Chapter 24: The Forgotten Lands, Part Two

"Rin, wait!" The girl called out and Rin groaned.

[She knows my name!?]

That confirmed to her that it hadn't just been Rin who'd spent some time in her memories, but Xhez had also seen hers.

Then, the girl rounded Rin and appeared in front of her. And, of course, Rin turned and walked the opposite way.

"Stop it," Rin said.

"Hm? Stop what?" The girl innocently asked.

"This," Rin gestured vaguely at her, as she tried to clear her head of the goals and aspirations stuck in it that weren't her own.

"Huh? Is there something in the air that I do not see?" Xhez asked as she lowered her eyes to the space between them and Rin, frustrated, huffed and walked faster. "O-Oh, hold on!"

"What part of 'no' don't you get!?" Rin asked, stopping as she turned around and looked at her.

"Um... But I haven't asked anything. What are you saying 'no' to?" Xhez asked with a confused arched brow.

"You know what I mean!" Rin said, feeling like speaking to this girl was taking years out of her lifespan. "The whole... Thing about... The world and..." Rin shook her head.

"Oh, you mean my hopes and dreams!" Xhez finally understood.

"Yes. That. Stop."

"Ohhh. Why?" Xhez asked. Her excitement then led her to walk back in front of Rin and spread her arms out, widely, as Rin watched her. "Is this not really lucky? For so long I have wanted to get to know someone like you, a human! And now, I can!" She exclaimed. "This is wonderful!"

"Look," Rin sighed, shaking her head. "I-It's not gonna happen..."

"Hm? Why?" Xhez quickly asked.

"Because!" Rin turned away again. "W-What you want... It's just not realistic."

"But... Why? I do not understand," Xhez replied.

"Okay, let me explain something to you, okay?" Rin said as she walked up to the girl. "I'm an adventurer, do you know what those are?"

"... No," Xhez shook her head.

"Well, we're monster hunters, basically. We go around and we kill monsters! That's our job! Monsters like..." She trailed off though, unable to finish that sentence.

"... Monsters like me?" Xhez asked and Rin's heart was nearly torn in two at the sudden sadness that overtook her tone. That bubbly, sunny voice that the girl presented was replaced with a deep melancholy.

"Yes," Rin replied after a pause.

"But," Xhez said, looking up at her, "do you want to do that?"

"What?"

"Kill me... Is that something that you wish to do?" Xhez asked.

"No," Rin replied quickly. "I don't- look, I don't want to, but other people will! If you come with me, other people will hurt you!"

"I am not asking anyone else though, am I?" Xhez asked as she jogged up to Rin and took one of her hands. Looking up at her with big blue eyes, she said: "I am asking you. I would like to get to know you, only you! That would be enough for me."

As Rin looked back at her, feeling her strangely soft hands holding one of hers, she paused.

Then, Xhez smiled.

"Wait, I thought of something!"

"... What is it?" Rin asked her.

"You are lost, right?" Xhez asked. "I saw that you had been kidnapped by some things. Are you lost?"

"... You could say that," Rin replied when, in actuality, the answer was a very simple 'yes'.

"Then, I-I can guide you!" Xhez replied. The excitement was back, as quickly as it had left. She grinned brightly at Rin, getting so close that Rin could nearly see her own reflection in the girl's eyes.

"... Really?" Rin asked.

"Yes! I have walked this land my entire life! Wherever it is that you wish to go, I surely know the way!"

Rin narrowed her eyes, doubting that, but she chose to play along for a moment.

"Do you know what a city is?" She asked.

"I believe so," Xhez nodded. "It is one of those places with large walls and such?"

"I guess," Rin responded. "Have you seen any of those? I'm trying to get to one."

"Oh, yes! There is one just a few days' walk away from here! I can show it to you!" Xhez told her.

Rin stopped. She took a deep breath as she saw the girl put her hands on her hips, smiling confidently at her. [If she's not lying,] Rin thought, [then... I'd actually have a direction to head in, instead of just walking around randomly.]

She knew Xhez was being genuine about wanting to meet and interact with humans. She'd felt as much when she was shown her memories. However, she wondered if Xhez actually knew the location of the nearest city, which Rin guessed to be Libera. Unfortunately, regardless of whether she believed her or not, Rin didn't have many options. All she could do was agree to this and hope for the best.

"... Fine."

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"T-Truly!?" Xhez asked and Rin nodded.

"If you're being honest then, sure. Lead the way," Rin replied, reluctantly. Xhez's eyes glimmered as she took that answer in.

"AH!"

And then, Xhez threw herself at Rin with open arms, hugging her tightly. Rin flinched, caught off guard, as Xhez smiled widely, up at her.

"How wonderful!" Xhez exclaimed while Rin sighed.

"Yeah, yeah... Just let me get my clothes back on."

[... What did I just get myself into?]

---

{Maria}

{2 Years Ago}

Having been a teacher for a year, at this point, Maria felt like she was finally getting used to it.

It was still hard for her to accept the praise in the eyes of every student who entered her classroom, but Maria's forced smile had finally begun to turn a little more natural, and she felt like she might truly have a viable career on her hands.

One that she'd use now that she'd never face another monster again if she could help it.

"Miss Camille!" A young boy greeted her as Maria walked through the halls of the Academy. Maria lifted her eyes to find a kid with the confident smile of an up-and-coming adventurer who thought he was the next, well, Maria Camille.

[What was his name again? You should be good at remembering these things by now,] Maria scolded herself. It came to her a couple of seconds after an awkward silence.

"Kuro! Hello," she waved politely.

"Hi, have a great day!" He said as he passed her by, and Maria sighed. Putting on her 'teacher mode' was exhausting, when she wasn't given time to prepare beforehand.

Up ahead though, she saw one student she was actually looking forward to meeting today.

He was a bit taller than the kid she'd just spoken to, and on his first day at the Academy, he'd volunteered to have her teach him hand-to-hand combat, which made him, so far, the only student to have done so. Most others, even when it was a Rank S teacher offering to guide them, chose not to throw away conventional weapons.

She walked up to him with a slightly more natural smile and when the boy saw her, he put on a forced one of his own.

[Hm?]

"Hello, Thomas."

"Miss Camille, uh, hello," he greeted her.

"Will you be coming to continue training later?" She asked. "I had set up a few lessons I think you'll find enlightening."

"Uh, s-sorry, but..." he looked away. "I decided... I'm going to try learning how to use a spear."

"..." Maria blinked. "O-Oh. Is that so?"

"Yeah," Thomas said as another boy walked up to him. "Kyle was offering to teach me a bit. His dad's a soldier so he knows a thing or two. But, it was fun, learning martial arts with you, Miss Camille."

"... I see," Maria smiled. "I hope you'll enjoy walking that path then."

"Thank you. Uh, see you tomorrow!" He said, turning around and walking away with his friend.

However, as they left, Maria could still hear them.

"Man, I can't believe I signed up to get my ass kicked for a few hours," Thomas told Kyle. "Fucking worthless."

---

{Now}

Maria was sitting at the meditation center, her legs crossed as she looked out the open wall.

Someone knocked on the door and Maria cleared her throat, pushing those memories out.

"Come in."

The door opened, but Maria heard no footsteps. A bit surprised at that, she looked back and found Eve, the fairy floating toward her, an apprehensive look in her eyes.

"Um..." Eve said. "Hello, Miss Camille."

"... Greetings," Maria said, turning away from her. "What brings you here, Eve?"

"Uh, I was wondering if there was any update. On Rin, I mean."

At that, Maria sighed.

"Not yet," she replied. "But, we're looking. I take it you two were friends?" She asked.

"... We were getting there, I think," Eve replied.

"I see. Well, do not worry," Maria looked back at her and forced a smile. "I'm sure we will find her soon."

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