward mana like Mada ended up as your pupil? One of ten greatest magician in the world?”

“I’ve been expecting you to ask about it. About twenty years ago, I found him while he was seven. He was walking in this mountain with no direction. He was alone. At that time, I got other pupils about his age, so I took him and raised him.”

“Is that it? It just like you found a lost kitten.”

“Hahaha, yeah, I also thought of it that way. But, I was surprised when I knew that he has no affinity toward mana.”

“So, did he get bullied?”

“No, even if he has no affinity towards mana and can’t use any magic unless he’susing a mana storage ring, he discovered and created a new magic I’ve never seen. He minimized the blowback received by the caster and even perfected some of my magic and taught the other kid how to use magic properly. In no time it’s like he’s my replacement as their instructor when I’m gone.”

Well, I can imagine he’s doing all that. But I wonder how he did all that magic related things when he doesn’t even have any affinity towards mana.

“You know, I also wondered how come he managed to do it.”

What? Did she just read my mind?

“So I tried to enter his memory and dream when he was asleep. You won’t believe what I got.”

“What is it? What is it?” I close my head to hear the truth about him.

“Apparently he was cursed in his previous life to keep on being reborn every time he died. And he was not allowed to forget a single thing he ever saw. Even the worst memory.”

Wait, what? Now it all makes sense. That explains how he manages to create a magic and know all of those ruins place.

“Did he already tell you the punishment if one word fugitive like him got arrested?”

I nod slowly.

“That’s because he experienced it by himself in his previous life. When I looked into his memory, he was known as Kries the Creator. If I remember, Kries the Creator is one word fugitive that was labelled as heretics by all race because created a technology far surpassed of Angels Realms. The Angels didn’t give a shit about it at all. But human, beast man, and elf felt a threat within. On one day his name disappeared from this world. I guessed that was when they captured him and did all those horrible things to him and everyone he knew.”

He experienced it himself? What? I thought it’s something that every one word fugitive knew. That’s explained his reaction when I nearly mention his one word fugitive title. But, if his fighting capability really is that great, then there’s a possibility that An Saia would be erased from the map to keep Erfia safe.

“Then, what’s with the payment of forty years of his next life.” I wonder about the thing they talked.

“Ahh, about that. Actually, I’ve fallen for him when he reached his early twenties. A lone woman in the middle of nowhere like me was charmed by how great he is. As a magic instructor, as creator, and as a man.”

Wait a minute? As a man? Did she just mention as a man? Is that mean they have done it? No no no. It can’t be. I think I guess it wrong.

“But unfortunately a year after that, he got his one word title and left. Not so long after he left, it was time for the other pupil to leave and faced the world. Since then, I’ve been living alone in this place.”

“Don’t you know anything about the others?”

“Well, some of them became titled heroes, some of them became titled nobody–”

“Ah yeah, I nearly forgot. Your title, the great wizard. Are you a fugitive, hero, or nobody?” I wonder about it.

“A nobody. Two words nobody title is the highest possible title by a nobody. You should have known it, right?”

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Yes, it is. A nobody is somebody that’s still abide the law but they’re not helping the government. If a nobody wants to get a one word title, the only possible way is becoming one word hero or one word fugitive. Normal people would think becoming one word hero is the best thing could happen. But, if one word hero rebel, he will become one word fugitive in that instant and all of his family will be killed. So, becoming a one word hero is nothing but becoming government’s lap dog.

“Well, that’s all I can tell you about his past. Find out by yourself if you really want to know it.” Ariana stands and leaves the table. “It’s midnight already, get some sleep. Maybe you’ll get to know what I mean by his manly side.”

She’s yawning and leaves the room. The eating and cooking utensils floating by itself and wash themselves. What did she mean by know his manly side? Ah, I couldn’t care less.

I also leave the room and head into my room. She got me cleaned a room for three of us. But, I guess I can’t stay calm and sleep in this room. This room has a lot of moving roots and even I feel like the animal skull ornament is looking at me. But, apparently my exhaustion is catching up and makes me ignore all of it and sleep.

~~~

I slowly wake as I feel some movement in my bed. Wait, what? Did someone sneak into my bed? I wake at that moment and open the blanket that’s covering me. What the hell? What is this man doing in my bed? Your bed is the other one. Not this one. I try to wake him but he strangles me. I can feel his hand inside my clothes and reaching some place.

Wait, is this what she meant? No way? Am I going to be raped?

~~~

It's morning already and I go downstairs to get some explanation. I left Mada in my bed as I couldn’t wake him. Not after what happened last night. I open the kitchen door and see Ariana is having her breakfast. I walk closer to her and put my face right in front of her face.

“What’s the meaning of this?” I ask her. No more chit chat. No more hitting the bush.

“Let me guess, he snuck in your bed and made you feel good only by using his hand, wasn’t he?”

“You know about it?”

“Huhuhu.” Ariana chuckles a little. “Of course I know. How do you think I know how good he is? Not only me. All the girls back then also felt it. That’s a habit of him. He will sneak in some woman bed and do it when he’s exhausted. Try imagine how good he is when he’s already that good with his hand. I can say a paradise is within him.”

“No. No way. Does he know about it?”

“No, he doesn’t. The boys back then couldn’t say a word while the girl and I pretty much enjoyed it. We even often made him exhausted so we could get it.”

“Good morning.”

Suddenly a familiar voice comes right to the kitchen. I see to it and see Mada is walking half asleep, trying to reach the table. Did he really not remember anything?

***

I take some rice to my plate and pour some soup to my bowl. I’m so sleepy right now but if I don’t have my breakfast right now, Ariana won’t make any food until lunch. So, I’ll just eat as fast as possible and then I’ll be back to my sleep. I look around and see Ariana with her special smile. It’s special because it feels like she’s teasing me and she only shows it when I’m exhausted. I look at the side of the door and see Reis is standing.

“Oy, Reis. You better eat now or you won’t get to eat anything until lunch.”

Her face turns red. It’s so red that even me that’s half awake can see it. But if I take a better look, it’s not that she’s turning red. It’s more like, she’s blushing? What make her blush at this time in the morning? I couldn’t care less and continue to eat.

“C’mon, sit here and have a meal. You heard him.” Ariana persuades Reis to eat with us. But I can say from her tone that she’s more like teasing her. Did something happen between them?

Reis does as she says and have her breakfast with us. I’d like to ask her what’s happening but right now I’m exhausted from the crafting.

“You’re getting better, eh. I thought you’ll finish it by tonight. But now you only need one night to finish it.”

“Yeah, I manage to get my hand on some relict and alchemy. It increases the process’s speed by two times.” I let my mouth handle the answering and eating at the same time.

I look into Reis and she’s not saying anything. She’s just eating.

“Say something Reis.” Arianna suddenly speaks to her. “Your master is right here. Don’t you want to say anything to him?”

Reis is a bit shocked when she hears Arianna’s words. Even I can see some of her body like jumped out of her.

What’s the matter Arianna? It’s not like she has to say anything just because I’m her master and she’s my slave. It’s not like you to be surprised just by her word, Reis. Something really is happening between them. Whatever, I don’t care what happened between them.

I’ve finally done with my meal.

“I’m done. Thanks for the food. I’ll be back to my bed.”