Chapter 106 - How Did You Learn To Drive?

"Why are you kind to me? Do you pity me?" Thalia asked without getting any food, showing a little crinkle on her face as if enduring some pain.

It must be minimal since Ellena didn't use her authority over her command. Thalia is experiencing some pain from the pact.

"I don't pity you. I want you to eat. Don't compare me to other owners. I do what I think is right and eat. No buts."

Thalia sighed secretly and took a bite of food to eat. Ellena raised her thumbs, pointing heavenward.

Is the thumbs-up present in this world?

Bwah. I just shook my head if that's so. It's not a big deal to be surprised. I thought that archaic had less body language. But it turned out that I was just stupid.

Never mind. From now on, I won't compare the modern world to this one as if it was an archaic era. It's basically a different world and matters like that are just the beginning.

After they ate, they continued their trip. It is a 5-day trip and just after leaving Phlabian, I think they just moved for about 30 kilometers already.

It's slow compared to what a standard movement for a vehicle should have. However, as I said, this isn't a modern world.

After a few hours on the venture, Ellena broke the silence between them. As the stomping of the horse can only be heard. It might have bored Ellena.

"Thalia, how did you learn to drive a carriage?" leaning her back, Ellena asked.

Thalia raised her eyebrow. "Didn't I already said it? I was from a family who practiced horseback riding." 

"No. I don't mean that. I want an informative explanation."

"Informative... Huh... I guess I was fond of horses when I was young." she said with a somewhat saddened expression.

However, Ellena was sure of asking her. I don't know the reason, but she's eager to know it.

Can't she notice that Thalia is bothered talking about it? 

It's not my problem anymore. Let her be. It's her way of socializing, I guess.

I just closed my eyes and listened to them talking. Thalia was still keeping her eyes on the rocky path.

"Really? Then how did you start to get fond of horses?" Ellena asked.

"It's because I always attend my father's leisure time with his friends. They always love to race and watching the fast movements of horses makes me want to ride it."

Ah... Hahaha... A typical kid.

"When I was six, I started mimicking my father's movement riding a horse, then when they saw it, they trained me and taught me everything I can grasp. But that's all before they discovered I hadn't activated my rune."

"I see... Sorry for asking. But I just want to know your past. It makes me feel closer to my companions if I know them, sorry for not being understanding." Ellena said in a somewhat apologetic tone.

That was her reason? I don't feel bad about it anyways. She's her master, so she'll be obligated to answer her questions. And as for Ellena wanting to know her past, I don't know how to say it.

Isn't she being thoughtful instead?

Well, if she knew her, she'd know how to act and what she should not do. That might hurt her feelings in the long run. It's better than being unthoughtful in the future.

"It's okay, Big Sister. I don't feel bad about it. I was just happy that there were people who were willing to listen to my stories. No one believed me when I was captured, and because of it, I just accepted my fate being a slave, even I don't become a sex slave."

"When did you become a slave?"

"I was 11 at that time."

Gukh!

I almost swallowed some invisible saliva. What did she just say? She was eleven, and now I thought that she was just a new slave.

I didn't think that 13 was too early for her to become a sex slave. Never mind it, it wasn't even good to put some age on it.

But it was just surprising. Her family... planned to sell her out as a sex slave when she was just 11?

What kind of parents were they?!

Argh... This feeling again. It's making me furious. 

Because of that, Ellena glanced at me with a worried look.

'You okay?' she asked through her mind.

"I'm okay. I was just reminded of how unreasonable humans can be." I responded.

Ellena nodded and continued talking with Thalia. It turned out that Thalia was just defenseless at that time, wanting to ask her parents what she had done. But being able to do less for them was so important to her parents that they tried to sell her because of it.

She doesn't know the whole reason, and it's not needed anyway. They are just rotten to the core. Despising humans as always. 

And when I think of it, isn't Thalia's ability too powerful? Even though she was just touching them, they coughed blood. And it's the equivalent of Ellena's lightning manipulation, but the reason her ability is not overpowered is that there's a limit to how much energy she can produce.

If she wants to keep producing more, she must reduce the energy output of every action she takes. It's something connected with her stamina. Ellena can produce electricity with a maximum of 2 Joules in the current.

And it's powerful enough to kill a human. I'm not joking.

But Ellena can just do it in one go, and she should wait for the cooldown to reset before she can do it again. 

Well, it's just that every time she adds more energy to her output, it becomes tiring for her, making her follow her cooldown.

That's why sometimes she's murmuring the name of the ability she's using to control it accordingly.

Sometime later, still continuing the journey, the sun rested and the moon swapped.

It's already night... Thus, they rested and made a camp to remain warm even though they were inside the carriage.

They had their dinner and were preparing to rest, and as usual, I was left as a lookout.

"Come here, sleep beside me," Ellena called Thalia.

"I understand," she replied.