Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 22: Einerseits Obst 4 of 4 (Part 02)

Although the sun was still covered in gray sky clouds, time clearly showed daylight with a bright radiance that illuminated the land. Among the trees of the Pando Forest, stood a tent nearby parked a Drake and the train and cart he pulled. Around the place was seen the firewood of the former campfire, several boxes full of Magic Crystals that were still covered in blood and there were also armor and weapons that were held just about anywhere on the surface of the snow.

The white snow started to fall back after last night stopped. Amidst the falling snowflakes, a silvery-haired Demi-human sits on a wooden chair near a former campfire, the girl being Julia. Putting on a dark and anxious face, He looked down at the condition of his Master who had not returned after being separated due to the attacks of the monsters.

The sense of responsibility mixed with anxiety made the girl look lifeless, even her normally glowing eyes excitedly began to look dark and unkempt. She knew that staying silent would not change anything, but that was all Julia could do, waiting for Odo to come back and wishing the boy well.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, the silvery-haired girl glanced over and saw Gariadin and Minda return after collecting Magic Crystals from the corpses of the monsters. The two of them dragged the sled over which were three wooden cities full of Magic Crystals that were still dirty from bloodstains.

Gariadin removed the fiber rope in a grip connected to a retractable sled. Walking towards Julia, the dark black-haired man stood before her. “Sorry, Sister Julia. Young Master did not meet .... Although he had been looking for it while collecting Crystals to get into the deepest part of the forest, he still did not exist,” said Gariadin. Hearing that, Julia slightly turned her gaze away from him and looked increasingly limp, as if not eager to live and very resigned.

Not much different from Julia, anxiety in Gariadin and Mind also exists. It was not as bad as the Demi-human girl, but indeed as someone who got the name Shieal, they felt guilty for not being able to protect Odo.

Mind walked over while dragging the sled and placed it near Drake. Walking towards Julia and Gariadin, the long black-haired woman sat on an elongated wooden chair with Julia and joined in putting on a gloomy face full of mind burden. Gariadin remained standing, the man who was now not wearing his combat gear looked up and sighed heavily.

Not long after, Imania and Xua Lin came after collecting Magic Crystals, just like what Gariadin and Minda had done. Dragging the sled over which was only two wooden boxes filled with Magic Crystals, they put on a more grim facial expression than the two people who returned first. Feeling that there was something strange about them, Minda and Gariadin were curious and turned their heads. Instantly the two men were surprised by what Imania held.

“What ... did you guys find Young Master?” julia asked without turning her head towards Imania and Xua Lin. The two women in waiter uniforms stopped their feet and removed the fiber rope used to drag the sled. The faces of the two people who came were pale and filled with fear to answer the question that came out of the Chief Servant.

“Why silence sa―” July turn. When he saw the blood-soaked tattered shirt that Imania had brought with her right hand, the Demi-human girl's mind instantly fell apart. He knows who the shirt belongs to, and that's bad news because the owner hasn't returned yet.

Julia immediately woke up, staring with her eyes wide open and seemed not to want to believe what came to mind. “D-Where did you find it? W-Why can it ...” The question was answered with fear. Immediately walking towards Imania and taking the shirt from her, Julia made sure that it really belonged to Odo.

His face quickly became depressed. Kneeling and sitting limp while hugging the blood-soaked tattered shirt, he curled up and began to shed tears. He knew that the Pando Forest was not a friendly place to let a little boy live wandering around alone, even though it was a figure as strong as Odo. In the sobs that filled the place, the Shieal just fell silent without being able to give words to ease Julia's grief.

A cold wind blew, making Julia's heart even more hurt and adding to her frustration. The sadness was most felt by him because he was the closest to Odo compared to the Shieal. Just like an older sister who lost her sister, the silvery-haired girl cried incessantly in silence. A voiceless scream came out from him, tears streaming down and curled up while hugging the blood-soaked shirt.

But, in the middle of the atmosphere, suddenly an air of existence that is not foreign to everyone feels strongly approaching. Julia knew who it was. Immediately raising her face and trying to hope at that, the silvery-haired girl immediately got up and looked towards the west. Like Julia, the Shieals looked in the direction of the rapidly approaching strong presence.

A flash of lightning struck not far from their place, making an explosion that vaporized the snow and scattered the ground into the air. From behind the smoke that began to disappear after the loud strike, began to appear the figure of a black-haired child who stood casually while putting both hands into the pocket of his pants. He was wearing black underpants and a short-sleeved white shirt.

“Yo, long wait, yes?”

Everyone put on a confused face hearing questions that seemed to make their anxiety and sadness free. Smiling small and starting to walk over, the black-haired boy jumped up and down cheerfully. Julia immediately sat back down weakly when she saw the black-haired child.

Standing in front of Julia, the black-haired boy put on a cheerful face while saying, “Why cry, Sister Julia?” It made Julia very relieved, able to hear her voice and see the face full of smiles of the child.

Immediately approaching Odo, Julia immediately hugged the black-haired child. “O-Odo ...!! Lord Odo!” He cried again, hugging tightly the figure he thought was gone. Odo just fell silent to get the hug, without hugging back or saying anything to convince Julia that she was okay.

The Shieal who saw the boy return with a condition without any cuts or scratches was completely shocked. They had not expected that after seeing the battle marks and corpses strewn all the way as they collected Magic Crystals, the black-haired child actually did not get any injuries at all.

“It's okay, Ms Julia .... I'm doing fine. Sorry to make Ms. Julia worry like that.”

The words that came out from Odo added made Julia cry out loudly, releasing all the chaotic spinning feelings in her mind. He hugged tightly with his two limp hands, as if he did not want to let go of Odo no matter what.

Seeing that, the Shieal also started to feel relieved and their tension made the limp start to master. Taking a deep breath, the Shieals except Julia looked up and exhaled while releasing the anxiety in their minds.

On that day, the Shieal learned a thing that made their sense of pride re-imagined. They were neither strong nor highly competent, unlike what was thought to have been chosen to bear the name Shieal of the Luke Family. Their failure and even helped by Odo's actions that attracted the monsters to be scattered, made the Shieal understand that the power they had was very lacking to protect a small child entrusted by their Great Lord.

The cold wind again blew, carrying their anxiety away and disappearing in the vast sky. Together with the cold, the warmth that radiated from their relief began to get rid of it and make the spirit re-ignite even though it was not burning.

««»»

Along the mountain roads, a Drake is driven to pull a wooden carriage and a cart. The party that rode the noble transportation was none other than Odo and the Shieal. After packing all the equipment and rechecking the expedition quota that had been fulfilled, they rushed away from the Pando Forest to immediately return to the Mansion where they all lived.

Along the way, Odo was silent while looking out the window with bright eyes. The black-haired boy did not explain what really happened when he went to lure the monsters to be scattered so that they could be easily destroyed. There were indeed some questions in the minds of Julia and the others, but the guilt and self-inappropriation made them unable to ask.

Slightly glancing towards Julia, Minda, and Gariadin who were inside the carriage, Odo only smiled faintly and looked back out the window, enjoying the white view of the snow-covered Pando Forest. Enter into the eyes of the child, the, it can be clearly seen that he has seen a variety of things that are very extraordinary at the end of the year at the age of just nine years will be even next spring.

Fight monsters in the cave, kill giant snakes, save an orphan girl, get to know children her different age caste. In that case, Odo learned many things and knew that the world he lived in was not as simple as he thought, the world was full of complex problems that seemed endless.

Going on his own expedition to help his father and meet the Witch, Odo finds out that the problem is indeed very much and will probably be as big as a mountain in the near future. Politics, feuds of nobles, potential war, and other things that could make him break the rules in the self that had been set in the mind of the child. All of that will surely come to him and stab without Odo noticing, but that is no reason to frustrate or worry him.

The connection and the seed to build up his strength had already been spread out, he was left to raise it and harvest it in the near future. Smiling faintly, Odo recalled what Witch had told him about building a relationship and working together.

“Whose word am I alone and individualist? Monastery as if I did not understand how important cooperation is .... I'm human, of course I understand things like that. Even more than you, Lileian ..”

Stopping looking out the window, Odo leaned against the seat while smiling happily. Julia whose eye bags were still black from just crying looked at the child in confusion. Wanted to ask, but the sound stopped on the throat and was swallowed back. Glancing at the Demi-human sitting beside him, Odo sighed slightly when he knew Julia was still agitated.

Closer to Julia, Odo hugged her from the side and said, “Don't worry so keep dong, Ms. Julia.” The silvery-haired girl was surprised to suddenly get a hug. Putting on a restless face and his eyeballs spinning to the right and left, he was confused as to what to say and was mute.

Letting go of the hug, Odo looked at the girl he had been with since the baby. Looking back on Julia's face, the black-haired child realized that he had been worrying about Julia too often. “Don't frown, dong!” Odo lightly patted Julia's thigh and blinded her.

Slightly staring arrogantly as if he had found something interesting, the black-haired child slightly raised his head upwards and gave a thin look that looked evil. “If Ms. Julia still feels guilty, how about I just punish ya. Hmm, I legal what yes ...” Her sneaky smile looked like she was joking, but Julia could only take that seriously because of the guilt present, she said,

“Mbak Julia, from now on if you have to use the suffix ‘Nyaa’ like a cat, yes. Nyaa~ , that's deh.”

Julia and the Shieal who heard that were shocked, even Xua Lin and Imania who were sitting on the coachman's seat heard that with shocked faces. Slightly reluctant to comply, Julia tried to endure the embarrassment and did as Odo commanded.

“Alright, Tu-Tuan Odo ... Julia added a cat-like pose by raising both hands to chest height, moving both ears of her cat, and her long tail moved to the right and left festively.

The atmosphere became quiet as Julia posed like a female cat. Seeing him actually do that, Odo simply gave a flat look without comment. The child's face was slightly seen holding back a laugh, then turned away and began to look up.

“Ahahaha, it feels weird! Not fast! Is there a cat meowing like that?”

“A― Didn't Mr Odo ask!? Don't laugh, dong!”

“Pfff!!” Gariadin could not hold his bracelet. Followed by Mind, the two people were completely blown away. “Oi, you guys want me to burn, yes.” Julia immediately gave a sharp look towards the two people, and within seconds they fell silent trembling because it was a joke.

“Aha ha! Angry deh,” ledek Odo. The boy put on a cheerful face while pointing at Minda and Gariadin with his two index fingers.

Gariadin and Minda looked confused hearing such words. Odo looked back at Julia as he approached, then pulled the Demi-human side hair. When he found out something, he smiled lightly and sat back down.

“Hmmmm, it turns out that Mommy Julia's ears are only two yes, up there. Why can Julia's hearing can be so strong, huh?”

Odo put on a soft face, while occasionally looking at the two ears of Julia's cat who was moving furiously. Hearing that, Gariadin could not help but laugh back and was blown away.

“Me-Unfortunately Demi-human can have e-four ears huh .... “ Gariadin turned his face away and shut his mouth, holding an unstoppable laugh. Infected by the red-haired man, Minda who sat nearby laughed and actually laughed at the figure who became their Chairman in the ranks of the Shieal.

“Oho, you guys really want to bake apparently?” Julia stared hard at them. Closer to the face with a dark eye full of anger, He said, “After you go home just get ready.”

“Wah, it will be smoked meat, Kak Gariadin and Mbak Minda,” said Odo in a joking tone. His face looked cunning childishly arrogant, and his lips slightly widened to the cheeks.

“Whisper you, Young Master!”

“Akh, don't yell into my ears, Adin!”

Unconsciously, the words came out spontaneously. It didn't take long, the awkward atmosphere inside the carriage started to melt and change with their light laughter. Imania and Xua Lin who were listening to the crowded voices inside the carriage started to join in the festive atmosphere, exchanging words and joking around to dispel the chaotic feelings in the mind.

Without the Shieals realizing it, they are again saved by Odo, from something called guilt that can make their minds cloud and fall into ruin. The little chatter that was along the way home really saved them, gave them a new purpose, he said, and make their hearts learn of the course of their lives clearer after getting the meaning of life from the Swordsman and the Witch of Light.

In the minds of each Shieal, they recognize Odo is indeed very appropriate as the successor of the Luke Family. The black-haired child was not only physically strong, but he also had a power that could make the people around him comfortable, the Shieal was clearly aware of that. It was not a matter of speed anymore, but indeed Odo was the only figure who should be the successor to the Luke Family as an adult.

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Author's Note:

Arc 01 Finished ......