Chapter 23 - #23 Gifnora Forest (1/2)
”What was that, young lord?” Ichika asked me once we left the Capital.
”Who knows...but I can feel that she is strong, maybe too strong for her age. She was kinda funny too.” I replied with a small smile across my face.
”Are you really planning to spar with her?” Ichika asked with a curious expression. She already took off her mask since it wasn't the part of her magical artifact. However, I would have never expected that behind that mask is hidden tanned beauty with long black hair. It was a bit of surprise when I saw her face for the first time...it was also a bit awkward since she was the one who insisted on showing herself to me. I had no reason to refuse so I simply waited for her to take off her mask but she started nervously fidgeting as if she was about to strip all her clothes before me...
Somehow we were able to forget about that fact and we never talked about it.
”Of course, as long as we meet again...I don't know where she lives and neither she knows where I live. It will be up to fate, heh. Oh, by the way, here you go!” I said and then handed her a little box which she immediately accepted.
”...What is it?” She asked me while looking at it with a curious expression.
”I had no time to give you your 23th' birthday present so here it is with a little delay.” I said with a straight face while looking in front of me on the stone road.
”What? Present...for me?” She muttered with an absent-minded expression but she still started to unwrap her present.
”?! This is...how much did it exactly cost you, young lord?!” She immediately revealed shocked expression when she the content of the box and immediately snapped her head at me with a serious expression.
”Don't be so surprised...it didn't cost more than your salary for protecting me so be at ease.” I said with a poker face but my ”purse” still bled a lot, a lot more than Ichika could ever imagine but she was following me all the time, protecting me and obeying all of my unreasonable orders. I also realized that I have yet to buy her anything so this was my atonement for all those years. Not to mention that birthday is only once a year...spending a bit of my savings won't ruin me.
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'...This couldn't cost only my salary...I have never seen such a gemstone. The young lord must have spent a lot of money on this gift, yet he is playing it cool...maybe he doesn't want me to worry about it.' Ichika thought with a genuine smile while she was observing the necklace with a Violet-pink colored gemstone that was reflecting sunlight. The chain of the necklace was crafted from the remains of the strong Danger beast that was slain by Akashi himself.
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”Hehe, thank you, young lord! Does it suit me?” Ichika giggled and put the necklace on.
”Hm? Yeah, it suits to your eyes.” I turned at her nodded at her with a smile.
”Young lord? Where are we even heading?” Ichika asked me with a confused expression after she calmed down from getting her gift.
”Right...you don't know it yet. We are headed to the Gifnora Forest, they want to plant more than 100 children into that forest inhibited by numerous Danger beasts and train survivors into ȧssassins” I said with a bored look.
”What?! more than 100 children? Isn't that a bit...cruel?” Ichika exclaimed with a surprised expression.
”...Most of those children are bought from poor families...If their own parents are willing to sell them to the Empire...what is crueler? It's hard to say who is right and who wrong...Is the Revolutionary Army actually right? Or is the corrupted Empire right? There is no answer to this but if I had to choose sides than I would create my own side and from time to time sided with the Empire.” I said with a small mocking smile.
”...” Ichika kept quiet and judging from her expression, she was thinking really hard about my words.
”Speak your mind, I don't care if you will say that you think that the Revolutionary Army is better and their goal is noble.” I said when I noticed her uncertain expression.
”...What does the young lord think about the Revolutionary Army” Ichika asked with her full attention at me.
”4 words. Good idea, bad execution” I said while showing her 4 of my fingers with a small smile.
”They are far too weak to compete with the entire Empire. Therefore they are forced to call for help from the other nations. Bringing other scums into our country will definitely help clean this corrupted Empire. It will definitely clean this entire Empire from the map of nations, haha.” I said and released an irritated laugh.
”...Does the young lord have any conflict with the Revolutionary Army?” Ichika also noticed my strange laugh so she asked with an uncertain expression.
”Not really, I just find it laughable how they are thinking: 'We will clean this corrupted Empire and help all the innocent people suffering from poverty!!!'. Sure they will, by weakening the entire Empire so other nations can invade. And the most irritating thing of all is how they think that their cause is noble and just. The Empire can say the same thing, do you know why Ichika?” I asked with a small grin.
”...N-no” She shook her head and attentively listened to me with a thoughtful expression.
”I have learned that the only one who can decide who is right and who is wrong is the victor. Let's say that you invade the enemy nation without any declaration of war, you are being dishonest and you are also using sly tactics to defeat them, as much as using their own citizens as hostages...and in the end, you will win and conquer the enemy nation. Are you the wrong one here? You just secured bigger territory for your future generations...you view yourself as a just. Why should you care what others think about you when you just need to care about your closest people? The victor is always the one who is right.” I said while glaring at the sky.
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'*sigh*...The young lord's mind works in a similar way to the ȧssassins. It seems that we will have some difficulties while facing pressure from both sides of this civil war.' Ichika thought with a helpless smile.
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We were traveling at a good pace and we would arrive at the meeting place in a few more hours but...
”Who do we have here? A little kid and...oh! a tanned beauty! Hehe” The person on the horse stopped us in our way with a creepy laugh and while he was looking at Ichika, he also licked his lips with a ŀėwd expression. There were more than 20 more people behind him, some of them had horses and some were on their legs.
”...Disgusting.” Ichika muttered while looking at the men before us with pity.
”...Please move aside, we have to be somewhere in a few hours.” I said with a poker face while looking at the leader of men who stopped us.
”Maybe we will let you go if you will leave that fine lady with us.” He replied to me with a grin.
”*sigh* Does this happen often?” I sighed and asked Ichika, ignoring the men.
”...Unfortunately, yes. There are a lot of people like them.” She replied to me with a forced smile