Chapter 3: Amongst the Bustle
LUSHERA and the others left the scene of the battle to the adventurers that responded to Ivar’s message, then continued on to the capital, since Lushera wanted to get the girl who was attacked to a safe place as quickly as possible.
“I never asked you to save me. You are just a meddlesome busybody who jumped in entirely of your own accord. Don’t expect a thank you from me.”
It’s just, the girl was not grateful whatsoever.
Her ego has grown several sizes now that she’s safe… thought Lushera.
The three of them were riding a high-speed carriage: Lushera, Ivar, and this mystery girl.
She crossed her legs, not exactly a polite pose considering the travel dress she wore, her eyes the color of the sky locked on Lushera and Ivar. Her shining gold hair, pale skin, and cute features made her the perfect example of a doll-like girl, but she trampled over that general first impression.
Wait, she looks like someone I know…doesn’t she?
There was something about the girl’s facial features that tugged at Lushera’s memory, making Lushera very curious.
“But if we hadn’t stepped in, you may have died,” said Ivar. He might have sounded polite, but the comment was out of line, caused by his irritation with the girl.
“You’re right. It would have been better if I had died. There would have been many more people celebrating my death than mourning it.” But the girl just gave an empty smile, as if nothing at all was worth smiling over, and looked away.
“It would have been better if I had died.” That’s what she said. She never had any hope for this world. These words sounded like a type of self-defense. Lushera probably should’ve just ignored it, but she couldn’t leave it be.
“You shouldn’t say things like that,” she said.
“Oh? Now you’re lecturing me?” She responded to Lushera challenging her claim with a sharp gaze. Lushera wouldn’t call that gaze overpowering. It was more like her eyes said, “Don’t touch me. Stay away.” A dog who’d spent its life chased by humans with sticks and stones might have eyes like that when it howled to scare others away.
“I’m the one who decides if I have value, yes? All right. I’m worthless. Thank you, we’re done here,” said the girl.
“But…you looked scared when that monster was chasing after you!” Lushera countered.
“I was not scared!”
“There’s nothing wrong with being scared. It’s normal to be afraid of dying. People who have done everything they possibly can and given up on everything else…they can die quietly without fear. But I’m certain there’s something you haven’t given up on yet,” pressed Lushera.
Lushera had seen someone once who had come to terms with her death. Compared to Giselle, it was obvious this girl hadn’t yet accepted hers. She could only say what she did because she’d realized she didn’t want to die when she was forced to really think about it.
She was certain the girl was standing on a precipice, looking into the depths and hesitating to take the step off the cliff. But someday, she’d take her sorrow and dive. That was the bad feeling Lushera had.
“…You are full of yourself,” she muttered, perhaps unable to argue with what Lushera said, her forcefulness crumbling slightly.
“By the way, may we ask your name?” asked Ivar.
His question revived her fire. She shrugged her shoulders sarcastically and said, “Do you not recognize me? Are you country bumpkins? I have no obligation to tell you my name.”
“We don’t know where we should take you if we don’t know who you are.”
“Just hand me over to the gate guard when we get to town. That’s enough.”
Alhyura was already in sight ahead of the carriage, surrounded by a deep blue moat and high, sturdy walls that looked capable of functioning as a fortress all by themselves. The gatehouse almost seemed to draw the road into it.
“See,” said the girl, pointing to some people in front of the gatehouse.
They weren’t gate guards. They were knights in resplendent armor waiting to escort someone.