Chapter 26 Vol.2

Chapter 45:Flare's conflict

Flare slashed vertically towards the king but he evades the slash cleanly before it hits by shifting his body in unhuman movements. After several tries, Flare stands tall while facing her father full of doubt and hesitation.

'Ugh' she feels a piercing pain in her head trying to think of the best solution

"SUCH DISGRACE! UNBEFITTING OF YOUR NAME!" yelled the King in a stern tone.

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Centuries ago, I remember being in a happy family with a somewhat busy dad and a lovely mother that always accompanied me. Dad is a busy person, mother told me that it's because he's a King. Together with mother in a cozy wooden house, we spend time hunting, learning about herbs, and watch her training in the morning. And at the age of 5, thats when I finally got my name.

"Shiranui Flare." said father in a warm tone while sitting on the couch

"Flare? Like a fire?" I questioned father

"It signifies A small speck of flame that is capable of bursting up and swallowing up an entire forest!" Father answered seriously.

Hearing that I was elated and warmth fills me from within.

"Then, tell me what does Shiranui means?" I raised my voice in excitement.

"Err, as for that..." Father seems to be stumped and glance at mother as if he's asking for help

"I don't know what it means." mother told me that with a gentle smile.

"EH? Why?" I was bewildered by her decision to give me a name that she doesn't know the meaning of it.

Mother laughed at my expression and lovingly leaned onto father.

"As you know, I can't read, and I'm only good at fighting. I can't remember when or where but when I heard this word I felt a sense of comfort. So, to put it simply I named you Shiranui because I loved the word and I love you too my cute brownie." Mother gently knelt down and lifted me up.

" I LOVE IT!! " I laughed as I was thrown into the air.

From that day onwards I started hanging out more with Dad, I was brought into the kingdom and introduced to the people as the first princess of the Elf Kingdom Rodania.

There I started my education in politics, sciences, and the history of the kingdom. In the beginning, I find it hard to accustom to a new lifestyle as a part of royalty but to experience new things and learning more about father diverted my attention away from the pain of separating from mother. Every 3 months, father, and I will go back to meet mother in the small wooden house on the outskirts of the forest. When I was 15, I finally decide to get some answers.

"Father, how did you met mom?" I probed Father timidly

"Hmm? Why do you ask?" Father seems relaxed and leans back in the carriage.

"I've just recently learned that Humans aren't allowed into the forest..."I spoke out my curiosity.

"And?" Father spoke in an imposing tone

"Why can't she live with us if she can live in the forest?" Flare boldly placed her suggestion.

"...."A momentary silence swept the carriage

"Flare..., it's what we called a compromise." Father had a serious look on his face.

"I see...I understand now, forgive me for acting out of line my liege."I apologized quickly.

"It's fine, I could have told you sooner. And when we're out here, call me father." The king voiced out his dissatisfaction

"Understood father." I looked at him and smiled brightly after getting an answer out of him.

"Regarding how I met your mother..., do not ask your mother to tell you the story understood? I'll tell you on our way back. " Father pinches between his eyebrows feeling tired, not sure of what.

The carriage stops and the familiar wooden house is in sight. And mother is standing in front of it. Immediately I jumped out of the carriage and ran towards her cheerfully. For the rest of the day, we went hunting together and then ate game meat as dinner together as a family.

Then at night, I went to the bath together with mother. We took off our clothes and went into the tub. Ever since I'm small I've noticed a huge scar on her back and I never bothered to ask how she got it.

"Mother, how did you get that scar?" I asked presumptuously

"Oh this? I got this when I hunted one of those damned nousagi's, I've hunted almost anything but they were the trickiest of them all" mother exclaimed as she points towards another scar on her forearms.

"No, not that, the bigger one on your back" I exclaimed.

"Oh that?" mother starts touching her back.

"That I'll have to start talking about the story of how I met your father." says mother.

I suddenly remember what father said, but well the die has been cast, it wouldn't hurt to hear both sides of the story I thought.

"So, back in my youth, I was a renowned hunter, I've hunted anything that this world has to offer, even humans like myself."She had a peaceful look despite the blood on her hands that she mentioned.

"So one day I got a strange request by a noble of the candy kingdom. To hunt their little boy if it's dead or to bring it back if he's alive." she helped me wash my hair as she is narrating the story.

"At first I was confused, what did they mean by hunting it if its already dead? After some investigation, turns out there's a profession in Candy Kingdom called Corpse hunting where they hunt down the walking corpses of the deceased that died from the previous wars or simply died in the forest and return them to their families for a proper burial."

"You mean the corpses that always accompany us in the forest and gather game?"I asked mother.

"Yes, but to outsiders, they attack people on sight without discrimination, they are highly dangerous with its inhuman strength and its frightening vitality." Mother shows her fascination of them as she speaks.

"I accepted the request in a heartbeat after being in search of a new game for so long, traveled from ɐılɐɹʇsn∀ all the way to the Candy Kingdom. After getting my gear and team ready, we split out and did a blanket search in the forest but for 3 months we didn't yield any results but instead, we managed to harvest a lot of corpses for others. The monetary support lessen month by month and at last, the team disbanded. Using the map we made from exploring I manage to make deeper exploration into the forest gradually. And then one day, I found the boy.... but he's dead." Mother had a solemn look on her face.

"Just as I was going to close in and capture the boy, suddenly I heard a roar and the ground vibrated as if several thousands of people are running towards our direction. Not long after, a Hydra is spotted running at us in desperation, along with figures of corpses closing into us seemingly trying to surround us and the hydra by circling us. I quickly bagged the kid and try to break free of the coordinated encirclement that was something I've never seen before."

"Oh! dad is hunting the hydra!" exclaimed Flare.

"Indeed he was, He killed the hydra and I got surrounded by the corpses standing still forming a wall seemingly waiting for an order. So, it became inevitable for me to face him and I'm not going down without a fight. I might be an illiterate fool but I can tell he's a necromancer from how he fights, So I asked 'Who are you?' and he answered 'Nobody, just someone who protects the weak like you.' in elven. He then turned around and released me from the encirclement without telling me his name." Mother playfully blew the bubbles in her palm

"Seeing the opening, I dashed by the corpses that are standing still when they are supposed to attack me I turned back one last time before leaving to see your father backside leaving the scene. I immediately exited the forest as quickly as possible and went to show the noble the corpse of the boy. In the end, the sack was ripped open from the inside during the scuffle and there was even my blood on it due to the corpse must have scratched a wound open on my back. Therefore all I had was an empty bloodied sack to show em...." Mother seems down after remembering that.

"My head is in the clouds after the encounter and didn't even realize I lost my game or got hurt in the back. From that encounter onwards, I know I had found the game I've been looking for in my entire life. And that one meeting became the first of many onwards."

"Wow...., so how did you two...?" I feel my heart thumping as I asked the question.

"After my constant barrage of "pestering", He finally confronted me. And as an excuse, I happened to established a corpse trading agreement with your father. Basically, he gives me the corpses I need and I give something in return. Every month, we meet up to make the exchange right at where this house is built." Mother looked happy speaking about her past

"One day, after we made the exchange and we were discussing the terms for the next, he asked for us to hunt together in return. And things escalated when people become suspicious that I'm working for the elves, to save my own skin I chose to run into the forest. I was given refuge here thanks to your father. Even though that marks the end of our agreement he still came here every month to see me, maybe out of guilt but eventually, he gave me the D." Mother had a smug smile as if she is showing her victory.

"The D???!!" I flustered thinking of what she meant by that.

"Death do us part silly, what else are they teaching you at the royal palace haha." Mother pinched my cheeks

"That wasn't fair, you can't throw a curveball like that." I pouted

"Remember one thing honey, your dad and you are cut from the same cloth. One day, you will outlive me and maybe even your dad. Your dad cut himself off from everyone because of this and I hope you wouldn't be the same. I will leave you both one day and I hope on that day, you would give yourself a chance to open up to others." Mother has a glint of sorrow in her eyes.

"Mother..." I had been putting off this problem as well, I averted my eyes from her.

"Enough of this depressing talk, lets get you to bed." Mother get out of the tub and dried herself.

I had a long hard night thinking about mother's words that night...