Chapter 294 - Liravalennan, the Shining Star of Val II (2/2)
”She hates me too,” said Tritos. ”I am not surprised. I am a reject among my own people and all else.”
”We are all rejects, Tritos,” said Irina. ”If my family could will it, they'd have my head on a pike and the Heartseeker back among them.”
Jung-su was about to speak, but Irina pointed at him in warning. ”Don't you dare speak of your woes. Tritos is exiled because he cannot control the storm god within him. You are exiled from your land for seducing a prince's wife. If you kept your pecker in your robes, you would be living just fine.”
”I have no argument to make there.” Jung-su shrugged and turned his attention to Liravalennan. ”Then, my beautiful, fair lady with hair that burns like fire and eyes that radiate with all the colors of the rainbow, I would be honored to learn your name.”
”Liravalennan.”
”Ah,” said Jung-su. He paused awkwardly before he said, ”May I shorten it to Lira?”
”Yes.” Liravalennan tossed the name around in her head. Lira. She liked it. It was what could be considered her given name with the ”val” indicating her heritage and the ”ennan” meaning shining star. The name ”Lira” was free from both her father and the destiny he had forced upon her.
”Do you have a place to return to, Lira? A home?” asked Irina. ”Family?”
”No,” said Lira emphatically with a solid shake of her head. ”None. No family. No home. And don't want to go back even if I could.”
”It is not good to be alone in this world,” said Tritos. ”I know, because I have been alone for so very long.”
”Who says she has to be alone?” said Jung-su.
Irina turned to Jung-su. ”You cannot be serious. We are an adventuring team. We will face great dangers at every twist and turn. You cannot bring this girl with us.”
”Girl? She is no mere girl,” said Jung-su. ”I know, for my flute has reached her. She is a fighter. She is a warrior. Her heart is strong, and her will even stronger. And look at her horns – she will never find safe purchase in any human stronghold.
No, she will be better with us. Oh yes, and healed, I should say she could beat any of us quite easily. No reason not to try and recruit her.”
”That…,” said Lira as she pointed at the strange half-staff at Jung-su's hand. ”Is a flute? What is it? Why does it make that sound?”
”Ah, another fan of my masterful skill, I see!” Jung-su stretched out his hand, showing Lira the flute. ”But tell me, Lira, you do not know of music?”
”Music?” Lira c.o.c.ked her head. She knew much about the outside world, she had thought. She knew how to fight almost every creature and monster as part of her training. But she had never heard of this music. A combat ability, perhaps?
”Oh, my dear, my dear, how I pity you so. Music is how the heart itself speaks. With music, you may hear how the very soul speaks. It has no barriers of language, reaching into all across borders and scales and skins and horns,” said Jung-su.
”I like it,” said Lira. ”New to me. You said you were adventurer? What is that?”
”We are all adventurers,” said Jung-su as he motioned to his partners. ”All of us are a team, equal in importance, equal in the respect and consideration we hold each other with.”
”We slay monsters,” said Irina.
”No, no,” said Jung-su as he waved his flute in a negatory motion. ”We do put to rest monsters here and there, yes, but that is not what an adventurer does. Adventurers explore. We are seekers that go to lands far and wide, dark and bright, for after all, what is the point in living upon this great big world only to die in a single plot of tiny land, never exploring past it?”
”Adventurer…,” said Lira, letting the taste of the word settle on her tongue.
”So, what say you, Lira?” said Jung-su with a wide and bright smile. ”Do you like the sound of that? The song of adventure?”
Lira met his smile with one of her own. ”I do.”