Yesterday, Adi did not show up for our training. Today, he is out of sight, too. Since I don’t have anything better to do, I’ve been helping the town with their last-minute preparations for tomorrow's ceremony. In my own way, at least.

I have found a beautiful and quiet creek not far from the town, it is completely hidden, isolated, and away from everyone. I don’t hate people, I just like being alone more. The grimoire has been serving me well as my pillow since it is twice as huge as my head. 

The chirping of the birds and the trees swaying in the wind combined with the warm weather makes this moment tranquil. The downstream of the creek adds to this relaxing atmosphere.

Sometimes, I could see small insects and random critters' auras. I still have a long way to go in my training. It’s not like I am a protagonist in a generic story with a destiny-fulfilling overpowered ability.

Images of Titus show up in my head from time to time. I try to suppress it. I have no other way of coping. I wish I could tell someone about it.

For now, let me doze in peace…

“Hey, kid, you’re trespassing on our domain!”

Huh?

A random childish voice ruins my vibe. I rolled in my position to see the wicked interrupter. I could see small and feeble legs in front of me.

“Domain…?” I muttered quietly, “But you’re just a kid!”

“Who you calling kid, peasant!”

“P-peasant…?” I try to sit up to get a better look at this squirt.

“I am your Royal Majesty, Queen-King Anyta the Great, and the second of her name, of the great house of Vineworth, the Daughter of the Great Dragonslayer, the Queen-king of the Queen-Kingdom of Anytaland, the great ruler of Anytans!”

The kid, in normal clothing, poses in front of me as if she were regally presented by her entourage.

“H-how old are you?” I asked, “Are you on the spectrum…?” I try to be sensitive.

“I’m nine, don’t you forget!” she sniffs, “What’s a speck of rum?! I have not heard or drunk such a thing!”

I shake my head, “No, no, spectrum… You know what, forget it!”

“You try to play your mind games on me you evil necromancer!?” she shouted, “Or are you casting evil spells on me you evil mage!?” her annoying voice is piercing.

I massaged my temple, “Look, please, don’t shout. I am not evil or anything!”

“So…” Anyta crosses her arms, “You’re a citizen of Anytaland?!”

“Y-Yes, please, just don’t shout,”

“Fine,” her voice turns sweet, “Pay your taxes, or else you will face eviction!”

“What, I don’t have money with me,” I repulsively crawl backward.

She resolves to shout, “I will scream!”

“You’re already loud! Please, just… Can we keep this peace? Can we start over?” I begged desperately, kneeling.

“Hmm,” she walks around in circles around me, “I will let you live, but on one condition!” she stops behind me.

“What?”

Anyta points at me, “You will be my horse!”

Shocked, my face contorted as I glanced, “What?!”

Suddenly, she hops onto my back. Startled, I try to get her off of me. As I screamed in my confusion, I could hear her childish delighted laughter.

“Get off of me, get off of me!”

“Ride, my strong steed! We shall lead my men to glory!” Anyta kicks the side of my abdomen while grabbing my hair like a leash.

“Ow, ow, ow!” I cried, running out of control around my spot, “Get off of me!”

Anyta continues to laugh but her wrapped leg around me is slowly losing its grip, “Whoa! Horsey, whoa! Slow down, boy!”

In my hopeless attempt, I jumped at the shallow part of the creek. Unfortunately, the muddy shore made me slip and fall before I could even reach the water. I fell on my back which happens to be where Anyta is. My crushing weight and bony stature made her wince and stopped talking.

“Ow…” I slowly turned around and found myself on top of Anyta, “Ah!”

Anyta appears to be muddied, her figure sank into the mud. Her face tells that she is about to cry.

“Uh… I’m sorry?” I said as I sat up and wiped off the mud accumulated on my skin.

Anyta cries loudly. Birds flew off when they heard her voice screeched, insects hidden on the grass suddenly jumped away, and the relaxing atmosphere died at the same time.

“Please, don’t cry… It’s really loud…”

Anyta cries even louder than earlier. She is doing this by design. For a split second, she paused from crying and turned her face into a mischievous smirk then proceeded to resume her outburst.

I grit my teeth, “You little…” I look around, the coast is clear and there will be no witnesses, “I… I will be your steed…”

Anyta stops wailing, she opens her eyes to take a peek, “Hmm?”

“Y-Your Highness…” I lowered my body in defeat, prepared to be mounted.

“Right!” she rises from the mud, “I am Your Highness and you are my steed! Together, we shall ride to the battlefield and defeat our enemies! For Anytaland!”

“F-For Anytaland…” I raised my fist.

She slaps my cheek, “Horses don’t talk!”

I did an impression of a horse. She laughs at my expense as she jumps on my back, I bend forward, and she wraps her arms around my neck. I sighed.

“Now, forward! Let’s go back to my castle!” she pointed in the direction of the town.

Her light weight made it easy for me to carry her, “You’re from town?”

“Silence!” she shouted, “They’re calling it the town of Everkind now, so stupid! I prefer if they named it Anytatown!”

I chuckled awkwardly, “Yeah,”

“Now forward, steed!”

I grunted with great dissatisfaction as I crouched down one last time to grab the grimoire. My whole body tensed as the burden I carry doubled, but I soldier on.

I trailed down, out, and far away from my hidden paradise, I look back in sorrow, as we approach the outskirts of the town. Our whole journey was quiet, except for Anyta’s snoring, apparently the little brat was sleeping on my back.

“Hey! Don’t sleep on me, where should I drop you off?!” I shake her off but to no avail.

I began feeling the dirt drying up, I felt the need for a shower. Irritated, I continue my way to town. A couple of random townspeople passing by let out a chuckle as they see me dirty with Anyta on my back.

“Oh my, lord Arys,” Lottie saw us as I reached the street where the market was. She’s with Hearth, purchasing another slab of meat, probably for hamburger steak again.

Hearth turned around, “Arys!” she smiled and waved at me, gesturing to come close.

I approached them with difficulty, “Hello,” I dropped the book, “Sorry, could any of you help me with that…”

Hearth bends down and picks up the book from the ground, she dusts it off, and then giggles at me, “I see you made a friend!”

“She’s not my friend…”

Anyta wakes up, “Ah! Why didn’t you wake me up!?” she jumped off my back, and I stumbled forward but I managed to balance myself.

Anyta ran in circles around us, powering up, and kicked my knee.

“Ow! Why did you do that!?” I barked while limping.

She stops from running around, “That’s because you were a bad horse!”

Lottie and Hearth tipped their heads sideways, “Horse?” my sister whispered.

“Do you kick real horses, too? Is that how you treat animals as well, you kick them when they don’t wake you up?!” 

“No! You’re the only one I kick, you’re the smartest horse around, you should know better!” Anyta scoffs while pointing at me.

I growled as I rolled up my sleeves, my veins in my forehead at their limit, “You! I had it with you!”

“Anyta, darling, where have you been?” A well-dressed, bearded, and old man suddenly interrupts, “Oh! Why are you and the young lord covered in mud, what did you do this time?”

“Mayor Rosenthal, nice to see you!” Hearth graciously greeted the old-looking man. Lottie bowed her head as he approached.

“Lady Hearth, always a pleasure,” the mayor routinely did the curtsy, “I apologize for the state of my granddaughter,”

Anyta perks up as she realizes who we are, and then she runs behind the mayor, hiding. Hearth turns to me for an explanation.

“Well, uh, we were playing outside of town near the field… I’m sorry,” 

“Oh, well, this is a surprise!” Mayor Rosenthal puts his hand on Anyta’s head, “She doesn’t have a lot of friends around… I’m glad you two are, though,”

“Arys struggles to make friends, too!” Hearth said it plainly, I had a revulsing reaction to her comment.

“S-Sis!” I blurted embarrassingly.

“No need to be embarrassed, lord Arys, it is an understandable issue that children face especially at your age,” the mayor nods, “But, I’m afraid I will ask you to excuse us, I shall oversee preparations for tomorrow and have Anyta take a bath,”

I bowed slightly, “O-Of course, Mayor Rosenthal,”

We exchange gestures. The mayor turns in the other direction, leading Anyta. Hearth and Lottie extend friendly waves. However, before the distance between us grows, Anyta turns back to face me, her gaze locking onto mine.

“See you next time!?” she shouted, every bystander curiously turned their attention to us.

“A-Anytime!” My face turned red, sweating excessively. I could hear suppressed giggles.

Anyta nodded in acknowledgment, smiled, and ran back to the mayor.