Old promises

Taiki limped through the streets of the city together with the help of Rya. The first battle was fought. Baaz fled after Taiki showed his power to everyone. They knew that the demons would soon move back in with a reinforcement. Therefore, Sasori and other upper nobles prepared the walls and protective mechanisms of the castle, so that the next battle would not end bad. Suddenly, Bertinoff stepped in front of Taiki with a sword drawn: "Who or what are you?!" "The person you fought against is now locked up! He won't be in control of me that easily! Besides, I was able to wind the battle for us, right?", Said Taiki, who had no desire for further confrontation. "You are too great of a danger to humanity! You must be destroyed!", Yelled the chief commander. "Do you really want to fight against the one who was able to defeat the Child of Darkness and Felia." the voice of Hebior suddenly sounded, meandering up to Taiki. "That's ...Hebior....A servant of...", Bertinoff realized shocked. " Now let me pass! I still have some things to do!", Said the young boy impatient. All at once, he heard a thick figure stepping forward behind a building.

He had noble dresses and also a charming companion on his left side. It was an elf. Out of nowhere, Taiki received a flash of inspiration: "Could it be that this is Aimi's sister? Or is this another nobleman? It seems that there is only one way to find out." Without paying further attention to the main commander, he went forward in the direction where he had seen the fat nobleman with the elf. He realized how they disappeared behind another building. Taiki was pretty sure it was her. The elf had too many similarities with Aimi that it could not be otherwise. Out of the blue, he also recognized the one girl he had encountered shortly before when he was accused of treason with Icarus and Cyril. As far as he could remember, she also had a nasty smile when the three were dragged away. "Is she the princess of this kingdom or something?", Wondered Taiki, although he finds it somewhat suspicious that she meets with this nobleman in a dark corner. 

Taiki was curious. He listened with the skill "Elephant ears". As a result, he heard the rough voice of the nobleman and the childlike voice of the supposed princess. "Do we still have a deal? We must not allow ourselves to make any mistakes!", Taiki heard the voice of the fat nobleman. "What are they up to?", Wondered Taiki. Suddenly, the nobleman discovered him and stormed to him with the elf. Without warning, he grabbed Taiki by the collar and shouted, "What are you doing here! Are you eavesdropping on the nobility, you measly worm?!" "Do you really want to have a fight here that you would lose?", Wanted to know the girl with whom the noblewoman had spoken before. "What do you mean, Princess Lora?", He inquired. "He was the one who saved the kingdom prematurely from the demons. He was the one who could defeat Eliphas and, as I could now hear, the Child of Darkness and Felia Lupus. Trust me, Akito, you would not win this battle even if you would have million attempts.", The princess explained. 

"And if so! He's just a street rat, but I'm under the king's favor! He can't harm me at all!", Said Akito with a devilish smile. "Are you sure? I mean....he saved the damn country for now. My father will certainly listen to him more than to you, who has only beaten down a small village of insurgents.", Said Lora. Akito then let go of Taiki and then turned to the elf, who had been silent until now: "Come now, Akari! We have better things to do." At a single blow, a flash of inspiration shot through the young boy's head: "Wait a minute...... Akito? Akari? The names sounds so familiar to me, but where...... No..... Aimi!" "Wait!" Taiki stopped the nobleman, whereupon he asked him: "What do you want?" Taiki then replied: "Is Akari your slave? And if so, where did you get her from?" "Why should I tell you this, street rat?", Said Akito indignantly, whereupon Taiki grinned cheekily and said: "If you don't tell me, I may tell the king about your outburst to me!" 

Akito immediately became angry, but resented his anger and replied: "I got it from an elven family that owes me a lot of money. I took them as a kind of pawn as long as I didn't get my money. After unfortunately her family suicide and her sister apparently also died during her mission, she is now fully owned by me, because they can not pay their debt. She has to do all the services for me!" As he spoke, the nobleman received a sleazy smile, which enraged Taiki. The anger was so great that the dark Taiki almost broke out of him. But then he calmed down and asked further: "And what if a person pays you the right amount of money, if this person is not related to her?" Akito then answered: "That should fit as well. As long as I receive my money, that should be enough for me." "Well....I have one more question. Do you know a dwarf woman who seems to live here named Rosalie mountainfeet?" However, Akito shook his head unsuspectingly. 

Next, Lora, who has been a silent observer until now, spoke up: "I know where this woman is because I've talked to her about her husband Gloin before. She doesn't know anything about her husband's death yet. No one had the stomach to tell her it. She lives in the northern part of this city. Their house is pretty easy to spot." Then Taiki thanked them and sprinted away from the two. However, Taiki could not see the princess's sinister smile that is formed on her face. She had completely different plans with Taiki, the spirit of revenge. As the young boy ran, he pondered: "Tsuyoshi was already able to fulfill his promise by the death of this goblin demon. When I find Rosalie and give her Gloin's axe, I have fulfilled another promise. Then, only Aimi's sister remains to be released from captivity. It probably would not be that easy." After a twenty-minute walk, Taiki reached the northern part of the city, where there were numerous houses. However, one house stood out the most. It had a resemblance to a fox bury built out of stones. It was like if you were in front of a cave.

Taiki took a deep breath in and out. Now he would have to convey the horrible truth to Gloin's wife. Slowly he went to the door and knocked on it. Out of thin air, the door was torn open and an angry woman stood in front of it, who does look exactly like any other woman, as you might not think at first,  because she was a dwarf, except that she was a little smaller than a usual woman. In addition, she was a bit more round in the abdominal area. Most of all, her fiery red hair and emerald green eyes stood out. "Gloin....I finally wondered.......", The woman began, when she realized that it was not her husband who was standing in front of her." Oh... Please forgive....I thought you were my husband!", The dwarf apologized on the spot. "Oh! That's fine. That can happen", Taiki said. "Who are you?", Rosalie then asked the young boy. "My name is Taiki Wakanabe. I was part of the group of adventurers in which your husband, Gloin, also participated...", Taiki began to talk, even if it suddenly became a little more difficult for him to speak. 

"You want to talk to me about Gloin? Well, then come in. I make a warm tea for you and then we can talk about my husband. He has certainly already told you about our strange dream with owning a mine.....", The woman said as she walked in. However, Taiki waved it off and explained: "I'm only here to give you something, because the demons will certainly start another attack on the city. And I'm part of the armed forces." "Oh....Then I wish you good luck and that you do not die on the battlefield! Fight with all your might against these monsters! But now to the reason why you came to me. What do you want to give me?", Asked Rosalie. Taiki began to tremble when he pulled out an object from his back. It was Gloin's axe. He handed her the axe with shaking hands. The dwarf took the object confusedly, until she realized what it meant. "So he died.....", The woman whispered so quietly that Taiki barely understood her words. Before Taiki could say anything comforting, the war horn suddenly sounded as the demons stood in front of the gates again. One last time, the young boy looked at Rosalie, who was on the verge of tears, until he made his way into battle. The dwarf then sadly went back in the house and hung the axe over a window to remember her deceased husband at any time she wants it.