New Morning
Inside the prison chamber located under the royal castle...
"We are sorry for the handcuffs, high commander. We know that you will not break free given the current situation, but..."
"It's all right! There's no need for you all to feel sorry, putting handcuffs on prisoners is mandatory, after all."
The throne guards bid farewell to Agatha and the others, taking their exit from the prison chamber.
"By the way, I can't believe your assumptions about the Hari were true, boss."
"No one would have thought that Uruk is possessed by an Anino. After all, with his past, he clearly has a reason to turn against his people, especially towards those who looked down on him for being manaless."
Agatha's men chattered, their voices resonated all around the quiet cell.
"Well, I'm not the first one to think so." Agatha reply to the fellows. "The Reyna and the Prinsesa found out about him first, that is why they are the first ones who were jailed here soon after the prisoners were freed, isn't that right, Mahal na Reyna? Mahal na Prinsesa?"
"Huh?"
The oblivious group of assassins finds Agatha's stare going past them. And that's when they all turned behind them and caught the sight of the one Agatha called the Reyna and the other called Prinsesa, both in an old and worn out dress that they probably wore and didn't change since everything started three years ago.
"So you finally realized that Uruk is not truly evil, Agatha?"
"We just witnessed how he punched himself and stopped his own from killing me. That made me certain, Reyna Elena."
"Reyna Elena, Prinsesa Alena, forgive us for being oblivious of your presence!"
The assassins pleaded earnestly towards their ruler. Contradicting to what Uruk is showing, Elena, with her kind demeanor, told everyone that it's all right.
One of the assassins panned his view beside the Reyna and the Prinsesa and saw four more figures.
"You three are the remaining heroes, right?"
His words grabbed the attention of everyone. And he's right, the three youngsters in a school uniform quite similar to Lyrica are the remaining three of the four heroes Reilaea summoned.
"Then you are...?"
The assassin pointed his finger towards the lone figure, a woman in a torn maid attire.
"Wait, I know you," Agatha interjected. "Your son and husband are part of Agario's squad. If I recall correctly, your son's name is... Riko?"
The woman nodded in reply.
"I'm Rea, I was put here after trying to tell everyone in the capital about them, the heroes."
"Ah! You're that crazy woman who started the rumors, it's amazing how rumors spread quickly from town to town."
What the female assassin just said lit up a fire of hope in the woman's eyes.
"Is it true? Did the rumors manage to spread throughout the kingdom?"
"It's the reason why the Hari doesn't allow foreign visitors from entering the kingdom."
Following Agatha's reply, a sigh of relief exited the woman's mouth.
"But can the rumors help us get out of this cell?"
One of the three heroes queried.
"Hey, I don't know what's going on, but I don't want to be a hero." The girl with similar wear as Lyrica added. "I just want to go home and see my mama and papa."
"Don't worry, help is coming soon."
The Reyna and her daughter, as well as the heroes and Rea, are startled by the news.
"Are you sure? Is it Reilaea? Or perhaps Cartha?"
"There's a girl who came from another world just like you three, and she's also wearing the same attire as you, although hers is black."
Did Reilaea summon her, too? Is she also a hero? One of the heroes uttered this question out of curiosity. But then, the female assassin replied with uncertainty, saying:
"I don't know, but it seems like she has a desire she wants to fulfill rather than completing her purpose as a hero if she is one."
"Speaking of purpose, have you guys ever wondered why you were summoned here as a hero?"
One of the assassins questioned, but even the ones who were summoned for a purpose don't even know what it was. The only thing they have in mind is to get back home, which they don't know if it's even possible.
"Perhaps it was kept secret, probably to prevent stirring up panic. But if they'd go to such lengths to not cause any chaos, then whatever is coming should be a pretty big deal."
Somehow, the quiet prison chamber became filled with an eerie atmosphere.
"Whatever the case, all we can do right now is to be ready when help comes," Added Agatha. "It may take a little longer, but Lyrica is coming back, she promised it. If there's anyone that can certainly defeat the Anino, then it's her, that's why we should believe in her."
The ever-growing sense of hope of Agatha and the others shrouded the eerie atmosphere in the prison chamber.
'She'll come back.'
'Lyrica will free us from this hell.'
'She will defeat the Anino for us!'
Steeling their beliefs towards the girl, Agatha and the others held Lyrica's promise in their hearts.
***
Come next morning, a soft groan exited Lyrica's mouth as she gently opened her eyes. But the moment she does...
"... Huh?"
"Are you awake? Are you?"
A pair of cat-like eyes in a shade of emerald and a pair of cat-like ears immediately got Lyrica asking:
"What are you?"
"I'm a Beastman! I am!"
The one who called herself a Beastman replied in such a lively manner.
"Wait a minute! I will call Ina and Kael!"
"A-All right..."
Lyrica's charcoal eyes followed the little Beastman as she ran straight to the door, wearing a lovely smile. Shortly after, Lyrica decided to open her full character window.
Listener: Lyrica Ley Rael
Lv. 27
HP: 39.9%
MP: 15
dB Limit: 64
[Statistics]
STR: 40
DUR: 35
Agility: 40
Stamina: 21
Senses: 10
Available Stats: 0
[Playlist]
Playable Music:
- Jazz Harmony (Lv. Max)
- Heavy Metal (Lv. 2)
- Heavy Metal: Iron Maiden (Lv. 2)
- Fierock (Lv. 2)
- Hip Hop (Lv. 2)
Background Music:
- Elements of Music (Lv. 2)
-
-
> Acquired EXP: 23,100
> Required EXP: 24,150
'I'm close to leveling up to Lv. 28.'
As if her magic knew she needed it, her Daily Quest: Body Proportioning suddenly popped up.
"I'm definitely going to need that 1,000 EXP and hopefully a stat point, or a mana point."
Lyrica proceeded to roll the white blanket off her and get herself out of the bed. Then shortly after, she exercised both her hands as if they're trying to grab something.
"My HP is still quite low, and I feel a little worn out, but doing the Body Proportioning shouldn't be a problem."
Without further ado, Lyrica gets herself on all fours and started doing push-ups. However, before she could get past five push-ups...
"Ow!"
A sharp pain coming from her stomach forced Lyrica to put her push-ups to a halt.
"That hurt..." Lyrica draws the white shirt she's wearing to see a cut with stitches keeping the wound shut. "I guess I can't push myself a bit too hard. Well, there's nothing wrong in doing it slowly."
With that, Lyrica continued her push-ups, but with a little cautiousness.
...
"88... 89... 90..."
Creaak!
"Hi! My daughter said...?"
The little Beastman and an adult woman opened the door and invited themselves in. She had her eyes directed onto the bed, thinking Lyrica was there. However, she wasn't there.
"Ina, there she is! There!"
"Ah..."
The woman panned her eyes down to her right. And there, Lyrica is currently doing sit-ups.
"Oh my! Are you okay?!"
To the woman, Lyrica seemed like she fell from the bed and is struggling to get up.
"Don't worry, I'm just exercising," Lyrica replied while giving the woman an observing look. 'She has the same eyes and ears protruding on her head like Beastman over there.'
"Hi hi!" The little girl waved at her after noticing Lyrica stealing a glance at her.
"You know you haven't fully healed yet, you shouldn't overwork yourself!"
"I know, but this is necessary." Lyrica retorted as she finished her sit-ups. "I need to get stronger."
"No! If you want to get stronger, you first need to take care of your health!"
As if Lyrica was a light object, the woman lifted her and forced her to sit on the bed.
'S-She carried me as if there's no gravity pulling me in at all!' Lyrica thought to herself, surprised. 'Despite her seemingly frail, and kind demeanor, she's actually strong!'
"Now then, let me check up your wound."
Without warning, the lady lifts Lyrica's clothes and carefully observes the cut full of stitches.
"I heard from Kael that you came from another world," The lady mouthed. "I don't know if that's true or not, but this is probably the first time you encountered a Beastman like me and my daughter, is that right?"
Lyrica nodded in reply. 'I thought that kid's name was Beastman.'
"And yet, you're not surprised or afraid of us?"
"Well..."
The lady's sight reminded Lyrica of the NPCs from the games she used to play with Erika as well as some characters from the Anime series that she was forced to watch whenever Erika visits her in Metro Manila.
"I've seen people like you two. From the computer and television screens, at least."