Reborn As A Haier-Elvian: The Blood Hunter And The Warlock (Replace To New Account)

Chapter 12 "The Hint of Doubt"

I forced my head to think hard, trying to understand the contents of the book once again. But still the same. The book says that the Spirit Crystal of Hope is a pin with an engraving of eight stars. Not wrong anymore. It was that mysterious luminous thing that brought me to this world.

The Spirit of Hope Crystal, Nadjieza. Able to grant any hope to reality. It's freaky. If the thing I picked up was a real spirit crystal, what made him throw me and my comrades here? I have absolutely no memory of ever wishing to travel the other world and become a mixed human being. After all, didn't that thing belong to the Goddess of Hope? Why is it in my world?

Geez! I really can't relate all of these pieces of fact into one. My body went limp for a moment. Bend down while hugging the book with both hands, and close your eyes tightly. Suddenly, a thought flashed. It just appears in the head. There's someone who seems to know about this.

"Almira!" myrag. "Yes. He was of the Elvian people who lived long. Maybe he knows a thing or two."

I immediately rushed down the stairs. I held this book so it wouldn't fall. I want to show it to that woman. When I arrived at the reception desk, the woman I had reached earlier this morning, stood up from her seat and stopped me.

"Pig! You should know that borrowing the book has a procedure!"

"Sorry, I'm in a hurry! I'll return it when it's done!"

"Hey!"

Not caring for his warning, I immediately ran into the city streets. The night is coming. The twilight sky in the sky was visibly eroded with the bluish night sky. It's exquisite. If I wasn't in a hurry, maybe I'd enjoy this time relaxing.

Many times I had to bump into other people on the sidewalk. We are now in rush hour. People are done with work or school. Make the streets seem crowded by them passing by to return home. From here, I have to travel three blocks to Almira's house. It's the same as five kilometers.

Actually I could have rented a horse carriage, but it was very expensive. About 10-20 pieces of bronze for one trip in the city. Besides being a hunter, walking has become my daily food. So I don't think it's necessary to hire a horse carriage.

I kept running through the crowd. Then turn towards the small alleys to cut the distance. Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at Almira's doorstep. Slowly and wait a while. But the host did not show up. He coughed a little louder and shouted his name.

The door opened slowly. However, it was not Almira who was there. It was a seven-year-old human child who stood behind the door. His pair of brown eyes looked at me carefully.

"Hey, Cedric! Is your mother home?" I asked while throwing a smile.

The boy nodded. He ran into the house while yelling at his mother. Almira—, who appeared with his human figure, came from the kitchen a while later. It seems that the woman is cooking for dinner. A white aprons with oil and flour stains on his body, in his hand was also a sodet that seemed to forget he put before he met me.

"What do you want here?" ask him curiously.

"Actually, there's something I want to talk about. Should I come back later?"

He sighed. "It's okay. Come eat with us. I happen to be cooking a lot."

I finally ate with them. The menu cooked by Almira tonight is french fries, green mushroom vegetables, and grilled fish. The three of us ate while having a light conversation. Like asking about Cedric's school. He told me a lot of things. Starting with his friends and teachers. He seems to like his school a lot.

The boy was now sitting in the second grade of the first-rate school. The education system here is more or less the same as I know it. Just a different name. For example, elementary school, called first-rate school in this country. So is the next.

We're also talking about a fire that wentbombing part of the mayor's house last night. That's hot news in Glafelden City. According to the confessions of gardeners working there, the fire came from an incandescent lamp that fell accidentally in one of the rooms. Damn, the lamp fell on the mattress with all-wood furniture. The fire spread and destroyed more than half of the houses in a matter of minutes. The mayor and his family had to evacuate to their second home on the edge of town.

After dinner, our conversation grew. Turning to the sofa, Almira brought the topic of a large restaurant near the town square. The place has just opened, they offer many attractive discounts to new customers. Cedric looks very happy. I wish his mother would take him there. But I know for sure. The one who will pay for me, in exchange for Esze's tutoring fee with him.

We talked for almost an hour. Cedric said when he started to get sleepy. The light in both eyes seemed to be extinguished. His head rests on his mother's body.

"You want to sleep in the room now?" ask Almira.

Cedric nodded. It seems like the boy is already very sleepy. Several times he yawned wide. His eyes were almost closed. Almira carried him with both hands. Then take her to the bed in the room. As soon as his head touched the pillow, the boy fell asleep instantly.

Almira stroked Cedric's forehead gently and affectionately, then kissed him. Maybe the woman was giving a spell so that not a single mosquito dared to approach her son. The love and attention given to his son, to be seen however very large. I rarely see her motherly side so deeply.

After making sure Cedric had fallen asleep, he exited the bedroom with light footsteps. Do not want to make the slightest rowdy that interferes with the break of his son.

"Let's talk outside!" he said in a soft voice.

We went out of the house. A few meters from the door of the house, there was a small garden with a long bench under the tree. Although this area is crowded with residents, no one wants to go out at this time. Especially if you have to deal with cold air temperatures that can puncture bones. They would prefer to stay in their homes. Pull a thick blanket to warm the body.

"It's okay to leave Cedric alone?" I walked in Almira's footsteps behind me.

"We don't go far, really. Just chill! If anything happens to Cedric, I'll run straight into the house" he said with a chuckle.

"Truly a loving mother."

"of course. I am the one who conceived and brought her into this world. There's no mother who doesn't love her child after all that."

After a moment of silence, I ventured further. "How's your husband doing in the capital? Is he coming home this month?"

"Eitherway! From the last letter sent, he said that his work in the military is increasing. So he doesn't know if this month can go home or not."

Almira looks upset. Seems to be sulking due to the delayed return of the husband. I didn't ask any further after that. Just say 'oh' for a moment and follow Almira's footsteps.

I shiver in the cold. My Haier-Elvian body doesn't seem to be designed to withstand extreme temperatures. In fact, that ability is very useful. With that, maybe I can soak in the midnight river without freezing. It seemed like only Elvian was able to withstand this cold temperature. Just look at Almira! Despite the appearance of a human, the woman walked normally as if without feeling anything. I became a little jealous of him, I mean .. with that privilege.

"Do you know about this?"

I brought the book from the library this afternoon. Then open it and find the information I want. My fingers stopped on one page. The page is titled 'Crystals of the Spirit Indemnius'. Almira's facial expression shrank. His forehead wiggling. Then he looked at me. His two eyes seemed to be about to say 'Why do you want to know about this?'

From my guess, this seems to be very limited information.

"I found out about it while I was spending time in the library. If you want to ask 'What does this have to do with you?'. Of course there is. Because one of those spirit crystals brought me here."

"Bring you here? Mean what? I don't understand anymore."

I took a deep breath. With a slight lowering of the tone, I steeled myself. "What I'm about to say sounds crazy. I'm not asking you to believe. But at least listen. I need your opinion."

His serious face nodded firmly. So is the one with me who has been steady. For the first time, I told the story of my arrival to the natives. Even for Grussel and the 'Dive Night' group though, I lied. Told them that my friends and I were migrants from a distant land that was stranded.

But to Almira, I said it without anyone being covered. All I'm telling you is as clean as a white, spotless cloth. Because I trusted him so much and considered him to be my best friend from this world.

Fifteen minutes later. Even though I had finished telling the story, Almira was still sculpting. As if I still want to listen to my strange story. Or maybe he wants me to re-tell him?

I flicked my finger repeatedly in front of the woman's nose until her consciousness returned.

"Wait a minute, Anggi! There seems to be a lot to understand." Almira moved slightly away, trying to calm herself down. He held his frowning forehead. His face was a little pale. "So you mean, you came from another world? You were human before you turned into Haier-Elvian? What's more, a man?!

"It doesn't make sense, after all, that the Hope Spirit Crystal is in your world. Let alone it all .. I don't even believe there is any other life outside of this world!! Then, what other amazing thing are you going to say? Are you friends with the gods? Or do you want to tell me how beautiful your grandmother's house is on the surface of the sun?!!"

"Srcshhhh ...!"

I hurriedly calmed Almira down by sticking my index finger in the middle of her lips. The woman turned to raise her voice. Make an old grandmother uncovers the curtains to see what's going on outside her house.

Almira, who was aware of the other person's sight, tried to cool her head and lock her mouth. Until finally the grandmother closed the window again. I looked at Almira's visibly irritated face. I-i understand. It was a natural reaction when I heard my story.

"Listen, Almira! I used to be just like you. Until I finally went through it all to make me want to not believe in this madness. You also need to remember, I'm not asking you to believe. I'm just asking you to listen."

Almira was silent for a moment. He scratched his lower lip. His face was getting dazed and pale. It seems he still can't believe it completely, or even not at all.

The woman took a deep breath, then threw it out through her mouth. "good. Let's just say I believe your bullshit. Then, what do you want from me?"

"I want to know more about Spirit Crystals. You're a long-lived Elvian, maybe you've heard something about this."

He shook. "Sadly, I don't know much about that. The story of the gods happened tens of thousands of years ago. The story that was inherited until now may not be as complete as the original story. Now, not a single Elvian knows about it for certain."

"Is that so?" My voice's stifled. I seem to be too high to hang on to hope. For the entire time, I immediately encountered a deadlock searching for information when I had just found a clue.

"Fig .. You know why there are so few records of Spirit Crystals?"

I shook my head weakly.

"Itu karena teori tentang Kristal Roh dilarang di seluruh penjuru benua. Termasuk negeri ini dan Kerajaan Elvian yang menyembah Dewi Kesuburan Ullshiya. Teori itu membuat para dewa-dewi terlihat lemah, karena menganggap kekuatan suci mereka berasal dari benda pusaka. Tentu saja, para pemuka agama yang loyal menganggap teori itu sebagai kesesatan. Buku-buku yang mempelajarinya dibakar, begitu juga dengan para pendukung teori ini."

Perempuan itu memegang tanganku dengan erat dan melempar senyum hangat. Seakan membalas hal yang kulakukan sebelumnya. Kini aku kembali melihat sisi dirinya yang penuh perhatian dan kasih sayang. Bukan lagi seorang teman yang sering memintaku mentraktirnya makan. Akan tetapi lebih ke sosok seorang ibu pada puteranya.

Akhirnya aku mengerti perasaan Cedric. Memiliki ibu seperti Almira pastinya menjadi berkah yang paling berharga.

"Maaf, aku tak bisa banyak membantumu."

"Tidak apa-apa. Aku mengerti kau sudah memberi yang terbaik."

Aku menghela napas panjang. Menjatuhkan pandangan ke atas tanah, tempat terbaik untuk menatap kosong saat sedang merenung. Hatiku sebelumnya sangat bergembira ketika menemukan kecocokan antara pin bintang yang kupungut dengan deskripsi buku itu. Namun apa daya, memang sudah takdirku menetap di negeri ini. Jadi apa-pun yang kulakukan terasa percuma.

Kututup kelopak mata dan menjernihkan pikiranku sesaat.

"Sepertinya masih ada satu cara lagi untuk mengetahuinya, Anggi! Tapi sangat tidak kurekomendasikan karena sangat berbahaya sekali."

"Apa itu?" Aku buru-buru menoleh.

Almira terlihat kesulitan. Mencoba membenarkan suaranya serta menampilkan wajah serius. "Kau harus pergi ke perpustakaan di Kota Viar, ibukota Kerajaan Elvian Barat. Di sana koleksi bukunya sangat lengkap, mungkin kau bisa menemukan sesuatu yang kau cari. Pilihan kedua, kau bisa menanyakan langsung pada para Tetua Elvian. Mungkin salah satu dari mereka ada yang tahu tentang ini."

Aku menelan ludah. Ini jalan yang sangat sulit. Bagaimana aku bisa masuk ke jantung kerajaan Elvian, bila saat melangkah ke hutan mereka saja sudah diburu? Apalagi Kota Viar letaknya sangat jauh dari Glafelden. Mustahil aku bisa menyusup sejauh itu.

Lalu, bagaimana dengan masuk secara baik-baik? Itu juga bukan pilihan yang bagus. Harga diri orang-orang bertelinga panjang itu sangat tinggi dan merendahkan manusia. Jadi tak mungkin mereka memberikan izin resmi pada makhluk rendahan seperti manusia, memasuki wilayahnya apalagi ibukotanya. Begitu pula Haier-Elvian. Menurut sejarah, Ras Campuran ini dibuang oleh para Elvian. Karena dianggap memiliki setengah darah kotor milik manusia. Tak peduli bakat Esze mereka lebih kuat atau tidak. Yang mereka pentingkan hanyalah kemurnian darah keturunan saja.

Jalan sudah terbuka di depan mataku. Namun, ada tembok raksasa menghalanginya. Apa ... yang harus kulakukan?