Grizzled
#S2 Episode 18
“You mean ... you mean, the previous legitimate heir who committed suicide ... is you, Luska?”
“Yes, Your Honor. I am that coward!”
My blood immediately rippled upon hearing Luska's confession. It was too late for me to run because her breath had already disturbed the side of my face. Just be right! If Luska really was the rightful heir who committed suicide ....
“Then ... what are you now?”
A short pause after my question ended with a burst of Luska laughter that could not be held back. Heh?! What the fuck?!
“Sorry .. sorry, did I scare His Majesty?” his tan tried desperately to dampen the gelak.
“What do you mean?! If it turns out you're just kidding, I'll kick you from up here!” angry annoyed.
“No, Your Grace. I can't die twice after jumping from three times the height of our current position,” replied Luska increasingly confused me.
“Do not convolve, Knights Drunk!” balakku uses the nickname of Kak Garuda.
“Begin, about my confession earlier .. it's real. I'm not kidding. The sign and power of the rightful heir once appeared to me, and before many knew it, I committed suicide,” Luska said.
“Then how can you still live after that? Suicide failed?” my many.
“Succeed, anyway!”
“Ha?”
“I am dead and wish all burdens and responsibilities to vanish, but the reward after death for such cowardly actions is not only the loss of the power of the rightful heir, but rather life once again.”
“Heeh?! Live once again as punishment?” I just don't believe it.
“True, I was cursed with eternal life and could not die even though my heart and brain were damaged as badly as anything. Cells and tissues of these organs will regenerate again. So, it's free when I try to kill myself again.”
I still gape in disbelief at Luska's explanation, not understanding more precisely. How could eternity be called a punishment? I mean, a lot of people who hope to live longer don't even want to die, but this one knight.
“You ... do not like to live eternally?” my question, “when some people think of it as a gift.”
“Um, it is not a matter of likes or dislikes, but ... this world is not a comfortable paradise to live in forever,” Luska said as she stared at the rising glint of the lanterns, which were still rising, “some time we need the name dead, but if the need is used as an escape to release hands against all problems and responsibilities, then the consequences are like me ... I am immortal in shame and humiliation.”
“Had I really died, I would still be remembered as a cowardly rightful heir, disappointing the whole Alba, and embarrassing the family. Moreover, father, it's only natural that now he threw my name off the list of family members and did not acknowledge me as his son.”
“And your father was ... Head of Board?” my guess.
Luska was silent before finally asking, “Head of the Board has a story yes?”
“No, my guess just happened to be correct,” I replied, “the old man treats you differently than any other knight. Although annoyed half-dead, I'm sure he can't really forget that you are his son.”
Luska just laughed softly because of my words, this time it didn't feel fake.
“Let's go back inside, Your Majesty. Up here it gets colder,” take him who I then approve. Before going down the stairs, I placed a look at the flickering of the lanterns getting higher, flying away in the wind.
“Oh yes, Luska ... Are you sorry now?” tanyaku.
“Sorry? Um, I try not to regret the path I have chosen,” replied Luska.
“But the end is not what you expected. Are you okay if you have to keep living?”
“In addition as punishment, my present life is also as penance. That's why, there's nothing I regret. Instead, I will devote this whole life to Alba, to Her Majesty, and everyone I have ever disappointed.”
“Good then,” I replied a little relieved, “if you are not okay with this punishment of immortality, I want to say that basically nothing is eternal ... Nothing is eternal but God, that's why don't worry, we'll all die someday, for sure!”
“I already know that, Your Majesty! The curse is definitely over and I will definitely die!” luska replied without me realizing that I had gently stroked the top of my head, “because the Glorious One will end my curse, as well as the curse that befell the whole country, hence ... Don't leave us!”
I was stunned by his words. End the curse, huh?
“Please don't tell the Head of the Board yes!”
“Ha?”
“Don't tell the Head of the Board or anyone that I've touched His Majesty's head. Sorry also because it was very, very disrespectful, but I suddenly wanted to do it because ... rather than like a queen, Her Majesty feels more like a friend trying to encourage me, thank you!” luska answered leaving me still at the bottom of the stairs.
“Absolutely who asked you to call me Your Highness-Your Majesty, ha?!” my protest as the man's back drifted further away as he walked down another passageway.
I also took the opposite direction from Luska, intending to return to the room. Someone in the distance immediately turned away once caught sight of me. Was he there since?
“Knight Agung Eagle! Wait!” call me trying to line up his steps.
“I won't call you Your Majesty just because you called me that ludicrous name!” the eagle replied unconcerned and continued walking.
“I thought you didn't like it,” answered me withholding laughter from the Eagle's response, “I just said it, I don't ask anyone here to call me Your Majesty, as long as you know!”
“But it looks like you're happy.”
“Have you seen the flying lanterns? Eh?! Whew!” my shiver reflexively brushed off the cold hand of the tickling Eagle moved to get rid of the hair on my nape.
“Ma .. sorry, shocked,” I said ending an uncomfortable awkward pause.
“Sorry too, I .. I didn't mean anything,” replied the Eagle somewhat misbehaved, “but the sign was really there.”
“I don't know how it could be like that, but finally my question was answered,” said Eagle.
“Pe ... inquiry?”
Shit, I can't stop stuttering.
“Yes, I was surprised. We both managed to defeat a small patch of the Grey World thanks to the sword bestowed upon me because I am a descendant of the Sakti, but all of them are also inseparable from your role. Sometimes I think, why should you? Why are you my partner against that damned world? It turns out that it is not only because you who are with me activate the trap lock in the six directions, it turns out that you are indeed an important part of a country whose territory is snatched away by the Grey World, for you are the next queen of the land. It turns out that this is not a coincidence,” explained Eagle.
“Oh? Hm, yes .. yes yes!” my answer is still wracked with incomprehension as to what he said, concerning the sword and the six directions or whatever I did not find in my memory locker.
To be honest I myself was a bit surprised at the end of knowing that the Eagle was also involved regarding the conquest of the Grey World. Maybe this is what my friends mean that I was close to him, we were involved in big problems and often spent time together, looking very curious because we kept it a secret from everyone. Well, now I understand too.
“But you didn't forget ‘kan, Shir?” ask the Eagle still with his worried gaze, “you did not forget the place where you were born and raised ‘kan? I'm just saying, that no matter how long the thread of the lineage is still connected with you .. but still, your place should not be here.”
“I didn't forget, kok!” I answered while reminding myself.
“People's feelings can change at any time. I do not want to help you realize the hopes of the entire population of this country, then you will stay and no longer return. If it ends up like that, I better never help you defeat the rest of the Grey World!”
“Ja ... don't, dong! Do you have the heart to let so many people go unsaved and this amazing civilization crumble? Ah, I know for sure many things you sacrificed to help me here, but I'll make sure you get the benefit ..”
“THIS IS NOT ABOUT PROFITS, SHIRA! I just need you to come back! That's it!” snapped Eagle suddenly.
“Eh? To ... why?”
“Why, ha?!”
I could not see the face of the Eagle who was flushed red because he first touched my forehead. It didn't hurt, I was just surprised, taking a few steps back until my back hit the wall of the hallway. Really, I was just surprised by the strange sensation as if the incident had happened over and over again in one short second. While rubbing my forehead, I tried to catch a piece of the scene design when the Eagle did the same thing in the past, flicking my forehead which seemed to be his habit while saying, “Bas stupid!” or “turns out you're not as smart as you look!” It doesn't feel foreign at all.
Next my consciousness goes back to the present when the Eagle continues to nag.
“Because you're ugly and still not smart! You don't deserve to be queen! Rather than just messing with the government of this country, you better go back to where you came from and learn more!”
Heh, it's still the same! The way he talks to me is still the same! All that momentarily flashed through my head was just an irregular piece of memory, but I remembered it, admitting that the Eagle in front of me right now was still the same person as a year and a half ago! I wanted to laugh at myself for hoping that my memory would recover should I have been by her side more often.
“Do not even grin, dong!”
“Sorry!” my answer.
“I'm serious, Shir! If you really want my help, give me a reason or a guarantee that you'll be back home after everything's done,” the door is earnest.
“I'll be home, Lang ..”
“Reason, Shir, what is your strong reason for returning home if we manage to defeat the Grey World entirely? You must have been greeted with adoration and flooded with respect that made you want to stay. Can you resist all that and keep coming back to our home world?”
“Iyaa ... Oh my god, I said yes! I'll be back, Lang! Just so you know, I'm in a big competition making fireworks factory in the future!”
“Factory ... fireworks factory?” the Eagle clearly did not understand.
“Really! Yuanda has challenged me and I can't possibly run from her! In the national test later, among us whose chemical value is higher can be the boss in that factory! While the lower value should be a floor mop! Ahaha! I will definitely win from him!” I answered confidently while punching the air.
I don't know which part is funny, but after that the Eagle laughed out loud, scaring me to death. Which demon possessed him until this person with a fierce pretentious face was finally blown away?
“Hey, already, dong! Sorry for making you laugh. Something is wrong, right? Oh, yeah, heck! Fireworks factory no need to be dipel ‘kan? Because there will be many materials that are not reactive when exposed to water. Hm, yes ..” mumbled. The Eagle's laughter was getting louder.
“Ya ... am ... also! Just be right! Just because of that?” the question gradually eased the laughter. Gee? He still thinks I'm kidding?!
“Heh! I'm serious, know!” pissed spray.
“Alright, fine! I know you are always serious when it comes to academic competition and things like that,” replied the Eagle breathed a sigh of relief. The smile from the remnants of laughter had not been erased from his face.
“Well, there shouldn't be anything else that worries you ...”
My words were cut off because the next second I was the one who was made worried –shocked and mixed up the other feelings– when the Eagle suddenly brought his face closer towards me.
“I'm not worried anymore ... If it is like that, you will definitely come back,” whispers low. If the Eagle's arm on my right-left is not in the way, I want to make a little distance in order to maintain the health of my heart that beats even more crazy.
“Later on, I will join in that competition and fight to beat you ... as I used to!”
Like before?
I hope this wall is still willing to be where I lean even when the Eagle has gone, letting me mute in the hallway that only contains silence. While neutralizing the various attacks of feeling, I stared at my two cold sweaty hands.
One asked me to stay. The other one asked me to come back. Where am I supposed to go?
The imaginary shadow of a small child hugged me like in a dream, this time only to reach my waist because of my standing position.
“Stay on the goodness you believe in!” he whispered the same magic words while I was still busy questioning myself. I don't know why this time it felt so real, I hugged and asked back.
“Silver Knight, which kindness am I now convinced of?”
He just smiled.
.Seriate.
