Sentua Village

Hence, without giving Noah a second thought, I swiftly grab him up into my arms, carrying him by the legs and back near my chest like a big baby(And if you ever wonder where his oversized backpack is it's inside my inventory).

Noah: "H-hey! What are you doing?!"

With a good moment of taking a deep breath and a quick exhale a second later, I bravely continue taking the first step of stepping on the tree trunk bridge that hopefully is strong enough to hold us both as Noah's life now desperately lays in my hands.

...And when I said that I mean literally in my hands.

Though, the tension gradually and terrifyingly built up as the cracking sounds suddenly creak from every edge of the tree trunk whenever I made a step on it even a tad bit.

I could even feel myself sweating profusely on my paws and behind my fur as the tension gets thicker and overwhelming as I proceed to walk across this dangerous rickety tree bridge.

Me: "For once, be good. I don't want to lose my balance on this tree bridge and end up falling because of you. I also don't want to accidentally drop you off the bridge if you keep struggling like that."

Noah then quits his struggling any further after realising what I meant and shortly peers his eyes a little past his left shoulder to see the small crystal clear lake resting underneath the bridge far below us where the waterfall endlessly streams its beautiful natural water.

Me: "Don't look down. It will trigger your fear of height to worsen."

Not that I'm as paranoid or anything but it seems truly high from up here, in addition, if I look at it more closely, the height between the bridge and the pond probably might reach approximately a diameter of 70 feet.

Noah: "Well, not when you're holding me like this. I can't feel anything but a very warm comfort when I'm with you right now."

My ears abruptly perk up in surprise as a response.

Me: "W-w-what? What are you talking about all of sudden?"

I inadvertently squealed in a particularly high pitched tone while blushing after his words hit my ears.

Shit, I can feel my face getting hotter.

I know it's just an innocent compliment coming out from a kid but... But it's just so sudden!

And why the hell am I blushing just from a kid's compliment?!

Noah: "Hm? What? You don't believe me? I really mean it when I said that. Even though you're not a human...or a demon but when you are right next to me like this... I feel safe and well protected. Like how I always feel when I was with my father."

That's...

That's really sweet....even coming from you.

Noah: "Which I also kind of wonder how my father felt when he was with you back in the village."

Me: "Back when we're in the village, eh?"

...Rakia village.

Every time when I keep trying to reminiscent the moment of me and Jonathan together, all that I truly remember was his particularly handsome face whenever he smiles at me which as bright as the morning sun, the soft and gentle touch when holds and caresses me when we spent our wonderful night together, the intoxicating musky smell of his sweat every time he sat close to me, his very deep voice...yet so kind and innocent whenever the two of us held a conversation, his beautiful pair of grey eyes which always pierce into me with full of emotions and delightful warmth, his obnoxiously stoic but carefree and friendly personality whenever he tried to act as the village head with his people...

And the one night stand thing we had...

Also...

....The kiss.

...

Me: "...!"

I shook my head sideways in clearing my brain that's filled with Jonathan after remembering the last embarrassing but exhilarating moments that happened between me and him.

Noah: "What's wrong?"

Me: "Eh, nothing important. I just...never have ever thought about what Jonathan really think about me."

Noah: "Oh. Well, if you ask me, from the way I see it, he seemed really likes you, Bal. He never really smiled like that before to anyone other than him being with mom a few years ago."

My heart then skipped a beat after hearing the brief but perceptual explanation that came from Noah as my emotions blazed in joy, pumping with excitement in my chest.

Why am I feeling like this? We've only met each other like only...one day and a half.

Then again with how Noah explained it to me... It really makes me feel very happy.

Me: "I see. That's good to hear."

I said in a very soft tone as my tail wags left and right in bashfulness on top of the bridge.

Noah: "Yeah, he even brought you dinner after regretting hitting you at the interrogation session, hahaha."

Me: "Yeah, he's a real sweet."

Noah: "Plus, when we went home, he never stopped talking about you the night after the speech he did shortly after the monster incident happened the time before your dinner date. Talked about how awesome you were when you shot those Devillings down and how grateful he was when you came to save me when I got chased by one of those demons."

Me: "Really? He said that about me?"

I asked while smirking proudly as my pride as a hero almost hit the roof of the pride meter.

Still, why do I feel like Noah...purposely bringing up the topic about Jonathan one after another?

Yes of course he can talk about his father whenever he wants to but like how he brought up the compliment he constantly talking about his father.

Noah: "And a lot more of things too."

Me: "Wow. That's... I never really thought that Jonathan would think very highly of me. Not gonna lie it's kinda embarrassing, hehe. And am honoured too. To be praised by a chief of a village like that."

Noah: "Uhuh, you should be. He's also been titled officially as "The Guardian of Meruvel Villages" by His Majesty's order himself."

Excuse me, the what now?

Me: "His Majesty?... YOU MEAN THE KING?!"

Noah: "Is there anyone else called as His Majesty other than the king?"

He asked satirically.

Me: "Yeah, sorry. I was just...a bit surprised there for a moment. So that means Jonathan is somehow important to the king?"

Noah: "Very."

Me: "Huh, now that's something."

Noah: "What do you mean?"

Me: "...."

Ignoring the child with his question, I went silent for a moment to appreciate the scenery around us as I walk further across the bridge that now looks like a twinkling underwater tunnel as the waterfall flows gorgeously on the left.

I look up while walking and silently staring at the water which satisfyingly ripples against the translucent gleaming roof of nanobots above us, reminiscing of a mood just like when the heavy raindrops hit the windshield of a moving car or the roof of a transparent umbrella.

Besides, with the sunlight unable to fully penetrate the rushing waterfall that streams down on my left which forcefully bent the water flow by the roof, it practically protects us from the heat of the sun with water helps to cool the surrounding temperature which makes me very happy about this whole situation.

The refreshing smell of natural water and the tingling smell of woods similarly soothes my mind at the moment, calming the nerve of the tension I was having just now.

Other than that, I need to be more careful with my steps as I walk across the tree trunk as its entire surface has been wet by the waterfall for, perhaps, over decades. Not only the slippery terrain is in the way but the little branches that sticks out on the path is also a problem for me to handle.

But it doesn't mean that I can't go through it. Just need to give a bit of effort and be a little cautious with my footing and everything will be a piece of cake.

And about Jonathan not telling me about his given honorary title kinda bit disappointed though.

Then again, maybe he has his own reasons for not telling me before? Maybe he just simply don't wanna brag about it because he just tried to be modest with me?

Heh, if that really the case then that's fine.

And not like a certain person I know.

Thus a distinct loud sneeze out of nowhere can be heard from on the other side of the cliff.

At the same time, I feel a quick slap smacking hard on my chest.

Noah: "Hey, don't ignore me!"

He shouted, raging out in my arms at me.

Me: "HEY, STAY STILL! I CAN'T BALANCE MY BODY IF YOU KEEP SHIFTING LIKE THAT!"

-Minutes later-

Me: "F-finally...we made it out alive."

I whined in gratitude as I knelt on the ground as we've safely passed across the bridge several minutes later after having a series of frightening thoughts of scenarios that might happen if we stayed on the bridge any longer.

Noah: "A hero you are."

He said that sarcastically straight to my face while looking down, standing in front of me next to Maya.

Me: "Shut up! You're not the one who had to walk all the way across the rickety tree trunk bridge 70 feet above the ground while CARRYING SOMEONE!"

Maya: "You're being overdramatic again."

Noah: "And you're the one who offered the help. I can't let the chance slip away just like that from my hand."

What the F, bruh?! Why do I feel like being bullied here?

By children no less!

...My dignity as an adult...

Noah: "Anyhow, I know it's too late to say this but...... Thank you. For saving me from the plant monster from before... And kindly enough to carry me across the bridge. You were very brave."

Me: "Oh?"

This is very well unexpected.

Me: "Well, that's what Heroes always do."

I said it pridefully as a big smile slowly carved on my maw as my tail wags side to side, dirtying itself by dusting the ground.

Noah: "W-whatever. Let us just get to Sentua Village quickly. We're getting closer to the village already. I can feel it."

Me: "Really?"

Noah: "And you could you please stand up? You look pathetic dirtying yourself like that."

Me: "Ah, sorry."

I can't believe I'm being scolded by a kid right now.

After that, I bring up myself in an upright position as I dust my jeans and tail from the dirt and continue to surf my right hand into my jeans pocket to grab out my phone.

As I got my phone in place, I turn on the phone as the screen brightly shows a map that leads to Sentua Village.

Me: "It... It's true! We're getting near to the village."

Noah: "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get going."

Noah then begins to walk himself towards the forest that leads to the said village as I humbly follow him from behind.

Maya: "Uhm, Bal. Don't you think you forgot about something?"

I shortly turn my head around to look at Maya.

Me: "Wut?"

I asked curiously in surprise.

Then she tilts her head, deliberately pointing at the nanobots roof that seems still to be hovering, blocking the waterfall from hitting the bridge in between.

Me: "Ah."

Looking at them, I finally got what she meant.

Next, I do a quick snap of my fingers as those blocks of nanobots then dissolve, slowly drifting into the air as its tiny particles scatter into nature as one, allowing the waterfall to flow again as it hits the bridge with a powerful splash of water.

But what happens after that is really horrifying to witness as the tree trunk bridge then simultaneously created a loud, sharp snapping wood sound, cracking as it breaks into, not two, not three, but FOUR FREAKING PIECES and fell straight into the hollow ravine, landing onto the lake' surface below with big splashes and ripples from the impact.

Noah, Maya and I at once hastily rush to the edge of the gorge and focused our eyes directly at the lake below to see the fragments of tree trunks floating lazily in the pond, following the water current as they move towards the smaller branching rivers down to the much smaller waterfalls, crushing into smaller pieces of wood after collided with stones lodged inside the rivers on the way.

Me: "Finger crossed, I hope that won't pose any problem to anyone."

Moments after, without wasting any more time than we already have, we decided to continue our journey to Sentua Village with zero complaints.

-Several minutes later-

-3.02 p.m.-

Long minutes after wandering inside the forest like how we always do, with the bugs annoyingly buzzing around while we're dying from the scorching heat radiates from the sun even though we are all well sheltered from the sunlight, including scraping my fur on the bushes, twigs and branches, finally, we stumble ourselves upon an open road that stretches far and wide that as far as eyes can see, from the left to the right which instantly cheers everyone's mood from terribly exhausted into a full of joy.

Me: "Three days of suffering, we're finally going to have a proper sleeping place to sleep and a bathroom to pee and poop. I've never been this happier in my life other than being promoted to be a World Wide Hero back in the day."

I could feel my tears start to come out at the edge of my eyes yet I keep holding them back as not to ruin my image as an adult any more than it is in front of these children.

Noah: "Not gonna lie, it is kind of refreshing to see a road again once in a while."

Maya: "Shh! Someone's coming!"

Maya exaggeratedly whispered, suddenly warned us as the three of us quickly hide back into the forest, behind the bushes next to the road.

A minute later, my ears immediately twitch as they caught something coming out of the road heading towards us from the left side simultaneously as the ground begins to gradually shake.

Soon, a rumble of clopping sounds slowly arises as they starting to get loud and louder as a convoy of horses majestically emerge as the golden dust of the road flutters and ripples as they move passing in front of us who's hiding, watching them passing in astonishment.

The people who horseback, sitting on the saddle are all well equipped completely with shining, silver-plated armour all over their bodies, armed to the teeth as the sunlight is handsomely reflected on them as to add a certain special spice for their image as prideful knights of the kingdom.

Damn, looks like I really stuck in some legit medieval era.

However, the one at the very front who I presume to be in charge of the convoy looks kind of a bit...unique from the others.

This one who wears not a silver armour but instead a pristine white of armour glamorously glistening snow with much more detailed patterns that forged with pieces of golden metal imbued within his plated armour that differs very much from the superiority of a leader than his lowly vassals who follow him faithfully from the back.

Maya: "Where are they going?"

She whispered carefully.

Noah: "I don't know. We've mostly never used the road to get here so I'm not sure."

Me: "Well, whatever. At least now we know that we're getting closer to the village."

A while after the horse convoy has surely passed us heading to only the gods know where we resume our journey heading straight to the village by using the map's forest route displayed on my phone.

But I paused myself for a moment as the other two already snuck away into the forest while I stare quietly at the golden road in front of me that's settled basking under the bright sunshine.

As much as I want to return to the regular road trip again and escape from this extreme jungle trekking that we've been doing nonstop for three days straight... I just can't... As we can't risk ourselves getting caught by those humans just because me wanting to walk on the road again.

Therefore I need to be reasonable as we had to stay hidden as long as we can to stay out of trouble while we can.

Maya: "Bal, come on! Let's go! We need to keep moving!"

She shouted as her voice boomed deep inside the forest from behind me which leads to caught me off guard and flinched a little

That girl! What if someone heard us, stupid!

I look around left and right in panic at the same time with my ears sensitively flick, responding to the surroundings to find any unnecessary witnesses nearby the vicinity who's unlucky enough to get involved with our case and might ruin our plan of going to the Capital.

Me: "Clear."

I slightly nodded as I thought to myself at the back of my mind when it's been confirmed that fortunately, no one seems to be around wandering nearby.

After that, I hurriedly flee towards the forest where the kids are waiting for my arrival.

Not long after, I found them standing between the trees at a small open area of the forest as they both look at me with confusion.

Noah: "Where were you? Stop wandering around by yourself."

Me: "I didn't! I was just checking if there someone nearby our hiding spot earlier just to be safe of not getting caught. Which reminds me..."

Then I move my eyes menacingly at Maya as she noticed my deadly stare and yet still acts dumb, puzzling herself by looking dismissively around her and in the end pointing her index finger at herself in bewilderment.

Me: "Yes you! Maya, don't you just shout like that! What if someone caught us walking inside this forest? It would be a huge problem if they found out about us before we could even reach the village."

Maya: "Pssh, you're worrying too much. And even if there 'is' someone who knows about us we could just find them and like in Agrian we will kill-!"

Before she could even finish her word I instantly put both of my hands harshly on her mouth to shut her up from spouting such information out of her tiny mouth.

Then I look at Noah who's silently watching my hostility against Maya with a surprised expression clearly engraved on his face.

Me: "Uuuuuuuuum. Yeah, as she said, we better move now. Can't wait to see more human village, am I right?"

Noah: "U...huh."

He responded in a very short and dry response to my sudden act while suspiciously looking at me like he's thinking about something...about me...but in a bad way.

Suddenly, Maya rapidly slaps her hand on my hands which still covering her mouth unnoticed including her small nose as I hear loud hums and whimpers coming out from her in distress, telling me desperately to let her go.

Hence, realising what I'm doing to her I briskly take my hands off her as she takes a huge gasp of air miserably to breathe.

Me: "S-sorry. My bad."

I meekly apologized to Maya as the sense of guiltiness and anxiety starting to linger in my head, messing with my mind simultaneously making my head and chest very emotionally uncomfortable, not in a harmful way.

Maya: "N-no. I'm the careless one. So it's fine. I'm sorry."

Too, she apologised bit in a more wimpish tone as she felt more guilty than I am.

Unexpectedly, Noah without warning rudely intrudes into our little conversation with zero consent and speaks.

Noah: "Okay, did I miss something here? You two are acting very suspicious right now, you know that?"

Me/Maya: "No, of course not!/No, not at all!"

We carelessly responded in unison.

Maya and I look at each other in surprise and quickly averting our eye contact awkwardly from each other at the moment they met.

Noah: "This is weird."

Maya: "No, you're the one who's weird."

Noah: "Wha-.. How is-..... Fine, whatever! Look, can we just go to the village already? We have been wasting too much time than we're supposed to."

Me: "Yeah, sounds good to me."

I spontaneously answered his question as I fasten my pace in haste into the endless green as I look at my phone heading for the village, following the map as I coldly leaving the group behind.

Noah: "Wait, slow down!"

He shouted in surprise at my action as he follows me from behind while Maya did the same in silence.

-Later-

This is it! Sentua Village! We're here!

It seems that luck is finally on our side as the spot where we had our awkward little argument before was conveniently only several steps away from the village main gate...which I also really hope that no one heard our small bickering earlier and not get caught into any trouble.

But the thing is that the forest had finally reached its end as the forest stops right at the front left side of the gate which from what I see is to be about 5 metres away from our position(yes we're still hiding behind the bushes at the edge of the forest near the gate).

And that's not the real trouble we're having. The real trouble that we're having is those guards who are guarding intermediately with their spears in their hands with their bodies also fully equipped with plated armour, but duller than the knights we saw earlier, in front of the main gate.

Me: "There are guards guarding the gate."

Noah: "Yes, we can see that, Bal. Damn it, how do we suppose to get in now?"

He asked inaudibly in frustration, either at me or at himself.

Probably at himself because he's not looking at me when he asked that.

But I'm just gonna respond to it anyway.

Me: "Uhm... I.... Never actually had thought this through, to be honest..... Hehe..he."

Noah: "Of course you didn't."

He frustratedly let out a silent sigh while shaking his head sideways as he already gave up on me and continues to look at Maya beside him in hope of an answer.

Noah: "Any bright ideas?"

Maya: "Hmmm..."

Upon hearing the question, she instinctively pinches her thumb and index finger together under her chin as she's starting to think of a good plan to let us pass into the village safely without us getting caught for me being an illegal non-human immigrant who came exclusively from another world.

Eventually after a good long seconds later, she speaks.

Maya: "We need a proper disguise."

She stated herself with a huge mischievous grin engraved on her face as she's about to do something very cunning which is one of her favourable specialities.

-10 minutes later-

Noah: "Are you sure this is going to work?"

He asked worriedly as we walk, acting casually heading towards the village gate where the gatekeepers stoically stood guard.

Maya: "Well, duh. The plan was coming from me. Therefore of course it's going to work.... Maybe."

She said proudly with an obvious bright smug stuck on her face but silently at the last part of her sentence.

So before we get there, let me do a quick explanation about how we're going to pass those guards without(hopefully) getting caught.

For starters, we went back into the forest a few metres away from the gate to find a good place to conduct our plan as Maya simply told us for me to have to disguise myself as taking refuge under a new identity and appearance.

And that's when Noah came to help.

Noah told me to bring out his backpack from my inventory to grab something that could help us with the plan which seems to be an oversized brown cloak(oversized only for him actually) and a few sheets of cloth made out of animal skin and fur which is a perfect disguise for the occasion.

Although it's not like I don't have a couple of spare clothes back in my inventory myself but it just only going to make me stand out more than normal as they're all come with nothing but only modern urban design.

After we're done with my little makeover, we finally hit the golden road that I thought would never be stepping on again, pretending to be regular travellers who arrive from Rakia Village.

Actually, we 'are' travellers from Rakia Village. Why do we need to pretend to be one?

But there's only one thing that I don't appreciate about this plan...

Me: "It's hot..."

I complained in a low frustrated tone with my head and ears tucked under my hood that's obscuring my face completely with the help of shadows.

The said cloak is truly sickeningly hot plus these shabby thick pieces of cloth that untidily wrapped around my neck, closing half of my face making me very hard to breathe and in addition with the unbearable hot sun shone the earth beneath including me, I feel like an unkempt burrito who got left inside of an oven just to be overcooked down to the core.

Not to mention it's really hard to walk in this thing too.

Uughhh, the suffering!

Noah: "Just bear with it, would you? We're almost there. And when we get there just let me do the talking."

Me: "..*grumble*.."

Maya: "Remember you two, act normal."

Not long after, eventually, as we embark further ahead to the village gate, we saw the familiar gatekeepers from before still standing on each front side of the gate like living statues, not moving as if time has frozen itself.

A similar tension that I felt when I crossed the tree trunk bridge before with Noah has started to build again as we're getting closer to the gate as my chest beating faster and faster in every step I made.

Guard 1: "Halt!"

Shouted the first guard monotonously under his metallic bucket-shaped helmet on the right side of the gate simultaneously with his spear immediately crossed with another spear of a guard on the left in front of the gate, blocking our path from entering the village.

Guard 1: "What is the business of you two coming here to this Sentua Village, boy?"

He said with the confidence of full authority inscribed within his tone of voice.

Noah: "You two? Not thre-!"

Like a shot, Maya fiercely jabs her elbow at the side of Noah's waist.

Noah: "Guhk!"

Guard 1: "Hm? What is the matter?"

Ah, right. The guards can't see Maya as she already hides from them.

Umm, how should I explain this?

As a spirit, Maya has this kind of unique advanced magic ability to control, utilising it for her to able concealing herself from being detected by other creatures other than her own master and no matter how hard they try, no creature other than the master of the spirit is able to see her...unless if she wants them to. This particular skill is known as the "Bunker".

Furthermore, back in my world of Agrian, we who are not Spirits were highly considered this skill as a very high magic level for someone to simply harness.

Though, among the Spirit themselves were merely considered the skill as their basic magic for them to control right after the birth of their existence.

About how Spirits reproduce themselves I will explain them for another time.

For now, how she uses the skill is that she solely hides her very presence from this reality and made her "own" reality around her like a small room or a dome for her to hide in that made her invisible through the naked eyes of the people of this very reality where I'm standing in.

The science behind this phenomenon for her to bend such a law of physics like that with ease, this Bunker skill likely involves every aspect of quantum physique proficiency and space magic elements that one needs to master thoroughly through long years of research and study.

Moreover, even if you did some research about them, it is not guaranteed that you are able to master such skills. You need to be very talented to understand the law of Bunker skill. If you dare to try to perform this skill without understanding them, it could be very dangerous and potentially bring instant death to the caster.

How? By trapping yourself inside of a world of a dark, cold isolated void that exists between the reality between the existence of life and death resided.

That's also why Spirits are also considered the most unique race to exist because their knowledge of spiritual elements is just plausibly beyond our reach of understandings.

Noah: "We are from Rakia Village, sir. We are no one but just mere travellers passing by heading to the Capital."

Guard 1: "Travellers, eh? And Capital? Such a young boy like you are not supposed to go wandering around to a wretched place like the Capital."

Uhm, I'm not sure if he supposes to say that deliberately in public like that, can he?

Guard 1: "You should be more safer staying with your parents in your village, boy."

Noah: "I'm fifteen, sir."

Guard 1: "Oh Lord Heaven, apologize for my rudeness. Seeing you, I couldn't expect you more than being 10 years old."

PFFFT! THAT'S TOO STRAIGHTFORWARD! HAHAHAHAHA!

Me: "..pfft.."

I accidentally let out a small snicker under my obscure getup next to Noah.

I could even see his vein swells under the skin of his temples as he tried so hard on keeping his temper in check and not punch the guard right on the face under his helmet...including me.

Guard 1: "So who is this...cloaked men next to you?"

Asked the guard in a suspicious tone as he peers his eyes straight at me like he's about to consume my soul any moment now.

Me: "..*Gulp*.."

Noah: "Ah, he's an acquaintance, sir. He is my travelling partner throughout my journey coming here past these days."

Guard 1: "I see. His form is quite bulky for a mere traveller."

Shit.

Guard 1: "Is he perhaps one of those adventurers? Did you pay him to accompany you on the way here during your trip? If he is then which guild is he from?"

Oh my fucking gods! Can you just shut the fuck up and let us pass the gate, please?!

Noah: "Y-yes, sir! He's an adventurer, yes."

A what now?! Noah, what kind of despicable misunderstanding you just created here?!

Guard 1: "From which guild, may I ask?"

Noah: "U-umm...H-he is from.. Uhhh..."

Oh no, he is panicking!

Chief Guard: "Oi, what's the fuss?"

Guard 1: "Chief guard, sir!"