69 Mistakes Were Made (1/2)

Reed felt dread. It was the kind that made him feel like his heart was about to burst out of his chest. Sweat dripped down his calm and composed face as he tried his hardest to not show any concern.

”…Is there anything else you'd like to ask me, prince?”

It was worse than he previously imagined — Gramps was once King of the East. He was someone who'd earned the trust of the Lion King, the East's Sovereign. An ancient, national hero who had fought during the Unification War as the Lion King's head general.

A living legend who had once carved out a future for his race during the bloodiest period of history known to the continent. Someone that even the old freaks in Holy Church were wary of for good reason.

That was who that kindly, old geezer really was — The Silver Reaper of the East.

”...Prince? Is something wrong?”

Reed quickly shook his head and stuttered out, ”N-No, no, no, I-I'm quite fine. Perfectly fine. I was just thinking about how… incredible Sir Goldentree is and how tough it must have been for him during the Unification War…”

None of it made sense to him. Why did he adopt him, of all people into his clan?! When Rivia explained to him about the relationship between the North and the East, Reed almost fainted out of despair.

During the Unification War, the people of the North — Humanity — and the people of the East — the Avunians — engaged in a particularly horrific territory war over the ownership of the lush and vibrant lands of the East. Many, many lives were lost during the fight over the East and at the height of the war, Anti-Avunian sentiment peaked among humanity.

Humanity, at one point, even decided it was best that they enslave the entire Avunian race for the betterment of continent. That they, if left unchecked, would one day seek to conqueror the continent. That this freakish race, who never forgot, would one day come to seek the blood debt that was owed to them for what the North had done to them during the war.

When the Avunians learned of Humanity's designs for them, the conflicts between the two races escalated to such a disturbing degree that even the Moon King and Lion King had to personally intervene to stop them…

In the end, the Avunians took the East and the Humanity, the North in an agreement that left both races with a bitter taste in their mouths. Thousands of years later, the grudge formed between the two races still existed, albeit not as strongly as before.

Younger Avunians, although aware of the atrocities committed during the war had chosen not carry the tainted grudges of their ancestors, something that elder Avunians saw as an act of defiance by their children. They, who have lived through the war as children see it an inexcusable duty that all Avunians must bear…

Lacrima slowly chuckled and said, ”You're a special kind of stupid, you know that? That, or unlucky as hell. Probably both. Maybe more than that. Even I don't know what to make of this. All I do know is that you're breaking into new levels of idiocy I've never seen before…”

A pair of tender, innocent eyes gazed up and met his own. Sweet blue eyes filled with purity of a clear, sunny sky. The only thing he saw within her gaze was simple curiosity.

It was then and there that something came to Reed. That this was what Velvund sought — a seed of kindness. Untouched by the sins of his — or rather his generation's past.

But why adopt him? Why bring him into the fold?

To make sure that she would grow up with a good impression of humanity?

To foster a future relationship between the two races?

Or was it simply because he was a good man who wanted to help someone?

A million theories sprung up in his mind — ulterior motives that the might have influenced Velvund into adopting him, but he was unsure if any of them were the truth.

He didn't know, and that scared him. Who was he really — the Silver Reaper or an old, reformed man with an abundance of hard-earned wisdom?

”Are you okay, big bro?” said the young girl as she stared at Reed's wavering expression. ”You look sad…”

Reed scratched his head and said, ”I'll be okay, don't worry… I was just thinking about something silly.” He patted her head and said, ”What's your name, little one? Velvund told me Rivia's name, but he never told me yours.”