Crossing the Arok Strait

“Dad, why are we leaving so quickly? There is so much to see in Harbor City. I want to show you around.” This is very important. We cannot leave until I meet this person. If he is the hero, I have to help. I need a way to contact them. This is clearly a sign for me to stay here and find this person.

“We got lucky and someone pulled their reserved space from the ship tonight. Thus, there is a space open on the ship for exactly the space we need to cross the Arok Strait. They are giving us a discount too, and if we don’t cross today, we won't get it until next week. We must go today.”

“Dad, one week here in Harbor City is not so bad. We can take a break. We have been traveling for almost a month. I’m tired of moving. Please, Dad, let's stay here.” Sorry, Dad, but I'm not giving up on this.

“Princess, this is a decision I cannot make alone. Mr. Damian also agrees that we should leave tonight. So, we are living.” I haven’t seen Dad this serious before.

“Dad, sorry to keep insisting, but I’m not feeling well. Maybe it is something I ate.”

“Cato, why are you lying?”

“Uh?”

“Cato, you are my daughter, and I know you well. You are hiding something. You are never this pushy.” Dad is suspicious of me. “Albus, did something happen. Tell me everything.” Of course, Albus is not going to say anything.

“We eat some food, but everything seems fresh and healthy. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, and I would have been sick too, since we ate the same things. She enjoyed herself today. Maybe she'd like to see more animals, like the Sea Lion we saw. Also, another kid said something to her, and she answered him. After that interaction, she has been distracted, like looking for them.”

What the f***! Albus, you are a traitor! I'm not going to forgive you, Albus! Am I so easy to read? What is this? Oh no, what do I do now?

“Ah? Are you at that age, Cato? Do you like this kid? Is this a summer love or something?”

“He was for sure a homo Felidae, but I don’t know if he was a girl or a boy. This person was wearing a white robe,” said the traitor.

“I remember you were very attracted to Fabia when you were a baby. Do you have a thing for Felidae people?”

I want to cry, sniff, sniff. How did the conversation go this way? I’m running out of options here. I do like homo Felidae people, but not that way. I don’t think. They are cute, I love their tail and cat ears, but it’s not romantic or sexual... I think.

“Sniff… I do like them…” My voice quavered as I bit my lips, trying to hold my tears. I have no options here.

“Fua ha ha ha, my little princess is in love. Sorry, baby, we are going anyway. Plus, you're still too young to be dating. Once you get to the Academy, you can date some people, but remember, Antonina is choosing your husband.”

“Okay.” Why do I feel so humiliated in so many different ways? God, I tried! It's not my fault anymore! If you want me to stay, do something!

That night, our wagon and Damian’s wagon were placed on the ship to Cross the Strait. What was the point of saying all that nonsense? We all got inside the merchant ship and into our rooms to sleep.

…

I was the first one to wake up the next morning, before dawn, and I went out to see the sun rise with my jacket. The sun is coming up from the west, where we are heading, Gan. The weather feels so much cooler than on the other side of the strait. From all points of the Strait, it is possible to see Orion because of the mountains. It’s a beautiful view. However, we are now close to Gan, so we should be able to see the continent. I went to the bow of the ship to look at the horizon. There was the continent of Gan. It’s still dark, but we are very close, so it is easy to see. There is no one in the bow of the boat. I think I’m going to sit here practicing magical breathing, waiting for the sun to rise.

“Eugina, thank you for this jacket. It’s so warm.” I’m just talking to myself. Focus Cato. I can feel the magic resonating inside me. Now, I let it out and try covering my body. I can cover my whole body with battle aura, but it's pointless since the barrier would be too thin to protect me from an attack by Dad or Mom. However, if I divide my body into three sections, it might work. First, there is the upper body, which includes the chest, shoulders, and head. Second, the middle body consists of the abdomen and arms. Third, the lower body, which is the legs and feet. I can cover each section with a pretty substantial barrier.

“Your magic is powerful.” Said a voice from behind in English.

“It’s you!” It’s the homo Felidae we saw yesterday on the coast. “What are you doing here?”

“This is supposed to be where we meet.”

“What do you mean?” Is she saying that we are destined to fulfill this mission, so there is no way around it, and everything is predetermined?

“It just felt this was the right way. Too many things align for me to come to Gan. And then I saw you.”  She said with a smile.

“Is it our destiny to fulfill this mission? Is there a way around it?” I have so many questions, I don’t even know where to start.

“No, not everything will fall into place to fulfill our mission. And you are not obligated to fulfill your role if you don’t want to. You are free to do as you want. As others have done before you. If we fail, someone else will have to come, if possible. If not, at least we tried. Me, on the other hand, this is my job.” 

Okay, that means I’m free to do whatever I want. Who is this girl? Can I trust what she says?

“What happens if we fail?”

“The pain in this world will continue for a little longer. Death, pain, sickness, sorrow, all the things that come from not being connected to the source of life. However, all of this will certainly end.”

“Is my family involved in this plan of yours?”

“Not my plan, I cannot see what the future holds. I’m just a servant like yourself. As for your family, they will decide if they want to play a role or not.”

“Why me? Why not bring someone smarter and with more experience from the other world? Someone more capable.”

“Others have come to this world. However, some decided to give up, others preferred to live their own lives, others were scared and preferred to do nothing, others didn’t have the will, and a small number who have tried have failed or accomplished little. Capable people do not equal a successful mission. Being willing is more important.”

“Is there any of those people in this world now? Can I speak with them?”

“I believe there are, but I don’t know them. Also, their memories of encountering heavenly beings and their past lives are lost.”

“So, if I choose not to follow the mission, I will just lose my memory and live my life as it is? That is actually a good deal. I can live with no regrets.”

“Yes”

“Do I have to decide now?”

“No, but you will see in your life the guidance from above until you reject your purpose. You will learn to see it more clearly.”

“What do you mean by guidance?”

“Was it hard to get to this merchant ship? Or take this trip to Gan? Or learn magic when it is against the law in your kingdom?”

“So, is my life being controlled then to serve a purpose?”

“No, you could have gone against the will of the heavenly beings, but you did not push back enough.”

“I see, that makes sense.” I could have stopped myself from practicing magic. I could have stayed in my room to avoid coming on this trip and getting sick. Or seriously fight Dad back to not go into this ship. “I will think about it. Do you know the future? What is your purpose as the hero? Are you strong? What do we do next?" There is so much to ask.

“We don’t have much time now. I will be going South of Gan to another kingdom, so we will go our separate ways and probably meet in the future. I don’t know what the future holds. I'm just a servant like you, but I don’t come from the same world that you did. I’m not the kind of Hero people in this world think of. I’m more of a messenger. I'm not really strong in a fight. That’s where you come to fulfill your role and the other party members that I'm looking for.”

“What’s your name?”

“Saraqael, and yours?”

“Wait, you don’t know my name?”

“I know Sofia, but not your current name.”

Sofia, I haven’t heard that name in years. How nostalgic. This person certainly knows who I am and where I come from. He must have come from the heavenly beings. However, I still don’t know if I'm on the right side or not in this conflict. I don’t know who the Demond Lord is and why I should fight against him.

“I’m Cato, daughter of Antonina, a C-class Adventurer from Choca. How did you find me?”

“I see. I knew some of your characteristics, like the kingdom you are from, your homo race, and your gender. I just spoke English to whoever filled out the description. Well, I’m looking forward to working with you, Cato, the last hero of this world,” she said, smiling. “Look, the sun is coming out and we are almost in Gan.”

“Can I touch your ears?”

“Do you like homo Felidae people?”

“Not romantically or sexually!”

“Eeh? Why so jumpy? And why didn’t you choose this kind of homo people before coming to this world? You could have asked the heavenly beings.”

“What? You pick to be a homo Felidae?”

“That’s right!”

“I’m so jealous!”

“Ha ha ha ha, you do have a thing for Felidae people!”

“Shut up!”