Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Familiar of Mine (Part 2)

Anne is staring at the kitten, who’s busy rubbing his white and fluffy fur to her feet. She believed this was the thing that kept touching her feet on the carriage. She lowers her body and rubs the demon kitten’s neck.

“So, it was you? You tried to get my attention.” Said Anne to the demon kitten.

The kitten gives her a soft meow and begins licking her nose. Anne got tickled, while Horden look at the scene from beside her.

“Kiddo, you need to help me bury the mother of your kitten.”

Anne turns her head to Horden. “You call me kiddo? Hmm... I like it. So, what can I do?”

“Do you have anything that could dissolve a body, you know, like a strong liquid?”

Horrified by Horden’s question, Anne even tried to close the demon kitten’s ears. “What? that is horrible! You know he can hear us!”

.....

Horden rolled his eyes. “He is a kitten. He couldn’t even speak our language at his age right now. So, did you have the liquid or not?”

“I have, but in tiny doses, even though I have it, I will not use it on her.”

“Kiddo, the demon cat killed the driver.”

“I know... but at least we can do something, rather than just let her decay.”

Horden let out a sigh, and smile at Anne, “You’re right, then how about this? We could dig the ground near the body, and together we can roll her to the hole.”

Before he digs the ground, Anne was still looking around the bushes and examining the surrounding area.

“Anne, need help, here.”

“Wait, Sir, stop, you don’t need to dig the ground!”

“What?”

Anne then pull his hand and took him to the bushes behind the demon cat’s dead body. She pointed to the vegetation that spread all over the bushes. The leaves have the distinctive color of red with green speckles.

“The Redonian plants, it’s a type of plant that spread around. This one could spread into anything as colossal as the demon cat within forty-eight hours.”

“So... you want the plant to spread all over the demon cat’s dead body? The composing dead body as big as this will take weeks to dissolve, the other monsters will smell the odor,” Horden looks distressed, while he looks at the redonian plant, “No, it will be more dangerous to take this road.”

“Well, it will be fine. Redonian plant is a plant that we used to eliminate a dead tissue on a major wound. The plant is carrion, their main diet is a carcass.” Said Anne, while grinning ear to ear.

“Wow! You learn something new every day.”

“Help me put some vines into the demon cat, and let nature take its course.”

They work hard to put the redonian on top of the demon cat’s dead body. Afterward, Panthera came back with a set of soldiers, ready to escort Horden and Anne to the Ventopi town.

“You could ride a horse, kiddo?” Asked Horden to Anne.

“Oh yes, there was a farm near my house. The neighbor let me ride their horse, sometimes.”

“Good, you could ride one of the carriage horses. These two soldiers will escort you to Ventopi town.”

Anne look surprised at him. “Wait, you’re not going with me?”

“I need to stay, need to report to the captain. Besides, you don’t want them to destroy the grave of your kitten’s mother.”

Horden could see a sad expression on her face. He rustled Anne’s hair and smile at her. “This isn’t a goodbye forever, kiddo. You will see me in the capital.”

“Promise?”

“Yes,” Horden take one of Anne’s hands and handed her the pin with a miniature crystal blade, Horden’s weapon, “I want to give you this. You’ve earned it, for your bravery today.”

She caressed the pin with her finger. “So beautiful, I can’t take this. It’s your precious weapon.”

“I have so many weapons. Besides, you can use this crystal blade as protection next time.”

“Thank you, I will treasure it.” Anne smiled at Horden, while the old man gave her a warm embrace.

She took off with the demon kitten sleeping inside a basket, with two soldiers beside her. She continued the journey to Ventopi town to take another carriage to the capital.

Arriving safely at the Ventopi town, the soldiers suggest she take a rest. Dawn will come soon, the moon already peeks beyond the sky. She agreed to take a rest in one of the inns.

“Sir Horden told us you’re the civilian who is going to take the civil exams, right?” One soldier asked Anne before he handed her belongings.

“Err... yes, the exams are in three weeks, but I need to settle fast at my dorm.”

“Dorm? Oh wow, you got a silver pass?!”

Anne smiling awkwardly at the soldier, “Yes... uhm... I do.”

“Then why don’t you say so? The silver pass recipient have their privilege, including a carriage ride and also a free pass to all the inn.”

Gasped at the soldier, Anne screamed as her reply, “Wait, what?! I can do that?!”

“Yes, let me take you to the inn, and then we are going to arrange your transportation for tomorrow.”

“Thank you so much, officers, but it might be a hassle for you two.”

“No, it will be my honor, miss. Retired commander Horden is our hero, and he told us directly to take excellent care of you.”

Another information for Anne, she never realized that Horden was a retired commander of the Valorian soldier. She knew he was a gentleman, but never thought that he was a leader of a massive army.

The soldiers took Anne to one of the most luxurious inns that she has ever seen. She was so grateful to the kind soldiers, she even gave them the anti-inflammatory cream for any slight wound. Anne wave them goodbye, while the two of them ride back to their post. She got a good night’s sleep that night, while the kitten purring on her chest.

The next day, her personal carriage has arrived to take her to the kingdom’s capital. Another two-day trip, with a hybrid demon kitten beside her, makes the journey less tiring than it should be. Thankfully, this time, there is no mischievous dark road and fewer hurdles than before. Anne arrived at the capital, a bit tired, but safe and sound. She said her thanks to her carriage driver, and walk inside the capital.

Looking around the marketplace, a shopping district, and far inside, she finally sees the palace where the empress and her confidants lived. She took a long paused when the palace view fully in front of her, her mind got back at seven years ago. A forty-year-old woman took a fairytale book from the library with a picture of a palace. The palace that look exactly the same as the Valorian kingdom palace.