And so, the next day, due to my desperate pleads to get into this division, I was standing in front of the Lieutenant. He indeed, had a set of sharp eyes.
"So... Is it Aefia Daphne then?"
"No. Just Aefia." I answered back anxiously.
"But the Countess said that your name was Daphne and you were a devil?" He folded his arms while looking at me suspiciously.
"Nevermind it. You figured it out already."
"So who is this Daphne?"
"I needed a new identity."
"What is wrong with being just Aefia?"
"I am known to be dead. So how do I explain it properly? Even Lewis knows that I am a devil using the original Aefia's body."
"And why did you not want him to find out about your real identity?"
"I don't want to go back to the palace."
"Ah! So you are a runaway princess who doesn't want to return! Now that is a fascinating case. But why do you need to act dead for running away?"
"I am not a princess! An adopted illegitimate child can't lawfully take the throne. The empress just didn't want to be associated to the throne for longer. So she planned on putting an outsider on the throne and then returning to being the duchess."
"Then why are you acting dead?"
"Because... I am actually dead but I have reawakened as an entity." I spoke while looking towards my wrist where the butterfly symbol rested. I gritted my teeth in anger for it. Since it was the reason my entire life changed to this mess. But I won't lie when I say that I am actually pretty glad I got a second chance, and I wanted to use this second chance to make my life better then the last.
"How did you die? Care to explain the full details?" He asked while pulling a chair to sit directly opposite to me. I was already seated from the time that I was separated from Elanor. Currently, I was inside his personal tent, being questioned about my full life details.
What next? Is he going to ask to see my biological parents and I would have to explain about my Earthian background?
"So... I took my life. Jumped from the bridge in Smod Island when the empress took me and Lewis on an event. And somehow, I found the height amazing and just... Hoped from the top to the bottom."
He silently listened while tapping his chin. "So how long ago has it been?"
"More than a month ago."
"That is long. Where have you been living?"
"In the forest. I had arrived here about two days ago." I answered honestly. Since this man here was very good at uncovering the truth in an instant, I couldn't even lie if I wanted to spare myself. I knew already just how much of a danger task I had taken when I said I wanted to join the millitary on a hunt to exterminate outraged and out of control patients.
"Hmm..."
Finally, he left me to rot in my own silence as I contemplated between running away again and dissapearing forever to the Guardian Realm. I smacked my forehead to punish myself from telling more people about my existence anymore. Enough of them around me knew about my 'alive' status then I had intended to.
"Alright. So you said that you had reawakened into an entity. What exactly did you mean by it?" He finally asked while leaning forward. It seemed that he was very much serious about my death and reawakening than me myself. I didn't even care about my own death anymore.
Regardless, I rolled up my sleeve and showed him the mark that was glowing with glittery outlines, and a bright red colour. He seemed to understand only half of it though, so I explained it further.
"I was granted another chance at life, in return to claiming a position by the Guardians to be the Guardian of the Land of the Dead. So I ended up as a free-roaming entity who is trying to save my nation from the external threats that constantly conquer it. By that I mean, protecting the Smod Empire from the Mides Kingdom, although that too is my territory."
His eyes widened when I explained about being the Guardian of Death, and he immediately stood up, then bowing his head slightly. "I didn't realize. I am sorry for my late greetings."
"I don't mind. I prefer that I keep my identity as the Guardian of Death hidden, since it would be like putting a gun directly towards my head when I let the others know about me." I answered irritatingly while scratching the back of my head and rolling down my sleeve. "And if I do join the military, then you would be my boss. So what is the point?"
Just when I lifted my gaze up—I found myself at gunpoint.
"If I am your boss, then why are you acting so childish? Stand up and greet me properly." He ordered with narrowed eyes.
I immediately pushed myself up in panic and placed a hand at my forehead, not even knowing how it was supposed to be done. So I tucked my legs together and my left hand behind me.
"You aren't even going to exist the first day like that. So whatever you want to do, you better listen to my directions without any mistake." He spoke while putting the gun away, then stood standing in that position while my right eye twitched just by the pressure.
"Yes sir!"
"Now. If you make a single wrong move, even get injured, I will let George know about your location and your appearance. Then you know what happens? I am also your brother's close friend, so do remember it carefully."
"Yes... Sir!" I answered while feeling too much in a threatened position that made me want to run out of there almost instantly. I just held onto my breathe and waited for his instructions to end.
"Besides collecting a single blood sample, you are to not engage in any battle with any other infected patients."
"Yes sir!"
"So now, explain what sort of a cure there is that you wanted to use to cure this disease?"
"This isn't a disease. It is a sort of chemical poisoning. The chemical is dimenthylmercury, a small dose is enough to turn the human in a way that describes a zombie in books or movies. This chemical can't be removed unless a certain type of beast-grade purifying leave is used. Their look should be that of a maple leave and it can only be found in a certain type of dungoen. I plan on leaving the military as soon as I have one of the ingredients readied."
"Oh. Sure. I don't mind with supporting you in whatever you have to do, but I get what kind of leave you are trying to get. Isn't it a bit dangerous?"
"It is, however, I have the powers of an entity, so I am certain I would be able to survive." I answered while lowering my hand, since the conversation had changed to a different and more calm direction.
"Fine. I will help you as long as you need to stay in the military for. If I can, I will help you find the dungeon locations. It shouldn't be hard for me." He spoke while letting out a sigh, then leaning back on his chair. I let out the breathe that I had been holding, and looked down on the ground, which felt like collapsing and swallowing me away.
My mind was growing a bit dizzy, but I still managed to stay standing.
"However..."
Sheesh! What is with that sudden speech?!
I looked up at his face again.
"I will have you go on a test to make sure you have enough skills necessary to fight." He spoke while walking towards the tent flap, and flipping it open. "For that, let's head out."
I turned confused, that he had been suspecting my battle skills despite knowing I became an entity. I guess he had some trust issues, but I followed him outside. If he didn't trust me, then I would have to build enough to get what I needed to find a cure to this... Deadly chemical.
He called for another female military personal, and told me to head over with her. Meanwhile, he spoke with Elanor about some sort of guardianship and child care and so on. Like, do I really need that much supervision?
"Hey kid. How are you this confident that you won't die or lose a limb in a sudden battle?" The woman asked me with a stern voice. This caught me off guard and I felt like being scolded by a teacher instead. "How old are you?"
"Sixteen. And I am confident that I won't even get my finger digit missing. Unless it is a scratch or a bash to the head, I don't think I would get anymore injuries." I answered while walking right behind her.
She turned for a bit to look me in the eye and confirm if I was truly just fearless or I was really telling the truth. Then, while letting out a sigh, she turned away again.
After walking for quite some time, we reached an open space where some of them were training. They all looked towards me with a suspicion that I couldn't name.
"Don't worry. She is only here for a test. She isn't a child assassin." The woman told them while stepping away to bring back a few items. It was a wooden sword and a nerf gun.
Like... What?!
"Uhh... I am not... Young, you know?" I asked while stepping back.
"Do you really not care about dying?"
"I do care if my life is at a risk. However, I am stronger then what most people think." I answered while holding out my hands and waving them from side to side. Maybe because I thought they were rough from using a sword too much.
"Then what if held you at a gunpoint?" The woman asked while glaring at me.
"You can try?" I shrugged. Before I knew it, she did, and smirked.
"Well then? Let's test that confidence of yours." I knew she was trying to scare me before I harmed myself, however... She didn't even know me. I had seen her from the distance, she was very nice as a human. But why is she so... Judgemental?! There is a thing called prodigy.
Regardless, she shot at me and I held out my hand, not in defense. As the second bullet grazed the side of my ears, I had already kicked her elbow and made her drop it. I held onto her shoulder and arm, as she fell to her knees.
"Is that enough?" I asked. She seemed astonished as I helped her up.
"How?!"
"Oh wait... Here is your bullet back." I spoke while dropping a golden bullet onto her palm, and stepping back to pick up her gun. Then handed it back to her.
"I think it is safe to consider the test done?"
"Sure. It is done. Do you know how to handle a sword?"
"Yes."
"Alright. Done. Go home."
"Yo–what?!"
As confusing as the situation seemed, I actually wanted to take the advice and just... Go home. It was suffocating enough, because this place and these people were... Judgemental. I don't even know how to describe it anymore. I was simply out of words for this.
But then I realized... Why the fuck was I trying to get into the goddamn military where I have everything now that I am the Guardian of Death?!
So whatever it was said, I just turned away and walked towards where I had last seen Elanor and Merissa's brother. I honestly could have just sneaked into the medical tents at night and stolen a blood sample.
However, just imagine a time where the patient I stole the blood from, was cured and spoke about how a girl who looked like me and stole their blood. And what if they were a 'karen'?
They would be like; "I DIDN'T CONSENT TO BE CURED! I AM SUING HER!"
Haha! I hate dumb people.
I already hated this world and it's people, and to think that I was now going through difficult problems to try and solve their problems.
Like they didn't even care if I existed, and I am here trying to care of their existence.
I scoffed to myself as I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder and lifted my gaze.
"Speak of the devil!" I muttered under my breathe as I found myself in disbelieve at seeing someone, alongside George, looking at me with suspicion.
"What did I do?! I didn't make a mistake yet!" I shouted while bowing and looking out for Countess Elanor.
Where is this woman when I need her?!
But most importantly... Why is George here at a time and place like this?!
"If anything, Aefia, it was you who should have been careful with where you walked." The lieutenant spoke while crossing his arms at me. I wished I could have just dissappeared, but there was something wrong with the way a dark cloud floated above his gaze.
"Well the way that it looked to me, you were the one leading him to my direction. Now it actually makes more sense." I spoke with a harsh tone while stepping away from the zone.
"Moreover... If he had been in this area..." I immediately stopped myself from speaking as my eyes widened when I saw the way the lieutenant saw me like a prisoner... And ran towards the direction I had been coming from.
Ugh! I should have known this was a trap! What should I do?!
As I ran out of the camp base, I had seen Elanor looking at me with a shocked and panicked face. I didn't leave her a chance to have a word with me, and just fled. Before I knew it, I had brought out Spectrum and pulled it out.
I realized one thing.
Why would someone who was just telling me about how he promised to keep my identity hidden... How did he change his mind this easily? Is he just a cheat or had he been altered in the mind just seconds ago?
It was a possibility since I had learnt from those magic related books that I had been reading about while I stayed at the palace.
I was already in the deep forest by the time I came to stop running and faced backwards. Spectrum spoke into my ears, which caught me off-guard.
[Aefia? Do you happen to know what George's element is?]