BATTLE OR ALIVE
Chapter 35: Home

Far away from the eye, there is only one color that can be seen, everything becomes white.

The empty space that no one was in with him should give him a fear of being alone and lonely.

But here he felt something different. This was a long-lost thing from within his heart, a sense of calmness and parting.

Walking down the white space, just suddenly without receiving a warning his small body suddenly collided with something.

The child who hit him then slowed his run and looked at him.

Stretching out their hands, the two children who hit him gave him some help.

The boy and girl, then smiled widely. Getting a smile like that certainly makes him also smile back at the two.

In him, the two children were like no strangers in his memory, they seemed to have met before.

The two children who clasped both hands while smiling and never once made a sound, and invited him to chat.

Suddenly stopping after running, the two children turned their eyes and looked at him directly and said.

““Why don't you just die?””

The empty room, which is only decorated with white everywhere, now has a less pleasant atmosphere.

He who was alone in the room saw his hands, and he walked down the white room again.

On the white trip, suddenly seen at the end of his view was a door that stood upright and not mounted on any wall, like the door was just left standing there.

Opening it, the room next door changed. The white room has now become a village. A bustling and beautiful village, a friendly and prosperous village.

Down the village road, the atmosphere is changing, now more and more in the village the more fire is seen.

It's not hot here, it's like he's just walking on a projection of an image. He could not be seen by the villagers and so was touched. He was like a curious ghost that was floating about.

The flames were burning the village, many people were dead. Not only adults, parents, and even children also burned and died crushed by the debris of the building.

He did not feel sad, nor had the feeling in his heart to help them. He could only see them one by one dying before him.

The fire grew bigger and had devoured the whole village, and now he was in a beautiful field of grass.

In his heart it was like saying that this feeling was the thing he had wanted all along.

Walking through the grass, right in front of him stood two people who were behind him. The two people looked familiar, in his heart pain and regret appeared.

His chest was tight, the feeling of longing in his heart could not be contained anymore. It was as if at this moment was something he could not feel with others.

Running towards the two, fatigue filled him, but the feeling in his heart was much stronger than that.

The two people were right standing in front of him, they did not respond at all to his existence. Intending to call out to the two, the two men suddenly turned their heads and said.

“This is all your fault.”

And disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The words just now were different from those said by the two mysterious children earlier, the feeling that was in the sentence was not something meaningless.

His eyes were wide open, tears coming out from the end of his eyes and wetting his cheeks. The tears that come out are not about loneliness or the pain of pain, but these are tears of regret.

In his mind is now filled with some parts of his memory that are shown back in pieces of film with a duration of 1 second, filled his head.

Village, peace, hate, fire, death, death, death.

***

At night in the forest, Jell and Mai were currently inside a small tent they had prepared to camp in the middle of the road.

Lying on a pedestal, Emma's weak and small body had been unconscious for 2 hours.

“Actually what happened to him.”

Mai gently asked the reason for Emma's current condition, she also stroked her head to provide comfort in her lap.

Jell put on a sour face when she saw Emma lying helpless, she felt a little regret as she hesitated to attack the two children. Most likely they know something about Emma.

Get out of the tent and sit on one of the woods. Jell sat down with a difficult face, in her mind, whether bringing Emma here was the right thing. Such a question filled his head.

From the edge of darkness, Omunru comes near to Jell's place.

From Rin's explanation, Omunru is no ordinary train driver. He used to be a knight who was good at riding horses.

And his talent in the Jousting tournament, even he was able to defeat the kstaria commander easily.

Jell and Omunru had a little chat, and before long Mai came out of the tent and sat down beside Jell.

“For today I think that's all that happens, so I'll let you know first.”

“Ah, rest. Tomorrow we will continue the journey.”

“I understand.”

Out of the two, Omunru returned to his tent near their tent.

“How is the condition?”

“He is fine. He's just a little feverish, but it's okay. Tomorrow it will be healed.”

The conversation ended, the two just sat side by side, and of course like Mai could lean her head against Jell's shoulder.

They have not lived in this world for so long, but even so they are always involved with endless problems.

And one thing that also bothers him is this one question, “There are how many enemies they have to face.”.

Seeing Jell's gloomy face, Mai used her head to directly hit Jell. Jell fell off the seat and of course she was shocked by what Mai was doing.

“Damn, you, what are you doing.”

“Increasing Mu?”

While taking his balance back, Jell was angry about his actions and did not accept that unreasonable excuse.

At the moment Jell's mood is not good, so he wants Mai not to bother him first. But the person he was asked to help was the wrong person, this was Mai, the one who would not follow the orders of others.

Jell shook her head and sighed.

Mai looked at him with a wide smile, she wanted to comfort Jell, and that was all that mattered.

To become a King, solving the problems of the state and personal problems is not easy. He had to think between those two different sides.

For him to be King was something he had never imagined before, for his 17-year-old self, this was something that could be said to be impossible.

But he can occupy the position of King with his own strength, and that is not a lie.

He was always thinking about a future that no one knew, but he was always trying to guess what was going to happen.

As of right now, Jell had never expected that her choice would be guidance at a time halfway like this.

But to continue to accept it, is the only way.

“Mai, have you ever thought of building something in Athera?”

“Hm? Why suddenly?”

“No, I was just thinking of building something in Athera.

You know, we're leaders, you know. So we have to do things like a leader does.”

“Corruption?”

Using her finger, she poked Mai's cheek red and left behind pain and marks from her prick.

“Not that, stupid!.”

But instead of being angry with Jell's sudden attack, Mai laughed instead.

“Well, now you're excited again.”

“Asaan, you don't have to do that just to get me excited.”

“Then, will I kiss?”

Straight around her hand, Mai immediately brought her face closer to a dangerous distance.

She opened her soft lips slightly, it could be seen as she opened her lips there was a white thread, which made her look very seductive.

Closer to his face, the keyed Jell couldn't keep his face away. This is Mai's attack.

Ok, now this is overkill. Jell stood up and Mai's body leaned against her body, making Mai fall.

“Okay, what are you doing, bego!”

“I'm supposed to say it.”

The two who initially get along now look angry with each other, how else the two do often do this.

...

The next morning, the train is on its way.

Can be seen outside the window, now they have come out of the big forest and they are now in a field of grass again.

10 Minutes ago, though,

“Hm?”

Opening his eyes, in the tent on a beautiful morning. The big eyes that were closed last night now started to blink and opened their eyes.

“Emma! You're already aware.”

The voice of a girl who worries about her. Mai when she found out Emma who had awakened, immediately hugged her and drowned her two mountains.

“Ha... Ha, Brother... Me, can't-breathe.”.

Emma, feeling claustrophobic due to her sinking head, tries to let go with the power she has.

“Ara~”

Somehow he could let go of his head.

Emma still felt a little dizzy as she came to her senses, but the thing she noticed the most was a slightly different scene from her last memory.

“This, we've arrived?”

Shaking her head, Mai explained to her how she had suddenly fainted and had been sleeping for hours.

“Kak Jell where?”

“Ah, she is outside.”

Greeting Jell and telling her about the condition that was already fine, Jell felt calm when she heard it.

But as expected of a Siscon, he told everyone to postpone the trip and wait for Emma to fully recover.

“No need to worry about it, I'm fine.”

“True, you don't need to force yourself, loh.”

“(Shaking my head) I'm fine.”

Looking at Emma who did not seem to be forcing herself, Jell also had no reason to keep waiting. And they continue their journey.

It was about 30 minutes after walking from their camp, and Emma was seen showing some interesting reactions.

“(Endus-endus) This smell, I know this smell.”

“Oh, do you know the smell? As expected.”

“This smell, Brother Jell, what is possible.”

“Nn, banar.”

The train stopped, they stopped in front of a forest. The forest is not very high, but it is dark here to see.

Omunru stopped and said that the road ahead could not be passed by train.

He said the rest could only be done on foot.

“We will enter, Omunru you stay here and if we do not go home for a long time, then you must be fined here.

I'll make sure first things, and if possible I'll call you.”

Jell with a long explanation of what he should do. Omunru certainly did not like it, she refused to wait here and let Jell go to check things out.

But Jell said not to worry, with a determined smile she convinced Omunru.

On the other hand, Emma somehow felt joy in her heart, she was seen smiling widely and jumping up and down. He was that happy, what Jell thought.

Entering the forest, like she was no stranger to this place, Emma ran in front of the two of them.

“Very excited, yes. He just woke up.”

“You are his mother..”.

Emma while waving her hands calling the two to catch up with her, Jell and Mai also started walking to get into the forest.

No need to wait long, just 5 minutes walking straight they had already arrived at a vast plain.

The trees did not grow in the area, not even the grass did not touch this empty land area.

And just walking a little, they finally found a village.

There is a long wood that is used as a fence. And also do not forget, a gate into the village.

“What the fuck with this design. Spooky.”

In Jell's head while looking at the village gate decorated with various animal skulls.

Entering the village, they walked and met one of the people who was farming in a yard.

It seemed like the person was aware of their existence and turned his head, but before they spoke, the person with a shocked and incredulous face shouted.

“Emma!”

“Ah, grandpa!”

Shouting Emma's name, Emma also replied in a happy tone to the old man.

He who was busy doing his job, forgot about it and in a hurry to meet Emma.

Falling down and holding onto both shoulders of Emma, the man cried. While crying, she doesn't believe that she will ever see Emma again.

With his voice that did not look like his age, the old man who was about 70 years old, shouted like a 20-year-old.

“Emma is home!”

((!!!))

His voice echoed throughout the village, Jell and Mai who saw it could only gape.

Hearing the old man's voice, suddenly the entire village became noisier. Sounds like falling goods and broken goods can not be worried anymore, at this time they all come and see Emma's return.

“That's Emma.”

“He really is Emma, he's home!”

“Mana, where's Emma!”

Each of them shouted different questions, but their questions focused on one person only, Emma had gone home.

Everyone gathered around him and they were very happy about his return. Even the whereabouts of Jell and Mai could not be felt.

Those who are very happy, tell Emma to come in and they will celebrate her return party. And leave Jell and Emma on both streets.

“You two, did you bring Emma here?”

“Iya.”

“Ooh, come in son, you two should also join.”

Nodding her head, Jell and Mai entered their village.

In this village is not too different from most villages, it's just that here has a very strange atmosphere.

This village was like a dead village, but everyone who stayed looked very healthy. It's like the village of Manyur, but the people here are much more alive.

(Eh, that's right. The fate of the village is how, yes. I never got a message or a task about the village.

Don't tell me they're gone? Was I just overdoing it, huh?)

In his head, Jell felt a little regret for his actions while completing the quest in Manyur village.

(But this was really never felt before, a village that was not inhabited by the human race, but the demon race.)

Jell while thinking that, she researched the village well.

They stopped at a house, a house that looked like many people had prepared a lot of tables and had started cooking.

The parents who guided them told them to enter, inside them towards the living room which was quite spacious.

Emma sat there and was surrounded by many people.

But for the child at her age, Emma asked the most important person in her life.

With her innocent face Emma asked everyone.

“Anu, Mom. Where are mom and dad? I don't see them here.”

Everyone's gazes instantly changed, they turned their faces away and did not show it to Emma.

But the old man who brought them here told Emma to go out of the village first, arguing that she had not seen her friends for a long time.

An innocent Emma came out and walked in the village, accompanied by the horde of people.

Looking from afar, Jell approached the old man, and just as he already knew what Jell wanted to ask him, the old man asked them to go somewhere.

They went not too far from Emma's house, and they entered a garden. Not an ordinary tamam, it was a graveyard garden.

Heading into one of the many graves, they stopped in front of two graves that looked more conspicuous than the other graves.

“This..?”

Jell asked while reading the name on the tombstone, and it was written there “Emiki Eliana” and beside it “Mikka Eliana” .

“They were gone about 5 months ago.

At the time, they were worried about Emma not coming home for days, and they were both found in a state of insecurity.

But, a miracle has happened. Six months after he disappeared. And now he's home. I'm really grateful.”

The old man told me a little about the death of Emma's parents,

[It happened about six months ago, that's just when Emma was reported missing all night.

It made everyone panic and they searched for it for days, and the results were nil.

Emma is nowhere to be found and her parents decide to search the village.

But with the rules binding this village, they could not do that.

But their worries could not be contained anymore, they were desperate to get out of the village when everyone had fallen asleep.

Their departure shocked everyone, but they also had no other way to catch up to the two people.

And a few days had passed after their departure, a few months after their departure, and finally they had news that they had been found lifeless.]

“But there is something strange about that news.”

“Any?”

Jell was interested in what the old man said and asked what he said was strange.

“They say that their carcasses have long since decayed, and it is said they were actually dead about five months ago.”

Their eyes were wide open hearing the word, Jell and Mai who were just standing there also could not believe what he meant by, had long since died.

But if indeed they had been dead six months ago, so this must have been expected.

In other words, was it planned?

In his head Jell twisted all the information that existed, the cause of death, motives, and reasons. But for him who was only limited with information that was not so detailed from the story earlier he could not find any answers.

The old man got up and turned to look at Jell and Mai, and he introduced himself.

“My name is Sasaru Eliana. I'm the grandfather of the little girl you guys helped.”

“My name is Jell Kiyomizu, and this girl is Mai Ogawa.”

The old man after hearing the names of Jell and Mai he was immediately pensive, he was like a stranger to their names.

“Jell...? Don't tell me, you are the noble Jell Kiyomizu, the new King of the kingdom of Athera?”

The instant he learned of Jell's true identity, made this old man a little surprised. It was obvious, if his grandson was saved by a King.

...

At night, the party atmosphere is very festive for a village that is not too big. If the total population in this village is about 60 people.

But if you look again, here in the village there is something very strange.

If this village does have good prosperity, the population should be balanced here. But it can be seen very clearly that the female population is less than the male population.

And again, the women here who are young are very few compared to young men.

And also, girls are also very few even compared to 1/5 if in total with boys.

“There is a strange here.”

Inside the room on the second floor of Emma's house, Jell and Mai are given an upper room where this room was once Emma's parents' room.

While looking at the party that was over from above, Jell said something and Mai also nodded her head.

“I also think so, the food here is not too good.”

Buk up!

One punch fell on her head, without warning with Jell's emotions hitting Mai's head hard leaving smoke in her head.

“What are you doing, stupid!”

“I'm being serious then answer also seriously, ok!”

“Ahh, whereas I was just kidding.”

Jell put on a difficult face while thinking about it, in her mind there was only one question, what was going on in this village.

And actually Mai also knew that but as usual she always wanted Jell not to worry too much about troublesome things.

Without realizing it all this time Mai always tried to make Jell not to multiply her thoughts about things she should not think about.

But for this time he felt agreed that the current matter should they interfere in it.

Geck! Geck! Geck!

The sound of their door being knocked, Jell and Mai upon hearing that immediately took their position, Jell with a position in front of the door and Mai was right next to the door.

But their attitude was too excessive just because of their bad situation, the voice of a little girl sounded while calling the names of the two of them.

“Sister Jell, Sister Mai. You guys still up?”

The voice that called out to her two dear brothers in a soft voice.

Opening her with a smile, Jell looked at Emma in her pink pajamas and not forgetting her sleeping cap, carrying a teddy bear and a pillow.

The figure of a sleeping fairy had appeared, what was in Jell's mind. A little blood came out of his nose.

“Eh, brother Jell you're nosebleed. You okay?”

“(Shaking his head) No, just seeing a fairy turns out like this.”

Emma when praised immediately made her face red, like she was about to explode, smoke emerged from her head.

“Emma, what is it?”

From a distance Mai with her face which was also nosebleed, asked her arrival.

“That, i. I want to sleep with you guys, can I?”

With her timid attitude to convey her feelings, Mai suddenly fainted and blood came out of her nose.

“Of course! Emma can ask him anytime, loh.”

“Nn, thank you.”

Hugging Jell with a strong hug, Jell could not help but stay sober.

The blood coming out of his nose was unwilling to stop, with his remaining strength he was trying to keep his consciousness.

((Emma is so cute!!) Both exploded in the heart.

Emma sleeps in the middle of the bed, before going to bed she always talks about things like she always does when she sleeps with one of them.

He told me what he was doing here, and his meetings with friends that he hadn't seen in a long time.

But from Emma's story, there is one thing from her words that makes Jell interested. It was about his two friends who were not in the village.

***