Chapter 7 - Bringing Adanyl together

"Sniff... it hurts "

A small four-year-old girl cried, tears streaming down her cheeks as she gently blew air on her burn injuries, wounds that weren't even hers to begin with, anxiety gripped her as she waited with bated breath for Priest Kermit's arrival to heal her.

Her fragile frame trembled from the haunting memory of excruciating pain she endured a month ago. The memory was still vivid—a searing agony when she had bravely tried to refuse Priest Kermit from healing a nobleman.

"Does it really hurt?"

Adanyl flinched at the unfamiliar voice. As her hazy eyes met a pair of amber eyes, Ryuk bent down to look at the seated girl. Startled, she swiftly stood, inadvertently causing their heads to collide with each other.

Thud

"Ouch..." She covered her head with her small-hands.

"Your head is like a hard rock," Ryuk rubbed his forehead, attempting to lighten the mood with a not-so-funny joke.

The girl panicked and kowtowed, stammering, "F-forgive me, y-your highness."

Ryuk felt surprise at the girl inadvertently revealing his identity. "Oh, you know me?" He pointed towards himself, questioning the girl, his eyes glancing at her slightly reddened forehead from the recent collision.

"Um, Priest Kermit said to be prepared for his highness," Adanyl replied. Ryuk understood that Kermit likely anticipated his arrival for some healing.

"It's good that you know. Let's go to the Palace," he said, moving forward and taking Adanyl's wrist, surprising her. As he guided her forward, Adanyl tried to comprehend the situation. Suddenly, realization dawned on her. 'Maybe he wants me to heal someone inside the palace.'

Ryuk walked into the hallway, leading the girl with him, pondering about her mentality. Living here and being continuously used had built a trust wall around her.

The carriage gradually came into view as they exited the monastery's aged stone walls. Ryuk glanced at Kermit, the priest's face drained of vitality.

"P-priest Kermit,"

Ryuk observing the weariness etched across the man's features heard a trembling voice, his attention shifted towards a young girl who trembled, as he made his way towards the carriage.

"Kermit, I want to sit in the carriage,"

Reaching the Carriage he looked at the Man, as his voice was stern and filled with authority, making man shiver as a bead of sweat made its way through his forehead.

"Didn't you hear me? Bend down,"

The onlookers eyes widened in surprise, not fully grasping the significance, even though Ryuk was a prince of a kingdom but there were different monasteries, like those in the Aidiac kingdom, where a priest bowing could pose a problem and still he is making a priest to do something humiliating, what if he faced religion's retaliation.

"I-i... I understand,"

Kermit ground his teeth, fully aware of the searing pain he'd endure if he protested. He bent down, providing a makeshift stair by bowing in front of the carriage

"You can go first, Adanyl," Ryuk said, his gaze fixed on the trembling girl behind him. Fear was evident in her eyes as she hesitated, resisting the order. "N-no, Your Highness, I cannot do that," she stammered, pushing back against the directive.

"It is my order. Do it,"

Ryuk firmly commanded, devoid of any emotion, causing the girl to flinch before nodding reluctantly.

Adanyl walked towards the carriage as she took Ryuk's hand to balance herself before stepping on the man lying on the ground.

An unfamiliar feeling surged through her as she did so. She didn't know why, but treating this man in such a way made her feel a strange sense of satisfaction.

Normally, she despised bullying others, but in this moment, she harbored a deep-seated resentment toward this man.

"T-thank you, Your Highness," Adanyl managed to say, glancing toward the boy with amber eyes. His gaze slightly widened before relaxing.

"Now, it's my turn," Ryuk announced, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked down. He stepped on Priest Kermit's back, the weight amplified due to the rapid increase in mana density within his body.

"Kughh!... Y-your Highness,"

Kermit gasped, feeling as if his bones would break under the pressure. Finally, Ryuk entered the carriage, leaving the priest struggling beneath the immense weight.

Maria's POV {A/n : Character details will be uploaded soon with their illustration}

Hunger gnawed at my stomach as I mustered the courage to approach a few passersby, my voice feeble and strained, "haaa... kind man, goddess Fela will bless you, please give me a bun"

Days had stretched on since my last meal, and the bitterness towards Ryuk festered within me.

Unlike before, he hadn't come to my aid this time.

My mother's death was a direct result of his delay, and now I suffered with an empty stomach.

"Tch, don't touch me"

The people around me brushed me off, thinking me just another beggar. I couldn't blame them; I hadn't yet awoken my powers as the future saintess, still two months away from my destiny.

"Ugh... what to do with this hunger now?"

I pondered aloud, realizing I might have to go to sleep with only water. Determination surged within me, fueling my desire for revenge against that despicable man...

"!?!"

My thoughts came to an abrupt halt as I spotted the royal family's carriage.

"Hey, you heard? His Highness Ryuk is in there"

The news hit me like a sharp blow.

" What? How dare he delay in arriving, m-my mother... sniff..."

Tears welled up, the pain of my loss raw and unrelenting, intensified by the cruel hunger that gnawed at my insides and this all due to him.

"R-Ryuk, you killed my mother!"

"Why did you arrive late!"

"You heretic!"

"No!, leave me, I will not let him get awa....Thud "

It hurts—how could he? He had ordered them to throw me away, he ignored me and what with these people, can't they see him being using his position to bully weak people.

Staggering my way towards the monastery gates, I finally arrived after what seemed like an eternity. There he was, attempting to step on Priest Kermit.

I wanted to intervene, to stop him, but the memory of how my mother had died due to Kermit's actions kept me rooted in silence.

'Who is that girl? ' I noticed a silver-haired girl behind him as he smiled towards her.

'What's with this feeling? '

I felt something amiss inside me not understanding what it was but still wanted to confront him, but what if he decided to execute me instead of just throwing me away? He didn't even know who I am.

'Is it the butterfly effect? '

Maybe something shifted due to my arrival in the past, causing him to delay saving my mother.

But why was he being so friendly with that girl?

And why she just following his orders like some kind of servant? Even I wouldn't do something like that.

'That damn monster!'

I watched him stepping on Kermit while using mana. My suspicions were confirmed; he had been hiding behind a facade of being a good person maybe even in his past life he had ulterior motives for helping me.

'He left'

I looked at the departing carriage before the crowd dispersed.

Grrowwl~~

'Ughh... my stomach.'

"Hey, wait, come here. You can live in this monastery," someone called out to me. I turned to leave but heard the call. Was it Kermit calling for me?

Could it be that the goddess had finally revealed to him that I was her messenger?

But why so late? If only she had done so earlier, then maybe my moth—'

'No, calm down yourself, it's just a test from her. I need to stop Ryuk this time but...' I looked at the disappearing carriage, thinking about that girl before making my way into the monastery.

....

A white carriage adorned with intricate golden designs made its way towards the Royal Palace, carrying two individuals.

Ryuk glanced at the girl who was constantly peering outside the window. Her wide-eyed wonder at the world outside amused him. He understood; for her, it was likely the first time witnessing the outside world.

'System, show me her status'

A transparent golden screen appeared in front of him :-

╔═══━━━──── • ─────━━━═══╗

Name - Adanyl Silvester

Race - Half Human

Age - 4 years

Bloodline - *********

Strength - 10 / 50

Agility - 17 / 50

Mana - 25 / 50

Spirit - 78 / 50

Endurance - 120 / 50

( 50 is for average Mortal Adult)

more info.....

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

◘ Possesions Half-Fragment of 8-star Aura sword ( Extraction Possible )

╚═══━━━──── • ─────━━━═══╝

"!?!"

Ryuk's eyes widened as he saw the cost for unlocking knowledge about her bloodline – it was ten thousand lives.

But it didn't end there; as he noticed her possessing an 8-star aura sword he due to surprise stood inside the carriage, startling Adanyl.

His reaction was only natural, even having become an Emperor in his previous life, he had only possessed a 6-star Aura Sword, and that too was considered unique in Heindal Continent. 'How's this possible?'

"Y-your h-highness?" Adanyl asked, concern in her voice, noticing his sudden change.

"Nothing," he replied, trying to compose himself, taking his seat again and looking outside the window. He sneaked a glance at the girl who was now lost in the outside scenery, her curiosity evident in her naive eyes.

'System, Extract that Sword Fragment'