Chapter 50 - The World We Live In

- A few days later - Mist Kingdom Year 4014

Lyn landed on the grass safely and let out a relieved sigh.

She somehow slipped out. Escaping Rhys isn't easy, at least with Pupillam she's been by her side long enough to find the weak spots in the girls guarding. Since she's always busy, there's a certain time in the day Pupillam would take a nap. Although Pupillam is a workaholic, she of all people understands that breaks are important and that working non-stop won't get you anywhere.

Rhys, though, is simply a bully. There was no chance of her being able to leave unless he somehow got called out, and even then he surrounded the door with a barrier which only left the window. It was risky due to the distance from the window to the ground, but it's not like she had much of a choice. Now that she's out, she should investigate what she saw recently. For sure that's who she thought it was, but why would that man be here now? Unlike the previous ball, this place detests his kind, how come he was here. She has to find out why.

But still, Lyn glanced up at the castle walls; she has to return before nightfall; otherwise, the others would get worried. They'd go crazy and send out a search party for her. There's another ball tonight too; she can't stay out for long.

"So you're sneaking out to go where?" someone murmurs in her ear.

"Eep," Lyn exclaimed at the close contact almost falling on the ground until that person reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards them... This person is strong; she won't be able to get out of this.

Before she could panic more, a soothing and familiar voice said, "Relax; it's just me, Princess Lyn."

At that, the comment Lyn turned around and spotted a man with ginger hair. It was one of her eldest brothers knights — a man named Kyou.

"Kyou!"

"Yo. So you're sneaking out because Rhys didn't force field the window? Or rather, the fact that you didn't die from that fall is amazing enough."

"Idiot. I used the rope you gave me."

"Yeah? It seems like it came in handy then. My present to the princess."

"When your master isn't around, you revert to your usually jerky personality," Lyn murmured. "Anyway, what brings you here?"

"For the same reason as you. I saw him too and was curious," Kyou trailed off and extended his hand out, "The guards will patrol the area now. But there's an underground passage we can use," he paused and suddenly leaned forward and brushed their foreheads with each other's, "You don't have a fever, do you?"

"It went down... But more importantly, you have no tac."

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"Nothing," Lyn gratefully accepted his hand and allowed him to lead her along.

...

They looked around all day and yet they couldn't find him at all. Well, she suspected as much, it won't be easy finding that guy and even when they find him. It's not like he will talk with them. In the end, she ends up leaning against the other side of a broken pillar. A destroyed due to all the infighting. She wondered what kind of place had been here before, "Don't make that face, we will get another chance. You free tomorrow?" Kyou asked.

"Aha, so the other chance is right around the corner, huh?" she laughed.

"Hm? Got a problem with it?"

"You know I don't."

But it has been a long time since the two of them have been like this.

"So? Has it changed," Kyou asked.

Despite him not mentioning any details, Lyn understood what he meant even without it.

"In this world, we live in. There is no room for weak feelings. Grown-ups won't care about our own opinions. They only care about the money or the business behind it. Only caring about what they will get out of it, they will dismiss other peoples emotions. We have to stay strong to fit in with the rest of society," Lyn said, "However even if this world is harsh and cruel. I still love this world we live in today. At a young age, I understood what I had to do. To make people happy and to get people to accept me. I had to keep on smiling and staying strong for everyone else's sakes. Even those with perfect lives like Mother and Father have hidden loneliness. Deep down, I could tell they were both lonely. I could tell straight away that there was an unbelievable amount of loneliness."

"And yet you did nothing. That's selfish of you," Kyou commented.

Lyn laughed. "Perhaps so,"

"But that's just like you as well. The reason why I'm working so close sly with the elites," Kyou said in a harsh tone. "I need your help."

Lyn blinked? Her help?

"Before that, how much do you remember from what I told you when we were younger?" Kyou questioned. She remembered everything. Of course, how could she forget?

She closed her eyes and opened them again. "You told me that the world is nothing but a tiny community."

"That's right. To me, this world is nothing but a tiny community since the world became like this and we all got our powers nothing has been the same since. Every day people are suffering out there because of these cursed powers. Do you know? Only a few places in the Empire accept those born with powers. In most other places you'll be shunned by the other villagers or called a monster," Kyou said.

"I know. I was fortunate enough that it didn't happen to me, but what about you?"

"I was fortunate because I had Prince Andrew to help me out," Kyou trailed off, "Not me. But most of my friends. To be exact, Araji Tanya is one."

Araji Tanya, huh? She heard the woman's name from her sister, Lethia bad mouthed her a great deal. Lyn briefly caught a glimpse of the girl before when she dropped by. "She's blind?"

"Yeah. She was born that way. Before she really couldn't see anything, and yet when she gained her powers, her visual field increased. Though she's still blind, she can see people with her eyes closed. She can still see them," Kyou explained, "It's confusing though. Some people think she is tricking them and is only pretending to be blind."

"Aura eyes?"

"You know of it?"

Lyn nodded, "Ah-huh," Kyou nodded, and Lyn let's out a relieved sigh, she's glad that he pried no further.

Silence descended upon them for a few minutes, and Lyn observed her surroundings again. This place is empty; there's nothing here at all. Just ruins, so there are places like this in the Mist Kingdom, huh?

"I've heard interesting rumors lately, but what I want to know is, do you still love Allen?"