Chapter 47 - Ceremony (4) (1/2)

As Lydis planned out her next move the group of rich girls made their way to her.

”Peasant.” Lydis looked at their spite filled faces hidden behind laced filled fans.

”Do you need something?” Lydis didn't flash her smile. Instead she showed a cold face with indifference. The rich girl saw the boredom in Lydis's eyes and almost went on a shrieking rampage but one of the other ladies stepped forward.

”We have some things you need to tell us.” The amber haired girl emphasized the 'need' in her sentence. Lydis almost wanted to roll her eyes at them but held it in, if they had information she could use, there was always a way to get it. Instead Lydis decided to drag things out.

”Me? What should I need to tell you?” Lydis tilted her head to the side.

”Hmph. Play dumb all you want. See that beauty over there?” The amber haired girl pointed behind her to a lady surrounded by girls. The lady was dressed in a white satin ankle dress that almost blended with her pearl white skin. The summer dress blew gently with the wind, her light green shawl shifting as well., Her seafoam hair was pulled up in an intricate bun on top of her head. Green pearls for eyes, her hair had various ornaments in them as well. If Lydis had to describe her in one way it would be like the surface of the ocean collected the softest sea colors and spit out a little girl.

The amber haired girl looked triumphant as she saw Lydis's eyes drift over to the delicate lady.

”That is miss Fior Flur Bianca Breavux. The second miss of the Breavux household. If you didn't know, the Breavux's are a Baron household. You need to go over and pay your respects to miss Bianca. If you don't, bullying isn't all we're capable of. We'll make your life here miserable! Ka-haha!” The amber haired girl lifted her hand and held it close, moving along with her high pitched laughs. She tried to look intimidating. The difference in height made her look up at Lydis. At most, she came off as a rebellious child.

Lydis had to cover her mouth to hide her mocking smile. She couldn't believe that people really had the thick skin to say those sort of things. 'Ka-haha'? What was she, an old school villain mob?

The amber haired girl took Lydis reaction as the complete opposite. Seeing as Lydis covered her mouth in shock and horror she knew that the effect was settling in.

”Now that you know go over and bo-!?” She stopped when she saw Lydis turn around and leave. ”H-Hey wait!” The amber haired grabbed Lydis's coat and pulled hard. Lydis stopped walking and tilted her head behind her slightly, her hair covering most of her face.

”Huh? You got a problem?” Lydis snapped at the girl. Just from the amber haired girl's words Lydis knew that their group wasn't worth her time. ”Piss off scrub.” Lydis swatted at the other girl's hands. She yelped and pulled back, her hand stinging. She shook as Lydis stared at her. Why was this impudent commoner rebelling? Even if she wasn't a noble family, her family were of the knight rank! It should be higher than some random commoner… so why? Why was she scared for her life right now?

A warm liquid spread down the amber haired girl's legs. Lydis saw it and threw her head back, wild laughter echoing into the rest of the clearing.

”Ha ha ha! Look everyone! This is the perfect example of a child. Wetting their pants at age ten, what a joke!” Lydis made sure to make her voice loud enough for most people to hear. The ones that didn't would still be drawn because of the group.

The other children who had been bored standing around all day quickly clamored over, looking for any action or gossip. As the group around the crying girl increased Lydis took this chance to separate herself from them and slink back into the edge of the forests.

Owen had watched it all unfold from his spot in a tree. Bennox had found him after Lydis left the slum kids. He saw Lydis blend in with the other students then disappear. Even her blazing red hair vanished, then he saw something enter the forest. Assuming that it was Lydis, Owen shook the tree slightly, signaling to Bennox below him.

”Bennox, she just went into the forest again. Do you want to follow her?” Owen looked down at the pacing Bennox. He had never really seen Bennox stressed nor as agitated as he was now. Usually he's calm and calculative, not pacing and chewing on his thumbnail.

Bennox looked up and registered Owen's words.

”No. No no, for now we need to… wait. Yeah, we'll wait. Make sure you're keeping a constant watch on her.” Bennox didn't stop pacing, soon there was a visible dirt ring around the tree Owen was standing in.

”Alright.” Owen went back to observing Lydis. He couldn't actually tell Bennox that when she entered the forest he had lost sight of her.

Lydis was on the move again. Stalking the shadows, she avoided the lighter parts of the forest. A part of the words had bugged her.

”Leave, talent, strength. Childhood, doesn't, prevails. Behind, matter, above all. Three phrases…” Lydis moved from shadow to shadow.

”Leave… talent…strength…” She knew that there had to be three phrases but how to word them was tricky.

”Childhood… doesn't… prevails…” Slowly, Lydis was moving around the clearing. The group laughing at the soiled girl was already far behind her.

”Behind… matter… above all…” Lydis passed the twins huddled together. They jumped at when they saw her but she disappeared just as fast.

”B-brother, what was that?” The round faced boy looked up at his slightly taller twin.

”I don't know but it was muttering something.” They wrapped their arms around each other and continued to work.

Lydis was halfway around the clearing now. She had passed many children, some noticed her while others didn't sense anything. She saw the hooded little girl ahead of her. A flower pattern etched onto the girl's cloak caught Lydis's eye. Thin strands formed a picture of gladiolus upside down. From small sprouts to a fully bloomed gladiolus. Multiple flowers bloomed in the center. Gladiolus. Something about it struck Lydis.

She recalled the faint tips and lessons Zai had taught her about outdoor survival. Not just fighting but traps, scouting, fishing, shelter building, anything essential to survive in the wilderness she had some knowledge of. Gladiolus were edible but they also made great containers. There was also something else about them. Strength. Valeri had given her a little floriography trivia lesson. Gladiolus meant strength, moral integrity and infatuation. Strength. Lydis stopped a few meters from the girl, making sure to hide behind in the bushes.

”Strength…” Looking at the hooded girl the riddle clicked in Lydis's mind. Leave, talent, strength. Childhood, doesn't, prevails. Behind, matter, above all. She switched the words around and formed three new phrases. One phrase for one.

Leave childhood behind. Talent doesn't matter. Strength prevails above all.

So simple and yet it had taken her some time to figure it out. Lydis still had one piece missing though. Although she had a guess at the three phrases, she still didn't know what 'it' was. Looking at the girl for more clues she saw something strange. The girl stood completely still, so still it was unnatural. Usually a child would sway a little after standing for so long but the girl didn't. Her eyes were fixed onto the clearing. Looking closer Lydis saw that she didn't blink either. Wanting to test out some of her theories, Lydis picked a small rock and threw it into the tree above the girl. The girl didn't move, not even when the rock tumbled back down onto her shoulder.

Perhaps, the girl was the 'it' the board was talking about. Lydis had heard of humanoid AI's but they were mostly in the bigger cities. Everything would make sense if she was one. Lydis had only asked the slum kids if there were any adults or teenagers before them. They wouldn't know if a robot was hiding in the trees or deeper in the forest.

Lydis stood up, no longer caring whether she made noise at all. Where they were it was pretty secluded. The children in that are were spread our thinly.