Chapter 21: Reunion (2)

We slipped away from the scene and into a deserted alley.

While I appeared unharmed, Lena leaned against the wall, her hand on her stomach.

“Are you alright?”

“Ugh… I still feel nauseous…”

Apparently, grabbing her and running at high speed wasn’t a pleasant experience.

“So… what now…?”

“I don’t know. We should probably wait until things quiet down.”

After causing such a commotion in the capital, the guards were likely searching for us.

And it seemed we had a pursuer as well.

“Are there any…?”

“I don’t know.”

A presence was rapidly approaching.

Faster than I expected. We would meet soon…

“It seems we have company.”

“What?”

Lena’s expression hardened as she looked in the direction I indicated.

“Sis…!”

“Die, kidnapper!”

Lena tried to shout something as the pursuer came into view, but an arrow was faster.

Multiple arrows, all aimed at my vital points.

Oddly enough, they were all targeting me, which was fortunate.

“Get down, Lena.”

“Wait…!”

Before she could finish, I grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and pulled her down, deflecting the arrows with my sword.

Clang, clang, clang!

The arrows split in half, scattering in all directions.

A slight tremor lingered in my sword hand.

“Hmm…”

The speed and power of the arrows were greater than I expected.

The technique of changing their trajectory mid-flight wasn’t something just anyone could do.

I knew two people capable of such archery.

One was the Hero known as the Hunter, currently considered the strongest archer.

And the other was…

I didn’t expect the Divine Archer to be chasing me.

Elena, the Divine Archer, a member of the Hero’s party.

“No wounds…”

Elena’s voice was laced with surprise.

She quickly recovered, her eyes narrowing.

“Surrender, kidnapper.”

“Kidnapper?”

She notched another arrow.

I had no intention of surrendering.

“You attacked me out of nowhere, and now you’re calling me a kidnapper…”

“Are you going to fight?”

She aimed her bow, and I prepared to spring.

I couldn’t kill her at this point, so subduing her would have to…

“Both of you, stop!”

“?!”

Lena stepped between us, and we both lowered our weapons in surprise.

Wait, sister?

“Get out of the way, Lena! That person is a kidnapper…!”

“Kidnapper? What are you talking about?!”

“There were witnesses who saw her kidnap you!”

Ah.

I had grabbed Lena and run, so it was a misunderstanding.

It was an understandable mistake.

“She’s not a kidnapper! She saved me…!”

“Elena! Are you alright?”

A man entered the alley, interrupting Lena’s explanation.

It was my turn to be surprised.

The Hero.

Golden hair, handsome features, and the holy sword at his waist.

“What’s going on, Elena?”

“Leon! We need to subdue her first.”

“What?”

Leon turned to me, his eyes widening in surprise.

“You have my sister, who went missing a few weeks ago.”

“Is that true?”

He looked back and forth between us before drawing his holy sword.

“Be careful, Leon.”

“I know.”

They both turned towards me, their power building.

A fight was unavoidable.

Elena’s arrow was first.

A magic-infused arrow flew towards me, its trajectory shifting mid-flight.

I deflected it, and Leon swung his sword.

Clang!

Our swords clashed, a loud clang echoing in the alley.

After a brief struggle, Leon was pushed back.

More arrows flew towards me as he stumbled.

According to my memories, the Hero and Divine Archer hadn’t known each other for long, but their teamwork was impressive.

In that case…

The archer had to be dealt with first.

I kicked off the wall, dodging the arrows, and dashed past Leon towards Elena.

They were both surprised.

I felt Leon chasing after me, but I ignored him, accelerating.

The distance between Elena and me closed to about two meters.

She fired more arrows and jumped back, trying to create distance.

“It’s no use.”

“Damn it!”

I deflected the last arrows with a wide swing of my sword and grabbed her leg.

I was about to slam her into the ground when…

“Let her go!”

“Tch… Interference…”

Someone jumped down from above, swinging their sword at my arm.

I released Elena and jumped back. Leon’s sword slashed at my back.

I infused my sword with magic, deflecting the attack, which exploded in midair.

The fight paused as Leon blocked the space between Elena and me, and the newcomer landed.

I finally recognized the woman.

Alicia, the Saint’s friend and bodyguard.

If she was here…

“Leon! Elena! Alicia…”

A woman entered the alley, calling out to her companions.

She stopped when she saw me.

I knew we would meet eventually, but…

…I didn’t expect it to be so soon.

Snow-white hair that reached her waist, sapphire-blue eyes, and…

“…Aria?”

…a face that looked remarkably like mine.

It was Lucia, now the Saint.

“…Is it really you?”

Lucia approached me, her eyes wide with disbelief, and grabbed my wrist.

She tried to hug me, but…

Slap

…I pushed her away.

“Let go of me.”

“Ar-Aria…?”

“Who are you, and why are you calling my name?”

Her eyes, which had been filled with hope, now held disbelief, despair, and fear.

“Stay away from me.”

The words came out colder than I intended.

There was no longing, no sadness, no joy.

Surprisingly, I felt nothing.

“A-Ah…”

Lucia’s legs gave way, and she collapsed.

Alicia rushed to her side, and Elena aimed her bow at me.

“You! What’s your relationship with the Saint?”

“Relationship…”

Once, she was my precious family.

The sister I longed for.

But now?

I couldn’t remember our time together.

I couldn’t recall any feelings for her.

There was only one answer I could give.

“We have no relationship.”

“Aria…”

Thud

Lucia fainted.

“Saint! Saint!”

Alicia shook her, but she remained unconscious.

“No relationship? Then why did she react like that?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know who she thinks I am, or why she reacted that way.”

I didn’t know how long she had been waiting for me.

I didn’t know what kind of love, emotions, or memories we shared.

Those things, the things that could break me, had been erased along with the her in my nightmares.

So, Lucia…

“As far as I’m concerned, she’s a stranger.”

…give up.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“You’re leaving after causing this? And what about Lena…?”

“Sister, stop it!”

Lena shouted at Elena, unable to take it anymore.

Elena lowered her bow, startled by her sister’s outburst.

“What are you talking about, Lena?! She kidnapped you…”

“The s*ave traders kidnapped me! Aria saved me!”

“What?”

Elena looked at me in disbelief. Her expression shifted from disbelief to suspicion, and then to shock.

“Please, just stop… I’ll explain everything…”

Lena pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes, grabbing her sister’s wrist.

The alley was a mess, and behind us, Alicia and Leon tended to the unconscious Lucia.

“…You better explain everything, Lena.”

Elena sheathed her bow.