บท 57: A Short Story

As we continued talking, time went by without us noticing until night had descended upon us.

I wasn't sure if she felt the same, but I for one talked until my throat was dry. I kept on, switching between different stories, making her laugh with tragedies and exclaim in wonder with modern fictions.

We sometimes drifted away from the topic, but we always arrived back.

She was currently speaking about a well known children's tale.

The story went like that:

A long time ago, in a land much different to this, there was a young boy.

The young boy was a farmers son, but he aspired more. He wanted to be the greatest swordsman of all time.

Everyday, thud, thud, he would hit the only tree in his garden to train passionately.

Alas, he was not destined to be one. Just like his father, and his fathers father, the boy would inherit the farm.

His bruised hands would hold not the flag of courage, but the carrots buried in earth.

Instead of glory, he basked in dirt.

Everyday, swip, swip, he would cut the wheat with his sickle lividly.

His years soon passed and he settled down.

He was no longer the impulsive young lad anymore, he was now a respectable man.

He had a prosperous farm, with many kinds of vegetables, that made his neighbors green with envy.

And lastly, he found himself a wife, who was so kind, so supportive of his current life.

Still, every night, he sat at the porch, staring at the once sturdy- now old tree, that he used to hit, lamenting at his old childhood and broken dreams. The marks embedded in them never healed properly, just like his heart was never fully closed.

One day, while sitting underneath the moon, he heard his name called by the tree. He moved closer and suddenly the dead tree glowed and turned into small fairy.

The fairy said she would grant him his wish, as she descended from the immortal world to bless him, a person who had enough tenacity to never give up.

She had seen his struggle, all these years, the marks stood evidence for that.

"I will fulfill your wish, but only if you never stray from your path and become the worlds greatest swordsman."

This time, the small fairy glowed and turned into a dazzling sword. As soon as the man touched the sword, he felt an incredible surge of inspiration. He knew at that moment, the sword was a perfect fit. It was as if it had been molded for him, formed over the countless years in his life.

Amidst that feeling, he began to cry. His tears that never flowed even after giving his dream to reality, turned into a river that was never ending.

With that sword as his partner, he would go on to slay countless demons, subdue a dragon and save countries, until finally he became a hero. His tale was sung far and wide and would never diminish.

"And then, what happened afterwards," I asked Agnes, after she stopped narrating.

She looked at me and shrugged her shoulders, "ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ɪᴛ."

"Hah," I said disgruntled, "what do you mean 'ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ɪᴛ' There are still some holes left in this story that you hadn't filled. Who is that fairy? what happened to his wife, his family or him?"

"ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴇɴᴅs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs sᴛᴏʀʏ," she told me, "sᴏᴍᴇ sᴀʏ ʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɢᴏ ᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀɴ ɪᴍᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴡ ғᴇᴀsᴛɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴜɴᴅʏɪɴɢ, ʜɪs ᴛᴇᴀʀs ɴᴏᴜʀɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀʀᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪs ᴡɪғᴇ," that was the first ending, "ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs sᴀʏ sɪɴᴄᴇ ʜɪs ᴡɪғᴇ ʙᴏʀᴇ ᴀ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ, ʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ, ʟᴇᴀᴠɪɴɢ ʜɪs ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪsʜᴍᴇɴᴛ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴀɪsɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ, ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴋɪᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛᴇsᴛ sᴡᴏʀᴅsᴍᴀɴ," that was the second ending, "ᴀɴᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ sᴀʏ ʜᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ғᴜʟғɪʟʟ ʜɪs ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ sᴏ, ʙᴜᴛ sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀɪʀʏ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴘɪᴛʏ ᴏɴ ʜɪᴍ, sʜᴇ ɢᴀᴠᴇ ʜɪᴍ ᴀ ʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ," that was the third ending, she then raised her finger to the sky, "ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ, ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅs ғɪʀsᴛ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇ ɢᴏᴅ."

"Blade God," I repeated quizzedly.

"ᴡʜᴏᴏᴘs sᴇᴇᴍs ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ," she clasped her mouth with her hands, "ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇ ɪs ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴀ ᴘʜɪʟᴏsᴏᴘʜʏ: |ᴘʜɪʟᴏsᴘʜʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇ|. ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪᴇʟᴅᴇᴅ ᴀ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇᴅ ᴡᴇᴀᴘᴏɴ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪ ᴅᴏ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ sʜᴀʀᴘ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʟɪғᴇ, sᴀғᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɴɪғᴇ ɪ ᴜsᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ."

"Oh, a philosophy?"

I was never this excited in my old life, whenever I heard the word philosophy. Rather, I would always feel like groaning— people who put philosophy on a pedestal made me groan. They always had that layer of pretentiousness that I just never was able to break through.

However, this world was different. Because in this world, philosophy had a vastly different meaning.

Magic.

For something like magic, I was willing to swallow the distaste for a fulfilling meal.

She nodded. "ʏᴇs, ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴅᴇᴀ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ɪs ᴛᴏ ғɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ. ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀ sᴀᴛɪsғʏɪɴɢ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜsɪᴏɴ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴀᴛʜ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇ. ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴇsᴛɪɴʏ. ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛᴇsᴛ sᴡᴏʀᴅs- ᴀɴᴅ sᴀʙᴇʀᴍᴇɴ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴍᴀɢᴇs ᴛᴏᴏ, ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪᴛ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀʟsᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅs," she jumped around pretending to hit things with a sword, while adding appropriate sound effects with her mouth, "oғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ, ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇ ʙᴏᴛʜᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ sᴏ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴜsᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇ ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟʟʏ. ʟᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ᴡᴀs ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴠᴇʀʏ ʜᴀʀᴅ, ᴀᴅᴅɪɴɢ sᴡᴏʀᴅᴘʀᴀᴛɪᴄᴇ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪᴛ ᴠɪʀᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴍᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ."

"Hmm," I tilted my head like always, "your grandfather didn't tell me anything about this when I asked him about some of the philosophies I could learn."

"ɪᴛ's ɴᴏᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴘɪᴄᴋ ᴜᴘ ᴛʜᴇ sᴡᴏʀᴅ, ʀɪɢʜᴛ? ᴀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɪsɴ'ᴛ sᴜɪᴛᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ʙʀᴜᴛᴇ sᴛʀᴇɴɢᴛʜ," she flew through the air, and if not for the fact that she was intangible, she would have hit a vase, "ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪғ, ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ. ᴀʟsᴏ, ɪᴛ's ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ."

"Oh, I see," I exclaimed.

"ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏs, ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇ ɢᴏᴅ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘɪɴɴᴀᴄʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ᴘʜɪʟᴏsᴏᴘʜʏ. ʟᴇɢᴇɴᴅ ʜᴀs ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴀᴄʜɪᴇᴠᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ ᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀʏ ᴏғ ᴀʟʟ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇsᴛᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ᴛɪᴛʟᴇ, ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴏғ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴛʀᴜᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ, sɪɴᴄᴇ ɪ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴏғ ᴏɴᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ ɪ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴏғ ᴡᴀs ᴀ sᴡᴏʀᴅ sᴀɪɴᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ sᴄᴀʙʙᴀʀᴅ sᴀɪɴᴛ."

"I take it that they are below a blade god?"

"ʏᴇs, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ. ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴘᴏssᴇss ᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀʏ ᴏғ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴇᴀᴘᴏɴ," she stopped right in front of me, her breathing was ragged and fanned with her dress, "ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏs, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ?"

"Eh, the history behind it is neat, but the story itself was kind of bad. So I don't know if I want to tell you another story."

We had agreed that we would exchange stories. She would tell one, I would tell one, she would tell one again and I would tell one again. Just like that.

There was a special rule, though. If someone their story wasn't liked, they had to tell another one. Of course, it was Agnes that made the rule, she only wanted to hear as much as possible. Still, I didn't mind as there was nothing to lose by doing so and agreed.

"ᴡʜᴀᴛ, ɴᴏ ᴡᴀʏ. ɪ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ'ᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪᴛ."

"I am very hard to please when it came to stories. Also, it has gotten late, we should go to bed," I looked outside the window only to see nothing. Everything was dark.

The thought of sleeping made her face crunch up, "ɴᴏ, ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ," she grumbled and floated to the books I brought back, "ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ sᴇᴀʀᴄʜ ғᴏʀ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ, sᴜʀᴇʟʏ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛ ʏᴏᴜ."

"if you can find a bedtime story, I might be willing to listen," I yawned, "I I might also fall asleep though."

She grabbed my hand and then rummaged through the books until she exclaimed, "ᴇʜ ᴡʜᴀᴛ's ᴛʜɪs? ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ."

"Huh," I stared at her, "there's a book you don't know?"

"ɪ'ᴍ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀs sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇᴅ ᴀs ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ," she brushed the other stuff away and pulled a thick, old book out, she then read, "<ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʀɪsᴛᴀɴɪᴀ>, ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴏғ ɪᴛ. sᴀʏ, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ?"

Huh? I had no idea. Really, where did I get that from?

"Ah wait, I just remembered, it was the librarian that gave it me."

"ᴡʜᴀᴛ," her eyes suddenly widened, "ʟɪʙʀᴀʀɪᴀɴ? ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀɪᴀɴ?"

"Do you not remember? He also knew you since you were small. You seem to have a very bad memory."

"ᴜᴜʜʜʜ," she closed her eyes and made a confused face, "ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴏ? ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ. ᴀʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴄᴀʟʟ ᴍʏ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ ʙᴀᴅ, ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴄʜᴏᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ."

"Uwah, scary," I backed away, "still, since you got nothing, let us go to sleep."

"ʙᴜᴛ," she sulked.

"It's alright, we can still talk anytime, since we are stuck with each other for I will."

She looked at me and sighed, "ɪ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ. ʟᴇᴛ's sʟᴇᴇᴘ ɴᴏᴡ."

"It's great that you agree," I smiled and walked to her.

I wrapped my hands around her slender shoulders and touched the black fabric that she had created herself. For us, they were just like normal clothes, but for anyone else they didn't even exist.

I pulled the cloth to feel their elasticity and when I realized they weren't too sturdy, I violently ripped her clothes in half, revealing everything that was underneath.

"ᴀᴀʀɢʜ," she screamed loudly, and immediately knelt down, hiding her naked body with her arms and legs.

"Shouldn't a girl be more like 'kyaaa'," I told her as I undressed myself.

"ʏᴏᴜ," she stared at me, her eyes burning with fury, "ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs?"

"Honestly, I do," I laughed, "and you really do have a bad memory. Did you already forget that we have to touch for you to manifest? If you don't want to float into the sky or sink down to become soil, it would be best for us to have as much contact as possible."

I lazily crawled to bed and shielded myself from the cold night. After I covered myself in blankets I curled up, turning into a giant bun, only my head was sticking out.

She glanced at the clothes that were ripped apart, until they slowly disappeared, "ʏᴏᴜ sᴛɪʟʟ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ sʜᴏᴡ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴅᴇᴄᴇɴᴄʏ," she shouted.

I patted the mattress to indicate that she should get over here and said, "what are you still embarrassed for, I have seen you naked a lot of times."

Her expression was dark but she still floated towards me. Did that mean I got closer to her? Probably not.

She got onto the bed and trembled slightly. I wrapped my blanket around her to protect her from the cold.

"ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴏɴʟʏ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴄᴀᴜsɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ," she came closer, and like a cat marked its territory, she rubbed her head against me.

"I wasn't talking about this. I know we have both been avoiding this topic until now, but you do know that I have been in your body since more a week, right?"

She stopped snuggling with me and asked with cautious voice, "sᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ?"

I coughed twice to clear my throat, "bodily functions don't just stop."

"ᴄʜᴇ," she immediately bit my arm causing me to flinch, "sʜɪᴛᴛʏ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ, ʙᴇɢᴏɴᴇ."

"This won't change the truth," I shouted amidst the pain.

She kept biting me, her teeth sinking into my flesh.

"ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ," she muttered silently, while I tried pushing her face away, but her grip was just too strong, "ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏs."

I covered us in blankets again, which have shifted due to our eccesvie moving, "you don't?" I uttered in shock.

"ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ɴᴏᴛ," she said nonchalantly, "ʟᴏɴɢ, ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ʜᴀɪʀ;ᴛʜɪɴ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ sᴋᴇʟᴇᴛᴏɴ;ᴘᴀʟᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀɴ ᴜɴᴅᴇᴀᴅ. ᴡᴏʀsᴛ ᴏғ ᴀʟʟ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ sɪɴɪsᴛᴇʀ ɢᴀᴢᴇ," she pointed at her eyes, "ᴀᴍ ɪ ᴀ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴏʀ ᴀ ᴄᴏʀᴘsᴇ."

Why was she only listing her good points?

"Hmm," I stared at her, "this sounds annoying, so tell me another time."

"ɪ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴘʟᴀɴɴɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ," she gasped in disbelief, "ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴏɴɢᴇʀ ᴍʏ ᴜʀɢᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴋɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ɪs," she turned to the other side, showcasing her pale backside, with an elegant curve.

"But I honestly quite like your body," I hugged her from behind, "I couldn't have wished for a better one."

"ғᴜᴄᴋ ᴏғғ," she mumbled.

"Why?" I cried out.

But she didn't answer. Instead, she began snoring cutely, with a tone that sounded almost fake and I knew that was the end of the conversation.

Just like her, I also went to sleep and felt the drowsiness hit me. My eyelids steadily grew heavier until they closed down, causing me to doze off. The last thing I remembered was Agnes' smooth skin and warmth.

It was a very peaceful evening, as I slept comfortably.

Or are least that was what should been.

"Wake up!" A loud shout resounded in my ears, but I didn't get up. My mind hadn't quite processed the noise by then.

"I said wake up!" The person shouted again.

I was thus forcefully pulled out of my bed, and when I opened my eyes, the sight through my blurry vision was that of angry faces, all staring down at me.

"The head of the D'Anelé household commands you to meet him."

There was no rest in this world, was there.