Chapter 12: Volume I. Chapter XII. – A Search For A Certain Master

Thirsty for clarification, I stopped by the nun with a single query.

"Excuse me, have any other groups come here before us?"

She gives me a momentary look as if she doesn't understand me, but when I'm about to give up, the woman shakes her head in denial.

So then… where did they go?

"Hey, you! What are you doing here?"

One of the guards notices me conversing with the nun and approaches. I frantically see it as an opportunity.

"Please tell me, where did the group before us leave to!?"

Almost startled by my sudden outburst, the guard takes a step back.

"W-what group? No information regarding any further groups has been provided to us."

He gazes into my eyes, shaking with desperation.

"But… there were about three strange convoys that appeared to be departing the area just then."

The interrogation went much smoother than anticipated…

I'm anxious. They took our siblings who knows where.

Though, there is a good chance that they were escorted to Taiyo, taking into account the people who took them.

But then, why did they leave us behind?

A constrained amount of space? That wouldn't account for leaving the sick or pregnant women behind.

They are the ones who require assistance the most! What's going on here?

I watch the crowd decrease in size with each passing second, disappearing into the shadows of the old building.

I've made up my mind. We are getting out of here.

I thank the nun and the guard for lending me their time and return to the back of the line of people, where Hidiku awaits.

"Where did you run off to? Is everything alright?"

He inquires in a worried and discouraged tone, but I ignore him and glance down at my palm as cold sweat comes running down, then clench it.

Good, my strength is back. It should be just enough to pull this off.

My gaze ascends.

"Hidiku, we are leaving."

"Wha? What do you mean by "we are leaving"? Where to?"

I grip his arm and give him a careless smile to at least slightly lighten the atmosphere.

"Sorry, the details will have to wait. Now hold on tight!"

While Hidiku in the background gradually collapses into a flurry of confusion, the bottom of my boots begins to glow with sparks.

"Off we go!"

With a bright and deafening blast, the two of us vanish. Only a straight, fiery trail is left behind, and, before we know it, were are out of the town's gates.

"Oouuuch"

Hidiku groans, trying to get up after falling face-first into the dirt.

The landing could have been much smoother. Though, that's more challenging to do while in a forest.

However, it's good that it's located just before the town's gates. Great for cover.

My butt hurts.

"So now what? Why did we even leave in the first place? We would have been much safer back there compared to being all alone in a forest."

I offer him the explanation I owe him.

———

"They took them away!? Where to!?"

He immediately springs out with the same question I'd love an answer to…

"I'd love to tell you, but I don't know myself. I'm assuming they left for the capital since those important guys took them and all."

The already irritated boy casts a disapproving glance my way.

"So? How do you expect us to get there? The city is supposedly at least five days away by foot. Not to mention the risks entailed by such a journey."

My mouth curves upwards in its corners, creating a smirk on my face as I inspect a bush with one of my arms.

I'm sure I've dropped them here somewhere… Ah! Found them!

I rapidly pull my arm out of the miniature tree, holding two objects.

"Tad-ah! I got us some equipment on our way out!"

Within my grasp lays a steel longsword and a wooden bow. I would prefer to use something else, but there was no room for being picky.

Also, I risked my fingers for it. I could have easily severed them off at the speed we were going.

"Yuuna….Even with those, we won't be unstoppable. You've seen yourself what kind of damage can a single demon do. It's just too dangerous."

I stand up before tossing him the bow and switch to a more serious mood.

"Yeah, I know. I'm not that oblivious. I did have a plan in mind before escaping."

There is this person my father once told me of…

You are reading story HELL’S DAWN x HEAVEN’S DUSK at novel35.com

***

"Dad! Dad! Are we going to train today? I want to learn a new trick!"

My father smiles with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, is that so? But I taught you one just yesterday."

I nod vigorously as he moves his hand to the top of my head.

"I've already taught you a lot. Wait till you've matured a little bit more. You don't want to break your body now, do you?"

"But I don't wanna wait! I want to learn it now!"

A pout emerges on the side of my cheek.

“There, there, Yuuna. My master always liked to say, "Patience is key."

My eyes begin to glitter like the stars shining on a night sky.

"A master? Do you have a master, dad? Can I meet him?"

My father suddenly finds himself at a loss for words, as if my sudden interest came to be a surprise to him.

"Maybe one day, Yuuna… Maybe one day. You see, my master resides beyond the town, in the nearby forest. It's a very dangerous place."

My pout makes its comeback with my arms swinging and legs kicking.

"Not fair! I want to meet the master and learn new things too!"

Despite my reaction, which could be an annoyance to many, my father laughs it off and pats me.

"I will take you there once you are older. I promise."

***

"Out in the woods?! Yuuna, that could be anywhere! Do you even know how big this forest is? Are you out of your mind?"

Startled by his reaction, I take a step back.

"W-well, it shouldn't be THAT big. I'm sure we will eventually find it if we search hard enough… "

Hidiku also gets up.

"Whatever, not like we got any better options. If we went back to the town right now, we would undoubtedly be detained."

Oh, he agreed with the plan. I guess he had enough.

And so we set off to search for someone we know nothing about. Absolutely nothing except for the fact that he lives somewhere in this forest.

———

We continue to walk for what seems like hours as the sun is gradually obscured by gray clouds. It's quickly become dark.

And as if that wasn't enough, raindrops begin to fall and eventually find their way to us through the trees.

Just great…

Nowhere to hide, the surface is getting muddy as the rain intensifies with each passing moment, and we have no clue where we are.

"How are you doing back there?"

Hidiku becomes concerned as he looks back and notices me gradually pacing down.

I'm getting tired. Earlier escape is taking its toll on me. And the rain… it's cold.

"Yuuna?"

Ah… my head. I feel a little dizzy, almost as if I'm about to faint.

At that moment, my legs give up, and my gaze swings downwards as I head straight for the muddy ground. Fortunately enough, Hidiku manages to catch me in time.

"That could have been a bad fall…"

Sleepy… So sleepy…

Suddenly my body goes from nearly motionless to a rapid increase of motion in every possible direction.

"Not now! You can manage till we find it! Then you can sleep all you want!"

He's trying to keep me awake at all costs, shaking my body all around the place.

“Hi-di-kuuuuu! My heaaaaaaad!”

I desperately shriek, in the vain hope that he will stop.

"Get a grip, Yuuna! What if something-"

Hidiku's sentence is cut off midway by a not-so-loud yet shiver-inducing grunt.

For a moment, both of us stay silent as we stare at the bushes behind us. All that can be heard is the pelting rain.

“Y-Yuuna, get up. Please.”

His trembling voice conveys a slight sense of fear. I'm then forcefully lifted as Hidiku throws my arm over his back to support me.

I can't feel my legs anymore. I won't be able to use them for a while…

I'm being dragged away when a branch cracks behind us, loud enough to pierce the sound of rainfall hitting the trees.

Hoping it's just a wild animal following us, a feeling of wary takes over.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.

It's another demon.

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