Chapter 5: Journey
Chapter 5: Journey
Time passed quickly.
Even though the urge to perfect the art still came from time to time. I managed to complete two paintings. After seeing my first progress earlier, I got fired up and immediately made a second one. As if I was not tired anymore.
But soon I noticed that it was midnight already and looked at the full moon that beamed beauty in the window. Momentarily, the moonlit night revealed my creations, casting a tranquil glow on the room and giving me a peaceful mind in return.
I then sighed in satisfaction as I stared at my paintings.
Evaluating...—The first painting depicted a place I had seen earlier, infused with a nostalgic radiance and medieval ambiance. The second portrayed a boy wearing a sorrowful expression, surrounded by hurt and anger from those around him.
"..."
I stared at my art again before silent contemplation followed as I recalled a bitter chapter of my past.
Soon a little boy and a beautiful female flashed through my mind, and it was no other but me and my mother in my past life.
At a young age, our father left me and my mother behind
At that time we were just some poor family with some business to feed ourselves. I worked my ass off at an early age and had to mature faster so I could help my mother.
I didn't have a childhood if I'm being honest...
Soon, however, I turned into a teenager and faced some success in life because of my hard work and of course, my mother who was always there.
We eventually turned our business into something I would call a success since I get a lot of money. But because of my continuous success, my arrogance also grew.
Yet, success bred arrogance, causing me to forget my roots and hurt those who had aided me.
I started to see myself as a higher being and a much more intelligent one. Slowly... And gradually hurting other people without me realizing it. This continued until my mother adopted a shitty son because she missed the old me.
Years later, a confrontation ensued, and hurtful words were exchanged. The pain of that encounter lingered, especially the image of tears streaming down my mother's face.
To this day... It makes my heart ache because of how clearly I remember those words I said.
Those eyes that tears streamed out of her eyes...
Creating this sorrowful painting served as a tribute to her and a reminder of my past mistakes.
To be honest... I miss her that's why I made this sorrowful painting. I wonder how is she right now after I died?...
I died first before her after all...
‹ I wouldn't want to see my mother crying again... Especially if she knew how I died. › I thought inwardly as I shook my head.
With these thoughts, I acknowledged the need for rest.
‹ Now that I'm done venting my feelings out. I need to sleep for now so I'll have energy if we get to our destination tomorrow. ›
With that last mutter inside my head, I closed the window and rolled over the bed as I slowly closed my eyes in peace. For your information, the bed I was sleeping on and the inn was for VIPs only and it's unlikely that a commoner touched it or slept on it. But Mary still changed the cover since a maid or commoner probably fixed it.
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Mary's Side
Surprised by Alfonso's request for color paints, Mary sensed a change in him.
She was surprised since it had been a long time. Because of this, flashes of memory promptly appeared inside her head.
Moments when Alfonso always drew the places he liked when they still sneakily went out to stroll in the past and stopped because of some horrifying incident.
Suddenly, a horrible memory quickly emerged again and she quickly stopped it from spiraling down
"..."
However, she found herself puzzled once more because of Alfonso's recent actions, leading her to consider the return of the Alfonso she knew. Despite this, lingering doubts persisted as she proceeded to purchase the requested items. Contemplating the possibility, she thought that within a week or a month, she might witness the changes in him. This time, she decided to pay less attention to his actions.
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Eventually, they halted at an inn and prioritized dinner. Mary had already arranged the items Alfonso had requested with precision. Ensuring Alfonso's comfort, she provided a spoon and fork neatly covered by a cloth, catering to his aversion to what he deemed unclean. After their meal, Alfonso promptly retired to his room, with Mary standing watch at his front door.
As time elapsed and an eerie silence settled in, Mary sensed an unsettling shift. Intuition warned her of potential danger, prompting her to sharpen her hearing and heighten her senses. Suddenly, a shadow darted out of the inn, imperceptible to Mary's eyes but unmistakably signaling someone fleeing.
‹ A bird? ›
Mary speculated suspiciously, intensifying her heightened senses. Every sound resonated clearly—some rooms echoed with slapping noises and moans, others with the scratching of writing or the soft hum of sleep, and even Valentina's whispered conversations were perceptible to Mary.
The ability that Mary employed just now was called [Hyper senses], a crucial skill in safeguarding Alfonso against potential threats, enabling her to respond swiftly to any attempts on his life.
This factor played a role in Mary securing the position of safeguarding Alfonso. It ensures her swift response in the event of any attempt to harm or assassinate him. Additionally, Alfonso's deceased mother, gifted with the ability to perceive others' capabilities, was another contributing factor.
Alfonso's mother hired her and trained her so that in the future she could protect her son with the use of this maid's ability—Mary.
But as Mary was listening to other people, her attention was caught by the sound of Alfonso's deep contemplative voice.
| "Yeah, that could be it." |
Mary's questioning expression deepened as she became intrigued by Alfonso's whispered words.
| "Once I grow stronger, I'll offer Mary the choice of freedom," |
However her curiosity heightened when she heard his following words, but all she could wonder was,
‹Why?›
She contemplated if Alfonso was weary of her due to her commoner status. However, Mary dismissed that notion, considering that Alfonso could easily replace her with another protector. If fatigue or dissatisfaction were the reasons, he could have made the decision earlier, perhaps even today. Unable to find a clear answer, she could only speculate that Valentina's words from last week played a role in his contemplation.
She engaged in continuous contemplation until she ultimately decided to observe and await the gradual unfolding of events.
Following this, Mary shook her head, redirecting her attention to her duties. Being at the Legend rank, she no longer required sleep, thus she spent the night vigilantly guarding and sensing every corner of the inn until morning.
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Alfonso's POV
The first rays of daylight pierced through, gently urging my eyes to open. Distant crowing roosters added a subtle morning melody, and soon, a rhythmic knock echoed from my door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Time to rise, Young Lord," a muffled female voice announced.
Nevertheless, I chose to stay silent, shutting my eyes once more, unwilling to respond as I craved more sleep after a late midnight rest.
"..."
However, persistent knocks echoed until Mary took the initiative to enter after announcing her intention to do so.
—Creak!
Sensing her presence, I slowly gazed at her who looked like she was about to speak, however, she suddenly halted her footsteps and looked at the painting I made in astonishment.
"!"
Realizing I didn't hide the painting, I immediately got up from my bed in a graceful manner and sneakily cast a concerned glance at Mary. Despite my internal apprehension, my countenance remained composed and unyielding, accompanied by a cold gaze.
After all, it could pose an issue if Mary grew suspicious about Alfonso's proficiency in the arts— Mr proficiency. Luckily, Mary refrained from mentioning what she observed and calmly spoke,
"It's time to take a bath, Young Lord,"
Her expression reverting to an impassive state. Internally relieved, I sighed and gracefully rose to proceed with the bath.
Just like that, time flew fast, when I was done taking a bath and eating breakfast with Valentina, we finally went inside the carriage. After some hours, the destination where we were headed finally emerged.
The system then showed the name of the location.
[The Bestial Forest]