A Familiar Face

Lancell walked the streets of the Slum Districts as the nostalgic streets that reeked of various stench entered his nose.

Arkenvalle walked beside him with a nonchalant gaze, but Lancell knew she was quite elated.

'After all, it was at this Kingdom that I had manifested her as a Divine Weapon.'

Lancell smiled a bit as he thought about the time he had manifested Arkenvalle. She simply looked like a simple silver-coloured longsword at that time, but the moment Lancell held her grip, all he felt was the feeling of an unknown itch being scratch.

He had fallen in love with the feeling of her grip, and had never used any other swords again.

'But it seems I have to learn how to use other blades again.'

During their travels, Lancell and Arkenvalle had decided that they would enter Selvenia as two people. Meaning that Arkenvalle and Lancell would assume the identities of refugees, and if it was needed, he would assume the identity as Randel's disciple.

'Yeah. I don't wanna be mom's disciple. She's just terrible at teaching.'

Lancell thought as the idea of being his mother's disciple made him shiver. He had higher cultivation than mom, and had higher pride too.

("Lancelot.")

("What's wrong, Valle?")

("I 'see' someone familiar.")

Lancell entered Arkenvalle's connection as he observed the images she saw, and as he saw what Arkenvalle was referring to, he was surprised.

"Aria?" Lancell subconsciously muttered.

It was a princess of Selvenia, and an old friend. Lancell's blood boiled as he was excited with meeting an old friend, but then remembered that they had yet to meet in this timeline.

'Hm? Where's she going?' Lancell thought as worry started to surface in his mind.

Lancell had already deduced that it was her first time in this place as her eyes practically darted around everywhere.

She was also skipping as if she was in a trip, and she wore a clean robe that was practically begging people to rob her.

("Valle!") Lancell called out to Arkenvalle as they had decided they would follow that walking eccentricity.

◇◇◇

"Ohoho? What do we have here? A noble lost lady."

"Ha! Look bro! Just the shoes she's wearing seems it'll haul quite a sum!"

A random thug pointed as he saw Aria's shoes. After following Aria for about 30 minutes, Lancell and Arkenvalle was surprised that no one had robbed her yet, but it seems her luck was up.

'Now then, I wonder what she'll do?'

Lancell wondered as he was genuinely curious about the girl's going to be next actions. He could already imagine countless scenarios, but he couldn't pinpoint which one would happen as that girl's mind was the most fickle even among women.

Aria furrowed her brows as she asked. "You're going to rob me?"

The thugs laughed as one of them, the burly one said. "Ain't that obvious! What else would any other reason be?"

"Yeah! So I suggest you leave your belongings here and scram!"

The two was laughing loudly until Aria dropped a bombshell.

"Are you sure? I am a princess, you know?"

The two suddenly stiffened as even Lancell and Arkenvalle was surprised. She had revealed her status casually in this place where abduction was a daily matter.

Lancell sure had to praise her guts, or maybe she was plain stupid.

'Still...something's strange....'

As far as Lancell could remember, Aria had a maid that was absurdly powerful. She was absurd that she was able to smack the shit out of Lancell during his early days as a Hero in his past life.

("Valle, can you 'see' where Prim is?")

("Yeah. I found her just now. She's hid herself quite well too.")

("I see. So it was like that...")

Lancell had heard about a certain event in his past life that instantly popped into his mind. Prim only mentioned it a bunch of times, and she said it was the most troublesome as Aria almost got killed several times.

("Lancelot. I suggest we leave now. Her eccentricity's as its peak during this time of age.")

("My thoughts exactly. Let's just come back when she's finally decent.")

And so, having decided to leave, a certain event took their attention back to the young girl.

"Hey! Heads up!"

A shout resounded as a bag of dust suddenly hit the thug's faces. It broke on impact and scattered in their faces as dust entered the mouth everytime they breathed.

"*cough!* *cough!* the hell!! You stinkin' brat! You again!"

The burly thug was struggling to breath, but from his words, it seems he knew who the one who did it.

Meanwhile, the culprit took Aria's hand as it spoke.

"Quick! Over here!"

They then both ran together as Aria followed the one leading her.

As for Lancell and Arkenvalle...

("That was Arthur, right?")

("Yes. No doubt.")

("So this was where they first met? I never knew.")

("Should we follow?")

("Yeah. It seems interesting. And Arthur's talent is the real deal.")

And so, they tailed the two.

◇◇◇

Two people panted as they furiously took in as much air as they could. After they escaped the two thugs, Aria followed her saviour's lead without question.

The person who saved Aria was an androgynous person who looked like a girl, with blond hair and blue eyes.

"Yeah. This place should be safe from them."

Aria's saviour spoke. It was a tone that men used, but her voice was also androgynous, so it was difficult to pinpoint the person's gender.

Aria looked at her saviour with curious eyes as she asked.

"Are you a boy? Or are you a girl?"

For some reason, the scene was familiar to Lancell and Arkenvalle who was observing from afar.

("So you took in some habits from her?") Arkenvalle asked as she remembered Lancell's exchange with Randel on their first meeting.

("I don't know. I never noticed.")

Lancell averted his eyes as he was a bit embarrassed.

'But Arthur's a girl though. Even though she acts like a boy, she's a complete girl inside.'

Arthur was named such just because her parent wanted to have a strong son. However, the heavens were bitches, and instead gave them a delicate flower instead. Due to some circumstances, her parents couldn't have another child, so they placed all their expectations onto their daughter, and named him Arthur. The name of the strongest king to have ever existed.

Arthur brow's twitched from Aria's question as she answered.

"I-I'm a boy."

"Hmm...Is that so? You look like a girl to me."

"D-Does it even matter? A-Anyway..."

Arthur paused before continuing. She spread out she palms in front of Aria as she demanded.

"I saved your life. Now pay up."

Lancell "..."

Arkenvalle "..."

Aria "..."

Indeed. It was Aria's mistake to think that the world was benevolent.