Chapitre 43: Samantha Keller

"....What about your father? You didn't hear anything from him? Ever?"

Alan asked in a serious tone, taking a seat at the dining table with the whole group.

The dining table in the living room was the only place big enough to accommodate all of the group together. Even taking Nidia out of the count, there was still the need for an extra chair.

Surprisingly, the whole of the house was left unharmed, even after what the whole village had been through. Not a single scratch anywhere in the interiors of the whole wooden house. Even the accessories left behind by Arsh, were still where they were originally supposed to be.

Arsh returned Alan's stare. He already had told him vaguely about the incident and his familial connections. Though, Alan didn't ask for any detail even after training together for almost a whole year.

…..Most probably because he didn't care much about him then.

"...No. My mother used to get very upset whenever I used to ask her about my father. I don't remember her ever mentioning anything about him throughout my whole life. Not even his name…..I used to even ask the villagers about it. But they also always had the same answer…. They knew nothing about him….Not even his name."

Arsh gritted his teeth in clear frustration suddenly. Taking a mental note in his head.

'Father? I don't have a father.'

Honestly, Arsh didn't care about his father anymore. Even if he existed somewhere far away in the universe, it didn't matter to him anymore. That man was the one who left his mother in the middle of nowhere, to wait for her inevitable end to come and take her away.

'....I never wanna see his face.'

Arsh really liked the thought of never meeting him in his life better. His father didn't matter at the end of the day. Blood ties are worthless if the running blood is even thinner than water.

The whole group was silent for a few moments. Arsh could tell they didn't believe him or his story completely from the complicated glances they were giving him.

'...Who could blame them though?'

But Arsh could not deny their confusion. Living in the town for a few months himself. He now has a good grasp on what is considered normal, at least in the world of humans…. And his life was far from it.

"What about your mother? What's her last name then? We can at least clue it together from it."

Adam suddenly chimed in from the side, wearing a dim expression of confusion.

Arsh sighed. It was the question he asked her several times. She never once answered him straight regarding the subject. Her answers were always blurry and vague….. But he still had a lead on the topic.

" That is what I also wanna know…. Wait here! I will be back."

He stood up from his chair motioning others to remain at their seats. Walking inside his mother's room, which was on the other side of the living room. He stopped in front of the top shelf suddenly, where she used to keep her books.

" This one should be fine."

A faint smile appeared on his face. In truth, he once had learned about his last name from one of these books. When he was just barely a toddler reading his favorite picture book.

…Due to his mother's habit of writing her full name in front of every book she ever read. It was such a stupid thing to do if you are trying to hide your identity from others.

Arsh's smile suddenly ceased, a clutch of sadness gripping him from the inside.

'She always used to do stupid things once in a while. She was just like that…..'

Arsh picked up the book from the shelf, opening its first page slowly. A little smirk appeared on his face as soon as he read the name on the book. One of the many mysteries regarding his mother had finally been solved by him.

".... It's a pretty cool one."

Arsh returned back to the almost silent living room, attracting every eye towards him again.

He threw the book at Alan's face, taking a seat on his chair. His eyes followed through every face, finally stopping at Alan again. Who for some reason had gone completely pale.

Alan read the name out loud for every person present to hear, in a dry tone. Confirming something was very wrong with it.

{ Samantha Keller }

Arsh confusedly looked at the band of adventures and Alan exchanging frightened glances with each other. Adam suddenly stood out of his chair, staring Arsh directly in the eyes.

" Arsh…Keller?"

"It seems to be the case"

Arsh just shrugged his shoulders. It was strange for them to get so worked up over a last name…. Unless, until, of course. It was of great importance. Either in a good way or a crypt way….

Adam looked at Alan from the side of his eyes. Signaling him for an explanation, while taking his seat again. Alan waved his disheveled hair in clear stress….As he started speaking slowly.

".. Remember? How I told you I had an unimaginable bounty on my head that one time."

Arsh silently nodded his head.

"In reality, it doesn't even come close to the highest one…. Which is almost four times higher than mine."

Alan went silent for a few moments, before asking with a clear grim expression and a raw voice.

"...Did your mother have black hair. Blue eyes. With a little scar on her neck?"

"...Yes. B-But…How?"

But before the wide-eyed Arsh could connect the dots together. Alan started speaking again.

"Samantha Keller. The most wanted person in the history of humankind. She was charged with treason, murders, and most critical of them all… being a forsaken one, who had declined the hand of gods voluntarily. To be honest, I can't think of a single human on any continent who hasn't heard of her or at least didn't see her wanted posters…."

Alan took a deep breath, looking around him for a quick second.

"... The churches never stop hunting for her. Even when I was in training at the Espadan camps. The most elite of elite assassins were sent to search for her now and then in other continents…. But, none of them even returned."

".... There also were several things that were hidden from the general public…. Like, For how she used to be part of the royalty of the 'Fenal' family, before she joined the churches… and how they changed her last name after a beggar's family 'Keller', to show the common people they were fair with their selection… An old yet effective plot.``

Alan stopped looking at the heartbroken face of Arsh. But it was important for him to know the truth, despite how hurtful that was going for him to listen.

"She climbed the ranks more quickly than any human ever did in history. In less than a span of a year, she was assigned as the first sword of wisdom. The old people might remember how she used to be the bright beacon of churches for a long time. At least before she disappeared one day out of nowhere, and the next thing we know is…. She is now the most wanted person in the whole world, with extreme orders saying to kill her at sight even for the common folks…... Nowadays she is like a myth. No one believes she is alive anymore. Not a bit. I did too… before today."

Alan grabbed his hair in frustration leaning his head on the table, clearly showing his frustration.

"... I don't think I know anything about you anymore, kid…. You are somehow connected to the churches so deeply that it is impossible for both of you to not clash... You are the eye of the huge storm that is brewing in the dark. Slowly but surely with time…"

Arsh downcasted his head slowly, hearing the final sentence, his eyes focused on the ground.

It was… a lot to take in.

Now he had some answers to his previous questions. As to how she was connected to the churches and the intruders somehow. And why was she hiding in a place which was almost impossible to find. Also, why did she always tell him to never leave the village.

But, It brewed several new questions along too. Why did she leave them if she was in the good grace of the gods? Why was she still using Keller as her last name, even after hiding in a place where nobody heard of her? Who was she before all of it? What kind of things did she do? To get such an extreme punishment like that?

Questions, Questions, and more Questions.

It never ended. Not even once. But before he could ponder deeply on the topic, a feminine voice interrupted him from the side of the table.

"... I know it is kind of insensitive of me to ask you right now, but it is bothering me for a while. Can you please tell me why there are parts of sentences written everywhere, all over your house?"

Arsh looked back at Gelina, clearly confused by her sudden question.

"What are you talking about? Aren't those just random scribbles on the walls?.... My mom used to love doing that"

Gelina looked back and forth at the wall a few times, declaring in a firm tone.

"...I am pretty sure, it is an ancient language."