(1336 Mose, Merkutrith, 1st day, Roumay)

(Moored City)

 

(Misha's POV)

 

"WHAT THE HELL YOU DOING?!!"

Yelled Misha angrily. She glared at the soldiers around him.

"W-What is it, Young Miss?"

The nearby soldier asked. Shocked and confused at Misha's anger.

After seeing poor condition of that child. Misha felt like exploding. She was used to seeing slaves in the city she lived, and in this war. To this world slavery was a natural thing, and Misha had accepted it from long time ago. However, still, seeing a child fall into slavery and being treated to such pitiful condition made her yell at the soldiers.

"Young Lady!"

Grandpa Jug was standing beside her. But, She didn't pay attention at him.

Misha still glared intently at the soldiers around.

"I said, what hell you have done to that child!?"

Misha pointed at he’.

"Ah? That!"

The soldier look at he’. He looked his condition, his colleague, then her. He found that his Lord's daughter misunderstood the situation.

"Young Miss, this’s misunderstanding!"

"Yes, it’s true!"

The other soldiers confirmed the soldier's words.

"Misunderstood, then explain why his condition like that!"

"That, Young Miss. He's been like that since he came here"

"Huh, you think I'm blind. Look at his condition! How could he even walk like that?"

"That's right, Young Miss. Please, just take a look. That child can still standing despite that."

Misha took a single glace at the child. She then noticed, even though his condition looked horrible, he stood up there while holding a sword.

She doesn't care about that now. She wanted to treat the child first. When Misha just about approached the child Grandpa Jug grabbed Misha's shoulder.

"Ouch!"

"Young Lady, what are you want doing?"

"That’s hurts. I just want to treat that child, Grandpa Jug."

Grandpa Jug shook his head.

"Too dangerous, you see. He even has a sword."

"But he's just a child."

"And You're just a little girl, Young Lady."

"Grandpa Jug."

"You're still naive, Young Lady. What happen if that child turn out one of the explosive slaves."

"That..."

Explosive slaves, they were slaves used as cannon fodder soldiers. They commonly known as a forbidden method. They were disposable army, using all their mana and life to activate the explosive spells had been implanted into their bodies. They blew themselves up and took away many of their enemies. This method is forbidden because of how cruel and hazardous it’s to be applied.

During the war against Greezoth, they used this forbidden method to fight back against the allied forces. They had a large supply of slaves to send and managed to temporarily change the direction of the wind battle on their side. However, their supply of slaves was not limitless. As soon as the number of their slave drastically decreased, the wind of battle turned around again.

Hearing that the child might be one of the remaining explosive slaves made Misha hesitate to approach that child.

'Stab!'

Misha faced to the sound.

He’ stuck his sword into ground. Using the sword as a crutch, he’ forced himself to remain standing. He’ was gasping for breath, seemed to pass out any time. Even so, as if he didn't care about his current state he continued to stare her with indifferent look. However, his gaze was different.

There something fascinating Misha from him. That's his gaze. It was a gaze with strong will. A gaze filled with a strong desire unsuitable for a child like him. Misha remembered seeing that gaze. It same as gaze of one of the soldier she healed in the medical tent. It was a gaze of strong desire to live toward another day.

Realizing of the gaze he’ has. Misha brushed Grandpa Jug's hand off her shoulder.

"Little Misha!"

Grandpa Jug panicked, he even forgot his formal tone.

Misha ran before he’.

"!"

The Child shocked to see Misha's behavior.

Immediately, after Misha was in front of him.

[Heal]

Misha healed all his wounds with healing magic. She currently didn't equipped her staff. That made her magic having less strength.

She then noticed. Although he was covered in wounds and blood all over his body, none of it was fatal to his condition. Misha became slightly curious about his condition.

He’s glowed. The wound disappeared but blood still covered his body. He was shocked and checked out his body.

"Aaa .."

It seemed he like to try saying something.

"What is wrong?"

Misha gently asked him. Didn't know his condition before she treated it.

"T-Tha..n..ks.."

He said. His voice was coarshe and strained, but he managed to thank Misha.

"It’s fine"

Misha smiled softly to him.

Now, Misha take a better look at him. He had black hair, something she had rarely found since coming to this world. His had a pair bright blue eyes. He just wearing a worn out cloth. His body was dirty from dirt, dust and blood.

He looked at Misha for a while. Until...

'Kruuuuk'

A rumble comingfrom his stomach.

Hearing that. Misha look amused at him.

She noticed he was staring at her half-eaten bowl of soup she still holding.

Seeing that. Misha offering the soup to him.

"Want this?"

"..Uh '.."

He looked at Misha, then looked at the bowl in her hand. He hesitated briefly before nodded.

"This"

Misha hand over the Soup.

He slowly stretched out his hand to take the soup. His hands were shaking slightly.

He took the soup. Took a mouthful of soup into his mouth before relaxing his hands again.

‘Gulp’

After swallowing. He take for a moment before eating the soup voraciously.

Misha just stayed silent in front of him. She kept watching him.

After he finished.

A single tear poured from his eyes.

"U, Uu.."

Initially, it’s only a drop. However, it’s keep on flowing. Like a leaking dam. He then burst into tears.

"Uuuaaahhhh!"

His crying voice sounded like grieve song

"Aaaaa!"

"Eh?"

For some reason, Misha's eyes became blurry. She wipes her eyes.

{Tears?}

She found herself crying too. Not only her, even half of the soldiers nearby were also crying.

"Little Misha!"

Grandpa Jug shook it up. Wake him up from something.

"Eh? W-What?"

"It’s seem you're okay."

"What happened, Grandpa Jug?"

"The Cry of Lamented"

"Huh?"

"That's what it's called"

Confused by what he mean. She looked at Grandpa Jug.

"The Cry of Lamented, it's just cry. But, only those with very cruel and miserable fate can obtain it"

"..."

"The cries they let out can reach the deepest sorrows of those who hear them"

Misha looked at crying he’. Misha felt she remembered her mother's sickly face, which remember when she heard his cry.

"..."

"I never thought I would see him here.'sigh '"

"Why so?"

"That's because their existence is rare or maybe just fairy story. Anyone who can perform the Cry of Lamented is the one that has gone through such inhuman suffering that you can't imagine, Little Misha."

They both kept looking at him until he stopped crying.

 

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(???'s POV)

 

After eating that soup.

Many things that should have been forgotten just appeared and went in his head. It feels like he saw something important. Something that was lost long ago and it's impossible to get it back.

The suffering, resentment, pain, loneliness he felt was pouring out. He cried. Crying for the suffering the world gives. Crying over resentment cann’t achieve what already lost. Crying from the pain given by the people lived in world. Crying from the lonely by losing all his loved ones.

'Snif'

After crying, he could no longer remember what he saw. He even forgot why he was crying.

He saw the armored men were crying just like him. Only that girl and the old man beside her were fine.

They look at him pitifully.

"Are you fine?"

The girl asked him with worried face.

He wiped his face then nodded.

"Un"

"What would you do, next?"

"Uhm"

He thought. He realized he didn't know. He has nothing out there. He has no place to stay or leave. Not just that, his body had become smaller than he should have felt. Even if that girl had treated his wounds he wouldn't survive alone out there.

"I-I.. do..n't . kn..ow"

He shook his head.

"I see."

She lowered her head briefly.

Before..

"Then, I'll take care of you even just a while!"

"Eh?"

"Little Misha!"

To be honest, even though he hoped that the girl would help him, he didn't expect she would take him so decisively.

"Little Misha, please don't be impulsive!"

"It will okay, Grandpa Jug!"

"Please, just think about what your family will say"

"Ugh! It's okay, I'll convince them! Somehow…"

"'Sigh' You what this.."

the Girl and old man seemed discussing something.

The girl then returned to him.

"My name is Misha Everyne, what's your name?"

That girl, that's not it, Misha stretch out her hand.

He shouldn't be able to remember his name. However ...

"I-It’s .. Ar..c .."

That name just came out from his mouth.

"Arc, huh. Nice to meet you, Arc"

She basking in evening light.

Her golden hair sparkled in amber light.

Her smile looked truly beautiful.

And Arc reach that hand.

 

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Thus their tale begin.