◇the new life(4)

Hah... the same soggy wooden furniture smell, the same fireflies around me which came in by the opened window of my room and the same chandelier taking its last breath before falling on my bed; and the same not so bearable pain between my skull-is what you thought I would feel but....

I was in Ry-yun's body instead. Just like the starting of this story. I wonder if any of you smarties noticed that or just followed my narration with your empty head.

I always get in Ry-yun's body first and then Vance Sherman since that's how I entered this world's storyline-was just checking you IQ since, my had an 'error' in it.

I wait and then finally, I get reincarnated into Vance Sherman once again. Once again into this hell...

Let's skip to when I am finally on my two legs.

Ahem....

This time I knew that what I shall do to save Naina. Since the plotline betrayed me I had no choice but to create a whole new plot for myself this time-to be honest I have did this before.

I searched around the room for weapons since Vance is a hex-forger so, there should be at least a small needle or knife in his room.

Last when I searched for it, it was beneath the bed.

I manage to get a small knife from the dusty darkness underneath of the bed. The knife had a simple wooden handle and a sharp blade which was enough for me.

"Brother Vance!" Naina's delicate voice calls out for me and I jumped out of the window of my room to reach her as fast as I can without wasting time anymore.

In the shimmer of the mid-night I saw Rifle Dorman furiously coming to me, I was ready for him.

"I trained a lot for this, I shall kill him. That's the only way I can execute my escape plan." I told myself as Rifle came closer to me, preparing myself for the fight.

He finally was now in my attack range area and even stopped at the perfect position for me.

I released a breath that I did not realize I was holding in. Before he could grab my collar I swing my little knife in the perfect angle, my knife slicing the meat like paper in his neck (carotid artery in our neck which is very important, even a small cut which cuts through the walls of the srtery can make blood sprint out like water in a waterfall and hence the person dies in less than five minutes).

Blood instantly sprints out like a water fall from his neck and splatters all over me and the grass. And Rifle Dorman falls down on the ground on his knees to where he belongs.

He could not even utter his last words-how rude of me.

I turned my face to Naina.

Naina stared at me with her wide eyes. I got scared for a moment thinking that she might hate me orget a trauma from this since she is just twelve right now-but, no.

I was completely wrong. Naina dashes to me and surrounds my waist with her tiny arms while leaning her face against below my chest.

"Are you alright brother?" she said in a low voice staring up in my eyes.

My eyes softened at her words; I kneel down on my knees, my face still above hers.

My hands shivered terribly as I hugged her back, hiding my almost teary face in her shoulder. Even though I have lived countless lives, I failed to forgave myself for my deeds towards her.

It was both heart-wrenching and lovely to be embraced by her. I still felt as if I am not worthy enough for such a pure soul's love.

"Na-Naina..." I stuttered pulling my head away from her shoulder, facing her; "Let's go to a park, will you come?" I asked her, my hands gripping her shoulder lightly.

"Alright." She said in a low whisper with a smile on her face, and wrapped her thin small arms around my neck-she probably wanted to say 'it's all okay brother I am always with you.'

First I pack up useful things with her help. And a few books of hex-forgery; I know I know all of it but who knows when you might need it?

The list of things came out to be like this-

• Two summer sets of me and Naina

• A frankesite (a magical blue rock used as torches, fuels, storing magical mana and etc.)

• Two pair of sandals

• A blazing sword and a knife which I just used

• 5 gold crowns, 2200 silver crows and 50,00 bronze camels (yes this is the currency of this world; gold crowns are made up of silver and 50% golden alloy, silver crows are made of steel and very less silver alloy; and bronze camel is made up of a special tree which only grows around a few places but in a huge amount)

• Six dead chicken (because who knows when we will reach there? And three are reserved for Naina only.)

• Three bottle of water

• And five socks.....wait-what?

"Naina...why socks?" I ask with a big question mark hovering in my eyes.

Naina looks at me as if I have caught her red handed in drug smuggling with those puppy eyes of hers. She put her both hands on her lips and with a poof she says, "Poof! Brother can't I keep them? They are my toys."

"Toys...? Oh! Sorry I forgot." I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly as I remembered that Naina played with socks by stuffing them with cotton inside and doodling their eyes with markers to make them a toy-not her fault- its just that toys in this world are expensive.

I was planning to take Naina to Blue Rock University-don't say I am using her trust, the university has parks too. It was still night but I knew the perfect location where I could find a locomotive to travel even at such an unusual hour.

After packing up the necessary things the first thing which I did was book a ride to Frankesite, the capital of the empire in which I live in. our trip is about one and a half day which means we shall be able to reach the capital at morning.

The capital is a very rich place, but it also offers a lot inexpensive things like the chance of studying with the world's most brilliant minds.

The transportation vehicle used in this world for long distances is a train run by blue rocks which are also called frankesite. There is a very long story behind this name and I would surely tell you that later.

I immediately ran to Grim station-the station which is dedicated to the Grim Reaper of this world who is also considered a god here. The Grim Reaper is a skeleton who wears a torn and ragged dark cloak-what a haunting god!

Whether you're an atheist or not you will need this station if you have done something terrible like I did. This station remains open for twenty-four hours and never ever has once been delayed in its lifetime which is two centuries till now for your information.

The train has a golden brown color from outside, inside was red and wooden. The train had an iron engine and blue rock as its fuel. Two large royal red sofas were facing each other within the distance of one meter; in the middle a small removable table was there.

Both Naina and I were wearing a black cloak to hide our faces-why? Because Rifle Dorman was very rich landowner, which means that now the whole Martha (the village where the Vance lives originally) is in our search. The only way I can escape them is by passing the entrance exam of Blue Rock University.

We climb inside the train carefully. Since this train does not have a ticket system there was no worries about our ticket-though it did charged us its service fee respective to the distance travelled by it.

Barely any people come in this train since, this train is considered to be haunted by the spirit of Reaper but I do not give a damn about it-or shall I?

I slip my luggage inside the shelf above my seat which had a covering of cloth after the hard wooden locker door. Naina seemed to be very excited, she was looking around everywhere like a curious bunny.

"Brother look!" she squeals pointing her finger against the window on a carnival.

"That is a carnival." I said softly, "Do you want those pink granny hair candies by chance?"

*here granny hair is used for cotton candy since that's what it is called in this world due to their white and frizzy look.

"Correct!" Naina nods with hopeful eyes.

"I will get you those once we reach capital, okay?" I said with a hesitation in my voice, this is the first time in this life that she asked me something apart from my presence. I just hope I am not being a jerk anymore; I have already failed enough as a brotherfor her-though I say that she is just another character in my life and I have no interest in her at all but still as a human being this guilt was engraved on myself by my own decision only.

"Alright!" she said and continued her viewing of the world around her. It was a big relief to me to think that she is smiling so happily infront of me instead of trying to make me feel better.

"Brother have you ever read about the capital in books?" Naina asks to me while glancing out of the window.

"Huh? No, why that question?" I fliched, Her tone seemed to be filled with some sort of suspicion.

"How come you know about those granny hair candies?" she asked staring right into my eyes.

God! I feel like a criminal now.... With a slight break in my voice I calmly reply, "I saw it in Nassia Wildnight's hands. She told me that she brought them from capital and it is called granny hair candy there."

"Nassia? Oh, you mean the princess of Night-Gown kingdom, right?" She remarked.

"Yes, there only." I said calmly, trying to play it cool.

Thankfully Naina did asked any other question related to that topic. Vance has once visted Nightgown for an important delivery of a weapon he made for her. He was appreciated for his talent there and was given 2000 silver and 15 gold crowns-yes, gold crowns are that expensive.

The whole ride was filled with various questions from Naina and I answered all of them since I know everything about this world due to being reincarnated uncountable times. Now, I know you may think I am dumb since I was almost caught or was turned into a criminal who is hiding something but I had perfect excuse for everything; though I do feel bad that Naina was so unaware of the beautiful world around her.

"Brother... did I hot you by any chance?" Naina asks me with her puppy eyes piercing through my heart-but! Wait did she just said 'hot'... uhh...

I am a big dumpster, I forgot that Naina has some problems with saying some specific words; and this is one of them.

I froze there for a second wondering what the heck did I just heard and realized it immediately that it's the authors fault for not giving her a proper working moth which does not mispronounce words.

"I believe you mean 'hurt" I said with an awkward smile as I adjusted my lazy posture.

"Correct!" she smiles.

"Naina... I am not hurt by you by any chance. It's just that I am tired a little bit that is why you feel like my face is grumpy or something." I answered her with the most generous smile I could have made in such a situation, hoping that she does not get worried for my health again.

"Brother, if you are tired then why not weep instead leaning against your hand on the window borders." Naina says with a pout as if saying she is unsatisfied with my answer.

"I suppose you mean 'sleep'."I corrected, my head still wondering how do I get it correct all the rest of the time.

"Correct." She smiles brightly, her tone a bit hyped up.

***

The next thing I remember was to forcefully go to bed early, thanks to my little sister Naina. I slept on the sofa of the train with Naina sleeping above me.

The sofas were actually merge-able due to which we were able to turn it into a bed. A thick black cloth separated us from the rest of people around us in the train; it was cheap way to secure privacy but still was better nothing.

The window of our seat was covered by silk golden cloth curtain. The noise of train's wheels rotating on the track kicked in lightly in my ear and the slight vibration due to the train being on move made me slightly vibrate and Naina swam from above me to the red velvet sofa bed.

Her rough, long snowy and few thin black locks of her hair veiled my face; the faint melody of rustling bushes, trees, or maybe even a garden nearby and the sweet call of birds creped in my ears. The whole moment felt like bliss of moon.

Everything was good and all better than my previous lives for now, then suddenly I felt a rough bony thing touch my face!