Chapter 6: A Boy and a Girl
Mayor Rachmat Sulong gazes out of the window, lost in thought. His face bears a slight frown as he contemplates the scene outside. The sun is setting over Cardinal Peaks, casting a warm glow across the town.
Meanwhile, the Summer Tide annual celebration is in full swing. In the shadow of the colossal gladiator arena lies a cemetery, where a seven-year-old boy is sleeping on a bench with his back against the wall.
His left leg is stretched out while the right is crossed. His left arm covers his face, and his right hand holds a bouquet of yellow carnations.
Despite the solemnity of the cemetery, the wind blowing through it carries a pleasant scent, reminiscent of springtime. It seems like the only place in town that refuses to let time move on.
The boy appears to be enjoying the best sleep of his life as if he were in a state of perfect comfort and peace. However, his peaceful slumber is interrupted when someone taps his left shoulder.
「 Girl 」
"Whatcha doin'?"
Moving his left arm slightly, the boy took a look. A girl, around five years of age, was leaning forward toward him until their faces were only inches apart and smiled.
The boy was surprised, pushed the girl away, and jumped off the bench he was resting on. The girl fell with both of her legs pointing toward the sky, unveiling the pink underwear she was wearing.
In embarrassment, the boy quickly took off his jacket and threw it over the girl to cover her up. He then stood silently as he waited for the girl's response. A minute passed before the girl finally got up slowly. Her eyes were teary and her cheeks red.
「 Boy 」
"I'm so sorry…"
"I didn't mean to push you."
「 Girl 」
"How dare you!"
"I am a princess!"
"I will have my father punish you!"
「 Boy (mock) 」
"Tee hee…"
"Well, I'm so sorry…"
"PRINCESS."
Too naive to notice the boy's mockery, the princess smugged and was back to her cheerful self. She was chasing after some colorful butterfly into the cemetery when she noticed the boy and stopped.
A cute girl with light perfect pale skin and long wavy jet-black hair, wearing a simple yellow summer dress with white leather boots. She's holding a butterfly net and modeling a big pair of crystal-clear blue eyes.
「 Boy 」
"What's your name, princess?"
「 Girl 」
"My name is Princess Arra Noir Henriette de Corronoet the First, Princess of the Tremaux Dynasty…"
"But you can call me Connie!"
Shocked, the boy lost the smirk he was showing before and kneeled. He acknowledged the girl, as nobody in their right mind would casually take the time to memorize such a long and weird name like that. Indeed she truly is a princess.
「 Boy 」
"Wha… what are you doing here, princess?"
「 Princess Connie 」
"Hmm… I was trying to catch some butterflies earlier."
"And then…"
Connie was making weird and cute faces again as she was trying to remember what happened earlier. Her memory seems to be failing her. Then, after scratching her head a few times, she burst out.
"You pushed me!"
"And… and…"
"You saw my underwear!"
「 Boy 」
"I'm sorry Your Highness."
"But you came out of nowhere."
"I was surprised and accidentally lashed out."
"Please accept my sincerest apology!"
After hesitating for a stretch while dusting herself, Princess Connie picked up her butterfly net and accepted the boy's apology.
「 Princess Connie 」
"Hmm…"
"Since you are apologizing to me sincerely, I will forgive you."
"But I want reparation!"
Princess Connie was waiting for the boy to say something with one hand on her waist. The boy clearly heard the made-up giggle by the princess.
The boy was sweating. It looks like the princess was merely joking but he dared not take any chances. Moments later, an idea struck his mind.
「 Boy 」
"I will show you my secret hideout if you promise not to tell anyone about this!"
Princess Connie's eyes widened in excitement at the idea of exploring a secret hideout. She eagerly nodded her head in agreement continuously.
「 Princess Connie 」
"Yes! I promise I won't tell anyone."
"Now let's go!"
The boy led Princess Connie through some winding paths and shortcuts through the cemetery, carefully avoiding the gravestones and mausoleums. As they walked, he couldn't help but steal glances at the princess.
Princess Connie was different from the other girls he had seen before. She was carefree, and playful, and didn't seem to be weighed down by the responsibilities of her title. He found her refreshing.
The two eventually arrived somewhere near the entrance of the western mine. They snuck underneath some fences, avoiding the guard post, and entered the mine. Inside, the mine was dark and damp, and the air was filled with the sound of dripping water and the faint smell of sulfur.
As they walked deeper into the mine, the boy suddenly stopped in front of a large, ornate wall. The boy led the princess through a secret passage cleverly hidden in the room. It opened up to a hidden chamber.
「 Boy 」
"Welcome to my hideout, princess."
"It's not much, but it's my own, personal space."
「 Princess Connie 」
"Wow, it's amazing!"
"I've never seen anything like this before!"
The boy lit a candle nearby and brought the room to light. The hideout was filled with all kinds of treasures that the boy had found in the mine.
There were crystals, gems, a few old artifacts, and even some raw æsther ores in colors never before seen by others. The boy proudly showed them to the princess, who was in awe of everything.
「 Princess Connie 」
"This is so cool!"
"Can I touch them?"
The boy smiled and nodded, allowing the princess to pick up a few of the crystals and hold them in her hands. As she examined each one, the boy began to feel a sense of comfort and ease around her. It was as if he had known her for a long time, even though they had only just met.
「 Boy 」
"You know, princess, I've never shown anyone my hideout before."
"I'm glad I could share it with you."
「 Princess Connie 」
"I'm glad too."
"It's nice to have a friend who understands me."
The boy blushed at the mention of being her friend, but he couldn't deny that he felt a connection with her. He continued to exhibit his hideout and talk about their favorite things. Connie was fascinated by everything.
As they explored, he noticed that the princess kept glancing at him shyly. It was then that he realized that he was starting to feel something more for her.
She was not like any other girl he had met before. She was kind, funny, and understanding. He found himself wanting to spend more time with her.
「 Boy 」
"Hey, princess, do you want to come back again sometime?"
"I can even show you some of the secret tunnels I found."
「 Princess Connie 」
"Secret tunnels?! You're the coolest person I've ever met."
"How about we check it out now!"
The young boy's countenance was uplifted by the compliment. As they prepared to abandon their hideout and navigate through the tunnels, the sound of commotion from outside grabbed their attention.
They cautiously peered through a small aperture in the hideout and saw a group of enigmatic men, garbed in black, surreptitiously prowling around the area where the elaborate wall stood. It seemed as though they were in search of something specific. A glimmer, resembling the shape of a dagger, emanated from beneath their cloak.
「 Princess Connie 」
"Who are those men?"
「 Boy (whisper) 」
"Keep it down princess…"
"They'll hear us."
"I'm not sure, but they do not look friendly to me."
「 Princess Connie 」
"I'm scared…"
Princess Connie was visibly trembling as she subconsciously reached out to grab the boy's left arm. The boy noticed her shivering and turned to face her, smiling reassuringly before opening his left arm to offer support.
The princess's complexion was pale and grim, and she appeared to be experiencing intense physical discomfort, as evidenced by her tightly shut mouth, flaring nostrils, and visibly moving facial muscles. Her eyes were dilated, and her forehead was beaded with sweat, indicating that she was under extreme stress.
Despite her obvious discomfort, the princess and the boy held each other tightly, waiting patiently until they heard a command being issued by one of the men outside.
「 Man in black 」
"Not here…"
"Move on."
"Next mine."
Princess Connie and the boy sighed in relief as they watched those men leaving the mine. Both of them had no idea who those men were or what they were looking for.
Either way, seeing them leave the mine is surely a good thing. The picture of a dagger-shaped glow underneath their cloak was still embedded in both of their minds.
「 Princess Connie 」
"Are they gone?"
「 Boy (relieved) 」
"I guess so…"
"What was that all about?"
「 Princess Connie 」
"I think I should go home now…"
Princess Connie, gripped by fear, ultimately confided in the young boy. He nodded his agreement and quickly checked the hole they had peered through earlier to ensure the area was secure.
While awaiting the signal to proceed, Princess Connie made her way to an adjacent elevator shaft. At that precise moment, the boy heard the princess's voice for the last time.
「 Princess Connie 」
"By the way…"
"I still don't know your name."
As the boy turns around to answer the princess, he sees sets of compound eyes behind Princess Connie, gleaming from inside the old elevator shaft. Without thinking twice, he rushed towards the princess and tugged her right hand, pulling her away from the shaft.
His momentum didn't allow him to stop in time. He fell, taking whatever was behind the princess with him down the shaft. A loud thump was heard and moments later, the whole cave started to tremble. Princess Connie was frozen in panic.
「 Man in black 」
"She's here!"
The individuals dressed in black were the Royal Shadow Guards who were assigned with the task of ensuring the safety of the princess. Princess Connie was unaware of their existence but somehow managed to evade their watch on her way to the mine. One of them quickly seized the princess and escorted her out of the mine along with the rest of the guards in a safe manner.
As Princess Connie looked at the collapsing mine, she was shocked to think about the boy who had sacrificed himself to protect her from the danger lurking within the elevator shaft. She was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions - gratitude, sorrow, and a deep sense of loss.
The Royal Shadow Guards quickly evacuated Princess Connie from the collapsing mine, which made their presence known to her. She felt guilty for inadvertently putting the boy in harm's way.
As they reached safety, Princess Connie gathered herself and addressed the Royal Shadow Guards, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination. She was consumed by thoughts of what could have happened if the boy had not been there to save her.
「 Princess Connie (fret) 」
"My friend is still inside."
"Please... please tell me he's alright."
"Is there any way we can help him?"
The guards exchanged solemn glances, their expressions revealing the weight of the situation.
「 Shadow Guard Reza 」
"I'm sorry, Princess Connie."
"The tunnel collapsed."
"It's unlikely that your friend survived."
「 Princess Connie 」
"Oh, God."
"Please..."
"Look after my friend."
Princess Connie's heart plunged as the reality of the boy's sacrifice settled in. She felt immense sadness for the loss of someone she had barely come to know but had formed a deep connection within such a short time. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered a heartfelt goodbye to the boy she never had the chance to truly know or thank.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone