Chapter 12: Blood of the snake.

12-1

It was the next day since they arrived at Amon village, Grey was sitting beside the injured girl after waking first thing in the morning.

'She hasn't woken up for quite a while, is she okay? ....but she sure looks peaceful while sleeping, maybe she has been through a lot. She looks about my age, some people do have it bad.'

He was pealing pears for him to eat while sitting in a chair right beside the bed.

"Today is the day to take bath in panb blood." Said Grey out loud to himself and took a bite off a piece of pears "A panb blood." Said Grey again while letting out a sigh. Grey face grossed while imagining it "I hope it's not as bad as I am imagining it to be.".

Grey ate a whole pear and took out another pear, and peeled it off then he cut it into even-sized pieces. He was looking at the girl while taking a bite off another piece of pears.

"Give me some too"

"Ah sure." Grey extended the tray full of pieces of pears to the injured girl for her to take one.

"Thanks… Did you cut these? You are good with knives, they are properly even shaped pears." said The injured Girl while looking at Grey.

"That's the first thing you say after waking up after days. Usually, people who wake up after being unconscious for days be like "Where am I, what is this place?" or they start panicking, they don't exactly ask for pears or compliment other people's knife skills after waking up." Said Grey while taking another bite of pears in his hand.

"You say that, but you are awfully chill about this situation, the girl you saved after finding her injured in your house woke up. Aren't you supposed to show a little bit of happiness" said the Injured girl while taking a bite off the pears.

"Why would I do that? And I wasn't the one that saved you, it was my mom. Looking at your face, I think you pretty much understand your situation."

"Yeah, you found me injured in the forest and took me to your house to treat my injury. But, Even though they weren't life-threatening injuries. They were pretty bad injuries, how did it get heal like it was never there. You must be filthy rich to give me such an expensive medical treatment." Said the girl while chewing on to pear.

"Ah, you are on the spot for most of the things, but this is not my house. I am a guest here too. Even though I am filthy rich, no…. calling myself rich would be wrong cause it's my mom and dad's money. But we didn't use our money to heal your injury, your wounds were healed by my mothers blood."

"Your mother's blood?"

"Yes, my mother's blood. But you know you are pretty disgusting. At least brush your teeth, you have been unconscious for a day. Brush your teeth before eating anything."

"Ah, you are right, where is the bathroom?" asked the girl.

"There is one right there in this room. I'll bring some help, it might be difficult for you in the bathroom.". The girl tried to stand up, after getting off the bed.

"Here, grab on my shoulders?" said Grey, while offering his shoulder to lean on to. The girl grabbed onto the Grey's shoulder and asked "Aren't you gentlemen?" teasing him.

"Thank you for that." Said grey, he continued "Ah that's right, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Grey Hoffmann.".

"My name is Rai"

"That doesn't seem like a local name or did you just make this name up?" asked Grey.

"That's rude you know, it's a name from my homeland. why would I lie about my name and especially to my prince who saved my life." Said Rai with a sneer.

Grey instantly turned red, he quickly gained his composure "Ahem…..Like I said it wasn't me who saved your life", he tried to act cool.

"Now now, don't hide your embarrassment." Said Rai with a smug smile.

"I am not embarrassed"

"Liar."

13-2.

It was evening and it was time for Grey's first bath. Well, he was already sitting inside the pot filled with Panb blood.

Before Grey entered the pot filled with blood, there were fumes coming out of the blood. The pot was big enough for Grey to fit.

'Ouch…this hurts, No….it is hurting like hell. Why is the blood of panb violet in color? and why are my veins turning purple? and why is Panb blood making my skin burn?….ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch'

"Grey you can cry if it's hurting." Said Alice, she was sitting beside the pot. As a kid, she also went through the same process and she knew, how much it hurts.

"No….. I am fine." Said Grey while suppressing his scream of pain.

"Everyone who has gone through this process has cried…..its okay for you to cry." Said Alice while patting Grey's head.

Grey couldn't hold in much longer…..he held on to his Mom's hand and the tears started flowing through his cheeks. He couldn't hold onto the pain much longer.

"There…there, good boy. Just a little longer." Said Alice while holding on to his son's hand. Grey felt a little bit relieved by his mother's side.

13-3

"Ah, it's finally done," said Grey after completing his first bath.

"There are two more baths like that thing, and why were my veins turning purple during that process, ugh it was so freaky." Said Grey, remembering the bath made him cringe again.

While Grey was thinking about this, his stomach made a growling sound "I am hungry."

"That street food shops in this village sure looked tasty," Grey said to himself. Grey got up from his bed and went to his mom.

"Mom can I go eat street food in the village?" asked Grey to his Mom who was in a conversation with Tess.

"Sure, here have this money and take Rai with you." Said Alice while tossing a pouch full of money. Grey caught that pouch and said "Thanks mom.".

Grey went to Rai's room and knocked on her door "can I come in?"

"sure." Came voice from inside.

"Do you want something?" asked Rai.

"Nothing. Oh, oh by the way. Why did you lie to my mom, that you don't remember that where did you come from and that you don't remember your mom and dad? It's an obvious lie."

"..." Rai didn't say anything and tried to break eye contact with Grey.

"it's fine if you don't want to say. Maybe it's something you can't talk about. But how are you planning to survive alone from here on?"

"I'll find a job in this village and then think about the future later. But my main goal is to become a hero's party member."

"Ah, you want to become a hero's party member." Said Grey.

"why you don't want to? I think it's every kid's dream," asked Rai as she tilted her head.

"Not mine."

There was a brief pause between them "You know, even I am not interested in becoming hero's party member, but it's something I have to do, as a mission." Said Rai breaking the silence.

"sound rough." Grey didn't ask any further questions as he thought it wasn't his place to pry any further.

"Oh I forgot, let's go outside. We will eat something together," said Grey.

"Is that an invitation to a date? " Asked Rai teasing Grey.

"Shut up, we are just going out to eat. So are you coming?"

"Yes, ill gladly take the offer." Said Rai with a smile. Looking at her smile, "Pretty" thought Grey.