With Marcilli, I left the mansion through the door, revealing the scope of the Willner domain.
A colossal piece of land featuring other underground structures, with a wall visible far off.
I was quite impressed, I didn't expect this place to be that big, as big as a small village.
"Amos, let's go."
Marcilli's voice brought my flabbergasted mind back.
"Yeah, sorry, I'm just impressed by how big this place is."
"What did you expect? The Willner family is one of the most important in Arnesia. Without us, the royal family would be struggling quite."
I genuinely didn't think this family could be so important that even the royal family would depend on them.
"Well, thank you for saving us, and also for giving me the luxury of lodging and resting here. I hope I don't bother you too much."
Marcilli looked at me a bit confused, then sighed.
"You literally saved my sister, which should be rewarded with a huge amount of money, but you just asked to rest here, which is something that we should do even if you didn't ask."
Thinking of it, she's right, I'm pretty sure they even set a prize for who could find Mira, but...
"You know, but I don't want to be rewarded for something that's natural. I couldn't just leave her like that."
"You're surprising me, Amos. I didn't think that someone having that kind of mindset still existed."
I feel bad. At first, I didn't want to save anyone... Without Leah for convincing me to, maybe Mira wouldn't be here... Without me, maybe all of this could have gone better. I should never have brought Leah into any of this. When Gladius asked me to leave, I should've done it immediately. Because of me, Leah suffered, and Gladius disappeared, and the cherry on top... I won't ever be able to forget that, that feeling strong enough to make my guts shiver... I caused the death of five children. And I still have the nerve to act tired... I couldn't even kill that guy who kidnapped Mira; he might still be alive, making other people suffer.
I couldn't help but clench my fist, strong enough for me to feel my nails beginning to pierce my skin. It surely hurt, but not enough for what I deserved.
"Stop that."
Marcilli took my hand firmly, which made me instinctively soften my grip.
"I don't know what you have in mind, but you shouldn't hurt yourself like that."
I looked at my hands, and they weren't bleeding yet, just red marks of the blood that got stuck.
I wouldn't call that hurting myself; that isn't enough for what I've done. I clenched my teeth, frustrated by how pathetic I am.
"You seem like you're blaming yourself for something. If that has anything to do with Miss Leah, I'd advise you to talk to her. She has that worried look every time she looks at you."
I was confused. What would Leah have anything to do with this? I'm the problem... Wait, worried? Rethinking it, I was a bit harsh to Leah when she came to me after I woke up. What a dumbass I am, knowing Leah, she's surely feeling guilty because of my crap. I should apologize, or at least try to make her understand that everything is fine.
"Amos, we should resume the tour, the workers and residents of the domain would find it strange seeing me talking to someone still in his nightshirt."
Reflecting on this situation, she's right, it's already past noon, and I'm still wearing this.
"Yume took care of your clothes, let's take them."
And without any warning, Marcilli began to walk. I didn't really have a choice but to follow her.
On our way, I've seen a lot of workers, humans, and other "Half humans", I don't know if it's how they're called, they have animal ears or tails, but still have a human-like body.
As we walked, one of the workers passed near us, carrying dead birds.
I looked into its eyes.
Poison. Yeah, he died because of poison. I didn't know that kind of hunting method was reliable. How did they even manage to follow it until the poison took effect? I mean, we're in a world of "magic". At this point, nothing could surprise me that much.
"Here we are."
Marcilli slowly opened the door of a house, I followed her from behind as she entered. Inside, Sewing clothes, a woman with long, pointy orange fox ears, her green eyes looking at us, dressed in a maid outfit.
"Greetings, Lady Marcilli."
Her voice was calm and sounded wise.
"Yume, let me introduce you to Amos. Amos, this is Yume, the one in charge of maintaining items of value owned by our family."
"I am delighted to meet you, Sir Amos." Yume said.
"Oh, yeah, same." I answered, a bit taken aback by her sudden greeting, I'm really not used to those noble manners.
As I saw Marcilli sigh, I realized that I may have been a bit too familiar.
"Amos, does politeness mean anything to you?" Marcilli had her Disappointed eyes looking at me, she scolded me without even yelling at me.
Under the pressure, I immediately bowed and apologized.
"Sorry, Nice to meet you, Yume."
"No need to apologize, you're a child, and you don't look like you're from around here."
I scratched the back of my head, an awkward smile on my face, saying I was a kid was a bit downgrading, fifteen is quite old to be honest.
But whatever, I should avoid worsening my case, thanks God she's not mad.
"Anyways, Yume, we came to get Amos's clothes."
"Of course, here they are."
Yume lifted her hands, then, without a word, a bright swirl formed in her hand, leaving my clothes behind as it disappeared.
This was quite surprising. Until now, I'd only seen simple, elemental-based magic, but I feel like I've stumbled upon some kind of spatial magic.
Yume handed me my clothes, which I naturally took.
"Thanks."
My clothes now in my hand, I noticed something. I inspected my hoodie and,
"The holes? Where are they?"
"I patched them." Yume's voice was calm, but something bothered me. My hoodie was partly made of polyester, and yet, the patched holes aren't even noticeable.
How did she do that? Is there something similar to polyester... No, impossible.
I hope I didn't just ruin the economy of this country.
"What's the matter, Amos, you seem a bit worried." Marcilli remarked.
"Well, nothing really important." I couldn't really talk about what I was thinking—
"Pali glaciales"
As soon as I turned towards Marcilli, those words, followed by a big stake emerging from the ground, pressed against my neck, the air around me began to become cold.
I could feel the cold, sharp edge of it on my skin.
I couldn't move, and I didn't want to, one simple wrong move and it would be finished for me.
"What are you doing here, disgusting purifier?"
My body slightly shook in fear; she wasn't joking or testing me, she was genuinely ready to take my life.
This situation reminds me of something, yeah, the same thing happened with Elinisa.
"I'm not a purifier or whatever you said."
I tried to sound confident, even if my body betrayed me, which just made things worse.
The ice stake slightly moved forward, creating a small wound on my throat.
"You won't fool me. Nothing of what you did made sense. You managed to escape A sanctuary of purgation, you potentially managed to defeat one of the chosen ones, you saved an important member of our family, and yet all you ask is some rest. You're just here to spy on us and plan something, aren't you?"
I couldn't understand anything she was saying, she overwhelmed me with information I couldn't really make sense of.
Her voice was filled with anger, her eyes looked at me like I had done horrid things to her, and she was clenching her fists so hard I could see her veins becoming red. This was genuinely scary.
"N-No I—"
"WASN'T WHAT YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS DID TO MY MOM NOT ENOUGH? YOU HAVE TO DESTROY WHAT'S REMAINING, HUH?"
How she was right now.
Reminded me of something, the same feeling I felt when I couldn't do anything but just watch in anger, hoping one day things would get better.
I don't know what she went through, but I can't blame or be mad at her. Maybe if I try to calm down this situation with words, we could explain ourselves.
"Marcilli, listen, I'm—"
She rushed towards me and instantly punched my stomach, where it hurt the most.
I couldn't dodge because at the same time, the ice stake broke, blurring my sight.
Her punch was strong enough to launch me into a wall.
I could feel the pain intensify in my old wound. I could barely breathe as I felt my stomach being torn apart.
I looked up, blood dripping off my mouth, dust covering the air after that hard swing.
"I'm gonna finish you now."
She approached me, her anger filling the whole room.
"I hope you appreciate that it's a demon, as you call us, who'll end your life."
Demon? Wait...
As soon as she got to my level, she immediately crouched down and strangled me, her slender fingers tightly pressing my throat.
As breathing wasn't already hard after her punch, she had to do that.
I instinctively put my hands on hers, trying to get them off, but I didn't have enough strength to.
My sight slowly blurred, my hand slipping from hers.
I could see her eyes full of tears, slowly dripping on my face.
I can't give up now...
With the last ounce of strength I had, I kicked her away from me.
She was too unstable, enough for my kick to make her lose balance and get her hand off me.
The air was never more refreshing than at this moment before. I stood up on my feet, wiping away the blood on my mouth.
On the ground, Marcilli wasn't done, she was still as enraged as earlier.
"DIE!"
Sagitta glacialis was the word that followed as she stood up, eyes full of rage, her hands raised up forming frozen arrows surrounding me, all heading towards my head.
This time her spell wasn't as accurate as the first one, giving me enough time to dodge the arrows by lowering myself.
The arrows shattered into thin ice pieces as they bumped into each other, covering the whole room with a white, cold dust.
I couldn't waste this chance and give her time to cast another spell, so I rushed towards her and used the ice dust to approach her without her noticing.
I was close enough for her to see me, her face twitching when I emerged from the dust.
But I was close enough to land something, I didn't hesitate and took her by her clothes, pulling her towards, launching my fist at her to punch simultaneously.
But before my hand could touch her face, she stopped it and grabbed it and blocked my attack.
This was my chance.
Her hand was busy retaining mine, so with my other hand, I took her free one, pushed her towards a wall, and pinned her on it.
"Chill out now!" My voice was a bit shaky and crispy from the earlier blow, but I could still talk.
Marcilli looked at me, confused. She tried to free herself, but despite my condition, she was too shaken to do so.
"Chill? What?" She looked at me, confused, her eyes softened a bit, just enough for me to tell I could finally talk.
"Listen, I know what you're thinking, but I'm on your si—"
"Shut up! Your lies won't reach me! You stink death! I won't believe you!"
She didn't want to look at me, she closed her eyes, hand moving hardly trying to free herself.
But what she just said...
I hope you appreciate that it's a demon, as you call us, who'll end your life. Yeah, that's what she said...
"Demon."
She finally looked at me, her eyes screaming how hurtful this world was to her.
"Demon, that's how they call you, right?"
"What?"
"They did the same to me."
"Stop! You know nothing about me! You don't know how it feels!"
If she knew how wrong she is... I deeply know that feeling, this haunted me my whole life...
"So do you. We don't know each other, we're both strangers. I know it's hard to trust someone, especially when you look at them, it reminds you of something that broke you. But by continuing like this, you too will hurt those who want to help you."
She stopped moving, the strength she used to free herself, her tears flowing just a bit more.
"No... You're one of them..."
Her words were barely understandable, but even under her sobbing, I could hear the words calling for help.
"What would differentiate us from them if we also started judging everyone indiscriminately just because they resemble something they are certainly not?"
I gently released my grip on her, and as soon as my hand left hers, she lost balance and fell into my chest, crying.
Her hands were poorly trying to sob her tears and push them away. She was too bogged down to regain her balance properly, so, gently, she began to let out all her tears, using me as a support.
This situation was quite new to me, I had never been in this position, nor on the other. I didn't know what to do. Instinctively, I wrapped one of my hands around her, the other gently patting her head.
"It'll be okay..."