12 Chapter 12 My friend

Raum brought Aron good news of a nearby lake, and without wasting a moment, Aron urged Raum to show him the way. The stench of blood and grime on his body had become unbearable, and he longed for some relaxation.

Minutes later, Aron found himself standing before a breathtakingly beautiful blue lake. The expanse of the lake was substantial, surrounded by towering trees that appeared healthier and grander than any he had seen before.

Two small rivers merged into the lake, one originating from the mountain's peak, likely the source of the water, and the other cutting through the forest on the opposite side. The atmosphere around the lake exuded an air of peace and tranquility. Aron took a moment to relish in the sight, allowing himself a brief respite from his troubles.

"What a beautiful place, calm and peaceful"

He found himself enchanted by the place, even contemplating the idea of living here someday, in a cozy wooden cabin by the lake or nestled within the embrace of the forest.

'Ahhhh~... Not a bad idea. Maybe one day….NO! I've decided I will build one in the future,' Aron declared.

Lost in his thoughts, making a dreamy and happy face until a certain filthy smell sneaked into his nose. The smell brought him instantly back to the land of the awakened. His dreamy smile quickly transformed into a grimace of disgust.

'Damn! Reality sucks.'

Aron gazed at the lake for a few seconds, nodding to himself with determination. He swiftly discarded his armor, weapons, and even his leather pants. He was… well!... like the way he came to this world.

Turning to Raum with a mischievous smile, he exclaimed, "Shall we?"

Raum, now facing Aron, understood his intentions and shook his head. "N-No, I'm good. You can go ahead. I don't particularly enjoy water."

Aron's smile grew wider upon hearing Raum's response. With nimble steps, he stealthily approached Raum and swiftly scooped him up, securing the raven in a firm grip against his chest.

"!!!" Raum was taken aback, momentarily unable to react to Aron's sudden movement. Before he could protest, he realized they were hurtling toward the lake at an alarming speed.

"Let's gooo~!" Aron raised his free hand and shouted, sprinting full speed towards the lake, clutching the black raven… well! pale raven now.

'Wait!! Not that way! I'm getting closer to the lake,' he screamed in his mind.

"NOO!! STOP, ARO~" Raum's plea was cut short as Aron leaped high into the air. The jump was higher than what normal people can do, and that's because Aron naturally used some of his mana to strengthen his legs, and he didn't even notice.

BOOOM!

The result was a tremendous splash in the middle of the lake, causing waves to ripple out in all directions.

"HAHAHAHA~... that was good. Hey! Wanna do it again?" Aron asked, his face brimming with excitement as he turned to Raum, only to find the raven giving him a piercing glare.

"You idiot! Why did you do that? I told you I don't like water," Raum scolded, his anger evident.

Aron continued to laugh, finding Raum's angry expression priceless. Raum's face turned as red as a tomato, with steam practically emanating from his feathers due to anger. Aron, in an attempt to calm the raven, splashed some water on his face before patting his head and offering a gentle smile.

"HAHA~... My little friend, calm down and relax. Just enjoy this beautiful sight for a bit."

"!!!" The gentle touch and warm smile instantly quelled Raum's anger. In truth, he wasn't angry; the water had triggered some unpleasant memories he wished to forget. And for some reason, ever since Aron had shown anger upon learning about Raum's captivity, the raven had chosen to trust him.

Sensing that the raven had calmed down, Aron released his hold and began to cleanse himself of the goblins' blood.

Raum floated nearby, observing the man before him. Aron was tall, with well-defined muscles, pale skin, shoulder-length black hair, and deep black eyes. But what caught Raum's attention were the scars adorning Aron's body. His back was nearly covered in scars, and a few smaller ones decorated his front, including one that ran from his right shoulder all the way to his left waist.

Raum was going to ask about them, but he stopped.

'... He said he lost his memories. If I ask, he won't know.' He examined the scars once more.

'... There's no way he's an ordinary man. The way he fights and those red eyes...Hmm? I think he's a demon. And demons are evil and dangerous.'

Recalling Aron's gentle touch and warm smile, Raum's face flushed with embarrassment.

'... Demon or not, he called me "friend." I've never had a friend before. Everyone I've met either fears and flees from me or tries to kill me. But he...' A realization dawned on him. 'My friend, my first friend... hehehe~' For the first time in his life, the little raven had gained a friend, and he was overjoyed.

From the corner of his eye, Aron caught sight of Raum's reddened and joyous face. Curiosity piqued, he asked,

"What's wrong, buddy?"

Raum quickly faced Aron, gazing into his eyes for a moment before bursting with enthusiasm. He hurled himself at Aron, clasping his neck tightly.

"Aron, my friend! I'll follow you everywhere. I promise I'll be a good friend!" he exclaimed, his words tumbling out in his excitement.

Aron's gentle smile widened as he patted Raum's head. "Oh, everywhere, you say? Hmm?.. How about the bottom of this lake? Come on~..."

"!!!" Raum's body shuddered at the thought. "I'll take that back," he denied immediately.

"...Sink with me…To the deep…hehehe~.' With a low and creepy voice like a whisper in the dark. Aron slowly started to sink.

"Stop messing around," Raum retorted.

"HAHAHA~" Aron laughed a little.

"Aron," Raum spoke in a low, melancholic voice while hugging Aron by the neck with his little wings.

"Yes?" Aron responded.

"... Can you promise to always be my friend?"

Aron heard the voice of a lonely and sorrowful creature searching for someone or something to hold onto. His heart felt as if pierced by a thousand swords and spears. This sense of loneliness was not unfamiliar to him, for reasons he couldn't fully comprehend.

He wrapped his arms around the little raven. "I'll always be your friend, your brother, and your family. And I never abandoned my family," Aron declared with confidence, his tone unwavering, as if commanding that it was an absolute truth, and Raum felt it.

"...mhm." Raum simply nodded, burying his head into Aron's shoulder. Tears welled up in Aron's eyes, but he remained silent, allowing the little raven to seek solace as he pleased.

Half an hour later.

Aron finished cleaning himself from all that blood; he also cleaned all of his gear since most of it was old and dirty. So a little bit of cleaning helped. With time, everything dried, and Aron prepared himself for the continuation of their journey.

"Now, what's next?" Raum asked, appearing outwardly calmer but inwardly still in turmoil.

"Hmm?" Aron paused in the midst of securing the two black weapons on his back.

"Oh!... Well, first we head to a nearby village or town. We'll sell all our magic cores, find a nice place to rest, and enjoy a good meal. I'm starving, and then…"

A predatory smile curled on his lips. His eyes briefly flickered with a reddish glow

Glup.

"...Then, we hunt down the people responsible for your capture—every single one of them. No one will escape my wrath," he declared, causing Raum to tremble. His eyes widened in shock.

'... Is he really going to do that... just for me?'

Raum continued staring at Aron, and in that moment, his own eyes emitted a faint red glow, mirroring the red glow in Aron's eyes.

'... My friend truly cares for me. Mmm... I must also be a good friend.'

Determined, Raum now had a new goal. To be a good friend. The little raven was overjoyed. Not only did he gain a friend, but this friend was going to avenge him

"There's a town nearby, the same town where I was captured. We can reach it quickly if we go through the forest," Raum shared, his voice brimming with happiness and excitement.

Aron smiled warmly at his friend, noticing how happy Raum was. "Good! Then lead the way."

Raum nodded enthusiastically, then hopped onto Aron's shoulder, rubbing his head against the man's cheek before taking flight.

Aron couldn't help but chuckle softly as he observed Raum. He kept his gaze fixed on the raven until he saw him flying off in a specific direction, beckoning Aron to follow.

And so, their journey began—a journey that would involve the severing of heads and the destruction of buildings, messing up the plans of a few kingdoms here and there.

But there is no need to worry; everything will be under control. We just have a dragon of wrath on the loose, so everything will be fine. Well, hopefully.