Makiya

16. The Handsome Guard

The businessman with huge hope muttered to the guards.

“There was a black-dressed boy, he -” as the guards intercepted him “Silence!”

The guards were heavily armored and prepared to fight. The one who seemed to be the leader of this patrol walked towards the girl. While taking a few heavy steps towards the pray, he took a second to notice the businessman full of jewelry and expensive clothes.

“Th… the… the man with the robe tried to rape me!” she said in tears.

Andrey hiding underneath could hear this. Smart girl! He thought as he smiled slightly.

“What!? I would never! I came to get my money from her!” the businessman said and continued “there was a boy who came here and beat us down…”, but the noble guard fell to his knees and looked at the wounds the girl had received and the fact her dress was slightly torn was enough evidence. 

“Shut up!” the guard yelled and made a few signs with his hands. The other two representatives of the law and order understood the order and quickly restrained the businessman.

“So you think you have money and you can do whatever you want?” one of the guards mumbled to the rich guy. 

They began walking him out of the bakery. With all possible impudence, he tried bribing the guards. 

The leader took the girl’s hand and comforted by holding it. “Do not worry, he will be taken care of. Are you okay?” He asked and added, “Excuse my bad manners, I am Lances Praid.”

Lances was very tall and muscular. He made the girl feel safer and calmer just by being there. His handsome face and deep voice made him so famous among the ladies, and all the more respected by his fellow colleagues and friends. He was definitely fit in his position as a squad leader. Perhaps his fighting potential was huge, too.

Andrey still felt under pressure standing bellow their feet. A man sent by the king to escort an extremely rich person to a given location just got in a fist-fight with a… rich man. Oh no! he panicked as he realized that this very man might have been his target to escort. Am I gonna become a chased criminal now? I sure hope the girl’s lie will workout and I will be able to just go out as free from this bakery as I went in. He thought to himself.

“I will give you two options. One is to come with me and stay under protection for a short period of time, just for your safety. And the other o-” Lances spoke as the girl intercepted him.

“No-no-no-no! Please, I just want to get to work!” the girl cleared out her tears as she got on her feet. 

“But - “ 

“No need to worry about me! I just really have to get to work! I will lose clients and money if anyone finds out about this commotion!” the girl demanded.

“I guess you have a point here. But please, be careful! I will have somebody patrol around for a while just to make sure that everything’s alright. It’s the least I can do!” the tall man demanded with a worried voice.

“That much is okay! Thank you! “ the girl bowed in gratitude.

“What’s your name?” Lances asked just before walking out the door.

“Yunie!” the girl replied joyfully.

“Yunie what?” 

“Yunie Young!” she replied as she pointed up with her hand.

Lances didn’t understand what she pointed at, but smiled and walked out. The two big guys were long gone by then as the other guards carried them out while this sweet conversation happened.

The great guard already had walked some distance but turned around just to check in on the place one more time. Furthermore, he finally understood what she pointed at. Above the bakery entrance was a big red signboard with white letters saying “The Young Bakery”. He smiled and clenched his thumb wishing her luck with the business.

Now that everybody had disappeared and a few minutes had passed, Yunie invited Andrey to get back up from the storage-place. “Come out, it’s clear now!” she said in a normal voice. Actually it wasn’t really that normal as she had a very high pitched voice and sounded as though she’s always happy.

The black-dressed boy came out and explored his surroundings with a quick look around. He was covered in flour and tried knocking it off-him. “I guess I turned from black to white.” the boy joked. 

Yunie laughed a bit and assisted in knocking off the flour from him. “I’m really thankful!” she said in a cheerful voice. 

He stopped moving and looked her straight in the eyes. “Are you really okay?”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

“This is not the first time?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Does this business really sell?”

“Yes. It’s true that I had a harsh few first months, but it finally started paying back to me!”

“Maybe he was discouraged that you lied about the money. This still doesn’t give him right to act that way!” he clenched his fist.

“...Thank you once more for protecting me!” the girl bowed in gratitude. 

Andrey said nothing and just explored her looks. She was obviously from a distant land. Her face features differed from the other people around. She had straight long pure black hair. She had a small body. Shorter than Andrey, but not by much. 

“Do you by chance know Earth?” he asked.

“Where did this come from? I don’t do agriculture, I am only good at baking, honestly…”

“I…” Andrey said as he eye-rolled her again. 

“Are YOU feeling okay?” she asked in concern with slight confusion.

“I just thought you might be from lands I know. Where are you from?” Andrey lowered his head in slight disappointment.

“I am from Yumevil, and you?” the girl asked in a happy voice.

Andrey looked at her eyes and went to his bag and took out the map. A few seconds of silence filled the place as he sat down and rummaged through his back causing an unnatural amount of noise for such a small bag. “Tsk. Where is it?” Andrey mumbled under his nose.

Finally, he took out the map from a book he had hit it in. It was better this way as it won’t look like scrap paper when he looked at it next time. 

She sat down next to him as he was looking at the map from top-down searching for Yumevil. 

She looked at how fast his eyes were moving in search of the place and just put a gentle hand on his shoulder next to Dea. Dea quickly moved her head in surprise. The girl looked at Andrey’s face as their eyes met. Then she looked at the map and pointed somewhere near the middle of the map and said “Here, silly.”

It was right underneath The Wild Deserts Of Wartair. 

“How did you come from all the way there?” Andrey was surprised when he saw the great distance.

“This is the capital. I was sent by my family here to find a better life. They didn’t want me to be just another girl who does agriculture…” a few seconds pause and she confessed, “As they saw I’m really bad at it.”

“But you are good at baking, right?” Andrey laughed shortly.

“I guess I am!” she replied with a happy face and asked again “You didn’t tell me where you’re from.”

Andrey looked at her beautiful black eyes and thought for a second. He didn’t really know what to reply, but he took a moment to close his eyes in an attempt to see the right answer. Instead, he saw the clock. It was 06:30. He was late.

“I’m sorry! Please stay safe I have to go!” He quickly put the map back into his bag, tied it, and rushed out of the bakery.

“But, tell me your name!” she yelled

“Andrey Makiya!” he yelled back as he ran out the door.

Crap! I’m late. It’s time to find out the truth. Either I’m in trouble, or I’m in big trouble. The first case is that I’m just simply late. But if it’s the second case… I beat up the businessman I am supposed to protect!

Andrey could see the huge Shrine but there were lots of people and he couldn’t see if there’s anybody standing in front of the entrance.

He gently pushed people in the crowd and apologized all the time.

The moment of truth had come. As he was running through the crowd he finally saw the entrance to the Shrine and the person standing in front of it put him in shock...