Let's go on a Journey!

 “Vengeance…?”

 She said the word as if tasting it for the first time.

 Then, with pure, honest confusion—she asked: 

“Strixx… does not understand.

 What is vengeance?”

The weight of my own words crushed me

.Six years of bottled-up emotions, suppressed and buried within me, exploded in an instant the moment her question reached my ears.

I stumbled but kept going.

 “Vengeance… it’s not what people think it is.”

 I forced the words out, feeling my throat tighten. “It’s not some righteous justice. It’s not something that makes the pain go away.”

 “Vengeance is… guilt.”

 My voice shook.

 “It’s waking up every day knowing you haven’t done anything, but also knowing that even if you did… it wouldn’t change a damn thing.”

 “It’s telling yourself you need to act, but every time you get the chance, your hands shake, your legs freeze… because deep down, you’re not sure if you’re doing it out of love… or just fear. Fear of being useless. Fear of doing nothing.”

 I clenched my fists, staring at the ground.

 “I told myself I was chasing them for revenge. That I needed to make them suffer for what they did.”

  "But maybe… I was just a coward clinging to the idea of vengeance because I didn’t know what else to do.”

 Silence.

 Then—a soft voice.

 “Strixx… feel bad.”

 I looked up. 

Strixx had her head lowered, her eyes—those deep crimson eyes that had stared down death itself—now filled with something else.

 Sadness.

She hesitated, then asked, almost whispering:

 “Human… you followed them… for how long?”

 I swallowed hard.

 “Six years.”

 Strixx’s eyes widened slightly.

 I exhaled, shaking my head. “Six years… going wherever they went. Watching. Waiting. Telling myself I was looking for the right moment. And even when the chances came… I did nothing.”

 I clenched my teeth. “I called myself weak. I hated myself for it. But I still did nothing.”

 I looked at her then, my voice barely above a whisper.

 “Maybe I never wanted vengeance. Maybe I was just… afraid of doing nothing.”

 For a moment, Strixx was silent.

 Then, softly—

 “Vengeance… bad thing.”

 I blinked.

 She frowned, her words slow and careful. “Strixx believe… vengeance… not make pain go away.”

 She reached out, hesitated, then gently tapped my chest.

 “But… human. You are hurt.”

 Her voice was quiet, sincere.

 “You are not weak.”

 I felt my breath hitch.

 “You are strong.”

 I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

 Strixx smiled then—small, nervous, almost awkward.

 Then she laughed, just a little, scratching her cheek.

 “Sorry… Strixx not speak human language well.”

 She pouted slightly, crossing her arms.

 Then, suddenly—she stomped her foot.

 “Ugh! Stupid words! So hard!”

 She clenched her fists, her sharp claws twitching as she furrowed her brows in frustration.

 Her lips pressed together, her cheeks puffing up slightly as she muttered to herself. “Strixx want to say… good things! Nice things! To you human But words… hard..

 She fidgeted for a moment, then took a deep breath, her expression softening as she looked at me again.

 Carefully, she pointed at me, her claws retracted.

 “Strixx… not know if human understands.”

 Then, after a pause, her lips curled into a small, determined smile.

 “But… Strixx will try!”

 I stared at her.

 At her innocent, clumsy smile.

 At the girl—the demon—who had slaughtered without hesitation, yet somehow, in this moment, radiated nothing but warmth.

 I didn’t know why—

 But for the first time in six years…

 I felt like I could breathe.

 I can’t believe She had just wiped out an entire group of people, yet now, she was stumbling over her words, trying to cheer me up. Her bright eyes flickered with concern, her pale cheeks puffing slightly as she fumbled to find the right words.

 I smiled.

 It was small, faint—but real.

 Strixx’s ears perked up. She froze, staring at me, eyes wide with surprise.

 Then, her lips curled into a bright, excited smile.

 “Human… you… you are smiling!”

 She clasped her hands together and  voice bubbling with joy.

 “Strixx likes smile! so Keep smiling!”

 I let out a quiet chuckle.

 Her excitement was so pure, so genuine, it was almost overwhelming.

 Then, as if remembering something, she straightened up, eyes full of curiosity.

 “Human!” She called eagerly. “Strixx has something to say 

 I raised an eyebrow. "Something to say?"

 She nodded rapidly, stepping closer.

“Strixx walked long way…” she mumbled, eyes drifting somewhere far. “ Strixx Ran away from demon place… Strixx hate home of Strixx.

She stepped over a stone, arms swinging slightly.

“On the way… Strixx saw humans. in many place

She looked at me, her eyes lighting up just a little.

“They call each other. With names. Different names.”

She poked her own chest proudly.

“Strixx said  already Strixx is Strixx.”

Then, tilting her head, she asked with pure innocence—

“…so Human! What is human’s name?”

Strixx wants to know ....your name Human!

 She was waiting. Genuinely waiting for my answer.

 Through years of wandering, through endless roads and nameless towns, I had never once felt the desire to speak to anyone. My mind had been filled with nothing but vengeance—vengeance I could never bring myself to act upon.

 And yet… here I was. Having an actual conversation. With a demon, of all things.

 The world was vast—filled with cruelty, filled with tragedy.

 But maybe… just maybe…

 There were beautiful things in it, too.

 And somehow, I knew—Strixx was one of them.

 “Human…? What happened?”

 Strixx’s voice was laced with concern. She fidgeted, her ears twitching slightly.

 I chuckled softly.

 Then, I looked at her and spoke the words I hadn’t said in years.

 “My name… My name is Luca.

Just Luca. Nice to meet you, Strixx.”

 Strixx blinked, then smiled softly.

Human you have ... beautiful name Strixx likes Luca name

 “Strixx likes… Luca smile.”

 Her words were simple, yet they held warmth I hadn’t felt in a long time.

 I exhaled. “Thank you, Strixx.”

 She blinked. “Hm? Why?” why thanking Strixx?

 I gave a small chuckle.

“Thank you, Strixx,” I said softly. “Meeting you here… it helped me.”

I let out a quiet breath, a small smile forming on my lips.

“The guilt is still there… and maybe it always will be. But now, at least I’m not lost anymore. I’m not chasing something I can’t reach.”

I looked at her, my voice a little warmer.

“Thank you… really.”

For years—whether out of guilt, fear, or simply having nowhere else to go—my mind had been shackled by the past, wandering aimlessly, chasing something without ever truly moving forward.

But now… for the first time, I feel free.

As if the chains that once bound me to my past had finally broken, leaving nothing but the open sky ahead.

He looked up at the sky, as If seeing a new horizon for the first time.

"Now that I have nothing left to chase after Anymore from now on… I think I’ll move to a small town. Or maybe the capital? I’ll take on whatever work I can find—something simple, something honest. And when I’ve saved enough, maybe I’ll buy a little house on the outskirts. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere peaceful. A place where the wind is gentle, where mornings are slow, and where I can finally live a slow peaceful. That sounds nice, doesn’t it?"

I turned to her, a soft smile forming on my lips.

"And of course… I won’t forget the demon girl who made it all possible. For this one life I get to live—for every peaceful day ahead—I’ll always owe you. And no matter how much time passes… I’ll never forget."

 I took a step closer, his voice steady yet warm.

 “Strixx… thank you. Meeting you helped me. I finally realized… I can think about the future again.”

 A brief pause, then, with sincerity in his eyes

 “So tell me, Strixx… tell me anything that I can do for Strixx.”

 Strixx mumbled to herself.

 “Strixx thought… Strixx was only  helping those people escape…”

 Then, she brightened up again.

 “ Strixx don't understand why But! Luca  smiling!  So Strixx more  happy!”

Strixx happy Strixx …able to..make luca smile..

 She rocked on her heels,  before gasping dramatically.

Strixx’s crimson eyes widened, blinking up at me.

 “So… Strixx can… make any request?”

 I nodded, smiling gently. “Of course. I’ll do anything in my power. If you want something, just say it.”

 Strixx fidgeted

 “Strixx has… a wish but… Luca…”

 I knelt down, meeting her eyes at her level. “Keep telling me. I’m listening.”

 She hesitated, her claws clenching at her chest before she spoke again, her voice softer, more vulnerable.

 “Strixx thinks… it’s greedy… Strixx knows… but…”

 She took a deep breath, her tiny fangs peeking out as she bit her lip.

 “Strixx wants… Luka to join… Strixx…”

 “Strixx wants to… explore the world…”

 She looked up at the sky, as if imagining a world far beyond what we could see.

 “So Luka… go… on a journey with Strixx.”

 She turned back to me, her ruby eyes shimmering with something fragile yet full of hope.

 “Strixx wants to… know… to see… what comes after… big mountain…”

 Her voice picked up, excitement creeping in.

“Strixx… Strixx wants to see… the ocean!!”

“Because… from ocean… Strixx can go… to many new places!! And… Strixx heard… ocean water is sweet!”

 She puffed up proudly for a moment, then blinked.

 “Strixx… likes sweet!”

 I chuckled, nodding along.

 “And… and… Strixx wants to know… wants to see… what comes after the ocean....the new places!!”

 Her hands balled into fists, as if she were holding back a flood of emotions.

 “Strixx wants to go… wants to be… in a new place… tomorrow… then the next day… every day!”

 She placed a hand over her chest, voice trembling slightly.

 “Strixx wants to learn… more and more… about the world… and humans…”

 Her gaze lowered.

 “Because… human and world… so warm…”

 Her fingers curled against her skin, pressing into herself.

 “Strixx home… cold… painful…”

 She looked up at me once more, her voice barely above a whisper.

 “Sorry… Strixx wish… greedy…”

 At the moment I thought to myself…

She called herself greedy, yet all she wanted was something so simple, so beautiful.

To see the world… to chase what’s beyond… to smile and have fun along the way.

And yet… I—

I stared at her for a moment, then smiled—one brighter, fuller than any I had ever worn before.

 I reached out my hand.

 “If that’s your wish… then Luka will join you on your journey.”

 Her eyes widened in surprise.

 “Let me join you, Strixx.”

 The weight of my past, my pain, everything that held me down—it all felt light at that moment.

 “It’s way better than living a normal life.”

 I stepped closer, my grin widening.

 “Strixx… let’s go on a journey together."

 Her ears twitched,

 “Strixx… let me walk this path with you.”

 I held my hand out toward her, my soul feeling lighter than it ever had before.

 With the brightest smile I had ever worn in my whole life.

“Eh? Luca?”

She looked at me, eyes wide, almost trembling. “Luca… really wants to?”

Her voice was soft, unsure, like she didn’t believe she deserved the answer.

“But… Strixx thinks it’s—”

I stepped forward, cutting her off gently.

“No. It’s not a greedy wish.”

I looked straight into her eyes, voice steady.

“It’s a beautiful one.”

I took a breath, heart full.

“I want to join you.”

“No… please--let me come with you, Strixx. On this journey.”

For a second, she didn’t move. Just stared at me.

Then, her lips quivered… and the tears spilled. A smile, bright and full of warmth, broke across her face as she nodded over and over.

“Sure!! Let’s go on a journey together, Luca!!!”