"Since you work for me anyway, you must only follow my orders...Whatever you see today, or rather...Whatever I do from now on mustn't be relayed nor told to anyone. Whatever I allow you to say, you can, whatever I don't, you can't say." This was one of the hidden guard's duties.
Once your master recognizes you as theirs, you can only follow their and only their orders. It didn't matter if Levis was the one who trained them, or if Levis was the one they report to because, at the end of the day, the hidden guard's real master was the person they are protecting.
The guard's eyes trembled as she stared at Euria's cold eyes. She had sometimes witnessed these cold eyes from time to time however when faced with it, it was horrifying.
"Answer," Euria repeated in a low voice.
It took one full second before the guard dropped to her knees and bowed down to Euria, "Yes, Master." There was no longer any hesitation in the guard's voice and it was only full of resolution, despite her shaking body of course.
Euria's lips curved into a satisfied smile. She turned around and dashed to the greenhouse where all 20 children of Kal were jailed. "Well then, let's clear the rats." Rats that would kill Ramon in the future. Rats that would make her parents go crazy over her brother's death. Rats that would eventually drive her family crazy, destroy the world, and make her be the only one standing at the end.
As soon as Euria reached the entrance to the greenhouse, two guards jumped out, ready to fight.
Euria raised her head to the guards whose expression was shocked at the intruder who turned out to be a small child. 'It's been a long time. A very long… time.' Euria licked her lips and slowed down and eventually ceased running.
Slowly, she walked to the guards.
Naturally, the guards weren't about to let their guards down even though the intruder was a small child. Instead, they raised their swords and prepared to fight. But just before the sword could touch the figure, a strong force that struck deep into their soul and also around the small child repelled the sword away.
"Pr… promissum?" one of the guards muttered speechlessly.
The other guard heard what he said and his guards lessened a bit. What he didn't know was that he would be distracted by the adult figure who was behind the small child and would suffer an attack to his abdomen by a child who wasn't from Zene.
SWISH!!
Likewise, the other guard who noticed that the repelled force was from Promissum was also hit on his stomach. And before they could think of defending against the small girl who went against the law of this continent, a strong force shook their core and rendered them unconscious.
"Huh? Oh." Euria turned to the guard before turning back to the door in front of her. "Get used to it." That was the only thing she said.
The hidden guard could only nod and open the greenhouse door in front of her for Euria. Euria followed from behind.
The inside of the greenhouse was dim but it was lit up and unlike the silent night outside, the laughter of children could be heard.
Already, Euria's face turned into one of disgust but she quickly covered up and walked towards the children. These people would be monsters in the future hence she had no guilt for what she was about to do. Right.. If they were monsters of the future, then she would be a monster that will invoke their fear and terror today.
The children's senses were high and they immediately noticed Euria and the hidden guard.
"Oh! Who are you?" one child asked with a pure voice.
The innocence in this child's voice irked her. Especially because this child seemed to know nothing and seemed really happy to meet her for one reason or the other.
Another child with a girlish voice tugged on the sleeves of the older child beside her and asked, "Brother? Who's that?"
The older brother followed her gaze and immediately became alarmed! Despite the fact that the children's ages were similar, he lived longer and was not as naive as his younger siblings.
Strangers with odd clothing at this time of the night meant nothing but danger!
"Get behind me!" he shouted and without hesitation got up to his feet to stand in front of his siblings. The non-resonant sound of two metals striking could be heard every time he moved. It was the sound of chains.
The older brother moved as much as he could with his chained bound feet and allowed all his siblings to hide behind him.
"....." Euria smiled at the sight of 20 children in front of her.
The children appeared to be of similar ages, but when comparing the older brother, who appeared to be about 5, to the youngest, who appeared to be about one year old, one could see a significant age difference.
Euria sighed gently as she shook her head, "How unfortunate that that man can only have 20 children. I would have rather had more to kill." Though her words were cruel, she meant what she said. Even a hundred lives wouldn't quench her thirst to kill these children.
The older brother took a step back, his arms spread out to protect his siblings behind him.
"Wha.. What are you going to do!!" He shouted in fright.
"Didn't you already hear me?" Euria answered, her eyebrows raised as she walked forward.
"Wh.. Why? WHY!" His eyes teared up from fear as he stared at Euria! But though he was afraid, he did not take a step away from protecting his siblings.
Euria paused. She stared at the boy before exhaling again, "Must you cry? Don't you think your life would be better off sleeping forever?" She tried to sound as convincing as possible as if what she was saying was a good choice. As if the children had no choice but to follow her advice.
The shoulders of the older child trembled violently as he glanced at his bound feet. Her words resonated in his mind and he unconsciously agreed to her words. Rather than living life full of pain, it was better for them to sleep forever.
"Brother…" a childish voice called.
His body trembled violently before they fell in front of Euria. He was powerless and a useless brother.
He covered his eyes with his palm and cried, "You're right. What's the point in living when it's better to sleep forever. To sleep without feeling pain." So that his little sisters and brothers will no longer be in pain. So that they do not have to continue living a life filled with pain.
The 20 children here are siblings that share the same father but have different mothers. They were pitiful children who were selected at birth and thrown into this small greenhouse. What little information they know is who their father is and that was all.
"...." Euria furrowed her eyebrows. She did not expect her words to take full effect on him but not only that, the sight of the boy reminded her of Eugene and her heart began to waver.
"Are you not yet infected?" There was a softness in Euria's eyes as she mumbled. Even though she knows she shouldn't be having second thoughts. Even though she knows they were better off dead.
The older child raised his head, his confused eyes staring straight into Euria's red eyes.
"Me! Me! I'm infected! Look, the wounds on my knees are infected!" A two-year-old girl cried out!
From the start, all she could do was glance back and forth between her older brother and the new friend that popped out from nowhere! She could not understand what they were talking about and was only able to join in once she heard a word she recently became acquainted with!
Infection!
"..." Euria blinked and turned to the girl who spoke. Her eyes landed on the girl's knees.
'It was… infected.' But yet no one was treating this child's injuries.
Euria shook her head. She knows she shouldn't be feeling sympathy and she also couldn't leave these children be. If she wanted to protect her family, these children must die. Suddenly Euria felt fearful. She was afraid.
'What would sister think if she came to know the truth one day?' That she ruthlessly murdered these children who were still innocent of any crime. That she did not protect these children that needed to be protected.
The older child grabbed his two-year-old sister and hugged her to his chest in fear, "My... My apologies! My sister only turned two! She doesn't understand what's going on! Please.. Please forgive her!" He was scared. Scared that Euria might torture his younger sister out of anger!
Euria's eyes narrowed down on the boy. An image of an adult version of the boy replaced the boy who was kneeling. This was the person who killed Ramon and then abandoned him ruthlessly by the river for animals to eat.. He was the one who caused her mother to go crazy.