Bab 6: Chapter 6
Emma Flores was having a bad day; when she came home from her admittedly stupid idea of just trying to become stronger quickly whilst ditching all levels of safety, her Goddess ignored her.
She could feel the disappointment and disapproval that came from her Goddess.
It hurt a lot.
If she was slapped for being an idiot or reprimanded, she would admittedly feel better but she wasn't.
She, or rather I, turned to my side.
There he was. Link… uh… oh nyo, I forgot his second name. All I know it's equally as unique for a name. Link had long blond hair tied into a ponytail, blue eyes that were like the sea and long ears that occasionally twitched.
He was odd for an elf. Most elves hated or at the very least avoided physical contact but he seemed to enjoy physical contact - or at least some amount of it, she learned that today.
Why?
Well, his stoic and passive face is still prevalent but the entire day he's been taking care of me. My legs are injured and won't heal at least till the end of tomorrow - which won't matter much since I'm banned from going to the dungeon until next week, so around 4 days - so I need someone to help me which Link volunteered to doing and is even surpassing his 'caretaking' expectations.
Link still hasn't said anything, seeing fit to trust in our Goddess - but it's easy to tell that he's worried about me.
He hasn't left the vicinity and is always calmly reading a book until I need something.
Ugh. Might as well go sleep, I thought as I closed my eyes.
I couldn't help but reflect on my past actions.
Why was I so happy with being reckless?
I wanted to surpass him?
Surpass who?
Link.
…Why?
…I don't know. Maybe it's because it's my pride of being the Familia's Captain or it's because I don't want to lose to him or because… how I've been complacent with how weak I am.
Why?
My sister. I've come to Orario to find her but I've been no better off. I have no clues and I'm just blindly trying to find her.
How am I gonna find her?
Strength. Sure, I could have an information network or pay exorbitant amounts of money to find my sister but… I know that won't work.
Sister's last words were…
†
A beautiful girl with long-purple hair hugged her little sister with pink hair tight.
"Sorry…" The older girl wrapped a necklace around her younger younger sibling "Big sis has to go; a lot of bad people are going to want to find me and if I'm near you I won't be able to protect you."
Tears dripped from both sides.
"Don't leave me!" Emma gripped onto her sister's cotton shirt. They were just from a backwater village a few hours away to Orario by carriage.
Her older sister, Sophia, held her tight…
"Orario; I'll hide there; I'll become strong there. I'm sorry, this might be our last time together." Sophia let go of her sister.
Emma had gripped onto her whilst Sophia merely held her and put her onto the bed.
Sophia gathered her willpower and smiled, it looked awfully fake "Sorry, I lied."
Emma truly believed her; she fell asleep gripping onto her shirt.
She woke up gripping no shirt. She didn't lie.
†
So what is she doing, coming to Orario?
To become strong. If her sister can't find her and stay with her because she's weak then all she needs to do is become stronger so she can protect her sister.
Then why did she go to the dungeon so recklessly?
…Jealousy, envy and even a bit of self-hate. Jealous and envious of Link's fast growth and how even though he was earning little in terms of status, he was still happy with becoming even a little bit stronger. He wasn't complacent, he was ever-growing even if it was just a little growth. And hatred to myself for feeling such unsightly feelings to my own Familia member — to a fellow daughter of Goddess Dia.
Why did she ever think that being obnoxiously reckless was the right answer?
Being reckless is fine, but not being obnoxiously reckless.
Link went to a floor or two higher than the one allowed. That was reckless, not obnoxiously reckless.
Me going to floor I had no business in was plain stupid. Level 2 adventurers have been said to have died there and I just wandered in like an idiot with no plan.
And what's worse is that she brought Link into it. Someone she should've guided.
She could remember visibly how he protected her.
Even though he only managed a single cut, he dished out a thousand more to properly kill a single enemy.
When she was in danger he would ditch all forms of self-worth and defend her at all costs. She didn't even think he realised that he had multiple weapons piercing him until his… heart got pierced.
And even then, he still kept moving. Preferring to decapitate his enemy before thinking twice.
He recklessly jumped to his next opponent only to be batted away… and crushed into mush.
She was sure he died. She saw his remains which seemed so similar to the mash potato she would find in the taverns. It was obnoxiously red and there were remnants of bones mixed in.
Ugh, I don't think I can eat mashed potato anymore.
Anyway, back onto the point.
Whilst she had practically given up all hope, he still appeared. Somehow. He was dead, but he didn't even let that stop him.
He ruthlessly murdered them with glowing azure eyes, deadset on their death.
Hell, he learned magic at that moment just to defend her - or at least that's what it seemed like. Congenital Magic (inherent magic to someone's talent or race) or Acquired Magic (magic acquired through Falna), you never know with elves.
She noticed something when she saved him.
Link was a better combatant.
It was as plain and simple as that.
He was better in combat.
She needed to become like him… no not like him, similar to him. She won't hang off his coattails but instead create a new coat all-together.
But for that she needed training. Sure, she had the basic training given to everyone at the Guild but she needed better.
She was no longer going to let petty emotions misguide judgement anymore; I will improve.
"Hey Link, when I'm healed can you train me?" She asked.
He raised an eyebrow in surprise, which was kinda cute.
He nodded nonetheless.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone