004

c h a p t e r   4  :  t h e   v I l l a g e (2)

AINS couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was as if someone had slapped him hard and he couldn't recover from the shock. His body swayed very lightly while both of his knees seemed to lose their strength as he staggered backward.

Amir narrowed his eye at the person his young master has been staring at the whole time.

"Stop it. Stop staring," Ains whispered, agitated.

Amir looked down, moving his gaze away at the smiling kid not far away.

Ains could hear nothing but the loud thump of his heart. He knew that person very well. He knew just how terrible of a monster was hiding behind that gentle smile and kind eyes.

"Liore Nermus," he muttered under his breath.

The words left a bitter taste in his mouth. However, he couldn't possibly get that person's name wrong. In his previous life, every time that name was uttered it was always laced with fury and loathing.

In Merzic Continent, various races remain hidden. The humans did not know of their existence. Few had read about them at the library that was rotting along with time—those books that held legends and folktales. However, most of those who had read about them don't believe that they exist.

Ains knew fully well that other races were lurking in the shadows. He had heard about the planar war in his previous life. It was a war that simply humans can't possibly take part in. It was beyond their capabilities; it was simply on another level.

And such existence was now in front of him. Liore Nermus was an existence that brought disaster wherever he went. Chaos diligently followed in his footsteps every single time.

Liore Nermus was a thousand-year-old lich.

He looked at the village not far away.

"This village... he's not going to cause havoc, right?" he unconsciously said his thoughts out loud.

Amir turned to Ains. He watched as his young master's brow furrowed together. His pale lips were once again pursed together.

He wanted to reach out and smooth out that frown on his forehead.

"Young master, they're heading in," he reminded in a low voice.

Ains stared ahead. He saw those people destroyed the door and knocked it down. His intuition earlier proved him right. They were going to cause havoc.

Just look at their smug faces and rude attitudes.

"Children of Yelus, my ass," he muttered between his gritted teeth.

They waited for a while before following after them. The village was not small but it wasn't that big either. Despite being situated in the middle of a forest, the pavement was made of cement that only goes straight ahead. Various torches of the lamp were placed on the sidewalk illuminating the darkness of the village caused by the numerous huge trees. While the houses were mostly made of wood.

The rustling of leaves was especially prominent amidst the silent village along with the gentle chiming of wind-bells. The place looked ethereal and magical with the faint light coming from a cluster of fireflies flying around the village freely.

"Are we just going to knock on some random door?" Ains asked Amir hesitantly.

He stopped walking to look around. He was hoping that they could at least spend the night comfortably before leaving tomorrow before the sunrise. Ains decided to leave immediately despite his desire to meet a certain general.

Change of plans, he had to get out of here. He was not going to be in the same place as that hateful lich.

Come to think of it, he recognized yet another familiar face a while ago. Mason. In his previous life, after the scandal of the church shook the entire continent, Mason joined the outcasts and met General Gautier. From there on, he had always stood behind the general.

He let out a silent sigh. He wanted to pat himself on his back for his luck in this lifetime-well except for him encountering the lich, each and everyone that he had met upon waking up was an important chess piece for the impending war in two years.

A loud explosion startled Ains into jumping. It was followed by indistinguishable shouts of panic of the residents. The previous calm and silent village was now in chaos. Ains was now surrounded by noise and clamor. Some houses were burnt down, children crying while being embraced by their parents. The tick smoke caused them to cough and cry. It further prevented the villagers to put the fire out quickly.

"Young master!"

It was like what he saw earlier was merely an illusion. Everything happened so fast that he could not process the sequence of events that occurred in a small amount of time. He didn't expect that the church would immediately start their rampage as soon as they arrived. He thought he still had time to spend the night peacefully.

"Young master!"

'The fire. The fire had to stop.' Ains paled in an instant. Cold sweat covered his back at the sight of the burning village in front of him.

"Your highness Ainsly!"

Ains snapped out of his stupor. His red glaring eyes pierced Amir. Those pair of ocean eyes appeared so cold. His childish look was surprisingly nowhere to be found. He stood there aloof, Amir noticed a familiar aura that was coming from Ains. A feeling that he was the most familiar of. Death.

"The fire. Put out the fucking fire."

Amir respectfully took a step back. He could feel that his young master seemed a bit different. An aura of death was coming from Ains—an impossible feat. He knew that only those who had seen and experienced countless death can possess such a heavy aura.

"Yes, milord." Despite the confusion and doubt, Amir followed Ains' order.

Ains was left standing alone amidst the chaos happening around him. He didn't care how Amir would put out the fire, he had to think of a way himself. In his state, he couldn't think straight with his heartbeat assaulting his head aggressively. This was not normal. His heartbeat was so loud and powerful that it was causing him to clutch his chest tightly.

Cold sweat covered his body, his shaking legs finally gave out. He kneeled on the ground, while his one hand gripped his chest, he gasped for air desperately. Tears slowly blurred his sight as powerlessly lay down on the ground. He couldn't lift even a finger due to pain. His face once again faced the cold and familiar cement.

'How nostalgic. Fuck me. Do I have to die again?'

Ains closed his eyes as he lost his consciousness.

The villagers were in a state of chaos and no one would mind a body on the ground as they were all busy trying to save their home and loved ones.

Except for one child. A boy slowly and hesitantly walked near Ains. After confirming that there was no danger, he crouched down and just stared at Ains' peaceful sleeping face.