Chapter IV

Just as they are in town, the princess was forced to buy themselves new clothes to change into. They also bought bandanas to cover their faces so they can blend in but little did they know a pair of eyes recognizes Chris wherever he goes.

"Why do we have to go South?" The princess asked again while getting dragged by Chris like their horse. "Louie, I'm asking questions!"

"I forbid you to speak any more words, young lady."

"Stop calling me a young lady when you are only a month older than me! And I have a name, Louie! Elonia!"

This girl is annoying, Chris thought clicking his tongue and stopping to look back at the princess, written all over his face is how annoyed he is to be with her.

"I think you have forgotten that I hold your life now, princess," he reminded her, taking steps closer and now their faces are inches apart. "I am not Louie and I do not like a chatterbox coming along with me!"

"I didn't come along with you. You dragged me here!" she retorted, staring bravely at his eyes that he had to just look away, his jaw clenched. "You need me to be your map, don't you? I think you will not survive without me."

That made him scoff. Him? Won't be surviving without her help? It is so funny he sobbed, laughing ridiculously at Elonia who was glaring at him. When he calmed, he faced her again.

"I'm sorry to say this but I can survive on my own, honey. I can find a map here somewhere, kill some people to get that map to get the fuck out of this-- whatever you call this land!"

"Don't be so arrogant just cause you killed those bandits, Louie! There's more to know from this world, more kingdoms than you expect."

"I guess there is just more to kill, then."

Suddenly, Chris finds himself frozen that he is arguing comfortably with this princess. He is not supposed to be pleasant to anybody and so with a frown, he turned around and continue to drag Elonia with him. Even if she keeps whining, he doesn't care.

As they explore the town, Chris realizes that this is indeed a scene from movies he barely watches. A capital full of people, stalls selling potions, swords, foods, just anything even some beasts. There were knights with armor roaming but he was surprised that the princess doesn't even scream for help or try to get away from him. How lonely is a castle for her to be smiling like a lizard in this capital?

"Can we stop to get food? We've been traveling for hours and the ship is not here yet," she uttered.

"A ship? You didn't tell me we are crossing the waters."

"I thought it would be faster. That way we will get to Citrine quicker and we won't have to exhaustingly travel the land by days. Who knows what awaits us inside the forest."

Now she's thinking like that when earlier she just randomly run away with a coachman from the castle just to get some air. I swear I am going to kill that bastard who got me into this mess, he thought, but before that, he has to see a dragon first.

While they eat at a local eatery, Chris could not help but stare at whatever the shit was on his clay bowl. Their food looked disgusting and he doubts it was damn edible. When he glanced at the princess, she was closing her eyes, shaking her head lightly from side to side. Is it really that good?

With a frown, he took his spoon and mixed whatever was in the bowl. It shouldn't be that bad since Elonia seemed to enjoy it or maybe she has bad taste in food or maybe he is judging too much. And so he tasted it and his eyes widened. It didn't taste as bad as it looks, it's edible at least.

"That is your favorite food that your mother cooks mostly for you," Elonia told him. He glances at her and she was smiling from the way the corner of her eyes crinkled.

"Why do you know me so well?" he asked.

"We need to do something about your stolen memory."

"I don't need those memories," he muttered, his eyes lifelessly staring. "Why do you know me?"

Elonia shifted her gaze down and back to him, she gulped before even speaking. "Your mother used to work as a maid at the castle. We had become friends when you lost your way to the garden. We grew up being friends, a secret friendship we created."

Secret friends? That sounded ridiculous to Chris. Why would someone like this boy be agreeing to something like that? But of course, Chris knows he just thinks differently from anyone. Knowing he lived almost all his life alone and training himself to become merciless was merciless itself.

"Where is that mother you talk of? Is she still alive somehow?" He didn't want to ask but it just came out of his mouth naturally.

"Your mother allegedly stole from my grandmother's jewelry chamber. They had to punish her and they punished her in front of your eyes. I apologize I could not do anything for you that--"

"So much to call yourself my friend, huh?" he snapped, displaying an evil smirk. So even in this world, the rich stay doing whatever they want to do. How sad. But where could his mother be now? Not that he sympathizes with this boy, he is just somehow curious about it.

"When you said let's escape again, what the hell was that about?"

From the way Elonia froze for a moment, Chris knows there seemed to be a lot deeper history between her and this Louie. That kind of friendship seems like it doesn't stay as just friendships for long. But before she answers, he raised his hand stopping her.

"Isn't it too long enough for the ship?"

"Well, if you are done eating we can head to the port."

Chris stuffed another spoonful in his mouth before standing up. He went to get the horse and they went to the port. It was a good thing that ship was already there and a good thing that the princess has brought money with her. But they have extra though, the ones he took from the bandits.

Their horse is taken by a crew from the ship and they boarded. Chris is never fond of riding a ship and he gets seasick.

"Here," Elonia handed him a bottle of green liquid that made him screw up his face. "For your sickness."

It made him frown. Even his seasickness she knows. But when he realized it, his eyes widened. Is it a coincidence that Louie and him are somewhat alike but one thing is for sure, this kid has a soft heart.

He snatched the bottle from the Princess and drank it. It didn't taste good but it was bearable. Just some moments after, the nausea feeling he felt vanished.

When he felt better, the sea suddenly caught his eye and he went to the side to gaze at the horizon. In his world, he never gets to enjoy cruising but now he can look at the vast ocean calmly and without worry.

"It is nice to gaze at the ocean but when it calls you, don't get too near, young boy!"

Chris glances at his side and saw an old man with a staff, his long beard was braided and his eyes are in a deep void. Terrifying yet it suits him.

"I'm not as young as you think, old man."

Surprisingly, the old man brought his face closer to him, which made Chris' forehead crease, leaning backward, cringing over the old man's wrinkled face. The old man moved away, touching his braided white beard.

"I see," he muttered, raising a finger up. "You are from a world called Earth, aren't you, my boy?"

Chris' ice blue eyes widened and like how the ocean sparkled, his eyes reflected and this makes the old man laugh at him.

"How do you know that? And a world called Earth?"

"You have a talent. If you are from that world, you will be in a younger state coming to this world. That happens since people from here live longer than those of Earth," the old man said, showing a smile that displays his broken tarted teeth. "I was once from there. I was confused the first time I got here but I lived by. At first, I looked for a key to come home but I've grown to love it here."

"Did you find a lead on how to go back? I don't want to be stuck in this ancient time. I want to go taste my damn Sake, rule the world!"

"My boy," the old man released a chortle, gazing at the sea again, "Going back is only for the brave. I heard of gems that you can gather and they serve as keys but that's how far I went. I don't even know what kind of gems they are!"

But Chris is dying to go back to Earth and kill that caller. He wants to fucking put a bullet in that man's head. He's the reason why he is in this strange world.

"What was the last time you remember on Earth before slipping here, old man?"

"Eto..." the old man scratched a corner of his head, squinting his eyes. "Ah! It was when I was getting hit by a truck. I was on the brink of danger!"

Chris was also in danger then! Could it be that he is fucking dead in the other world? Could this be redemption? A wildcard to repeat his life again and not make the same mistake as drinking that damn Sake? His feature suddenly contorted.

"Tell me more about these gems, old man."